What It Takes How I Built a $100 Million Business Against the Odds

Essayist John Burroughs' quote "Leap, and the net will appear" has been Raegan Moya-Jones' guiding principle throughout her life. That's why she ignored others' advice and took a risk, starting a side project selling high-quality swaddles, while working a full-time job and raising a family. This is the story of how she succeeded beyond her dreams.

Not your typical CEO type, Raegan was a total party girl in high school, skipping class, drinking too much, and getting into trouble. When she finally got her act together, she went into sales. But at every job she was held back and constantly told to stay in her box. Despite her track record--she was the top salesperson at virtually every job she ever held--there weren't opportunities for advancement for someone like her. It became obvious that her bosses (mostly male) did not like being questioned by an outspoken Aussie chick.

So she decided to start a company--on her own terms. Instead of quitting her sales executive job at the Economist right away, she quietly built her business every night after putting her baby daughters to bed. And when it reached $1 million in revenue in just two lightning-fast years, she was finally ready to make the leap. Eight years later, she is the mother of four girls, she sets her own schedule, and her little company--aden + anais--has become an international brand with global revenue over $100 million.

When Raegan started aden + anais, she knew nothing about textile manufacturing or supply chain management, distribution channels, or even what a "line sheet" was. But she knew that if she didn't go for it--if she didn't take a leap of faith and follow her dreams--she'd regret the decision forever. If she can do it, anyone can.

Raegan Moya-Jones is one of today's most fascinating entrepreneurs. Ten years ago, seeing a huge opening in the baby products market, she started aden + anais, which introduced cotton muslin swaddles to the U.S. On the heels of that success she's now launching another idea, Saint Luna, a boutique liquor company poised to turn the stereotype of moonshine on its head. This book is the story of her entrepreneurial journey: how she stopped holding herself back and learned to go after her dreams.

The John Burroughs quote "Leap, and the net will appear" has been Moya-Jones' guiding principle in business. But she wasn't always that bold. She was a party girl in high school in Australia, then ended up dropping out of college. When she finally got her act together, she went into sales, but quickly realized the corporate world wasn't for her. It was obvious that her (mostly male) bosses didn't like being challenged by an outspoken Aussie chick.

So she decided to start a company, on her own terms. But instead of quitting her sales executive job at the Economist right away, she quietly built her business every night after putting her young daughters to bed. And when aden + anais reached $1 million in revenue in less than two years, she was finally ready to make the leap. Today her little company is a thriving global brand, and Raegan has moved on to make another entrepreneurial leap.

This empowering story will show the hopeful entrepreneur or career changer that she doesn't have to know it all--as long as she's willing to leap. If Raegan can do it, anyone can.

Raegan Moya-Jones never thought of herself as an entrepreneur. She was a wife, a mother, and a full-time corporate cog in her thirties. But she was sick and tired of her micromanaging boss, so she quietly started a company in the wee hours of the morning while her daughters were asleep. She finally quit her 9-5 when her side hustle, boutique baby swaddle brand aden + anais, hit the $1 million mark in revenue. It has since brought in well over $100 million.

In this riveting and vulnerable story of all the bumps in the road, What It Takes is Moya-Jones' tell-all and brutally honest advice to entrepreneurs--especially women--about how to succeed despite all odds. It doesn't take an MBA to be your own boss. It takes commitment to an idea you believe in, working your arse off, and the will to learn more. If Moya-Jones, an outspoken Aussie and university drop-out, could build a business from the ground up, anyone can.

Moya-Jones digs into topics most entrepreneurs shy away from, even the prickliest of things like mom guilt, butting heads with investors (or co-founders), and what to really do when you're running out of money. The truth is, there's no magic formula to build a business and you don't have to look or act a certain way to be successful. This empowering story from one of today's most fascinating founders will show the hopeful entrepreneur or career changer that she doesn't have to know it all. This story is about staying true to who you are, trusting your gut, and harnessing your unique talent. Do you have what it takes to jump in?

"A force to be reckoned with. Funny, creative, and full of courage and charming sass. What It Takes will give you the tools you need to create your own success story."
--Sarah Kauss, founder and CEO of S'well

"An inspiring story for anyone who wants to change their career, play by their own rules, and build a successful business in the process."
--Rebecca Minkoff, founder and creative director

Founder of global baby brand aden + anais Raegan Moya-Jones doesn't hold back on what it really takes to build a $100 million business from her kitchen table.

Raegan Moya-Jones never thought of herself as an entrepreneur. She was full-time corporate cog in her thirties, with a family to help support. Sick of her micromanaging boss, she quietly started a company in the wee hours of the morning while her daughters were asleep--and once that side business, aden + anais, hit the $1 million mark in revenue, she quit to work on it full-time, which now generates over $100 million a year in revenue.

In this riveting, vulnerable story, What It Takes is Moya-Jones' tell-all and brutally honest advice to entrepreneurs--especially women--about how to succeed despite all odds. It doesn't take an MBA to be your own boss. If Moya-Jones, an outspoken Aussie and college drop-out, could build a business from the ground up, anyone can.

Moya-Jones digs into topics most entrepreneurs shy away from, even the prickliest of things like mother guilt, butting heads with investors (or co-founders), and what to really do when you're running out of money. There's no magic formula to build a business, which also mean you don't have to look or act a certain way to be successful. This empowering story from one of today's most fascinating founders will show the hopeful entrepreneur or career changer that she doesn't have to know it all. This story is about staying true to who you are, trusting your gut, and harnessing your unique talent. Do you have what it takes to jump in?