5 comments about The Insider's Guide to Real Estate Investing Loopholes.

1. I just finished reading Real Estate Investing Loopholes and it is just simply brilliant! I have started investing for cashflow and already can see the benefits. What I have learned the most from your books is the importance of having a plan and due diligence. Thank you so much. Keep writing and we will keep reading.



2. I really liked the chapter, Smart Business Structures That Reduce Risk and Tax. Now I think I better understand the differences between the possible structures and will be able to ask better questions when I am ready to start investing. Also, I like that this book has practical information and is not just trying to dazzle me with get rich quick nonsense. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in real estate.



3. I thought "Real Estate Investing Loopholes" was put together really well. It has a lot of information that will help you find the tax loopholes that will help you best. My favorite Chapter was "Be Paid to Live in Your Home", by having a home office I have been able to write off more expenses and pay less tax. It works. I highly recommend this book. Thanks Diane and Dolf.



4. 
   Just about all of the advice in the book will help a real estate investor enhance his returns through smart tax planning. Saving money on taxes means more to the bottom line, which increases returns. This is not a rah-rah get pumped up to do deals type book, more of a step by step type explanation of how to best protect yourself (using LLC's or Corporations) and how to save on taxes (1031 exchange). They also touch on the relatively new TIC (Tenants in Common) structure, which is looking more and more useful because it will let partners out of a deal to do a 1031 without having to sell the whole property.
   
   Overall it's all stuff a real estate investor needs to know, but I personally would have liked more real life deal examples. In Dolf's 52 homes in 52 weeks there are lots of examples (52) of him doing deals with a breakdown of the profit or loss on each.
   
   By Kevin Kingston, author of: A 20,000% Gain in Real Estate: A True Story About the Ups and Downs From Wall Street to Real Estate Leading to Phenomenal Returns
   
   And my blog is: The Real Estate Investors Blog



5. I enjoyed reading this book. It has given me direction on setting up my business. Diane Kennedy has some very good information in this book that I would encourage you to read. Well written book.

5 comments about Online Investing Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools (Hacks).

1. It seems like everyone is involved in investing in some form or another. While I always felt like I should be investing too, it was never clear to me how to begin this process. After all, it's my money. How can I be sure I'm investing in something that will provide some sort of reasonable return? This book is an excellent resource in answering some of those questions and putting the new investor on the right track.
   
   This book is written in the same format as the other "hacks" series by O'Reilly. This format is very easy to read, and the format makes it very easy to find answers. Rather then having to read the book from cover to cover, the reader can pick out topics they are dealing with, read the answer, and move on. Since many of the people interesting in a book of this nature will likely have little time, the book's format works to its advantage.
   
   The book begins with some basic introduction to the stock market and tips for selecting appropriate stocks or mutual funds. The whole middle section of the book deals with data analysis. The author discusses how to understand a company's balance sheet (e.g. what that P/E ratio means), how to spot companies in financial trouble, how to pick a good stock, and even how to trade. There is also a good discussion on minimizing the effect of taxes on your little return on investment.
   
   The author even goes further and gets into a discussion on financial planning. In addition to discussing debt reduction, the author also talks about IRA plans and different strategies for saving for your child's education expenses. I think my favorite part of this book was the discussion on different education savings plans. The author discusses the ins and outs (as well as tax consequences) of each of the plans, and provides some examples illustrating the fact that it's better to start saving earlier than later.
   
   This is an excellent book, not just for its investing advice, but also for its sound financial planning. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in increasing their wealth, saving for a rainy day, or simply saving for future financial goals.



2. Online Investing Hacks is an excellent introduction to the world of investment. Though the title does contain the word 'Online', I would say that the general information the book provides on investing is not limited to the online realm.
   
   Overall, I was very happy with the book, and found it incredibly useful. Though I do have several investments (401K, some stock, mutual funds etc) I would hardly consider myself an authority on the subject. This book provided very detailed explanations and tips on various forms of investment, from CD's to Index funds, and everything in between. While the experienced investor might not glean much from reading this book, anyone just getting started will find it an excellent reference, and resource.
   
   The format of the book is similar to the other books in the 100 * Hacks series published by O'Reilly. There are exactly 100 hacks, or topics, which are spread across 9 chapters. Each one is an individual entity and can be read and understood without reliance on any of the other hacks.
   
   One minor annoyance I had with the book is that it is geared toward those of you who, for some reason or another, run Microsoft's Windows OS, or have access to Microsoft Excel. Luckily, of the Excel examples that I played with, Open Office's Calc program handled them with minimal tweaking.
   
   I can easily recommend this book to anyone who wants to invest, but is unsure of what to invest in, or needs some tips on making the most of preexisting investments. Those of you who enjoy research and building your own stats and graphs will also find parts of this book rather intriguing, as it covers data acquisition and manipulation with Excel in great detail. It will make an excellent addition to my reference shelf, and I have a feeling it will be well thumbed through in a very short time.



3. Online Investing Hacks by Bonnie Biafore (O'Reilly) is one of those books that can pay for itself in short order, as well as over and over.
   
   Chapter list: Screening Investments; Hacking Excel for Financial Analysis; Collecting Financial Data; Analyzing Company Fundamentals; Technical Analysis; Executing Trades; Investing in Mutual Funds; Managing Your Portfolio; Financial Planning; Index
   
   I worked at Enron from 1998 through 2001, and spent plenty of time during that dot.com era following my stock portfolio. I watched my Enron stock value go from incredible value to a point where it cost more to sell the stock than it was worth. I won a few bets (face it, that's what they were) on a few dot.coms and lost many more. What could have been an incredible nest egg, isn't. This book would have been a lifesaver if I had read and paid attention to it a few years ago. Biafore shows you how you can analyze and invest wisely using a variety of tools available to everyone.
   
   If you're an Excel user, you'll find it an invaluable tool for analysis. She'll show you how you can use it to create financial charts (#13), calculate compound annual rates of growth (#26), and use rational values to buy and sell wisely (#36). #39 - Spot Hanky Panky with Cash Flow Analysis (using Enron as an example) would have literally saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars had I known about it. Even if you don't care about the investing tips, the hack on downloading data via Excel web queries (#7) was something I didn't know how to do (or that you could even do it!). The book has a little something for everyone.
   
   As with all Hacks titles, you probably won't be interested in every single item. Some may not be applicable to your situation or may be too complex for what you care to handle. But all it would take is one hack to work out and change your investing for this book to pay huge dividends. If you do your own investing, you owe it to yourself to get this book.



4. I've been trading for over twenty years, including a period as a floor trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. Even with that experience there are tips and tricks in this book I found useful to the point where I employ them daily. To be complete as a reviewer I will say there is a lot of pretty basic stuff from my point of view, but still well worth reviewing since some of it I had forgotten.
   
   Well written, easy reading, well organized



5. This book is clearly written and user friendly. Biafore gives links to information sources, making it easy for the reader to get more information on each of the hacks. These links alone are worth the price of the book.

5 comments about Selling: Powerful New Strategies for Sales Success.

1. This book guides selling from the inside out. As a colleague familiar with Mollie Marti's work as a success and business coach, I was able to read a preview copy of this book. Mollie is an excellent writer and presents complex information in a clear way. She also is known for going above and beyond in her work. She's now done this with a stellar team of sales experts.
   
   This book presents multiple layers to selling and certainly merits reading more than once. There are so many principles, tips, examples and new ideas. Some of the ideas can be implemented immediately; some take thought and reflection. I have read the whole book and am beginning to reread parts of it. It's going to take me several times through this book to truly absorb it all and implement it in my trial consulting practice. There are so many practical suggestions.
   
   I am pleased to find a book that provides suggestions applicable to selling services and knowledge as well as hard goods. The principles presented here will improve any type of selling, not just someone selling a tangible product. This is one of those books that I will be constantly taking off my shelf as I attempt to master the area of sales and business growth.
   
   I can not recommend this book highly enough. Absorb the material, apply the lessons - and succeed. No matter what business you are in or what product or service you provide, you will be wowed by this resource. It is overflowing with good ideas that really make a difference in your business. If you implement even a fraction of the information it contains, you undoubtedly will see the results on your bottom line.
   
   Congratulations to Mollie Marti and her colleagues on putting together this excellent sales resource. And congrats to any reader smart enough to buy it and put this powerful advice to work for them!



2. If you can't use the first section of this book ( written by genius Gary May) to double your income in 2008, then it probably can't be done! I had the pleasure of meeting Gary in Las Vegas last year and must say, I didn't expect anthing less than the spectacular contribution he has made to the field of sales and influence. As a speaker that sells from the stage, I soaked up every word of Dave Lakhani's section on selling the crowd. I could go on and on; Hogan, Marti, Lakhani, May, Hoppe, and Adams- I tip my hat to you all. A big thanks to Kevin Hogan for harnessing the power of all of these creative persuaders in one book!



3. Looked forward to this book and followed the progress from Kevin's initial invitation to his subscribers.
   I am quite disappointed. Except for Gary May's initial chapters, the rest are really bah humbug.
   It looks like, and reads like, a self-published book. Full of typos (and not talking about American vs English) and poor design & layout.
   The marketing efforts (with all the free stuff on offer)were, by and large, quite disappointing.
   It seems to me a cynical exercise in extracting money from people rather than adding value - which is the Kevin Hogan brand.
   Having said that Gary's chapters are worth the few buck for sure, and I have added him to my blogroll.



4. Bravo! Finally, a sales manual that has pulled us out of the dark ages and into the new millennium. This is a must-read for individuals currently working within any given sales field who truly desire to evolve from their conditioned patterns of thought regarding archaic selling techniques.
   
   I highly recommend this refreshing and innovative new book for anyone wanting to achieve mastery as a sales person within this highly competitive market. Gaining new insight from a unique viewpoint by the individual authors sheds important light on how to bring effective change to all sales aspects.
   
   By utilizing the alternative approaches presented in this book, preconceived barriers are broken down replacing old beliefs with new concepts allowing the flow of unlimited success within the new parameters.
   
   Maricel Piercey
   Business Owner



5. This book EXCEEDED my expectations!
   
   After skipping around the book by my interests and taking A LOT of notes, I am now reading it cover to cover.
   
   I have been in sales for years and am learning NEW strategies and ideas. I don't know how someone could read this book and not increase client loyalty, work smarter, make more money, be happier and get more done every day. It's done this for me already and I'm just starting to apply what I'm learning.
   
   THANK YOU to this expert Sales Team for sharing this wealth of information.

5 comments about 365 Low or No Cost Workplace Teambuilding Activities: Games and Exercises Designed to Build Trust & Encourage Teamwork Among Employees.

1. This book really focuses on effective teambuilding and not just coordinating group activities. The types of teams are described and defined, and the importance of teambuilding is driven home. (This fact may be important for workers trying to use this book to persuade management that teambuilding is needed in their companies.)
   
   The team building games are split into categories describing the purpose of the game, like getting acquainted or improving communication. So, it's easy to find a teambuilding game best suited for your purposes or your company. Under each game, the author lists number of players and items needed to play the game. The author also gives tips on scheduling a day of teambuilding and picking a place to hold it. And, of course, as the title says, all the suggestions are inexpensive and fairly easy to put together.



2. My company has 34 employees and we are always looking for interesting ways to bring ourselves together as a team that functions in an efficient way without conflict.
   This book covered a lot of useful areas: explaining that being a good leader is part of effective teambuilding. A lot of other teambuilding books just cover games that we could play together, without covering the things that would become issues during the actual games! Things like scheduling breaks, ensuring smokers have somewhere to smoke in comfort, and even suggesting the types of clothing the teams should wear for the activities.
   
   The exercises that were detailed in the book looked like fun, but importantly it is explained what the purpose of the exercises are. The exercises are fun but they are not just games for the sake of games; they are useful tools to help build up your team!
   
   I really enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to try out several of these games and exercises at our next company event!



3. One key to successful management is creating effective employee teams. Building trust among employees, however, is not an easy task. It takes patience and determination on the manager's part, but the payoff is more than worth the effort.
   
   How does a manger build effective teams? Peragine's latest book, 365 Low or No Cost Workplace Teambuilding Activities: Games and Exercises Designed To Build Trust and Encourage Teamwork Among Employees, answers this question through chapter upon chapter that defines good leadership qualities, effective team building exercises, and provides insights on ways managers can motivate team members to utilize skills learned.
   
   Each chapter follows a logical thought pattern, and subsequent examples build on principles illustrated in previous sections. Team building exercises fit a specific purpose, participation size, and skill level. Peragine does an excellent job of providing enough choices so that managers of small, medium, or large companies can find specific team building exercises to fit their particular goal.
   
   The section called "...We Have Learned, Now How Do We Use What We Have Learned?..." effectively uses quotes to illustrate ways managers can encourage teams to follow-through on assignments, and develop an awareness of "the big picture" regarding their particular part of a task. Peragine's last chapter, titled "Contacts," provides readers with a brief synopsis of each individual quoted, and lists how that particular individual effectively uses team-building exercises in their own lives.
   
   365 Low or No Cost Workplace Teambuilding Activities: Games and Exercises Designed To Build Trust and Encourage Teamwork Among Employees is a must-have reference guide for any manger who wants cohesive teams that work not only effectively, but efficiently to accomplish a given task.



4. In so many business settings, you often hear the term "team-player". I had often wondered how to make a team work together. With so many businesses requiring quotas to be met and goals to be constantly set and achieved, how does a team leader change the focus of the members of his or her team from a "me" standpoint, to an "us" standpoint. This transition can't be forced, the members of the team have to want it.
   
   In his book, 365 Low or No Cost Workplace Teambuilding Activities: Games and Exercises Designed To Build Trust and Encourage Teamwork Among Employees, John N. Peragine gives practical and feasible examples on how to make a group of individuals, into a team. From the first steps of selecting a leader and finding the focus, to effectively applying the principles learned, Mr. Peragine stresses the fact that quality and clear communication is the key.
   
   After reading this book I can identify where much of Mr. Peragine's knowledge has stemmed from. As a past high school band member and a parent of two present high school band members, I see the possibility of using many of these techniques during band camp to bring the group together as one. Effective teamwork insures that all work towards a common goal, for the common good.



5. If you have to lead a group of young adults this book will pull them together quickly. lots of good ideas that can be done will little prep time and little expence. thank you, it saved me a lot of work.

2 comments about Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation 5th Edition(Textbook Only).

1. This product came faster than originally predicted, which was a pleasant surprise. I am very happy with the quality of this book as well. Thanks



2. THe book came in a good condition. Overall I like it and the delivery terms were also convenient

5 comments about Don't Keep Me A Secret: Proven Tactics to Get Referrals and Introductions.

1. Hi. This is Bill Cates writing a review for my own book. Of course I gave it 5 stars. What do you expect?
   I just wanted you to know that, if you're looking for more clients/customers through referrals, this book will give you over 100 very strategic and tactical things you can do. I even give you specific scripts and verbiage to use in certain situations.
   [...].
   
   If you like the book, tell me what you liked. More importantly, tell me what you're implementing. Remember, ideas don't make you more successful. Acting on those ideas brings you growth and success! Thanks for reading my "review." Bill Cates



2. Bill's first book was great and this one is even better! It is easy to read and filled with new tips and ideas from THE referral guru. The book is segmented into easy to digest sections, each one filled with great ideas (which is nice for a busy gal like me). Everytime I pick it up I get more great (and practical) ideas to use in my business. Five stars to Bill Cates for another FANTASTIC book.



3. 
   This is a good summary of techniques and attitudes based on collecting information more than really working the system. There is a mythology in all sales that everyone learns and can repeat but very few people really have an understanding of the skills needed to prosper. This book will not teach any secrets that you have not heard and will not expose you to any powerful new way to work. It does not give you the information to change who you are or the way you work.
   
   It reminds us that we need to be client centered and actively looking for business.
   
   Brian O



4. This is absolutely one of the best books I've read in 2007.
   It is a book that I plan on reading at least once a year to keep myself fresh concerning the area of networking and building my business.
   I would recommend not only buying a copy, but some of your clients as well so they would catch the vision to tell their friends about you.



5. This is a quick read, probably useful for people that are just now starting their business and don't have a clue about how to get referrals or those who are not so good in networking and would need some reassurance that getting referrals is actually not so difficult. Other than that, I didn't find anything new or of very high value in this book. I would say have a look at it if it falls into your hands somehow, but don't expect to learn any real tips or something that you coulnd't learn by reading articles in news papers and magazines or by having conversations with some experienced friends...

5 comments about Finance & Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers.

1. I am the author. I would like to point out that the reviews that appear here, which are dated prior to May 2002, are for the previous edition. In this new Third Edition, I have worked hard to take this top-selling, clearly written book, and add content in many areas to provide more depth to the book. There are six new chapters covering tax concepts, capital structure, business plans, working capital and banking relationshsips, accountability and control, and personal finances. In addition many other chapters have been siginficantly modified and or supplemented with new information. I hope you enjoy my book.



2. Though rudimentary, this book filled some gaps for me left by more advanced texts, including some definitions that I was fuzzy on, and enlightened me as to why some things are on financial statements in the form they're in, since I don't have a business education background.

   The CD contains the text, which is handy on a laptop, but marred by having the text superimposed on a busy patterned background that has some kind of periodic highlights that are particularly annoying (the current generation of magazine, book and web site designers can't seem to grasp that the point of text is to be read, and that stuff that looks nifty on the computer screen may be darn near impossible to read in print; busy photo backgrounds, light text on dark backgrounds etc. belong ONLY in ads, where no one is expected to read the text anyway.)

   Also, the spreadsheets would have been more useful if incorporated in groups into workbooks instead of individual ones. You can't readily get numbers from one to another. And the disk titles are of the "sheet23.xls" variety, not helpful for finding the one you want, so you have to either have the book listing handy or access them strictly from the CD PDF file text.

   Being used to technical book web sites that contain errata, new material, suggestions from users, etc., I was disappointed to find nothing new there. And the list of web links, as usual in this fast-changing world, contains a number of missing links. I would have appreciated a good old fashioned bibliography in addition to the links, because you can usually find out of print books through a library, used dealers on the web, and most really important books and texts have current editions.




3. I consistently buy this book to distribute to participants in my company's credit training seminars. I have used the previous edition and this newest edition, both of which are very informative and easy to read. To the author... Great Job!



4. Business Basics Bestseller 1: The Easy, Interesting, Open-book Look at the Game of Business Numbers! 2nd Edition
   
   If you never had this finance and accounting (F&A) stuff explained to you before, you will like "Business Basics Bestseller 1" as a basic starting point. This is not a suggestion that you substitute it for this book, just that you check it out as well. The BBB #1 book was written by a guy who is not an accountant -- imagine what that can do for cutting through the jargon accountants love without even knowing it.
   
   BBB #1 will introduce you to the basics of business including the terms behind the numbers and where all the formulas come from before you plow into a true "finance and accounting" text. Search for "Business Basics Bestseller 1" and add it to your consideration. It can be one of your best investments. At less than 150 pages, you can zip through it. This is a beginner's book for those wanting to know such provocative things as "Where do income statements come from?" and "Are balance sheets the dirty laundry of accounting?"



5. For a standard paperback trying to cover two subjects that usually take up a few phonebook-sized texts each, this one does a pretty good job. After reading, you should be able to walk away with a decent grasp of the fundamental concepts of accounting: income statements, balance sheets, LIFO vs. FIFO, etc., as well as the philosophies behind all the many millions of rules, and how to use those rules to make a company look healthier. Most of the book concentrates on accounting; coverage of finance is mostly limited to the final chapter on ratio analysis.
   
   Note that this still isn't light reading. You probably won't finish it all in one sitting; it takes quite a bit of concentration to keep referring back to the numbers and tables and absorb all the examples. At times, there are enough of those to make this feels like a college textbook -- one that's been forced into novel-like format. Still, the guy writes with pretty good clarity.
   
   I had already taken basic accounting in college and didn't like it -- possibly because of my professor -- so I picked up this book to give the subject a second chance. Having finished, I'm now grateful at this book for confirming my suspicion: accounting really is dry, boring material, regardless of the quality of its presentation.

2 comments about Business as Mission: The Power of Business in the Kingdom of God.

1. "If God has called us into business, our goal is to discover why and act on that purpose. As we do so, God's creation will be blessed, and He will be glorified." - Michael Baer
   
   This book is a great read! According to this book, there are four characteristics of a kingdom business:
   
   1. A kingdom business is vocational; something that God has called us to do.
   Col. 1:16-20, Eph 4:1, Rom 12:1-2
   
   2. A kingdom business is intentional; God has a very specific purpose for each business.
   Eph 2:10
   
   3. A kingdom business is relational; we are exposed to a vast network through business and God wants these relationships to be valued.
   Mark 12:30-31
   
   4. A kingdom business is operational; operations must honors and reflect God.
   1 Cor. 10:31
   
   Baer suggests establishing a kingdom business by doing the following:
   
   1. Create a kingdom foundation
   Write out what you believe about: profit, people, growth, service or quality, productivity and innovation. Examples:
   - We will always seek mutually beneficial outcomes in all that we do.
   - We will operate in a fiscally responsible manner.
   - We will maintain the priorities of family and friendship.
   - We will endeavor to find the maximum enjoyment in whatever we do.
   - We will seek continual learning and improvement so that what is done is done well and with full commitment.
   - We will live lives that invite inquiry.
   
   2. Articulate a kingdom direction
   Vision: broad, expansive statement of the general direction in which company is headed.
   Mission: a narrower definition of your vision - or your vision with metrics.
   Purpose: the expression of what you believe God has as his specific will for your company.
   
   3. Identify kingdom targets and objectives
   Target: a three year goal for your business.
   Objective: a one year goal.
   For example: revenues, expansion, staffing, profitability, ministry and missions.
   
   4. Focus on a few pivotal strategies
   For example: execute marketing/business plan, etc.
   
   5. Draft and assign quarterly action items
   Break down your plan into a list of 10 or fewer action items
   
   6. Schedule regular accountability



2. This is a good book. It teaches you about love and relationships and how they are vital in business. It is a very short book, but it has alot of content and will teach you alot.

5 comments about A Practical Guide to Transportation and Logistics.

1. Mr Stroh has written an essential primer on the subjects of transportation and logistics. The book is composed in an informal and informational style which makes the subject matter easily understood... In addition to having personally read and enjoyed Mr Stroh's books, I have purchased several copies for my employees on the Shipping Dock... Mr Stroh's books resides right next to our Company SOPs as an excellent Resource



2. Excellent, having been promoted from Information Services to Manager Logistics/I.S., I needed to learn quickly. Great overview of the shipping/receiving terms and process.



3. I bought this book because I thought that it would help me in my business. I was hoplessly wrong. This book offers nothing new and is completely worthless especially for readers bases outside the USA. I'm sure that Mr. Stroh is good at Transport and Logistics, but he is terrible at explaining them comprehensively.



4. 
   Wow, definitively a good book which I'm now recommending to my subordinates and co-workers to read. Definitively worth a positive review and comment from my part. It made me laugh my lungs off with the comments which really indicate right on what we, as Distribution Center managers go through. So it keeps it fun and informative and quite sincerely, I learned a lot of new things by reading it.
   
   It got a bit boring at the end when it got into the computer chapters but this is probably because this was data I already knew. I'm sure someone who doesn't know anything about computers would enjoy these last chapters just as much. However the whole book is worth to be purchased and read. If you don't like the last two chapters, just don't read them.
   
   I would describe this book more like a post write up, a manual for your post, which is exactly what I was looking for, not a bunch of "new techniques" from some hot shot who doesn't even understand what he is talking about.
   
   On that note, I really appreciate that the author kept it simple, with defined terms and not trying to use a bunch of nomenclature only a very seasoned logistic manager could understand, which is obviously not why someone would buy and read this book. Thanks for the glossary too.
   
   As a last note, I have now ordered all the books you recommend on your book and I'm sure I will find them very helpful.
   
   I give your book a sincere 10. Thanks.



5. The book is informative, and easy to read. I got it in a timely mannor and the price was right. I saved a lot compared to buying it from the school

No comments about Value Stream and Process Mapping: The Strategos Guide to.