#Girlboss
Bold
Clever
Inspirational

#Girlboss

The founder of the Nasty Gal fashion e-tailer shares an irreverent manifesto for ambitious young women that explains how to channel personal passion and energy while overcoming insecurities, outlining straightforward advice on doing meaningful work and garnering recognition.
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Reviews

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Magaly Belmontes@magalybelmon
4 stars
Aug 10, 2023

Girl Boss is a refreshing and empowering read that resonates with women of all ages. Sophia Amoruso's journey from an underdog to a successful entrepreneur is both inspiring and relatable. The book not only shares valuable business insights and practical tips but also highlights the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and embracing one's uniqueness. Amoruso's candid storytelling style makes the book engaging, and her genuine voice encourages readers to pursue their passions fearlessly. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply seeking a dose of motivation, Girl Boss offers a delightful blend of wisdom, humor, and encouragement

+2
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alexandra@twirlingpages
3 stars
May 14, 2023

4.5/5 #GIRLBOSS was just as fantastic as i expected it'd be. (and in a really teeny-tiny way, that disappointed me but, for the most part, i loved this novel.) this is a book that i would recommend to every human. never read non-fiction novels? great, go read this. don't care for fashion? mmmm, still go read this. not a girl? who cares, go read this. it's a book that i found very honest, quick, and empowering. sophia amoruso shares her journey on how she went from dead broke to $100 million in eight years, and in the process, touches ideas on creativity, business, and personal morals/ideals. after finishing this novel, i feel motivated to go out and DO SOMETHING. the only issue i had was that the pacing got a bit slow in the middle. there'd be chapters that i adore adore adore that really stuck with me, and there'd be ones that i felt i was slugging through. (although that might've been because i was already quite tired while reading those parts..) i also found it a bit difficult to picture her timeline since the chapters are mostly told in topics and mini anecdotes. but other than that, i truly loved this novel. my favorite aspect is probably amoruso's honest voice. when asked about their success, most people would respond with a shrug and probably saying something like "hard work, timing, and luck." but our author KNOWS her success is all hard-earned and didn't come with luck. she did some fairly awful stuff, which i don't completely agree with, but ultimately find admirable. there's no sugarcoating, and instead of finding it disheartening and overwhelming, it's inspiring. if you're relatively interested in business or need a motivational read, PICK THIS UP NOW.

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Wynter@wynter
2 stars
May 4, 2023

I have great respect for Sophia Amoruso and the fact that she built an empire from scratch and against all odds. I do not deny the fact that what she did with her life before she even hit 30 is amazing. But I still don't like her book that much. I was hoping to read a memoir, and a rags-to-riches story that everyone loves, but this turned out to be more of a business advice book. Unfortunately, on this particular front, Sophia has nothing new to offer. "Be yourself! Work hard! Things will happen if you really put your mind to it!" Yes, I know that already. She says that her hard work brought her success, but the book fails to illustrate that. The only thing that I took away is that she hated school, loved vintage clothing, was relatively talented at photography, and had some glamorous-looking friends that were willing to model said clothes in exchange for a burger. Also, she was very good at marketing herself, even if it meant spamming people. The brand took off, end of story. Obviously the process was much more complicated and challenging than that, but how would I know? The other thing that really gets on my nerves is how full of herself Sophia comes across. Yes, she deserves to enjoy the fruits of her labour, but does she really have to flaunt over and over again how much money she made and how she bought a Porche with cash? Ugh, that is so not GIRLBOSS.

Photo of Liana
Liana@liana
4.5 stars
Mar 6, 2023

Amoruso's rags-to-riches story resonated deeply. Her scrappy hustle and fearless honesty are inspiring, especially for those questioning the traditional career path. However, her anti-education stance clashes with her own job requirements. This mixed message leaves a bittersweet taste.

Despite the contradictions, Amoruso's journey offers a powerful dose of motivation, a pick-me-up especially valuable during personal transitions. This book may not be a literary masterpiece, but it's a relatable and often hilarious guide to chasing your dreams, even if your path is far from polished.

+4
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Arturo Hernández@artthh
4 stars
Jan 3, 2023

A short exercise on knowing yourself (the good, the bad), recognizing your worth and aiming for the right goals across your life from the eyes of a 30-ish female entrepreneur.

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Shay Henrion@shaysbookshelf
3 stars
Aug 28, 2022

I liked the message behind #GIRLBOSS (let your freak flag fly, you can do whatever you put your mind to, etc) but I can't help feeling like the entire book is Amoruso's way of saying "Look how great I am!" in the guise of "self-help."

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Nadia Serrano@nadiasbel
5 stars
Aug 25, 2022

I feel so empowered as a woman

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Natalia Hernandez@chubidubi
4 stars
Aug 2, 2022

I really liked this book. I don't own a business, I have no intention on doing so, but I could still get several things out from this book and I think that's fantastic. It's a fast read, it's fun to read it, the author goes through a lot of different things in her life, some are funny, some are not, but this is not a comedy book, it's an experience and growing-up book from a woman who was able to realize she wasn't in a place she liked, make a big change and start working towards her goal. She began selling clothes in what she calls a "one woman operation" and now owns a billion dollar company. Like I said, if you don't want to start a business on your own, you can still relate to her story and learn things from the book. She tells you how to prepare for job interviews, what not to do (always important), how to look at life from a different perspective so that you can achieve what you want. I liked that. I know too many people who whine all the time about how life has done nothing for them. If they read this book, and they should, then they'll realize life has nothing to do for anybody, it's THEM who have to stand up, get off their asses and do something. With hard work they'll make something out of life and all that jazz, you know? But the authors says so in a prettier way.

Photo of Elizabeth Moore
Elizabeth Moore@haddyaddy
2 stars
Jun 9, 2022

Um, urgh. I was excited about reading this after seeing reviews of it here and there, but it was really hard to get through and pretty disappointing. I was expecting to get some interesting insight into being a young, driven female in a male-dominated business landscape, but instead it was a weird mix of memoir and 1.0 business advice for lazy young twentysomethings who apparently need to be told that error-free resumes are really important and so is hard work. Disappointing because I think Sophia Amoruso is a fantastic entrepreneur and I was really interested in hearing more of the business nuts and bolts of her story. I will say that I think she is funny and I really admire both her grit and her commitment to staying true to herself - these traits both came out strongly in her book! I guess I was probably just the wrong target audience for this book, as it clearly is intended for young millennials with no business experience or concept of work ethic.

Photo of Lyra Perez
Lyra Perez@lyralikesbooks
3 stars
Mar 21, 2022

I thought this book would help teach me how to become a #girlboss, however the only thing I learnt was that Sophia Amaruso stumbled apon success not really knowing how. Yed she worked hard and the book is numerous at certain points but over all it lacked general inspiration.

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Nicole@ncol86
3 stars
Mar 9, 2022

The book itself is quite interesting and inspirational once you get into it, however I was more excited to finish it than pick it up and read it

+5
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Sarah Vaughan@sarahlee1164
1 star
Feb 17, 2022

This book isn't for anyone seeking any kind of mind-blowing original advice for a startup business. Although in her intro the author explicitly says this book is not a memoir, that's exactly what it is. I'd recommend it for a quick, fluffy read (I mean that with all due respect), but I did have a couple of problems with it. First, I totally respect the fact that this woman worked her behind off to get to where she is today. And kudos to her for doing it after people said she couldn't and for taking her own path that didn't involve college. However, I don't think the sole reason this company is apparently doing so well (Full disclosure: I had never heard of it before) is that the author is just a badass bitch who didn't accept no for an answer. Don't even get me started on how her startup (eBay account) first launched with the sale of stolen clothing. In what way did you "work hard" to do any of that??? The premise of this book is that basically, no matter where you came from or how hard you failed at life in high school and college, "if you work as hard as I did you'll have a business that flourishes." That attitude didn't really sit well with me. For starters, she admits that she didn't know a lot about actually running a business from the get-go, and still doesn't understand some, and she admits this humbly, but then she goes right on in the next chapter to act like she is an expert on all things How to Not Fail at Business 101. Tooting our own horn a little maybe? Also, in one chapter she talks about how taking care of your employees and making sure they are happy and motivated is what keeps them working hard for their employer, but then goes right on to act like it was insane for someone to ask off early one day to go buy groceries. Granted, that's not okay in corporate situations and definitely not okay to make a habit of, but when you were a three-person startup business hiring people on Craigslist and figuring it all out as you went, was it really necessary to fire someone because he wanted to beat rush hour traffic in San Francisco for one day in his life? I don't think so. I also abhorred the fact that every other phrase in this book was Nasty Gal (the name of the business). No thanks.

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Capucine Fachot@capucine
4 stars
Jan 30, 2022

A really great read, I recommend it to anyone. Everyone.

Photo of Corey White
Corey White@mswhiteandherlibrary
3 stars
Jan 13, 2022

The book is a 4 for those new to working and doing things in line with their passion. Great for new graduates of high school and for people who just can't seem to get ahead. I have read many of the suggestions and lessons in previous books and on blogs so it was mostly a refresher for me. Still a good read though.

Photo of daisy
daisy@afternoonweather
4 stars
Jan 2, 2022

i really enjoy reading this book tho, the fact that many despise this book just confuses me. this is a fun book to read if u want some kick ass motivation,, i just dislike the fact that her brand is fast fashion

Photo of Karla
Karla @gowithkar
3 stars
Jan 2, 2022

Mi reseña en el canal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BcKY...

Photo of Cola
Cola@theycallmecola
5 stars
Dec 17, 2021

Super inspiring. Everyone should read this if they haven't yet.

Photo of Ari Rose
Ari Rose@ariisrose
2.5 stars
Dec 12, 2021

I first read this in 2019 so I'll leave that review and start resting below. Five years later, I'm knocking down a star and a half.

I'm dropping down to 2 stars because this just doesn't quite hold up, but gave 0.5 a point back because there is genuinely some good advice for business, life, and confidence. But overall it's just so cringe now! I kept rolling my eyes or groaning like every page or two. Along with the fact that this seems pretty dated now, I just don't think I'm the target audience anymore. So much that being called a #GIRLBOSS so much was actually disphoric! Not that I blame the book or author for that, I'm not the target afterall.


------------------------------

2019 review: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

I was that person under the bridge who barely heard a word about this book and had no idea what it really was about xD So I was a little surprised 'cause I just expected a complete memoir, but it was a mix of memoir and...how to? Not really but what would you call it? A guide? Not really? Anyway

I surprisingly enjoyed it. It had a lot of helpful points and was entertaining to read. I especially liked that there were letters from other Girlbosses scattered throughout.

I've had this book for too long without having read it yet and just recently decided to read through my collection of never read books so I can finally donate them off and get more space. But I think I'll be keeping this one :)

Photo of Olivera Mitić
Olivera Mitić@olyschka
4 stars
Nov 24, 2021

It was a bit repetitive and the author was sometimes too cocky. On a whole, tho - I liked it much more than I thought I would.

Photo of Magdalene Lim
Magdalene Lim@magdalene
4 stars
Nov 13, 2021

This is no literature book. What I like about it is the spirit of Amoruso and her work ethic. I am also quite partial towards maker/entrepreneur types of writing. And what Nasty Gal has been able to accomplish is nothing short of amazing. While they are a fashion brand, I have always been more interested in how they brand themselves over what they are branding (the clothes, etc). Their Instagram feed, Amoruso's Instagram feed and even how they crowd sourced the illustrations in this book - sweet way to get hoards of Nasty Gal wannabes excited about the launch. Whether it's her crazy work ethic, knack for styling or how she GETS marketing via social media (MySpace, Instagram, Snapchat, etc), it's a combination of things that makes Sophie Amoruso the maverick she is. Just like how art sometimes sells so well because of the personas artists project (E.g. Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol), Amoruso is THE face and personality of Nasty Gal.

Photo of Danica Holdaway
Danica Holdaway@dholdy
5 stars
Oct 29, 2021

Loved this book! I'm a little confused by some of the negative reviews or people thinking she shames millennials, because I didn't feel that at all. I loved how practical and real this book was. Most of this is job/career related, but I also felt motivated in my personal life. She really helps flesh out developing your personal brand, figuring out who you are, and how to turn it into something real. I'm recommending this book to every girl age 18 and up!

Photo of Rebeca Keren Nuñez
Rebeca Keren Nuñez@rebecanunez
3 stars
Oct 25, 2021

Bastante honesto. Mezcla lo biográfico con reflexiones al respecto. Fácil de leer. Vi la serie basada en la vida de la autora, entonces hay bastantes cosas que me resultaron súper familiares.

Photo of Zoe Smolen
Zoe Smolen@booksatlunch
2 stars
Oct 20, 2021

Wanted to like this book so much, but it just fell short for me. It was too self-helpy and felt like a cheap version of Lean In. There are some nice quotes in there, but in the end, it just didn't do it for me.

Photo of Heather
Heather@heidens
3 stars
Oct 14, 2021

Nice fun read on entrepreneurship. Makes you feel good and want to buy a lot of new cloth.

Highlights

Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

When you choose your clothing right, it feels good. And there's nothing shallow about feeling good.

Page 223
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Having good style takes thought, creativity, confidence, selt-awareness, even some times a little bit of work.

Page 223
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Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Our customer works hard for her money, so it goes without saying that she’s going to be caretul with how she spends it.

Page 221
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

I don't think you can truly know what you're made of until you are in charge of your days. How you use that time, and the work you pursue, teaches you so much about who you are and what you can become.

Page 173
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

I always knew l wanted to be a writer and an editor. There never was a choice, it's all l ever wanted to do… In terms of striking out on my own and being brave in my convictions, I learned that mostly by being freelance.

Page 173
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Whats the first rule about holes? If you're in one, stop digging.

Page 162
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

One foot in the fashion world and one foot out.

Page 141
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Psychologists now believe that social media is a really valuable tool for introverts, because it allows them to communicate and even network on their own terms.

Page 135
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Take care of the little things even the little things that you hate and treat them as promises to your own future.

Page 119
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Each time you make a good decision or do something nice or take care of yourself; each time you show up to work and work hard and do your best at everything you can do, you're planting seeds for a life that you can only hope will grow beyond your wildest dreams

Page 119
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

If you're tempted to buy something, just imagine that those new shoes were actually made out of crisp $20 bills. Do those $20 bills look good getting dirty on the sidewalk? No, they do not. That's because money looks better in the bank than on your feet.

Page 109
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Katie Gaston@kaigaston

As much as l liked the shoesI could afford, I liked having the money more

Page 109
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Even if I had wanted to drop $500 on a pair of shoes, I was just too busy. #GIRLBOSS, when your time spent making money is significantly greater than your time spent spending money, you will be amazed at how much you can save without even really thinking about it.

Page 107
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

When you take care of the little things, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find out that the big things often happen much more easily.

Page 103
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

being broke gets old, so start making smart decisions now to avoid paying for stupid ones later.

Page 102
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means.

Page 101
Photo of Katie Gaston
Katie Gaston@kaigaston

Being from the suburbs, l'd always equated comfort with ennui, and possessions with materialism, but I was beginning to learn that this wasn't necessarily the case. Living a comfortable life can allow you the psychic space needed to tocus on other, often bigger, things, and when you treat your possessions as emblems of your hard work, they inherit a meaning that transcends the objects themselves.

Page 91