The Glitter Plan: How We Started Juicy Couture for $200 and Turned It into a Global Brand

The Glitter Plan was one of those books that was really engaging, inspirational, funny, and educational (and not in a boring way, a more like “wow I wonder what they are gonna do next?” way). Coming from top a MBA program, I think the book filled a lot of gaps in typical business school education. Business school teaches us many frameworks for topics like operations, finance, marketing, strategy, and valuation. This book surprisingly covers that entire gamut and some interesting second level insights- from two people who've never taken a business class in their lives and who were living and breathing it, not from a paper case study in a comfortable classroom.The book was so engaging it felt like you were right there with Pam and Gela. From riding that emotional high sitting front row at shows during the spring haute couture runway shows and meeting Karl Lagerfeld, to the emotional lows realizing the corporate machine was eating away at Juicy’s original culture.I thought it had a lot of great nuggets of information and I found myself writing them down in a notebook. Here are some verbatim:- Corporate jobs are no longer secure so you might as well do what you love- We didn't got to HBS - or any business school and we never had a business plan. We didn't hire an MBA CEO to run the company- we did this with our own creativity and work- Running a business was our business school- You can't succeed in a vacuum- The truth is if you focus on product, create something people want, and find someone in your life you have chemistry with, you can do it too- Other countries thought "Made in America" was cool, but "Made in LA" was cooler- Competition could be healthy- As distribution grows be careful of how your brand is being presented- Don't be pushed into something that doesn't feel like you. You are your brand- You will want to take some risk off the table

I knew a little about the Juicy Girls from fashion mag articles here and there, but I had now idea! The good old american dream with pizazz. I wish this book was around when I was a bit younger. Who knows.... it was so inspiring, I just might have become an entrepreneur. I loved that the book was a bio and a how to as well! Now if I could just find that old sweatsuit that I have squirreled away somewhere in the attic.....

I'm not a fashion diva...and I can honestly say I've never worn a single Juicy item in my life. I am, however, a fan of Duran Duran (I figure full-disclosure is best), and I am a co-author of a blog dedicated to Duran Duran fans. So, when John Taylor mentioned that his wife Gela had written this book, I was curious. I knew enough about Juicy Couture to know it had been sold to Liz Claiborne for a staggering amount of money, but that was about it. I had no idea how the company started, or the series of events that took them from point A to B.The story of Pam and Gela surprised me. I would have never thought for a red-hot minute that either of them would be anything like me and my *own* partner-in-crime (my writing partner), but I found myself chuckling over some of the stories (the scene at the airport while waiting for a plane to Paris sounds vaguely familiar...) and in awe of their fearless nature. They had a dream, an obsession, and went for it. Who can really fault that?I thought the book was inspirational, entertaining - and I've even reviewed it on my own blog (I bought my own copy of the book and was not asked for a review), recommending it to Duran Duran fans alike. I think just about anyone can glean something from this story, whether you've got a great partner-in-crime; an obsession, or even what you think might be a pie-in-the-sky business idea. I love the "can-do" attitude, and it was a quick and easy read besides. The tips at the end of each chapter were really good too - they were like a snapshot of what you'd just read. Well done!

This really is a great rags to riches business story.

I am a huge fan of Juicy Couture, I subscribe to their lifestyle of fun and happiness. I was so excited when I saw Pam and Gela were writing a book on how Juicy Couture got started. The book is a fun read, just as I expected. Plenty of funny moments along the way. I recommend this to any lover of Juicy Couture as well as anyone with the dream of starting their own fashion brand. It appeals to both. Love you, P&G!

Having just finished #GirlBoss, I was definitely excited to read this one.... and I have say I finished it with very mixed feelings. I will say that Gela and Pam's vision and their close friendship is very inspiring. These are two cool chicas who did it their way, and you have to give them credit for it. What was frustrating was seeing all these reviews (including the description on the back of the book) that make it seem like a rags to riches story. "With just $200 they created an empire!" Not true. These were two highly motivated women, but they had more money than $200 supporting them. There is a huge difference in taking a risk when you have no safety net (a la Nasty Girl's Sophia Amoruso) and Pam & Gela. Pam was/is married to a very successful director and Gela clearly came from a well to do family. They talk about creating their first ad campaign guerilla style ..... but then mention how they were able to get Sandra Bernhard to star in it (thru the director hubby) and pull strings with fab stylists and photographers. Or being able to borrow $75,000 from family members (not sure about you, but my folks don't have an extra $75K lying around). What WAS remarkable to me were all the fashion/marketing innovations they came up with...and I felt like these were sort of casually tossed aside. There is definitely a really cool story here, I just wished whoever was advising them had packaged it up in a smarter more entertaining way.

A quick read to know the story behind the Juicy Couture brand. It has been very nice knowing Pam’s and Gela story and I think this book could be a wonderful TV show one day.Is more a guilty pleasure book than a business book. Although is you go to its essence you can learn some business stuff too.

Padrisimo libro, vale la pena leer y aprender de la visión de PAM y Gela

Funny, informative and know I know why I love Juicy Couture so much- these ladies are great, A fun read!

The Glitter Plan is a wonderful book about starting a mega fashion label with little more than an idea, determination and guts. It will motivate new talent to follow their instincts and passion and know that the impossible is indeed possible. Gela and Pam tell their story honestly, modestly and with fabulous humour. The chapter endings with key, hard-earned lessons are an excellent source guide. I have bought and given several copies to young talented designers-in-the-making, and it has given them the courage to take the first steps, aim high, dream big, work hard and stick to their principles. Thank you, Juicy ladies, for sharing your journey in such an entertaining way.

Have only read the first paragraph and love it already... can't wait to read the rest!! :)