The Mysteries of Retirement
Even if you work long and hard enough to afford the standard vision of a “perfect” retirement, you will almost certainly be bored by it. (I know you don’t believe me, but I can show you plenty of evidence: testimonials by dozens of businessmen I’ve known who retired, found themselves…
READ MOREThe Martha Stewart Recipe for Failure
Martha Stewart is an American legend. Born Martha Kostyra to a working-class Polish family in New Jersey, her sensational career was launched when she quit her job as a stockbroker in the mid 1970s to start a catering business in Connecticut. Over the next 10 years, with the help of…
READ MORESaving “Useless” Teddy
Everyone agreed. Teddy had to go. In the six months that he had worked for us, he hadn’t accomplished a single one of his half-dozen primary goals. Not only had he failed at his objectives, he was disruptive at meetings and rude in corporate correspondence. I volunteered to be the…
READ MOREHow To Survive Having An “Idiot” Boss
Your boss is clearly an idiot or a lunatic — so there’s no way that he’s going to help you succeed. But, for whatever reason, it doesn’t look like he’s going to be replaced anytime soon. What to do? It’s OK to vent about him at home (so long as…
READ MORELike It or Not, Appearances Matter
Casual office attire is becoming more common these days — but, in the words of the emcee at Woodstock, “that doesn’t mean anything goes.” Even if your company’s style is decidedly relaxed, you should be careful about how you dress. If you’re not, you could be hurting yourself without knowing…
READ MOREHow One ETR Reader Uses ETR to Have a Better Life
Patrick recently forwarded a note to me from Arnie G., a regular ETR reader. “Other ETR readers might be interested in what this guy has to say,” Patrick advised — and I agreed. So, here it is, expressed in seven “how-to-benefit-from-ETR” morsels: 1. Read ETR — even if you don’t…
READ MORESay Nothing but That Which Serves a Good Purpose
“Criticism should not be querulous and wasting, all knife and root-puller, but guiding, instructive, inspiring.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson If you’d like to make a major, powerful change in the way your team interacts, get them to agree to the following experiment. The Game: For a certain period of time…
READ MOREHow To Make Your Important, Long-Term, Business Relationships Work
In a recent ETR message, I complained about Ann’s handwriting and her somewhat casual method of keeping track of tasks. Needless to say, she was not a happy camper. “I can’t imagine in what possible way that message could benefit either of us,” she said. “Now all the important people…
READ MOREDetermining the Value of a Small Business
CB: Let’s start with the basic question: Is there an easy way to figure out a fair price to pay for an existing business? MM: Yes — but only if you have all the right information. What you’re talking about is a “business valuation” — and there’s a whole accounting…
READ MOREMr. X Book
Dear ETR reader, I recently heard about an event, scheduled for this Tuesday, the 27th, that I believe can make a powerful and important difference in your life, your prosperity, and your financial independence. You’ve heard of Jay Abraham, he’s a contributor for ETR. He’s one of the most successful…
READ MOREBuy A Car, Not A Financial Burden
If you’re looking to buy a new car, you might be offered a longer and “cheaper” loan. Don’t be suckered in — it’s bad business all the way around. I know it doesn’t sound that serious, but consider this: According to Edmunds.com, 40% of new-car buyers owe more money…
READ MORE“Poaching” Employees: How To, When To
A talented young executive (let’s call him “Ralph”), having had, perhaps, a bit too much to drink at a business function, admitted to the manager of a different division of his company that he was not entirely happy with his situation and was unsure about his future. Within a week,…
READ MORE