Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different book cover

Rare Breed

A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different

Sunny Bonnell & Ashleigh Hansberger
3.8(303 Reviews)

Overview of Rare Breed

"Rare Breed" champions defiance as a superpower, transforming traits like rebellion and obsession into competitive advantages. Endorsed by Seth Godin as a "brazen rant," this manifesto has become the secret weapon for leaders tired of conformity. What if your greatest weakness is actually your hidden strength?

Key Themes in Rare Breed

  • radical nonconformity
  • virtuous vices
  • status quo disruption
  • unconventional leadership
  • strategic audacity

Quotes from Rare Breed

  • Rebellion is evolution-the overthrow of the good for the better.

  • Prophets don't get peers.

  • Audacity combines nerve, radical vision, and unshakable self-confidence.

  • Remember: when you challenge the status quo, expect resistance.

  • Obsession submerges us in what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls "flow".

Characters in Rare Breed

  • Sunny BonnellCo-author and co-founder of branding agency Motto
  • Ashleigh HansbergerCo-author and co-founder of branding agency Motto
  • Kevin KelleyFootball coach known for his unorthodox strategies
  • Ruth Bader GinsburgSupreme Court justice and feminist icon
  • Hamdi UlukayaTurkish immigrant and founder of Chobani yogurt

About the Author

About the Author of Rare Breed

Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger, bestselling authors of Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different, are visionary branding experts and co-founders of Motto®, a world-leading strategic branding consultancy.

Their work centers on empowering unconventional leaders through their "Rare Breed Mindset®," a framework challenging traditional business norms by embracing traits like rebellion and audacity. With over 15 years of experience, they’ve guided clients including Google, Microsoft, and the NFL, leveraging their expertise in purpose-driven branding and leadership transformation.

The duo’s insights stem from their own journey—founding Motto® with $250 after dropping out of college—and their YouTube series Rare Breed. Their thought leadership is regularly featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal, and they’ve appeared on platforms like the NY Stock Exchange’s Closing Bell. Rare Breed has been hailed by USA Today as “an entire windstorm of original thinking” and named one of the “top 5 career books of all time” by The New York Post.

Download Summary of Rare Breed

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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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254
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17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

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