Book excerpt: The most important skill Dave Donelson learned as a journalist was how to ask questions and truly listen to the answers. That skill helped him in his sales career, too, and was even more important when he became an entrepreneur. Listening to other business owners talk about their successes, failures, experiments and tried-and-true tactics helped him not only avoid repeating their mistakes but encouraged him to persevere and try new strategies. The stories and advice of hundreds of small business owners and managers inspired the Dynamic Manager Guides.Dave Donelson's careers as a broadcaster, entrepreneur, and writer have taken him to many interesting places, not the least of which is inside hundreds of American businesses. Since 1999, he has been a full time freelance writer, publishing numerous books and regularly contributing to national business magazines and dozens of trade publications serving industries from the automotive aftermarket to sporting goods retailing. He also speaks regularly before groups of all sizes. In previous years, he was an entrepreneur, sales trainer, and management consultant. His clients have included one of every seven commercial TV stations in the US. He's also worked with companies engaged in heavy manufacturing, construction, engineering, industrial sales, general retailing, and consumer services. As an entrepreneur, he founded three companies, owned two TV stations, a steel fabricator, and a construction company, and assisted numerous other businesses in various fields.