The trajectory of Zahra Al-harazi's life defies expectations. In this electrifying book that travels from a small village in Yemen to a small town in Minnesota to a Calgary suburb, Al-harazi describes surviving two civil wars; her years as a young, stay-at-home immigrant mother with little education; and how she became one of Canada's most successful businesswomen.

Navigating two worlds, Al-harazi has struggled to find her own way between East and West, religion and belief, freedom and obligation, family and desire, love and honour, despair and gratitude, war and war again. With warmth and courageous honesty, she recounts how it is only through gratitude and persistence that we can find happiness and the courage to build the life we want. (From HarperCollins Canada)

Al-Harazi is one of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs, and has been named one of Calgary's top 40 under 40, entrepreneur of the year by Chatelaine and one of Canada's most powerful women. What It Takes is her first book.

Robbins is a writer and editor who also co-authored the book Keeping Hope Alive with Dr. Hawa Abdi.