Now, before you get up in arms about this not being a fantasy book, I’m going to state that I read and like to share a wide variety of books. I love to exercise my creative side most of the time, but I also like to balance my reading by picking up at least one nonfiction book a month. But just like fiction, not all nonfiction is appropriate to read. This is why I want to share those books that I find uplifting, as well as teach valuable lessons for those interested in the topic.

I included this book in my line up for 2024 because being an author, especially a self-published author, means that I am also a business owner. I do all the marketing; I do all the operations management; the project management; who I’m working with and who I’m not.

As I make the transition from my writing being just a hobby, to making it a full-time business, I need all the help I can get, and https://www.amazon.com/Business-Boutique-Womans-Guide-Making/dp/1942121032/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706891084&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=vtgoodbooks-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=b255e50af5a2a2f9a4b3a91d4fd647a5&camp=1789&creative=9325">Business BoutiqueThe Business Boutique is a very engaging and easy to understand beginning business book. And it’s told with the perspective of doing what you love, using the gifts God gave you.

Before we dive in, here is how I rate nonfiction books (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):

• Content Flow: How well the book is put together.
• Teachability: Does the author provide places for reflection on each segment/chapter? Are they aiming to teach or just tell you random information without application?
• Use of Personal Examples: Use of real-world examples and their application.
• Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
• Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy portrayed.

Also, we can’t forget the disclaimers.

Disclaimer 1: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.

Disclaimer 2: This post contains affiliate links. There is no added cost to you, but if you choose to buy this book using the attached link below, I will earn a small commission for recommending it to you.

Book Description

To start off, I love how this book walks you through what Christy Wright calls the “four tiers of business.”

• Tier 1: Build Your Foundation (Your Why, Vision, Goals, and Mission)
• Tier 2: Make It Yours (Strengths, Money, Time, Schedule, Space)
• Tier 3: Up and Running (Operations Management and Logistics)
• Tier 4: Put Yourself Out There (Marketing)

Throughout the novel, Wright draws on experience from her mom as she went from a broke single mother to a well-respected cake decorator, tying this into her whole narrative.

“When you stop treating yourself, your gifts, and your dreams like an afterthought and start chasing your dream, watch what happens. All those roles and responsibilities and relationships will improve as the quality of your own life improves. You will actually be a better wife or mom or friend or leader when you start creating and living a life you love.”

Christy Wright – The Business Boutique

One thing I really love about this book is that Wright shares a story at the beginning of every chapter. It causes connection and allows the reader to relate to those shared experiences. She also scatters in experiences from clients or other people she’s known throughout her career. So where most business books are dry and boring, this one is not.

This book caters specifically to women entrepreneurs. However, I still feel like this is still a bit of an underserved area. Women are great business owners, however, they tend to feel guilty for charging money for services or feel like they don’t have what it takes to do these things. Women are also more likely to fall prey to “Imposter Syndrome” or that feeling of being found out.

Those who often fear being “found out” have a tendency to attribute their success to external factors—like luck or a helping hand. Unsurprisingly, women tend to do this more often than men who are more likely to attribute their successes to a combination of internal factors, such as grit, talent, brains, or sheer hard work.”

Christy Wright – The Business Boutique

I really appreciated Christy’s book as a starter reference to get me going on this journey. If you are thinking of starting a business, or know someone who is, I highly recommend this book as a great starting point. It lays things out in a clear and concise manner with plenty of examples to go along with it. If you’re interested, you can purchase it from Amazon.

• Content Flow: 9/10. It’s clear and easy to understand the concepts, and they are well organized so you can find what you’re looking for if you need to review something.
• Teachability: 9/10. Each chapter ends with action items and places for reflection so you can put into practice what you just learned.
• Use of Personal Examples: 10/10. The stories and examples are well-placed and enhance the lessons being taught.
• Language: 1/10. There is no swearing, no innuendos, or any other trigger-worthy content. Each example is uplifting and motivating.
• Sexual Content: 1/10. No examples ever bring in sexual content of any kind. I would label this book as “Clean and Wholesome.”

As a bonus, Christy also has a podcast that goes over most of these topics in greater depth, which you can checkout here.

Happy reading!