Did I just state that Gillian Zoe Segal’s Book, Getting There, changed my life?  Well, it changed my business, which in turn changed my life.  Here book is an amazing series of interviews with people like Warren Buffett, Kathy Ireland, Ian Schrager, Anderson Cooper, John Paul DeJoria, and far too many more to list here.  Every person she interviewed is EXTREMELY successful.  Every person she interviewed was also faced with moments that would derail most people.  Moments of failure and moments of major self-doubt…  The book is called Getting There, but the sub-title “A Book of Mentors” defines everything about this project.  

Every entrepreneur and business owner I’ve ever known has faced moments that could be defined as make or break.  Often, even if they don’t find themselves broken, the result is a major shift in direction to avoid beating their head against a wall.  Or some diversion to avoid risk, opting for the safer route.  That’s where so many great ideas die, right on the vine.  Ripe for the picking for those who are truly convicted to their mission.  Alas, that describes so few people.  That is why the elite list of people she interviewed are uber successful. They didn’t turn away when they faced their challenges.  The fought through and learned that their fears and self-doubts were warranted, but they were not what defined them or their business. 

That message is something that has helped me stay the course, when I might have otherwise walked away.  It isn’t a message of “they did it, so I can too”, but rather it’s a testament to the fact that entrepreneurship is risky and to get the reward, you must face that risk head-on, not blindly, but educated and armed with the knowledge that it is part of the game we play daily.  Know your outcome first, then leverage what you can and need to in order to reach that destination.  I stated that this book changed my business and my life, so I hope you find the same amazing gifts within Gillian’s message.

Gillian Zoe Segal is the author of Getting There: A Book of Mentors and New York Characters. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. She lives in Manhattan and is also a photographer. Visit her at http://www.gillianzoesegal.com/.