Cowgirl Power: How to Kick Ass in Business and Life

by Gay Gaddis

Kick Ass Your WayAs the owner of one of the largest woman-owned advertising agencies in the U.S., Gay Gaddis knows a thing or two about empowerment. Gay's insights are rooted in the spirited strength of the real cowgirl heroines of the 1920s and '30s-gutsy risk -takers in everything they did. In Cowgirl Power, these cowgirls are celebrated as a metaphor for the power we all have to achieve far more than we think.Whether your goal is to start a family, own a business, advance your career, organize community outreach, or run for office, it all comes down to knowing how to develop it and not being afraid to take it when it comes your way.Gay's book and Cowgirl Power Toolkit will help you blaze a path to success, on your responsibility for yourselfBuilding your own competenceFinding your assertivenessDesigning your own lifeBuilding a kick-ass cultureRecognizing good ideasBecoming a fearless leaderCowgirl Power is not about changing you. You are just fine. It's about understanding your strengths, building on them, and unlocking your power to kick ass-your way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Business

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 23, 2018

About the author

Gay Gaddis is CEO and Founder of T3—The Think Tank. In 1989, she started her company after cashing in a $16,000 IRA. Today, T3 has offices nationwide and creates innovative digital marketing programs for Fortune 200 clients. T3 is a top ranked innovation firm and one of the largest agencies owned by a woman. Gay has been nationally recognized for the unique family-friendly policies she has initiated at T3.
 
Gay serves on the Board of Directors of Monotype Imaging Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYPE), sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council to The University of Texas McCombs School of Business, is the first female Chairman of the Texas Business Leadership Council and is former Chairman of The Committee of 200 (C200), a top women’s business organization that advances women’s leadership in business. She and her husband own the historic Double Heart Ranch in the Texas Hill Country. An active spokesperson, writer and artist, Gay is a regular contributor to Forbes and part of Fortune's Most Powerful Women Insider Network. She has received numerous awards and honors including Fast Company’s “Top 25 Women Business Builders,” Inc. Magazine’s “Top 10 Entrepreneurs of the Year” and C200’s Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Her bold Texas landscape paintings have hung in New York City gallery shows and earned her distinction by Texas Monthly magazine as one of the top ten artists to collect now. 

Reviews

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

It can be tough to become a leader in business today if you are a woman, although the culture is becoming a lot easier. I see a lot of women going into business for themselves and I think that’s great. I am proud to see the strides women have taken to succeed.

But we also have a lot of women in the corporate structure and this book is a good read if you want to empower yourself to take on those guys and become the best at what you do.

The author wrote this book about her life and experiences in developing her company. She correlated her learning to the tough cowgirls of the past that helped pave the way for women today. Each chapter is a skill that she learned and one you can too.

This book is full of tips on how women can build on their strengths, to build and organize their business, and their personal life. I love the Cowgirl Power Tool Kit at the back of the book. Full of quick tidbits to really empower you and help you be better business person.

Full of great stories and packed with powerful tools you can use, every business woman needs to check out this great book. It will help you be get to where you want to be as a woman and business professional.

* Copy received for review consideration
Full Review - http://amidlifewife.com/cow-girl-powe...

[Candice Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading about how Gay trailblazed her way into the industry. Such great advice on finding the power within oneself and how that can be harnessed in the business world.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

COWGIRL POWER by Gay Gaddis is a must-read inspirational book for women who want to succeed in business and life. As owner of one of the largest woman-helmed American ad agencies, she knows about authentic women’s power and empowerment. Gaddis draws upon her own life and that of real cowgirl heroines of the 1920s and '30s as she shares effective tips for success and includes a Cowgirl Power Toolkit that focuses on eight areas: Taking responsibility, Building competence, Finding assertiveness, Life design, Building a kick-ass culture, Generating good ideas, Becoming a fearless leader, and Cowgirl Power. 5/5 for Western female chutzpah and kick-ass inspiration!

Pub Date 23 Jan 2018

Thanks to Center Street and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#CowgirlPower #NetGalley

[Tory · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this book and liked Gaddis' suggestions about how to succeed in business and life. I also liked that each chapter started with a description of a historic cowgirl. The stories Gaddis included were interesting but I sometimes thought that they were a bit rambling and not related to the point of the chapter. The "toolkit" at the end of the book is good.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and practical wisdom for women in the workforce. Love the style of writing - each chapter is themed around one prominent cowgirl from history and an important trait or skill women should develop. Love the maverick aura of the entire book.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Gay Gaddis is a trailblazer and someone who fought for her seat at the table in an unapologetic manner. As someone who is still early in their career, reading a book like this is empowering and challenging because seeing myself plow forward is not as easy as celebrating someone else to do so. Her cowgirl methods and analogies didn't always resonate with me but since I live in TX, I understood and appreciated the simplicity in which she explained how to become the better version of ourselves.

[Lance McNeill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authentic and powerful

Gay is undeniably authentic- an extremely important quality for successful entrepreneurs. I only wish she would have shared more insights and case studies from her business experience. The cowgirl metaphors didn’t always connect back to business for me, but it offered interesting and inspiring history. I look forward to a follow up book by Gay.

[Deana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting informative read

She’s a great storyteller & kick ass business woman. I wish I had this book at 20 it really could’ve changed my life path. This book is written by a woman you have to admire. At times it seems as if she is tooting her own horn, but who could blame her! I can add Gay Gaddis to my list of female heroes.

[Carol Mutung'a-Kariuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Loved the encouragement to be authentic. As a person running my own business, I appreciated the honesty of the struggles and the tough decisions that Gay had to take. The cow girl stories were extremely enlightening and spot-on with the lessons.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent advice for women of all ages

Gay hits the nail on the head. You have to own your own success in life. Don’t make excuses-get busy making your own success happen. What an inspiration!

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have enough good things to say about this book. Gay gaddis was a terrific read and I really hope to one day actually meet her. This is a great book on embracing female power. She relates a lot of it back to the cowgirls of old. I highly recommend it.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had great suggestions and it does bring insight when she relates it to her life but it reads more like an autobiography. I would have preferred to read less about her many success stories.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the "get out there and do what you gotta do" message that was evident throughout this book. I know little about CowGirls and the historical accounts of the women shared in this book just gives you a different perspective on their accomplishments in those times. My personal wake up call came in chapter one on "personal power" and chapter six on the importance of being financially savy because I struggle with those given that I work mostly for non-profits.
The author draws from her setbacks, her life experiences and this makes it easier to relate to. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.