Posts by Early To Rise
Forget Most of What You Think You Know About Feng Shui: Here Are The Essentials for a Productive Place of Business
I tried to believe. I really did. But half of what I read about feng shui seemed totally loony. So, once again, I’m going to rely on the benefit of 52 years of experience. Here’s the “ETR shui” on setting up a good office/studio. First, some observations and conclusion: * If you want to be…
Read MoreGetting Help from Rich and Powerful People
IR arrived at my office for our lunch meeting 20 minutes early. If there is anything worse than arriving 15 minutes late, it’s arriving early and expecting your host to drop what he’s doing and pay attention to you. If you must arrive early because you aren’t sure how long the drive will take and…
Read MoreThere Are No Insurmountable Obstacles for Someone with the True Entrepreneurial Spirit
Twering Gyalzen (whose grandfather was one of the native Nepalese who carried equipment and supplies for Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay when they conquered Mount Everest in 1953) is determined to set up an Internet café at the base camp of the world’s highest mountain. Among the problems he faces: freezing temperatures and storms,…
Read MoreHave You Begun To Keep A Journal?
In Message #731 (“Give Yourself 10 Minutes a Day — and Enjoy the Subtle Pleasures of Keeping a Daily Journal”), I encouraged you to start a journal. I pointed out that among other benefits it would provide you with: * a record of what you did when and to whom — should you ever need…
Read More“Salespeople” Aren’t The Only Ones Who Have To Know How To Sell To Be Successful
As Richard Carlson says in his book “Don’t Worry, Make Money”, if you have something (anything) to offer someone else, you are, at least partially, a salesperson. “And that’s OK. … Selling is an important part of the web of life. It’s OK to sell. It doesn’t make you a bad person.” I’ve made…
Read MoreChoosing The Right Home, Part II: How Expensive A House Do You Need?
How much of your net worth should be invested in your home? That depends. When you are starting out, your home may represent most of your wealth. It may be all of it. But as you start saving and investing, you’ll want to gradually decrease that percentage from most of your wealth to half of…
Read MoreChoosing The Right Home, Part I: How Big A House Do You Need?
I grew up in a family of 10 in a four-bedroom home the size of a Hummer. I was embarrassed to have to bunk with two or three siblings and was amazed and in awe of Tommy Harrington, a friend whose house contained not only one full bedroom just for him but also two huge…
Read MoreNew Year’s Resolution Progress Update
So what are your top four goals for 2003? In what way do you plan to be wealthier? Healthier? Wiser and happier? If you didn’t do so at the beginning of the year, here’s your second chance to write them down and make a list of what you need to do to achieve them. Let’s…
Read MoreDirect-Marketing Dilemma: Is It Better to Create or Buy Your Product?
There are plenty of good reasons to create and manufacture your own unique product if you are in the direct-marketing businesses. Most obviously, you can lower production costs. Lower manufacturing costs give you a greater product margin and that can allow you to sell your initial product (and thereby establish a profitable customer relationship) more…
Read MoreYour Reaction to New Business Opportunities
I sent a memo to IT last week reporting on a clever and very effective scheme that one of our competitors is using to make a lot of money. His response was to explain to me “what’s wrong with what he’s doing” and “why our way is better.” There may or may not be…
Read MoreThe Single Biggest Investment Opportunity of 2003
Dear Investor, As the head of one of the most powerful investment groups in the world, I have access to intelligence and ideas the average investor never hears about. For example, I recently had a private conversation with one of the world’s most successful hedge-fund managers. (This man’s fund rose 3,365% while the S&P 500…
Read MoreOne of the Most Debilitating Myths About Leadership
We almost hired TH for the job. He would have made a lot of money — maybe $400,000 a year. TH had a very impressive résumé and said almost everything right in the interview. The stumper? When my partner asked him how he would handle a specific problem, he replied: “My approach would be…
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