Book excerpt: In Poised for Growth: Taking Your Business to the Next Level, a venture and investment banking expert and a mergers and acquisitions professional give you the view - from the "other side of the desk" - of what makes growth companies attractive to investors, lenders, workers, and potential corporate partners. You'll discover the 7 things you absolutely must do to get lenders, venture capitalists, and investment bankers to take you and your business seriously; 18 winning strategies for getting major corporations to hand you lucrative contracts and lock-in long-term relationships with you; how to attract the best and brightest employees to your company - and get them to stay; steps you can take to make your initial public offering or existing issues the "darling" of Wall Street analysts and investors; plus an inside look at the special criteria venture capital and investment banking firms use to value businesses...and how to determine your business's true market worth using the same tools the pros do. Whether you're a start-up company ready to leap to the next level of success, or an already successful small growth company looking to accelerate your rate of growth, Poised for Growth can help you achieve your business objectives - and make you more money than you ever dreamed.