5 comments about Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Fast-Growth Firm.

1. This is by far the best business book I have ever read, and I have read many. This book is full of "roll up your sleeves" "get er done" practical tools and techniques. All referenced forms are available on Harnishe's website as well. The book is so readable, succinct and full of "Well Duh!" techniques and procedures that I found myself amazed that these basic techniques are not being used in more businesses.
   
   This could be the only "how to" manual any consultant would ever need to initiate transformational changes within client organizations.



2. I must say that the simpler management frameworks are the ones that stick with me. This book puts forth a few key management principles that are helpful for most companies.



3. Bring organization to your organization. Hold people accountable for their work. These are some of the biggest problems I hear over and over from entrepreneurs who have emerged from the start-up phase and are trying to grow their business into a profitable machine. This book is an easy read and gives you all the tools you need. A must have for anyone looking to take their business beyond their garages.



4. As a university instructor and entrepreneur, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. The one page strategic plan is brilliant and very doable by anyone in just a few hours time. Simple and straightforward - that's what this book teaches and that's what you should do to succeed....so Read this one for sure.



5. I would love to review this book for you. However, I have still not received it even though I have been charged for it! Can you please help me either get my book or get a credit to my credit card? Thank you!

5 comments about How The Stock Market Works.

1. Very few people will really tell you how the stock market actually works. If they did, it wouldn't. After you read the basics about placing orders and some technical indicators and patterns they hope you'll jump right in and lose your money. Do yourself a favor, study the market from a social history/military/control mechanism point of view by utilizing free library books. By the time you get it, you'll have saved more start-up capital and you won't go broke. Or, find somebody that will tell you the real deal -- and when you do, listen! Be prepared for a real shock, and then a huge sigh of relief!



2. As a beginner, I found the book to give a good overview of the stock market functionning. It is quite thorough and explains all the fundamental mechanisms. I would also recommend 'What you need to know before you invest' from Rod Davis



3. I am just beginning to learn about the stock market, and all the other dimensions that go along with it. I found this book quite informative, I have read it two times now. I use this as a text book to study from. I am also reading other books on the subject to make sure the information I learn is correct.



4. Rather than providing any sort of investment advice, this book explains the actual workings of the stock market. How a trade flows from a customer, through a broker, to the floor, and on to the various settlement engines. It's good background for anyone who invests in the market, and especially useful to anyone who works in (or with) the financial IT industry.

   As other reviewers have noted, the poor copy-editing is embarassing. But even with all the typos, the information presented is very useful.




5. Prentice-Hall is notorious for sloppy textbooks, and this book is in the company tradition. The text was not edited, proofread, or fact-checked. The glossary entry for wash sales is egregious, but almost any page provides examples. All information in this book is therefore suspect.

3 comments about Design for Manufacturability & Concurrent Engineering; How to Design for Low Cost, Design in High Quality, Design for Lean Manufacture, and Design Quickly for Fast Production.

1. This is a book I should've had many years ago. What I found interesting with this book is the fact that it supports many of the arguments that have included in the subject I am dealing with. I regret not buying it earlier as I struggled with issues such as DFM and DFA and how they can improve the bottom line of an aerospace enterprise. What I also like about this book is that it goes straight into the subject, rather than going on and on over abstract concepts and theories that are not at everyone's reach. I always say that people in the industry don't have time for long and endless theories, they want the facts and answers on how they can improve (when they realize they need to improve to stay in business). I have to say that this book answers just that.



2. This book saved my company. I am going to get a giant DFM tattoo across my shoulder. David Andersen is welcome at my company or in my living room any time of the year. I started a company with my advisor out of college and we *struggled* for 5 years to get things working. Let me tell you, this book changed everything. I gave a presentation on it that was more of a book report and everybody was on board. The way we choose vendors, the way we work with vendors, the way we ask, obsessively, all the questions up front, before we even commit to a design architecture, has changed our lives and refreshed our spirits. Mockups, vendor phone calls, impromptu team meetings, it all makes sense now. Everything they never taught us engineers in college. They taught us to design for functionality, not manufacturability. He is so right! Andersen "gets it". And there are like hundreds of DFM rules for all sorts of topics in the appendix. Read it, adopt it, present it, print out hte rules and staple them up all over. Things now work right, we screw 'em together and they work. Voila! Thank you Andersen! Buy this, everybody who's been burned by poor design. Buy this.



3. The book was recieved in a couple days and in excellent condition. I could not ask for anything more. Thank you...

5 comments about When to Sell: Inside Strategies for Stock-Market Profits (Fraser Publishing Library).

1. If you invest, wish you had a mentor on the trading floor, but don't know anyone who works on the exchange, you should read this book. Mamis discusses not only market indicators so you can better time buys and sells, but explains what happens on the trading floor and how the professionals -- the "they" many investors refer to grudgingly -- benefit from herd psychology. After reading this you will better understand why the "average investor" is more likely to lose than win, and why many people, in fact, subconsciously prefer to lose. Mamis has an easy style which reflects his many years of investing experience -- it is not a dry, academic discusson of the market.

   Along with "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" and a couple of others, this is one of the best and most informative books I've read about the market.




2. I have been an investment professional for over 20 years. I have read dozens of books--most long before the flood of "you to can be a super trader" trash of the 1990s. This is the best one. Mamis is an original and independent thinker. The book deals with psychology, tactics, technical indicators. His "How to Buy" is not nearly as good.



3. When I started reading this book I was disappointed. The background chapters that attempt to teach Technical Analysis for example are covered somewhat better in other books (see John Murphy).

   But the treasure of this awesome book is in the examples and stories in the later chapters. I wish I had read this book a couple of years ago. From a number of books that I have read, it talks quite a bit about short selling and risk. In my opinion .. it is a five star book ..




4. I was fortunate to come across Justin Mamis' book early in my career on Wall Street. Because of his book, I learned a lot about investor psychology and the art of selling which makes this book unique. It is just not charts and a bunch of "mumble jumbo"- it's learning through Justin's stories how investors behave in a given situation and what happens. I guaranteed it will help you become a better investor because it helped me. I started as a stockbroker but later became a portfolio manager at a major brokerage firm; chief investment officer for a money manager firm; a market strategist; and research director.
   
   Yes, I like this book so 14 years after reading this book I was fortunate to be able hire Justin as my market technician when I became research director for a major regional firm. After working with him on a daily basis for a number of years, I can understand why institutions today are willing to pay a minimum of $20,000/yr. for his services.
   
   One last note: I own a lot of investment books but "When to Sell" is the only book that has even been stolen out of my office. Not once but multiple times. In fact, I got so sick of having to replace it that I quit keeping it at work.
   
   
   
   



5. That's the big question. Sell too soon to lock in a small profit and you watch the market go on in your direction without you. That hurts because if you only waited you could have that bigger profit. Or maybe the market turns and you look like a genius?
   
   Sell too soon and you end up with a small loss that prevents you from a much bigger loss. Or does the market turn and your small loss would have turned into a big winner?
   
   This book goes into detail about when you should sell and when you should sell short. I have read many books on trading and this one covers those points in more detail, with more clarity, than all of the others combined. The large majority of books only talk about buying, usually in a bull market. They almost never tell you specifically when to get out of those positions, or if they do, they give a generic profit target like "2 or 3 times your initial risk". How is that good advice? They have no idea of the market that day or of your entry point. I consider myself to be pretty good at entries, almost surgical in precision, so I can use a smaller stop loss to know if the position is going to work. I would go broke if I stuck to "2 or 3 times my initial risk", my winning trades usually go much further and my initial risk is usually very small.
   
   Justin Mamis goes into the psychology of holding positions. He talks about how one professional trader told him "The public is most comfortable when they are sitting with losses". I read that and instantly knew he was correct. I have seen it in the past in my trading. I would be sitting there with a huge profit and I was nervous as hell. Then the next day I was sitting there with a big loss, and I was not nearly as nervous. How is that even possible? To me the loss was easier to accept because I rationalized it as a loss without giving thought to the size of the loss. Holding the winner is tougher because I was focusing on the size of the winner and did not want to close the position at a profit and leave money on the table. Leaving money on the table would turn that huge winner into a loser for me because I was not getting all of it. This is a tough business. Taking profits should not be so draining on your emotions.
   
   Justin explains his thoughts about how the stock market is an ideal arena for ones emotions. You have all the elements of reward and punishment, and many people carry lots of guilt on their shoulders, so losing money in the markets is therapeutic for them. It's sad, but it's probably closer to being true than to being false.
   
   The author goes into detail on market analysis and technical indicators and how to use them. He focuses on price action, but shows you how to use indicators if you need them. Justin talks about news items at tops and bottoms and tells you how to recognize when you are near tops or bottoms. That information alone is easily understandable and more than covers the low price of this important book.
   
   Read the authors other books too, The Nature of Risk (Contrary Opinion Library) and How to Buy: An Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Stock Market.

4 comments about The Lean Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events - Any Industry - Any Time.

1. The Lean Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events is a superb collection of Lean tools, simply illustrated to convey the most basic Lean tools of 5S, Data Collection, Fishbones, Continuous Flow, Mapping (Value Stream and Process),Mistake Proofing, Takt Time, etc. This book was designed specifically for the Kaizen Event participant...allowing for them to more fully engage in a Kaizen Event, as well as grasp the simplicity of the Lean tools. (I cannot believe someone has not done this before.) The author, Don Tapping, has outdone himself in this cost-effective handbook. Mr. Tapping very clearly states at the beginning of this book that its purpose is soley to supplement other Lean training materials. This book is a quick-reference guide, personal Lean planner, Kaizen planner, and a learning tool - all for about $8.00 - the best value in the market. We have nearly 2000 employees going through Kaizen Events every year, and now, each one of them will have one of these books. Our contiuous improvement team has met and reviewed this book and whole-heartedly gives it a 5-star rating!



2. We found The Lean Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events one of the most practical and economical books on the market. The brief tool descriptions (of about 12-15 of the Lean tools, with the most basic ones being included), the flowchart that guides each tool to the same conclusion about creating standards, and the illustrations are very useful when conducting an improvement event. We supplement all our workshops with these handy books. The referencing of the book many times has triggered very good discussions in our projects.



3. In a comprechensive way all the important contennts are understandable explained. The most significant details are emphasized. There are no unnecessary words und explanations for marginal notes.
   Previous knowledge of matter is advisable. This short book is usefull
   and applicable for the professionals.



4. Any Lean effort is based in a good comunication from the company goals to the shop floor. Kaizen events need to be fast and direct to the point, in these moments this Pocket Handbook come to play. In a few steps it gives you a good walk through procedure that everyone can understand and accomplish.

4 comments about Cracking The Producers Code.

1. I have read this wonderfully inspiring book on how to not over complicate MLM's and Direct Sales. Chad has done a wonderful job of explaining how this is not all that complicated, but rather quit simple. I highly recommend this book if you want to succeed with your Direct Sales or MLM opportunity.



2. Chad Wade is yet another living example of creating success by applying the principles found in "Think & Grow Rich". He found a living mentor in Bob Snyder and soaked up all the applied wisdom and squeezed it all out except for the application (which is up to you) in this great book. It will be fun to see the amazing leaders who rise up to super success because of reading and applying what is taught in "Cracking The Producers Code".



3. This is the kind of book you want to read with a highligher and pen handy, over and over again. Starting with upgrading yourself and then continuing with the basics of sales from lead generation to close, it hones in on WHAT to do, and HOW to do it. I'm giving copies to everyone on my team.



4. The market of direct sales and network marketing can be an intimidating and exciting venture. You are taking the steps necessary to become your own boss and the director of your business and financial future. Cracking the Producer's Code will assist you in breaking down the necessary steps to help you create a successful and thriving business. People over complicate a process that is in actuality very simple and basic. It is important to have the basic fundamentals in check before you'll be able to spread out and continue expansion. This book will assist you with creating your own personal why and goal sets, allowing you to connect with the original purpose that brought you to the direct sales and network market in the first place. After that you'll be walked through the process of finding potential prospects, how to connect with them and share your story, get them to your company events and eventually ask them for the close.

4 comments about The Lean Product Development Guidebook: Everything Your Design Team Needs to Improve Efficiency and Slash Time to Market.

1. I just finished reading "The Lean Product Development Guidebook" and I am totally impressed with the practical tools and common sense tone of this book. The author makes the learning experience pleasant and even entertaining! Most of the two dozen "lean methods" described in the book can be used right away and will provide immediate benfits. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about driving waste out of the product design process.



2. Project management professional Ronald Mascitelli presents The Lean Product Development Guidebook: Everything Your Design Team Needs to Improve Efficiency and Slash Time-to-Market, a handbook written especially for design team managers in all business fields. The focus lies upon making the product development process "lean", thereby improving both its efficiency and its effectiveness. Chapters describe how to establish product design requirements, heighten the pace of project execution, and apply self-assessment tools to keep design paradigms operating at optimal levels. The Lean Product Development Guidebook is spiral-bound, able to lay flat or be folded over on itself for easy reference, and is written in plain terms, with numerous black-and-white charts and diagrams illustrating its principles. Enthusiastically recommended as an overview resource and guideline for design team managers everywhere.



3. This is the author's second book on product development. The first one was focused primarily on cost reduction with some material about time-to-market. In this book his focus is primarily on reducing development time through focusing on the new development team processes. Ron offers some very practical advice, and a host of easy to use tools and aids that new product development teams can adapt very easily and quickly. Ron's writing style is that of a practitioner and therefore makes reading the material easy, and is made relevant to a real world environment.
   
   His approach of adapting some traditional lean tools to the product development situation is novel. I found his version of Value Stream Mapping for example, for a basically creative process, very useful.
   
   While this book stands on its own, if you have not read Ron's first book "The Lean Design Guidebook," doing so would give you holistic perspective on both the time and cost factors involved in the new product design process.



4. Ron has a very laid back writing style. You can tell that he has spent a considerable amount of time in the trenches and appreciates the amount of hard work and focus it takes for a successfull product development project. I would definately recomend this book for anyone serious about wanting to add tools to their product development toolbox.

5 comments about A Master Guide to Income Property Brokerage : Boost Your Income By Selling Commercial and Income Properties , 4th Edition.

1. Couldn't put this one down. An absolute must read for any realtor considering commercial real estate. Its chock full of great information. I read this cover to cover in one day!!! I highly recommend this one...its fresh, its current for today's industry, and you'd be foolish to miss out on the information inside!!! Mistersold!!! says A+++++



2. Mr. Peckman methodically and clearly outlines the details and keys to make the move into Income Property Brokerage a success.
   
   It's always nice when you learn from someone who has gone through the steps to reach success and isn't reluctant to share them with you and can do so in a mentoring kind of way.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. There is no doubt that Jack knows commercial real estate and Jack knows the Internet. So if you want to improve your knowledge about Income Property Brokerage and Online Marketing, do not hesitate to buy this resource. When you can learn from someone who has walked the path before, you know you are getting valuable information directly from the horse's mouth. This is one of those rare events. Jack's steps and tips worked for him and they can work for you.
   
   Stefan Swanepoel
   Thirteen time author including
   Real Estate confronts Reality (1997) Real Estate confronts the Future (2004) and Swanepoel Trends Report (2007)



4. I had the opportunity to preview this book just before its publication. If you are either running or starting a commercial real estate brokerage, this book is a must-have! I personally am using much of this book to take my relatively small real estate brokerage to a new level. Great ideas go along with many pragmatic and practical tips. I refer to this book often in my staff meetings.



5. Jack Peckham shares so much valuable knowledge in this book you are crazy if you don't buy it. Jack is one of the special people in the commercial real estate industry. He is always trying to share his vast knowledge and skills to make people better. Thank you Jack.

No comments about How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad, Fourth Edition.

5 comments about The Warren Buffett Portfolio: Mastering the Power of the Focus Investment Strategy.

1. This book presents Buffet's and Hagstrom's portfolio allocation methods. I say Hagstrom's because I think that much of Buffet's allocation methodology remains between Buffet's ears -- and not that of Hagstrom the author. Also, I believe Buffet is more opportunistic; he acts decisively when opportunities present themselves.
   
   The author adds discussion of technology stocks, an anathema of Buffet's, and the obligatory discussion of complex adaptive networks which might not be Buffet thinking but more along the lines of Charles Munger, his cohort.
   
   Nevertheless, there are many interesting points in this book. I listened to the audio tapes and they excellent. I then took the book out from the library and liked the tapes more.
   
   The author covers several important topics, in a summarized way, but also in a very interesting way. One topic done well was thinking in terms of probabilities. Another was diversification: don't over-diversify.
   
   The author also quoted from several books outside of the financial area and have become intrigued with them. They were: Fire in the Mind (Johnson), Full House (Gould), Against the Gods (Bernstein).
   
   I think Hagstrom is a very good author but his works seem to lack the detail that I like to see. He's one that can pull the strands of many topics together but perhaps skates over their details. I would have liked more detail on subjective probabilities as applied to the stock market for example. More on how Bayes, etc.
   
   John Dunbar
   Sugar Land, TX



2. Go right to the heart of the matter with Graham and Dodd's "Security Analysis" if you want to know how Buffett started. Hagstrom's book is a poorly executed fifth grader's book report on the primary investing philosophy of Buffett. Don't waste your money here. You'll regret it. This doesn't even scratch the surface of relevant information.



3. I bought it, by the title mentioning W.B.
   Wasted money: Whenever it comes to the details, he refers to his other book "The W.B way" (which I do not have, amazon ratings are poor though). Nothing wrong with the contents, but nothing new either. Just read the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Letter to the Shareholders (free on the web), with more and actually useful info. This book has ZERO value after reading the Letters, and this book ALONE does not quite help you picking stocks (although makes a good point in favor of WB's way)



4. The book is short, but gives you a lot to think about. I was interested in it mainly because Munger and Buffett gave it a nod. Many of the concepts were enlightening, he presents some good empirical evidence to support his arguments, and he hits all of the main points of the focus investment strategy which Buffett uses. He could have gone into a little more detail in the mathematics section, where I found myself dissatisfied with his unnecessarily vague and subjective treatment of the core concepts of probability. I say unnecessarily because I realize the purpose of the book is to give investors a mental framework for successful investment, but he could have easily included some practical information for investors on how to actually implement these strategies. For instance, a short example of his own, describing in detail the use of expected value (a simple statistical measure he alludes to but never mentions), would have helped to remedy the situation. He actually shows a simplified form of the Kelly Criterion (where payout is fixed), but failed to also include the more useful formula, which would have better shown the critical link between payout odds and probability (which together make up expected value), and optimal betting size. Sometimes little things like this make all the difference in our understanding, but in certain instances in the book he presents them as isolated concepts, and the informed reader is left believing the author doesn't really have a strong grasp of what he is writing, or at least didn't do a very good job of connecting his ideas together. He leaves it up to you to do the work of integrating the ideas into one. Still, he gives you the basic models you need, and does do a really good job incorporating his interviews with Buffett, Munger, Ruane, etc. into the book. If you will take the time to investigate and fill in the details, his theories will solidify nicely into one very powerful model, and this book will have served its intended purpose well.



5. I wonder what the aim of this book really was... It appears the author was impressed with Buffett's use of probability theory and expectancies of outcome on investments, and he wanted to share it with the world. But it seems the author has written this book before he fully understood the concepts, because this book is little more than a ragtag of quotes. The book lacks detail and practical how-to guide-lines. It often tries to draw irrelevant analogies. And the writing style of this author is generally confusing, because he relies so heavily on quotes instead of making a coherent explanation of the concepts himself. I've given this book 3 stars because it does have some interesting points for further consideration for people already experienced in Value / Focus Investing.