You Buy the Peanut Butter, I'll Get the Bread: The Absolutely True Adventures of Best Friends in Business

by: Kirsten Poe Hill and Renee E. Warren

Published by: A Plume Book/ Penguin Group

Reviewed by Barbara L. Fielder

As a women-owned business, the authors have a compiled a historical or hysterical insight into the making of a successful business in the demanding public relations field. Actually I found this story could easily be a backdrop for a whole host of businesses in their start-up phase and beyond.

As you read Kirsten and Renee’s exploits, you’ll discover their mistakes and root for them as they strive for success.

One of the unique aspects of the book is that each author/business partner writes about her personal and family history. From the get-go Kirsten and Renee share with the reader their personal values and what makes them tick. This insight provides you with the reasoning behind their business decisions and their “nothing-ventured-nothing-gained” outlook towards risk taking.

Women will note that Kristen and Renee in their early career at CNBC (where they first met), that career, work challenges, industry connections and office politics were what made their experiences, in their fast-paced and hectic world, all they really needed. A love life was not on the horizon for either of these two spunky women for a good long while.

The authors cover not only their personal history and background in the first of twelve chapters titled, “North and South Meet: Two Sides of the Same Coin.” Here they write about the nuances of relying on each other’s strengths and knowing when to ask for help–or not.

The remaining eleven chapters focus on their business start-up, discovering and smoothing over “messes,” developing their business model, dividing the workload, making impressions, being a woman in business, tenacity, troubles with the Internal Revenue Service, and dealing with the aftermath.

Kristin and Renee each write a separate segment to every chapter. In this way you see both sides of the coin and their different ways of thinking, coping and managing a business. In a sea of business self-help books, this book may be the best message to would-be female entrepreneurs as you contemplate going it alone or partnering with a friend or business colleague.

Armchair Interviews says: Good advice fills this book for women entrepreneurs.