The upside of being down

Gotch, the founder of clothing and accessory lifestyle website Ban.do, chronicles a lifetime of mental health challenges in her self-deprecating and witty debut. After bouncing from job to job, Gotch writes of finding her niche in commercial photography and styling in her early 20s, then diving into therapy in an effort to face her demons. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, and attention deficit disorder--and being properly medicated--Gotch realizes that her challenges have fueled her creative endeavors (though not always in a healthy way, she admits, noting her tendencies toward workaholism). Gotch unflinchingly explores her past, recounting her suicidal thoughts and a time she hallucinated that her skin had turned green, and sharing stories from her failed marriage. "Here's the thing about writing a memoir," she writes. "The person you are when you start and the person you are when you finish are practically strangers." Throughout, Gotch is unequivocal in delivering her message that mental health is every bit as important as physical health (and that the two are interrelated), and her often humorous delivery underscores her belief that sometimes a laugh truly is the best medicine. Anyone who's ever dealt with mental illness will appreciate this forthcoming and empathetic volume. (Mar.)

A heartfelt memoir from the founder and chief creative officer of ban.do, a "bright, optimistic multimillion-dollar lifestyle company."In this humorous tour behind the happy brand, Gotch explores her challenges balancing her mental health, her personal life, and a startup companyand it's not all polka dots and glitter. The author addresses the hurdles of finding proper care, support, diagnosis, and medication for mental health concerns and augments this narrative with personal tools and tips that will resonate with readers struggling with similar issues. A more explicit acknowledgment of how barriers of access affect people may have broadened the book's reach, but the bright tone and candid effort to destigmatize the topic are refreshing. At times, the interjected one-liners detract from the author's story, grabbing punchlines at moments of emotional height and overshadowing deeper themes. However, this lighthearted, relaxed style has endeared Gotch to her many fans and followers, who will enjoy the close-up tour of her career and personal life. Some of the more reflective insights stem from her business experiences. As she writes, she stayed open to learning within every role, from temporary work all the way up to CCO. Chronicling how she has found and nurtured mentoring relationships and attended to the ongoing work of managing a staff, growing a business, building a brand, and cultivating creative partnerships, Gotch offers a candid glimpse at the balance of stamina and passion required to be a successful entrepreneur. "There's a very real risk of losing yourself, your health, and your life outside of work if you aren't careful," she writes. At its best, the narrative captures the energy and enthusiasm required to build a startup company and provides strategies for maintaining an optimistic outlook. Ultimately, Gotch's feel-good focus conveys a positive message about a long journey toward emotional stability.An upbeat look at dealing with life's curveballs. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.