Book Review
In her new book, Thinking Bigger: A Pitch-Deck Formula for Women Who Want to Change the World, serial entrepreneur and investor, Sarah Dusek, tackles head-on a key challenge for women business and brand builders. The lack of female representation among top-earning business founders is surprising when compared with the number of women who start businesses. Fewer than thirty women in history have taken companies they founded public on leading stock exchanges. Although consistent references to “women and small business” dominate global development strategies and influence public policy, women are granted less than 2 percent of all venture capital investments annually. Things need to change!
Thinking Bigger is designed to provide women with the keys to unlocking capital and thinking bigger. Its author, Sarah Dusek, an entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, shares personal anecdotes highlighting obstacles that women face in business and how to overcome them. She reveals the metrics that really matter to venture capitalists and how to pitch them successfully. Her book delves into the art and science of creating a winning “pitch deck”—the standard formula for pitching to investors, from crafting a compelling story to using data and design to make a lasting impact. Thinking Bigger positions women to get the financing they need—to build big businesses, to scale their endeavors, and to make a positive impact on our world.
Author Quotes
Women are often afraid to fail. Yet to succeed in entrepreneurship, we must recondition our minds to embrace the concept of failure. How do we now wrap our arms around the concept of failure as not only a requirement for innovation but the pathway guiding our journey toward success?
We must be prepared to take big risks and not play it safe if we are to make big things happen. If your idea barely works, just about works, or is average, it's time to reiterate and pivot.
Do not settle; instead, take the time to learn from the valuable information the market is telling you, adjust your products or your approach, reiterate over and over and over again, and most importantly, do not give up until you get the breakthrough you believe is possible.
About the author
Sarah Dusek is the cofounder of Few & Far, an eco-travel company, and the co-founder of Enygma Ventures, a venture capital fund that she launched after scaling up her first travel business, Under Canvas, to $100 million. She invests in women-led businesses in Southern Africa, creates solutions for wealth disparities, and champions access to capital for women.
Why LoA loves it…
Every impact-driven woman entrepreneur needs a motivational voice in their ear, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone, think bigger, and attract investment. That voice is Sarah Dusek’s. If you read one business book this year, make it Sarah’s new book, ”Thinking Bigger” - it’s your formula for growth and investment success! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa