Michael Masterson

Michael MasteronMichael Masterson has developed a loyal following through his writings in Early to Rise, an e-newsletter published by Agora, Inc. that mentors more than 250,000 success-oriented individuals to help them achieve their financial goals.

Masterson has been making money for himself and others for almost four decades. At one time or another, Michael Masterson (a pen name used by this ultra-successful businessman)has consulted for and advised multi-million dollar companies that wereboth public/private, onshore/overseas, local/international, service-/product-oriented, retail/wholesale/direct mail, and even profit/not-for-profit.

Masterson is the author of several Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Amazon.com best sellers, including Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat, Seven Years to Seven Figures: The Fast Track Plan to Becoming a Millionaire; Automatic Wealth: The Six Steps to Financial Independence; Automatic Wealth for Grads… and Anyone Else Just Starting Out; Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and Your Personal Life (all published by John Wiley & Sons); and Confessions of a Self-Made Millionaire.

Recent Articles

Getting Your Inventions Patented and Sold
by Michael Masterson (10/06/2008)

Protecting your idea or invention - We got a letter from “Kellen,” who has invented something he thinks can change the world and make him a lot of money. Kellen is currently a business owner and founder of a men’s fitness franchise. He said he had tried to be the “Curves for men,” but is finding out that “men don’t take to fitness like women do.”

Pay Yourself First
by Michael Masterson (10/02/2008)

Many financial advisers recommend sticking to a budget. By categorizing expenses and limiting spending, they argue, you can have enough left over every month to save money and grow rich...

Why Two-Headed Businesses Grow Faster
by Michael Masterson (09/29/2008)

The popular image of the successful entrepreneur is that of a hardworking risk taker who acts on his own. The reality is different. Successful entrepreneurs work hard, but they are not risk takers and they seldom act alone.

Match the Business to the Market
by Michael Masterson (09/22/2008)

Today, her business is thriving. She employs 25 people and produces 55,000 pairs of cotton panties a month. With the income she’s earning, she has bought and renovated a house for her family and a car. Her daughter, who is studying nursing, will be the first family member to finish college.

How to Become an Early Riser
by Michael Masterson (09/15/2008)

I went into my office with a smile on my face. These four early risers comprised half the creative team of FSP. The fact that they were at work more than 90 minutes before 9:00 a.m. impressed me. Their good mood impressed me even more...

The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Business Builder
by Michael Masterson (09/12/2008)

I am living proof that you can do well as a business builder, even if you hate hard work. For me, hard work boils down to one of two things...

Stop Selling When You Are Ahead
by Michael Masterson (09/08/2008)

If you have made a good presentation and the prospects are satisfied that the benefits offered will improve their situation, and are believable, any further presentation is overselling. Overselling can create, in the mind of the prospects, a feeling of disbelief as to the validity of the owner benefits.

Managing Customer Criticisms and Complaints
by Michael Masterson (09/01/2008)

If you find that you are failing to follow that protocol, you must ask yourself why. Why are you pitting yourself against them? Based on my own experience, it’s probably because you’re taking their comments personally. You’re upset. You want to defend yourself.

Are You an Information Addict?
by Michael Masterson (08/25/2008)

I hadn’t seen Dave in almost 20 years. He was my dentist when we moved to Boca Raton in the early 1980s. He continued to take care of K and the kids after we moved to Delray Beach 10 years later, but I opted for dental care closer to home.

How Much Are You Worth?
by Michael Masterson (08/18/2008)

A French woman, upon seeing Picasso in a Parisian restaurant, approached the great master and insisted that he put down his coffee and make a quick sketch of her. Graciously, Picasso obliged. When he was done, she took the drawing, put it in her handbag, and then pulled out her billfold.

The Internet Business Is Booming in Europe Too
by Michael Masterson (08/15/2008)

Here in London for the summer, I’m reading the British business press. Not surprisingly, trends here are following those in the United States. The global real estate meltdown is affecting Europe. The housing market has dropped. The banking industry is down. And rising fuel costs are making things even worse.

Are You Top Dog… or Second Banana?
by Michael Masterson (08/11/2008)

Charlie Munger is Warren Buffett's right-hand man. And one of the richest men in the world. As vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Munger has a net worth of $2.4 billion (according to Forbes).

Why You Should Invest in India Now
by Michael Masterson (08/04/2008)

When an economy is growing fast, opportunities are abundant. You don't have to be a genius to make lots of money. You simply have to be at the right place at the right time.

Something Useful Suzanne Taught Me
by Michael Masterson (07/31/2008)

When Disaster Strikes
by Michael Masterson (07/28/2008)

Sometimes life dishes out these little disasters. How you react to them says much about your character and bears heavily on your ability to carry out a successful life.

The School House That Ye Built
by Michael Masterson (07/25/2008)

You have heard so much about it already: the earthquake that stunned China. The municipal buildings survived because they were built to earthquake standards. But the public schools collapsed because they were not. That is mostly true - with one exception: the schoolhouse that Ye built.

When Is a Good Deal Too Good?
by Michael Masterson (07/21/2008)

When negotiating a deal, how hard should you push for an advantage? Should you play the competition game and get as much as you can? Or should you "take care of" the other guy, even if he isn't taking care of himself?

The Right Way to Take a Working Vacation
by Michael Masterson (07/14/2008)

You can do it too - enjoy a working vacation of half-days. The idea is that instead of taking a two- or three-week vacation without work, take a four- to six-week vacation working just four hours a day.

Are You Better Off than Your Parents Were? Really?
by Michael Masterson (07/09/2008)

Normally I pay no attention to political speeches, but this caught my attention. Less social mobility. That means a statistically lower chance for people to better themselves financially. Fifty years? Where's the progress?

How to Decide Between Two Equally Good Things
by Michael Masterson (07/07/2008)

"Everybody thinks that you can go through life making logical decisions based on factual input. One logical decision after another. But when I think about my career, it

What Dancing Can Teach You About Leadership
by Michael Masterson (06/30/2008)

The three most important lessons in leadership I ever learned, I learned on the dance floor.

Uniqueness Matters: How to Differentiate Your Product from the Competition
by Michael Masterson (06/26/2008)

Think of your primary product. Now answer these two questions: Is there something about it that is better than the other products of its kind? Do you emphasize that advantage in your marketing?

Too Scared to Try? A Formula for Defeating the Fear of Failure
by Michael Masterson (06/23/2008)

ETR Reader’s Opportunity of a Lifetime
by Michael Masterson (06/16/2008)

Karen, an ETR reader from Santa Monica, wrote to ask what I thought about "the chance of a lifetime" she'd just been offered.

Faking It, Making It: The Changing World of Fakery
by Michael Masterson (06/09/2008)

How Much Fiber Can You Get in a Shake?
by Michael Masterson (06/07/2008)

There's no doubt about it - fiber is one of a few super-foods you should consume daily. In my article about my daily eating routine, I mentioned a super-high-fiber shake that I drink every day. In fact, I've calculated that my shake can provide me with as much as 95 grams of fiber. A half-dozen ETR readers wrote in, wondering where I found this miraculous beverage.

The Virtuous Investor
by Michael Masterson (06/05/2008)

If you want to be successful as a stock investor, you must have these three virtues:

3 Steps to Success: Thinking, Acting, and Breaking Up the Day
by Michael Masterson (06/02/2008)

For the past few months, I've been sharing some of my personal productivity secrets in a series of articles to help you "Master Plan" your life so you can finally accomplish all your goals. Ultimately, it all boils down to how you spend your time. What you do and what you fail to do.

How to Create Your First Advertising Campaign
by Michael Masterson (05/29/2008)

The Big Idea for an advertising campaign comes from your product's USP (unique selling proposition). If the USP is strong, the Big Idea will be strong too.

Checking Your Progress
by Michael Masterson (05/28/2008)

A recent study from DayTimer.com concluded that American workers with the highest incomes and most success in the workplace are those who have written goals.

How to Be on Top of Everything
by Michael Masterson (05/26/2008)

Since January, I've been writing a series of essays in ETR intended to give you tools to help you "master plan" your life. As you put this master plan into action, you will find that you will be able to accomplish more than you ever have before. Much more.

The Best Bread for a Healthy Diet
by Michael Masterson (05/24/2008)

When you're trying to get healthy, fiber is a super-substance that you can't get enough of. That's why I try to include 100 grams or more of fiber in my daily diet.

4 Things You Can Do to Give Yourself Lots More Time to Be Lots More Successful
by Michael Masterson (05/19/2008)

Of all the ETR essays I've written about self-improvement, the ones that get the most response - both positive and negative - are those that have to do with saving time. I don't know why that is. You would think ETR readers would be very happy to get advice about how to be more productive by spending less time doing routine tasks. You would think.

Transitioning Over to the “Money” Side of Your Company’s Business
by Michael Masterson (05/16/2008)

You have the greatest chance of getting big raises, big promotions - and eventually, a six-figure income - if the work you do has a positive impact on your company's bottom line.

Dear ETR: "Do I need two different websites and two different approaches to marketing?"
by Michael Masterson (05/15/2008)

Your instinct is good. Generally speaking, your marketing will be stronger if you sell one product at a time.

Wealth and Wealthy People
by Michael Masterson (05/12/2008)

If you want to survive and prosper in the first decade of 21st century, emulate the habits of the world's richest people. Educate yourself about money. Make conservative investments. And seize opportunities to start and/or invest in entrepreneurial businesses.

Dear ETR: "My biggest dilemma is if I’m right for the job."
by Michael Masterson (05/09/2008)

Learning to become good at selling is simply learning technique. If you are smart enough to learn to ride a bicycle or use a computer spreadsheet, you are more than smart enough to learn the techniques you will need to be an excellent salesperson.

A Better Way to Criticize a Piece of Writing
by Michael Masterson (05/07/2008)

Providing negative criticism of published work is by and large a bootless endeavor. In the writer's mind, hearing negative things said about it so late in the game feels like Monday morning quarterbacking.

Good to Great - How Great Is That?
by Michael Masterson (05/05/2008)

"In the real world, getting from good to great requires extraordinary effort. It demands more time than you want, more energy than you have, and more cooperation than any normal person can be expected to contribute."

Are There Only 2 Ways to Be Successful in Business?
by Michael Masterson (05/03/2008)

What I've just described is the business model that is available to Internet information publishers today. It's no wonder why so many ETR readers want to be involved in this growing field.

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