You Gotta Have Balls

Book excerpt: A Brooklyn kid hustles his way to the top of a sports marketing and memorabilia empire Brandon Steiner went from a kid who sat in the nosebleed seats at Yankee and Shea Stadiums to CEO of Steiner Sports Marketing Inc., one of the largest sports marketing and memorabilia companies in the United States, with an inventory of more than 10,000 collectibles. You Gotta Have Balls details Steiner's multiple entrepreneurial adventures, where he has both learned and taught others his fair share of "rules." Along the way, he developed some of the most innovative approaches to business—methods that many of today's companies would be wise to observe and employ themselves. You Gotta Have Balls follows Steiner on his pathway to success by demonstrating the business philosophies that allowed him to become the powerful magnate that he is. These ideals include: First to market is everything Ask "What Else?" when working with clients to enhance relationships and elicit more business Don't expand just for the sake of expanding; do it in areas and industries where your passion lies How to train employees while they're in the minor leagues to prepare them for the majors Learn to clearly identify ways to help others rather than sell to them, to align employees and partners with their strengths, and to discover a path where you're most likely to succeed.