This online book would have remained just an idea in my head had I not had the encouragement from many people and the opportunities to learn throughout my career.

My life-partner and wife, Ruth, stood by me, prayed for me, and ran interference at home while I built my business and most recently, as I refreshed the content from the first edition of the book, which was published in 2005. Without her love and confidence in me, I would still be 1st and 10 on the 20-yard line of life. I wouldn’t trade anything for our 25 years together or for the years ahead of us.

Many others have played a vital role in getting me to this point, especially:

My father, who has now joined our Lord and Savior in heaven, taught me how to think creatively. He could always improvise a solution no matter how difficult the problem—a business survival skill that I, too, have inherited. No one could make better lemonade from lemons than he could.

My mother, an inspiration throughout my life, has taught me integrity and the value of family. I love her not only for giving me a lifetime of encouragement that has fed my determination and built my dreams, but also for the love and support that she gives every day.

Frank Gill and Bill Roach, my managers at Intel, where I started my career. I’m not sure what they saw in me in 1979—a Computer Science/Engineering undergrad who wanted a start in sales of all things—but whatever it was, I gratefully thank them for it. My experiences at Intel and the freedom they allowed me to have opened all the important doors in my career.

Casey Cowell, one of the founders of U.S. Robotics, who brought me into his company, which was barely eking by at $25K/mo in revenue. I appreciate the terrific entrepreneurial opportunity I was given, the trust he placed in me and for firing me. Had I not left when I did, I’m convinced I would have made some very bad decisions in my personal life that would have cost me dearly. No career is worth the sacrifices I would have had to make.

I want to also extend my sincere gratitude to five very important people:

1) Gene Crawford of Period-Three Design in Columbia, South Carolina who put up with my perfectionism through all five rounds of design revisions (yes, it was five and that’s why it took so long to get the print edition online).

2) Brant Dolan for his common sense approach to selling and his friendship, both of which I have called upon when I didn’t know what to do next.

3) Phil Dorman for asking all the tough questions, most of which I had no answer for at the time (but do now!). His insight is irreplaceable.

4) John Marshall, founder of ClickTracks, for whacking me upside the head regarding web site navigation, usability, content and stickiness.

5) Perry Marshall (no relation to John Marshall, by the way) for showing me what is possible when you create true domain expertise.

And lastly, I want to thank a little known high school physics teacher, Mr. Hunt, who taught for many years at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Ill. He said, “Boys, if you can’t put your ideas into [the format of] a table, then it’s not worth saying.” You can see from the tabular style of each Play in this book, his advice was fully adopted. What I didn’t realize at the time—he was teaching us how to think logically and concisely. A skill that seems adrift today.

John M. Fox
Venture Marketing, 2007
Naperville, Illinois