The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Pivotal Moments: From High School Dropout to Serial Entrepreneur

Because Pivotal Moments was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.

Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.

This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.

Ekta Kumari

Through this book, the author has shared her journey from a high school dropout to becoming one of Scandinavia's most successful tech entrepreneur. She shares her personal journey and the obstacles and joys of becoming an entrepreneur and hopes to encourage women entrepreneurship through this book. I liked the premise but wouldn't have read the book as I didn't find it particularly useful to me. Though, I enjoyed reading the sample and the author's relatable writing. The thing I liked the most is the language and tone used by the author to communicate with her readers. I like that she is candid about her personal journey and writes eloquently about the realities of being an entrepreneur, which is a mix of challenges and rewards. The editing looks fine. I didn't find any errors and would rate the book as professionally edited. I did see an official review before sampling the book. But I'll not be reading the whole book as I'm not into the main subject. However, it can be a worthy read for women who are starting their own business.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 4:59 am by Ekta Kumari.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Alice Heritage

I might not have sampled it without the programme as I don't normally read memoirs. On the other hand, I am interested to learn about entrepreneurship, which I would like to pursue, but I feel intimidated by the precariousness of it. I found a couple of errors: "the backside to this story" should read "the downside", and "stomach ache" should read "stomachache". I liked the way the author promises to be open about failure because the prospect of that makes me wish I had job security. There wasn't really anything I didn't like, although the author could perhaps make the relevance of the personal issues to business development even clearer, so that the work isn't mistaken for a meandering memoir. The OBC reviews were quite helpful, though seemed to draw somewhat on the text for the summary.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 4:59 am by Alice Heritage.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Catherine Hsu

If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I do not read this genre. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I liked how it was memoir-style and could relate to what the author says about living in a divorced household. The writing style, however, was mediocre. Sentences like "I often borrowed her perfumes, shoes, and clothes and she cooked great food — well, both my parents did." should have been split into different sentences because it did not read smoothly at all. More editing is also needed as there were subject-verb agreement issues such as in this line: "The best memories I have from my childhood is when..." The official review did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 3:41 am by Catherine Hsu.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Aditi Sapate

I would have chosen to read this book based on entrepreneurship - as I could figure that out from the title and cover - as it fits right into my preferred genre. The official OnlineBookClub review outlined the book neatly. While sampling the book, I really enjoyed reading about the author's childhood. It was also refreshing to notice that she doesn't try to make things seem darker than they are. I can completely relate with her love for cooking and food. I will continue reading the book. The sample did not contain any grammatical errors.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 2:22 am by Aditi Sapate.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Annelore Trujillo

I would not have sampled the book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover, and title. I don’t read non-fiction books. The blurb on Amazon also just consisted of quotes instead of a summary, which would have turned me away. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I do think this is inspiring, and I like that. The author talked about how she felt after someone came up to her after she spoke and said that she had inspired them to start their own business. This book is sure to inspire its readers, I just don’t have a reason to read it. I also found the background information about her life to be a little boring. The book did seem to be professionally edited. It just isn’t the book for me.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 2:07 am by Annelore Trujillo.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Stephanie Runyon

I like the OBC description of this book and it influenced me to look at the overall story. I am not generally interested in books for entrepreneurship as they don't tell about some of the roadblocks that can cause failure. My impression was changed for this because the author wrote in a way where she didn't come off condescending and seemed genuine in passing on her knowledge. She also highlighted on the hardships many people face when starting out in the business world. I found this to be a very well written book that had no errors and was definitely inspiring. I definitely want to read the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 1:24 am by Stephanie Runyon.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Aubrey Lewis

The overall appearance of the book is quite appealing and eye-catching, in my opinion. When I read through the official OBC review, I felt that I wouldn't be able to appreciate the book since I'm not very fond of reading non-fiction, especially ones centered on entrepreneurship. If I weren't a part of this program, I wouldn't have read the sample at all since the genre isn't the type that I usually like reading about.

When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I decided to read the rest of the book. The contents seemed professionally edited so far, and the author's writing style was surprisingly light and conversational compared to what I had initially expected. The author's family life in the beginning was quite engaging so far; I like that she had a good relationship with both her mom and her stepdad. Getting to know her past interests me on how she became successful in the field of entrepreneurship.

Since I enjoyed the book so far, I don't think there are any improvements the author needs to make.

First Ten review added on June 30, 2020, at 12:19 am by Aubrey Lewis.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Damis Seres Rodriguez

Granted, I believe financial education should be available to everybody. However, I honestly don't think this is the right book for me. Nothing from the cover to the review that I read, was appealing enough to make me want to pick it up. As for the sample, I found it quite easy-to-read, and that's always a good thing. Admittedly, I liked the writing style. So far, it seems to me, that the book is professionally edited. However, the good writing style was not enough to convince me of buying it. Simply not the type of book that I like to read.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 11:37 pm by Damis Seres Rodriguez.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Howlan

The cover is nice. The synopsis gives us a general idea about this book. The first ten pages describe the life of the author from early childhood. The author describes her bittersweet memories of her strict and caring mother. She describes her aspirations and her usual self of being. She presents her father who was kind and caring but had his own pace. She recounts these memories and believes these shaped her into what she is today. The narration is fluent and easy to understand. The book feels more like a memoir than an entrepreneurship model, which is nice as it speaks of the person rather than of business. However, I am not going to read this book as I do not enjoy reading memoirs nor business adventures. No typos were found in the first ten pages. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. The Official Review is present, and the reviewer rates it highly.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 11:13 pm by Howlan.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jsovermyer

The cover photo is very dramatic and makes the author look like a boss. The title is also good. This is the story of Susanne Birgersdotter, a successful woman entrepreneur. She tells her life from childhood to now and shows the prejudice that women have to face in the workplace. Her father ran a hotel and was a loud and colorful character. Her parents were divorced. It was sad that Susanne felt neglected by her father when he sometimes would not pick her up for visitation. When he moved to the United States, she was devastated. The official review rated this book high and said it was encouraging to entrepreneurs, especially women. I found an error at location 122. "The best memories I have from my childhood is" should be written as, "The best memories I have from my childhood are." I liked what I read but am not interested in being an entrepreneur. I will not be finishing this book.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 11:04 pm by Jsovermyer.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mary WhiteFace

Without the first ten program, I would not have wanted to read an entrepreneur's memoir. Reading the first ten pages did not change my mind. The cover and title were appropriate for the premise. The book was well-written and seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements.

I found the narrative entertaining. I liked that it was written in a light personable tone, rather than as a textbook style how-to guide. I especially enjoyed the numerous insights she shared that applied to life in general. She pointed out how difficult it is for humans to separate our personal lives from our business lives (location 61). No matter how hard we try they always affect each other.

I liked how she said, "...don’t forget that failure is completely normal even though it’s often completely invisible—since it’s not talked about (location 79)." It can be encouraging to hear that noone is successful all the time.

Readers looking for guidance on what it takes to be an entrepreneur would benefit from this book. I'm not interested in this topic at the moment, so I will not be reading the whole thing. The OnlineBookClub review was informative, but did not affect my decision.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 10:50 pm by Mary WhiteFace.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Vickie Noel

I wouldn't have read this book outside the program because I'm not a big fan of nonfiction. Reading the sample didn't change my mind. I found the language too easy and basic for my liking. I also found it hard to understand the author at times. She'd mentioned that her mother had made her strong, but Susanne said she'd have preferred a "warm and cozier relationship" between the two of them. Yet, she went on to say about her mother, "She was more like my best friend than my mother. It's obvious that a clear picture of Susanne's mother cannot be gleaned at the beginning of the book. This isn't encouraging and needs to be improved on. I saw no grammatical errors; the book is professionally edited. I agree with the author that "people need to be held accountable for their actions-they shouldn't be given a free pass just because of so-called character flaws." I saw an OBC review but it didn't influence my decision.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 10:41 pm by Vickie Noel.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

AvidBibliophile

The cover art successfully exudes a confident sense of professionalism and directed intent. The Amazon product description provides an adequate synopsis and summary, blended with some additional compliments and author-achieved accolades. The introduction immediately gives the reader a positive first impression, mainly due to the authentic sense of reflection that the author is able to portray in her conversational writing style. Strong instincts and intuition help drive a desire to succeed, but I appreciate the honesty in the message: there WILL be failures along the way. This book appears to have been professionally edited, although I did notice a couple of commas missing prior to conjunctions between independent clauses. Around 45% of the way into the sample, there is also an issue with subject/verb agreement in: "The best memorie(s) I have from my childhood (is) when..." The 11 published OBC reviews are all persuasively positive, as are the 12 currently posted Amazon user ratings that offer additional impressions and insights. Since stories of empowerment and women in business intrigue me, I will read the remainder of this title. It seems like this one is quite the inspiring tale of a female tech entrepreneur!

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 7:21 pm by AvidBibliophile.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Twylla

Yes. I would have sampled the first ten pages, and I would have chosen to buy and read this book based on the subject matter. I try to take every opportunity to educate myself about successful women and learn from them.
It is a very interesting and enjoyable book!
Based on the text that I read, the book seems well written and professionally edited. I did not see any errors in the text that I read.
My favorite thing about the book is that Ms. Birgersdotter embraces her failures as well as her successes.
I don’t have any suggestions for improvement. The book is great as is.
The official review on onlinebookclub.org was very good and represented the book well.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 5:10 pm by Twylla.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Adrianna Melillo

Had I not read this sample, I don't think I would have bought this book. This is neither due to poor reviews (which, so far I haven't seen any) nor my personal interest in the subject matter. Rather, I felt this book could be summed up in a TedTalk (or something similar). However, upon opening the sample, I was immediately sucked in. I quickly realized that all the details, major and minor, of Suzanne's story (that would not likely fit in the timeframe of a TedTalk) are important to both my investment in and connection to the story. By getting the whole scoop, I can gain the most value. I quickly purchased this book once I finished the sample, deciding that this read is well worth my time. As a woman in my early twenties (and a new high school teacher), I think there's a lot to be gained here.

This book definitely seems as though its been professionally edited; I found no spelling or grammatical errors in the first ten pages. Based off the official OnlineBookClub review, it seems there are very few errors in the entire book. Apart from appreciating this level of professionalism (I believe accurate spelling and grammar boosts the author's ethos), my favorite aspect so far is the way Suzanne tells this story. I feel like I'm sitting in a room with her, listening to her tell it directly to me. For example, when she tells about the time she sang a song at one of her dad's conferences and explains that "he basically grabbed [her] by the ear and dragged [her] out of there." I can imagine her laughing a little while writing this.

At this point, I honestly do not know what could be improved. The only fault I have heard of so far are the few minor grammatical errors noted in the official review. I think this is a very promising read and I cannot wait until it reaches my doorstep!

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 4:13 pm by Adrianna Melillo.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Maria Esposito

I knew I would not be interested in reading this book before I sampled it. The first thing that negatively struck me about this book is the first review placed in the blurb: it mentions that the author writes with an honesty that is not often seen in women. I find this comment inappropriate and misogynist, and seeing that the author selected this review to appear on her book's blurb was an immediate turnoff for me. The blurb is also quite generic: millions of books exist about entrepreneurs and how their failures shaped them and led them to success. I have read many of these, and I did not find anything special drawing me to this memoir. The cover design also did not catch my interest. The book has a dozen positive customer reviews on Amazon, but this did not make me interested in the book. Reading the first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The author begins by writing how, after a conference in Johannesburg, a crowd of people formed before her with many people asking whether she was planning to write a book. She then goes into the reasons that motivated her to write this book. The first chapter of the book describes Susanne's father, an entrepreneur who was deemed crazy by other people due to the socialist mindset. The author does not go into specifics about what kind of entrepreneur she is and what her business is about. I feel like, had the author mentioned these aspects, I would have been more interested in reading more about her story. This was not the case though, so I did not change my mind. However, the author has a very engaging writing style, and I am sure that no one will get bored by reading this book. The book also seems to be well-edited since I did not come across any mistakes. I found an official review on Online Book Club, but this had no impact on my initial decision.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 3:29 pm by Maria Esposito.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Leen282

While I would not buy a book on entrepreneurship, I appreciate the cover photo of a strong woman making a statement. The reviews tell me that the author does not shy away from sharing personal details, including the struggles she encountered on her path to becoming a successful entrepreneur. The first chapter indeed gives a candid description of her relationship with her father, with the ups and downs.

I will not continue reading this book because it is not a genre I like. I will recommend it if people ask for a recommendation on a book written by a female entrepreneur. I found a few mistakes, e.g., the last sentence of the introduction says 'Maybe you want to .... continue on', where the proposition 'on' should not be added.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 1:46 pm by Leen282.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Juliana_Isabella

I wouldn't have chosen this book because I don't usually enjoy nonfiction. Even though the review I read was positive, it didn't convince me that I would like this book because I'm not interested in entrepreneurship or the tech industry. I didn't find any errors in the first ten pages, and I appreciated how the introduction explained why the author began writing this book. Despite this, I won't be finishing the book because I don't think a nonfiction story can hold my attention for the length of this book.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 12:14 pm by Juliana_Isabella.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sonya Nicolaidis

The cover of this book is interesting because it clearly is about a professional, career minded woman - the cover blurb confirms this - and yet the woman on the front cover is gorgeous and looks more like a model than a business entrepreneur. I think the coloration of the book title might stand out a bit better if it were highlighted in some way. It looked informative, and from the reviews I could tell from the outset it would have interested me. I liked the way it begins in a conversational, informal way and really enjoyed the story about how the author's awkward relationship with her father progressed and how it influenced her early years. There is nothing at all I can say I didn't like. What's more, I didn't see any grammatical errors except for the omission of spaces before and after the dashes. I do believe it was edited professionally. If I could suggest one thing, it might be to have a head-shot of the woman on the front cover instead of a full-body shot. It might look more professional. I've no doubt that there is much to learn from reading this book, and I would definitely read it as I'm about to embark on my own venture soon. Its a "yes" from me.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 10:27 am by Sonya Nicolaidis.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Mbrooks2518

I'm not a fan of memoirs, so I would not have read the sample without The First Ten. I like the writing style. The author comes across as very sincere in wanting to tell her story and inspire other women. However, after reading the first ten pages and the official review, I am not interested in buying the book.

I think a different font would be better. The font used made it a little harder to read. I did not find any editing errors.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 7:23 am by Mbrooks2518.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Chelsy Scherba

The fact that this lady was a high school drop out really caught my attention. She has certainly motivated herself and become someone quite impressive with her achievements, particularly at creating many businesses. She’s also very attractive, and I’m a girl saying that. She looks great on the cover. The review definitely told me this book is about more than how to run a business. Susanne shares her life and influences with you, the good and the bad. I’m not really in the market for a book like this today, but her story is compelling and something I would want to read at the appropriate time. I’ll keep it on my list. The editing looks professional and free of errors, but it did have a strange font that had gaps in between some sentences. I would not have found this book outside of the program.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 4:56 am by Chelsy Scherba.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Susmita Biswas

Pivotal Moments by Susanne Birgersdotter is a non-fiction novel. The cover has a picture of the proud and confident author. I don't know how the title suits her story. Maybe I will find out later. It doesn't have a blurb. Many customer reviews are very impressive. Lots of people found it inspiring. The editorial reviews were also very positive. It has an official OnlineBookClub review. The first ten was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how the author started her story. Her perspective behind writing this book was clear, and I respect it. I found some minor typos. One of them was on location 50. The sentence was - The fact that I, standing in a shiny office building in downtown Boston, was treated with such respect for something that I myself believe in—to boost other women—was a dream I’d had for a long time and I was finally there, just by telling my story. I'm going to buy this book because I want to know how she reached her goal.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 4:31 am by Susmita Biswas.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Mai Tran

I thought this was an informative and inspirational book, but I wouldn’t have read it if it wasn’t because of the official review and The First Ten. The official review made it seem unique and different. The fact that the author finds "daddy issues" to be a common denominator in successful entrepreneurs fascinated me. I think I understand what she means now, after reading the sample. It’s typical for a child to feel unworthy of love when her father doesn’t pay her much attention, thus she would want to win his attention and approval. The book appears well-written and professionally edited, and I just love the author’s conversational tone. I’m purchasing this book to see the rest of Susanne’s story.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 4:28 am by Mai Tran.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

edztan15

The blurb and review for this book piqued my curiosity about it. We are all struggling to be self-made, and this book will be an instrumental tool in meeting this goal. However, the book seems to be targeting a specific audience, mainly the independent women. The first few pages were written very well as it will immediately capture the interest of the readers. I loved the fact that the author emphasizes that failure is part of the journey. It makes the book relatable and provides hope and encouragement to those who haven't found their "sweet spot" to achieving success yet. The book is also well-edited, having no grammar and spelling errors in its first few pages. I will take a pass on this though since I think there are other self-help books that are more suited for an audience like me.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 4:20 am by edztan15.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sanju Lali

The cover and the title hinted to me that this book is an inspirational autobiography, in light of that, I read the official review of this book because I was curious to know what this book can offer to me. The official review helped me to understand that the book shows how women still suffer prejudice in the world of entrepreneurship, and how Susanne handled it. This information encouraged me to read the sample of the book before purchasing it. When I read the first ten pages, I realized that this book is professionally edited because I did not find any grammatical or typing errors. The thing l liked the most is the narrative that describes Susanne's personal life very well. However, I was expecting that the author would give some hint regarding her success. From the sample, I could read the only generalized perspective of entrepreneurship. My suggestion to the author would be to give some hints about her success, and some highlights about her enterprise in the sample so that readers like me would be motivated to read the book. Considering all these facts, I decided not to purchase and read this book today but wait until the author addresses my suggestion so that I could find the book appealing to read.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 3:50 am by Sanju Lali.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MeganDJ

I am a female entrepreneur myself so I instantly gravitated towards this book, without reading the first 10 pages. As an entrepreneur, you must always be eager to learn from others so that you don't become irrelevant in the marketplace. I will buy this book at some point because of what I can learn from it.

I do believe it is professionally edited as I did not find a single error during my read of the first 10. What I liked best from the sample is the backstory that she provides about her life. The circumstances of our lives determines who we are and how we get up once things get tough. Her life story must play an integral part in her rise as an entrepreneur. There was an Online Book Review on this book and it did influence my decision to pick it up as there are numerous self-development books out there, and not all of them are good, so it was good to get a second opinion.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 3:11 am by MeganDJ.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Tonika632

I realized that this book is more like a memoir after reading the Official OnlineBookClub review. I like how this book flows, but I am simply not a fan of books of that genre. I would not pick it for sampling, and I will not buy it and read it based on my preferences. I have found no errors in the sample, and I can say that it is edited professionally. I love how the author simply explains her life with an easy and readable writing.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 2:34 am by Tonika632.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Mrunalpatki

The book cover and title are attractive. The cover makes it clear that it's the author's life story to being successful. I read the official OBC review and the sample of the book provided by OBC. It is professionally edited. I loved what I read. The writing was great. But I don't think I'll be picking up this book as I've already read too many inspiring stories from women entrepreneurs who made it big. I don't think I would find any unique content in this book.

First Ten review added on June 29, 2020, at 12:26 am by Mrunalpatki.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Shrabastee Chakraborty

The cover itself exudes a sense of confidence. The official OBC review rates it a full 4 stars. The first ten pages were without editing issues. The author states why she decided to write the book in the first place. As a successful entrepreneur, she felt the need to motivate women. In this regard, she declares how the personal life affects the professional life. Later, she starts with the story of her childhood in a Swedish family. She claims that the book is not merely a guidebook but a memoir of sorts. Although I do like memoirs, the successful accounts of entrepreneurs are not really my cup of tea. I admired the author's firm and authoritative tone and would suggest no improvements. However, I won't read the book as it is not my usual genre.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 11:30 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Jeremie Mondejar

Wow! The cover photo is pretty impressive, and the title simply means thriving for success. While I was redirecting to the sample, the font wasn't appealing but the story was. At first, I was thinking this book wasn't a good catch by just looking at the fonts. Susanne narrated her childhood that was the background of her entrepreneurial journey. I like her style of narration. Her story doesn't sound dull rather uplifts me. She has a straightforward approach in sharing her journey. I will not read this book because I'm not yet venturing in business, but I will put this in my reading list for future reference. The sample looks professionally edited. The OBC review didn't hinder my decision. For improvements, I will suggest changing the fonts to have a professional look.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 10:24 pm by Jeremie Mondejar.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

HRichards

I normally wouldn't have picked this book up since the topic didn't really interest me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book since I found it rather boring. The sample deals with the author talking about how she felt a need to tell her story about starting a business and starts talking about her father, who is rather a rogue and con man. Her mother leaves him and remarries, but the blended families are volatile thanks to the exes. The writing is fine and the author seems to have a unique life experience. Those who like memoirs might like this book. I'm not very interested in the genre. There is a formatting error in the first sentence of chapter 1 where the first three words are in a completely different font size. I have not read any other reviews of this book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 9:36 pm by HRichards.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Scerakor

From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I would not have read this book. I have no desire to read a book about an entrepreneur's trials and tribulations, regardless of their sex. After reading the first ten pages I didn't change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I was intrigued to read about the life her father led running a hotel in the north of Sweden. That being said, This just isn't the style of book that I'm interested in paying for and reading the rest of. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read and the book looked well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 9:24 pm by Scerakor.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kelyn

If I had not been a member of this program, it is doubtful that the cover, title, genre, or author would have prompted me to pick up this book. The genre(s) were actually a double whammy for this book. It is both a self-help book and a memoir. Neither are among the genres that I enjoy. The title and cover give a bit of insight into the contents of the book, but not enough that it would have influenced me. The author is unknown to me, so that would not have influenced my decision. I found what the blurb revealed interesting. A book about entrepreneurship that included pivotal moments from the author's childhood and teen years: that's unusual for a self-help book, but since it is also a memoir of sorts, it did make a sort of sense. I was interested in reading the sample just to see how she approached it. The customer reviews were overwhelmingly positive and not only by those considering starting their own business. I felt that said a lot about the positive aspects of the book. Although I did not see a review explicitly identified as being from this program, if I had, I would have been interested in what our reviewer had to say about the book. I found the sample interesting and engaging. It was courageous of the author to share the difficult moments of her upbringing, such as the rocky relationship she had with her father and the betrayal she felt at times after some of the things he did. Ultimately, I had to weigh my general lack of interest in the genre(s) against my enjoyment of the sample. I'm afraid, in this case, that past experiences of disappointment with this type of book won out this time. I decided not to continue reading the book. The book seemed well-edited. I found no countable errors in the sample.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 8:58 pm by Kelyn.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

unamilagra

Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up. Despite the great OBC review, entrepreneurship is not something that interests me. In reading the first ten pages, I found the tone was conversational and easy to read, but reading about the author's childhood with her mixed family and love of cooking was not something that interested me enough to draw me in and make me want to keep reading. I don't plan to continue this book. I didn't notice any errors in the pages I read.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 8:10 pm by unamilagra.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

MsH2k

The woman on the cover appeared successful and confident, so I would have read he blurb even if I had not been part of this program. I read memoirs occasionally and wanted to see what her story was about. The sample pages were easy to read. It felt like I was having a conversation with the author. Although I enjoyed her stories, and I am pleased with her success, I will not finish this book. It doesn’t compel me to finish it. It appears professionally edited, but I noticed one grammatical error in the sample pages. At loc 130, “is” should be “are”: The best memories I have from my childhood is when mom and I were standing in the bathroom...

I’m glad the author decided to write her story. It will be helpful for many readers, and I’m sure it was a rewarding experience for her to share her life. I have no suggestions for improvement. The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision not to read this book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 6:44 pm by MsH2k.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Nikolas Farmakis

This is the author's memoir about her business journey to entrepreneurship and success. I would not have read this book based on its title, its cover, or its genre, as I do not read inspirational memoirs. I will not read this book, as I thought it was boring and uninteresting. The sample I read did not have errors, so this book is professionally edited. What I liked most about this book was that the author's story was original, as she narrated her experiences in a unique and creative way. To improve, more suspense and tension should be added to the text to make it less monotonous and more engaging. This book had an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not affect my opinion

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 6:13 pm by Nikolas Farmakis.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Laura Lee

Wow. This is an impressive book by a truly inspiring woman. The Amazon blurb was attention-grabbing, referring to awards she's won. The cover is also attention-grabbing, showing a beautiful woman in a pose of strength. The review interested me with a candid discussion of the book's plot. While I will not be purchasing it today, this is definitely going on my To Read List.

What I liked best about the book was that it immediately starts off with a story. Stories are fantastically engaging ways to illustrate points. Thus, my attention was captured from the very first. The thing I disliked the most--and I really loathe this aspect of it--is the font. It looks like it was typed up on an old typewriter in the days before electric typewriters. It's truly that awful. She really needs to get a different font, but everything else, including the editing, is superb and this is one book I'm definitely planning on reading.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 6:02 pm by Laura Lee.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Verna Coy

Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have chosen it because the cover doesn’t capture my interest right away. For this reason, I don’t intend to buy and read the whole book today. Reading the first ten pages didn’t change my mind about buying the book, but I could see that the author communicates well. Based on what I read, the book seems professionally edited, although the official Online Book Club review mentioned that the book does contain a few minor errors. I didn’t see errors in the first ten pages. What I liked most about what I read is the way the author tells her story. Even though she sat down to write a book on business, it wound up turning into a memoir-style book. I know that readers who enjoy memoirs about success will like this book. As far as improvements, I could see no need for any in the sample that I read. I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it insightful. It didn’t affect my views of the book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 5:41 pm by Verna Coy.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Odette Chace

I like the title of the book but couldn't tell the subject or genre of the work from the title. I also like the cover, though I kind of wish that the model on the cover didn't have such a deep v neck as that breaks the dress code for most businesses. The synopsis didn't pique my interest, but the official Online Book Club review gave the book a perfect rating and the reviewer couldn't find anything to criticize. I didn't notice any errors while reading. I found the sample engaging and will finish the book at a later date. I wish that the book had been formatted with a different font, but that is a very minor complaint.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 5:08 pm by Odette Chace.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

AntonelaMaria

Had I not actually sampled the first ten pages as part of this program, I still wouldn't read this book. But reading that sample just cemented my decision. I thought this was a self-help/ tips on getting better at work book based on cover and blurb. But upon reading the sample it is evident that this is a memoir. I don't like to read them when they are written by young people. The thing I dislike the most about this sample is the obvious lack of editing. There are too many mistakes to list them all. Just some examples;
- the ups and Downs - downs should be with a small letter
- the twists and d- missing word.
Editing is something that definitely needs to be done with this book based on this sample. The one OnlineBookClub review that I have read didn't influence my opinion to read this book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 4:56 pm by AntonelaMaria.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kajori Sheryl Paul

'Pivotal Moments' is a book written by Susanne Birgersdotter. The title, cover, OBC review, and Amazon review did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.

Susanne intersperses her life story in this book about entrepreneurship. She talks about the ups and downs of being a female entrepreneur. I did not find any error. I think that it is professionally edited. There is nothing that can be improved. I liked the way the book started off with an insight into the author's childhood. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre as of now.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 3:32 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

moowshiri

I fell in love with the book after reading one of its reviews from OnlineBookClub. I loved it even more after sampling its ten pages. It has a nice plot, the grammar used is easy to understand, and the use of first-person voice helped me identify with Susanne easily. Therefore, I'm going to read it in a whole. I also didn't find any error in grammar or anything that requires improvement.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:50 pm by moowshiri.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

J_odoyo

Reading a book that chronicles one’s life, including his/her failures and successes, has always been my habit. Therefore, I could have purchased this book due to my love for reading other people’s stories. The earlier pages of this book present Susanne’s childhood memories and how they shaped her to become the woman she is today. Her storyline is gripping and well written. The book had a positive OnlineBookClub review, which gave insight into what the book entails. I think the cover page was appealing, and the title was attractive and professional. The author’s description of this book on the Amazon website was precise and informative enough to allow for an accurate guess of what to expect in the book. I didn’t find any error in the pages I’ve read; therefore, l believe that the book was professionally edited. What I loved most about this book is the similarities between Susanne’s story and my story. Having read the first ten pages and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m going to finish reading this book. I believe I’ll learn a lot from this book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:45 pm by J_odoyo.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Laura Ungureanu

I couldn't form an opinion based on the appearance, but I think the cover could be improved because it looks like a magazine. The OBC review presented the book in a good light, but non-fiction/memoir or anything related to business isn't my topic, so I won't be reading this, but I gave it a shot. The sample talks about how the author got the inspiration to write this book and about how combining business with personal life is actually the right way. The writing had nothing special, and overall, the sample didn't catch my attention. Therefore, I have no choice but to stop this reading. I appreciate the attitude to speak for women though, and I'm sure the book can inspire many females who seek a business career. I found no errors.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:16 pm by Laura Ungureanu.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Caffrey_19

Having read a sample of the book, Pivotal Moments by Susanne Birgersdotter, I would like to applaud OBC for its effort in popularizing the book. Looking at the cover, I felt a form of confidence displayed, and after reading the first few pages, I now see why. Besides portraying the heart of a lion in her story, Susanne presented a that seems professionally edited to her audience. I spotted no grammar errors/typos from the bits I read, although I do not intend to buy and read the whole book as I don’t have an interest in biographies.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:12 pm by Caffrey_19.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

ritah

Based on the title and genre, I wouldn't have sampled the book because I don't usually go for books in this genre and category. I read the official review then sampled the book. I liked that the author spoke about failure - sometimes it can be a painful, debilitating sting that would paralyze many (in my opinion) - and I also liked that she said that through failure we learn and become better. The book appeared to be professionally edited and I saw no areas that needed improving. I'm interested in what I could learn from this book, which is why I will be reading the rest of the book.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:08 pm by ritah.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Brenda Creech

The title and cover of this book caught my attention right away. This is a book I would have checked out without any urging. My sister, who also dropped out of high school, like the author, was a successful entrepreneur. After reading the official review and the sample of the book, I am interested in learning the rest. I admire the author for sharing her story, both personal and professional. The portion I read was well-edited, and I did not see a single error. I also did not see anything that I would say needed to be changed or improved.

I liked the story of the author and her brother riding a bus for three hours to visit their dad. The author was six, and her brother was eight. She commented on the fact that a six and eight-year-old could not do that today, and she is right. Times were so different in the 1970s, and entrepreneurs, like the author's father, were "looked at as con men." I believe the author got her drive to start her own business from her father. I plan to read the rest of the book to see what ups and downs of self-employment the author faced and conquered.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 2:02 pm by Brenda Creech.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Jorge Leon Salazar

In the sample, little is said about entrepreneurship. Initially, the book narrates how the author was persuaded to write a book after speaking at a conference in South Africa. After the ending, many people approached her to request more information. In the sample, the author mostly tells about her childhood experiences with her father, mother, and siblings. She emphasizes she was vying her father's love. The official review clarifies that the focus of the book is more towards women's entrepreneurship despite the prejudices that still exist. I find the book interesting but not enough to read the rest of it in the near future.

The edition seems to be notable since I scarcely noticed a detail with the use of the word "both". In the phrase "Both as an entrepreneur, a woman, and a human being - are pivotal moments." The word "both" applies for three options instead of two. I did not like the font as it seems significantly wide which less visually appealing. The use of the dash is confused as it could be misinterpreted for a hyphen. I think a blank space should be left before the dash. The cover is adequate. The author looks very elegant and confident of herself.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 1:59 pm by Jorge Leon Salazar.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda

The cover and blurb of the book are very appropriate. I like the "from high school dropout to serial entrepreneur" catchphrase because it's powerful and summarizes what the book is about. From the blurb, I like that unlike other success stories, the author has the honesty to admit that she can't promise success. Even with this and the book's amazing ratings, I'm not interested in entrepreneurship and I usually dislike pep talks so I wouldn't have bought the book.
I like the honesty of the author, for example, how she admits we can't separate business from personal. I also liked learning more about Swedish culture. I didn't know that pursuing business goals was frowned upon but I do like the idea that "everyone was equal, neither more nor less than any other person." I also like learning what makes successful people different. For example, we see Susanne was resilient since childhood when she says "already then, I had probably learned to brush things off and move on."
I didn't find editing mistakes. The book has an amazing official review but it didn't change my mind because my reason not to read it is personal. I applaud women like the author, but the challenges I'm currently facing have nothing to do with business so I don't think I can relate.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 1:55 pm by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

gen_g

Based on the title and cover, I would not have sampled the book, as I am not in the market for non-fiction books. However, I have come across a positive review of the book. After sampling, there are some minor errors present. At 29% in the sample, there is a missing comma to mark the separation of the introductory phrase: "At least(,) he was viewed as such...". I would suggest more editing. However, I appreciate that the author took the time to include a bit of her personal background and history so that the reader is able to relate better. We learn that the author is a high school dropout, but because she decided to focus on areas of herself in which she thinks she could do with more improvement (e.g. she lacked the knowledge but not the drive nor motivation), she was able to hone herself till she became a pretty successful female entrepreneur. Also, we learn that the author's parents divorced when she was two years old, and she mainly grew up with her mum and stepfather. She also tells the reader that it seemed as if her father, who liked partying and drinking, did not seem to fit well into the mould of the model Swedish citizen. However, I will not be purchasing the book today, as I am currently not in the market for non-fiction.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 1:38 pm by gen_g.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Sarah_Khan

The cover of this book is average, but I do like the title. I would not have sampled this book without the First Ten program because I do not read self-help books or memoirs. The first few pages seem well-edited. I was really not a fan of the font used, it made it difficult to read. It was interesting to hear that Sweden in the 1970s had such a different view of things like entrepreneurs and divorce. The OBC review gave this book four stars. The review and the free sample were not enough to change my mind. This book is just not my cup of tea. My one suggestion for the author is to change the font to something that is easier on the eyes.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 1:38 pm by Sarah_Khan.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Diana Lowery

I like the cover of the book. The author does look very successful. The title is clever and explains the dual-purpose of the book well. In the introduction, she mentions that she did not set out to write a memoir, it just happened. The review was very positive, and if I were a younger woman thinking of starting a business, I would finish reading it. The first ten pages were very interesting. I only noticed one unnecessary comma. "My brother Mikael and I took a bus every other Friday to go visit my dad [,] if he didn't come to pick us up in Stockholm." The book appears to have been professionally edited.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 1:02 pm by Diana Lowery.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Kaitlyn Canedy

I would have read the sample of Pivotal Moments even if it had not been the book of the day. I am a female entrepreneur myself, and I know that the struggle to become successful is hindered many times by the fact that I am a woman. Because I can relate so well to the author, I will be giving it a read. The one improvement that I think that needs to be made is the formatting for the book. It is written like a college paper, and I was not happy with it. There are no grammatical errors to report, and I have no reason to believe that the author did not have it professionally edited. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this book, but it did not influence my decision not to read it. Anyone who is an entrepreneur should read Pivotal Moments, as it talks about the failures and successes that entrepreneurship brings. It is not all easy to do, but it is worth it in the end.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 12:28 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

LinaJan

The cover of ‘Pivotal Moments: From High School Dropout to Serial Entrepreneur’ by Susanne Birgersdotter would not have caught my eye if I were passing by, but I find the first part of the title intriguing. Personal success stories are not my go-to genre. However, having read the official onlinebookclub.org review, I am in two minds as it appears to be somewhat different from most stories of the kind. After sampling the book, I can see that the reviewer was right in their judgement: this success story seems to be a story of a personal journey, with all its ups and downs, and it delves into the depths of what makes us what we ultimately become.
The book seems to be professionally edited for which I am grateful as I see this as the author’s way to show respect to their audience. I can also now see that the cover of the book is well suited. Very well done.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 11:37 am by LinaJan.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Gabrielle Sigaki

Pivotal Moments is a non-fiction book about Susanne Birgersdotter, an entrepreneur who tells the story of her life, her inspirations, her difficulties, her challenges, and her successes. Its Official OnlineBookClub review made me interested in reading her story since she seemed to be a strong and inspiring woman. After sampling it, I decided that I would read it entirely. The narrative brings the premise of being a woman in the business world, and since I want to have a business of my own, this book seems very informative. There’s nothing that I think that could be improved, and the book seems professionally edited.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 11:31 am by Gabrielle Sigaki.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Melisa Jane

I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its cover because I'm not interested in self-help books. For the same reason, I'm not going to finish reading it. I liked that the book enlightens the readers on how to be an entrepreneur. Since this isn't my genre, I have no improvement recommendations. I didn't see any grammatical errors within the first few pages. I don't know if this book has an official OBC review because, at the moment, I haven't checked.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 10:57 am by Melisa Jane.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Emy Katherine

Because I do not read non-fiction books, I would not have read and sampled the book based on the genre. Unfortunately, I did not change my mind after reading the sample and the OBC review. Throughout her book, Susanne Birgersdotter shares how she became a successful tech entrepreneur. By sharing her real-life experiences, she wants to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and pursue your dreams. I honestly found nothing that needed to be improved. The tone was conversational, and the writing style was clear and enjoyable to read. I only noticed a handful of minor errors; they were mostly missing commas and did not disrupt the flow of the story. For example, there should be a comma after "life" in the following sentence: "My mom and Kaj lived a very normal life and I felt safe with them." (location 96 of 202 • 47%) From what I have read, it sounds a must-read for those who enjoy reading inspirational books and need encouragement in life.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 10:34 am by Emy Katherine.

Do you plan to read the whole book? No

Theresa Moffitt

I like the title of this book and the cover shows a business woman which makes me think this is a book about women in business. I am curious about the book, so I would have picked it up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a customer review of this book. I read an Online Book Club review that was very positive and gave the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It stated that the author provided an honest account of her successes and failures. This review increased my interest in reading this book. I enjoyed reading the first ten pages. I liked how the author explained how she wanted to help author entrepreneurs and had speaking engagements where aspiring entrepreneurs approached her for more advice. The first ten pages were interesting and well-written. I didn’t see any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I would like to finish reading this book. The author provides some valuable advice.

First Ten review added on June 28, 2020, at 10:34 am by Theresa Moffitt.

Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!

Total ~ 33%

Pivotal Moments earned a score of 33%.

In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 33% plan to read the whole book.

IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.

Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.

Go to main Bookshelves page for Pivotal Moments