Blog Archives
DJ’s Mean Business
DJ’s Mean Business, by Amani Roberts, is an interesting and informative read from a DJ’s perspective about leading a successful life. In this eye-opening book, Amani Roberts, aka DJ AmRo, talks about his experiences as a DJ, a Professor, and a businessman. He shares the ups and downs he learned in these professions in this practical book to help readers become successful entrepreneurs.
Roberts’ writing style is conversational and caring. He uses simple and direct language that guides the reader through the topic he is covering. The arrangement of the chapters outlines the different time slots as if he is DJing from the start of a program until it is wrapped up. Readers will appreciate the short and concise chapters as the author gets right to the point. The first thing that Robert covers is how to introduce yourself in a manner that gives you credibility and authority. First impressions do matter when you are an entrepreneur. Once that first meeting is over, the next step is to build a rapport and make sure what you are selling is in demand. Here the author uses examples from successful businesses to support the tried and true strategies he teaches.
Readers will appreciate his candid writing and how he uses his own life situations as examples, making for a more authentic read. Whether DJing, teaching or focusing on his brand, Roberts interchangeably uses these venues to provide important lessons about business to the readers. Topics such as branding, marketing tips, and staying focused are a few topics discussed in this book that I found helpful.
DJ’s Mean Business: One Night Behind the Turntables Can Spin Your Company’s Success is an unconventional business planning book on how to be a successful entrepreneur. It is just as entertaining as it is informative. The information provided will be beneficial to those looking for tips on how to start a business or revamp their current business.
Pages: 154 | ASIN : B084KW9HLM
Vultured
Reading Vultured was an enlightening experience not just because of the lessons shared by author Adam Starks but also because of his encouragement to readers about entrepreneurship. The book is part memoir and part business development book. It tells the story of Adam Starks, a business owner in the service industry who has seen it all.
The author journals his experiences, engaging the reader in every topic that touches on the significant challenge or wins he encountered. This book is an excellent read if you are passionate about starting a small business and you are looking for pointers from someone with extensive experience. The author uses a unique phrasing as he chronicles his business journey, family, dealing with finances, and friendships.
The book is divided into three sections, with each section covering various related topics. Adam Stark has written a captivating book that includes his personal story about running his business, personal life, lessons learned, the ups and downs of the service industry, and how to navigate the waters of entrepreneurship. The author is open and applies his frankness throughout the book.
The author is straightforward and rarely uses complex jargon in his narration. As a result, the text in the book flows naturally, and the reader can grasp the subject matter with ease. Some of the topics that I found invaluable touched on the real vultures in business and their greed, contractors, food distributors, COVID19, trademarking, and music licensing. When discussing a concept, like the expenses incurred when running a business, the author lists the key points and dissects the subject matter in detail.
The author also goes into specifics when discussing issues, not generalizing topics. Topics related to entrepreneurship include marketing, labor, sourcing for more capital, legal, dedication, and consistency when running small and medium-sized enterprises. One of the critical lessons I learned in the book is that the government is involved in small businesses indirectly. Good policies created by lawmakers will make your business flourish. This book is about entrepreneurship, but the author also educates the reader on politics’ role in running a business.
Vultured is an eye-opening self-help book for entrepreneurs that is filled with actionable advice and tips from someone that has been there. The author shares his lessons learned from running a small business with readers in hopes they can avoid the mistakes he made.
Pages: 148 | ASIN : B09QQMQW7T
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids Part 1
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids is part of the Mansa’s Little Reminders series. This is a workbook designed for teachers, educators, parents, and caregivers to be able to teach six to twelve-year-olds about budgeting, saving money, and age-appropriate entrepreneur skills. This workbook outlines activities for adults and gives them worksheets, example pages, quiz questions, and links to print off additional resources.
When looking through this fantastic workbook I was impressed with the amount of information that is presented. Authors A.D. Williams and Kendal Fordham have laid out the materials in a clear step-by-step manner with vocabulary sheets, activities, questions, and everything someone could need to create a lesson plan either for a classroom or homeschooling.
The exceptional workbook is filled with bold and colorful illustrations done by Taylor Bou. The images jump off the page and present the concepts clearly. With clean lines and entertaining expressions, children will be drawn into the pages and better able to understand the information being presented.
What educators will like is that the information is realistic, the authors bring up failure and how it is a natural part of the process. Discussing how to manage failure and how to learn from it is often overlooked especially for children. This process sets aside time each week just for evaluating what works and doesn’t work. This is an important step towards learning and I am happy to see it highlighted.
MANSA’S Little REMINDERS The Money Workbook for Kids is a great workbook to continue the lessons that are started in MANSA’s Little REMINDERS: Scratching the surface of financial literacy. This workbook will help put into practice the information from the first book and give children a hands-on application for the lessons covered. This is a great resource for any adult that is trying to give kids an early start on understanding budgeting and saving money.
Pages: 49 | ASIN : B09QMGY4LM
Eternal Vigilance
Ralpjh L. Bayrer, in his book Eternal Vigilance: Guarding Against the Predatory State, writes about the status quo, government functions, the economic state of things, and the world as a global village. The reader is taken through various concepts and enlightened on how economics works. The author’s objective is to break down his topics so that the reader will fully understand. Every topic covered in the book is given an overview and then followed by an in-depth discussion.
Ralph L. Bayrer’s encyclopedic writing style is appealing and encourages the reader to dig deeper. For instance, on Cautionary examples of Representative Government, the author uses practical examples to discuss how our actions as humans have led to a financial mess. This chapter will help you as a reader compare the economic policies in your country versus other countries and learn how governments manage their finances. The mention of countries in the Global North versus others in South America and other developing nations gives one an idea of how finances affect every aspect of human life.
The economy is among the top topics vastly covered in the book. Ralph L. Bayrer extensively writes about the generation of economic advancements and how government policies impact the growth of wealth in societies. Reading about economic freedom was enlightening as the reader gets exposed to economies that often lead to healthy debates.
Ralph L. Bayrer writes in a convincing tone, encouraging the reader to see past flaws and dents and getting them to think more seriously about the government’s financial systems, the economy, and the significance of free markets. History lessons are part of this in-depth book. The author has mastered using historical references to make his point while comparing and contrasting various situations and drawing examples before writing the conclusion of a particular topic.
Eternal Vigilance: Guarding Against the Predatory State is an excellent reference book if you want to learn about economic freedom, the role of government, and human cooperation.
Pages: 344 | ASIN : B087TQGG22
Pathway to Prosperity
![Pathway to Prosperity: Your Guide to Money and Economics by [Mark Lazar]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jrwnXt8BL.jpg)
Mark Lazar has written a book that will help readers get to be more financially literate and plan their finances better. Mark Lazar discusses different ways of making money, how best to spend money and why it is crucial to have a savings plan. With this book, you will learn how to properly manage your finances and have some extra cash after you have paid all the monthly bills.
The methods Mark Lazar gives in the book have been tested and proven to be effective. The author talks to his readers on a personal level, letting them understand where he comes from and his concept. Pathway to Prosperity: Your Guide to Money and Economics gives readers knowledge on basic financial skills and then gradually introduces readers to deeper and more complex topics. Reading about finances never felt this fun before. The reader gets a balanced view from the author as they read every new chapter. Mark Lazar is great at explaining stuff. He explains well the most complicated topics to the understanding of the average reader.
I enjoyed the text in this book because Mark Lazar is not too extreme with the advice he gives. He does not tell the reader to live like a miser or a pauper, you have the money? Spend it. He advocates for responsible spending of what you earn and thinking of the future. The author uses examples from his experiences; shares lessons learned and gives practical direction. Every topic in the book is significant and well researched. Reading Mark Lazar’s book will open your eyes to a lot of things and not just money and building wealth.
Pathway to Prosperity: Your Guide to Money and Economics provides practical advice that the average person can put into action right away. The tips provided are prudent and explained in easy to understand terms, both in how to implement the action and why it is beneficial. Mark Lazar provides clear guidance to help readers achieve prosperity.
Pages: 241 | ASIN: B08K2ZMF2Q
Advanced Lotto Rotation
Ever wondered if games of chance can be deciphered? Could math be used to that advantage? To get exactly the numbers you need to win the lotto? You have played too many times by pure chance and instinct. How about applying a little bit of logic this time? Just to see if it makes a difference.
The Advanced Lotto Rotation System is a tutorial on how to break the code. On how to burst through the veil of unluck. Joseph Vlasic breaks down the whole system. He then proceeds to put everything together bit by bit as one looks on. This gives one an understanding into the game. Sort of like getting into the mind of the game.
This is a very short read. However, the writer has put everything down in very simple English. He does not leave the reader behind at any point. This is important as it will help one apply whatever they have learned later on. At the very beginning, you are asked to read and reread. You must follow this directive so that you can grasp every step of the exercise.
It is easy to lose focus and attention when dealing with so many numbers and confusing ideas. Therefore the author uses highlights and tables. These help the reader bring their attention back to the material at hand. It also helps you have a different view of the idea for better understanding and fresh perspective.
This book delivers some very interesting ideas on Lotto and games of chance in general. Although there could be some complex information delivered in such a small package, I felt the author gave each idea plenty of room to develop completely before moving on.
There are some minor misspellings and I felt the book could benefit from a brush over. Other than that it is an interesting read. It is compelling to see just how easy it could be to break games of chance. To bend them to your will. This book puts you in control rather than leaving it up to chance or sheer luck. We cannot all be lucky, can we?
Pages: 19
Available on BookBaby
An Approximation of the Objective Truth
John Richard Spencer Author Interview
Brownout – 666 follows Rick in the midst of a struggle to find a way to live a normal life in a dark and unforgiving world. What was the inspiration for the setup to this intriguing novel?
My inspiration for the setup behind this novel primarily came from my sojourn in the Philippines spread over several years. I always told people that one day I would write a book about the country, its people and its culture and that I would call it “Brownout.” I added the “666” moniker to the title as any search under “Brownout” brought up thousands of books about electricity. As large portions of my novel were based on real events and people I could have written a nonfiction work instead. However, I didn’t want the potential for libel suits hanging over me so I chose fiction. The American and Australian settings of the novel came about as I wished to explore the socio-political ethos of those nations and their relationships to the bases of world power. I introduced the American setting as a subplot that tied up with the central one at the end.
Rick Daly is an interesting character that faces many challenges in life. What were some driving ideals behind his character development?
Some of the driving ideals behind the central character, Rick Daly, were related to sexuality and its abusive and non-abusive forms. As he matures Rick learns to become less selfish and earns some degree of redemption. Rick has been confused about Right and Wrong and gradually arrives at what he calls “the fair thing principle.” Rick grew up in the seventies and eighties in an Australia with a fairly aggressive sexual culture. An example of looking back at this culture from the standpoint of the present day is the internationally well-known podcast, “The Teacher’s Pet,” by Hedley Thomas of the newspaper, The Australian. Apart from examining a cold case disappearance and probable murder, the podcast looks into alleged teacher/schoolgirl sex rings at several high schools on Sydney’s northern beaches, one of which I taught at (Cromer High School). Rick loathes hypocrisy, the stupidity and gross unfairness of many authorities. Governments and courts often seem overly influenced by cultural and political fashion.
This novel expertly uses history to tell an engrossing story. Was history an important aspect for you in this novel or did this develop organically while writing?
As a former English and History teacher I have always been fascinated by History and its links to the present day. The changing attitudes to sexuality throughout historical and contemporary periods necessarily came to the fore as Rick becomes caught up in them.
I have long been a student of the Holocaust and the Third Reich and, as history is always written by the winners, I appreciate how difficult it is to arrive at even an approximation of the objective truth. While in no way do I condone the many crimes of the Third Reich I find myself bemused at how any attempt to examine this era can so easily be shouted down if it differs ever so little from the official version. The Holocaust was a terrible event but it is no more sacred than are the other mass killings or genocides that occurred before it or since.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
In addition to this novel, I also have a published work of non-fiction about child loss and grief. It is called, “Waiting for a Miracle – Life in the Dead Zone.” As for my next book, I haven’t decided whether to work on another novel or non-fiction piece. In either case it won’t be available until next year at the earliest.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![Brownout - 666: Are we Slaves To Our Symbols? by [Spencer, Mr John Richard]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51okLjIEtAL.jpg)
In the land of flaunted sex, money, and flexible rules, an ambitious but lonely Rick Daly faces his demons.
Rick Daly has established a business in the exotic surroundings of the Philippines, while simultaneously discovering Marilyn Delgado, the woman of his dreams.
However, a clash of cultures and his own naiveté lead to disaster. Falsely accused of a sexual crime, Rick loses both his freedom and his business. To add insult to injury, a prison escape merely amounts to switching jails.
In a world where the rich prosper, honest individuals are forced to the wall, and a cynical disregard for all but the dollar is destroying society from within, crime soon follows punishment for Rick. Close to losing his soul, will Rick’s ultimate success in drug and arms dealing finally lead him to face up to reality?
The Holy Grail of Personal Finance
Gustavo J. Gomez Author Interview
Private Money Lending is a comprehensive book that details the different ways someone could make money from their investment in private money lending. What were some key ideas you wanted to pursue in this book?
Every investor should know that learning to generate a consistent, substantial, and predictable passive income stream sufficient to cover your total monthly expenses is the ultimate goal for anyone who wants to retire early. In fact, creating a safe and consistent passive income stream is considered the ” Holy Grail” of personal finance.
My objective in writing this book was to present to potential readers the existence of a little-known but crucial area of investing. This area of investing is private mortgage investing. What makes this investment vehicle safe is the fact that the investment is guaranteed by a tangible asset, brick, and mortar, such as a house or a commercial building.
Under a worth case scenario, a real estate tangible asset will always retain a certain amount of value, which it’s something that can’t be said for stock market correlated investments that can simply evaporate overnight based on bad news. Therefore, the important aspect of investing in private mortgages is that it is a non-correlated market investment that works under all market condition.
Private Money Lending is the only book on this topic that is based on a university-level qualitative research study. The study demonstrated the power that private mortgage investing has in generating a safe, substantial, and consistent passive cash flow under any market condition. This investment can generate a 9%-12% return on investment (ROI) safely in addition to providing all the legal protections a first mortgage provides banks.
Typically, investors learn about this investment vehicle by happenstance; that is, by knowing someone who is a private lender and understands all the nuances of this type of investment and who is willing to teach someone else the concept. Private mortgage investing is an especially useful investment vehicle in low-interest rate environments, such as the current market we have been experiencing for the past 12 years, where you can only receive 2%-2.5% for a 1-2 years CD and 3% for a 5-10 years CD. These low-interest rate environments are always devastating for the retired or soon to be retired individuals living on a fixed income. There needs to be a safe alternative, and private mortgage investing meets this requisite.
I believe that with the use of the book Private Money Lending: Learn How to Consistently Generate a Passive Income Stream as a guide any potential investor will no longer have to learn about this investment vehicle by happenstance.
What is your experience in this field and how has that helped you write this book?
I learned about private mortgage investing by happenstance like most people back in 1992. Thus, since 1992 (27 years) I’ve been safely investing in private mortgages, specifically in commercial and residential non-owner-occupied properties. As a result of learning about this investment vehicle, I no longer invest in the stock market because I can safely and consistently generate double-digit returns with a higher degree of safety.
There are many different investment opportunities out there, why did you want to write about private money lending?
I wanted to write about private money lending with an emphasis on private mortgages because I believe this is an investment vehicle that can generate the necessary cash flow to sustain a comfortable retirement with much less volatility and risk than with stock market correlated investments.
Yes, there are many different investment opportunities in the market, however, the majority carry too much risk. At least for my taste. The approach I use in this book was to first describe the advantages and disadvantages of the majority of available market investments before making the case of why I consider private mortgage lending a superior investment vehicle.
If you are an investor searching for a safer way to invest you should ask yourself three questions:
- Would you like to generate a passive and meaningful income stream in all market conditions?
- Would you like to generate this income stream consistently?
- Would you like an alternative with less risk than investments subjected to the volatility of the stock market?
If your answer to at least one of the three questions is “yes,” then reading this book will not be a waste of time or financial resources for you. In fact, learning about this investment strategy will change your financial life for the better.
What are some common mistakes investors make when they first start?
For investors entering this industry, the most common mistake is not possessing the necessary education to be safe.
It is important to learn how to perform the necessary due diligence regarding the loans that you will be considering.
It is also important to physically inspect the quality and location of the properties under-consideration to ensure a safe loan. Investors should never make any loan simply because of the high returns they can garner.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
If your answer to at least one of the three questions is “yes,” then this award-winning book is a must-read for you.
- This book is an important and timely research study that explores a little-known area of investing, which is that of private mortgage lending. The reason for undertaking the study was twofold; reason one is because, for the past 15 years, retirement portfolios had been devastated by stock market fluctuations, resulting from a greater prevalence of boom and bust economic cycles. It is quite possible that currently, another bust cycle might be unfolding, in spite of the Trump apparent bull market.
- The second reason is that of the adopted Federal Reserve policy of creating an artificially low-interest rate environment in an attempt to sustain the continued growth of the stock market and support of the current real estate recovery efforts.
- These two economic conditions primarily affect income investors because of the low yields being offered by the customary available fixed-income investments, such as bonds, CD’s, savings, and money market accounts (MMA). The combination of a reduced interest rate environment and increase stock market volatility has dramatically impacted the livelihood of the fixed income investor. Moreover, it has forced these investors to take greater levels of investment risk by incentivizing them to seek higher yields by investing in the stock market; in essence, the place that has created most of their financial problems.
LITERARY TITAN 