Praise for Business Relationships That Last

“In Business Relationships That Last, Ed Wallace captures the immediate need for organizations and individuals to build relationships of integrity and confidence. That trust benefits every aspect of service and will help grow your business and generate superior performance. Ed has it exactly right: intent, character, making and keeping commitments, credibility and authenticity—all are invaluable drivers of performance and relationship building that can lower expenses, speed up production, and tear down the barriers preserving market status quo.”

—Stephen M. R. Covey, author of the New York Times bestseller The Speed of Trust

“Your success in life will be largely determined by who you know and who knows you in a positive way.

This book shows you how to achieve your personal and professional goals through relationships faster than you ever thought possible.”

—Brian Tracy, author of The Power of Charm

“We all know that businesses grow through outstanding relationships. Ed Wallace provides an elegantly simple yet very powerful way to think about and build relationships that last.”

—Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., New York Times best-selling author of The 29% Solution

“Ed Wallace provides a compelling and insightful guide on how to grow your business contacts from Acquaintances all the way to Respected Advisors. Differentiate . . . no, distinguish yourself—read this book!”

—Linda Kaplan Thaler, CEO, The Kaplan Thaler Group

“Everything that’s not technical is about people. Whether you’re already at ease or not comfortable in the relational part of your career, Business Relationships That Last will increase your confidence and even your enjoyment in mastering the people skills so critical to achieving your maximum success.”

—Mark Goulston, Ph.D., author of the New York Times bestseller Get Out of Your Own Way at Work

“Those who understand that life is nothing more than a lot of relationships usually are successful. In Business Relationships That Last, Ed Wallace provides you with the guidance not only to develop mutually beneficial relationships inside and outside your business but also, more important, to build strong relationships with family, friends, and even adversaries.”

—Richard Teerlink, CEO (retired), Harley-Davidson, and author of More Than a Motorcycle

“I continue to be highly motivated by Ed Wallace’s simple yet oh-so-powerful messages on the importance of building strong business relationships. The concepts in Business Relationships That Last take the mystery out of relationship building and replace the “secret sauce” with an actionable plan that will help any business professional achieve his/her goals.”

—David Clary, Senior Vice President, ICG Commerce

“I thoroughly enjoyed Business Relationships That Last. I truly think it’s a book that should be re-read every year to reinforce how one approaches personal and professional relationships. I also attended workshop from the Relational Capital Group, which was an added bonus as I learned how to re-enforce all of the great learning from Ed Wallace’s outstanding book.”

— Chris Hynes, National Account Manager, Vertex, Inc.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my journey with Max! In his new book, Business Relationships that Last, Ed Wallace hits on so many important aspects of doing business the right way. I, for one, surely appreciate that. I have tried to get this next generation of sales and business people to understand the values Mr. Wallace discusses. Some of them ‘get it’ and if the others read this book, I have faith that they too will get it. Thanks again for the book and the wisdom!”

— Mike Green, Chairman of the Board, Landslide Technologies

“Ed’s been helping Vistage executives outperform their competition through expert workshops on building value through business relationships. Anyone in business (and, quite frankly, outside of it) can gain useful insights from this book’s road map for establishing rapport, integrity, trust, and authenticity. From reexamining your sales strategies to staff turnover, this book focuses you on the relationships you need to nurture at each link in your value chain.”

—Rafael Pastor, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Vistage International

“Someone once said that wisdom is worth fifty IQ points. There are more than fifty IQ points’ worth of wisdom in Ed Wallace’s Business Relationships That Last. Read it and gain the insights that lie at the heart of all successful business relationships!”

—Jeff Westphal, CEO, Vertex Inc.

“Ed Wallace has done a masterful job in deciphering the holy grail of relationship building, the final piece of the puzzle: How do the few gifted people among us build key relationships that help them achieve their impossible dreams? He has democratized the skill traditionally known to few elite achievers into a process we can all follow.”

—Razi Imam, CEO and Founder, Landslide Technologies Inc.

“In a down economy or a good economy, in our personal or our professional lives, relationships are everything. But relationships can’t be outsourced. In Business Relationships That Last, Wallace takes us to a new level and gives us a framework to take them to outstanding. This is not a must-read for anyone, but for everyone!”

—Jeff Del Rossa, General Manager, Sales Optimization, Development Dimensions International

“Most salespeople try to establish relationships intuitively. Ed Wallace’s Relational Ladder process shows how to assess and develop relationships on purpose so they can be an integral part of empowering salespeople to achieve at higher levels.”

—John Holland, coauthor of CustomerCentric® Selling

“Business Relationships That Last is an excellent resource that provides guidance, support, and several approaches to move every business relationship strategically from a business Acquaintance to potentially a Professional Peer or possibly a Respected Advisor. We know that businesses grow through relationships, and this book provides the clear direction on how to build ones that last!”

—Joan Walsh, author of Ready, Set, Plan, Go! Strategies to Accelerate Your Success and Blazing Your Own Trail—A Guide for Women on the Way Up

“In today’s fast-moving, global economy, every product or service you provide is being commoditized at warp speed. The only thing in business today that cannot be commoditized is the relationship you have with each of your prospects, colleagues, clients, and partners. Wallace’s work is logical, practical, and tactical and will help you conquer the new business world we live in by providing you with an easy-to-use approach to build “business relationships that last.” Buy it, read it, and most important, use it!”

—Peter Winick, Senior Strategist and Consultant

“Ed Wallace shows us the critical path to improving business performance…What is at once game-changing and refreshingly simple, Ed uses down-to-earth stories and charm along with a terrific how-to process to move the dial on results through relational capital.”

—David Henkin, Vice President, Managed Services, Vertex Inc.

“Our work with the principles and process that Ed Wallace shares in Business Relationships That Last has led to a renewed focus on the importance of quality relationships with our key customers in optimizing our business performance.”

—Jim Bounds, CEO, DMC Inc.

“Every day my relationships pay dividends. It took me twenty years to learn how to develop them; I wish that I had had this book sooner.”

—Gary Bender, CFO, Abex Inc.

“For business leaders and sales professionals ready to stop talking about the importance of their relationships and start following a measurable, proven process to improve them, Ed’s easy-to-understand and engaging book has the information, process, and implementation tools to get you there—just be sure to read it before your competition does.”

—Mark Green, President and Founder, Performance Dynamics Group LLC

“Ed Wallace has hit it out of the park with Business Relationships That Last! He has masterfully exposed the myth of “relationship magic” and given us a hands-on, step-by-step guide to leverage the full power of our business relationships to build sustained success, to improve performance, and to generate outstanding results. This could be the biggest competitive differentiator of our times!”

—Roxanne Kaufman, President and Founder, ProLaureate

“Ed captures the essence and process of building great business relationships. His easy style and warmth underlie a rigorous and real method and philosophy for establishing, cultivating, and leveraging the key contacts we all make in business and life. Ed’s five steps are game-changers and essential for any business leader.”

—Jose Palomino, President, Value Prop Interactive

“In the post-meltdown economy, excellent business relationships are moving from optional to essential. Ed Wallace’s insightful and enjoyable guide is a great starting point to help managers weave relationship cultivation into the fabric of their companies.“

—Norman Myers, Chairman, Relationship Networking Industry Association