Build the Damn Thing

May 9, 2022
“Anyone can build a startup,” according to this encouraging guide from investor and entrepreneur Finney (How to Be a Budget Fashionista), but what the “Entitleds”—Finney’s term for rich white guys in the business world—don’t want people to know is that the start-up game is “based on everything but merit,” and “Builders” (nonwhite entrepreneurs) “always play on a harder level.” She recounts her own story creating a “media empire,” writing that the “path to success isn’t a straight line.” To help level the start-up playing field, she offers a wealth of practical tips on all the steps for building a company. She advises on landing on an idea (“find a painful enough problem that many people are willing to pay for your solution”), crafting an elevator pitch (with a fill-in-the-blank template), defining company values and building a team that aligns with them (every company needs four archetypes, “the Doer, the Lieutenant, the Strategist, and the Economist”), and securing funding (a crowdfunding draft email helps). Finney has a realistic but inspiring perspective on what it takes to succeed, and quotes from Lizzo, Mariah Carey, and Cardi B are a fun touch. This is worth a look for aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike.