Unprepared to Entrepreneur by Sonya Barlow
Unprepared to Entrepreneur is an honest guide to launching your own business, sharing real stories from real people who have tested, failed, and won at business. It profiles the underdogs, those who brainstormed ideas whilst travelling on the bus, started a business from their phone, and managed to create three income streams whilst maintaining a full-time job in the city to show you that you can do it too. From a working Google doc as your business plan to ideation strategies that live and die off the Instagram engagement; they won't teach you this at business school.
Sonya Barlow takes a look at the resilience needed to make it in business, the incredible tax on mental health, and the non-negotiable steps to creating a viable business. This is the ultimate guide to side hustling, freelancing, and entrepreneurial freedom of the future.
TESTIMONIALS
"Frank, solidly researched and packed with fascinating insights about the reality of building a career around your personal brand - this is the sort of book I wish had been around when I started my career. Sonya Barlow is an exciting voice shaking up the world of entrepreneurship and telling it like it is."
β Andrea Thompson: Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire
"An informative guide for anyone looking to become an entrepreneur. Setting off on your entrepreneurial journey can be daunting, but Sonya Barlow breaks everything down clearly to help you on your way to success."
β Anna Jones and Debbie Wosskow OBE: Co-Founders, AllBright
"The book every entrepreneur needs. Reading through this toolkit, it had everything included that would make you feel inspired, prepared, and ready to tackle the business world. Unprepared to Entrepreneur truly is a must-read with so many real stories from real people. Sonya Barlow has really hit the nail on the head here."
β Anna Flockett: CEO, Startups Magazine
"Unprepared to Entrepreneur is a book for any entrepreneur that has a side hustle or passion project and wants to take it to the next level. Not only does it give advice and simple exercises to build their business, but it also provides a truthful glimpse into what being an entrepreneur is."
β Charlotte Williams: Founder, SevenSix Agency
"An honest and real approach to entrepreneurship. I am an entrepreneur myself and have loved reading her journey and can resonate with her experiences. As a South Asian woman, I was glad to read the story about a great South Asian entrepreneur that hasn't let setbacks make her quit. A fantastic read for anyone looking to join the entrepreneurial journey."
β Ebba Qureshi: Founder and CEO, FemGames
"This is a very personal journey and Sonya Barlow's route to success is full of useful advice. Her voice is clear and her understanding of the modern business environment is insightful. She may not have learnt how to complete a tax return at her business school but she has learnt to research, to write, and to reflect. This is a fascinating book and invaluable to anyone thinking of starting their own business today."
β Ian Daniel: Business and Management Lecturer, Bayes Business School
"Unprepared to Entrepreneur is the real deal, filled with hard-earned lessons, practical advice, and relatable stories from Sonya Barlow's professional journey. It's inspirational, but also brings entrepreneurship down to earth: this book reminds us that it isn't reserved for a rare few, but a path any of us can follow."
β Katie Carroll: Head of News, North America, and the UK, LinkedIn
"What an inspirational and useful toolkit. I work with small business owners daily who would really benefit from reading this book. I will be recommending it to all my contacts!"
β Lauren Malone: Head of Female Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Nation
"Sonya Barlow provides us with a great combination of her own experience and practical guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs who would like to follow her lead. She has a wonderful insight into the sorts of hurdles that entrepreneurs encounter and the best ways to surmount them."
β Martin Rich: Senior Lecturer, Bayes Business School
"As a slightly unmanageable, self-made entrepreneur - with fingers in many pies - I found this book very reassuring, with its relatable anecdotes and optimistic approach. Sonya Barlow's accessibility, inclusivity, and refreshing innovation make me certain that any starting entrepreneur should own a copy."
β Mika Simmons: Actress, Filmmaker, and Host of The Happy Vagina Podcast