Far too many businesses fail that shouldn’t, and those that do survive rarely achieve the profits they should.

Why does this happen?

To start, there’s no owner’s manual for entrepreneurs. There’s no easy-to-follow checklist that tells you “do this, then do this, then do this, and you’ll be successful.” “One-size-fits-all” advice and solutions simply don’t exist for business owners. Certainly, there are no guarantees―and to add to the challenge, each business is one of a kind, in terms of how they compete, operate, and succeed.

But when someone who’s done it (and done it well) tells you what to expect at each stage of the journey―and what you can do to tilt the odds in your favor―you’ll face the future with a lot more confidence.

Bill McBean, a successful business owner many times over and a trusted mentor to entrepreneurs, does just that in The Facts of Business Life: What Every Successful Business Owner Knows That You Don’t. And he does it in a unique and highly engaging way: He guides and advises entrepreneurs with insights and techniques based on his understanding of the “life cycle” of a company.

McBean explains the seven facts that profitable business owners use every day to run their businesses and to stay ahead of their competition―from planning for success to protecting business assets, from mastering marketing and the marketplace war zone to creating loyal customers. He then ties together how these core facts of business life are essential for success throughout the five levels of ownership. He explains that the facts themselves don’t change, but how they are applied and implemented will change as a business matures throughout its life cycle.

With four decades of business ownership experience and guidance from some of the best mentors in business, McBean has learned exactly what makes a profitable business tick. In this engaging and revelatory new book, he shares a career’s worth of wisdom that you can put to use right away―whether you’re just starting out, looking to improve, or thinking it’s time to exit. The Facts of Business Life covers it all.

McBean is the first business owner and author to explain how the business life cycle affects the way you lead, control, market, compete, operate, and exit your business. The Facts of Business Life is your one-stop guide to understanding the ins and outs of business ownership and what it takes to create lasting prosperity and reach the “pot of gold” that awaits successful business owners. Use it and learn how to build a thriving business that can live up to your wildest dreams.

Steve Forbes signing books with author Bill McBean.		Author Bill McBean with New York Times Best-selling Author and Foreword Writer for The Facts of Business Life, Ken Fisher