I remember my first official job interview like it was yesterday. Trying to find employment for any young kid just out of law school is tough, but it gets even tougher when you are seeking employment in the shadow of New York City. As I left to venture out into the great unknown, my grandmother looked at my suit and tie and politely told me that "you dress to impress."Taking the hint, I meekly returned to my bedroom, changed suits and ties and got the seal of approval. I did get the job, but I would like to think that it was on merit and not color coordination.

The world has changed since my grandparents were players in the business world, but the principles of success have not. You have to know your audience, define your goals, and sell your product, which, in this case, is yourself. This book provides all individuals—young and old, tired and true—with a blueprint of success.

The one thing that I have seen, repeatedly, over my business career is that so many people either do not truly know themselves or are afraid to make the introduction. As Lauren Hug so aptly points out in this book, if you are going to succeed in business, as well as in life, you must know yourself.

"The first thing you have to know is yourself," explained Adam Smith. "A man who knows himself can step outside himself and watch his own reactions like an observer." And isn't that the goal of any successful presentation?

Know your strengths, know your flaws, and know what can be corrected and/or modified. If you can see yourself through the eyes of those watching you, you will know what works and what flops; what attracts attention and what induces boredom.

As an attorney, I have had both the fortune and misfortune of sitting through a number of presentations. As this book explains, a one-size-fits-all approach does not exist in preparing for presentations. It is incumbent upon any speaker to do his/her homework. Who is your audience? What is the subject matter? Is humor fitting or out of place? Should I speak for a long period of time or should I be short, sweet, and to the point?

It is here that one must develop a presentation and Lauren has provided her readers with the ability to not only draft a blueprint, but execute it as well. Planning a presentation is typically intimidating and daunting, especially if it is a new concept. Not only must you put together something that is going to wow your audience, which may consist of bosses, customers, and dignitaries, but you then have to deal with the stress of making such a presentation.

Lauren breaks down the phobias that hinder successful presentations. By relating the building blocks of a successful presentation to the same building blocks most of us utilize in everyday life, Lauren has taken the idea of a presentation, which sometimes appears out of reach for people, and put it within an arm's length. This is the majesty of her book.

This book is a must read for any new manager entering the business world. This book is not about gimmicks, nor does it become a self-help book. This book is about success and it provides its readers with the tools they need to achieve such success. And if you read this book and take its message to heart, you will never have to picture another audience in their underwear again. That's how priceless this book is.

Joe Murray

Founder of the Murray Law Firm