Joan Barnes--bestselling author, speaker, advisory entrepreneur, and founder of Gymboree, is well-acquainted with the difference between aiming for perfection or choosing to be real--not any California kind of fruits, nuts and flakes kind of real but the cut close to the bone, hard work kind of real. Amidst running what became a billion dollar company, Joan experienced the widening gap between losing touch with herself and her own needs and the demands of a burgeoning business. She learned what it takes to seek out the kind of help she needed...and as a result has become the mentors mentor. In her new book, "Play It Forward," Joan shows us how to align our inner life with outer success. Learning to step away when you need to and having the courage to disappoint others for the sake of your own personal and mental health are lessons that Joan is now able to pay forward. Gymboree and Joan's message is timeless---that we aren't meant to go it alone. Figuring out how to balance both family and a successful career is no easy task; and Joan Barnes is here to tell us how it's done.

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