Book SummaryReboot, by Jodie Fox

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Reboot

Reboot explores the rise and fall of Jodie Fox’s global shoe business, Shoes of Prey—an innovative start-up that allowed customers to design their own shoes. Fox offers a vulnerable, honest look into her successes and failures as an entrepreneur, proving that there’s always value in the process of owning a business, even if your business doesn’t work out. She also provides advice on dealing with many of the situations you’ll encounter should you build a global business.

Fox combined her professional background in law, international business, and marketing with her interest in fashion to found Shoes of Prey in 2009....

Reboot Summary Lesson #1: Getting Your Business Started

Alongside her then-husband Michael Fox and their friend Mike Knapp, Jodie Fox built Shoes of Prey from the ground up. The process was often complicated and stressful, but they solved problems one step at a time. In this section, we’ll cover some of the lessons Fox learned along the way, including her advice on discovering what you’re interested in, moving forward with a business idea, and finding suppliers.

Follow Your Passion

One of the first lessons Fox learned as a young professional was the importance of following your passion. If you’re genuinely interested in what you do, you’ll work harder and spend more time finding innovative solutions to problems that arise. Additionally, you’ll receive opportunities and experience success because people—whether they’re supervisors, customers, or investors—want to invest time and money in individuals who are passionate about their work.

(Shortform note: As Fox states, seeking job opportunities that involve work you care about can be a great path to fulfillment in a career. However, [passions can be...

Reboot Summary Lesson #2: Navigating Cultural Differences in an International Business

In the last section, we discussed the lessons Fox learned while choosing her business idea and finding suppliers, some of whom were international. This section will explore the lessons she learned about navigating cultural differences while running an international business. She asserts the importance of understanding both everyday cultural differences and special considerations for working with certain cultures; hiring employees local to the country you’re working in; and meeting the expectations of customers in different parts of the world.

(Shortform note: Understanding cultural differences is a vital part of running an international business. Taking the time to learn about another culture communicates respect and helps to foster long-term, trusting relationships with global business partners. There are many ways you can educate yourself about other cultures—for example, take a college course on cultural awareness in business,...

Reboot Summary Lesson #3: Making Big Decisions

In addition to understanding cultural differences while running an international business, Fox’s third major lesson was learning how to make big business decisions when you can’t predict their outcome.

When you’re building a business, you’ll frequently face choices that require you to act without knowing whether your decision will work out or not. Fox struggled with these decisions, becoming overwhelmed with the possibility of making the wrong choice.

(Shortform note: Entrepreneurship is inherently uncertain—most start-ups lack a solidified business model and depend on outside funding, so they’re especially vulnerable to economic disruptions. This means that every decision you make as an entrepreneur about the direction of your business carries a lot of financial risk, which can be a source of great stress. Fox wasn’t alone in her struggle with this unpredictability—research shows that uncertainty during decision-making activates the amygdala (the area of our brain that responds to fear or threat) and reduces activity in the striatal system (the part of our brain that...

Reboot Summary Lesson #4: Creating a Strong Company Culture

Now that we’ve discussed Fox’s advice for overcoming decision paralysis as you build your business, we’ll cover some of the lessons Fox learned further along in her journey. In this section, we’ll discuss her advice for establishing a strong, positive company culture using clear policies, expectations, and support for employees, especially during times of transition.

Set Up Structure and Expectations

Fox recommends establishing administrative policies and structures early on to create clear expectations for employees. She and her co-founders didn’t do this in the early years of Shoes of Prey, and it caused confusion as the company grew.

(Shortform note: Experts agree with Fox’s assertion that companies should establish clear rules and policies even when the business is small. HR policies are like laws: They create a common set of expectations, understandings, and standards of acceptable behavior at a company. Additionally, they ensure that a company is legally compliant, protecting the company from litigation and promoting fair, consistent treatment of employees. Clear expectations (laid out in job...

Reboot Summary Lesson #5: Dealing With Mental Health Struggles as a Business Owner

In the last section, we touched on some of the strategies Fox used to establish a solid company culture at Shoes of Prey. In the final section, we’ll discuss how to manage your own well-being as a business owner. We’ll explore some of the lessons Fox learned when dealing with mental health struggles during her time at Shoes of Prey. She provides strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome as an entrepreneur and managing depression and burnout when building a business.

Managing Imposter Syndrome

Fox struggled with imposter syndrome throughout her time with Shoes of Prey. She felt like she wasn’t a true professional capable of running the business, even when everything was going well. Every time she came across a part of the business she didn’t understand, she took it as confirmation that she wasn’t meant to be an entrepreneur.

Over time, she learned strategies that helped her fight those feelings, including the following exercise: Every day, write down one thing you did well. Keep your record of these achievements in one place, like a spreadsheet. Whenever logic fails and you’re struggling to overcome feelings that you’re not good enough, refer back to the record of...

Shortform Exercise: Develop a Business Idea Based on Your Passions

Fox extensively describes her process of taking her business from idea to reality. Follow the same steps to generate and explore a business.

Create a list of things you’re passionate about, such as fields, professions, or hobbies. (For example, Fox was passionate about fashion and design.)