Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle

by Victoria Colligan, Beth Schoenfeldt, Amy Swift

Ladies Who Launch is the first company to define the feminine approach to launching a business and to make the connection between starting a business and bringing creativity into your life with self-esteem and happiness. The nationally acclaimed Ladies Who Launch program has enabled thousands of women across the country to break out of 9-5 and thrive in entrepreneurial enterprises that reflect their true passions, skills, and desires. Located in more than 40 cities in the United States, the Ladies Who Launch incubators - workshops that give women the support and encouragement they need to embark on making their dreams reality - have inspired women to start businesses, grow existing companies, and tap into their creativity to develop essential services and products and enjoy the lifestyle of their dreams while doing it.

Available for the first time in book form, the 4-step incubator process, using self-tests, inspiring stories, and practical information, gives women the courage to dare to follow a cherished but unfulfilled dream. Through this unique program women are encouraged to
Imagine it - allow a secret desire to come to lightSpeak it - choose a dream to pursueDo it - take effective action to make it realityCelebrate it - revel in successes, reward effort, and be good to yourself along the way
Ladies Who Launch provides a proven approach to igniting a fire under a long-smoldering dream, have more fun, and catapult a lifestyle, relationship or occupation to an infinitely higher level.

"If you want to pop the lid off anything you ever thought you couldn't do, shouldn't have or couldn't achieve, you've bought the right book. All the tools you need to ignite a fire under a long smoldering dream, catapult a lifestyle, relationship, or career to a higher level are right here. Women tend to think of dreams as bigger than themselves, pies in the sky, morsels of imagination saved for a rainy day…in other words, out of reach. Well, guess what? Ladies Who Launch will reprogram how you think about your dreams so that they are as real as the coffee you drink each morning. They're real and they're all yours! To be truly happy and inspired by the life you're living, you can take steps to wake up and launch your dreams right now. It is time to start believing that you can have what you really want. With the help of Ladies Who Launch, you will."
--Victoria Colligan & Beth Schoenfeldt

www.ladieswholaunch.com

VICTORIA COLLIGAN and BETH SCHOENFELDT, co-founders of Ladies Who Launch, created their company as a blend of on-line social networking and offline support system. The offline support system takes the form of Incubators - inventive, supportive, networking workshops that take place in more than 30 cities across the country. They also act as a marketing, public relations, and distribution channel for the thousands of women who are members of Ladies Who Launch. They have been featured in women's and business publications including Fortune , the LA Times , The Wall Street Journal , Cosmopolitan , Working Mother , and much more. AMY SWIFT has been a close and early collaborator with Ladies Who Launch as a brand communications strategist, writer and as the leader of the Los Angeles and Orange County Ladies Who Launch Incubators.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

Reviews

[Christa Avampato · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a pretty good motivator - the first half anyway. However, I think the Ladies Who Launch have a warped idea of entrepreneurship. They make it sound like starting your own business frees up all this time and energy for you. None of the entrepreneurs I know feel that way. If anything, starting their own business has left them even further strapped for personal time. It's much too light and fluffy for most of the book and they often come off sounding naive and foolish. I would read the first half and close the book once you get to their incubator method.

I also think it says quite a bit that the book was published last year and already the co-authors have parted ways. Beth left to start her own rival business that seems oddly similar to Ladies Who Launch.

[Marcelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring . . . for all you lovely, talented, ladies out there whom I am very fortunate to consider my friend . . . this is a worthwhile read!

A little short on content, and written as a "how to" guide for the Ladies Who Launch networking groups (in different cities & website), can be read over a couple of evenings and has some valuable exercises. Best used to get your creative mind flowing, remind you to reach for the stars, and go for it. We all need to hear that, right?

[Billye · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concepts described in this book are uplifting. However, it was disappointing. Apparently, this is a marketing tool for the author's business. If the author had chosen to share more general and 'how to' information; the entire endeavor would have been more inspiring. Unfortunately, the author's great ideas got lost amid all of the hype.

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Informative. A must read.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great read for any women out there feeling like they might want to start their own business, or just do something different in life, and have perhaps convinced themselves it isn't the right time, too risky, I already have a good job, etc. Or maybe others have shot your ideas down and been negative and discouraging instead of supportive. After reading this book you will be encouraged to listen to that little voice inside and have a little more faith in yourself!
As I read this from the book I felt the words were written by ME...
"Many of us graduated from college or business schools with visions of long corporate careers dancing in our heads. Then encounters with various levels of bureaucracy sour the vision. Bosses can be competitive, managers uncooperative and other employees divisive, all of which makes it tough to accomplish tasks, carry out initiatives, or thrive inside an environment that does not inherently foster or celebrate creativity. From what we have been told, even when women truly enjoy their corporate environment they often have a nagging feeling that there is something missing. They fantasize about the day when they might break out on their own.
...Additionally, what we hear from many women in corporate jobs is that they do not feel they have a voice. But given the overriding culture of most corporations, it's hard for any one person to have a voice except for a few key people."

[Audette]

I read it many years ago & just grazed over it again - looking at the parts I underlined.
It is encouraging & has a lot of good general feminine wisdom.
It is not particularly advanced or meaty or specific.
But a nice starter book especially for those still in a traditional work environment.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

listened to the audio version. not everything seemed to transfer well from the book. liked it. also couldn't bring myself to do the whole "program. "

[Chelka Posladek · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little more "girly" than I would have liked (giving tips for business networking over manicures). I couldn't relate to that part of it...but I could relate to the idea of starting a business without formal training. Interestingly, the authors also consider life changes (like learning a new language, meeting new people, or volunteer work) to be "launches", just as new businesses are "launches." As long as you are prepared for self-help along with business-help, you will probably like this book.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was formative and encouraging early in self-employment journey. Unfortunately, I keep Getting distracted by new possibilities, so feel like I'm always launching and never flying for long. Perhaps I missed something and need to re-read? Or maybe I need to read David Allen's Getting Things Done!

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A motivating book, that will guide and push you to "launch" any part of your life that you dream of improving. Not exactly what I expected -- I expected a more "how to" approach to business entrepreneurship with, I guess, a list of things to consider and get in order -- but I still found it worthwhile to read and skim through. I will most likely pick this one up again in the future.

[Sharon Wilkerson-Gilpin]

Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle is an inspiring book to read for anyone,particularly ladies,who aspire to live out their dream of starting and growing a business. This book is full of insightful advice for entrepreneurs. I was deeply inspired and encouraged to grow my freelance writing business.

[Mrs C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that avoids the fluff. It has practical tools in inspiring women to launch their own business. It has list-making exercises that can lead to creative ideas or create a window to one's own personality. Worthwhile.

[Chandler Chandler · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's great if you want to launch a business and condition yourself to do it. Does address all the things women face especially the challenges of working with kids, husbands, etc. I even went to a local lecture the authors put on and they provide a lot of support for women launching businesses.

[Kassel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book got me excited about launching as an editor. That being said, in some ways this book was overly feminine, too girly, and in some ways, made things sound too simple. The authors really rely on the laws of attraction to make a case for launching your business.

[Anne Velosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book is mostly marketing/justification for the Ladies Who Launch business/brand. Interesting, but not especially helpful.

The second half of the book is mostly high level advice on turning a dream into reality. Useful and positive.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just started reading the book. I am also looking into their incubator out on www.ladieswholaunch.com

I will add a review when I finish.

[Christina Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book to inspire your entrepreneur spirit. The love going the website and reading about successful small businesses.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book right after I decided I wanted to open my own store. I found it to be very inspiring and motivational.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am presently starting a business. This has been very helpful.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspirational for anyone thinking of breaking away from the corporate world and/or starting their own business.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspirational for me.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me feel like I should be doing more with my life, but was very insightful should I ever chose to follow that path.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Lots of little, ah-ha moments. Nothing ground breaking.

[Megan O'Laughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

How can I do more art and teach more yoga and still be a social worker? tell me book, TELL ME!

[Kristal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I want to start a business -- I just don't know what to do yet. I enjoyed this book and think it will help me to go back through it and do the exercises when I have a little more inspiration.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to listen to this on audio book and just couldn't do it. There are a lot of statistics in this book and it was just boring. This may have been a better book to read instead of listen to.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're nervous about starting a business, this book can be reassuring... A good read for yet-to-launch women. If you've already taken the leap, this book can be a snoozer.

[Jacki Schklar · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is an ad for their program. A book long ad spending way too much time selling themselves and not enough instructing you on something new.

[Sara Armas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring