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What It Takes: How I Built a $100 Million Business Against the Odds
A USA Today and LA Times Bestseller!“A force to be reckoned with. Funny, creative, and full of courage and charming sass. What It Takes will give you the tools you need to create your own success story.” —Sarah Kauss, founder and CEO of S’well “An inspiring story for anyone who wants to change their career, play by their own rules, and build a successful business in the process.” —Rebecca Minkoff, founder and creative director Founder of global baby brand aden + anais Raegan Moya-Jones doesn’t hold back on what it really takes to build a $100 million business from her kitchen table. Raegan Moya-Jones never thought of herself as an entrepreneur. She was full-time corporate cog in her thirties, with a family to help support. Sick of her micromanaging boss, she quietly started a company in the wee hours of the morning while her daughters were asleep—and once that side business, aden + anais, hit the $1 million mark in revenue, she quit to work on it full-time, which now generates over $100 million a year in revenue. In this riveting, vulnerable story, What It Takes is Moya-Jones’ tell-all and brutally honest advice to entrepreneurs—especially women—about how to succeed despite all odds. It doesn’t take an MBA to be your own boss. If Moya-Jones, an outspoken Aussie and college drop-out, could build a business from the ground up, anyone can. Moya-Jones digs into topics most entrepreneurs shy away from, even the prickliest of things like mother guilt, butting heads with investors (or co-founders), and what to really do when you’re running out of money. There’s no magic formula to build a business, which also mean you don’t have to look or act a certain way to be successful. This empowering story from one of today’s most fascinating founders will show the hopeful entrepreneur or career changer that she doesn't have to know it all. This story is about staying true to who you are, trusting your gut, and harnessing your unique talent. Do you have what it takes to jump in?
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2019
24 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 5, 2019
What it Takes: How I Built a $100 Million Business Against the Odds by Raegan Moya-Jones is an inspirational read.
In What it Takes, Raegan Moya-Jones describes the difficult, yet attainable, goal of starting a business. She is the co-founder and former CEO of aden + anais, a lifestyle brand for babies and children. Raegan is also the co-founder of Saint Luna, a premium moonshine company.
I was pleasantly pleased with this book. Raegan Moya-Jones is a tenacious entrepreneur! She was blessed to have start-up capital and job security during the initial phases, but there were serious challenges (mom life) along the way, which made for interesting reading, especially the struggles with her "friend" and co-founder. Trust me, it's juicy! I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.
In What it Takes, Raegan Moya-Jones describes the difficult, yet attainable, goal of starting a business. She is the co-founder and former CEO of aden + anais, a lifestyle brand for babies and children. Raegan is also the co-founder of Saint Luna, a premium moonshine company.
I was pleasantly pleased with this book. Raegan Moya-Jones is a tenacious entrepreneur! She was blessed to have start-up capital and job security during the initial phases, but there were serious challenges (mom life) along the way, which made for interesting reading, especially the struggles with her "friend" and co-founder. Trust me, it's juicy! I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.
October 26, 2020
This book did not impart any wisdom whatsoever. The only information I have gleamed from it was that the author has lived a remarkably comfortable life so far and tries to pass it off as if she has survived a series of harrowing events. She did not.
January 20, 2020
This is a first person true account of how the author built a business making blankets into a multi-million dollar one. It is an amazing but true [I believed every word] story which includes a lot of her own personal history in somewhat of a memoir form, which I also enjoyed immensely. She writes a fantastic story and I questioned myself many times as to whether she ever slept, and if so, when? She was so busy, it seemed, that there weren't enough hours in a day.
It was disheartening at times to read that she had many of the same female discrimination issues that I myself discovered over the last fifty years, and that I had hoped were lessening or decreasing. Maybe, but not much. Being the only woman in a meeting with a roomful of women. Not being able to move forward in one way or another because you are a woman. Will we never get better in this male vs female battle in business and the work place?
Raegan certainly did her best and succeeded despite, in my opinion, the many odds against her.
But many great advantages, including her husband's support and her determination.
One small objection to her book was her amount of four letter words beginning with 'F' and 'Sh' which I attributed to her emotions in telling her tale. She also mentioned her darling children which enthralled me except for a comment about her oldest one, a young teenager who despite doing rewarding volunteer work, also held negative attitudes such that she was engaging in group protesting. Risk to life and limb is great as has been seen all too often in the news to females. There are better more positive ways to pursue advances...this from an elderly woman who has learned lessons the hard way.
I won this great book in a Goodreads giveaway. My only regret was that I had not read it sooner. A good read.
It was disheartening at times to read that she had many of the same female discrimination issues that I myself discovered over the last fifty years, and that I had hoped were lessening or decreasing. Maybe, but not much. Being the only woman in a meeting with a roomful of women. Not being able to move forward in one way or another because you are a woman. Will we never get better in this male vs female battle in business and the work place?
Raegan certainly did her best and succeeded despite, in my opinion, the many odds against her.
But many great advantages, including her husband's support and her determination.
One small objection to her book was her amount of four letter words beginning with 'F' and 'Sh' which I attributed to her emotions in telling her tale. She also mentioned her darling children which enthralled me except for a comment about her oldest one, a young teenager who despite doing rewarding volunteer work, also held negative attitudes such that she was engaging in group protesting. Risk to life and limb is great as has been seen all too often in the news to females. There are better more positive ways to pursue advances...this from an elderly woman who has learned lessons the hard way.
I won this great book in a Goodreads giveaway. My only regret was that I had not read it sooner. A good read.
October 24, 2019
4.5 stars. Read it cover to cover in one day after I heard it mentioned on a podcast I like. Also, because honestly give me any story about a woman building a profitable business against the odds and I’m all in. Loved getting to hear more about her story and appreciated her frankness about the process and everything that it entailed. Being in the sewn product manufacturing business myself these days it was particularly painful to read (in a good way). Could have done without all of the “men” this and “women” that talk, we know we know it’s way harder to do this and be a woman, that was belabored to the point of starting to sound more like a big chip on her shoulder than being any kind of “informative” (even though it is the unfortunate reality). Overall I really liked the book and would have read it again. If you like “How I Built This”, you will like this 👍🏻 Her story is an inspiring one.
Also the cover image bugged me to no end (for a company with such amazing design, this is ???? to me...anyway, don’t judge a book right?)
Also the cover image bugged me to no end (for a company with such amazing design, this is ???? to me...anyway, don’t judge a book right?)
July 21, 2019
I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway. I was actually very excited for this book considering I studied business in college and made a career out of it. I've read other business success stories in class, which led me to this one to read in leisure.
I was upset to see the under-delivery this book provided upon finishing it. It felt more like a bashing of the business degree and field, trying to argue it is a pointless field of study, by advocating that "anyone" can succeed without studying business and entrepreneurship.
Sure, that may be the case, but Bill Gates and Walt Disney already advocated for that years earlier with their college drop-out success stories.
All in all, just because you started a company from scratch, doesn't mean you need a book advocating for it as well. I was disappointed with the delivery of this book. There are plenty of well-written, well-executed business books out there, and unfortunately, this was not one of them.
I was upset to see the under-delivery this book provided upon finishing it. It felt more like a bashing of the business degree and field, trying to argue it is a pointless field of study, by advocating that "anyone" can succeed without studying business and entrepreneurship.
Sure, that may be the case, but Bill Gates and Walt Disney already advocated for that years earlier with their college drop-out success stories.
All in all, just because you started a company from scratch, doesn't mean you need a book advocating for it as well. I was disappointed with the delivery of this book. There are plenty of well-written, well-executed business books out there, and unfortunately, this was not one of them.
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February 28, 2020It is a book about gender business. She uses her gender to get or complain about the Western business world.
She uses foul language and yet rewarded for it.
I honestly think she brings in new stuff. She just acts the strong woman who made it by herself.
It is a bad book.
She uses foul language and yet rewarded for it.
I honestly think she brings in new stuff. She just acts the strong woman who made it by herself.
It is a bad book.
January 25, 2022
Mình tìm thấy cuốn sách này trên một bài báo của tạp chí Forbes về những cuốn sách hay nhất dành cho founder startup. Và đúng là trực giác bản thân đã không sai, khi mà đây là một trong những cuốn sách về khởi nghiệp hay nhất mình từng đọc mình thời điểm hiện tại, sánh ngang hàng với “The Lean Startup” hay “Zero to One”.
Khác với đa số tác giả khác khi cố gắng truyền đạt về phương pháp, tác giả Raegan Moya-Jones kể cho chúng ta nghe một câu chuyện. Câu chuyện của một nữ nhân viên sales của tạp chí The Economist bị sếp cho rằng là không có “máu khởi nghiệp” và “chẳng biết chút gì về khởi nghiệp”, vượt qua mọi định kiến, rào cản và khó khăn mà giới startup nói riêng và xã hội nói chung dành cho phụ nữ khởi nghiệp để trở thành founder của thương hiệu khăn quấn trẻ sơ sinh aden + anais trị giá trăm triệu đô.
Cuốn sách này viết về khó khăn của một người phụ nữ/ người mẹ/ người vợ khởi nghiệp, và có khuynh hướng hướng về độc giả là nữ. Dù vậy, mình thấy ai đam mê kinh doanh/ khởi nghiệp cũng nên một lần đọc thử cuốn sách này bất kể giới tính. Mình là nam, nhưng mình vẫn cảm nhận được hết từng khung bậc cảm xúc. Từ sự bất chợt của ý tưởng khởi nghiệp, niềm vui khi lần đầu tiên bán được hàng, sự hăng say và máu lửa của giai đoạn phát triển, sự cô đơn mình tận sâu nhất của con người, sự tội lỗi của một người mẹ bận rộn, sự dè bỉu đến từ đồng nghiệp và sếp, sự đau đớn khi bị co-founder phản bội, sự ủng hộ ấm áp của gia đình, sự đau khổ của những thất bại và sự trào dâng hạnh hạnh phúc khi thành công, mình đều như cảm nhận được hết.
Khép lại những trang cuối cùng của quyển sách, niềm vui và sự bình an là thứ còn đọng lại trong mình. Không giáo điều, không đao to búa lớn, cứ như vậy mà tác giả đã để lại cho mình những bài học không tên nhưng vô cùng đắt giá.
Một cuốn sách tuyệt vời để bắt đầu năm 2022 đầy hứng khởi.
Khác với đa số tác giả khác khi cố gắng truyền đạt về phương pháp, tác giả Raegan Moya-Jones kể cho chúng ta nghe một câu chuyện. Câu chuyện của một nữ nhân viên sales của tạp chí The Economist bị sếp cho rằng là không có “máu khởi nghiệp” và “chẳng biết chút gì về khởi nghiệp”, vượt qua mọi định kiến, rào cản và khó khăn mà giới startup nói riêng và xã hội nói chung dành cho phụ nữ khởi nghiệp để trở thành founder của thương hiệu khăn quấn trẻ sơ sinh aden + anais trị giá trăm triệu đô.
Cuốn sách này viết về khó khăn của một người phụ nữ/ người mẹ/ người vợ khởi nghiệp, và có khuynh hướng hướng về độc giả là nữ. Dù vậy, mình thấy ai đam mê kinh doanh/ khởi nghiệp cũng nên một lần đọc thử cuốn sách này bất kể giới tính. Mình là nam, nhưng mình vẫn cảm nhận được hết từng khung bậc cảm xúc. Từ sự bất chợt của ý tưởng khởi nghiệp, niềm vui khi lần đầu tiên bán được hàng, sự hăng say và máu lửa của giai đoạn phát triển, sự cô đơn mình tận sâu nhất của con người, sự tội lỗi của một người mẹ bận rộn, sự dè bỉu đến từ đồng nghiệp và sếp, sự đau đớn khi bị co-founder phản bội, sự ủng hộ ấm áp của gia đình, sự đau khổ của những thất bại và sự trào dâng hạnh hạnh phúc khi thành công, mình đều như cảm nhận được hết.
Khép lại những trang cuối cùng của quyển sách, niềm vui và sự bình an là thứ còn đọng lại trong mình. Không giáo điều, không đao to búa lớn, cứ như vậy mà tác giả đã để lại cho mình những bài học không tên nhưng vô cùng đắt giá.
Một cuốn sách tuyệt vời để bắt đầu năm 2022 đầy hứng khởi.
January 9, 2022
Read this book. I always love reading about female entrepreneurs and this one fit that description! Super amazing what Raegan accomplished with Aden + Anais, lots of hard work!! I was left hoping for more of her story and various tidbits from growing the business over the years. She spends a lot of time talking about statistics about women backed start-ups, etc that felt out of place. I think the book would have been much better being a deep dive into the business…a lot happens in 10 years which is how long she stayed. Three stars for that reason. Not my top book in the space (check out Believe IT for that) but also a quick read if you love this type of book profile.
November 23, 2019
This is a good book about what is takes to build a business as a woman. It talks about struggles like mom guilt and gives advice on things to avoid and strategies that will help you make it.
January 14, 2020
I listened to the author read her own story and I was inspired. She is very real, direct, and forthright. I found it refreshing and motivating!
May 24, 2019
The 'Big Moan'
I bought this book, which is quite expensive for an eBook, because the hype around it led me to believe it was going to deliver some real value. Whilst it does deliver 'some value' for those seeking to build a business from scratch, it really under-delivers in this respect. It seemed more a campaigning book and does not spare in criticism of others whilst accepting a modicum of personal responsibility for failures along the way. Of course this may be the true reality - I can not judge. Nevertheless the overall tenor of the book leads me to say it would be better titled 'The Big Moan'
I bought this book, which is quite expensive for an eBook, because the hype around it led me to believe it was going to deliver some real value. Whilst it does deliver 'some value' for those seeking to build a business from scratch, it really under-delivers in this respect. It seemed more a campaigning book and does not spare in criticism of others whilst accepting a modicum of personal responsibility for failures along the way. Of course this may be the true reality - I can not judge. Nevertheless the overall tenor of the book leads me to say it would be better titled 'The Big Moan'
June 23, 2020
I was happy to win this book because I enjoy a good business success story with details about how someone struck out on their own. It's very interesting to gain insight into others' lives and see what lessons you can glean from their stories. Ultimately, this did not deliver. My eyes were glazing over for much of it, and I wasn't learning anything new. Something about the author's tone also got under my skin. I give this 1.5 stars (rounded up to 2 because I didn't completely hate it), because it was interesting in places.
October 11, 2020
Read to me more like 1 long complaint about how everyone else (and the patriarchy) screwed her or tried to. Much less of a business advice book than I thought. I imagine the draft was filled with ALLCAPS YELLING!
November 30, 2019
Truly an amazing book. I was looking for a book about women entrepreneurs who have kids too. It just seems everywhere especially men talk about success and give tips of a successful life that have nothing to do with being a mother, or even a real equal father, who has kids. I mean nobody really talks about women entrepreneurs who have kids. How to keep balance with everything or even what happens if you don't? I get angry seeing Youtube videos that you need to wake up early, plan your day, meditate, exercise, etc. Like wtf? There are so many tips on how to ask help, how to equally share responsibilities between parents, what it means to grow a business and see it going downhill many years later. It was just what I needed to read!
October 18, 2019
I enjoyed hearing the stories of the adventure of building a $100 million business. I could have done without the many lectures about the disadvantages women face in entrepreneurship and in the regular workforce. One or two, fine, but it seemed like there was one every chapter in this book.
There was a problem with this audiobook on Scribd: almost every chapter cut off in the middle of a sentence, just when it was getting interesting. Frustrating technical glitch. I hope they were close to the end when they cut off, but I have no way of knowing. Maybe the real audiobook is actually 10 hours long!
There was a problem with this audiobook on Scribd: almost every chapter cut off in the middle of a sentence, just when it was getting interesting. Frustrating technical glitch. I hope they were close to the end when they cut off, but I have no way of knowing. Maybe the real audiobook is actually 10 hours long!
January 30, 2020
I was hoping for an happy ending of her making the company great and still being the CEO. Well, but looks like women are treated in a similar way no matter what position you hold in the corporate world. Her boss first, when she was an employee and then SPC who wanted all control. One thing is for sure, the secret to any successful organization is compassion for the end users and not thinking of only making profits. Lots of lessons to learn for budding entrepreneurs, especially who don’t have an Ivy League background.
December 1, 2019
I could not put this book down. Great, inspiring read. Raegan is a strong, female business leader. This book is more autobiographical than it is self-help offering a few tips along the way.
A bit repetitive. I get it, you did not go to Harvard. One more time for the cheap seats in the back. Raegan has an interesting life. I wish she shared her story later when she becomes less bitter about aden + anis.
I'm excited to have received this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
A bit repetitive. I get it, you did not go to Harvard. One more time for the cheap seats in the back. Raegan has an interesting life. I wish she shared her story later when she becomes less bitter about aden + anis.
I'm excited to have received this book from a Goodreads giveaway!
June 29, 2020
A highly recommended book for someone who wants to or is in the process of starting a business. Much much recommended if that someone is a woman! Motivating story of how a business started at the kitchen table is now amassing $100mn in revenue. Reagen is not a harvard drop out or a tech founder but how she went on to become one of the leaders in baby swaddling business is a tale not to be missed.
May 20, 2019
This book is targeted to the female entrepreneur which is great, we need more women believing their dreams are worth pursuing. My wife read this book and enjoyed it so I picked it up after her. I found Raegan's story inspiring and full of valuable insight that anyone interested in building a business would learn from. Read it!
June 22, 2019
Great, honest story of her building her company
June 25, 2019
Australian in USA, putting up a start-up.
July 23, 2019
The hubs & I read together.
February 25, 2020
This book is a pretty inspiring story for anyone looking to build a business especially a large successful one. Raegan starts out from the beginning when her business was just a side hussle.
October 27, 2020
Absolutely loved it.
April 20, 2021
Absolutely excellent.
July 9, 2025
incredible book, practical, relatable, inspiring, I absolutely loved it
May 10, 2020
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a working mom, or just interested in a great story about building a business from the ground up, this is for you.
December 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this honest take on building a business from scratch. Raegan makes the leap from corporate world after running a side hustle for two years. She and her business partner launch to a very positive reception in the market. Eventually, the business partner tries a hostile takeover, which fails. Then, Raegan builds a culture and a brand that she is very proud of. She talks about the struggles females entrepreneurs face including raising capital. She eventually sells her majority share to private equity and retains 23%. She ends up regretting this decision as they oust her from the CEO role and eventually fire her. I think this is a great book for any aspiring entrepreneur.
*Side note: one of the other reviewer’s comments says a lot more about the reviewer than the book. 😂
*Side note: one of the other reviewer’s comments says a lot more about the reviewer than the book. 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2020
I truly loved this book and how tenacious Raegan is! I am happy to be connected and talked to her on social media. She is so humble and down-to-earth despite all the achievements she had. She has shown girl power and how if you keep your mind to it, you can definitely get it.
I will definitely buy a paperback version of this book and re-read it again :)
I will definitely buy a paperback version of this book and re-read it again :)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews