”Now I had my own company and I was determined to be happy coming to work each day. I recognised that in order to achieve my goal, everyone else would need to be happy too.”

Judy Piatkus did not come from a monied background and began her career as a secretary after failing to achieve a university place. By the time she founded Piatkus Books from her spare bedroom, she was married with a disabled small daughter and pregnant with her second child. Gradually she learned how to be both a publisher and a managing director and to combine that with her family life as she had become a single mother of three. A lot of mistakes were made but she also got a lot of things right. The company prospered, thanks to the risks Judy took in tackling new subjects in the marketplace and also her approach to running the company, which focused on transparency, honesty and trust and was rewarded by the loyalty of the staff, many of whom worked alongside Judy for upwards of twenty years.

Throughout the book Judy describes her learning experience as an entrepreneur, what it really means to run a company, the many triumphs and the pitfalls, what worked and what didn’t, how the company learned to reinvent itself through lean times and how it felt to finally strike gold.

Judy is a publishing legend who has written a riveting memoir. Graceful and witty, it opens a fascinating window on the entrepreneurial life. – Julia Hobsbawm OBE, entrepreneur and broadcaster

In sharing her experiences here, [Judy] will enable a whole new generation of female entrepreneurs to follow their dream of setting up a business of their own. – Trisha Ashley, Sunday Times bestselling author

A fantastic and engaging rollercoaster ride … A powerful memoir from a woman who stormed into the world of publishing. – Malcolm Stern, psychotherapist, author and co-founder of Alternatives

This is Judy’s honest, gossipy, fascinating story of how she created a multi-million selling book brand that sent the New Age mainstream. I loved it. – Jessica Adams, astrologer and author

Extraordinary life, extraordinary women and a wonderful book…. This book will inspire and support all those still dreaming of living a meaningful and conscious life. – Caroline Shola Arewa, coach, speaker, trainer, author of Opening to Spirit and Energy 4 Life

The author also gives great insight into the world of publishing as an added bonus to an already very informative and engaging book. – Lucy Mullins, entrepreneurship expert at the University of Oxford, co-founder of StepLadder and #RideTheWave professional coaching.

Ahead of Her Time provides amazing insight into the journey and achievements of an extraordinary woman… this [is a] candid, honest and often deeply touching story. – Maryon Stewart, BEM, wellbeing coach, author and broadcaster

An inspiring book, especially for anyone who has dreamed of building a rewarding business … The implicit message is ‘if I can do it, so can you!’ – Dr Dina Glouberman, author, psychotherapist and co-founder of Skyros Holidays

An inspirational read – especially for aspiring female entrepreneurs. – Charlotte Mason, INSEAD start-up bootcamp director and venture partner at Antler