Book Review
With women leading only twenty-four Fortune 500 companies, female founders receiving only 2.2 percent of US venture capital, and the continued presence of sexual harassment and double standards, the gender gap continues to hinder the advancement of women in the professional world. In Digital Goddess, Victoria Montgomery-Brown, founder of Big Think, a collection of experts across all fields and disciplines that are either at the top of their field or disrupting it - shares her story in an entertaining and educational light.
Told from the unique, female entrepreneurial perspective that unpacks all the hurdles other female founders may face in their own journey to the top, Victoria Montgomery-Brown shares the real-world lessons she’s learned along the way, such as:
Never lie to your investors, even when you just got arrested.
Raising money is a poker game - learn how to play.
The power and money still lie with men. Pretending it’s not that way, or being angry about it, won’t lead to success.
Your relationship with your co-founder is like a second marriage, so forget about keeping the personal out of the workplace.
The more authentic you are, and the more fun you have, the better your experience will be.
This book is about dealing with the way things are, even when you don’t like it, and being yourself, even when it seems like a drawback. It’s about sucking it up, making the hard choices, and dealing with the consequences. It’s about being honest no matter what is going down. Victoria’s been called “the anti-Elizabeth Holmes,” for a good reason — unlike the ill-fated Theranos CEO, she’s transparent with her investors even when she fears they will walk away.
Digital Goddess is a story for entrepreneurial women at any stage of life who want to know what it actually takes to build a business in a world that’s not always fair, predictable, or politically correct.
Author quotes
Women today are starting more businesses than men, but they face a playing field that is not always fair, predictable, or politically correct.
Digital Goddess is a story for entrepreneurial women at any stage of life who want to know what it actually takes to start a business.
Digital Goddess serves as a roadmap for any woman who has ever thought about striking out on her own.
The best stories are honest stories, and that is what this book offers—even when it’s uncomfortable or unflattering.
About the author
Victoria R. Montgomery Brown is CEO and co-founder of Big Think, the knowledge company that makes people and companies smarter and faster through short-form video with the world's best thinkers and doers. Since founding Big Think in 2007, Victoria has built the company from a fledgling thought-leadership media platform to the leading knowledge company for ideas and soft skills. As CEO, Victoria oversees and directs strategy, fundraising, and investor relations. She is also responsible for Big Think's strategic partnerships with global companies, including initiatives with Shell, Intel, Merck, Mercer, Pfizer, Microsoft, HP, Electronic Arts, and Citi. Prior to founding Big Think, Victoria was a producer at Charlie Rose and ran his business development. Victoria was nominated for an Emmy in 2005 for an interview she produced on Ted Turner. Victoria has a BA from McGill University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Why LoA loves it….
As women entrepreneurs, we all know just how tough it is to start a business, but importantly to grow that business to its full potential. It takes guts, determination, endless amounts of passion and energy, but also importantly a network of champions who have your back and who can help you along the way. Embrace failures and setbacks and use your fear to achieve your goals. Victoria R. Montgomery Brown is an entrepreneur who knows from personal experience what it means to think big, to create a business that can scale, and to build a reputation for being authentic and a person to do business with. In her new book, she provides critical insights gained from personal experience on how to build a high growth business to last. Her direct and authentic way of engaging readers in the book inspires others to follow in her footsteps and build businesses of their own that can go the distance. Definitely a book to read for any woman entrepreneur who is forging her own unique path to success. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa