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WTF?! Willing to Fail: How Failure Can Be Your Key to Success
Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster of trial and error, laughter and tears, confusion and triumph. In WTF?! (Willing to Fail), serial entrepreneur Brian Scudamore takes you on an adventure that will convince you once and for all that you have exactly what it takes to succeed.
With engaging stories from his thirty-plus years of failing upward, his book is full of lessons you can apply to your own endeavors—developing a clear vision, creating an awesome culture, finding gratitude in challenging times, and using setbacks to change your business for the better.
Being an entrepreneur means letting go of fear. WTF?! (Willing to Fail) gives you the encouragement and wisdom you need to begin stumbling toward greatness.
With engaging stories from his thirty-plus years of failing upward, his book is full of lessons you can apply to your own endeavors—developing a clear vision, creating an awesome culture, finding gratitude in challenging times, and using setbacks to change your business for the better.
Being an entrepreneur means letting go of fear. WTF?! (Willing to Fail) gives you the encouragement and wisdom you need to begin stumbling toward greatness.
118 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2018
93 people are currently reading
888 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 13, 2018
It’s the people – people!!!
WTF, I am giving 5 stars to this quick and easy read with a story told in the most friendly of voices.
And of course, it’s friendly – Brian is from Canada. Why is it that everyone is so friggin friendly in Canada? I’m not sure but we could use a big dose of it here to the south.
Anyway, I digress. This is a delightful book with plenty of great lessons on how to approach building a successful business and frankly a successful and enjoyable life for that matter.
Brian and his team have some remarkable experiences of creativity, perseverance, and more examples of the age-old fact – work with the right people. I was particularly impressed with how he mange the media and other grassroots marketing efforts to grow the brand.
One key learning that I am going to put into action? I’m gonna get a cobalt blue wig and wear it next time I pitch a big client. This approach seems to work!
What in the hell am I talking about?
Read the book!
:)
And see my Kindle Notes and Highlights too!
WTF, I am giving 5 stars to this quick and easy read with a story told in the most friendly of voices.
And of course, it’s friendly – Brian is from Canada. Why is it that everyone is so friggin friendly in Canada? I’m not sure but we could use a big dose of it here to the south.
Anyway, I digress. This is a delightful book with plenty of great lessons on how to approach building a successful business and frankly a successful and enjoyable life for that matter.
Brian and his team have some remarkable experiences of creativity, perseverance, and more examples of the age-old fact – work with the right people. I was particularly impressed with how he mange the media and other grassroots marketing efforts to grow the brand.
One key learning that I am going to put into action? I’m gonna get a cobalt blue wig and wear it next time I pitch a big client. This approach seems to work!
What in the hell am I talking about?
Read the book!
:)
And see my Kindle Notes and Highlights too!
November 2, 2018
A great read, front to back. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Brian’s experiences on the way to the top. If only we could all be so positive about our “failures”, learning along the way. My Dad used to say there are no problems, only opportunities. Clearly, Brian and my Dad were onto something.
October 31, 2018
Every entrepreneur should read this book, whether you are aspiring to own your own business or have already taken the plunge. It is lighthearted enough to laugh along with but the tricks and tips will last you a lifetime of business ownership. Highly recommend!!
October 28, 2018
Great book! This is an excellent read for anyone who has started or is interested in starting their own business. Any journey worth taking has some bumps along the way and these stories will motivate you to push through the tough times. Entertaining and inspirational!
October 29, 2018
This story is something every entrepreneur should read. It proves you can come back from any failure with the right attitude and by surrounding yourself with the right people.
November 6, 2018
What an engaging and passionate story! From page one he engages with the reader in a way not many other business books do. Brian Scudamore is clearly passionate about his business and helping others go through challenging times in their business. The book is motivating and inspiring!
Not many executives are willing to share when they failed, Brian sees the light in his failure. A great read for any entrepreneur or a leader looking to develop their WTF attitude.
Not many executives are willing to share when they failed, Brian sees the light in his failure. A great read for any entrepreneur or a leader looking to develop their WTF attitude.
November 5, 2018
Great Read
Written with humility and humor, this book has a lot of great advice for anyone wanting to start their own business. But I especially enjoyed the glimpse into the author's formative years. Give us a memoir next, Brian. I'd read it!
Written with humility and humor, this book has a lot of great advice for anyone wanting to start their own business. But I especially enjoyed the glimpse into the author's formative years. Give us a memoir next, Brian. I'd read it!
November 5, 2018
WTF?! is an unconventional business book with equal parts head and heart. Learn from author Brian Scudamore's trials and triumphs while diving deep into the storied history of a 30-year business. I loved the personal stories and the actionable outcomes scattered throughout the book. A great quick read for anybody looking for a story of hope and heart in business.
January 21, 2019
I'm a big believer in using failure to learn, so the title caught my eye. Chapter 34 of my novel, The Internet President: None of the Above, is called "Powered by Failure." It has ideas on how to channel the power of failure, among other things, to improve the education system. So, I was feeling good before even opening this book.
A large part of the book talks about the creation of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? One of the keys to success was getting the right corporate culture. It was these choices, especially "friendly, uniformed drivers", that he ingrained into the culture of the company that made a difference for me personally. When my dad died I found out the hard way that he was a hoarder. There was some sticker shock, but because of the culture, these friendly, uniformed drivers felt like friends, ones who were there for me in a hard time of great need. I'm cheap and would normally fixate on how much it cost, but I was literally thankful to them and used 1-800-GOT-JUNK? again. Before reading this book, I never thought corporate mission statements were all that valuable.
One of the things discussed is word pictures, visualizing your idealized future. I know from experience that visualization works, but success often has its own time table.
Besides all the entrepreneur stuff, I also liked the useful writing tip (in the context of branding). I'm a writer so that was helpful to me on two levels. Branding as a character makes a lot of sense.
This was a quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. Out of everything, my favorite line is "if people stopped talking so much about getting rich, and just appreciated the riches they already have in their lives, they'd be a lot happier." Overall it was one of those books that makes you feel inspired while reading it.
A large part of the book talks about the creation of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? One of the keys to success was getting the right corporate culture. It was these choices, especially "friendly, uniformed drivers", that he ingrained into the culture of the company that made a difference for me personally. When my dad died I found out the hard way that he was a hoarder. There was some sticker shock, but because of the culture, these friendly, uniformed drivers felt like friends, ones who were there for me in a hard time of great need. I'm cheap and would normally fixate on how much it cost, but I was literally thankful to them and used 1-800-GOT-JUNK? again. Before reading this book, I never thought corporate mission statements were all that valuable.
One of the things discussed is word pictures, visualizing your idealized future. I know from experience that visualization works, but success often has its own time table.
Besides all the entrepreneur stuff, I also liked the useful writing tip (in the context of branding). I'm a writer so that was helpful to me on two levels. Branding as a character makes a lot of sense.
This was a quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. Out of everything, my favorite line is "if people stopped talking so much about getting rich, and just appreciated the riches they already have in their lives, they'd be a lot happier." Overall it was one of those books that makes you feel inspired while reading it.
May 27, 2019
Motivation for the Entrepreneur!
As an owner who has been at it for 15 years and still has not “Arrived”, this book helped me renew my passion for my dream. I have come so close to giving up several times, frustrations over employees, lack of profits and sales, and having my faith tested repeatedly. My dream is brighter now and this book helped with that.
I would like to have seen more expanded upon the frustrations and challenges the were the “Fails” in this WTF book. At times I felt like this guy’s failures are few and far between. Perhaps that’s what the editors recommended. I just would have felt more of Brian’s suffering to connect more and relate more to the struggles WE owners go thru. At times the book was too predictable, but with a brand like his, we already know the level of success he has achieved. Congrats Brian and O2E brands. Smokin Steve’s Catering will be the soon!
As an owner who has been at it for 15 years and still has not “Arrived”, this book helped me renew my passion for my dream. I have come so close to giving up several times, frustrations over employees, lack of profits and sales, and having my faith tested repeatedly. My dream is brighter now and this book helped with that.
I would like to have seen more expanded upon the frustrations and challenges the were the “Fails” in this WTF book. At times I felt like this guy’s failures are few and far between. Perhaps that’s what the editors recommended. I just would have felt more of Brian’s suffering to connect more and relate more to the struggles WE owners go thru. At times the book was too predictable, but with a brand like his, we already know the level of success he has achieved. Congrats Brian and O2E brands. Smokin Steve’s Catering will be the soon!
December 5, 2018
I'm a latecomer to business books but I have made an effort to make up for it in recent years. Over the past 3 years I've read articles and listened to podcasts by or featuring Brian. Coming with this knowledge I had a sense of something being held back as some of the stories had been told in another format. Whilst the book extolls the virtues of aiming for the stars and provides heartwarming examples of risk paying off, there is little in terms of the impact of failure. What happened to the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise partners during the 2009 recession? What about the challenges of trying new brands vs a tried and tested formula with over a decade of experience? What happned with franchisees who didn't align with the vision? All of those could be instances of dealing with and overcoming failure, Whilst it was a nice easy read I came away wanting more
November 8, 2018
Such fantastic insight into your story, Brian! This book doesn't show just your life story or just your business story, it shows how your life has and continues to influence your business. Reading the challenges you've faced and the obstacles you've overcome gives me a much greater drive to accomplish my own life goals! I'd recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone who's curious about 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, anyone who needs help finding a some good ol' motivation, or anyone looking for an exciting and fun read! It delivers exciting stories from the first pages to the last!
January 4, 2019
Amazing book for anyone who wants to be successful in the business world. This does not mean being an entrepreneur but anyone who wants success. This book taught me such a valuable lessons on being apart of companies like I am a founder. This will bring so much success to the company, your relationships and of course yourself. Also, the power of people together. One person in a blue wigs looks like a weirdo but 10 people in blue wigs look super cool and something I want to be apart of! :)
January 10, 2019
I won this book through Goodreads.
This is an excellent read for anyone who wants to start or has started their own business. This story is something every entrepreneur should read, it proves you can come back from any failure with the right attitude and by surrounding yourself with the right people. The book is motivating and inspiring! My first read by this author, very enjoyable, thank you.
This is an excellent read for anyone who wants to start or has started their own business. This story is something every entrepreneur should read, it proves you can come back from any failure with the right attitude and by surrounding yourself with the right people. The book is motivating and inspiring! My first read by this author, very enjoyable, thank you.
January 12, 2019
WTF?! Willing to Fail: How Failure Can Be Your Key to Success by Brian Scudamore is a book that reminds you that to succeed you have to take risks and learn from failures. failures are learning times. It is how you deal with the failures that help you succeed or not. Brian Scudamore uses a voice that is light and makes you laugh but included tricks and tips to succeed.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.
I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.
June 17, 2020
Short and to the point. This reads more like a list of required attributes that the author learned by going from college to successful entrepreneur over the course of his journey so far. The shopping list of skills and qualities appears in many other business books with explanations of why they work, but Brian just lays them out and advises you embrace them. A good book, but you might need yourself a mentor to build your own bridge to your destiny.
April 6, 2023
When you're having an adventure, you wish you were safe at home. But when you're safe at home, you wish you were having an adventure.
If you ever say to yourself "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." that's the one sure sign your adventure has begun.
Don't worry how you're gonna make it happen. At the moment of commitment, the universe conspires to assist you. The right thing to do doesn't always make sense at first.
It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.
If you ever say to yourself "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." that's the one sure sign your adventure has begun.
Don't worry how you're gonna make it happen. At the moment of commitment, the universe conspires to assist you. The right thing to do doesn't always make sense at first.
It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.
November 7, 2018
I loved reading about the early adopters of 1800GOTJUNK, how they took a leap of faith, were willing to fail and had the blue wig spirit that still lives today. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or somebody who may be curious what entrepreneurship is all about, this book is a MUST READ! Like Brian said, never be afraid to try, fail and learn. Failure is only temporary.
November 9, 2018
Inspirational!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever doubted that their dream can be a reality - whether it is to own a successful business or excel in a career.
Brian Scudamore's stories will inspire you to turn the ordinary to exceptional and will motivate you to start that pursuit today!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever doubted that their dream can be a reality - whether it is to own a successful business or excel in a career.
Brian Scudamore's stories will inspire you to turn the ordinary to exceptional and will motivate you to start that pursuit today!
November 9, 2018
Required reading for anyone (especially aspiring entrepreneurs) who believes that failures will hold you back from your goals. As Scudamore proves through inspiring and often hilarious anecdotes, failures are exactly what we need to achieve our wildest dreams.
January 23, 2019
Willing to Fail
Loved it! Every chapter. Easy reading with contagious passion in every line
Would recommend it to ohhhh so many people that would and could reach something more in their lives
Loved it! Every chapter. Easy reading with contagious passion in every line
Would recommend it to ohhhh so many people that would and could reach something more in their lives
January 27, 2019
Great insight!
Great insight into what Brian had to overcome in order to accomplish his goals. I appreciate what he learned in franchising and expanding into areas that were close to his primary business.
Great insight into what Brian had to overcome in order to accomplish his goals. I appreciate what he learned in franchising and expanding into areas that were close to his primary business.
February 2, 2019
Loved this enjoyable tale. Picked it up and read it in one sitting! Inspirational read that every aspiring entrepreneur could learn from. Never give up. Listen to your gut. Work hard play hard. Fantastic!
February 27, 2019
Great read for a little motivation about starting a business and overcoming life obstacles with positivity. Awesome reminder that failure is a part of life and should be celebrated along the journey.
July 18, 2019
Danny it, I am Ready!
All the set backs and experience has placed me in a state of guided euphoria, and I feel like it would be knowledge on deaf ears for me not to take the plunge, thanks Brian!
All the set backs and experience has placed me in a state of guided euphoria, and I feel like it would be knowledge on deaf ears for me not to take the plunge, thanks Brian!
August 27, 2019
By far the best book I've read on a very personal walk in the life of a successful entrepreneur. Brian is a true friend and a man that really gets it.
"There's a difference between making a living and making a life." Brian Scudamore
This book spoke right to my heart!
"There's a difference between making a living and making a life." Brian Scudamore
This book spoke right to my heart!
August 29, 2019
Good to have a biography thats is truth and bare bones!
WTF takes you on a journey to see that you will have more failures then success. But also shows you that if you keep pushing and dreaming you can go beyond you dreams.
WTF takes you on a journey to see that you will have more failures then success. But also shows you that if you keep pushing and dreaming you can go beyond you dreams.
September 15, 2019
More non-fiction inspirational books should be like this, short chapters with bite size information that doesn't repeat itself a 1000 times! So great being able to finish this in a few hours! Will be on my yearly re-reads for sure :)
January 16, 2020
Great stories, encouraging, very general advice
Great easy read, Scudamore has great series about the founding of his businesses and missteps you must be willing to make and learn from in order to earn success
Great easy read, Scudamore has great series about the founding of his businesses and missteps you must be willing to make and learn from in order to earn success
February 23, 2020
5 Stars
This book was fantastic, it is so quick and easy to consume and contains a wealth of knowledge! It even made me see if they were any jobs locally in my area is 1800 got junk!
This book was fantastic, it is so quick and easy to consume and contains a wealth of knowledge! It even made me see if they were any jobs locally in my area is 1800 got junk!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews