Column 1
Ahead of the pack
To be more successful than the competition
corner the market
To dominate a particular market
down the drain
Something is wasted or lost
back to square one
To start something over again because a previous attempt failed
cut-throat
Very intense, aggressive, and merciless competition
go the extra mile
To do more than what people expect
ballpark figure
A very inexact estimate
game plan
A strategy or plan for achieving success
hands are tied
Not free to behave in the way that you would like
big picture
Everything that is involved with a particular situation
get down to business
Stop making small talk and start talking about serious business topics
in a nutshell
Using as few words as possible
by the book
To do things exactly according to the rules or the law
get something off the ground
To start something (e.g. a project or a business)
in full swing
At a stage when the level of activity is at its highest