Book excerpt: An invaluable resource—for those starting a new business to veterans looking for a better way. Small Business, Big Success offers unconventional but proven strategies to run a better small business. It also provides a roadmap for owners looking to expand their small businesses by doing more business with Big Business. Cynthia's down-in-the-trenches stories, along with those from other small-business CEOs and Big Business experts, show you how to connect with highly sought-after customers and win them over! You'll learn how to: Create an organization that is operationally efficient, creative, and entrepreneurial Raise capital and find partnerships Find your company's voice Attract and win contracts from much larger companies Serve complex, global companies by forging strong relationships And most importantly how to find and nurture your customers. Critical decisions and points in the life cycle of a business are discussed: from start-up issues to growing the business, human resource concerns to strategic planning—not to mention how to attract business from larger companies. The use of real stories, along with stories of other small businesses, are included to illustrate the strategies and make them come alive.