Economic-Life Books

My show with author and entreprenuer, Mary E. Davis was great! Mary has over 15 years experience in being self-employed, and she brought incredible wisdom to the show for moms, and women in general, on how to balance the sometimes competing responsibilites of running a business and running a household. It was clear that Mary was fired up with passion on giving women business owners information that will help them plan, operate and succeed at business from a realistic point of view.

Every show, my guest speak with me about the challenges they walked through in order to realize their dreams. Mary's challenges were particular interesting to me, because they spoke of her persistence and belief in herself. Mary shared with us that when she first began her business in the flooring industry, she was pregnant. One particular order that she needed to complete required moving very heavy flooring. She had no one that could help her move the order, so you know what this woman did? She hoped her pregnant belly on a fork lift or tractor trailer truck and hauled that order to where it needed to be, herself! That says alot about her ethics, determination and belief in herself.

For the women business owners out there, Mary's words of wisdom were clear and simple: DON'T GIVE UP, and MAKE IT HAPPEN! Good planning, an accountability team and sheer guts can take you all the way to success!

Reviewed by Lori Plach for Reader Views (7/07)

Do you feel the need to expand your horizons? Do you desire to be more than "just a stay-at-home mom?" Do you want to combine the best profession of being a mother with being your own boss and earning an income? Do you want the flexibility of earning an income yet being available for your children? If you answered yes to any of these questions, perhaps you have just the right qualities for being an entrepreneurial mom.

Mary E. Davis has developed a book to help you every step of the way to becoming an entrepreneur using her own personal experience of owning her flooring business for 15 years. She gives you insights you wouldn't get if it weren't for the voice of experience. Oftentimes she adds humor to her display of experience in starting a business from an idea to a success.

"The Entrepreneurial Mom" gives you an opportunity to explore just how you can combine being your own boss with being the quality mother that your family needs. One particular chapter that I found to be very useful is not just for entrepreneurial moms, but for all moms, no matter if they are stay-at-home or working moms. It is entitled "101 Time Savers, Stress Reducers, and Inspirations for Moms."

"The Entrepreneurial Mom" is a sure-fire book for mothers who have the dream of opening their own business, either now or somewhere down the road!

A great read! Packed with personal stories and suggestions for today's over-worked moms who yearn to start their own business! Reading this book is like talking to a trusted friend and coming away with great advice on everything from how to start a business; promote it; deal with people; and still handle the responsibilities of your other 'job,' as 'Mom.'

This was a really nice book. I haven't seen another one on the market quite like it. The author says in her book that back in 1992 when she decided to own her own business that she looked for a book like the instant one, but couldn't find one. She swore that if she was successful at owning her own company, then she would plug the market with the book she was looking for. And here it is. What a gem!

The book has the following 11 chapters;

1. OK, I can do it
2. Childcare
3. Organization of your home and office
4. Juggling the roles of mom and business owner
5. Words of wisdom
6. The positives and negatives
7. Entrepreneurial moms speak
8. Setting up your business
9. Marketing
10. The choices and the children
11. What is success, anyway?

Clearly this book emphasizes the topics unique to a business owned by a woman with kids in their early years up to teenagers. The book is not sugar-coated. It is pretty up front with the things a mother must do to be a good mom and a good business owner.

This book goes into some of the issues that would exist if a business is created totally from scratch. The author chose not to go the franchise route in starting a business. She owns a floor covering (carpet laying) business in Florida. Also, her take on the subject at hand is from the perspective of a business owner offering a pretty cut and dry product coupled with a service. I think the book would have been a little different if she was running her own law office or consulting type business. Maybe another woman can write that book from her personal experiences?

I would have liked the book better if Chapter 7 regarding "Entrepreneurial Moms Speak" had been less superficial. There are 15 women quoted in the chapter and they said a few things to compliment the author's story. But it could have been much better. For example, why not have a few consultants go into some depth as to the real problems they face that are a little different from the author's but are real just the same? This could have been done, but wasn't.

I particularly enjoyed reading the "101 Time Savers" list at the end of the book. It added a nice touch to the book overall. 5 stars!

Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom, an entrepreneurial mom, or planning to be (any of those), this book is for you! I really enjoyed reading this book! It had humor, it had helpful tips, detailed instructions and suggestions, and was overall, just a great read! It was very informative, helpful, and inspiring.

As my husband and I read through the book, we realized it made a lot of sense to gather experiences from others. These people have made a work at home career workable. Paul and Sarah show us how to think on our feet, keep things in order, be flexible and get the kids involved too. We really appreciate all of the recommendations throughout the book. These are a huge source of unbelievable resources right at the finger tips. We are very anxious to go to the recommended websties, and of course, read the books. The three books that we have already purchased and are extremely pleased with are Getting Publicity, by Tana Fletcher, How to Raise a Family and a Career Under One Roof, by Lisa Roberts and Mommy-CEO, (Constantly Evaluating Others)5 Golden Rules, Revised Edition, by Jodie Lynn. So far, these three books have helped to pinpoint daily stress factors involving a business and last but certianly not least, kids in the home. There are many others listed which we are sure will be extremely useful in the big picture of things to come. In our experience, we have learned it doesn't matter how successful we'd like to be, but instead, getting the right answers for the right challenge and then making it workable for the family. As the authors say, if there are kids around, get them involved in either the business or other activities so work can be completed. This is a true statement especially if children are underfoot for the biggest part of the day. For the best use of our time on a daily basis, we know it's mandatory that parenting skills are sharp and respect is working on both ends of the spectrum. This book has almost every answer to every question entreprneurs wonder about. If there is any stone left unturned, it can surely be found in one of the many other recommended books or websites. Totally cool and it just makes sense.

Simply said, if you are a working parent, you've got to get this book! Aside from the how to basics, you can tell that Paul and Sarah have really done their homework -- it's loaded with facts. This book features profiles of 111 entrepreneurs who spill the beans of what it's like in their careers including a job description, their industry insight, marketing tips, and top revenue streams. Paul and Sarah paint a real picture of what it's like to work from home. They show that entrepreneurs defined success in terms of quality of life, rather than dollars earned. For many, it's a trade off that is well worth it for more time with the kids and a richer life. They offer extensive coverage of insurance options for the self-employed. Other topics include childcare options, how to handle summer vacations, and involving the family in your business.

I had bought Paul and Sarah Edwards book "How To Make Money in Cyberspace" several years ago when I first had the concept of my business... and I owe it all to Paul and Sarah for passing along their knowledge to make this business the success that it is. I only wish that "The Entrepreneurial Parent" had been published at that time as well. I would have saved myslef a lot of time and mistakes along the way as far as running a business from home with a small child. This book is cram packed full of advice, resources, techniques and real life examples. I can attest to all the book has to offer having gone through the process myself. Thank you Paul and Sarah for publishing such a valuable resource. I highly reccommend buying this book along with their other book "How To Make Money in Cyberspace" if you are thinking of starting an on-line business.

Simply said, if you are a working parent, you've got to get this book! This book is BRILLIANTLY written - what a joy to read! Aside from the how to basics, you can tell that Paul and Sarah have really done their homework -- it's loaded with facts. This book features profiles of 111 entrepreneurs who spill the beans of what it's like in their careers, including a job description, their industry insight, marketing tips, and top revenue streams. Paul and Sarah paint a real picture of what it's like to work from home. They show that entrepreneurs defined success in terms of quality of life, rather than dollars earned. For many, it's a trade off that is well worth it for more time with the kids and a richer life. They offer extensive coverage of insurance options for the self-employed. Other topics include childcare options, how to handle summer vacations, and involving the family in your business.

Finding the ideal work-from-home situation can be daunting, especially for parents. This book breaks down the process from determining whether you're suited to be an at-home Entrepreneur vs. a corporate employee in an outside office, to finding the ideal business. The Edwards and Lisa Roberts, well-respected in their field, provide a thorough listing for all types of business opportunities available to Entrepreneurial Parents. I highly recommend this valuable resource!

There are some typos in here that take away from the book, such as the gaff that the '73 (it was the '72)Dolphins being perfect. Did Shula forget the date, or did he EVEN proof-read the text? No matter, it IS a very good and positive book anyway and much can be taken out of it and used in everyday life. Shula'slegend lives on!

Of the 1000's of books written on leadership in the past 100 years, this one presents a very real picture of world we live in. Too many of the books I've read lately give us the magic formulas to follow, some leading us through a veritable mathematical maze to tell us what kind of leader we are. "Principle-Centered Leadership" by Covey and "The Platinum Rule" fall into this category. What Blanchard and Shula have done, and done quite successfully is to integrate theory with actual examples. While I don't agree with everything that Shula has done, I do applaud his efforts. I do absolutely believe in his philosophy of "Lead by example," and the necessity of developing trust. Both Shula and Blanchard emphasize this aspect of leadership as critical. There are too many so-called leaders in the corporate world who do not lead by example. They are quite willing to demand of you what they are unwilling to do themselves. On top of the quality of the reading, the book is very easy to read. I hi

What makes this book so effective is that the advice offered is not only solid, but it can be applied immeditely. It's a "hands on" doer's guide. The strength Ken Blanchard brings is his strong Christian influence. Shula's credentials consist of his long term track record as an NFL coach. In this book Shula describes how he leads by example and thorough preparation.

One place this book separtes itself from books of this genre is that it emphasizes "follow through" as contrasted with goal-setting. That's an action focus. It puts the spotlight on doing something.

Don Shula, the National Football League's all-time winningest coach, teamed up with Ken Blanchard, the internationally known and multiple award-winning author, educator, and management and leadership consultant, and together they co-wrote an outstanding book about leaders getting the best performance from the individuals and organizations they are privileged to lead. Whether you are responsible for the performance of multiple organizations, or for just one other individual, the leadership wisdom and insights in this book can help you maximize your coaching and leadership effectiveness.

The winning combination of the two separately distinguished leaders in their respective fields, and the complementary structure of the book were brilliant. Organized around the acronym C.O.A.C.H., the five coaching "secrets" that Shula had practiced and Blanchard has been teaching for over 30 years, the book alternated synergistic passages from Shula then Blanchard to explore and explain the acronym in theory and practice from the football gridiron to modern business situations, and ultimately to the game of life.

Here's how Shula and Blanchard define and think about the acronym C.O.A.C.H.:

Conviction-Driven: Effective leaders stand for something.

Overlearning: Effective leaders help their teams achieve practice perfection.

Audible-Ready: Effective leaders, and the people and teams they coach, are ready to change their game plan when the situation demands it.

Consistency: Effective leaders are predictable in their response to performance.

Honesty-Based: Effective leaders have high integrity and are clear and straightforward in their interactions with others.

Conviction-Driven: "Someone has said that a river without banks is a puddle. When I apply that saying to human interactions, it reminds me of the job of a coach. Like those river-banks, a good coach provides the direction and concentration for performers' energies, helping channel all their efforts toward a single desired outcome. Without that critical influence, the best achievements of the most talented performers can lack the momentum and drive that make a group of individuals into champions."

Overlearning: "To me a game doesn't end when the clock finally runs out. It ends on Monday, after we've analyzed every play and learned all we cana from it...Failure is successfully finding out what you don't want to repeat...Learning is defined as a change in behavior. You haven't learned a thing until you can take action and use it."

Audible-Ready: "Preparation means everything to me. I'm passionate about my players being ready for anything. Now, part of being ready is being able to shift your game plan at will. I see myself as a battlefield commander who has the guts to make the right moves to win. I want to be prepared with a plan - and then to expect the unexpected and be ready to change this plan. I must preserve the right to change - even to change at the last moment - as circumstances demand...Audibles aren't surprises - just new ways of doing what you already know how to do. Business people need to learn to call audibles, because in today's world, nothing stays the same."

Consistency: "Your team will soon learn what your standards are and perform accordingly. I not only insist on practice perfection, I'm there to see that it takes place. I don't miss practices. I need to be out there smelling out whatever isn't working. Even the slightest deviation from perfection needs to be noticed and corrected on the spot. Correcting and redirecting performance is strategically important - it's where we outstrip the competition. Some coaches will let little things go. Right there is where the difference is made. To me, it's not a matter of how many times we've done it or how late it is or how tired the players are. We'll do it until we get it right. Then we won't deviate from it in the game. I'd rather throw out a play or formation during practice than find out it can't be done correctly in the ball game. We seldom try anything on game day that we haven't been able to perfect in practice. If I'm asking our players to do something they can't do, I want to know about it now."

Honesty-Based: "I have a straight-up approach. I don't know how to go around corners or how to finesse. My players know this and they expect candor from me. Congruence is important to me. What you see with Don Shula is what you get. I don't play games. Effective coaches confront their people, praise them sincerely, redirect or reprimand them without apology, and above all are honest with them. Integrity pays, and integrity means being honest with yourself and others. This is a key ingredient in my coaching philosophy."

In his introduction to the book, Blanchard stated that he is on a search for simple truths to help leaders and managers be their best. With Shula's proven long-term coaching effectiveness as the foundation for this book, Blanchard has found and shared many simple leadership truths and complexities. This book would be a welcome addition to anyone's coaching or leadership collection.

This is a must buy for every coaches library. Coach Shula explores all of the areas a coach is confronted with. He gives the reader his philosophy on coaching and relates it to life's teachings.

This book gives the basic blue print on how to be better stewards over our finances. The author puts a spirtual perspective on how God wants us to use our finances to advance his kingdom, as well as reducing financial worry. God has certainly annointed this man with the wisdom needed concerning this issue.

Written with honesty and humor, the friendly conversational style of this book, makes reading about financial management a pleasure instead of the usual chore of wading through dull facts and figures. The author's perspective on the value of material resources provides a refreshing alternative to the "get all you can" mentality of contemporary American culture. More important than HOW MUCH money you make, have, and spend, he says, is HOW you choose to manage it, for true financial freedom is an attitude, not an amount. He writes of the spiritual responsibility of stewardship of material resources, using them to gain freedom from selfishness by helping others obtain greater freedom. Prioritizing needs, wants, and desires helps guide spending so as to bring optimum satisfaction and enjoyment. Practical steps for the reduction and control of debt are discussed, including many helpful tips for simplifying life and lowering spending. Two chapters are devoted to the principles and strategies of investment. One of the particular strengths of this book is the consideration of personality types in regard to spending, investing, and financial decision making with one's spouse. Recommended for an enjoyable and educational read.

Ray Linder writes a book that is not only interesting and at times humorous but is easily understandable by the lay person. He makes an often dull subject come alive and packs it full of practical advice on putting ones financial house in order and keeping it that way. Ray points out the common traps we all fall into and offers solutions that are "do-able". Acknowledging that conflicts surrounding money are often the greatest sources of friction between husbands and wives, Ray addresses this problem by explaining how different personalities handle money issues in very different ways. While using sound spiritual principles of money management, he also takes into account that we need to enjoy life and encourages making allowance for the things we like to do. I would recommend this book highly to anyone wishing to be free of the constant tyranny finances often play in our lives.

Ray Linder is an author with the background to write such a book. He is a Registered Financial Advisor, has an MBA, worked for IBM and as a financial consultant for some pretty famous people. Ray is also a lecturer who speaks to teach and not to sell. I read his first book and he writes with his reader in mind. This new book does not disappoint. In fact, it takes the next step by including chapters on Personality Types and their spending and saving behaviours. Eye-opening stuff. Here, too, Ray has legitimacy for he is a certified MBTI Personality Type consultant. No one will walk away from this book and not know how to invest and manage not only their investments but also their spending. Ray does something here that I have not seen others do: when he speaks of budgeting, he includes money for SPENDING. Most stress SAVING to the point that one feels guilty when spending. Another great thing is that Ray learned from personal experience that material wealth alone will not bring fulfillment. He,therefore, addresses the spiritual side of money, that having it is a bonus but using it wisely is a joy. You will learn rich lessons for financial strategic planning and for richness in life as well.

The world of Finance has been a subject that is complicated to me so I was wonderfully surprised to find Ray Linder's book not only interesting and understandable but a pleasure to read. I was especially pleased with his references to Scriptures. and "helps" for the different personality types. It was a joy to read and contains a wealth of information to help you to better understand the financial world.

Mike Veeck and Pete Williams will keep you laughing throughout the entire book. Great example why you shouldn't take yourself to seriously and have fun with life.

What a great formula for business success! I love the philosophy behind this wonderful way to run a company and a career. Laughter is definitely more than the "Best Medicine" as this book shows....it can lead to higher profits and a real jump up the ladder of success!

When I was 10 years, I wrote Bill Veeck--the innovative baseball
promoter--a letter . . . he responded, and that began a period
of occasional letters that ended when he died several years
later . . . his creativity inspired me then--and still does to this day.

I still chuckle at some of the things that Veeck did to enliven
the game . . . he introduced exploding scoreboards, popularized
postgame fireworks and provided nurseries at the ballpark for
children . . . in addition, he staged special nights for every
group imaginable and was the first to popularize ballpark
giveways.

His son, Mike Veeck, has carried on his legacy with a series
of equally unique promotions that he writes about with co-author
Pete Williams in FUN IS GOOD . . . but you don't have to be a baseball fan to love this
book, in that the ideas contained can be applied to any
profession . . . or as the subtitle points out, you'll learn
HOW TO CREATE JOY & PASSION IN YOUR
WORKPLACE & CAREER.

Many times, authors promise outrageous things in their
titles and/or subtitles . . . this is not the case here;
Veeck and Williams actually show you how this can be
done in a step-by-step approach that's both easy to
follow and apply.

I kept jotting notes down as I read FUN IS GOOD, which is
always a good sign . . . it means that I plan to go back to use
much of it . . . the only negative to this practice is that it makes
it difficult to choose just a few ideas to share in this brief
review, in that there were so many . . . yet that said, these
tidbits did stand out:

* If you're someone still trying to find your way, let your passions
serve as your guide. Look for environments where people are having
fun. When I hire people, I seek out passionate folks with an array
of interests, no matter how eclectic. If I need an accountant, for
instance, I don't look for just someone with the proper credentials.
I go in search of an experienced accountant with other interests,
someone I know might not only be fun to be around by perhaps
have non accounting skills that might be valuable. Perhaps this
person is a fly-fisherman or guitar player. That kind of focus
and creativity manifests itself in the workplace

* Jim Lucas, who was the assistant general manager of our Charleston
RiverDogs team a few years ago, issued pins to 10 or 15 fans before
each game, with instructions to give them to employees who
provided great customer service. The 3 employees who collected
the most pins at the end of the season received cash prizes.
These pins cost us only about 60 cents apiece, but you would have
thought they were precious gemstones. Employees proudly
displayed them on hats and worked tirelessly to obtain them.
Since nobody knew who had the pins, everyone was treated
extraordinarily well by employees with upbeat attitude.

* You don't need a ballpark to try things like Mime-O-Vision. [Veeck
hired a bunch of mimes to reenact plays before instant replays
became popular.] Years ago, people would win shopping sprees
where they had 90 seconds to grab whatever they could. Pizzerias
would award a year's worth of pizza to the winner of a pie-eating
contest. My dad used to say that it's barely noteworthy to give
one bottle of beer to each of a thousand fans, but it's a big deal to give
a thousand bottles of beer to one lucky winner.

Looking for an idea holiday gift this upcoming season? You
certainly won't go wrong giving FUN IS GOOD to somebody
you care about . . . or want to inspire.

This book was penned by the man who was lambasted for his Disco demolition stunt in Cominsky Park. In the middle of a doubleheader, the promoters put a box of disco records in the middle of the field with a bomb. When it exploded, fans ran onto the field and commenced creating their own disco record explosions. This eventually caused the cancellation of the second game is considered a travesty in baseball lore.

However, it has become part of baseball lore. From a marketing standpoint, it was brilliant. How many marketing stunts have 25th anniversary DVDs?

This is a book about embracing failure, laughing, trying something new, and of course having fun. The book largely follows Mike Veeck and his father's philosophies and antics with baseball (and a few other businesses they tried). It's a fun book that those who are a little disgruntled or inspired with their workplace should read. Surely, you will find something that will make you laugh and improve your own workplace.

Baseball and writing about baseball are my passions and being passionate about something is the heart and soul of the new book by Mike Veeck (and Pete Williams), "Fun Is Good: How to Inject Joy & Passion Into Your Workplace & Career" published by Rodale Press and to be released early next month. The book is part business philosophy, part autobiography, part confessional, part homage to his late father Bill Veeck, part salute to his 12-year old daughter who is fighting blindness as the result of retinitis pigmentosa, part a baseball love story and all fun. Because fun is what Mike, like all the Veecks, is all about.

Mike writes, "Somehow in our haste to seize the American dream, we've sucked the fun, passion, and creativity out of the workplace." How many of you feel that way? I guess that's why so many people say that work sucks. But as Mike points out, "Fun isn't just good; it's a necessity." "If you're not having fun, it's nearly impossible to project the upbeat, positive attitude necessary to service clients effectively."

We know that's the trouble with baseball, don't we? Somehow it has becoming way to much about greed. We could handle it if were about drugs, sex, and rock and roll, at least that's fun. Mike writes that when his father Bill Veeck died in 1986, "we had him cremated so he wouldn't constantly be rolling in his grave."

In the workplace it's about passion, the right attitude and being happy at what you do. Mike encourages change and risk taking because if you're unhappy you can't afford to stay where you are. In addition, your role whether you are an Indian or a chief is to help create a workplace atmosphere that is fun, positive and risk taking. He writes, "How effectively you interact with coworkers sets the tone for the organization," because if you take a genuine interest in the people around you, you never know where it might lead.

I was particularly struck with this philosophical statement, "If you approach things with optimism and with the mentality that any obstacle can be overcome with good humor, preparation, brainpower, and a little bit of luck, nothing is outside the realm of possibility." It is that statement that clearly drives Mike's wonderful daughter. The book is filled with interviews and vignettes from business leaders in which they express, in their own words, how the importance of a "Fun is Good" philosophy has driven the success of their company. None is more powerful or moving than the section written by Rebecca Veeck who truly sums up much more than the philosophy of the book when she writes, "Fun is Good because that's the way life is supposed to be. It's the main feeling that we're supposed to have. I mean, if you're not having fun, what's the point?"

I will be giving this book to my daughter Elizabeth on her birthday on April 11 (the same date as Veeck's eldest, Night Train Veeck) because as she prepares to graduate college and face the real world she needs to know that if you treat every day like Opening Day than life will be fun, and fun is good.

I've been a fan of Srully Blotnick since he wrote for Forbes in the early 1980s. This book came up in conversation recently, so I decided to go online and see what he is doing now. Here's what I found out:

In 1980, Srully Blotnick, Ph.D., began publishing his popular business column, "Insights" in Forbes magazine. This led to his publishing "The Corporate Steeplechase" and four other best-selling books [including "Getting Rich Your Own Way"], appearing frequently on television talk shows and being widely accepted as an expert on corporate culture and male-female relationships. He constantly drew upon the valuable statistics that he had gleaned from monitoring thousands of families for over 20 years. He made a small fortune from all this.

In July 1987, a reporter for the New York Daily News discovered that Blotnick's Ph.D. was from a diploma mill, and that there had been no 20-year study of thousands of families. Six months before the expose, Forbes had removed the Ph.D. from Blotnick's title but continued to call him a "business psychologist," although he was not a licensed psychologist. When the hoax was exposed, Forbes cancelled Blotnick's column, but in 1988, Penguin Books went right ahead and published his latest book - appropriately titled "Ambitious Men: Their Drives, Dreams, and Delusions."

Source: Fakes, Frauds & Other Malarkey, by Kathryn Lindskoog, Hope Publishing House, Pasadena, CA, 1993, p. 185. (Also available at Amazon)

Yes, the stories about Blotnick's "paper mill" phd are well known, but everyone forgets to mention that he got his BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in math (very good engineering school during Srully's day). He also attended Cal Berkeley, and then Princeton to get his Masters---in math and physics WITH HONORS. He subsequently did work at Columbia under an NSF grant. Sure he got a paper PhD in the 70's because Srully was ambitious (how many of you are doing the same thing with Phoenix online?). Yes the State of New York went after him, but then think of what those folks are like (Eliot Spitzer for example). He was not convicted of anything. Blotnick never acknoledged any fraud for good reason: He honestly felt his research was valid. I am not making excuses for this man, but you have got to remember, he was born in 1941. Different world. Different level of sophistication. Now to close out Blotnick's resume in 1994 he received a PhD in Cell Biology from HARVARD. Hmm. He must have been the oldest med school grad in Harvard history (he was). His work was so good he was post-doctorial fellow. In other words this guy is no lightweight. His methods may have been unorthodox, but before you go discounting his research you may want to think there might be more gold than dross here. Personally, I think his "findings" in this 1980's classic are on target---and if you really want to go after goofy research, why not go after MBTI folks who have no background in statistics, wouldn't know a bell curve from a bi-modal distribution, and dont know the difference between a type and a tendency. Yet everyone does MBTI like it is gospel, yet ignore Srully's findings which are actually more valuable. imo.

My father gave this book to my brothers and myself when we were young teenagers. He had hoped to instill an entrepreneurial sense in us.

Unfortunately...we were distracted.

Now, at thirty-one, I have reached a point in my career where the message needs to be reaffirmed.

Thus, my search for Blotnick's words.

As I recollect, this book focuses on the mantra that if you, "do what you love then the money will follow."

A message often lost in the never-ending pilgrimage to wealth.

I look forward to reading it again and embellishing more...

It's a true winner.

-VIV

This book demonstrates the importance of "loving what you do" in order to become wealthy. Sound simple--not really. Blotnick tracks the success of over 1000 people who became successful as a side result of their work (which they loved). All those who wanted to become wealthy and then do the work that they loved were "unsuccessful" at becoming financially independent. This is an excellent starter for anyone in business (or not) who wants to become wealthy and enjoy the process.

I stumbled upon this book in the library a few years ago and was amazed. While the vast majority of wealth books, tapes, and infomercials tell you to make it rich and then enjoy life, Blotnick tells the real story. You MUST find the profession you enjoy and put your heart into it before you will ever be truly wealthy in a realistically balanced way. And even if you don't become wealthy, you've spent your life doing something that you love. A must read if you can find a copy.

I've read many different points of view about the value of VAs -- this book explains them clearly. Lane's book shows how tax deferral wroks. He takes you step-by-step so you can see how all the parts relate and why. Read chapters 5 "Suitable Uses of VAs" and ch 18 "Analyzing the Payout" and you will know more than most advisors. Great book congrads.

Having been in this business for 5 years it's nice to find a refreshing look at the real uses of variable annuities and when they make the most sense. Michael is very enlightening in his approach to when a variable annuity makes sense and for whom. He also is very concise in his description of all the factors which contribute to determining the above. In an industry which is muddled with both the pros and cons of variable annuities this book is a straight shot to doing what is in the best interest of the client.

I am a novice investor and had no idea what an annuity was. Lane's book gave me the basics of what stocks and bonds were all the way through how to buy and annuity and use it to create a income to last my lifetime. I highly recommend this book.

An excellent primer on annuities. Any investor should read this book before considering purchasing an annuity. As a financial advisor I found his explanations simple yet definitive. Written in manner that any investor will be able to benefit from Michael's sound advice. While I believe that in general annuities are the most oversold product in financial circles (not becuse they are great product but because sellers earn huge commissions), Michael clearly demonstrates that annuities are appropriate in certain situations and tells you how to avoid the annuities that were designed to be sold not bought. He shows you what to type of product to look for when annuities are appropriate. Highly recommended.

With all the controversies of variable annuities today, Michael does an excellent job of showing the appropriateness of the annuity. The book was written at the basic level for the investor, capturing an informative overview of the many different investment options such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds and how the annuity fits into the investor's overall investment strategy. I would highly recommend this book to all investors!

Causey is what anthropologists should be. His book is grounded, full of humanity, insightful, surprising, poetic, compassionate and a lovely read. He beautifully describes and explains something profound of a people through times of tremendous social and economic change. An extremely informative and humanistic look at a Sumatran cultural group in the midst of global pressures.

A first rate work and a wonderful read. This book was delightful to read. Right from the beginning of the book, I was drawn in. It's clear this is a scholarly work, well researched and carefully detailed. As a reader of more casual literature, I was agreeably surprised at the superior writing style of the author. I thoroughly enjoyed the experiences and anecdotes throughout the whole book. Anyone who enjoys reading about other cultures and other places would definitely enjoy reading this book. I stayed up to 1:00 am one night reading it. I look forward with real anticipation to future works from this author.

Like most working stiffs, I save up for a big vacation to some far away land and when it finally happens I get shuffled around from one tourist spot to the next. The culture presents itself for purchase and I buy.

"Hard Bargaining in Sumatra" isn't just a book by an affable scholar. It immediately took me into the home of a very different family, sat me on a 'fancy mat' and amused me with a narrative by the author to his Toba Batak friends. He told a story for their entertainment that might easily have described my own hapless first experience in an exotic culture. The family's reaction and the unfolding details of their work in the woodcarving-for-tourists trade was a pleasure to read.

I was continuously surprised at how clearly Causey expressed complicated, seldom-analyzed notions of place and identity. The relationship between tourist and vacation spot is alive and dynamic in a way I'd never imagined. The author's struggle to learn the skills of the woodcarver gave extra dimension to my understanding of this traditional craft. The friendship between the student/researcher and the teacher/subject made the dynamics of the familial roles and societal obligations disarmingly vivid and personal. The book enriched my understanding of a distant culture to a degree I could never have achieved by hopping a plane and wandering their marketplaces. When I saw a Toba Batak carving at an art museum a few weeks later, I had a wealth of feelings and observations that would never have occurred to me before. For me, reading this book was like the best kind of vacation. I learned a lot, felt a connection to the people and culture, and enjoyed the process.

This book is a true rarity--a work of serious scholarship, written in a user-friendly, personal, poetic, eminently-readable style. You'd almost be fooled into thinking you were reading a romantic travel narrative, one of those popular memoirs à la "Under the Tuscan Sun" where a naive American goes off and has a life-transforming experience while in a foreign land. But as Dr. Causey relates his tales of the months spent with the Toba Batak in their remote, beautiful homeland in northern Sumatra, learning something about their culture, something about woodcarving, and a LOT about shopping, he also unfolds a series of subtle, complex observations about aesthetics, about colonialism and acquisition, and about the role of tourists / collectors in a market economy and their effect as both destroyers and saviors of traditional culture. Absolutely fascinating stuff, and certainly not just for students of anthropology--this is a book that should be read by art historians as well as by economists, as well as by anyone who simply enjoys a well-written tale of a beautiful place that they've never been...

I particularly admire "Hard Bargaining" for the lack of any tang of cultural superiority on Dr. Causey's part--he never assumes that he knows more than the people he's observing, or that since he has a Ph.D., his observations must be considered correct. He went there; he lived, he learned, he shopped; and he thought about it, hard, and critically, comparing the Toba Batak culture to our own, and letting the reader make the judgement calls, not the anthropologist. Very well done!

"What happens when the homeland of one group is also claimed as the vacationland of another group?"

This question put by the author rather succinctly sums up a major theme of the book, and perhaps should be a guiding thought for all of us who ever take a vacation...anywhere.
Whether we are taking a "package" vacation or just winging it in a new location, we have an impact not only on the place we visit, the feeling of the place, the services it provides, and perhaps most importantly, the ART of the place. Souvenirs...mementos...folk art...all these tokens and totems that come from our vacation spot are evolving to meet our desires.

The author handles this idea and others in a very human and sensitive way, inviting us into his experience in Sumatra, Indonesia and filling our minds with the sense of the place: its smells, visuals, sounds, landscape and its people. It is easy to lose oneself in this book as if it were a novel or the travelogue, yet it tackles some very difficult issues without sounding preachy or judgmental. I have always been interested in, and sensitive to the general "sense" of a place. I can be easily spooked by the quality of light or the sight of long shadows in the afternoon. I found Dr. Causey to be a kindred spirit, as he has addressed this feeling (because it is at heart a "feeling") very poetically in his writing about Lake Toba.

There are many humourous vignettes within the book, as well as many parables and lessons.
It in indeed educational, and educational on a new level-it reaches right into the spaces between ideas and brings into being a hybrid way of looking. It is accessible, informative and heartfelt.
I would recommend this book to anyone - it can be read for sheer pleasure. But if you are planning to travel, and would like to get some ideas on developing a very diplomatic and culturally sensitive approach to your new destination, this is most certainly the book for you.
I nominate Dr. Causey for Goodwill Ambassador!

No-nonsense career advice, dispensed with anecdotes from the author's own life to make for friendly reading. Unlike preachy self-help books that end up sitting unread on the shelf, this book invites repeat visits and is set up so that you can dip into chapters in whichever order appeals to you.

Inspiring and motivating. I purchased it as a gift but just had to read it first...well written and the author lives nearby.

This book is not just pie in the sky theory and philosophy. It is full of ideas and simple practices to create your own successful career path and be happy at the same time. Ms. Russell shares inspiring quotes, real-world experiences and entertaining stories that make this book an easy read.

A great read. Finally, an honestly written commentary on the corporate world and sage advice for anyone looking to make a difference. This book asks the tough questions. The advice is insightful and relevant.

I bought Hitting Your Stride for my nephew who graduated from college last year and can't seem to find his niche in the corporate world yet. I read it before I gave it to him, there is a lot of wonderful information written in a fun and engaging way for any young person starting their career. Ms. Russell has done a fabulous job using many interesting scenarios. I highly recommend this book for all young people and their parents, it gives you a new outlook on what your children are facing and how they can handle these new challenges. Times have changed, that's for sure.

Heard the CD version of IF YOUR LIFE WERE A BUSINESS, WOULD
WOULD YOU INVEST IN IT? by John Eckblad and David Kiel.

This is a useful guide to making your life happier
and more productive . . . the authors contend that this
can be done by following 13 Life Business principles that
have worked in many successful businesses.

I liked the many exercises that were included, all of which
could be helpful to anybody wanting to determine
the patterns in his or her life . . . and then using this
information to plan for the future.

One particularly helpful suggestion was to keep in mind that
"management is doing things right, while strategy is doing the
right thing" . . . so the key is to do the right thing as you ask
contemplate this question: What new commitments will bring
more joy into your life?

The information in IF YOUR LIFE might sound basic, but it
is something that needs to be thought about--over and over.

This is a practical guide to getting ahold of one's life. It has a lot of exercises, some easy and some moderately difficult, but all interesting and useful. It allowed me to see the patterns in my use of time, money and energy, and then to realistically and creatively plan for my future. At a time when I was moving from one city to another, closing one career and considering another, seeing my kids depart home and returning to a less-constrained life, the exercises and spirit of the book gave me knowledge and control. I wish I had seen it sooner.

Eckblad and Kiel are right on target. They provide excellent advice in a concise, easy to follow form. It's never too late (or too early) to make the ultimate investment - in yourself. Their program is so sensible that you will wonder why you didn't embark on it ages ago.

This is a practical guide to getting ahold of one's life. It has a lot of exercises, some easy and some moderately difficult, but all interesting and useful. It allowed me to see the patterns in my use of time, money and energy, and then to realistically and creatively plan for my future. At a time when I was moving from one city to another, closing one career and considering another, seeing my kids depart home and returning to a less-constrained life, the exercises and spirit of the book gave me knowledge and control. I wish I had seen it sooner.

I was revising my life plans and goals when I stumbled across an article on this book. Many of the concepts are similar to those I tried to communicate in my books (Conscious spending for Couples and The Ms. Spent Money Guide), but applied to ones whole life... it's a nice structure for something that I have always done and always preached that others do - align what you do with what you truly value. Even if you don't buy the book, please buy the concept! It's great.