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Basic business and financial education

Jariel

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Hey guys, I'm looking to embark on my next voyage of self improvement. I've always been quite naive when it comes to money, business and finances. I'm living quite humbly and have student debts, I barely even know how to use a bank without being ripped off.

So I've decided to make it my goal to become financially astute and, maybe eventually, start up my own small business. It's going to take time, but I believe all goals begin with learning.

The problem is there is just so much bullsh1t and get rich quick scams going around, it's hard to filter out what is good advice and which is playing me for a sucker.

Can any of the more financially successful guys here recommend any beginner books or any decent starting points?

Thanks.
 

backbreaker

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As funny as it sounds... when I was learning, I had to get a real good concept of MATH before I started with economics. the last thing I did in HS was Trig, but i slept all thoguh class and wrote computer programming code when I was woke, skated by with a B minus, with no rememberence of anything whatsoever.

The problem is you are looking for business books in the "self help" section of stores. Rich Dad Poor Dad and Books of the like are books everyone should own, but they aren't going to give you an extremely sound concept of economics.

everyone is different. What worked for me won't work for you and likewise.
 

GamePlan

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yeah economics is more about maths than many people would think, I guess. Econometrics = statistics = applied mathematics and microeconomics uses a lot of maths, too.

If you're looking to start your own business eventually and just want a basic understanding of economic processes (to not feel totally left out), I guess you should learn a bit about the basics of economics and then focus on learning about marketing (and the fundamentals of how to run a business).

It really depends on your goals of course. If youre ultimate goal is being able to run your own business, I think overinvesting in learning about economics isn't the way to go.

If you want to start your own business, marketing is really the majority of what you have to do. Marketing is basically a part of the broader business spectrum (it's one of the 5 functions (exp?) of the supply chain).

If you're working for a huge corporation there are lots of internal processes. They have tons of products, tons of employes, etc. etc. all of which has to be coordinated. But when we talk about starting your own business (which will usually be a rather small one to start with) your marketing is what's gonna decide whether youll be a success or not (assuming you dont mess up anything else badly), because most other aspects of business don't exist to an extent that they do in big companies. (that being said of course you need to know some stuff about the law, about accounting, etc. to run a business, but that's more of the foundation not your leverage).

It's kind of like this: You have a product or a service (which is profitable to sell). You sell it to 1 customer you make 5 bucks profit for example. There's only so much profit you can make by selling a certain product to one person.
What's ultimately gonna decide your success is how many people you can get to (know about and) buy your product. And that is basically marketing.


I dont know how English speaking people think of it but in Germany many people believe that marketing = advertising. But it's not, advertising is one part of marketing. Marketing is derived from the word MARKET and it's about how markets work, the laws/rules of the market so-to-speak..how people in a market react/can be influenced..how you can be better than your competition thatsi n the same market, etc..

The one basic mistake, I think tons of people who start their own business make is this: They believe, they'll do something they're interested in (movie rental store, selling t-shirts, going abroad and opening up a bar on the beach), but have no idea, that those markets are usually hypersaturated and getting into such a market is basically setting themselves up for failure (at least more often than not).

Smart marketers try to find a niche...something for which there's a high enough demand, but not enough supply. Thats your best bet of becoming a success with your own small business.
 

WesCottII

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Is there no chance you could take a business studies and/or economics course?

My love of business was kindled by my A-level business class, and I wish I'd done it to degree level.
Books I've read:

Rich dad poor dad series (no real tips, but a good eye opener)
Naked trader - Good stock market grounding in terms and fundamentals.

The best source is the internet. Hover around finance boards and learn through osmosis. Read up on famous invester, buffet, Lynch et al.

Go to about.com and learn all the terms used in the stock market, bull markets, bear markets, shorts....put options etc etc....

I love it, have fun dude.
 

STR8UP

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Look up my post on financial books. It's FAR from a definitive list, but it's a good place to start.
 

Gaucho

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No point studying to start your own business, until you have a great idea and the passion to put in the long hours.

By, "financially astute" what do you mean Jariel? Are you simply talking about saving and investing your money well? If so, talk to a financial planner.

If you mean "getting rich", you will need a job that pays well. Simple. Like you said indirectly, there are no such things as get rich quick schemes! You better be prepared to work hard if you want money, that or save hard and invest well.

Rich dad poor dad, I would thoroughly keep away from. If you want motivation, then read it, otherwise it doesnt teach you anything about investments and as such, will just waste your time.

Thanks
 

Jariel

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Thanks guys. I did read Rich dad Poor dad and it gave me some good pointers, but my problem is that I've never had any kind of education in business or economics, and I can't afford the time or the cost of it at the moment.

At the moment I have no money to invest, but for now I'm just looking to learn how the economy works, how people start and run businesses and what kind of red tape they have to deal with. I can't really be specific, because I don't know what specifics there are.

I just feel like a bit of a chump when it comes to financial matters as a whole and would like to become more knowledgable.
 

GamePlan

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I think you could really read most of it on the internet. Though personally I prefer books as I can read them in bed or laying in the sun etc.. but other than that I would be surprised if you wouldnt find the basic stuff u wanna know about on the web.

If you dont want to feel like a chump when the topic of economy comes up you have to learn about economics.

If you want to start your own business some day the single most important thing imho is marketing (and the basics of running a business).

No point studying to start your own business, until you have a great idea and the passion to put in the long hours.
He is right. But: I honestly believe, that knowing about marketing will make it a whole lot easier to find great ideas. That way you can usually tell "oh okay that idea is crap" or "yeah that idea sounds like it has potential!". Somebody who has no clue about the market might think their idea is great, but have no idea if there's any chance it will work in the market. Or they might have an actually great idea but abandon it not realizing, its a great niche opportunity.

The passion to put in the long hours parts is definitely true, too of course. But if I got u right u really just want to get started and maybe run a business later in life, right?

I think knowing about economics and being able to run a business are really two completely different things. Im sure most people running their own business (unless theyre making investments in other countries and all) dont need to know much about economics, but about running their own business.
 

Unregistered

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A good starting book if you're interested in investing is The Wall Street Journal Complete Money and Investing Guidebook. http://www.amazon.com/Street-Journal-Complete-Investing-Guidebook/dp/0307236994/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6242968-5990019?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181419786&sr=8-1

It'll give you a good foundation as far as knowing what puts and calls are, dividends, P/E ratio, how to interpret a company's balance sheet, etc. A very handy book for a beginning investor.

It also recommends more in-depth books at the end of each chapter.

good luck.
 

oakraiderz2

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I dont mean to hijack but do you guys think majoring in finance would be a good idea? Seems rather practical, but like they say, you can get a job with any major.
 

englishman

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Depends how much you want? I have a friend who has a moving truck, he charges $75 an hour, pays a guy $18 to help him, gas etc...clears about $50 an hour, works about 100 hours a month at month end = $5000.00 all cash no tax. We have another friend has 7 trucks going month end.
Myself I earn about 40 to 45 an hour after paying for expenses as a self employed carpenter, when I get enough money I just pack up and travel for a month or 2.
Another friend has a big traditional type business, large overhead lot of stress, makes a lot of money but pays a lot of tax, has a lot of headache, his hair has fell out etc...
Doesnt always have to be years at college getting a degree and then borrowing a sh1t load of cash, sometimes simpler is better, all depends what your trying to acheive.
 

Gaucho

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Learning economics, will not help you run a business.

Running a business, basically comes down to entrepreneurship. So if you want to learn how to run a business, get a book on that topic. A good product will pretty much market itself, being nice to your staff and creating a friendly working environment is better than any management textbook you could read. A basic accounting program like MYOB is all you need for the finance part of things. Most of the rest is common sense (if your in fast food, get good suppliers) etc. Not rocket science. I know pretty average intelligence guys who are filthy rich through their own businesses.

If you want to learn how the econony works, a basic macroeconomics textbook would be the most useful to learn quickly and cheaply. A quick look over microeconomics would help, but macro is the basics of how an economy works.

If you want to learn how to invest your money, anything on shares, property etc would be best (depending where you want your money).

There are so many different facets of "business", that is why your question Jariel, cannot really be answered simply and learning about "business" takes a LOT of time. Many years. As with all things in life, nothing important comes quick and easy. It takes years of dedication, passion and commitment.
 

PureFlow

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The first thing you need are audio tapes, especially by Brain Tracy.

There are two things you can do to make money:
1. Work for other people, other companies, sell products and services of other people
2. Start your own business, create your own product or service, be your own boss

That's the first thing you must decide, and it's not something you should decide rashly and overconfidently, unless you want end in serious financial problems.

If you want to start your own business, you need your own product or service. In other words, you need a really really good IDEA. Once you have that idea--a mental idea--you must transmute that mental idea into a physical equivalent, as Napoleon Hill states in Think And Grow Rich. You do this by: hard work(physically moving your body), determination, faith, intelligence, good time management, etc. Your product's value is: it's real substance, and it's perceived value. Both are often as important.

These are the absolute basics. At the moment I am importing somewhat rare products from foreign counters, and selling them here under different names and labels, which is making me some good money for the moment. (this is not dope btw, hehe)

http://www.briantracy.com/catalog/default.aspx?cid=14

Btw, I think it's possible to become a millionaire within 3 to 7 years, if you work hard and use your brains well.
 

theunflushables

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Another tip, and it may be risky, is when you find what you want to do, jump right in. My granpa was sick of working factory jobs, so he started picking Night Crawlers and catching minnows, and selling them to bait shops. Now he and my dad own their own bait and tackle empire, with only one other major competitor in the state of MI.
 

A-Unit

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Re:

Depends how much you want? I have a friend who has a moving truck, he charges $75 an hour, pays a guy $18 to help him, gas etc...clears about $50 an hour, works about 100 hours a month at month end = $5000.00 all cash no tax. We have another friend has 7 trucks going month end.
Myself I earn about 40 to 45 an hour after paying for expenses as a self employed carpenter, when I get enough money I just pack up and travel for a month or 2.
Another friend has a big traditional type business, large overhead lot of stress, makes a lot of money but pays a lot of tax, has a lot of headache, his hair has fell out etc...
Doesnt always have to be years at college getting a degree and then borrowing a sh1t load of cash, sometimes simpler is better, all depends what your trying to acheive.
That right there has NUGGETS of what a gentleman on Askmen.com, New2this, has posted about. Purportedly, this guy is one of RK's biggest success stories. Read his story if you can find it. IF it's true, and he still does post there, then there's alot to learn.

Effectively, you are providing VALUE.

Consumer: A good moving price.
Worker: Generous wages, depending on age.
You: Profitability.

In a way, I look at alot of business about ARBITRAGE. There has to be a "gap" or extra profit, or a place where what I do makes sense. If people can nearly duplicate what I do, for little extra money or work, they won't buy or try. If there's a big gap, which we call VALUE, then it works to their benefit to do/buy whatever I offer. Real estate investors do this. You have to buy with built in profits, but more than that, you need a motivated seller with whom you're NOT screwing over by taking their high priced asset. Alot of sales people don't sell effectively because they are not providing anything in that gap...between cost and perceived value/benefit.

I know for alot of jobs/businesses that are very technical the value is high, b/c you have all the time, education, and passion invested, which no one else will really go after. For instance, I'm not likely to do legal work on my own, even if I read the laws. I SHOULD know the constitution, but the GAP between what I need and me being proficient as lawyer can provide is MUCH cheaper. Even if his hourly rate is $250, that's cheaper than what it may cost me in LOST REVENUE or my hourly rate, or to get to where that lawyer is at. However, if a website can provide/sell what a person can do, why pay or use the person? That's why retail clerks don't get much. They don't ADD alot to the process. Even at Best Buy, the product is the product. Buying 1 tv vs. another isn't a HUGE mistake. A car is slightly more, but if you're at a dealership that only sells 1 brand, then there isn't much value from a salesperson. (No offense there).

With Pharma sales and Financial or Tech, the gap is much bigger, to where people really could never be at where a pro is without significant time, and this is where ALOT of people make big mistakes in life. Even with taxes, they use programs, and they may miss something or do it wrong. At least with an ACCOUNTANT they assume legal responsibility for the error and can act as an arbitrator in any situation that arises. If you do your own taxes, you are on own if you're in trouble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To me, it pays MORE to understand CONCEPTS in finance, then GO for the specifics, rather than go for SPECIFICS and work the concept. One thing I've learned in being self employed and having 2 successful 'mentors', is...never accept anything. Never accept that the rules HAVE to be the way they are. They can be changed, especially if they make economic or business sense. For instance, alot of hourly workers are fine following procedure, but the major reason and entreprenuer succeeds is because they DO NOT follow the beaten path. They don't dial 1-800, they call the supervisor head to get it done today. They get answers from the source, and when they do, they question the logic behind them. MANY people say "I don't know, that's the rules" not realizing the rules were meant to be broken. Get it? THEY ARE TO broken. Find a way in business to break them. That's where profit is. In a game, the RULES are the game. But in business, rules hold you back, because it preserves conventional modes of operation. Businesses rely on innovation, and if they adhere to rules, they only get the same results. With business, there are no rules. Ethics maybe. But no rules. There's no ONE perfect way to do it.

While some people want RK to say "Here's the path..." you shouldn't want that, b/c no path would exist. It would be a highway, and you know how highways are? Crowded, beaten, slow, broken down, in need of repair, etc. It's the short-cut, the lesser known, lesser travelled path that is faster. Think of it like a clearing in the woods. It can still be GOOD if only a few people know of it. But once it gets known, its no longer secret or a short-cut, it's the LONG way. So RK wasn't wrong at all, the people expecting a miracle short-cut were. He provided ALOT of good concepts in his book and people should read them and speak about them. Point 1: Buy assets, not liabilities, and KNOW the difference. People still think a HOUSE is an asset, but it's not, unless you USE it as one. You'll need a house till you need a casket, and even if you're in a hospital, you'll need the FUNDS to pay for such services, so that BASE will always exist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Something else to consider, the ULTRA wealthy don't own businesses they own people. These multi level marketing companies, these businesses, they are abritraging betweem business opportunity and a need filled. It dawned on me one day when I heard a commercial that said "A billionaire investor from a wealthy family filtered through 100's of MLM's and when he found one he knew would be profitable, he bought it." At that level you're buying the people and the IDEA of the business, not the product. Products can be replaced. IDEAS and PEOPLE cannot. Here, if you can find someone who will work for you/with you, give them a good wage, and offer some business or service, you're good to go. That's 1 route.

I know of some guys who own ice cream trucks. It started out that he drove the route, but that limits your income and competitive advantage. So he expanded, bought a bunch of trucks, and pays over $10 during the summer to drivers who are normally kids out of college on break. That money is normally under the table, and hours are cake and fun. He satisfied ALL 3 parties for very little headache and lives richly.

These are only SOME financial concepts. Personally, I'm never going to be the type to screw 1 of those 3...me, the customer, or my employee. Never. It goes against everything I believe in that is NOT abundance or richness. Not at all. When you take a look at colleges...millions of kids INVEST in themselves as assets, spend thousands of dollars to BUY a job (that's what you do with college). In return a business HIRES the asset to work for their goal. That EMPLOYEE is but 1 cog in the big wheel, only knowing its ONE part very well. That employee will be limited income wise because their HIGHEST value happens to be as a part in that machine, and not MANAGING the machine, directing it, understanding how it works as a total machine. They see the small picture, while the PRES sees the big one, and has to. The sad thing is, aside from a HOME, college education is the BIGGEST investment people make to buy a job, and they rarely use it for their own profit. Why? Even if you have a bachelors, you have a basis sufficient for most colleges to study other topics, too. Or just take random classes, find something you like, and move laterally. Entrenching yourself is good, if you become tops in your chosen field, can write your own ticket, and help progress the knowledge IN THAT field, such as an engineer who does research, makes patents and trademarks, and is then hired for his work. But an engineer who just works a topic that only benefits his employer is LIMITED by what he specifically knows. People in a company are seen assets and its easy to see what eduction is standardized so that businesses have a steady flow of employees that fit readily.

Book suggestions? Search around the forums. There's tons. And find ones suitable to what you are envisioning.

A-unit
 
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