A "New York Times", "Wall Street Journal", "USA Today", and "Business Week" bestseller, Steve Kaplan's 2005 book "Bag the Elephant" helped smart businesspeople win and keep those all-important elephants-the big, make-or-break customers. Now "Be the elephant" shows businesspeople how to grow their businesses and become bigger. Written for the entrepreneur by an entrepreneur - Steve Kaplan has owned 35 businesses, sold 30 of them, and has consulted with more than 100 companies, helping them to grow. "Be the elephant" combines dynamic advice, deep real- life experience, and a friendly, no-nonsense writing style to take the mystery and fear out of achieving significant business growth. In a 10-step process, Kaplan gets readers to understand, without blinkers or delusion, the exact nature of their business. He then shows how to define objectives, identify risks, and get the operation on solid footing in preparation for growth. There are tips on: creating the right strategy; how to avoid the risks of business growth - grow too slow and wither, or grow too fast and lose control; how to create a timeline; develop the all-important USP-unique selling proposition; and, avoid the five killer mistakes that can ruin your company. The book is illustrated throughout, including, of course, the many faces of Nellie the elephant.