Don't Fall for It: A Short History of Financial Scams


Ben Carlson - 2020
    Enron was forced to declare bankruptcy after allegations of massive accounting fraud, wiping out $78 billion in stock market value. Bernie Madoff, the largest individual fraudster in history, built a $65 billion Ponzi scheme that ultimately resulted in his being sentenced to 150 years in prison. People from all walks of life have been scammed out of their money: French and British nobility looking to get rich quickly, farmers looking for a miracle cure for their health ailments, several professional athletes, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars. No one is immune from getting deceived when money is involved. Don't Fall For It is a fascinating look into some of the biggest financial frauds and scams ever.This compelling book explores specific instances of financial fraud as well as some of the most successful charlatans and hucksters of all-time. Sharing lessons that apply to business, money management, and investing, author Ben Carlson answers questions such as: Why do even the most intelligent among us get taken advantage of in financial scams? What make fraudsters successful? Why is it often harder to stay rich than to get rich? Each chapter in examines different frauds, perpetrators, or victims of scams. These real-life stories include anecdotes about how these frauds were carried out and discussions of what can be learned from these events. This engaging book:Explores the business and financial lessons drawn from some of history's biggest frauds Describes the conditions under which fraud tends to work best Explains how people can avoid being scammed out of their money Suggests practical steps to reduce financial fraud in the future Don't Fall For It: A Short History of Financial Scams is filled with engrossing real-life stories and valuable insights, written for finance professionals, investors, and general interest readers alike.

Your Road to Wealth Starts Here: A Simple Step-by-Step Plan for Everyone to Get Out of Debt and Stay Debt-Free Forever in 2017


Avery Breyer - 2016
     You’ve seen all the goofy ideas and fads that don’t work. Now it’s time to get back to basics with a simple, time-tested, step-by-step plan that anyone can follow. Arm yourself with the truth about getting out of debt. Knowledge is power and you’re going to get it. Find out: • Whether your mortgage is good or bad (the answer may surprise you!) • About the Power Pay Off Plan (and how Sam saved 20 grand) • The secrets to successfully get out of debt • Where to find the money you need for debt free living • How much money you ought to be putting towards paying off debt • The truth about debt consolidation (including pitfalls to avoid) • How to use insurance to protect yourself from the unexpected • What to do next, once you’ve started on the road to wealth Your student loans, mortgage, car loans, and credit card balances can all be gone with the straightforward strategies you’ll learn in this book. You don’t have to feel stress, shame, or embarrassment over it for one moment longer. You’re going to take control and change your life for the better. You’ll also get free access to The Debt Destroyer. This wickedly good tool will create a customized plan for you to pay off debt and ensure that more of your money stays in your pocket. You don’t have to tackle this alone, and you don’t have to be rich to pull this off. If you want debt help on a budget - with straight talk and no tricks - you’ll find everything you need right here. Debt relief can be yours. Buy this book today and get started. It’s your turn.

Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos


Jeff Bezos - 2020
    Spanning a range of topics across business and public policy, from innovation and customer obsession to climate change and outer space, this book provides a rare glimpse into how Bezos thinks about the world and where the future might take us.Written in a direct, down-to-earth style, Invent and Wander offers readers a master class in business values, strategy, and execution:● The importance of a Day 1 mindset● Why “it’s all about the long term”● What it really means to be customer obsessed● How to start new businesses and create significant organic growth in an already successful company● Why culture is an imperative● How a willingness to fail is closely connected to innovation● What the Covid-19 pandemic has taught usEach insight offers new ways of thinking through today’s challenges—and more importantly, tomorrow’s—and the never-ending urgency of striving ahead, never resting on one’s laurels. Everyone from CEOs to entrepreneurs just setting up shop to the millions who use Amazon’s products and services in their homes or businesses will come to understand the principles that have driven the success of one of the most important innovators of our time.

MONEY WISE: Timeless Lessons on Building Wealth


Deepak Shenoy - 2021
    Money Wise shows you the way. It cuts through the clutter of jargon and technical terms, leading you step by step on how to grow wealthy. In it, you will learn: Ways of allocating your income The only mutual funds hack worth knowing Why you should be watching not what Warren Buffett says but what he does Written in Shenoy’s trademark style, Money Wise is a book as much fun to read as it is informative. If you want to start investing, this is the book for you. If you have already started, then read this and up your game.

The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation


Matthew Dixon - 2011
    The best salespeople don't just build relationships with customers. They challenge them. The need to understand what top-performing reps are doing that their average performing colleagues are not drove Matthew Dixon, Brent Adamson, and their colleagues at Corporate Executive Board to investigate the skills, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes that matter most for high performance. And what they discovered may be the biggest shock to conventional sales wisdom in decades.Based on an exhaustive study of thousands of sales reps across multiple industries and geographies, The Challenger Sale argues that classic relationship building is a losing approach, especially when it comes to selling complex, large-scale business-to-business solutions. The authors' study found that every sales rep in the world falls into one of five distinct profiles, and while all of these types of reps can deliver average sales performance, only one-the Challenger- delivers consistently high performance.Instead of bludgeoning customers with endless facts and features about their company and products, Challengers approach customers with unique insights about how they can save or make money. They tailor their sales message to the customer's specific needs and objectives. Rather than acquiescing to the customer's every demand or objection, they are assertive, pushing back when necessary and taking control of the sale.The things that make Challengers unique are replicable and teachable to the average sales rep. Once you understand how to identify the Challengers in your organization, you can model their approach and embed it throughout your sales force. The authors explain how almost any average-performing rep, once equipped with the right tools, can successfully reframe customers' expectations and deliver a distinctive purchase experience that drives higher levels of customer loyalty and, ultimately, greater growth.

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul


Howard Schultz - 2007
    Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial health, but also its soul. In Onward, he shares the remarkable story of his return and the company's ongoing transformation under his leadership, revealing how, during one of the most tumultuous economic times in history, Starbucks again achieved profitability and sustainability without sacrificing humanity. Offering readers a snapshot of a moment in history that left no company unscathed, the book zooms in to show, in riveting detail, how one company struggled and recreated itself in the midst of it all. The fastpaced narrative is driven by day-to-day tension as conflicts arise and lets readers into Schultz's psyche as he comes to terms with his limitations and evolving leadership style. Onward is a compelling, candid narrative documenting the maturing of a brand as well as a businessman.Onward represents Schultz's central leadership philosophy: It's not just about winning, but the right way to win. Ultimately, he gives readers what he strives to deliver every day - sense of hope that, no matter how tough times get, the future can be just as or more successful than the past, whatever one defines success to be.

Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)


Verne Harnish - 2014
    Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't is the first major revision of this business classic. In Scaling Up, Harnish and his team share practical tools and techniques for building an industry-dominating business. These approaches have been honed from over three decades of advising tens of thousands of CEOs and executives and helping them navigate the increasing complexities (and weight) that come with scaling up a venture. This book is written so everyone -- from frontline employees to senior executives -- can get aligned in contributing to the growth of a firm. There's no reason to do it alone, yet many top leaders feel like they are the ones dragging the rest of the organization up the S-curve of growth. The goal of this book is to help you turn what feels like an anchor into wind at your back -- creating a company where the team is engaged; the customers are doing your marketing; and everyone is making money. To accomplish this, Scaling Up focuses on the four major decision areas every company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. The book includes a series of new one-page tools including the updated One-Page Strategic Plan and the Rockefeller Habits ChecklistTM, which more than 40,000 firms around the globe have used to scale their companies successfully -- many to $1 billion and beyond. Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Scaling Up shows business leaders how to get their organizations moving in sync to create something significant and enjoy the ride.

Real Estate Loopholes: Secrets of Successful Real Estate Investing


Diane Kennedy - 2003
    By examining the three keys to successful real estate investing - selection, taxation and protection - this book shows what it takes.

Investing For Beginners (Introduction to Investing)


David Cohne - 2015
    Pensions have almost completely disappeared and the financial future of Social Security has many worried. This book shows you how to take control of your own future by teaching you the fundamentals of investing.Many people are afraid to put their hard earned money in the stock market because they don’t want to lose it all. This book shows you how to invest your money for growth instead of treating the stock market like a slot machine and just hoping to get lucky. Inside the book you will discover: The basics of what the stock market is and how it works The differences between passive and active investing The differences between stocks, bonds, and cash All about mutual funds and other types of funds What you need to know about the economy to make good investments How to plan for retirement All about risk And Much More This quick start guide will help you go from knowing very little about investing to being confident in starting your own investment in your retirement.If you are looking for a get rich quick scheme, this book isn’t for you. But, if you want to learn about how to invest and the best ways to plan for your retirement, this book will start you on the path of taking control of your own future.The sooner you get your copy, the sooner you can start your personal investment education. Don’t wait another second. Get Your Copy Right Now

Business Law: Legal Environment, Online Commerce, Business Ethics, and International Issues


Henry R. Cheeseman - 1992
    Visually engaging, enticing and current examples with an overall focus on business.Legal Environment of Business and E-Commerce; Torts, Crimes, and Intellectual Property; Contracts and E-Commerce; Domestic and International Sales and Lease Contracts; Negotiable Instruments and E-Money; Credit, Secured Transactions, and Bankruptcy; Agency and Employment; Business Organizations and Ethics; Government Regulation; Property; Special Topics; Global EnvironmentMARKET Business Law continues its dedication to being the most engaging text for readers by featuring a visually appealing format with enticing and current examples while maintaining its focus on business.

The Connection Algorithm: Take Risks, Defy the Status Quo, and Live Your Passions


Jesse Tevelow - 2015
    His new book, The Connection Algorithm, is chock full of phenomenal strategies for a better life. If you're ambitious and motivated, The Connection Algorithm could be your roadmap to success." --Tony Horton, Creator of P90X (Over $500 million in sales.) Ever wish you could be a little more extraordinary? A little happier? A little more in control of your life? Well, this is your blueprint for making it happen. It might sound crazy, but it all starts with quitting your 9-5. Jesse should know. He quit his job to join TechStars, a startup accelerator that helped him and his business partner build a multimillion dollar company from the ground up. Then he wrote this book, while lounging at the beach. Sound impossible? It's not. This isn't just Jesse's story. It's the story of every successful person you've ever known--and all of them have followed the same formula. After nearly a decade of interviews and research, Jesse has compiled the ultimate playbook for defying the status quo, weaving together the most critical yet overlooked tips from industry heavy-hitters like Ben Horowitz, Tim Ferriss, and Steve Jobs. The book provides important (and counterintuitive) advice on how to: Get more productive Follow your passions Improve your health Launch your first product or company Take better calculated risks Start connecting with your heroes ...and much more. Beyond advice, you'll also find lists of the actual sites, services, and techniques you can use to improve your performance in a range of disciplines. Join Jesse as he outlines the power of the Four C's: Choose, Commit, Create, Connect. The Connection Algorithm is a quick read, with life-altering impact. With endorsements from Tony Horton and Brad Feld, and a foreword by TechStars Founder and CEO David Cohen, you'll be glad you added this inspiring, actionable guide to your collection. --- Don't have a Kindle? No problem. Just enter your email where it says "Get the Free Kindle App," (just beneath the book image), and you'll have access to The Connection Algorithm from any tablet, smartphone, or computer.

Principles: Summary


Ray Dalio - 2011
    Part 1 is about the purpose and importance of having principles in general, having nothing to do with mine. Part 2 explains my most fundamental life principles that apply to everything I do. Part 3, explains my management principles as they are being lived out at Bridgewater. Since my management principles are simply my most fundamental life principles applied to management, reading Part 2 will help you to better understand Part 3, but it’s not required—you can go directly to Part 3 to see what my management principles are and how Bridgewater has been run. One day I’d like to write a Part 4 on my investment principles. If you are looking to get the most bang for your buck (i.e., understanding for the effort), I suggest that you read Parts 1 and 2, and the beginning of Part 3 (through the Summary and Table of Principles) which will give you nearly the whole picture. It’s only about 55 pages of a normal size book. Above all else, I want you to think for yourself—to decide 1) what you want, 2) what is true and 3) what to do about it. I want you to do that in a clear-headed thoughtful way, so that you get what you want. I wrote this book to help you do that. I am going to ask only two things of you—1) that you be open-minded and 2) that you honestly answer some questions about what you want, what is true and what you want to do about it. If you do these things, I believe that you will get a lot out of this book. If you can’t do these things, you should reflect on why that is, because you probably have discovered one of your greatest impediments to getting what you want out of life.

Rubies in the Orchard: How to Uncover the Hidden Gems in Your Business


Lynda Resnick - 2009
    FIJI Water. Teleflora. The Franklin Mint. Lynda Resnick's marketing triumphs read like an encyclopedia of branding. She is the smartest and hardest-working marketing brain in the business - the kind of marketer who can sell "ice sculptures to Eskimos." But her brilliant ideas aren't simply the result of random inspiration; they're the products of a systematic approach to marketing that any company -- large or small -- can adapt to achieve success. In RUBIES IN THE ORCHARD, she divulges her secrets for creating some of the world's most memorable and iconic brands, and the bull's-eye strategies to sell them.Resnick believes that every company can find "rubies" in its orchard, elements of intrinsic value that consumers will desire. Here, she shows how every successful marketing campaign begins with uncovering these hidden gems, and communicating their value honestly and transparently to the consumer. Through Resnick's behind-the-scenes narrative, we learn the secrets of her extraordinary successes, including: POM Wonderful, the wildly popular 100% pomegranate juice that created an entirely new product category out of a fickle and obscure fruit; and FIJI Water, a fledgling brand she transformed into the #1 premium bottled water in America, with sales that have increased 300% since 2004.A born marketer, Resnick shares tales from a remarkable life, from opening her own ad agency at age 19 to the time she famously overpaid for Jackie Kennedy's pearls at auction, then transformed her "mistake" into tens of millions in sales for the Franklin Mint. Here for the first time, Resnick reveals her systematic approach to breaking through marketplace clutter and consumer cynicism, and creating blockbuster brands with true staying power.

Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat


Michael Masterson - 2007
    In it, self-made multimillionaire and bestselling author Masterson shares the knowledge he has gained from creating and expanding numerous businesses and outlines a focused strategy for guiding a small business through the four stages of entrepreneurial growth. Along the way, Masterson teaches you the different skills needed in order to excel in this dynamic environment.

Dividends Still Don't Lie


Kelley Wright - 2010
    Today, the approach of using the dividend yield to identify values in blue chip stocks still outperforms most investment methods on a risk-adjusted basis.Written by Kelley Wright, Managing Editor of Investment Quality Trends, with a new Foreword by Geraldine Weiss, this book teaches a value-based strategy to investing, one that uses a stock's dividend yield as the primary measure of value. Rather than emphasize the price cycles of a stock, the company's products, market strategy or other factors, this guide stresses dividend-yield patterns.Details a straightforward system of investing in stick-to-quality blue-chip stocks with reliable dividend histories Discusses how to buy and sell when dividend yields instruct you to do so Investors looking for safety and transparency will quickly discover how dividends offer the yields they desire With Dividends Still Don't Lie, you'll gain the confidence to make sophisticated stock market decisions and obtain solid value for your investment dollars.