The Facts of Business Life Read Free

I had” or you won’t succeed .
    â€”Bill McBean

Acknowledgments
    I owe a great deal of thanks to many people who not only helped me shape this book but showed me how to become a successful business owner.
    To begin my acknowledgments without mentioning Rob Kaplan just wouldn’t be right. Rob started out as my editor and, over the course of our working together on the book, became my friend. I had first come to him with a rough manuscript, but despite its flaws he saw something in it that I had not seen, and he made a number of suggestions that led, finally, to the book it is today. Rob took my business knowledge and guided me through the process of writing, editing, and rewriting until, at last, I had a book worthy of a publisher like John Wiley & Sons. Every page of this book has Rob’s imprint on it in one form or another, and for this I am most grateful, as I am for his friendship.
    Second, I want to thank Ken Fisher for writing a flattering foreword. His encouragement and mentorship in this book’s development, particularly in the beginning when his wisdom was needed the most, was invaluable. In his own way, Ken was a significant factor, because without his enthusiastic support this book may have never been published. Thank you, Ken, for all you have done.
    I also have to thank John Wiley & Sons for their patience as I struggled to meet deadlines, and for their belief in this book, especially Laura Walsh, Judy Howarth, Tula Batanchiev, Sharon Polese, Jeff Gould, Melissa Torra, and Steven Kyritz.
    I also want to thank the many partners I’ve been fortunate to be associated with, who have remained long-term friends: Bill Sterett, a great guy and a good man, who supported and helped me in taking broken businesses and turning them into powerhouses; Al McKay and Walter Wilkenson, my first partners, who believed in me and gave me the money needed to open a new business, and unselfishly allowed me to lean on them for their experience; Gil L’Hommedieu, my current partner, who has been patient with me as I dedicated so much of my time to writing this book; and Mark Hulings Sr., Mark and Janet Hulings, and Mary Sterett—each a wonderful partner in his or her own way.
    One of the important factors in every businessperson’s success is their competitive instincts and knowing what it takes to win on a consistent basis. I was fortunate to play for some great coaches, who led us to multiple championships and taught us how to win, overcome adversity, and be leaders on a winning team. To coaches John Mooney, Blaine Knoll, Bill Seymour, Terry Bicknell, and Lyn Bannister, thank you for teaching us how not just to win, but to win championships. Of course, coaches can’t do it on their own. There were some great athletes and “character” players who have remained lifelong friends. So thanks for the great times we had to: Dr. Greg “Nick” Homenick, Bruce “Buc” Buchan, Ross “Rocky” Johnson, John “Scotor” Allen, Ron “Logie” Logan, Billy “Roomy” Thompson, and all the hundreds of players I competed with over the years, as well as enjoyed beverages with throughout the seasons. And I can’t forget two good friends, Jim Peplinski and Terry Labonte, NHL and NASCAR champions, who through our friendship have shown me time and time again how great champions transcend their sports by demonstrating their class and the character that made them winners both in their sports and away from them.
    Thanks, also, to my many business mentors: Jerry Gleason, Doug Spedding, Mike Maroone, Tony Noland, Bob Du’Chalard, Bruce Axleson, Gordon Mann, Richard Gallagher, Blayne Lensen, Charlie Thomas, Fritz Kern, Gordie Bell, John Spellen, and Uncles Stu and Don McBean; and gentlemen like Carlos Ledezma, Steve Hincliff, Ed Tonkin, Dave Solmun, Ron Brown, Joe Serra, John Bowman, Mike Boyer, Bob Myers, and all the fellows I was in Business Owners Twenty