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WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams
First, we leaned in. Now we stand up.
Jaclyn Johnson—the founder and CEO behind Create & Cultivate, the fastest growing online platform and conference for millennial women in business— offers a rallying cry for a new generation of women who are redefining the meaning of work on their own terms: WorkParty. Women who want it all and more, and guess what? They can have it.
Jaclyn suffered a massive blow in her early twenties. She was on an upward career climb and confidently moved across the country for a job—and then, was abruptly let go. Attempting to turn that closed door into an open window, she launched a company with a trusted business partner. Soon after, she discovered said business partner had made detrimental decisions to the company without her knowledge. Before she knew it, she was in the throes of a brutal business partner break up. She was only twenty-four.
Determined to bounce back, Jaclyn overhauled the mess that was her life and by the time she was in her early thirties, she had sold a company and launched the much-buzzed about Create & Cultivate platform—and advised and invested in multiple million-dollar projects at the same time. So, how did she do it?
In WorkParty, Jaclyn shows how she turned distrust into determination, frustration into fuel, and heartache into hard work—and how you can, too.
With stories from leading female entrepreneurs including Christene Barberich (co-founder of Refinery29), Alli Webb, (creator of Drybar), Morgan Debaun (founder of Blavity), Jen Gotch of Ban.do, Rebecca Minkoff, and Kendra Scott, you will learn the tips and tricks from the best in the business while cultivating the passion and happiness you need to succeed. By embracing failure and reconciling your femininity with being a boss, you’ll join the movement that is WorkParty—and have fun along the way.
Jaclyn Johnson—the founder and CEO behind Create & Cultivate, the fastest growing online platform and conference for millennial women in business— offers a rallying cry for a new generation of women who are redefining the meaning of work on their own terms: WorkParty. Women who want it all and more, and guess what? They can have it.
Jaclyn suffered a massive blow in her early twenties. She was on an upward career climb and confidently moved across the country for a job—and then, was abruptly let go. Attempting to turn that closed door into an open window, she launched a company with a trusted business partner. Soon after, she discovered said business partner had made detrimental decisions to the company without her knowledge. Before she knew it, she was in the throes of a brutal business partner break up. She was only twenty-four.
Determined to bounce back, Jaclyn overhauled the mess that was her life and by the time she was in her early thirties, she had sold a company and launched the much-buzzed about Create & Cultivate platform—and advised and invested in multiple million-dollar projects at the same time. So, how did she do it?
In WorkParty, Jaclyn shows how she turned distrust into determination, frustration into fuel, and heartache into hard work—and how you can, too.
With stories from leading female entrepreneurs including Christene Barberich (co-founder of Refinery29), Alli Webb, (creator of Drybar), Morgan Debaun (founder of Blavity), Jen Gotch of Ban.do, Rebecca Minkoff, and Kendra Scott, you will learn the tips and tricks from the best in the business while cultivating the passion and happiness you need to succeed. By embracing failure and reconciling your femininity with being a boss, you’ll join the movement that is WorkParty—and have fun along the way.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2018
74 people are currently reading
1798 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
October 9, 2018
Can I be frank? READ THIS BOOK INSTEAD OF GIRLBOSS. This book was a lot better than I honestly thought it would be. The cover attracted me first, because it looked cute and fun. I recognized the business and as someone who has always been interested in going to a C&C event, it seemed really interesting. I must say, I’ve never thought about owning my own business, so I didn’t expected much. Some of the business lingo went right over my head, so thank you for the glossary in the back and the definitions that usually followed the words themselves. However! Here’s the kicker: I really did enjoy this book. Some parts of it went smoothly; so smoothly in fact that I would become engrossed in it and then realize that I had just read 20+ pages without even knowing it. It doesn’t sound like a lot but my attention span is very short so that was big for me. WorkParty incorporates so many definitions of the term “work”. It gives you lessons to work on yourself (the chapter about meeting her partner helped me realize that maybe I should take a break from dating to actively work on myself). There’s chapters about taking risks, which is always important. Jaclyn makes it a lot more interesting than it sounds, and I’m thankful for that. I’m glad that I committed to this book. It’s a game changer for sure.
August 29, 2018
The good: There is some business advice worth saving in this book, and Jaclyn is smart and inspiring. She also features the stories of some of my favorite women in business. The not-so-good: An overuse of the words “ladies” and “tribe” and so. many. hashtags. There wasn’t enough solid business advice to fill a book, which might explain the random parts of chapters on her past relationships. Overall, I think a series of blog posts on each chapter’s topics would have been more fitting, considering the hashtags and illustrations that say “gram it.” Or even a web series. I’m just confused as to why it was made into a book because it will feel outdated sooner than later.
July 22, 2019
Surprised that I liked this one. The tone/voice is corny and takes some getting used to, but some of the advice is really good. Some of it is a little cliched, but a lot is rephrased and accessible for younger women in business. Also, it felt like a good time personally/professionally to pick up this book. For women entrepreneurs this is good easy read that can refocus your energy on your work and goals. Worth noting the book does feel very White and is very focused on female in general and not intersectional success and upward mobility.
March 24, 2019
3.5 stars
Well, it's certainly a better read than #GIRLBOSS, that's for sure. There's a lot more practical advice, for one thing, although I was still left wanting more at times (like the section on salary negotiation, for example). I could have done without the excessive use of terms like "tribe" and "ladies" and, tbh, "WorkParty," since I'm still not entirely sure what it's supposed to mean.
I guess the main takeaways here are:
-be open to opportunity and cultivate a community of like-minded women to increase those opportunities and find support
-don't be afraid to reach out to experts or hire people who specialize in areas you're less familiar with
-make continuing education a priority
-pay it forward once you've reached a healthy level of success (i.e. don't pull the ladder up behind you)
-be resilient and learn from failure
The most interesting part for me was the concept of whitespace. I loved the series of questions she included to help you hone in on your own personal whitespace.
This book is definitely geared more towards women with entrepreneurial aspirations rather than general career advice, although some of it applies to both paths. And her expertise is in social media, so there's a lot of focus on that throughout.
My biggest qualm with the book is the pretty blatantly anti-labor rights stance she takes in the section on hiring. Besides using the old cliché "your [employees] will feel like your extended family," she explicitly encourages hiring workers who will never say "I can't do that" or "that's not my job." In a moment that would be hilarious if it weren't so sad, she mentions the idea of an "ideal worker" as theorized by "gender and labor scholars," but fails to mention that those scholars were not using that term in a positive manner. She's completely oblivious to the critical angle. I realize I'm probably a more radical leftist that most of her intended audience, but it still made me bristle. Especially because I've been in jobs where my willingness to "go above and beyond" was taken for granted and ended up being a liability in terms of growth potential. Do not get into the habit of agreeing to do things above your pay grade! Take it from me! If you want to neglect work-life balance as a business owner, that's your business, but don't expect your employees to do so, too. Boundaries...
There are also moments when she both acknowledges her privilege yet manages to overlook other situations where she has more privilege than, say, a woman of color. So in short, she's a bit of a White Feminist TM. She even says at one point that Lean In doesn't really work as a concept, but by the end of the book she's talking about approaching capitalism as a feminist, so... yeah. I think she misses the point in a lot of ways, but I do appreciate her candor and humility.
So, a worthwhile read for many reasons, but know that Johnson is a workaholic and reflects that attitude in her advice.
Well, it's certainly a better read than #GIRLBOSS, that's for sure. There's a lot more practical advice, for one thing, although I was still left wanting more at times (like the section on salary negotiation, for example). I could have done without the excessive use of terms like "tribe" and "ladies" and, tbh, "WorkParty," since I'm still not entirely sure what it's supposed to mean.
I guess the main takeaways here are:
-be open to opportunity and cultivate a community of like-minded women to increase those opportunities and find support
-don't be afraid to reach out to experts or hire people who specialize in areas you're less familiar with
-make continuing education a priority
-pay it forward once you've reached a healthy level of success (i.e. don't pull the ladder up behind you)
-be resilient and learn from failure
The most interesting part for me was the concept of whitespace. I loved the series of questions she included to help you hone in on your own personal whitespace.
This book is definitely geared more towards women with entrepreneurial aspirations rather than general career advice, although some of it applies to both paths. And her expertise is in social media, so there's a lot of focus on that throughout.
My biggest qualm with the book is the pretty blatantly anti-labor rights stance she takes in the section on hiring. Besides using the old cliché "your [employees] will feel like your extended family," she explicitly encourages hiring workers who will never say "I can't do that" or "that's not my job." In a moment that would be hilarious if it weren't so sad, she mentions the idea of an "ideal worker" as theorized by "gender and labor scholars," but fails to mention that those scholars were not using that term in a positive manner. She's completely oblivious to the critical angle. I realize I'm probably a more radical leftist that most of her intended audience, but it still made me bristle. Especially because I've been in jobs where my willingness to "go above and beyond" was taken for granted and ended up being a liability in terms of growth potential. Do not get into the habit of agreeing to do things above your pay grade! Take it from me! If you want to neglect work-life balance as a business owner, that's your business, but don't expect your employees to do so, too. Boundaries...
There are also moments when she both acknowledges her privilege yet manages to overlook other situations where she has more privilege than, say, a woman of color. So in short, she's a bit of a White Feminist TM. She even says at one point that Lean In doesn't really work as a concept, but by the end of the book she's talking about approaching capitalism as a feminist, so... yeah. I think she misses the point in a lot of ways, but I do appreciate her candor and humility.
So, a worthwhile read for many reasons, but know that Johnson is a workaholic and reflects that attitude in her advice.
April 17, 2018
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy due to the popularity business and books on handling stress at work and getting ahead are with our patrons. Jaclyn was very clever, wise, witty, and showed a tremendous amount of personality in her writing while explaining the technicalities and fundamentals of running a successful business. I am familiar with her company Create & Cultivate and many of my friends' companies use the platform a lot. Our patrons are going to love this book and we can not wait to add this to our collection. 5 stars!
April 1, 2019
Well, I hate the title, but the book didn't suck.
Jaclyn Johnson has written an interesting little volume. There is some serious, nitty gritty business information and advice in here- including simplified explanations of legal terms you might find in contracts. That was awesome! At other times, the writing was overly cutesy, and it contained far too many generic illustrations with an encouragement to 'gram them. I was very meh on that aspect.
Definitely some good kernels of advice in here, but take it with a grain of salt. Another reviewer pointed out an interesting passage where Jaclyn talks about the "ideal worker" completely missing the critical lens the labor movement applies to that term. She's also quite the workaholic. I would not want to work for her!
Work should be more fun and we should chart our own career paths... but you won't hear me calling it a workparty anytime soon!
Jaclyn Johnson has written an interesting little volume. There is some serious, nitty gritty business information and advice in here- including simplified explanations of legal terms you might find in contracts. That was awesome! At other times, the writing was overly cutesy, and it contained far too many generic illustrations with an encouragement to 'gram them. I was very meh on that aspect.
Definitely some good kernels of advice in here, but take it with a grain of salt. Another reviewer pointed out an interesting passage where Jaclyn talks about the "ideal worker" completely missing the critical lens the labor movement applies to that term. She's also quite the workaholic. I would not want to work for her!
Work should be more fun and we should chart our own career paths... but you won't hear me calling it a workparty anytime soon!
July 25, 2018
Think of this book as your personal assistant to you creating your business and mentoring you and telling you how to run it in the most straight up way a friend could even tell you.
She has a blogger background so it’s important to remember that her style of writing comes off as a blog style writing rather than an actual book style writing (or what is considered normal for books). But in my opinion THAT’S OKAY! In fact, she makes it clear that she knows that’s how she writes but because of that style, sans MLA and APA, it was part of what got her to where she’s at in life.
What I’ve enjoyed most about reading Johnson’s book is that she gives everything she’s experienced up front but delves into what could have been different to prevent something from going bad (*cough business partnerships). I also enjoyed that she would reference back to points she’d make later in the book back the beginning to be like “See this is what I was talking about”. It really brought parts of the book full circle.
As for actual business advice, I wouldn’t necessarily say this would be the book for you. But it is important for you to read if you need the motivation and support in writing to say “YOU CAN DO THIS” in business! I will say it has helped with my thoughts on planning or organizing social feeds (which isn’t the point of the book) but it is preventing possible mistakes or flops I could make.
She has a blogger background so it’s important to remember that her style of writing comes off as a blog style writing rather than an actual book style writing (or what is considered normal for books). But in my opinion THAT’S OKAY! In fact, she makes it clear that she knows that’s how she writes but because of that style, sans MLA and APA, it was part of what got her to where she’s at in life.
What I’ve enjoyed most about reading Johnson’s book is that she gives everything she’s experienced up front but delves into what could have been different to prevent something from going bad (*cough business partnerships). I also enjoyed that she would reference back to points she’d make later in the book back the beginning to be like “See this is what I was talking about”. It really brought parts of the book full circle.
As for actual business advice, I wouldn’t necessarily say this would be the book for you. But it is important for you to read if you need the motivation and support in writing to say “YOU CAN DO THIS” in business! I will say it has helped with my thoughts on planning or organizing social feeds (which isn’t the point of the book) but it is preventing possible mistakes or flops I could make.
September 15, 2018
I love the concept of this book: that you should love your work. I think it offers practical advice about how to take an idea and make it a business. The author is genuine and you relate to her as a real person: she owns her screw-ups, she references her previous salary by giving the exact number, and stresses the importance and value of the help she has received along the way. I’m ready to sign up for a Create & Cultivate conference!
November 22, 2021
This is real talk. For women, by a woman. For aspiring entrepreneurs by a successful enterpreneur. I read through this book as if I didn't have tomorrow to read it. Granted, I'm in the mood to read, but you have to give credit where credit is due, and Jaclyn Johnson made this such an easy read. She wrote this as if she was talking to you one on one and giving you her tips from how to get your business started to how and when to let go of it.
I've never wanted to start a business and never really saw a future as an enterpreneur. I've always been more of the studious nerd following the safe route type with a little bit of a rebellious streak of a creative type. But life fancies itself a jester sometimes, and I had to help my mother to start her little business. And somehow I found myself drawn to this book. And I'm glad I picked it up. It has given me the kind of hope and confidence I thought were lost forever.
Even if you don't intend to become an enterpreneur, this book gives insight into being a powerful and successful woman in this world that so often favours men. It assures you that you can be a great boss if you want to, and that you deserve to be heard and valued. It was an interesting read, where Johnson related her own failures and successes and also included stories by other female enterpreneurs who managed to expand their businesses into something big and unique.
The best part of this book to me personally is how Johnson kept advocating for us women to collaborate instead of competing with each other and to pay it forward so that other women could also be supported.
I've never wanted to start a business and never really saw a future as an enterpreneur. I've always been more of the studious nerd following the safe route type with a little bit of a rebellious streak of a creative type. But life fancies itself a jester sometimes, and I had to help my mother to start her little business. And somehow I found myself drawn to this book. And I'm glad I picked it up. It has given me the kind of hope and confidence I thought were lost forever.
Even if you don't intend to become an enterpreneur, this book gives insight into being a powerful and successful woman in this world that so often favours men. It assures you that you can be a great boss if you want to, and that you deserve to be heard and valued. It was an interesting read, where Johnson related her own failures and successes and also included stories by other female enterpreneurs who managed to expand their businesses into something big and unique.
The best part of this book to me personally is how Johnson kept advocating for us women to collaborate instead of competing with each other and to pay it forward so that other women could also be supported.
July 22, 2019
Without aspirations of starting my own business, but always on board with girl power-y messages about breaking through glass ceilings, I was cautiously interested in reading this book. I was initially pretty turned off by all the buzzwordiness of it all. Everything felt like a catch-phrase or slogan and I wasn’t ready to care about Johnson and her journey, since I am not coming at this book with a previously established interest in her or her company. Fortunately, this book is a very light read, and eventually I wasn’t hating it anymore. Johnson does a pretty good job of laying out her story, although I did continue to feel skeptical of some of the ways things were presented.
September 5, 2018
An empowering and practical guide to being a female entrepreneur in a media age. Definitely recommend.
December 13, 2019
Amazing book that gave me so much inspiration to want to do more with my career and side hustles. Really easy and quick read. I read this book in about 5 hours on a plane ride.
August 2, 2018
LOVED IT! Read the book in one sitting and then went back to re-read in the same weekend. WorkParty feels like talking big career dreams with a girlfriend who really understands the hustle and sacrifice it takes to work hard at something you're really passionate about. The book never feels like preaching advice and yet it's still packed with so many great lessons and advice from women I am already obsessed with. I'd recommend to all of my girlfriends since we're all just trying to figure it out together.
October 20, 2018
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: Smart, empowering, and practical. The business book to help make your dream a career.
This book! I will be honest with you all, I L-O-V-E Create & Cultivate. As a creative person and a woman business owner, this site is where I go for ideas, inspiration, and advice. So, it is only natural I would want to read Jacklyn’s book. However, what I didn’t expect was the level of usefulness it would contain.
Not only does Johnson provide lessons from her own life, but the reader also gets stories from female entrepreneurs. Within these pages, you will not see the glossy perfection. You will read about a woman who has struggled and worked hard for her success by being nice, taking certain risks, and putting in the work. Things don't just fall out of the sky and happen to you. You have to make them happen for yourself.
If you are looking to bring your career to the best place it can be or make your passion (aka side hustle) become a business, start by reading this book.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
This book! I will be honest with you all, I L-O-V-E Create & Cultivate. As a creative person and a woman business owner, this site is where I go for ideas, inspiration, and advice. So, it is only natural I would want to read Jacklyn’s book. However, what I didn’t expect was the level of usefulness it would contain.
Not only does Johnson provide lessons from her own life, but the reader also gets stories from female entrepreneurs. Within these pages, you will not see the glossy perfection. You will read about a woman who has struggled and worked hard for her success by being nice, taking certain risks, and putting in the work. Things don't just fall out of the sky and happen to you. You have to make them happen for yourself.
If you are looking to bring your career to the best place it can be or make your passion (aka side hustle) become a business, start by reading this book.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
July 9, 2018
I received an advanced uncorrected paperback proof copy of WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
Below is my honest, unbiased review of WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson.
WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson is geared towards millennial women who want to start their own business. This book is part memoir and part entrepreneurial guide for woman who want to be their own boss.
I love Jaclyn Johnson's no nonsense writing style. She writes a straight forward business book using lingo millennial women will understand and gravitate towards. There's no stuffy, dated, boring, information in this book. It's chalk full of savvy and much needed information from someone who has been there and done that. There isn't anything cutesy about WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson - except for it's cover!! So, if you're looking for somewhere to start on your journey to becoming an entrepreneur, then start by reading WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson.
WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson will be released in August 2018.
Below is my honest, unbiased review of WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson.
WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson is geared towards millennial women who want to start their own business. This book is part memoir and part entrepreneurial guide for woman who want to be their own boss.
I love Jaclyn Johnson's no nonsense writing style. She writes a straight forward business book using lingo millennial women will understand and gravitate towards. There's no stuffy, dated, boring, information in this book. It's chalk full of savvy and much needed information from someone who has been there and done that. There isn't anything cutesy about WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson - except for it's cover!! So, if you're looking for somewhere to start on your journey to becoming an entrepreneur, then start by reading WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson.
WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams by Jaclyn Johnson will be released in August 2018.
December 17, 2018
Though I had to get passed the frequent use of the word "hashtag", I actually enjoyed the book. She gives great advice to prospective entrepreneurial women. I've often debated about starting my own business. I think she gives great insight and key things to remember. I also appreciate the fact she touches upon the subject of how women are often treated within our industry. We have to stick together as women and show how much we deserve to be here just as any other man. We are capable of running a business. Not only do we have a passion for our product and/or our mission, but we have a passion for building our community. I would definitely buy a physical copy to reference often when I decide to start my own business.
October 4, 2024
Als die Gründerin von „Create & Cultivate“ — Jaclyn Johnson — angekündigt hat ein Buch zu veröffentlichen, wollte ich es unbedingt lesen. Nicht nur, dass ich sie selbst unglaublich inspirierend finde, ich lese auch gerne Bücher von erfolgreichen Frauen. Das macht Mut. Wenn andere es können, kann ich es immerhin auch.
Create und Cultivate ist ein Unternehmen, dass sich für die Sichtbarkeit von Frauen in der Arbeitswelt einsetzt. Mit jährlichen Konferenzen, Veranstaltungen, und echt hilfreichen Tipps und Tricks sowohl für Angestellte als auch für Unternehmer:innen und Gründer:innen, steht C&C für die Weiterbildung, Förderung aber auch Vernetzung von Frauen ein.
Nicht weniger Impact habe ich von WorkParty erwartet.
Jacyln gibt Tipps für Bewerbungsgespräche aber auch für Gründer:innen, die grade auf der Suche nach Investoren sind. Sie erzählt, warum man unbedingt einen Vertrag abschließen sollte, wenn man gemeinsam mit Freund:innen ein Unternehmen aufbauen möchte, und wie es ist aufzuwachen und plötzlich pleite zu sein.
In jeder einzelnen Zeile habe ich das Gefühl, ich würde mich grade mit meiner besten Freundin unterhalten.
Jaclyn erzählt absolut bodenständig, ungeschönt, ehrlich aber auch unglaublich witzig von ihrem beruflichen Werdegang. Welche Herausforderungen ihr begegnet sind und gibt praktische Tipps an die Hand, wie du diese Umfahren kannst – oder wenn du in der selben Situation bist zumindest bestmöglich wieder heraus kommst. Und glaub mir, ich habe kein Millionen-Dollar-Business gegründet und mir kam mehr als eine Situation verdammt bekannt vor.
Egal wo auf dieser Welt, arbeitende Frauen scheinen immer dieselben Herausforderungen zu haben. Und irgendwie ist es auch tröstlich, zu wissen, dass man damit nicht allein ist. Umso schöner ist es aber, wenn man in Zukunft weiß, wir man damit umgehen kann.
Was soll ich sagen? Ich liebe das Buch. Und lese es tatsächlich regelmäßig erneut, schlage nach und mache Notizen.
Das Buch ist absolut lesenswert für jede Frau, die einmal die echte, ungefilterte Erfahrung von einer anderen Frau in der Arbeitswelt hören möchte.
Create und Cultivate ist ein Unternehmen, dass sich für die Sichtbarkeit von Frauen in der Arbeitswelt einsetzt. Mit jährlichen Konferenzen, Veranstaltungen, und echt hilfreichen Tipps und Tricks sowohl für Angestellte als auch für Unternehmer:innen und Gründer:innen, steht C&C für die Weiterbildung, Förderung aber auch Vernetzung von Frauen ein.
Nicht weniger Impact habe ich von WorkParty erwartet.
Jacyln gibt Tipps für Bewerbungsgespräche aber auch für Gründer:innen, die grade auf der Suche nach Investoren sind. Sie erzählt, warum man unbedingt einen Vertrag abschließen sollte, wenn man gemeinsam mit Freund:innen ein Unternehmen aufbauen möchte, und wie es ist aufzuwachen und plötzlich pleite zu sein.
In jeder einzelnen Zeile habe ich das Gefühl, ich würde mich grade mit meiner besten Freundin unterhalten.
Jaclyn erzählt absolut bodenständig, ungeschönt, ehrlich aber auch unglaublich witzig von ihrem beruflichen Werdegang. Welche Herausforderungen ihr begegnet sind und gibt praktische Tipps an die Hand, wie du diese Umfahren kannst – oder wenn du in der selben Situation bist zumindest bestmöglich wieder heraus kommst. Und glaub mir, ich habe kein Millionen-Dollar-Business gegründet und mir kam mehr als eine Situation verdammt bekannt vor.
Egal wo auf dieser Welt, arbeitende Frauen scheinen immer dieselben Herausforderungen zu haben. Und irgendwie ist es auch tröstlich, zu wissen, dass man damit nicht allein ist. Umso schöner ist es aber, wenn man in Zukunft weiß, wir man damit umgehen kann.
Was soll ich sagen? Ich liebe das Buch. Und lese es tatsächlich regelmäßig erneut, schlage nach und mache Notizen.
Das Buch ist absolut lesenswert für jede Frau, die einmal die echte, ungefilterte Erfahrung von einer anderen Frau in der Arbeitswelt hören möchte.
January 21, 2019
This book is so inspiring. I went to my first Create and Cultivate event in 2018 and I had a blast! I went alone and had no idea what to expect. At the end I had a great time, came out with a ton of SWAG, met one of my favorite Youtuber! Met Venus Williams (not one on one - but she was there! and they had an interview with her! and she is so tall! lol), found out about brands and influencers I had never heard of, and got all glammed up for free! It was fantastic. Anywho Jaclyn was there (duh she is the founder) and they had a book signing for her book so obviously I bought it and got to talk to her for a bit. I started reading this book on the way back from the conference but really got into it this past weekend. It has a great aura if you could say that about a book? It motivates you to believe in yourself, to work hard, follow our journey and enjoy where it takes you/where you guide it to take you.
OK I am raving about this book so why not 5 stars. Ok it's not 5 stars because of a few reasons: 1) i personally could not relate it to it 100% due to the field I am in. This is geared towards freelancers (in automotive engineering there isn't really such a thing -really - there are (maybe) but it's not a thing) 2) I wish some of it was more in depth and maybe my expectation is unrealistic, losing weight is always going to be about diet and exercise so in he same thought process to create a new business you need to find a white space which is the niche you are going to settle in. There is no secret formula there. 3) a lot of the advice is geared towards entrepreneurs but the big picture message is about how to create the career you love. This isn't about how to be more successful in corporate america as much as it is about how to make it in business on your own. So I wish there was a little more for the rest of us office dwellers or maybe tone down the overall message that this is for everyone. so there is no confusion. Honestly I am just nitpicking at this point. Book was great. Read it.
OK I am raving about this book so why not 5 stars. Ok it's not 5 stars because of a few reasons: 1) i personally could not relate it to it 100% due to the field I am in. This is geared towards freelancers (in automotive engineering there isn't really such a thing -really - there are (maybe) but it's not a thing) 2) I wish some of it was more in depth and maybe my expectation is unrealistic, losing weight is always going to be about diet and exercise so in he same thought process to create a new business you need to find a white space which is the niche you are going to settle in. There is no secret formula there. 3) a lot of the advice is geared towards entrepreneurs but the big picture message is about how to create the career you love. This isn't about how to be more successful in corporate america as much as it is about how to make it in business on your own. So I wish there was a little more for the rest of us office dwellers or maybe tone down the overall message that this is for everyone. so there is no confusion. Honestly I am just nitpicking at this point. Book was great. Read it.
April 15, 2020
I heard of this book through a blogger on Instagram, and that should have been my sign that it wouldn't be that great.
This book is meant to be a how-to book for your career, and Johnson attempts to achieve that through her personal career experiences. Her personal stories are interesting and this is an easy read - but isn't it time we found a career-help book that provides specific advice?! So much of the content was so basic (e.g. difference between different types of ownership structures) that unless you truly had never read a thing about being an entrepreneur it wouldn't help you. I'm looking for a book that goes through the detail and the nuance - that little thing that someone did that can make or break a start-up. I want to hear more about how to truly sustain a brand.
I'm being a little hard on it - I did learn some things, but really not that much to make reading a whole book worthwhile.
But the truth is this is actually written for an IG blogger (or someone who calls themselves a 'content strategist') who truly doesn't know the difference between a sole proprietor and corporation.
This book is meant to be a how-to book for your career, and Johnson attempts to achieve that through her personal career experiences. Her personal stories are interesting and this is an easy read - but isn't it time we found a career-help book that provides specific advice?! So much of the content was so basic (e.g. difference between different types of ownership structures) that unless you truly had never read a thing about being an entrepreneur it wouldn't help you. I'm looking for a book that goes through the detail and the nuance - that little thing that someone did that can make or break a start-up. I want to hear more about how to truly sustain a brand.
I'm being a little hard on it - I did learn some things, but really not that much to make reading a whole book worthwhile.
But the truth is this is actually written for an IG blogger (or someone who calls themselves a 'content strategist') who truly doesn't know the difference between a sole proprietor and corporation.
December 1, 2019
Rounded up from 2.5 stars.
I just didn't love this book. I read it for a book club and felt it wasn't very relevant to me but also wouldn't be relevant to a lot of people, even people trying to create and cultivate a career of their dreams. For starters, there was a lot of white and class privilege. There were some very short mentions about safety nets but for the most part she ignored the fact that many of the people she uses as examples, including herself, had families who did things like take out a second mortgage to help them. There's also an entire chapter about building your "tribe" even though this book was published in 2018.
I also think she discussed the law a lot more than she should of as a non-attorney. She has an entire section explaining legal terms. She also gives legal advice about needing cause to fire even though many states (like mine) are "at will" and people can be fired for any non-discriminatory reason.
I just didn't love this book. I read it for a book club and felt it wasn't very relevant to me but also wouldn't be relevant to a lot of people, even people trying to create and cultivate a career of their dreams. For starters, there was a lot of white and class privilege. There were some very short mentions about safety nets but for the most part she ignored the fact that many of the people she uses as examples, including herself, had families who did things like take out a second mortgage to help them. There's also an entire chapter about building your "tribe" even though this book was published in 2018.
I also think she discussed the law a lot more than she should of as a non-attorney. She has an entire section explaining legal terms. She also gives legal advice about needing cause to fire even though many states (like mine) are "at will" and people can be fired for any non-discriminatory reason.
August 8, 2025
I don't know how I found this book but from the first second I started reading, I was HOOKED!
WorkParty tells the story of how Jaclyn was climbing the corporate ladder and then she wasn't. Boom, layoff (don't we all know it? I feel like that particular plot point was so relevant for today's world). She was sad for a bit (so valid) and then she decided to start a business.
While this book focuses on her experience of running a business, I found it so relatable as a freelancer. It felt like talking to a friend who had been through what I had been through but she was there to tell me that it would be okay. And she knew that because she had come out the other side.
WorkParty is hilarious, entertaining and full of little nuggets of wisdom that I believed every female who is freelancing or running a business should read.
WorkParty tells the story of how Jaclyn was climbing the corporate ladder and then she wasn't. Boom, layoff (don't we all know it? I feel like that particular plot point was so relevant for today's world). She was sad for a bit (so valid) and then she decided to start a business.
While this book focuses on her experience of running a business, I found it so relatable as a freelancer. It felt like talking to a friend who had been through what I had been through but she was there to tell me that it would be okay. And she knew that because she had come out the other side.
WorkParty is hilarious, entertaining and full of little nuggets of wisdom that I believed every female who is freelancing or running a business should read.
July 30, 2018
I received a ARC from Edelweiss Of Work Party: How to Create Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams, so this will be a fair and honest review. Before reading this book I had actually never heard of Jaclyn's company CreateCultivate so I wasn't sure what to expect, though I do love any book that can help me along my journey to become a better me. While there were some kernels of knowledge to bestow unless you are actually planning to run a business the advice is pretty limited. However, it is great to remind you of the importance of networking, keeping aspirations and it provides some really great examples of women succeeding and doing it their way. Any book that motivates women to go after their dreams deserves a space on the shelves.
November 7, 2018
I won this book through GoodReads Giveaway.
It is a little bit of memoir and a little bit of business advice book. The author and creator of Create& Cultivate online platform, shares her experience, ups and downs of her business. She talks how she got to where she is now. What obstacles she encountered and how she moved forward even though she thought she hit the bottom.
This book meant to inspire and motivate, to go out and just do it.
This is rather book dedicated to all female entrepreneurs.
The book has a little bit of business tips and business jargon explanation. It also includes short stories of successful female business owners.
It is easy and quite fun read. And you can learn a thing or two from it.
And remember "You aren't good or bad at anything you haven't tried."
It is a little bit of memoir and a little bit of business advice book. The author and creator of Create& Cultivate online platform, shares her experience, ups and downs of her business. She talks how she got to where she is now. What obstacles she encountered and how she moved forward even though she thought she hit the bottom.
This book meant to inspire and motivate, to go out and just do it.
This is rather book dedicated to all female entrepreneurs.
The book has a little bit of business tips and business jargon explanation. It also includes short stories of successful female business owners.
It is easy and quite fun read. And you can learn a thing or two from it.
And remember "You aren't good or bad at anything you haven't tried."
February 1, 2019
I’m biased for many reasons. I’ve followed C&C since its inception, been obsessed with its growth and 100% fangirled as an attendee at the Chicago conference in 2018. I left my career in LA to start over in Chicago and stumbled into the world of event production, retail and influencer marketing, and now it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. So, this book holds a special place for me, reading about all of the female business owners who are thriving in this industry. It won’t be for everyone, but if you have an entrepreneurial spirit and a penchant for supporting women in business, it’s a great read.
September 22, 2019
I think it's very rare to read a book like this that actually gives practical business advice. What does it mean to sell your business? How do you fire someone? She gives real, honest answers to tough business questions. Though her target audience is very narrow -- young, female entrepreneurs -- a lot of what she wrote was useful advice, both inspirational and practical. Her writing tone is a little too casual for me, but I can understand how it would be appealing to someone just starting out in the business with big dreams and no idea how to proceed. Still, I definitely found some tidbits that will help me moving forward; and more importantly, I feel inspired to grow and move forward.
October 20, 2020
Really enjoyed this book. It has solid business advice for entrepreneurs, from practical tips on how to pitch your company to creative strategies on how to build your brand. I appreciated learning about other female founders who have overcome obstacles throughout their careers and created amazing companies that are extremely successful today. The author also candidly shares personal and professional experiences she has had on her journey to becoming the CEO of Create & Cultivate. Top three takeaways: (1) Collaboration over competition; (2) Confidence begets confidence; and (3) "be a fucking pleasure to work with.
September 27, 2018
Mostly a memoir with some solid business advice. The first chapter or two worried me as i have read tons of career books for women and most are crap and filled with advice like "Drink lemon water and think positively" in lieu of decent info. The authors hashtag speak made me roll my eyes and think this book was another one of those.....but she surprised me. Solid business and life advice and while most of this applies to young women just starting out I enjoyed the book more than i thought i would.
November 4, 2018
An excellent, all-inclusive self-help memoir written specifically for ambitious, mindful female entrepreneurs, and good for their male counterparts as well. Author Jaclyn Johnson has learned all the ropes and accumulated along the way valuable, trial-and-error experiences, tips and tricks to share about how to start, survive and thrive in a start-up environment. Worth spending time to get business and career savvy, too.
December 29, 2018
This book was good, there were parts that I found really interesting. I did feel like this was the typical inspirational business book. I felt like I've read this book before, it was really good but it wasn't anything new or different from other books by women in business. It didn't stand out to me but that's really the biggest issue I had. I liked learning more about Create and Cultivate and its start. I was a good book overall!
February 28, 2019
I really love Jaclyn Johnson and her Create & Cultivate brand. The book was interesting and I learned so much about her and the start of her company. It is a great book if you are trying ti start up a brand or business. I really loved that she spoke a lot about money and how we should all feel more comfortable discussing pay in the workplace. It is a book you can reference at any point in your career.
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