Book excerpt: Jim Muehlhaussen has traveled the country collecting the best and worst practices from business owners. The 51 Fatal Business Errors provides a quick and easy format to learn from other business owners' successes and failures. Each error contains a real-life example and definitive action-steps needed to improve common areas of weakness in small business. The 51 Fatal Business Errors is designed to be used as a reference that you can come back to repeatedly as new issues arise in your business that need toning. The dangerous (but common) mistakes described are outlined in four categories: Myth -Busters, Improving your personal effectiveness, Using best practices, and Mule-kicks - Muehlhausen's bluntly honest tips that realign the way small business owners typical lines of thought. Readers will be able to use it to energize themselves about the boundless possibilities of their businesses while giving them practical steps to move forward to the next level.