In business, there's no standing still. The trick is to become an elephant-big enough to make a difference, healthy enough to withstand financial currents, strong enough to influence your market-and smart enough to avoid the pitfalls of growth. With Be the Elephant, bestselling author Steve Kaplan provides the business-growing playbook for every entrepreneur, CEO, sales professional, small business owner, and manager alike. The strategy, the process, the toolbox. Written in a friendly, no-nonsense style, Be the Elephant takes the mystery and the fear out of growing bigger. It shows you how to address potential downsides, point by point, and provides a 25-question quiz to gauge your business's current health. There are lessons in strengthening sales, a business's front line. Vertical and horizontal growth. Risk versus reward. How to avoid the twin dilemmas inherent in growth-grow too slowly and wither, or grow too fast and lose control. And finally, how to chart it and start it, from developing an all-important USP-unique selling proposition-to avoiding the Five Killer Mistakes that can ruin a company. And from there, how to go forth and Be the Elephant Steve Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur and author of the national bestsellers Bag the Elephant! and Be the Elephant. He currently spends his time helping businesses and sales professionals grow. He is a highly sought-after public speaker and business consultant who has appeared on a variety of national media. His website is www.stevekaplanlive.com. Preface:It's Great to be Gray Part 1: Beginnings Chapter 1: The Hard Work of Standing Still Chapter 2: Map It Out or Mess It Up Part 2: On Solid Ground Chapter 3: Think You're Ready to Grow Chapter 4: The Guts of the Model Chapter 5: Four Statements to Live By Chapter 6: What's the Downside? Chapter 7: How's Your Health Part 3: The Role of Sales Chapter 8: The Cornerstone of Growth Chapter 9: The Rule of Go Chapter 10: Inside or Outside the Family? Part 4: As Big As You Can Be Chapter 11: How Do You Make Your Money? Chapter 12: Horizontal and Vertical Growth Chapter 13: The Growth Matrix Chapter 14: Risk vs. Reward Chapter 15: Start It and Chart It Part 5: Creating Value Chapter 16: The Method Behind the Madness Chapter 17: What Makes You So Special? Chapter 18: The Name Game Chapter 19: The Strategic Alliance Puzzle Part 6: Killer Mistakes Chapter 20: Failing to Lead Chapter 21: Neglecting Your Processes Chapter 22: Corrupting the Culture The Difference Maker Inc.About the AuthorAcknowledgementsIndex You run a $5-million consulting business, or a three-person bakery with a few corporate clients, or an Internet start-up heading into its sophomore year. You're a senior partner in a CPA firm, or a daughter taking over the family-owned factory. You're a sales professional looking to fatten your commission check. You know that your business is living too close to the edge. You don't have a lot of flexibility or reserve capital, and profits have to eked out. And while you're happy not to have the giant headaches of a giant corporation (though you'd love to have the giant income), you're worried about Incredible Shrinking Business Syndrome...but just thinking about growing gives you the jitters. Welcome to Be the Elephant. Your path to getting bigger, and better, just got a whole lot clearer

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