Open - by Ana Maria Muñoz (Paperback)

About the Book

OPEN sits at an interesting intersection of memoir and practical small business guide, blending personal story with retail/entrepreneurship lessons. OPEN is less how-to build and more how-to be.

Book Synopsis

OPEN is less how-to build and more how-to be.

After five years of owning, operating, and eventually closing her dream brick-and-mortar store, Ana Maria Muñoz discovered that the greatest lessons weren't about merchandising or marketing. They were about understanding herself.

Blending memoir with keen observations, OPEN dives into the practical elements of building and operating a retail store while squarely focusing on the Shopkeeper behind it.

Through vulnerable personal stories, hands-on insights, and reflective exercises, Ana Maria encourages you to dig into your "Personal Back Room" and discover Your Energetic Spark(TM)-the key to building a business that aligns with who you truly are.

This book isn't another entrepreneurial checklist, rather a journey into how you show up in your business and your life.

Whether you're launching your dream store, operating a current brick-and-mortar, or contemplating your next chapter, OPEN reveals that the most essential element of your entrepreneurial success is you. Opening a store, or starting any business, isn't just about products and sales-it's about opening yourself up to immense personal growth.

Review Quotes

"Ana Maria Munoz's book, OPEN: Big Lessons in Small Retail and Living the Shopkeeper Dream, is an invitation to take personal inventory and design (or re-design) your personal power beyond the storefront of your professional pursuits. As tactical as it is transparent, this is a must read for any Service Provider, Shopkeeper or Serial Entrepreneur looking to become their best self in life and biz." - Kj Christensen, Speaker / Author / Strategist

"As a fellow boutique shop owner, I believe this book is a gift to those who plan to start a retail shop. Ana Maria honestly reveals her experience as a shopkeeper. It's a case study full of lessons learned and great tips for running a shop. She also describes the evolution of the business as it grows from sole owner to a business with staff and a community that embraces them."- Kelly Wohlgenant Owner Retro Modern Furnishings

" [OPEN] is not only for retail entrepreneurs but for entrepreneurs in general. It is the tale for people whose professional dream has come true and what it is like to live the dream. Not all entrepreneurial dreams are meant to last forever. If one door closes, others are opening up. As Ana Maria puts it: It's important to remember, we get to choose how we experience our everyday.

I really enjoyed reading the book and took a lot out of it for my own entrepreneurial journey. Especially taking regular accounts whether the path is still the one you want to be on and to be honest with what you need to thrive are important lessons." - Antonia Sutter, Founder and Owner of SisterMag