Leveling the Playing Field uses auctions as a model for successful business development. Auctions are especially effective in creating power for sellers when many, wealthy bidders compete enthusiastically to acquire a singular asset, a Rembrandt painting, a uniquely situated piece of real estate, a small company's technology or product. Leveling the Playing Field guides small companies through the process of attracting large companies, transforming their interest into enthusiasm, and maintaining a high level of competition among potential buyers for as long as possible.

Leveling the Playing Field draws on the authors' experiences closing more than 100 transactions ranging in size from a few million to over $2 billion as well as their serving as senior finance, R&D, and operations executives with large and small life science companies.