Stand Out has been a team effort, and I’m grateful to the many people who have helped make it a reality. Thank you to my agent, Carol Franco, who helped place it in the capable hands of Niki Papadopoulos and Bria Sandford, my editors at Portfolio. Their insights have made Stand Out better and hopefully even more useful and inspiring for readers. I’m also grateful to the rest of the Portfolio team, including publisher Adrian Zackheim; production editor Kate Griggs; and the marketing and publicity maestros Will Weisser, Taylor Fleming, and Kathy Daneman, who have worked hard to ensure the message reaches as many people as possible.
My colleague Andy Molinsky of Brandeis University generously shared research insights with me, and my virtual assistants Sue Williams and later Alex D’Amore provided valuable help throughout the writing process.
The professionals interviewed in Stand Out are at the top of their fields and are much in demand, but nonetheless made time to speak with me and share their wisdom so that others might learn from their experiences. I truly appreciate their help.
I began developing many of the ideas in Stand Out through my writing for publications including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and AMEX OPEN Forum. I also give keynote talks and workshops about these concepts frequently, and teach in a number of top business schools. For those who have given me the chance to share and develop these ideas, I’m grateful.
No book is possible, of course, without the love and encouragement of the people closest to you. My mother, Gail Clark, is my most loyal supporter and the person who gave me the confidence to try anything. Ann Thomas helped raise me with love and care. Joel Gagne, to whom this book is dedicated, is the kind of friend everyone deserves but too few people are lucky enough to have in their lives. My cat Gideon, who passed away shortly after I signed the deal for this book, was an amazing force for good during the sixteen years we spent together. Pets teach us about unconditional love in a way that humans simply can’t. I hope everyone will consider bringing a homeless pet into their lives (www.petfinder.com). To Gideon, Harriet, and Patty Adelsberger: you are always in my thoughts and I miss you.