financial Books

I hesitantly picked this book up after the catchy title and cover art. As a tax and financial planner by trade, I was pleasantly surprised when I read it. For the first time in a long time, it was great to read a self-help financial book that wasn't talking down to its readers. Bach's tone was anything but condescending--very refreshing.

I also liked his checklists--very useful and well-written.

I liked it so much that I purchased it for a couple of clients as well as a friend.

Kristin Delfau, EA
Author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time

Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time

THIS AUDIO BAOOK WAS VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND WELL DONE. the strategy and planning is something everywoman should follow ! Excellent !

This book is the book that every woman needs to read. It tells you in easy to read wording about money and how to save and invest for your future. I wish I had this book 20 years ago.

Nice that this is written by a man, who through his grandmothers lessons, has given him great advice to pass along to women today. Thank you!

You all praising this book, how smart it is written, how valuable. But what are the fruits? Show them. Who can say that because of this book she got out of debts, bought a new house and moved from Harlem to 5th Avenue? Or smth like this? It seems to me that it is one more well-marketed book with no real advice in it. Everyone who wrote a review seems like struggling surviving individuals. I don't wanna join you guys if so. Please, who can tell any real outcome they had after reading this book, and then I will buy it.

Bill Gates, Sam Walton and John D. Rockefeller became immensely wealthy by developing innovative businesses. Warren Buffett became rich by picking stocks better than anyone else. Forbes recently listed him as the world's richest man, but he lives in the same Omaha house he bought for $31,500 in 1958. He drives his own car, prepares his own taxes, wears inexpensive suits and does not employ servants beyond an "every other week" housekeeper. Buffett is a simple man with simple tastes. He likes hamburgers, Cherry Cokes and peanuts. Financial journalist Roger Lowenstein does a masterful job of reporting on Buffett's life and explaining his straightforward, common sense investing approach without speculation, fancy charts or complex technical analysis. Buffett focuses on three basics: tolerable risk, a company's value and its stock price. If the price is well below the true value, he's interested. Buffett used this easy-to-understand formula to build his fortune. It must work: When the book went to print, Buffett had a net worth of $64 billion. Using fascinating historical detail and colorful anecdotes, Lowenstein explains how Buffett did it. If you want to know, getAbstract recommends reading this book.

Buffett - The Making of an American Capitalist tells in a leisurely fashion the life story of Warren Buffett, perhaps the most well-known investor of the modern era. Instead of focusing on the exact financial moves and techniques, it focuses on capturing a picture of the man himself. What kind of person finds such success in investing? That's what Lowenstein seeks - and that's what I want to know as well.

I could attempt a weak rewrite of the book, summarizing some of the highlights of Buffett's life, but you could get that same information from Buffett's Wikipedia entry. Instead, I thought I would just give a handful of general reflections from the book, particularly in terms of how they relate to my own life and money.

Intensity wins. The one overarching theme from this book is intensity, at least from my reading. Buffett seems to keep his eyes on the prize all of the time, even in his early childhood. The only times he seems to stumble is when he takes his eye off the ball.

Never stop learning. Along those same lines, Buffett seems to constantly be learning as well, in terms of study, street smarts, and investigation. He learns from success and from failure, and the progression of this knowledge and wisdom is apparent throughout the book. It's pretty clear early on that he's intelligent but not wise - only after many years of learning does he seem wise.

Don't buy more than you need. Buffett's frugality is well known, but what's fascinating is how that frugality drifts over into his investing. In no aspect of his life does he spend a dime without clear purpose. He lives in what I'd call an upper middle class home because he sees no reason to live in anything else. Similarly, he passed up (over and over again, actually) seemingly good investments simply because he didn't see the reason to make the leap. It's pretty obvious, then, that Buffett follows his principles adamantly, especially later on in his career.

Similarly, look at the actual value of what you have. When Buffett bought Berkshire Hathaway, it was a textile company that was seriously on the decline. In fact, it was so disrespected that Buffett was able to buy the company for less than the value of its assets. A lot of people thought this huge investment was foolish, but Buffett began selling off those assets and using Berkshire Hathaway as a holding company, buying other companies. A lot of people saw a disaster - Buffett saw a bargain.

This is a brilliant principle to apply in all avenues of life, and it is one that inevitably points towards frugal living. If you question what exactly you're buying all the time, you tend to buy less stuff - and have more money for the important things.

In the end, this book actually does explain, in an indirect way, "how to win the Warren Buffett way." It's not a matter of following rules or stealthily following investment tips. It's about figuring out and understanding who you are, understanding cold the principles that you live your life on, and using them to invest. It's about the value of being honest - and the value of being yourself. It's also about the value of seeing the different kinds of value that something holds. All of this sounds really eye-rollingly simple, but yet it's so hard to actually execute, because one can really only reach that level after years of introspection and learning.

Who would have ever thought that, in the end, the story of Warren Buffett would have a lot in common with "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"?

Buy or Don't Buy?
Let's get this straight right off the bat: this is not a book of investment advice. If you're looking for a book on investing according to Buffett's principles, look elsewhere - I recommend starting with a good book on the principles of value investing, like "The Intelligent Investor".

Instead, this book belongs solidly in the biography section. This is a portrait of a person, and like any person, there are a lot of interesting facets and features. There are amazing strokes of genius, and there are flaws as well. A good biography takes a one dimensional image that we all know (Warren Buffett, investor extraordinaire) and fills him out as a three dimensional person, a person with love, with passion, with sadness, with high points and low points, with character and vitality.

"Buffett - The Making of an American Capitalist" is a very good biography. Buffett is a highly compelling subject, and with Lowenstein's skill, it's easily the best biography I've read of a modern investor, and it's one of the rare books that I will keep and read again. If you have any interest in who Warren Buffett is as a person, pick this up and read it - it's well worth the time.

This is by far the more enjoyable and informative of the two biographies of Warren Buffett on the market (the other is THE SNOWBALL).

Lowenstein wrote the first biography of Warren Buffett and it remains the definitive book if you are looking for a biography of his life and of his investments. Lowenstein makes his living writing books about business, and his craftsmanship helps him do justice to his topic. His details of Buffett's fascination with Geico when it was still a tiny company (Ben Graham was on the board when Buffett attended Columbia), became a troubled company (Graham still had his savings in Geico), and finally a Berkshire Hathaway holding, are unmatched. His buildup to Buffett's investments in the Nebraska Furniture Mart and the Washington Post also show where he agreed and differed with Graham. Buffett would invest 100% in stocks (Graham's max was 75%) if the price was right and felt that explaining how to identify great businesses was a necessary, but omitted, part of Graham's book, INTELLIGENT INVESTING. Yet, what they agreed upon was more important than their minor disagreements. They both sought value for the long term, and at that, Buffett excelled.

Lowenstein's book is the benchmark for all other Warren Buffett biographies. The book is routinely included on business school reading lists for good reason. This book is a very readable journey through Warren Buffett's private and business life. True to the man, the book focuses much more on his business dealings (including the early partnership, the original Berkshire Hathaway, Washington Post, Nebraska Furniture Mart and Salomon) than his personal dealings. But still, the author is careful to offer details of Buffett's dealings with others, leaving the reader with a feeling that he/she has a general understanding of the subject.

Some have been critical of the book for not offering details on Buffett's "investment secrets," but this criticism is misplaced since his investment methodology is clearly spelled out in his annual shareholder letters. Any attempts to rehash these writings in this book may benefit a small portion of the readership while creating a tedious feel for the large majority.

[...]

While Warren Buffett was by no means poor growing up, his story is one of inspiration to all to reach beyond their current situation to their dreams. This is a well-written story of a determined boy who grows to a young man, and finally an adult all the while being self-motivated to achieve what he desires. Very interesting and well worth the read.

Reading "The Wealthy Spirit" has changed my life. I had read the book a few years ago when I was having trouble at my job, as soon as I started my affirmations, I started to get bonuses and raises. It really worked! I continued my affirmations through out the years, but recently had to switch jobs. I took the book out again and started re-reading it. I was able to land a new job, and even in a slow economy I have been able to not only reach, but also exceed all sales goals. I have recommended the book to both friends and family. It really changed the way I feel about money and success. I had not realized how negative I was about money, reading the book helped me understand that I could achieve my dreams & goals with hard work, believing in myself, affirmations and a little help from the man upstairs :)

Oh what a joy this book is. As a firm believer in affirmations, I found Chellie Campbell's The Wealthy Spirit lifting mine each day.

To be honest, I haven't finished the book. It will take a year to read because there is an affirmation for every day of the year. Not only an affirmation, but also a full page with an entertaining story accompanying each one.

You won't want to hurry this book but savour it, one page at a time.

Jean Drew
Auckland, New Zealand

Chellie has managed to offer sage advice in a manner is uplifting and inspiring. The daily affirmations are offered with humor, self-revelation, and kind thought as Chellie puts forth topics from many facets of life in a way that all can relate to. This book will be enjoyed by the most sophisticated financial professional as well as the person who has just begun to give thought to such matters. I highly recommend this book as a daily stress reducer, not just regarding financial matters but for social and spiritual direction as well.

This book is inpsirational and important. It keeps me on the right track and keeps me thinking in the right direction.l I recommend the daily read for everyone. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

Chellie's book rocked my life and my business.
I've followed through on her practical suggestions
and my income doubled in the past 6 months.

This is not just another finance book. It transformed
my relationship with money. As long as I continue
using her tools, I am confident I can sustain my new-
found prosperity.

After 8 years in the financial services industry, a friend introduced me to this book. Over the last 7 years I have been applying Steve Moeller's principles and marketing methodology. I am just getting around to saying "thank you" for this book. My professional and personal life has been transformed thanks to Steve's message. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to incorporate proven, authentic strategies into their business. Applying these strategies will yield highly profitable business results and more importantly, a balanced and fulfilled life.

If you are attempting to grow you Financial Advisory business, this classic writing has new age advice that will ease the burden of identifying better ways to grow your client base. If you are an active producer, plan on coming back to this book periodically for it is loaded with those little pearls of wisdom that only someone who has been there and done that can convey so well. If you are a manager looking for ways to improve your associates' closing rates, read this and become the teacher. Unlike many "sales manuals" Effortless Marketing focuses on becoming in touch and happy with one's self and using that awareness to focus on what your prospective client wants...competent advice of course, but more...a connected, emotionally present advisor. If you're ready to move beyond product sales to consulative relationships, Effortless Marketing is an outstanding starting point. Keep this one on your bookshelf and refer to it when you're wondering how to improve your and your firm's marketing.

Steve Moeller's "Effortless Marketing" has it all. From determining clients' values to overall marketing strategies and niches, Steve has thoroughly put together a great resource for the financial services industry. I have read a lot of other books over the years and this is the one that is set apart from all the others. The book is an easy read and well laid out. You can focus on a few sections at a time and begin to implement the strategies the next day. Steve has definitely fulfilled on his title.

For anyone wanting to build a fee-based financial advisory practice Steve Moeller's work is required reading.
I read this book for the first time in 2007 and was amazed (considering it was written almost 10 years go) how far ahead of the curve these concepts are. People here in the UK are only now starting to adopt the type of approach that Steve has been advocating for years.
I have read a great many books on how to best market my financial planning business and while a number of them have been helpful this book is really the only one you will ever need.
By concentrating your efforts on implementing the ideas put forward in this book it is not only probable you will dramatically increase your revenue but you will also enhance your client relationships and your enjoyment of life.
Martin Turbin CFP

Steve provides a clear, concise, no nonsense approach of how to be successful in the financial services industry. His approach is well thought out, professional, and sorely needed in a somewhat dysfunctional industry. It provides me, as a new advisor switching careers, confidence that I can be myself and succeed in this business. Effortless Marketing is a must read for anybody trying to truly distinguish themselves in the independent financial advice and asset management businesses.

I highly recommend against buying this "book." It actually is a couple of hundred photocopied pages stuck in a cheap notebook. The form that I attempted to use for a new record company was poorly written. In fact, the first paragraph is one sentence which was not a complete sentence, which stated in part "This RECORD COMPANY hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement")"

There are no commentaries and, unless you absolutely know what you are doing and why, this is not very useful, especially in such complicated areas as exist in the music business. For the price, it would be better to go to your local law library and check out the Matthew Bender Entertainment Contracts, which have extensive commentaries and optional paragraphs. I am quite disappointed in this and have returned it.

This is a must have for any aspiring artist, musician, producer, or anything in between. You could probably spend hundreds of dollars on lawyers typing up contracts, but why do that when you can pay less and get more?

Complete, Accurate, Up-to-date, Informative -- everything I needed to make it out alive when it comes to music contracts. If you are like me, these can get tricky and confusing! 101 Music Business Contracts puts everything in order, ready to use or edit and relevant to any aspect of the industry. One of my best purchases yet!

This collection of contracts is a must have for anyone in any field related to the music business, these contracts cover it all! All together, all in one bundle, one affordable price, legitimate, editable, and so much more! If you are doing anything in the industry, definately add this to your collection of information. You'll be glad you did.

The majority of them are by people with no other reviews EXCEPT for books by the same publisher...

I love this book. I have read it through several times and keep getting great ideas. There are plenty of books on the market about making presentations but this is one of the best. Weissman breaks down the preparation stage to a step by step process that will help anyone create a better presentation.

Weissman doesn't spend much time on the actual practicing and delivery of the presentation. In fact, he writes about two pages at the end about practicing. Nonetheless, I believe that with the instruction presented in this book, anyone will have a better presentation, even if they are very nervous or have few speaking skills.

This is an excellent guide to improving your presentation content and style. I highly recommend it to anyone who has to present ideas - and isn't that most of us?

As a professional speaker, I know all too well, that one little shift in my delivery can make a world of difference in the outcome. Weissman holds nothing back. There is certainly material you may have seen presented in a different format- as there should be. Repetition is the mother of learning, and any good idea is worth seeing from as many perspectives as you can gain access to.

But what makes this book stand out is the new material; the material that is based on research so recent, and so state of the art, that any speaker willing to incorporate and use these ideas will move to the front of the line. And, if you weren't already, you'll also be on the "favorites" list of any meeting planner you work with.

Get it!

This book is literally an eye opening experience to anyone who communicates to people -verbal or written -on a daily manner; which in my book is EVERYONE. Weissman shares many years of wisdom and insight through various proven corporate methods for your professional and personal life. From meeting people, formal presentations, job interviews, to construction of reports: strategic and tactical planning, budgets, etc.
This is not a book for a person who wants a reader digest version -quick. It takes time to read, re-read and understand and apply his skill sets

I am a Silicon Valley CEO who has done an IPO road show, so I am Weismann's target audience. A few comments:

-- the content of the book is somewhere between fine and excellent. Some of it is unique. Weissman focuses on understanding audience goals and getting the story right not on speaking technique. His organization tips are good and not unusual. Jerry emphasizes the need to practice again and again. Much of this is lacking from other books like this and is worth repeating.

-- Weissman is a jargon freak. A goal becomes a "Point B". A benefit becomes a "WIFFY". A central theme is now a "Roman Column". This is not wrong of course -- just tedious.

-- this should have been an article, not a book. Appendix B (search it) comes close, but it's mainly a list. An article would be worth more, not less, because a reader would not have to labor through turgid, repetitive prose written by a guy with a major name-dropping habit.

-- Weissman shills for Microsoft. He never mentions Keynote, which does a better job of the kind of presentations he prefers. He is entranced with Windows Live and PowerPoint animations. Not a crime, but it has nothing at all to do with effective presentations.

The irony is that Jerry Weissman needs a Jerry Weissman -- someone who can help him reduce his book to an article. It would be worth five stars.

As with any reference work, you would use it for something like drawing up a client agreement, finding out details about business taxes, or perhaps you might just utilize one of the many example forms that are provided in the back of the book.

"Working for Yourself: Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers & Consultants" is a well-written and very comprehensive book on the subject of self-employment. It includes 21 chapters, and covers almost every aspect of working for yourself, such as the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, choosing legal form and name of your firm, home office or outside office, licenses, permits, and ID numbers, insurance, pricing and getting paid, taxes, employees and independent contractors, record keeping, accounting, retirement options, copyrights, trade secrets and patents, client agreements, further resources, forms and documents, and sample agreements.
Anyhow, this is not a book you will read cover to cover, but is very well-written and laid out guide. The only drawback to the book is that there appears to be no link to the sample documents used in the book. I checked the Nolo website and was unable to find downloadable documents used in the book. However, Nolo does sell legal forms on their website.

SMALL BUSINESS-The Art of The Start -40 Successful Concepts for A Small Business Start-up - You Start, Grow And Succeed

e-Marketing Intelligence - Transforming Brand and Increasing Sales - Tips and Tricks with Best Practices

"Working for Yourself" provides you with answers to all of your basic questions regarding starting your own business. It is not a substitute for discussing things with accountants or lawyers, but it provides you with all of the basic knowledge you need to make the proper decisions and will make those discussions more fruitful (and cheaper). Because the book covers all of the different aspects of your independent business, it also can serve as a great reference book in the future.

This book is a goldmine of information for the self-employed professional.

From how to set up your business to naming your website, pros and cons of home offices, to tons of info on legal issues like permits, and insurance issues (health, liability, disability, property, car, workers' comp and more), this book is the small business owner's encyclopedia of quick answers.

You'll find tons of information on taxes--income taxes (and how to reduce them), estimated taxes, self-employment taxes, and taxes for workers. There are also valuable chapters on record-keeping and retirement options, as well as copyrights, patents and trade secrets.

Written agreements are often a problem for start-ups and there are three chapters full of information on everything from creating them to reviewing them, changing them, writing your own, and more.

You'll also find two appendixes in this book--one with forms and documents that you can copy and use, and another with three sample agreements that you can adapt for yourself.

There is also an index, making it very easy to find something quickly.

I highly recommend this book. It should be your first business purchase, and I'm sure it will save you many times its purchase price.

The sub-title of "Working for Yourself" is Law & Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers & Consultants. However, this book goes far beyond just the legal and tax issues the self-employed have to deal with. For example, the book includes pros and cons of working for yourself instead of being an employee. It also addresses working from home vs. renting an outside office, and gives helpful advice about working with clients.

I am a big fan of the Nolo Press guides and own several, including others by Stephen Fishman. All of the Nolo books are comprehensive, and this one is no exception.

Not only does this book answer the questions you may have about working for yourself, it answers the questions you do not yet know to ask. The best way to use "Working for Yourself" is not to simply sit down and read it cover to cover. Instead, I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the table of contents so you know what issues are covered by the book. Then read the sections that apply to what you are dealing with now and in the near future.

Keep "Working for Yourself" in a handy place in your office so you can refer to it as needed. Then refer to it often as you build your business.

I have always been an advocate and strong supporter of Nolo Press and have read most of their books on various legal matters and would recommend them to customers when I worked at Borders. I recently elected to become an Independent Contractor and it is clear to me that either some clients might misconstrue the rules according to law or bend them, but if you take control and study up right from the outset you'll be in good shape.
"Working for Yourself" covered everything and offered a comprehensive view of the process and how to achieve best practices and negotiations when dealing with new clients. The chapter alone on "Drafting Your Own Client Agreements" will save you potential grief. The IRS enforces strict guidelines on I.C.s, so it is imperative to get the most benefits and tax breaks out of your personal business.

In today's tough job market, where layoffs are the order of the day, perhaps "Working for Yourself" is the freedom you've been seeking. It works for me.

My only critique would be the forms and agreements should be available online.

Highly recommend Working for Yourself!!!

This book was one of the best books I have ever read. It was informative and very well written. I would use it as a college text book. I look forward to the next book that Doug Hubbard writes.

Evidence based management would seem self evident, but the world is rarely that rational. In his excellent book, "How to Measure Anything" Doug Hubbard shows us how to seek and interpret evidence in numerous settings. Perhaps the most important is that of measuring our own ability to assess probabilities. Take his self calibration exercise and see how you measure up.

In the often over-saturated field of metrics literature, plain and simple this book makes sense of measurement. Starting with a common grounding definition of measurement for the decision maker "a set of observations that reduce uncertainty where the result is expressed as a quantity" - Hubbard unveils many simple truths about measurement that are helpful in every day practice for practitioners at all levels.

Some of the simple nuggets of wisdom to extract from this book entail the:

CLARIFICATION CHAIN: (i) if it matters at all, it is detectable and observable; (ii) if it is detectable, it can be detected as an amount (or range of possible amounts); and (iii) if it can be detected as a range of possible amounts, it can be measured

FOUR USEFUL MEASUREMENT ASSUMPTIONS: (i) your problem is not as unique as you think; (ii) you have more data than you think; (iii) you need less data than you think; (iv) there is a useful measurement that is much simpler than you think

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE MEASUREMENT: (i) what is the decision this is supposed to support; (ii) what really is the thing being measured; (iii) what does this thing matter to the decision being asked; (iv) what do you know about it now; and (v) what is the value to measuring it further?

And many other heuristics that one can consult on an everyday basis or use as a cornerstone for a holistic measurement analysis.

Last, for any position relying expert opinion - Hubbard's depiction of how optimism bias can be calculated is particularly insightful and in fact a must read.

In general, this book is a great read for not just measurement people, but for management people and the everyday practitioner. Enjoy!

I first read Hubbard's book in pre-publication form when asked by the author to write a recommendation for the book. Two weeks ago I had occasion to read it again as I was planning an introductory lecture on measurement for health care measurement experts. I routinely recommend the book along with Denny Borsboom's Measuring the Mind. Upon my rereading I felt compelled to write this brief note.
This book "works" on several levels. First, it is very well written and comparably well edited. Second, it covers a wide range of material without dabbling. Every key point is illustrated with a memorable application or example. And, finally, the book treats complex material like the Rasch model and Baysean inference elegantly.
My favorite parts of the book are Chapter 3, The Illusion of Intangibles: Why Immeasurables Aren't, which could have been an alternate title for the book. Chapter 14, New Measurement Instruments for Management, especially the section on the Internet as an unobtrusive measurement device and Chapter 10, Bayes: Adding to what you Know Now. Of course, we all are Bayseans!
Graduate students in almost any field that deals with numbers, and business executives across the spectrum will benefit from reading this book. Like USA Today the book measures at a comfortable 1240 Lexiles.

A. Jackson Stenner
CEO, MetaMetrics, Inc
Durham, NC

"Hubbard's book will be considered one of the seminal books in measuring those things that seem to resist measurement in business. His examples cover the value of security, risk, the value of information, and market forecasts. He even discusses methods that are used to assess how much should be spent by government to reduce risks of fatalities or how quality can be measured.

Fascinating examples of simple measurements are used to solve critical problems are used to keep the reader engaged throughout the book. The economist who explained how he people reveal the value they put on happiness or how statisticians in World War II estimated the German tank production levels are among my favorite examples.

Perhaps the most immediately useful part of the book for me was where Hubbard explains how our ability to make subjective assessments of quantities and probabilities can measurably improved through training. He then shows how this skill at assessing your own uncertainty becomes the keystone for computing the value of further measurements and selecting measurement methods. It all comes together in the last chapter where he describes a "universal approach" to measurement.

This book should not only be on the desk of every manager, it should be the center piece of any serious measurement initiative in business."

Charles Givens never claimed to have some sort of get-rich-quick scheme, it's a get rich quicker and how to win the fight for financial freedom program. In Financial Self DeFense, Givens shows people how to hold on to their money and how to keep banks, insurance companies and the IRS out of our pockets, using proven and legal methods that most people are just not aware of. Since reading Financial Self DeFense, we went from a 10 year old Chevette to a 3 year old Intrepid. Refused the service contract which saved us nearly $1,000.

Thanks to the advice in Financial Self DeFense, we are saving $200 a year on auto insurance and a whopping $1,000 on life insurance from using the Life Insurance Clearinghouse as suggested in the book. We shopped and they had the best rates. So what if Givens had a business interest in the Life Insurance Clearinghouse? He save us a bundle, and we have no problem if Givens made a profit in the process!

I found it interesting that a article appeared in Forbes attacking Mr Givens claim of 15% returns with mutual funds. Forbes said it was impossible. We have earned an average of 30% over the last five years in no-load mutuals and were safely out of stock funds over the last two years thanks to the money movement strategy. So much for Forbes!

I believe that success brings criticism. With the exception of More Wealth without Risk, Financial Self DeFense was a best seller far outpacing other financial books. And the advice is more beneficial than listening to financial planners, insurance agents, brokerage firms, automobile sales people, bank loan officers etc.

Were were also able to use Mr. Givens advice with the IRS and won!

Our family is Chuck_full_of_Givens only for one reason--Chuck Givens was a brilliant financial strategist and his techniques work.Rest in peace Chuck and thank you for teaching us Financial Self DeFense

I was introduced to Mr. Givens back in January 1989 on one of his many
appearances on "The Today Show." At that time Mr. Givens was promoting this book, Wealth Without Risk and the stock market was still on most people minds after that huge crash that had occurred in October 1987. We bought Wealth Without Risk in January of 1989.

To say that I was skeptical, would be an understatement. Nonetheless, I went out and bought his book and passively applied some of the strategies.

Several months later, I had moved from Pennsylvania to Orlando, FL and came in contact with Dennis Jumper, a Givens member and Share The Wealth rep.

Dennis convinced me of the increased opportunities available via the
membership so I joined. Also that day, I met Mr. Givens for the first time.

He was very dynamic and charismatic.

Prior to studying the Financial Library and applying the Givens Power
Strategies, I was like a gerbel in a cage! Earning money was the easy part. hanging on to what to what I made and keeping ahead of taxes and inflation was the hard part. I found that the more money that I had coming in the front door, the faster it went out the back door!

After reading Wealth Without Risk and pouring into the Financial Library, my wife and I found that it was very easy to stack strategies i.e. use the personal finance and tax reducing strategies and increase our contrbutions to our company 401(k) thereby reducing our AGI and being eligible for deductible IRA'S. Taking the savings from auto insurance and putting the profits into our insurance companies annuity and seeing our insurance premiums go even LOWER!

Then Financial Self Defense came out in 1991 and we learned even more! We became more aware of the schemes and scams out there and the many mistakes we were making in our financial lives. FSD offered strategies and techniques not available anywhere else. Later that year Givens added the strategies from FSD in his financial library and offered it to his members.

We had our son help us in our family business and pay him a "tax
deductible" salary instead of a "non deductible" allowance. Used our
automobile in our business and go from a zero allowance to a 80% tax
deduction, this includes service and maintenance costs. Take "tax
deductible" business trips instead of non deductible vacations, even cruises and more. Even though there have been changes in the tax law, the techniques that Givens teaches here still work and are still be used today. A more recent book to read would be Slash Your Taxes by Sonny Bolkin.

We also moved from a local bank checking account to a money market mutual fund to take advantage of the higher interest and flexibility.

We were amazed to see how money we were saving from restructoring auto,
health and homeowners insurance PLUS modifying our W-4 form at work. All of this "new found money" went into our money market mutual funds for
emergencies while also funding our IRA's and regular mutual fund accounts.

We actually had investments that were growing for the first time. In fact one of our no-load, low expence stock mutual funds, recommended by Mr. Givens grew by more than 87% in one year! After so many years of losing money, we were flabbergasted to say the least.

With our business, we also set up a SEP IRA for my wife and I and we are contributing the maximum and also have IRA's set up for our son directly from salaries from helping us and of course we take a tax deduction.

We also fired our financial planner. In 1987 he put us in bad loaded stock mutual funds which dropped a lot as did the overall market that year. Then he put us in bonds at the absolute worst time and we missed out on part of the market rebound in 1989. Had we been aware of Mr. Givens and his strategies we, as Givens members had, pulled our money out of stock mutual funds and avoided the big stock market crash of 1987.

Now, all of our investments are in NO-LOAD MUTUALS only and we are our own Financial Planners! We are using the Givens Money Movement Strategy as our guide and estimate that we are on track to have a retirement income well in excess of six figures just from our investments.

We follow the money movement strategy and that kept us from losing money in 1989, 1995, 2000 and 2007 and more recently in 2008 and 2009. In 2000, we pulled money out of stock mutual funds and individual stocks, moved into a money market fund and then into a zero coupon bond mutual fund. One of Mr. Given's mantra's was,

"When interest rates are high, stocks will die." So when Greenspan started raising interest rates, we pulled out of stocks and moved into money market mutual funds. As expected, stocks fell and fell hard with the Dow Jones dropping from nearly 12,000 to 8,000 and the Nasdaq from 5300 to under 2,000. Likewise, when interest rates started going up again we once again moved out of stocks and missed the stock market slide we have had in 2008 and 2009. Mr. Givens money movement strategy works everytime.

Mr. Givens also has another mantra that goes like this:


"Everytime interest rates drop 1% all bonds appreciate 10%." We made 45%-50% on our bond fund while others were chasing stocks and buying on the dip or using the old "buy and hold" strategy. And since we used the recommendations by Mr. Givens and the Givens Org. we had investments that were growing and paid no commissions -we used only NO LOAD FUNDS and in particular, invested only in the low cost funds that Mr. Givens recommended. Isn't it funny how so many of these other so called "financial experts" forget to tell you about expences on NO LOAD FUNDS??

The Money Movement Strategy is a winning strategy that has been working since 1979 and still works everytime. A study was done on the money movement strategy and showed that investors who used this technique from 1979 to 1994 made on average over 25%, far superior to investors as a whole. People who criticize the money movement strategy either haven't used it, don't understand it or are not real investors.

Mr. Givens also recommends strategies outside the stock market and perfect for this economy like discounted mortgages and tax lien certificates. Powerful, high yielding investments without risk.

It should be noted that the original book, Wealth Without Risk was written in 1988 during a very bad economy and Americans still reeling after the huge stock market crash of October 1987. Those who were a part of the Givens Org.,bypassed the economic recession and missed the Stock Market Crash of 1987. Overall, the strategies are just as applicable today as they were 20 years ago. People who attack the Money Movement Strategy either don't understand it, haven't used it or are not real investors. I know that my portfolio has grown throughout the stock market decline in 2007 & 2008 while everyone else I talk to have porfolios that are bleeding red from following the old "buy & hold" strategy and following advice from their financial planners and brokers.

As Mr. Givens used to say, "The reason these guys are called brokers is because they are usually broker than you are!" And I would add that they also make you broker. Will Americans ever learn?

I also dropped a whole life insurance policy and moved into a LPT policy.
More money to invest and/or build on our lifestyle.

If I had to choose the single most important strategy, it would be "The
Dreams List" Strategy. This is what ! got us to take action and make
everything possible. The Dreams List also kept us motivated during many
difficult times and kept us on track.

In 1991, I had one of those unfortunate reversals in my life. Fortunately at that time I was not only a Givens (IAS) member but also associated with Share The Wealth, the direct selling division of the Givens Org. and had qualified for a Managers Conference. Part of that included going to Mr. Givens home. I meekly approached Mr. Givens while he was entertaining
approximately 80 other guests and asked him if I could have a few minutes of his time, that I had a personal issue and needed some advice.

He was gracious, politely excused himself from his other guests and spent about 30 minutes with me discussing my situation. His advice worked and to this day I can recall his look of concern and sincerity in wanting to help me. Mr. Givens was a one of a kind guy.

Finally I would suggest that you focus on the message and not the messenger. No matter what I and the other 5 star reviewers say, many people will have an issue with Mr. Givens based on whatever reason. The strategies work, for for everyone and work everytime.

This book should be renamed THE SUPERFINANCIAL BIBLE because for us,
it has helped us reach financial goals that we consider SUPER and wouldn't have achieved without the Givens Strategies. Mr. Like Think & Grow Rich, there can never be another book like this again (although there are many imitators) More Wealth Without Risk will go on for decades to come. As well it should. Mr. Givens, RIP and thank you!



Tony DeFrancisco

Winter Park, FL

This great book by the late, great Charles Givens along with More Wealth Without Risk is all the protecion you need to save yourself from dangerous advice disseminated from brokers, insurance salesmen, car dealers, financial advisors or planners.

Financial Self Defense is actually even more hard hitting that More Wealth Without Risk. One area that I saved was in buying cars. Following the advice in this book, I bought my dream car, sold my old car myself and pocketed nearly $10,000 in savings compared to what I would have spent had I followed conventional wisdom.

Great book Mr. "G". Rest in peace and thank you.

If you have already read More Wealth Without Risk, you probably think you have all of Mr. Givens best strategies. Not so. Financial Self Defense is even better and offers more strategies to reach your financial dreams.

In Financial Self Defense, Givens goes right after banks, brokers, auto salesmen and even the IRS, exposing the schemes and scams perpetrated by these people.

My son was going to buy a car. I loaned him Financial Self Defense and he saved over $6,000 with the advice. A $14 book saved $6,000. Now that's not bad!

Most of us are wasting an easy $1,000 per month in financial mistakes. Givens shows you how to plug up the dike and use that money to invest or improve your lifestyle.

More Wealth Without Risk is excellent and Financial Self Defense is in many ways even better. Read both and prosper.

Charles Givens died before his time. I appreciated his way of explaining things. Because he spoke with authority, he actually lived what he was talking about. And I believe he was genuinely attempting to help people see the way to get out of their mundane 9-5 debt slavery and see a brighter way. I know he got into trouble in later years, but from reading all his books and getting to know him from his writings, I believe he was a decent person who cared. I think everyone needs to know what is in this book. Granted some references are dated, but that is only because he is dead and can no longer update his work. Would highly recommend this book as one of many references to the road to independent wealth, many people just dream about it, the real deal busts his backside getting the info he needs to attain his goal. Because knowledge is indeed power.

What I like best is the ideas around vibrancy, to get the most out of your marketing spend you need to get vibrant engagement from your customers. Without this you are just another choice in a world of infinite choices. A great book for any marketing professional to read, as well as maybe some other people in most companies!

"Invigorating, exciting, packed with straight talk and energy. Professor Larreche presents an incisive analysis of the key elements of an organizational renewal strategy offering lasting benefits to all stakeholders. In the wake of the global financial crisis, those who truly understand vibrancy and momentum will be positioned for lasting success; essential reading for every senior leadership team."

Roger Greenwood and Andy GebbieThe Momentum Effect: How to Ignite Exceptional Growth

The Insead professor J. C. Larreche offers with the book "The Momentum Effect" an innovative and powerful management framework helping companies to reach sustainable growth. All findings of this practical book are based on the author`s extensive research of over 350 worldwide leading firms, covering a period of 20 years.

The main step for achieving this exceptional growth is the firm`s shift away from compensating strategy towards momentum strategy. The author shows how to build and preserve momentum, and how to use it leaving the competitors trailing in the firm`s wake.

The Momentum feeds on itself - each success provides energy for the next, enabling firms to deliver exceptional organic growth year after year. The momentum management process consists of eight elements, forming the twin engines of momentum - momentum design and momentum execution. The corner stone is the power offer, that is based on - like "Blue Ocean Strategy" - a superior, compelling customer value.

Besides the theoretical framework, the author gives interesting insights into successful firms (e.g. Apple, Toyota or IBM) on their way to momentum-leadership and demonstrates their success stories in a simple and easy way.

This book shows managers how to win new customers and how to inspire existing customers. It reveals successful strategies for originating new sources of growth and value from customers with the power to unlock great potential. The book encourages the reader to act and to become a momentum-leader. "The Momentum Effect" is an excellent book and gives managers an answer how to execute after "Blue Ocean Strategy". Not only C. Kim and R. Mauborgne the authors of "Blue Ocean Strategy" call it a "must read".

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, momentum is the "strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events".

In "The Momentum Effect", J.C. Larreche outlines, in a clear and compelling way, the critical events that high performing companies have pursued in order to build and sustain unprecedented organic growth resulting from a virtuous circle of vibrant customer satisfaction, retention, and engagement. This book, based on 20 years of empirical research, company analyses, and computerized simulations, can help business leaders and their organizations to lay the groundwork for business momentum.

This book provides deep insights that go beyond the concept of customer-driven organizations by showing the critical linkages between customer focus and business results. The Momentum Effect can help companies to build tremendous customer equity which results in the creation of unprecedented value for the firm. The "power offer", the critical component that links the external world with the internal world of the firm, is a key concept that is likely to become part of the business lexicon in years to come.

The idea behind momentum came out of the insight that some businesses like Toyota, Apple and First Direct (HSBC) have been able to achieve tremendous customer equity while decreasing their relative marketing spending relative to other firms who have followed "push" type business and marketing strategies.

Larreche offers a set of frameworks to help readers to systematically think through the critical components that are required to design and execute momentum from both the external market side as well as the internal employee side. Larreche shows how building customer equity not only helps to create customer advocates but also helps to create supporters out of noncustomers.

General managers, marketing executives, as well anyone who is looking for a fresh perspective on how to ignite profitable growth should read this book. It is a wonderful companion to "Blue Ocean Strategy" by W.C Kim and R. Mauborgne.

Larreche's latest book bring the best of what you can expect from a true Business Thought Leader: real life success case studies, a conceptual approach that can be communicated with impact and ease throughout an organization and practical tools for systematic implementation.
Momentum Effect is holistic: it needs to be applied at multiple levels Momentum Strategy at the Corporate level, Momentum Marketing at the Brand level and Momentum Leadership top down and bottom up.
Practicing the Momentum Effect requires discipline up to the level it becomes a natural behavior. However, like with top athletes or artists, Momentum is not permanent and becoming complacent can bring you down faster than you rose to the top.
The Momentum Effect walks you through the steps that made major brands such as BMW, Dell, iPod or anti-cancer drug Gleevec so successful and why some of them did not maintain their momentum. Set your sights high: only Power product or service offerings and genuine Customer Engagement can bring and keep you at the top of the performance charts.
Now it is up to you use to embrance the Momentum Effect and apply it to your organization!