Self-Made Boss: Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners

Part starter-kit, part encyclopedia, and part inspiration, Self-Made Boss is an essential survival guide for small businesses

When it comes to getting practical advice, small business owners too often don't know where to look. Sure, you can find all sorts of high-level strategic tips from Fortune 500 CEOs. But what if you own a restaurant, and you're trying to figure out how to source good fish, or if you're looking to increase revenue from your plumbing supply store? You'll be running a lot of Google searches before you hear from someone who's actually stood in your shoes.

Longtime Square executives Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg want to change this. So they reached out across the country, talking to dozens of entrepreneurs with valuable businesses--and invaluable advice. This book is the product of that research. Part starter-kit, part encyclopedia, part inspiration, Self-Made Boss is filled with information not just about who these small business owners are, but how they built their companies, step by step.

How did they get their start? When did they decide to hire more staff? How did they set a course for growth? And when problems arose, how did they fight through them? You'll hear from a second-generation ice cream shop owner on how to manage price increases; an oyster farmer finding new ways to stay afloat in the middle of a global pandemic; a roofer who refused to be denied or defined by her race and gender--and dozens of other small business owners making a big difference in their communities.

No matter the size of your business today--or where you're thinking about taking the jump tomorrow--you'll find answers you can apply right away.

Because there's a common purpose that all small business owners share: the drive to build something from the ground up; the relentless pursuit of turning obstacles into opportunities and roadblocks into stepping stones. It's tough and messy, hard-fought and hard-won. And above all, it's something you can't have when you work anywhere else--or for anyone else.

That's what it means to be a Self-Made Boss.


Author: Jackie Reses, Lauren Weinberg
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
Published: 03/22/2022
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.06h x 5.98w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781264264094


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 12/01/2021 pg. 7

About the Author
Reses, Jackie: - Jackie Reses is the CEO of Post House Capital, a venture firm focused on building financial technology businesses. She also is the chair of the Economic Advisory Council for the San Francisco Federal Reserve and on the boards of Wish, Affirm, and Boom Supersonic Jets. Previously, she was the executive chairman and capital lead of Square Financial Services, where she oversaw the team that facilitated $8 billion in loans to small businesses. Reses has spoken with many luminaries about enabling access to the financial system for women and under-represented minorities.

Lauren Weinberg is the global head of marketing and communications at Square, driving go-to-market strategy globally. She is responsible for generating revenue growth through new customer acquisition. Her role includes oversight of Square's entire marketing budget, creative strategy, marketing execution and the brand reputation. Weinberg and her team select the small business owners that are featured in Square's ads, website and podcasts.