Customer Reviews

Sister Ceo: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Your Own Business

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased and read this book three years ago when I was a college student. I read it and honesty have to say didn't put much thought into the valuable information and advice until I entered the "Real World" aka life after college. Since working in Corporate America for the last 2 1/2 years I realize I will never be paid my worth unless I go into business for myself.
This book will lay the foundation for women that are serious about taking control of their financial destiny and life. This is a must read for women serious about success.

I truly recommend this book for anyone interested in starting or growing a business. The book contains the nuts and bolts of what it takes to survive in the business world. I really appreciated the chapters on marketing and public relations. Other authors could really learn from this author on how to write to a business audience.

There is no doubt in my mind that this book is a must read for all entrepreneurs.

At last a book to inspire and encourage black women to attain greatness. Both my self esteem and belief in my own abilities grew and grew as I read this book. It not only provides a guide to starting your own business, it also makes you believ you can succeed just like our mother and grandmothers, only we didn't see their efforts as entrepreneurial. I appreciate the history of the women of my family more and inspired by the book are working at becoming a part of that history by establishing my own business. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I loved this book. It is jam packed with information and self-assessment exercises. It also has interviews with dynamic sisters who are doing it with style.

I found this book to be good. It was packed full of information and is certainly worth its sales price. I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a little less pro black woman and complained less about racism and sexism. But the author apparently thought it was necessary to include such verbage in order to connect with her target audience.

The author is a registered investment advisor who has two businesses that she runs: (1) a financial and small business consulting firm, and (2) a personal financial advisory firm. In a nutshell, she is a consultant by trade. I see some similarities to what she does and what Suze Orman does. They are both basically CFPs who market themselves through writing books, making presentations, and getting media exposure.

As I read this book I wasn't sure if the author in writing it was being a Life Coach, a Financial Advisor, or a Business Coach. The title of this book says that the book is a "Guide to Starting Your Own Business." As a result, I expected to hear exclusively from a business coach. But chapters 1 through 4 about personal faith, purpose, and goals didn't seem to me to relate to starting a business.

For me, a "guide" is something that offers basic information or instruction and shows the way by leading, directing, or advising. As a result, this book was supposed to advise me as to how to start my own business. Unfortunately it did not do this for me very well. While it covered business plans (Chapter 12), choice of entity (Chapter 7), financing your startup (Chapter 8), cash flow and recordkeeping (Chaper 9), and marketing (chapters 14 & 15), it did not do them in a step 1, step 2, step 3 kind of way. That's what I expected when I started reading this book which the title says is a guide.

The book is also dated. Coverage of choice of entity is not current. Limited liability companies (LLCs) are available throughout the US now. And their popularity has basically made partnerships, limited partnerships, and S Corps a thing of the past.

The four types of businesses discussed in Chapter 10 seemed odd to me. The auther suggests the four basic types of businesses are: product, service, mail order, and retail/restaurant. I had hoped that the author in this book would have dissected the following generic business models in detail:

>>Retail businesses
>>Service oriented businesses (part service and part product)
>>Product oriented business (part product and part service)
>>Personal service business (all personal services)
>>Distribution companies
>>Internet companies

Mail order today is pretty much an online business. And that category probably falls under Internet Companies. And what's the difference between a product business and a retail business? Don't retail businesses sell products?

And there is no talk in this book of Web sites as a marketing tool. Just another reason this book is dated. Also, I found the inclusion of Chapter 11 on franchises to be unnecessary. The target audience of this book is supposedly black women who want to BECOME financially independent. For the most part, franchises are only an option for women who are already financially independent or wealthy. I think the book would have been better if the chapter on franchising had been left out. All in all, not a bad book. 4 stars!

I am a Black Australian woman and I found this book applicable to my situation. The information crosses all boundries and the advice useful in many situations.

It is with great enthusiasm that I offer my highest recommendation for Sister CEO: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Your Own Business. This book is a must read for any aspiring and/or established black female business owner. This book has been completely instrumental in my gowth as an entrepreneur and as a reult I regard it as my business bible. The book is both incredibly informative and inspiring. The author does an incredible job of presenting both the pros and cons of starting a business. In addition, Ms. Broussard shares both her personal experiences and those of other successful black female business owners which makes for an excellent read. This book is definitely one of the best books that I have ever read and I highly recommend it for any black woman who is thinking of starting her own business.
Nia Rose

This book gives you exactly what you need to push forward and start your own business. There's nothing like being a SISTER CEO and I will tell everyone I know about this book. Even if your business is an on-the-side part-time gig, this book helps you get moving. It's very inspirational and a MUST READ for the Sister CEOs of tomorrow.

If you are a female and especially a black female, looking to start your own business, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. I can not put the book down. It can be used as a step by step manual/format for starting your own business. I especially like the "sister CEO" examples of other successful black women's business strategies. The book provides a wealth of information on suggested websites, companies, organizations, associations and other contacts for all types of business start ups. If you purchase, I would suggest you also purchase a spiral notebook to use as you read the book and perform the exercises listed.

I absolutely recommend this book for any black women thinking about starting her own business. The author lays the groundwork and is clear and concise in explaining what it really takes to start your own business. SISTER CEO is a true inspiration and guide to starting your own business. As women and women of color we will never be paid our true worth, working in Corporate America.