Although I'm an optimist, there are days when I come home from work feeling depressed. Not because the usual problems at work wear me down, but because I've yet again had the "pleasure" of meeting with entrepreneurs from trade, industry or the service sector and hearing about their woes. Sometimes you can't help but feel sorry for them!It's always the same old story: either the bank cashes out of the game, the board of directors is rioting, or the biggest client is backing out. And then I hear their cries of helplessness and their whining! But then I realized that those people cannot be helped. They actually enjoy complaining!I strongly recommend entrepreneurs like that not to read this book. It would make them unhappy because they would see that all their problems are due not to adversity but to themselves!I wrote this book for entrepreneurs who know that their company's success or failure is by and large in their own hands and know they have to work hard every day at making their company a success. I wrote this book for those who want to be able to say at the end of their careers: "It's because of me, not despite me, that my company has successfully overcome so many obstacles!"-those who want to look back on what they have created with pride!In this regard, Doomed to Excellence is meant to provoke entrepreneurs whose companies' days are numbered! And whoever does not wake up now will go down with the rest. Doomed to Excellence is a guide book for entrepreneurs of family-operated businesses who are looking for help to make their lifework a long-lasting success. Provided that the reader is unwilling to settle for compromise and consequently strives to be the best, this books methods and practical tips aid in charting a course towards entrepreneurial excellence during times of globalization and hypercompetition. 30 years of international management expertise in different industries and positions go into this book. But there are only three processes an entrepreneur must master if he wants to make it to the top, no matter where in the world and in which sector he operates: An entrepreneur must enable his company to solve problems effectively and sustainably, as well as take advantage of new opportunities. This process is called BASICON as it is fundamental for every enterprise and follows a distinct logic. An entrepreneur must lead his company to excellence in a five-step process called T.O.T.P. (Total Operative Top Performance). An entrepreneur must establish the dynamics for sustainable success in his companyespecially during economically difficult times. This process is called HELIX, the spiral of success.