How to Build a Goddamn Empire

Advice on Creating Your Brand with High-Tech Smarts, Elbow Grease, Infinite Hustle, and a Whole Lotta Heart

By: Ali Kriegsman

Narrated by: Ali Kriegsman

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

The inspiring story of how two female entrepreneurs turned a newsletter called Bulletin into a venture-backed, industry-disrupting brand

Filled with heart and humor, How to Build a Goddamn Empire shares the real-world, hard-earned business wisdom of one female entrepreneur who transformed an idea into a massive, category-disrupting national brand. As a first-time and inexperienced founder, Ali Kriegsman felt like she couldn’t relate to the glossy, glamorous entrepreneurs crowding her Instagram feed. In reality, Kriegsman thought, building something from nothing is a constant, dirty fight with your imposter syndrome and the intense fear that if things don’t work out, you’ll be a laughingstock. While in the thick of scaling her business and making a stressful pivot, Kriegsman decided to write about her experience.

With chapters ranging from "The Business You Start Isn’t the Business You’ll Run" to "Grow Slow, More Dough", Ali Kriegsman demystifies the world of entrepreneurship in real time, from the trenches. She also features words of wisdom from some of her fellow female founders who have built successful companies of radically different stages and sizes. By using the questions she’s most frequently asked as her guideposts, Kriegsman offers candid insights into the nuts and bolts of building a brand from scratch - discussing early failures, picking the right cofounder, securing press, finding funding - to give women the tools that will help take their ideas to the next level.

©2021 Ali Kriegsman (P)2021 Random House Audio

a must read

good shit that will have you learning thinking and more brave to start your business

Not meant for biz owners over 50

Yet another author who thinks her audience has never owned a business before.

I completely agree there is a ton of sexism that goes on in every male-dominated industry and women consistently under-rated just for being female. Kudos for fighting the good fight.

However, halfway through the book it was painfully clear the author is very young and the content is targeted to women under 30 years old who are thinking about starting a business.

While I’m no stranger to cussing (I drop an f-bomb almost every day) so many cusses in the book were just egregious, they didn’t make a point or improve the story. Got kind of annoying listening to a millennial make her points in sets of three - a copywriting secret far overused in a book.

Goddamn good book!

We need more Ali’s to tell their story. Refreshingly honest, unapologetically human and telling it how it is…the good, the bad and the ugly. Loved it!!

Inspired to keep building my goddamn empire!

Ali is so empowering but not the ethereal you can do this type. She inspires thru realness, thru the grit & grind of her real life experiences. This is an awesome listen for any entrepreneur or future entrepreneur who aspire to level up their mindset and business. Thanks for writing this Ali !!!

This book is changing my life!

Relatable and casts a massive vision! Ali is so easy to listen to & is so transparent about the peaks & valley's of building something. I loved it so much that I got 5 extra copies for my entrepreneur friends, my organization is hosting a book club on it in March 2022 & basically I'm ready to read it again in the many seasons I'll face in this entrepreneurship journey.

Good for entrepreneur

Great story of ongoing entrepreneur who makes it and is still making it. Good sharing of personal experience that everyone can learn from.

A personal, practical, real, FUN read!

I love how real author Ali Kriegsman is in this firsthand account of building her own business, Bulletin, as well as sharing the stories of other businesses at various stages of development. This empowering narrative makes an incredibly fun audiobook where Kriegsman becomes a new best friend and even older sister guiding you through the trials and tribulations of building a team and a brand.

Well-written, funny, fun, practical advice and learning for entrepreneurs, women, or ANYONE looking to build an empire- broadly defined.

Definitely on my re-listen list!

Soooo many gems, nuggets, whatever you want to call them…there’s a lot packed into this book. I’ve ordered the physical version because it’s pretty and is so good it belongs on my shelf too! Vulnerable, Funny, Lovable, Motivating, Educational…just read the book and thank me (and of course, Ali lol) later

A must listen

What a heartfelt and gut wrenching honest book. I will definitely listen again....I normally don’t repeat what has already been done, such as reread or watch a movie twice.