Cowgirl Power

Starred review from December 1, 2017
One of the first Mad Women chronicles her life in advertising, sharing lessons she learned along the way to help others achieve similar success. It begins, says Gaddis, CEO of agency T3, with a mindset called cowgirl power, a bundle of all the things you do at work that are not in your job description in other words, an amalgamation of bravery, authenticity, and grit that drives women to do their best. Her lessons always start with an individual cowgirl, such as Fox Hastings, the first-ever bulldogger, and Mildred Chrisman, the Connecticut-born cowgirl who joined Barnum & Bailey's circus. Each cowgirl's story illustrates aspects to remember in the making of a cowgirl, millennial style, from finding power, competence, and confidence to creating a work culture that fits. Further, in detailing the steps needed to realize goals, Gaddis reveals more than a smidgen of her own life of working on her ranch; creating T3 and Under, the in-agency daycare provider; her agency's wins and losses; and more. This story-in-stories inspires and motivates.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)