We’re Gonna Need Cake

Celebrating Authentic Leadership in a Messy World

By: Valerie Garcia

Narrated by: Valerie Garcia

Bring your humanity to work to become a better leader.

Life is messy. You know it and your employees know it. But the unspoken rules of professionalism dictate that we don’t talk about it. However, what if trying to keep your real, messy life compartmentalized from your work life isn’t doing you any favors? What if, instead, the opposite is true?

We’re Gonna Need Cake, speaker and coach Valerie Garcia draws on her research, along with lessons she’s learned over decades working with brands around the globe, to demonstrate how bringing your whole self to work strengthens your leadership and propels your career forward.

Guided by The Authenticity Map, Garcia provides you with a blueprint to navigate the messiness of life and learn how to bring real emotions into the workplace in a productive way. With exercises in each chapter to help bring the concepts into personalized focus, you will finish with a better understanding of everything from failure and fear to compassion and confidence and how it all contributes to finding joy at work.

Written with honesty and humor, this guide is for the modern-day leader who wants the tools to create healthier workplaces, happier customers, and better teams.

©2024 Valerie Garcia (P)2024 Valerie Garcia

A wonderful book for leaders & aspiring leaders!

I love Valerie’s wit & storytelling. Even better, we get to hear it all in her own voice! The examples & experiences she shares are so heartbreakingly real & relatable. It just came out today & I already binge listened to the whole thing; I know I’ll be re-reading & re-listening to it over again. Her sections on feedback, boundaries, & coming to peace with the fact that not everyone will love/get you are sections that particularly resonated for me. I love how she not only discussed her own issues & mess but also modeled how to improve while still being yourself. A truly excellent read!

The one leadership book you need to authentically find joy amongst the messiness of work!

Friends, I sincerely encourage you to run, not walk to buy Valerie Garcia's new book 'We're Gonna Need Cake'!

I've been fortunate to hear Valerie speak before, and to have personal conversations with her over the years at various conferences, etc. so I knew that she could tell a story in a magical way. But this book was so timely for me. It's about authentic leadership. it's about bringing your whole messy authentic self to your job. It's about breaking the mold of all of the advice we've been given over the years about what you can't do authentically, if you're in leadership or at work in general. It's about finding joy in your work, even when it is messy!

Now I love books, but I'm particularly a fan of audiobooks because I'm in cars, planes, trains etc all the time for biz travel, and not always able to have a book in my hands. Personally, I'm really glad that I downloaded Valerie's audiobook because she is a gifted storyteller, not just in the way she writes, but in the way she speaks. It's a real gift to hear her sharing in her own words.

I had only just started to listen, and even from her introduction section of the book I was laughing and snorting and crying and relating, and I can't wait to consume all of the rest of this book probably entirely today and go back to it 1 million times.

There are millions of books on business leadership out there, I promise you there is not one book like this one and you need it !

It was living & hearing my own story

This book. Every story, every reference, every quote, spoke to me at high volume. Not just as sound, but feelings, as deep movement in my body the entire time I listened to it. The power behind everything Valerie shared, moved me. It was as if I was reliving things that have happened to me in my 20s, 30s and 40s. There was so much heart and raw authenticity, and that for me is what made it so relatable. I felt as if my story was being shared in the pages of the book. I hope that women, as well as men listen and think about what is being said. When they do, it is my hope that they will choose to BE and DO something different. Bravo Valerie. You are an amazing storyteller. Thank you.

Life is messy, finding joy in the mess

Loved the authors journey points. The mess is never going to go away, celebrating when we can and navigate thru the rest. Be hopeful, carry light with you and bring others along and to the table, truly resonated with me. Be human, celebrate others and with others, look how far you’ve come, and support others with purpose.
Great quick inspiring read!

Clarity in the Messiness... Time for Cake!

I've had the pleasure of knowing Valerie Garcia for several years, and I've always valued her insights in our industry. Her book We're Gonna Need Cake is a testament to her willingness to open up about life's struggles and the "messiness" that we all face. Valerie’s candidness throughout the book only serves to reinforce the powerful message she’s so passionate about sharing.

Immediately after finishing chapter 2, I reached out to Valerie to share my only criticism: that she waited so long to write this book! We’re Gonna Need Cake arrived at just the right time for me, as I've been navigating my own "messiness," and the Authenticity Map she provides has been a guiding light on my own Bear Hunt.

Thank you, Valerie, for your honesty and for sharing your journey with us. Your words are not just inspiring—they're a lifeline for those of us who need them most.

This book is a must read. And not just for leaders but for anyone who has to show up every day, despite being a hot mess.

I liked everything about it this book. I have read countless books on business but never one quite like this.
Much of it is about being your authentic self, no matter your role. Also, the book provides inspiration for those who desire that “seat at the table”.
The author brings to light the fact we are all “messy” and gives great stories and a road map on how we can “show up” and contribute in spite of our messiness and fears.
I’m sorry for the author’s journey but also happy for it because it has allowed her to share her story and pathway to success.
Delightful read and I highly recommend.

We need more of Valerie Garcia in the world

This book tells the reality of finding what really works for each of us. Being authentic is challenging, whether you're in a corporate environment or if you are an entrepreneur. It's also full of ups and downs and questioning if we're on the right path. As Valerie tells us about her journey in corporate America and what she has learned along the way, her vulnerability is refreshing. I'm glad that the author read the book so it felt more intimate. Since finishing the book, I have gifted a copy to a friend and it's a book that will get shared and discussed amongst professional peers.