I'd like to dedicate the lion's share of these acknowledgments to those who primarily operate in the background. Their work is essential to bringing a book to life and taking an author's writing to the next level. Books wouldn't be such a joy to read without their passion and dedication.

It's often them who turn a good story into an even more cohesive and enjoyable read. When they do a perfect job, their work goes unnoticed to the reader. Only when you read a book that didn't get enough attention from them, will you notice. That's when a book lacks flow, conciseness, or practical examples.

I am talking about the editors. With a keen eye, they make every book better. They spot logical breaks, unnecessary content, twists or turns, and holes in a story. They make it seem so effortless how they change a formulation—and suddenly the text reads and feels so much better than before.

I want to express my gratitude and respect to Rystana Petrovsky. She helped shape chapters that each feel like a full meal. I want to thank her for the relentless support, the fun we had editing, and for going above and beyond in her commitment to this book. We couldn't have done it without her—Rystana, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great work you contributed to this project.

Jennie Wright contributed most notably through her writing and editing work, marketing genius, and a vision beyond the book. I value our collaboration and thank her for being a sounding board, helping me make sense of ideas others would simply consider crazy.

My agent, Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory, shared his wealth of knowledge to help me bring this book to life. I'd like to thank him for all the resources he provided and the doors he opened for me. Having him as a sparring partner and consultant helped get this project started—and finished. May this be only the beginning of a long and successful collaboration.

Thanks to everyone at Wiley for believing in the idea of this book and making it become a reality, particularly Michelle Hacker and Zachary Schisgal.

Every one of you who shared the book with friends, colleagues, networks, and platforms—thanks for spreading the word and thereby helping others become Next‐Level Entrepreneurs.

Finally, nine guest authors contributed to this anthology. Thank you for offering your unique perspectives and experiences. Hermann Simon, Sheetal Khullar, Charlene Li, Terry Jackson, Angela Howard, Jerry Fu, Tony Martignetti, Teresa Quinlan, and Ken Keis. I'm grateful to have met every single one of you. Your work and personalities enrich my life. It is a pleasure holding this book; seeing my work alongside yours fills me with joy and pride. We did this together. Danke.