Book Review
With her first book, Making Waves, Helaine Knapp is an inspiration on what it really takes to grow a company over 10 years - sharing the real, raw, and gritty story - with an ending that will surprise you. Helaine wrote Making Waves to be the person she always wanted but never had in her corner as a founder - to provide structure, framework, confidence, listen and craft tactical solutions to founders and execs that need it in uncertain times.
Making Waves is the inspiring story of the challenges and seemingly insurmountable mountains a resilient woman faced while running and launching her startup. Not enough people are talking about how difficult it is to be a woman in business. Business is not a “man’s world” anymore - it’s different, emotional, and difficult.
As an in-the-spotlight female entrepreneur, Helaine Knapp navigated the twists, pivots and multiple points of rock bottom, each time finding a way over and through. Helaine’s experiences transformed her into the person who could run a multi-faceted company…and start a movement. But being a trailblazer who breaks the cycle isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. In fact, most of it is quite the opposite—it’s crying big tears, facing uncertainty, encountering problem after problem, and ultimately recognizing that “success” may just be admitting things aren't working and knowing it’s time to move on.
Author Quotes
“Explore the idea. Start the company. Jump in feet first: but know the water is really cold. Be real about what you're jumping into and be ready to fend off everything lurking below the surface of that cold water!”
“More than just a tale of triumph and defeat, this book is a beacon of hope, revealing the gritty truth behind startups, devoid of the glossy media portrayals. You'll uncover the inspiring stories woven into every startup journey, regardless of its outcome, and gain invaluable insights on resilience, confidence, and the delicate balance between toughness and sensitivity.”
“Ultimately, this book is a lifeline for startup founders, offering a new perspective on the entrepreneurial journey and instilling in you the courage to keep going, no matter what obstacles lie ahead.”
About the author
Helaine Knapp is the founder & ceo of CITYROW, Author of Making Waves, well-renowned founder coach, consultant, speaker, investor, advisor, and industry leader. Helaine spent her career hustling start-ups in NYC in the early 2010’s and was a part of two successful tech start-ups in the marketing space. During that time she had the idea for CITYROW when she first fell in love with group fitness classes and soon found herself with an injury. That injury fueled Helaine to look at the industry: she was on the hunt for something low-impact, yet high-intensity and smartly designed. It didn’t exist, so she created it. Over the next ten years, Helaine brought rowing into the mainstream by making it sexy, accessible and mainstream by pairing it with strength work and focusing on smart programming, great branding, and global expansion. Under Helaine’s leadership, CITYROW grew from two studios in NYC to a national fitness brand featuring at-home rowers, premium streaming content, and a nationwide franchise system. In 2024, CITYROW was acquired by longtime manufacturer, WaterRower and the brand and content still live on under their stewardship. Today, Helaine is the successful founder & CEO of CITYROW who spends her time coaching, advising, and consulting founders and growth companies. Knapp is sought after for media and has been featured on TODAY, Women’s Health, ABC, Harper’s Bazaar, Shape, Well + Good, Vogue, Yahoo! Finance and PEOPLE, among many others.
Why LoA loves it…
Ten years of riding the startup waves forced Helaine Knapp to develop grit, determination, resilience, creative problem-solving, deep interpersonal skills, and her own unique leadership style. Now, she’s ready to show other women how they can do the same. With her new book, Making Waves, Helaine inspires and speaks to women who want to start something new and change their lives. If she can do it, so can you! — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa