In a corporation¿s financial life ¿going public¿ by means of an IPO is probably the single most important decision. It turns a private company into a public one. Our book will provide an inside view of the IPO process. On the one hand, it draws on the insights of an experienced investment banker, who has gone through numerous IPO transactions. On the other hand, it relates the story of an actual IPO through the eyes of a Chief Executive Officer who has taken two of his companies public. This unique double perspective is our book¿s defining feature. We do not discuss initial public offerings in a textbook style fashion. What we would like to bring out is a more comprehensive portrayal of a ¿once-in-a-lifetime¿ event for most companies and their management, alike.