Do Cool Sh*t: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After

by Miki Agrawal

Overview

“Miki Agrawal is a real piece of work. It turns out that so are you. Once you read her high-energy book, you might be able to embrace the gifts you already have and go take advantage of them.”  —Seth Godin, author of The Icarus Deception

Is it possible to make a career out of something you love? How do you march through life with a purpose and get the most out of every second? Miki Agrawal, entrepreneur, angel investor, and cool-sh*t-doer, has figured it out and she will show you how.

In Do Cool Sh*t, she shares her adventures in entrepreneurship and life, from learning to step out of her comfort zone in a foreign country to achieving her dream of playing soccer for the New York Magic to partnering with Tony Hsieh of Zappos to launch her dream business. Now, Miki shows you how to start a business, fund it on a shoestring budget, gather the perfect group to brainstorm a business plan, test a product, get great (free) press coverage, and more—all while living a life to be proud of.

She reminds you that it’s cool to care and to be proactive; it’s cool to mess up; it’s cool to work your butt off on something that is meaningful; and it’s cool to keep trying when the odds are stacked against you.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062366856
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/20/2015
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	214,695
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Miki Agrawal was named one of Forbes 2013 "Millennials on a Mission" and was the recipient of a 2013 Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award. A Cornell University graduate, she is the founder of the highly acclaimed farm-to-table pizza restaurant WILD; THINX, a sustainable underwear company for women; and a partner in Super Sprowtz, a children's multimedia company that fosters healthy eating. Miki lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Foreword Tony Hsieh xi

Preface xiii

1 Is "Success" Really What You Think It Is?: Why Do You Want to Be Successful? 1

2 Stray from the Group: How to Make Friends in New Places and Talk to Anyone, Anywhere 11

3 How 9/11 Changed My World: What Is the Pivotal Moment That Will Drive Change in You? 25

4 Making the Team: How to Go for It When You Think You Can't 31

5 Finding Your Calling: How to Ask Yourself the Right Questions 45

6 What Sucks in Your World: How to Put Your Passion in Motion 57

7 I Got This: How Do I Go from Idea to Business Concept? 65

8 Business Plans Don't Raise Dollars, People Do: Why Connecting Is the Key to Money 81

9 Get Shit Done Fast: How to Get Your Business Open Without Wasting Time 97

10 Breaking News: How to Get Media Without Knowing Anyone 109

11 Disaster Launch: How to Win Back First-Time Believers After Big Mistakes 123

12 Partners in Crime: How to Find the Perfect Business Partner 135

13 Doing Good and Doing Well: How Can I Follow My Dream and Still Fix the World? 143

14 Keeping It Tight: How to Take Care of Yourself While Running Your Business 153

15 L.A.C.E.; or, How to Teach Men a Thing or Two 161

16 Stop with the Same-Old, Same-Old: How to Bring New Adventure and Travel into Your Life 171

17 Community Is Everything: How to Build Your Tribe 181

18 Giving Back: Why Service Matters 193

19 You Are as Cool as the Friends You Keep: What Cool Shit My Friends Are Up To 197

20 Doing Cool Shit: An Exercise in Evolution 215

21 To Our Children's Children; or, A Message of Encouragement and Empowerment 221

Editorial Reviews

Offering a combination of vivid stories with action-able advice, Agrawal helps readers define and achieve their personalized versions of success....Simple yet powerful, Agrawal’s process liberates readers from conventional thinking and restrictions, freeing them to pursue their passions and make a living at the same time.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Miki Agrawal is a real piece of work. It turns out that so are you. Once you read her high-energy book, you might be able to embrace the gifts you already have and go take advantage of them.” — Seth Godin, author of The Icarus Deception

“This book is your official permission slip to quit yappin’ and make it happen. Miki’s book is smart, straightforward and a ton of fun—a must read for any aspiring entrepreneur.” — Marie Forleo, marieforleo.com

“Miki is an unstoppable force in successful pursuit of a rich and fulfilled life, and a source of practical wisdom for how you can be the same. The more people that follow her advice, the better the world will be.” — Ben Rattray, founder of Change.org

“If MacGyver were a woman she would look a lot like Miki Agrawal-she might even BE Miki. But this book makes it clear just how to tap into your inner MacGyver and transform your life!” — Lee Zlotoff, creator of MacGyver

From the Publisher

If MacGyver were a woman she would look a lot like Miki Agrawal-she might even BE Miki. But this book makes it clear just how to tap into your inner MacGyver and transform your life!

Lee Zlotoff

Agrawal, who founded New York City's farm-to-table pizzeria Slice at age 25, presents a unique approach to happiness and fulfillment: "doing cool shH t." Her success story is likely to lure potential readers: she's now partnering with Zappos.com founder Tony Hsieh (who contributes the book's foreword) to open Slice: Las Vegas. Offering a combination of vivid stories with action-able advice, Agrawal helps readers define and achieve their personalized versions of success. A cornerstone of her advice centers on mutually beneficial experiences. She encourages the evaluation of all relationships through a mutually beneficial lens and then prompts action, whether it means asking for change or moving on. Throughout, she challenges the reader to continually ask questions and to assess using her "BET" (bullet, eliminate, and take on) system, which consists of creating a segmented list of commitments, affiliations, and people. The result: eliminating the unworthy, nurturing the useful, and initiating new activities that conform with personal goals. Simple yet powerful, Agrawal's process liberates readers from conventional thinking and restrictions, freeing them to pursue their passions and make a living at the same time. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Miki is an unstoppable force in successful pursuit of a rich and fulfilled life, and a source of practical wisdom for how you can be the same. The more people that follow her advice, the better the world will be.

Ben Rattray

This book is your official permission slip to quit yappin’ and make it happen. Miki’s book is smart, straightforward and a ton of fun—a must read for any aspiring entrepreneur.

Marie Forleo

Miki Agrawal is a real piece of work. It turns out that so are you. Once you read her high-energy book, you might be able to embrace the gifts you already have and go take advantage of them.

Seth Godin