“You’ll never read a book so raw about challenge, sacrifice, failure, and triumph. Ricardo is masterful in turning obstacles into opportunities and helping entrepreneurs avoid the same pitfalls he learned along his career.”

“You’ll never read a book so raw about challenge, sacrifice, failure, and triumph. Ricardo is masterful in turning obstacles into opportunities and helping entrepreneurs avoid the same pitfalls he learned along his career.”

Marcus Lannie
Co-Founder, Redcoat AI

“Paradox, perplexity, ambiguity, those are some of the words that don’t fit the stories around startups but which are part of it. Ricardo crashes into reality and shows vulnerability and how difficult it is to cope with failure but above all what you can learn with it!”

“Paradox, perplexity, ambiguity, those are some of the words that don’t fit the stories around startups but which are part of it. Ricardo crashes into reality and shows vulnerability and how difficult it is to cope with failure but above all what you can learn with it!”

Ricardo Pires
Angel Investor & CEO, Semapa

"What a powerful story. Ricardo Jiménez shares the unvarnished truth. Entrepreneurs rarely share their emotional journeys with failure. Vulnerability is hard. Expect page-turning plot twists that will teach you more than every self-help business book combined on the real challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship."

"What a powerful story. Ricardo Jiménez shares the unvarnished truth. Entrepreneurs rarely share their emotional journeys with failure. Vulnerability is hard. Hiding behind a façade: actions of others, strict NDAs, make-believe outcomes, or new opportunities is easy. Expect page-turning plot twists that will teach you more than every self-help business book combined on the real challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship."

Michael Rodov
CEO and Founder, AdNode

"Ricardo speaks about the unspoken, the silent pioneers—those who are bold enough to build companies yet sometimes are left behind. This book felt like a warm embrace."

"Ricardo speaks about the unspoken, the silent pioneers—those who are bold enough to build companies yet sometimes are left behind. This book felt like a warm embrace."

Ana-Maria Pricop
Co-founder, Outdid.io

"It's SO refreshing to cut the BS and be honest about failure. Everyone speaks about "speaking about failure" but barely anyone has the guts to do it, especially not so publicly."

"It's SO refreshing to cut the BS and be honest about failure. Everyone speaks about "speaking about failure" but barely anyone has the guts to do it, especially not so publicly."

Sophie Spitzer
Head of Education AustrianStartups

“Building a venture is like climbing a first ascent up a mountain. It is a constant uphill struggle, with avalanches. It demands sacrifice. In Crash Course, Ricardo Jimenez, tells his story and shares the lessons he learnt the hard way.“

“Building a venture is like climbing a first ascent up a mountain. It is a constant uphill struggle, with avalanches. It demands sacrifice. It takes a team to get to the summit. Often, the team does not summit. But regardless, if the team returns to base camp, they have valuable lessons to share from their journey. The first ascents of Everest or the North Face of the Eiger, were only possible thanks to the lessons learnt from the many failed attempts prior. The same applies to creating a company. In Crash Course, Ricardo Jimenez, tells his story and shares the lessons he learnt the hard way. “

Omar Bawa
Co-founder, Goodwall

"The startup world will learn a lot by reading Ricardo’s book. I can’t wait to share with all the entrepreneurs and investors to build compassion."

"What lesson is better learnt than through hardship, and failure. Building resilience and humbleness along the way, surely makes the best leaders! The startup world will learn a lot by reading Ricardo’s book. I can’t wait to share with all the entrepreneurs and investors to build compassion."

Laura Coppen
Sustainability Investments, H&M Group Ventures

“Ricardo’s wisdom and heart first approach as our investor has been a super power during the best and worst of times for us at Snowball. It helped us earn $8million with only $2million raised and turned the bear market as one of the best opportunities for us whilst others were failing.”

“Ricardo’s wisdom and heart first approach as our investor has been a super power during the best and worst of times for us at Snowball. It helped us earn $8million with only $2million raised and turned the bear market as one of the best opportunities for us whilst others were failing. This wisdom can be captured in his new book.”

Parul Gujral
Founder and CEO, Snowball

"Ricardo reminds us of what is important which is to take of our  physical and mental health. operating from that place will make you an even better entrepreneur your book is so needed."

People become like robots but Ricardo reminds us of what is important which is to take of our  physical and mental health. operating from that place will make you an even better entrepreneur your book is so needed. we are more than our company, that’s what i took from it. That gives founders and investors, those top performers to be themselves, outside of their role of founder or investor.

Your book reminded me of when I was trying to make it happen and something was missing. With more purpose you are more intentional, self aware and strategic not to burn yourself. The cult of busy is quite the opposite. I don’t think we should we pride of the being mindless in the name of a goal and in this book I found the importance of popping that bubble.

Reading your book made me feel someone experienced what i experienced in the terms with burnout. it was so authentic. with you it wasn’t a buzzword. it didn’t feel buzzy it feel authentic and it reminded me of the challenges i got that  didn’t want to be open to people. decision fatigue. I could relate and other top performers will be able to relate and give themselves the present of being themselves.

Leon Ford
Co-Founder, The Hear Foundation

"Ricardo’s story is as raw and authentic as they are valuable. It recounts the ups and downs of a founder’s journey and gives great lessons and hope for anyone dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur."

"We, as entrepreneurs, are a special kind: driven by big dreams, willing to risk it all, and suffering through pains and setbacks. Even at the end of the journey, it might not be the big pot of gold we are hoping for. But they might be valuable lessons for us to jumpstart another venture and reach our destiny in ways we didn’t intend or even dream of. Ricardo’s story is as raw and authentic as they are valuable. It recounts the ups and downs of a founder’s journey and gives great lessons and hope for anyone dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur."

Jia Jiang
CEO, Rejection Therapy Inc.

"Ricardo presents a candid insight into personal development, guiding readers to burst the bubble of idealism and evolve into more aware leaders. This shift fosters a life of equilibrium, transcending the cult of busy to rekindle a life of deep purpose. As a friend, I can attest to the authenticity of his words."

"Ricardo Jimenez presents a candid insight into personal development, guiding readers to burst the bubble of idealism and evolve into more aware leaders. This shift fosters a life of equilibrium, transcending the cult of busy to rekindle a life of deep purpose. As a friend, I can attest to the authenticity of his words. He brings a presence filled with love to every setting. His profound compassion and dedication extend well beyond that of a driven entrepreneur; he is a mindful leader who generously shares his love and profound wisdom with the world."

Leon Ford
Co-Founder, The Hear Foundation

"Dive into the world of entrepreneurship with Crash Course. Packed with practical wisdom and raw stories, this business memoir is your shortcut to understanding the emotional angle and non-linear path success often takes.”

"Dive into the world of entrepreneurship with Crash Course. Packed with practical wisdom and raw stories, this business memoir is your shortcut to understanding the emotional angle and non-linear path success often takes. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned pro, Ricardo equips founders with the vision of the inner game you won’t find anywhere else.”

Amit Pradhan
General Partner, JetVentures

"This book seamlessly merges spiritual wisdom and business savvy, providing a lesson packed roadmap to prosperity with purpose."

"This book seamlessly merges spiritual wisdom and business savvy, providing a lesson packed roadmap to prosperity with purpose."

Daven Michaels
New York Times Bestselling Author

"This book distills Ricardo's profound philosophy, offering readers a rare chance to gain insights from one of the most astute investors and strategists of our era.  Essential reading for anyone eager to navigate the market's complexities with integrity and foresight."

"Ricardo, an investor in Snowball, exemplifies exceptional wisdom and a heart-first approach that has guided the company through prosperity and adversity alike. His strategic brilliance transformed a modest $2 million investment into an impressive $8 million victory, even as the bear market caused others to falter. This book distills Ricardo's profound philosophy, offering readers a rare chance to gain insights from one of the most astute investors and strategists of our era. It's not just a roadmap to financial achievement; it's a testament to the power of leading with wisdom and compassion. Essential reading for anyone eager to navigate the market's complexities with integrity and foresight."

Parul Gujral
Founder and CEO, Snowball

"We glean more from our mistakes than our victories. Crash Course masterfully recaps them all, offering a personal and emotional perspective that resonates deeply. A must-read for those seeking wisdom and motivation on their life’s journey.”

"We glean more from our mistakes than our victories. Crash Course masterfully recaps them all, offering a personal and emotional perspective that resonates deeply. This inspirational journey serves as a powerful ode, reminding us that the very act of navigating through challenges is a triumph in itself—a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. A must-read for those seeking wisdom and motivation on their life’s journey.”

Ivan Fernández
Founding Partner, Enzo Ventures

"Ricardo's book turns entrepreneurial failure into a masterclass on resilience. It reminds me of Abraham Wald's WWII strategy to start reinforcing the parts of the returning planes that were not shot through. A must-read for any entrepreneur looking to learn from the past to safeguard their future."

"Ricardo's book turns entrepreneurial failure into a masterclass on resilience. It reminds me of Abraham Wald's WWII strategy to start reinforcing the parts of the returning planes that were not shot through. Similarly Ricardo reveals the unseen pitfalls that led to his startup's crash, he offers a unique roadmap for building stronger, more resilient businesses. A must-read for any entrepreneur looking to learn from the past to safeguard their future."

Sari Stenfors
Forbes Futurist, Serial Entrepreneur and PhD

Hola, I’m Ricardo

I'm a Spanish-born entrepreneur, angel investor, and author of the book Crash Course. Since 2014, I have performed direct investments in over fifty tech projects, including the Ethereum token launch. I enjoy writing about the humanity of entrepreneurship, investing, and spirituality not through the lens of science, but my own eyes.

Investments

Discover a selection of investments in startups, cryptocurrencies, and funds I have directly invested in.