Defying the Odds: Sharing the Lessons I Learned as a Pioneer Entrepreneur Hardcover - 2002 - 1st Edition

From the publisher

Marcia Israel-Curley is the pioneering retail visionary behind Judy's, a fashion institution from the moment its first tiny store (7 x 12!) opened in an offbeat Los Angeles neighborhood in 1948, until it was sold in 1989, as a major public company employing more than 2000 people. It was called Judy's because the store was only wide enough for a sign with five letters, and it was the first boutique geared to clothing for young women, at a time when teenaged girls had to shop at large department stores and dress like their mothers.
Marcia Israel-Curley is a remarkable role model with a wealth of experience and business acumen; her straightforward style makes her lessons for success an engaging and informative read. A lifetime of hard work and success has earned Marcia Israel-Curley many honors: in 1964 she was named "Los Angeles Times" Woman of the Year; the Marshall School of Business at USC designated her Entrepreneur of the Year; she chaired President Reagan's Committee for dealing with small and minority business ownership (reporting directly to the president); and she has been decorated by the U.S. Navy and the president of France. Judy's grew into a major retail conglomeration with Marcia Israel at the helm and its innovations were regularly tracked by "Women's Wear Daily," "The New York Times," and "The Wall Street Journal." This is the story of a business woman with vision and an uncompromising work ethic who let nothing-not even cancer-stand her in her way. A cross between cosmetic queen Mary Kay Ash's memoir, "You Can Have It All," and Georgette Mosbacher's "Feminine Force, Defying the Odds" is a must-read for those looking for inspiration and insight into entrepreneurial success.