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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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PERMISSION TO SCREW UP

Kristen Hadeed

How I Learned to Lead by Doing (Almost) Everything Wrong

PERMISSION TO SCREW UP is the unexpected success story of one of today’s most inspiring young entrepreneurs, who succeeded not despite her mistakes but because of what she learned from them. Readers will learn about success through her screw ups—and how getting your hands dirty is part of the process.
How do you turn a part-time job into the best job someone’s ever had? How do you get people to do the dirty work necessary to keep a business running—especially when the work is literally dirty—scrubbing toilets and mopping floors?

Kristen Hadeed built a cleaning business called Student Maid that college students now clamor to join. But to say that her company’s early years were a mess is an understatement. With no training or experience in managing a business, she had no idea how to encourage or inspire her team. And how do you get anyone—millennial or otherwise—excited to dust and vacuum? Her first year was a series of almost comic leadership mistakes, from extreme micromanagement to infuriating aloofness.
When 75 percent of her team quit on the same day, Hadeed realized she had to change her leadership style if she wanted her business to survive. She set out to give her people a reason to come to work, apart from the paycheck. She figured out how to help them feel trusted, empowered, and valued. And before long her team, and her company, were thriving. If it weren’t for the company’s policy that requires students to move on when they graduate, many would have stuck around. Instead, they go off to start their own companies and take highly sought-after positions in organizations around the world as a result of their experience at Student Maid.

PERMISSION TO SCREW UP shows us all of Hadeed’s mistakes and what she’s learned from them, from leading by example, to the importance of mentorship, to fostering accountability, and showing compassion for others’ mistakes. The book blends the exciting story of Student Maid’s underdog success with insights that can inspire readers to become leaders in any environment. It proves that no matter how messy things get, we can always find opportunities to make them better. If all that can happen in a cleaning company, what’s possible for you?

Kristen Hadeed launched Student Maid, a cleaning company that hires only students, when she was in her third year at the University of Florida in 2009. It has since grown into a company that has employed hundreds of students and has been widely recognized for its industry-leading retention rate and its culture of trust, accountability, and empowerment. Hadeed now spends much of her time helping other organizations improve their own workplace cultures. Her TEDx Talk has received more than two million views, and her company has been featured by national media outlets. She lives in Gainesville, Florida.
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Book

Published 2017-10-10 by Portfolio

Book

Published 2017-10-10 by Portfolio

Comments

Boooom! Kristen Hadeed is a bona fide millennial badass. Her story is an inspiring read for anyone who's got the guts and tenacity to be a high impact leader. This book is a master class on how to create a brilliant culture that drives big results.

Bustle named the book one of the 16 best nonfiction titles of October 2017. Read more...

Over the years, I have learned from Kristen and how she continues to challenge the status quo. I am so proud of all that she's doing to help others create environments where, not only Millennials, but everyone thrives.

Permission to Screw Up pulls back the curtains and reveals what it's really like to be a leader - a must read for anyone who wants to start a company. Kristen isn't afraid to own up to the mistakes she's made along the way, and encourages us to do the same.

A brave and generous book, the ideal antidote to the perfection and invulnerability we pretend are essential to succeed.

Permission to Screw Up is incredibly inspiring. Thank you, Kristen, for having the courage to admit that you aren't perfect and for reminding us that no one is. We can still get it wrong - a lot - and be considered a success. No matter where you are in life, I promise you will get something out of this book.

If you're looking for the sunshine and rainbows version of success, this isn't the story for you. If you're looking for the down-to-earth, nitty-gritty, honest journey of a leader, proceed to chapter 1.

As a fellow entrepreneur and CEO, I say hallelujah to one of us finally admitting out loud that despite the success, most of us get it wrong more than we get it right. Kristen tells the truth in such an entertaining and informative way, that anyone contemplating starting a business or leading a team will no doubt be inspired after reading this book.

A frank and well-told business memoir.. The book's emphasis on narrative will suit readers interested in learning by example. It urges young leaders to keep going and not be afraid of making mistakes. Read more...

Time.com ran an except on 10/6. Read more...