Jessica Honegger is someone you'd love to have as a friend.
Her honesty is approachable, raw and brave. Still, she doesn't let us stay stuck. She shines the light into our tangled thoughts that try to bring us down, and presents to us the concepts of "going scared" and "imperfect courage". Because we don't have to strive for perfection, but trust in the Only One who can make us complete.
Some parts I was afraid this was going to turn out as another self-help book focused a lot on "me".
But Jessica did a great job of reminding our brokenness but also our holiness, and I felt ministered.

This book was so inspiring! I’ve been a follower of hers for years and I’m fan girling right now! Definite read this book!

I have been a fan of Noonday and Jessica Honegger for years so when I heard she wrote a book I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read it. I think this is a must-read for all women especially those who you run their own business or are chasing dreams. It gives such encouragement and inspiration to push your fears aside and go after what may feel like the impossible. I loved reading about Jessica's adoption journey and the reality behind starting Noonday and the impact it had on her personally and emotionally yet how she just kept going! The people behind this company are simply fascinating and it really put into perspective the power of overcoming fear and what it can propel you to do with your dreams. Thank you, NetGalley.

I heard about this book on Jen Hatmaker’s For the Love podcast when she interviewed the author Jessica Honegger.

Jessica is the founder and co-CEO of Noonday Collection. Before growing into the large direct sales business that it currently is, it began as Jessica selling jewelry and accessories handcrafted by friends of hers in Uganda in an effort to raise money to adopt internationally. From there, the business grew to include artisans from Rwanda, Haiti, and other countries.

Imperfect Courage is about several things. It is partly about how and why Jessica grew her business, and how she supports women through it and because of it.

It is partly about international adoption and how she adopted her son Jack from Rwanda. She also mentions other parents’ stories of adoption.

It also is partly about how to act on something despite fear, uncertainty, negative self-talk, and criticism. Jessica talks about the importance of vulnerability to healing. This can be in small or big ways, from exposing negative self-talk to victims of genocide sharing their stories.

She talks about how judgment affects our ability to look at each other as sisters in womanhood to approach one another, to support one another, and to simply be friendly to one another.

I recommend this book for women in business and entrepreneurial women who have their own businesses or wish to start them. Although this isn’t a business how-to book, it is sure to spark inspiration. Also, readers who want to find new ways to help their fellow humans, whether close to home or around the globe, can find ideas here.

Disclaimer: I received an advance-read copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book. The author was very real, open, and honest. That being said, some of the tone was a little "Rah rah," but after following the author, I think that's her genuine personality.

Imperfect Courage is part autobiography, part self-help book. It’s inspiring, positive and it has a really good message. The message is all told through anecdote and personal story which I didn’t think I’d like as I am not a fan of autobiographies, but in the end, I found it interesting to read and inspiring.

The book opens with Jessica’s explanation about how she started her global jewellery brand Noonday. But hidden within the anecdote is a very important message. Jessica was scared to sell the jewellery to her friends at first in a selling party. But she pushed through her fear, went ahead with the selling party and in the end, it was that step which launched the start of her career and her global business! The message here is to never pass up an opportunity due to fear because you may be missing out on something great.

“When you have a vision you don’t have time to wait around for your fears to vanish before you start moving”

The whole book is all about having ‘imperfect courage’, taking risks despite your fears. And it’s a message I really found inspiring. It’s something I know I need to do more. I let my fears stop me a lot, but this book has reminded me that I may be missing out on life and great opportunities because of that.

Jessica explains that the hero’s journey isn’t just for a few select people, and courage isn’t just reserved for those heroes, but it’s an invitation to all of us to take the leap and go and do what we are supposed to do with our lives.

I think I related with this book so much because it isn’t trying to tell you to get rid of your fears because that’s easier said than done sometimes, but it’s about doing the thing even though you are scared. It’s about making that leap of faith despite your fears and taking as many opportunities for life as you can, because you only have one chance at life, so you may as well lead it right.

She explains that being alone isn’t helpful, that it’s important to surround yourselves with others work with them if you want your life to count for something. She tells her own story of her travels to other countries and of her adoption battle, showing how important it is to help others and do something important with our lives.

“There’s more to life than ease and comfort”

She encourages you to “own your own worth” you have to believe that you can bring change to the world and be a force for good. You have to embrace your vulnerabilities and your fears but believe in yourself to be able to go and do the thing you want to do anyway.

This book was religious at times, and as an athest, I wasn’t sure if I would like that, but in the end, it didn’t bother me all that much. The message about empowering yourself was so much more important than anything else in the book, and a message that really inspired me.

I have learnt a lot from reading this. I have learnt that I need to bring my fears and anxieties along with me, but get my feet moving anyway. I need to step out the door and into the world as it’s about time that I go out there and meet it.

Imperfect Courage is part memoir, part self-help book. Jessica Honegger is the founder of The Noonday Collection, which is something like an MLM but they sell fair-trade accessories made by artisans in third-world countries. She tells the story of how her eyes were opened to the plight of those less-fortunate and how that inspired her to build a business based on a global sisterhood. In her own story knowing that real people depended on her showing up and succeeding, and she tells us that in our own story other women are relying on us to come through as well.

I’m not really sure what I expected out of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised but the author’s humor and transparency when talking about everything from mom guilt to to fear. She encourages you to find your passion, then don’t let anything stand in your way of living out that purpose.

Her thoughts on working moms vs. stay at home moms really resonated with me …

when we compare ourselves to others we create a “she versus me” situation and wind up judging other women for our perceived deficiency instead of celebrating their success.

Whether or not you are familiar with the Noonday Collection I think this is a must-read for women and moms struggling to find their identity and purpose, and an enthusiastic champion for the necessity of global sisterhood.

Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger reads as an encouraging pep talk from a good friend.

Much like my inner circle of friends is there to offer support or correction as I go through the varying rhythms of life, I imagine Honegger as my cheerleader. She is in your corner but she isn't willing to let you stay comfortable and safe, removed from the world. She calls you to find your passion and invest in it.

This beautifully written book is an easy read but also pushes the reader to be courageous because of what there is to be gained if you step out in faith, however imperfectly situated you feel you are.

While I didn't recognize her name, I am aware of the company Jessica Honegger started: Noonday Collection. This book is the story of how the desire to adopt from Rwanda transformed her and her entire family, leading to the start of this thriving fair-trade, direct-sales business.

The journey was not without its hiccups, and Honegger is transparent, willing to reveal the time they were inventory-heavy and their lack of communication led to uncertainty and distrust with their ambassadors and artisans alike. How her own self doubts, imposter syndrome, and her Itty Bitty Baloney Sauce Committee have been hurdles to overcome.

The book isn't simply a how-to for starting your business. I would suggest that is secondary. While the Noonday Collection allowed Honegger to have this platform, the book is an easy-to-read account that encourages others to make bold changes to create rich, meaningful lives. The chapter titles are phenomenal and the contents do not disappoint; there's Own Your Worth, Embrace Vulnerability, Discover the Sisterhood Effect, Widen Your Circle, and more. I found thought-provoking passages to highlight in each chapter.

(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah in exchange for my honest review.)

As the owner of several Noonday Collection pieces, I enjoyed reading about the humble beginnings and the vision behind the company. I knew that their passions aligned with mine on many levels, but I didn’t know the exact stories behind the vision or the founding.

I love Jessica’s humor, honesty, willingness to take a leap of faith and persevere on her journey to make the world a better place. I love how she highlights the highs and lows of her journey through both adoption and founding Noonday.

In the midst of this story, Jessica takes lies that women believe and she flips them upside down. None of your excuses are safe, there is something you can do to make an impact with your gifts and your God-given talents. Through prayer, community, vulnerability and hard work, you can make a difference.

This book is more than a memoir and it is more than just a story about adoption or a successful business, it is a call to live generous lives poured out in service to others with the help of a community. It is a rallying cry to look up and look out to those around you and take the first step.

I was encouraged to keep moving forward and not let fear hold me back from what truly matters. I was reminded to keep taking the next step forward even when things get hard. I was able to look back on the times in my own life when I have taken steps of faith and rejoice in God’s faithfulness.

If you desire to make a difference in the world but don’t know where to start this book will inspire you. If you already live a life of purpose this book will encourage you to keep moving forward and keep living intentionally. If you feel like you can’t do it or are not good enough, this book will cheer you on. If you have never even thought about the world and your role in it, read this book it will challenge you.

Thank you NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is an amazing book that not only is inspiring but also pushes the reader to believe in themselves and their ability to change the world. This story reminds the reader that it takes one person to begin a huge change.

Great story of how her faith and her stepping out even with all the fears she had made a big difference in her life.

Imperfect Courage is the perfect mix of inspiration, humor, and storytelling. Motivated by the mission of Noonday Collection and Jessica Honegger’s story spread through social media and other writers and entrepreneurs in the Austin area, I had to get and early copy of this book to read everything she wanted to write.
In this book Honegger shares her personal experiences with starting Noonday, becoming an adoptive mother and being a working mother and wife in today’s world that has so many expectations for what the perfect woman should be. She shares how she grew up with certain insecurities and her struggles with self esteem and the inner voices that she knows so many women also struggle with daily. I connected with Honegger on so many situations and scenarios that she shared in this book, and she really does make you think about things differently and she shares the wisdom from the many other women in her life that have made her who she is today. I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to any woman who is a mother, wife, friend and if they are looking for some inspiration and encouragement to jump into that new career, or start a new venture or just change their mentality about who they are and what they can do in spite of what others say, what society says or what the dark inner voices in their heads say. You can have courage and choose any path and life you want.

I absolutely love this book. Such an inspiring story. If you ever doubt yourself or your abilities this book is one you should read. Not what I expected - better than I could have imagined. A Must Read!!!

I’ve been a fan of Noonday Collection for over four years, and most of my favorite jewelry pieces are from this brand. So when I heard that Jessica Honegger, founder and CEO of Noonday, wrote a book about her inspiration and creation of her fair trade jewelry brand, I knew I had to read it.

Jessica’s book, Imperfect Courage, lays it all out: her and her husband’s desire for an international adoption, the business relationships with Ugandan artisans, the roadblocks, the failures, the vulnerabilities. It’s the book I wish I had the opportunity to read while I was still in college and full of hopes and dreams to impact the bigger world.

Much of the book centers around the early years of Noonday, and how it went from a fundraising enterprise to pay the adoption costs for their son in Rwanda to the largest fair trade jewelry brand in the world. Along the way, Jessica talks about the stresses of being a mom, a CEO, and a lifetime of fighting crippling self-doubt.

Full disclosure: there are actions she suggests that are deeply uncomfortable, and she challenges the reader to make the hard choice to do something rather than become one with our couches and melt into our cushy pillows.

Jessica encourages readers to go scared. That means even knowing taking action is hard and terrifying, you do it anyway. Deeply uncomfortable stuff; but, she unpacks it in a way that makes it accessible and possible.

“Imperfect Courage” is a memoir written by Jessica Honegger, the founder of Noonday Ambassadors. The book loosely traces the story of the adoption of her son from Rwanda, and chronicles the development of her fair-trade jewelry company, which originated to address the substantial fees and expenses related to that adoption.

I was smitten when I read this epigraph:
“‘The path to success is straight, and the experience of walking it is marked by both confidence and clarity.’
- No One, ever”

The author goes on to establish her view of an empowering concept, “going scared,” and uses the theme of invitations to relate her life experiences, her entrepreneurial endeavors, and her worldview in general.

The book is organized into three sections: The First Step, Better Together, and A World Changed.

Honegger begins with, and maintains, an upbeat pace and an energetic tone. I came to the book unaware of Noonday Ambassadors, and unfamiliar with the intricacies of international adoptions. That left me confused through some of the first section of the book. I ended up loving much of what she has to say, although I’m forced to admit that at times the voice of her inner cheerleader can be a tad grating on this introverted older woman reader. At one early stage I bristled defensively a bit over my own work / mommy choices, and a catastrophic business failure, too.

The second section was my favorite part of the book, and is rich with thoughtful commentary such as, “We extend the circle of compassion we have drawn around ourselves to include others when we embrace this vulnerable truth: It could have been me. When we bravely choose to empathize with people who are in painful circumstances, rather than judge them, we become not only a balm for their souls but a dose of courage for our own.” Two other words come to mind about this section of the book: Norbert’s story. My heart was fully engaged.

The third section was not quite as gripping as the second, and I occasionally felt bombarded by jargon, slogans, and buzz words. For example I found her overuse of “resourced” (as in “well-resourced” and “under-resourced”) off-putting.

Near the book’s close, Honegger sagely observes, “I want to know about and celebrate effort, because effort over time is what yields lasting results.” Her outstanding lifelong track record of work to improve the lives of the impoverished, especially women, is a testament to both her Christian faith and her passion.

I see the target audience for this book including current and prospective Noonday Ambassadors, hostesses, and customers, 30 - 50 year old women with entrepreneurial urges, and women struggling with work-life balance questions.

Although this was interesting it just did not grab me.
It seemed the author was very much banging a drum on how good she was.
Not for me really.

I enjoy reading about people who are somehow able to know what they want you clearly that they are able to work towards it tirelessly and persistently despite all of life 's distractions.

I could not put this book down!!!! As an entrepreneur I was taking notes along side as well of things I want to remember. As a working mom I really dug into to the balancing and hard decisions.
I have heard of Noonday before but never really looked at the products or company. I have heard more and more about it lately and so glad to have the opportunity to read Jessica's amazing book! This is going on my top books to read list, especially if you are an entrepreneur!!!

This book talks a lot about Jessica's journey to create and grow her artisan jewelry business, Noonday. She shares her heart behind her business as well as the surprises, setbacks, missteps, and joy she has experienced.

She also encourages and empowers us who want to make an impact in our world and feel like we are part of something important and meaningful. We are prodded to consider our giftings and where our heart is pointed and look for the things we can do and opportunities that might be available to us.

Reading this book was very inspiring. It reminded me that I was created uniquely and should not compare others' gifts and callings to my own. Working together in each of our strengths is how we can impact our communities and maybe even the world.

I wanted very much to like this book. I am somewhat familiar with the author and her business, so I was eager to read this book. However, I found the book to be very scattered in the format. It did not flow linearly in time, which is not a big deal, but the chapters didn't seem to flow together seamlessly.

This book is definitely written for the author's fellow "Noonday Ambassadors" and other entrepreneurs. I do not fit into either of these demographics. At the end of Chapter 1, I, as a non-entrepreneur, was immediately put on the defensive. The chapter ends - " And it's a beautiful reminder that you and I can take the resources we've been given and invest them for good in this world. Yes, such investments will cost us something - comfort, security control. But impact doesn't come from the couch dweller, right? It comes from those with imperfect courage who choose to go scared." This is so twisted and wrong. Since there is no definition given to couch dweller, my only interpretation is that is references those who are not striking out on their own. Sorry, but this couch dweller impacts the world through donations, prayer, and giving of time and talents.

I struggled to read the second half of the book.

Since I'm clearly not the target audience for this book, I will refrain from publishing my review publicly.