Reviews (1)

A book for students of budgeting
This book aimes at giving the reader a comprehensive picture of the budgetprocess from the creation of the different parts of the budget to the finished result, and the processes after the completion.

The authors try to make it the most complete, practical and readable book about budgeting.

I think, that the result is very good. The only things I miss is more emphasis on the subject of making the budgetassumptions and the difficulties in educating people in the company in the budgetprocess. ... Read more

Book Description

You work hard -- really hard -- but it seems like there's never enough. Never enough to cover all the bills. Never enough to relax and have some fun. Never enough to save some real money. What has gone wrong? What is the secret that you haven't figured out?

In All Your Worth, Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi -- mother/daughter authors of the acclaimed The Two-Income Trap -- tell you the truth about money. They lay out the new rules of money -- the ones nobody talks about. They show you how to get out of debt, cover your bills, and start getting ahead -- without needing to carry a calculator everywhere you go. All Your Worth will help you get control over your money once and for all so that you can finally start building toward the life you've always wanted.

All Your Worth isn't based on lucky guesses or gut reasoning; it is the result of more than twenty years of intensive research. As a result, the authors don't offer you a few quick fixes destined to fall apart, and they don't waste time trying to solve problems you don't have. Instead, the authors lay out a breakthrough approach for getting control over your money. And they use this approach to help you conquer your financial problems, step by step. They help you create a plan that isn't just for a week or for a month; this is a plan that lets you master your money for the rest of your life.

The secret? It's simple, really: Get your money in balance. Warren and Tyagi show you how to divide and conquer. You will learn to balance your money into three essential parts: the Must-Haves (the bills you have to pay month after month), the Wants (some fun money for right now), and your Savings (so you can build a better tomorrow). No complicated budgets, and no keeping track of every penny you spend. Once you have the basics, it gets easy. You can put your money worries behind you and get on with what really matters -- living your life.

Whatever your struggles with money, Warren and Tyagi can help you get your finances on the right track. They will show you things about yourself that you have never quite seen. Are you an emotional spender? Is debt robbing your future? Do you spend too little on fun? Are you and your partner trapped in the Money Blame Game? After you read this book, you will never look at your money -- or yourself -- in quite the same way again.

Whether you are knee-deep in past-due notices or you just don't think you're saving enough, money worries can chew away at your life. Warren and Tyagi are here to tell you that you can stop the worry. You can change it all. You can have enough -- enough to cover the necessities, enough to put some real money in the bank and start bringing your dreams into reach. You can even have enough money to have fun. (In fact, they insist that you have enough for fun!) Best of all, with All Your Worth, you can have peace of mind for the rest of your life. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The basics on how to regain control of money
Middle-class Americans are increasingly making minimum payments on credit cards because they can't pay more - and debt loads for all are increasing as paychecks cover less and less. All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan by Elizabeth Warren & Amelia Warren Tyagi offers the basics on how to regain control of money, from balancing money with needs to handling a money emergency, loosening the grip on credit cards and their debt, and understanding common pitfalls of financial planning. All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan comes from the authors of The Two-Income Trap: Elizabeth Warren is a chaired professor at Harvard Law School, Amelia Warren Tyagi is a writer. Their combined expertise is invaluable.

A few good ideas
This book has a couple of really good ideas, but overall I was disappointed. The 50/30/20 rule was the most useful idea in the book. Some things I absolutely do not agree with - like keeping a $1000.00 emergency fund in your regular "Must-Haves" checking account. That's a disaster waiting to happen. Let's face it -- if you're reading the book, financial discipline is probably not your finest quality. If that money is that available, it's TOO available.

The basic premise of the book is good, however, and bit more nitty-gritty than most books on the same subject. Many such books are written for those who already have some funds to play with - this one is to help you get to where you have those funds.With the exception of a few ideas that seem out of step with the overall concepts, the book is worth a read.

Not geared to the Silicon Valley Reality
I bought this book anticipating that I could use the charts and formulas presented to see if my wife and I could apply it to our situation. We are two working parents of a 3-yr old living in expensive Silicon Valley. We both make decent money, but we have a very high mortgage and property taxes. This is a reality if you own a house in this area. This put our "Must Haves" well over the recommended 50% of our income. Even making some of the recommended changes, we still would be above the mark.

This is a good book for setting important goals for getting your money in order, and for gaining some focus on what needs to be done. It just doesn't work in some areas of the country unless you have a reasonably high income.

We will pay down our mortgage to see if we can apply the formulas at a different time.

Wants vs Must Haves?
I read through this book in one day and faithfully filled out the worksheets.It did seem that at last I had found a fairly simple, flexible plan that our family could easily follow.It was only after mulling over the Wants vs Must Haves that I realized there is a flaw in the authors' logic (unless in my fast read I missed a crucial step).

The authors define Must Haves (which should take no more than 50% of your after-tax income) as bills that you would have to pay even if you lost your job and became disabled.These include mortgage, insurance, medical bills, groceries & a couple of other narrowly defined categories.After you pay these Must Haves and save 20% of your income you're supposed to be left with 30% of your income to "play" with for your Wants, worry-free.

I started thinking about our real life expenses though and realized that if we lost our jobs would we stop buying light bulbs & just sit in the dark as they burned out one by one?Would we stop buying toilet paper & raid our neighbors' recyclying bins for newspaper?Would we drop off our beloved 12-yr old family dog at the Humane Society when we ran out of dog food?

No to all of that so where are those expenses supposed to come from?Somehow the thrill of spending my carefree 30% diminishes when I have to spend it on toothpaste and toilet paper.While there is some discretion in these types of items (we could go to the Dollar Store for many of the items)the real world cost of these really mounts up.For instance, if my husband lost his job I think his job prospects would look pretty dim if he stopped shaving or using deodorant.
So this realization really deflated my excitement about this book.I still think there's sound advice to be found in it and I think breaking your budget into broad categories by percentages is a great idea.I just think that maybe the authors' plan is a little too simple and following it to the letter might cause a problem

Excellent Truths
This book is truthful and to the point.Not everyone has hugh bank accounts.Most of us are struggling every day to make ends meet.This is an excellent guide to help every day Americans with real financial issues.Another excellent book that I recently read is called Stop Working by Rohan Hall.Also, and excellent book that everyday working people can use to get to the next level. ... Read more

Book Description

When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Levinson revolutionalized marketing strategies for the small-business owner with his take-no-prisoners approach to finding clients. Filled with hundreds of solid ideas that really work, Levinson's philosophy has given birth to a new way of learning about market share and how to gain it. In this completely revised and expanded third edition, Levinson offers a new arsenal of weaponry for small-business success in the next century. Filled with strategies for marketing on the Internet (explaining when and precisely how to use it), tips for putting other new technologies to work, programs for targeting prospects and cultivating repeat and referral business, and management lessons in the age of telecommuting and freelance employees, this book will be the entrepreneur's marketing bible in the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A Top Reference for Any Business Owner
This book is a great reference for any business owner seeking to really make the most out of their marketing budget. I used the data in this book and actually made miracles happen with it. The average industry expectations on marketing dollars is 5X the return invested. By applying the principles, strategies and bright ideas I learned in this book I managed to make a 12X return for every dollar invested, and that means a whole lot when you are a small business with not an unlimited budget! This book is very basic and useful, and the data Levinson provides is incredible. I learned so much about the actual nuts and bolts of the marketing industry with this text. It's brilliant, creative and imaginative. Expect to keep a pen and paper handy when you start to have all those bright ideas go off like church bells as you read. If you take this information and apply it to your business or activity, you can save yourself a great deal of experimentation and start out with the rocketing results first off.

A must for Small Business owners and marketers.
With thousands of books written on marketing and its implementation for all business sizes, this book has created a unique brand name for itself with a series of books all aimed at a particular type of marketing - Guerrilla Marketing. As its name implies, these books are aimed at achieving significant results through non-traditional marketing avenues that have now become fairly established and are probably not Guerrilla tactics anymore (in the strictest sense of the word).

This book though originally written in the 1980s has been updated in late 1990s and the update has been driven by the feedback received over 15 years. If you are a small business owner or someone responsible for the marketing division of a small business, you may not have that much money available to run your marketing campaigns professionally and using more traditional channels. Therein lies the appeal to this book that assumes that your only resources are time, energy, and imagination.

The book is split into 5 sections - the first section is an introduction to the whole Guerrilla Marketing process all the way from its definition to the thirteen most important marketing secrets and how to develop a Guerrilla Marketing plan.

The second section focuses on mini-media marketing which is nothing but the various marketing approaches you can use - canvassing, personal letters, telemarketing (don't be discouraged as the author explains how to do this right and not annoy people), brochures, etc.

The third section is about maxi-media marketing which means all the marketing techniques that cost money. But the author has a compelling argument that it is worthwhile if you can benefit from it financially. Newspapers, magazine advertising, radio, television, etc. are addressed one after the other with detailed explanations of what to do and what not to do.

The fourth section is nonmedia marketing - free seminars, trade shows, etc. and follows a similar approach of what to do and what to avoid. The author also recommends combining these three types of marketing in a fashion that works for your particular situation.

The final section is on actually launching your Guerrilla Marketing attack and how to win!

Even large organizations have listened to the author and have started experimenting and successfully implementing Guerrilla Marketing strategies.

A marvelous book that convinced me to get a few of the other books in the series with interesting titles like 'Guerrilla P.R. WIRED' that addresses online Guerrilla marketing along with the offline approach. I have several types of marketing books and this set comprises the biggest chunk. I have been experimenting and understanding the various techniques over several months now. Being a small business owner, I like this approach better than most of the others. Bottom line - if you are responsible for marketing your small business goods or services, I recommend at least looking through this book. Good luck!

This is the real thing.
I read this in 1984 and again in 2004
Levinson is the guy. The real thing. The man. Stay away from Michael Levine - he is a copy cat.

So So Book: For Beginners Only
If you've got formal training in marketing, avoid this book. It lays down some basic tenets of marketing you probably already understand. What I was looking for in it was some practical advice for small businesses and some innovative ideas. Most of what I found I had already discerned through common sense. There's nothing terribly creative or innovative in his ideas.

Here's the summary: learn the basic principles of marketing, use common sense, be persistent and frugal, and work hard.

If you haven't had any formal marketing training this might be a place to start, but even then, I'd recommend a basic marketing text first. Learn the "3 C's" and "4 P's" of marketing before you spend your money on Guerilla Marketing.

Most of What You Need Is Between Your Ears
I read this book when it was first published in 1984 and recently read the Third Edition, curious to know how relevant Levinson's ideas have remained during the almost 20 years years since then. He has revised and updated the book to accommodate the emergence of the Internet, e-business, and globalization initiatives. To his credit, his Guerrilla principles remain valid and, if anything, are even more relevant and more valuable now than ever before. It is important to keep in mind that, as he explains in Guerrilla Creativity, creative marketing is not something that you do. "Instead, it's something that your prospects get." Guerrilla principles guide and inform initiatives by which to produce desired results, whatever those may be. Perhaps to create or increase demand for what one offers. (I use the word "offers" rather than "sells" because the same principles can also be invaluable, for example, to those seeking charitable contributions to a non-profit organization.) Perhaps to inform a prospect or reassure a client; in terms of a competitor, perhaps to create confusion, discomfort, and even despair.

Although the book's subtitle suggests that the "secrets" provided will help to make big profits from a small business, Levinson's principles can (as I have indicated) help to achieve a variety of other desired results which may include but are not limited to profits; moreover, his principles can be as helpful to a multinational corporation as they can to a local family-owned business.

The material is carefully organized within five sections: The Guerrilla Approach to Marketing -- Updated, Mini-Media Marketing, Maxi-Media Marketing, Nonmedia Marketing, and finally, Launching Your Guerrilla Marketing Attack. Levinson also provides an especially useful concluding section, "Information Arsenal for Guerrillas" (pages 363-372) which directs the reader to hundreds of resources such as a bibliography as well as information about relevant newsletters, periodicals, audiotapes, and videotapes.

I especially appreciate the fact Levinson includes marginal notes throughout his narrative. They make it so much easier to review key points which may not have been highlighted or underlined. Also, his Index is much more extensive than what authors of business books usually provide. This is in all respects a user-friendly volume whose material, if understood and then applied both effectively and (yes) appropriately, can be of substantial value to any decision-maker who seeks to create or increase demand for whatever her or his organization offers.

What sets Levinson's various "Guerrilla" books apart from most others is his consistent point of view. It has no doubt been influenced by Sun Tzu and especially by several of Sun Tzu's strategies such as when far away, seem near...or vice versa; when small, seem large...or vice versa; when exhausted, seem vigorous...or vice versa, etc. It was Sun Tzu who explained the importance of thorough preparation by asserting that every battle is won or lost before it is fought. Although we usually think of such strategies as being used only by "Davids," the same strategies (albeit with modifications) can also be used very effectively by "Goliaths."

In the first chapter, Levinson identifies 12 differences between Guerrilla marketing and traditional marketing. They are essentially differences of judgment, values, and priorities rather than of resources. I agree with Jason Jennings who suggests that it's not the large that eat the small...it's the fast that eat the slow. Size and speed are not mutually exclusive. Many successful organizations have both. However, Levinson is quite correct when stressing the importance (and benefits) of having an underdog mentality. Differing somewhat with Andrew Grove, I presume to suggest that not all survivors are paranoid...but most are. The Guerrilla mentality takes no one and nothing for granted. Ever.

For me, one of Levinson's most interesting ideas involves the Guerrilla's relationship with competition. He goes one step further than the Biblical David who wisely avoided physical contact with Goliath: "Guerrilla marketing asks you to forget about competition temporarily and to scout opportunities to cooperate with other businesses and support each other in a mutual quest for profits." That is to say, rather than facing Goliath in combat, Levinson's David would to go into partnership with those vendors who provide a variety of products and services to the Philistines. Goliath would be hired to handle accounts receivable. Eventually David would buy out his partners, then retain them on an outsource basis to continue servicing the Philistine account while he seeks new business opportunities elsewhere within and beyond the Middle East. Perhaps sell franchises in military provisions while remaining owner/CEO of a parent company which provides various services to its franchisees through subsidiaries such as Rent-a-Camel, Caravan Leasing, Goliath Security Services, Galleys Unlimited, etc.

Presumably Levinson agrees with me that it would be a mistake, indeed highly un-Guerrilla-like, to adopt all or even most of the strategies and tactics he offers in this book. First, do a rigorous analysis of your organization's needs and interests, of course, but also or its strengths and especially its weaknesses. (You can be sure your toughest competitors already know where you are most vulnerable. Do you?) Next, set the priorities for action (NOT discussion) and develop a cohesive and comprehensive plan to achieve the most important objectives. Then cherry-pick whichever of Levinson's proffered strategies and tactics will be most helpful to those efforts. There are more of them in this book than you can possibly use at any one time, anyway. However, priorities can change...often because of a competitor's initiatives. (If you did not see them coming, that's your fault. A Guerrilla always sleeps with one eye open.) When circumstances change, different strategies and tactics may be needed. Re-read Levinson's book. You'll probably find whatever you need.

Final point: A Guerrilla never trusts only one book for advice on marketing. Nor should you. Check out Levinson's bibliography. There are no glaring omissions other than Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Griffith translation) and Reis and Trout's Positioning. Among the dozens he cites, my own preferences are Beckwith's Selling the Invisible, Cohen's The Marketing Plan, Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, McKenna's Real Time, Reichheld and Teal's The Loyalty Effect, and Schmitt and Simonson's Marketing Aesthetics as well as Schmitt's subsequent Experiential Marketing. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides clarity, strategy, and utility to the financial management and asset management of social sector organizations.
--Frances Hesselbein, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management

This nuts-and-bolts workbook guides nonprofit executives and boards through the budget cycle, offering practical instruction on completing each step of the process.This one-source budgeting tool kit is specifically designed to give nonprofits everything they need to prepare, approve, and implement their own budgets.It is a start-to-finish guide that is comprehensive and easy to use.It provides smaller nonprofit budgeters and non-financial nonprofit managers with a simple, systematic method to create, maintain, and track their budgets.Examples, to-do lists, worksheets, schedules, and other hands-on tools help readers get down to work.Murray Dropkin draws on years of experience in working with nonprofit financial management to make this workbook an essential tool for anyone involved in financial management within a nonprofit organization.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Budgeting Made Easy
This book is a must have for not-for-profit organizations wishing to improve their budgeting process. This book encourages a botttom up budget building process involving those people intimately familiar with each department. In easy to understand language Dropkin and LaTouche walk you through each step of the budgeting process from planning to monitoring. Helpful sample forms and practical resources are included. The Budget Building Book for Nonprofits takes the fear out of budgeting.

A practical "how to" guide for middle management
This book steps you through the terminology and methodology of preparing and using budgets in the special case of the Nonprofit organization. It is particularly useful for middle (program) managers - how to deal with the Board of Directors, and so on. The book could use a few more computational examples, but it has excellent worksheets and checklists to simplify the task and keep you on track. It says what it has to say very concisely, which helps you to focus on the tips and pointers. It is really like an annotated workbook, complete with a sample budget. If you have to do this stuff, this book is invaluable. ... Read more

Book Description

A complete and balanced reference, this timely resource surveys the current state of budgeting throughout all levels of the United States government. The text emphasizes methods by which financial decisions are reached within a system as well as ways in which different types of information are used in budgetary decision-making. It also stresses the use of program information, since, for decades, budget reforms have sought to introduce greater program considerations into financial decisions. Public Budgeting Systems, Seventh Edition retains the structure of the sixth edition yet gives increased attention to topics such as program information and government’s role in the economy and has been updated with all new tables and exhibits. Using this text, students will gain a first-rate understanding of methods by which financial decisions are reached within a system, and how different types of information are used in budgetary decision-making. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A 21st century approach to a 100yr old problem
I found the approach to cost reduction to be far beyond a simple "puchasing" tactic. The authors proposed a 21st century approach that brings the entire enterprise together (engineering, manufacturing, finance, supply chain) in a systematic approach to achieving cost savings. Our company has struggled with global sourcing and outsourcing and this book provides the first alternative that still gets the required cost reduction, but allows us to keep our existing supply base and manufacturing in the US. ... Read more

Book Description

Rave Reviews for the First Edition...
"Total Business Budgeting is aptly titled. Everyone concerned about budgeting and how to implement or improve the process should have this volume on hand. Rachlins liberal use of helpful forms is particularly clever." —Michael W. Curran President and CEO Decision Sciences Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri

"Total Business Budgeting is well thought out and comprehensive. It simplifies the budgeting process by providing the content in an easy-to-read format. This is the only budgeting book I will ever need." —Thomas Farrell Director of Business Development, Ernst & Young LLP

"Total Business Budgeting goes beyond presenting a set of basic budgeting guidelines and applications—along with helpful exhibits and forms—for all segments of business operations. A valuable compendium of underlying techniques associated with each business segment is also included in brief, easy-to-read format. Rachlins book provides a guide for budgeting and a take-off point for more specialization and more complex situations." —Serge L. Wind Portfolio Analysis and Special Projects Finance Director Lucent Technologies, Inc. ... Read more

Book Description

"Harvey has a knack for expressing some very profound and important notions in an amusing and interesting way.Serious students of management and leadership can learn a lot by studying this book."

Harvey Golub

President and CEO, IDS Financial Services, Inc.

Success can be yours with this straight-from-the-hip handbook by self-made Minnesota millioniare Harvey Mackay.This one-of-a-kind book by a business man who has been there, can show you how to get there too.You will learn to: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate your competitors with sure-fire action-oriented techniques and advice.

... Read more

Reviews (33)

Harvey's Take On Things
Some worthy information about particular business issues are raised and noted, and for the most part this is an off-the-cuff soliloquy talk about how Harvey views business, and the world. There is nothing more amusing than some wealthy person in business who thinks they have the answers and the remedies for the rest of us. Written in the late 1980s, some of the attitudes presented towards hiring potential employees will become evident. All in all, this is an easy and quick-read.

I read "Swim With The Sharks" front-to-back, however each chapter concerns a different topic, so one does not have to read this book straight through from page 1 to the end.

One thing I found a bit quirky were the consistent references to allegedly "successful" collegiate and professional sports coaches. I don't feel it's an appropriate analogy to commonly equate coaches with the situations outside of the sports world. The sports culture is often not applicable to making a business deal, dealing with corporate culture, and/or avoiding mistakes with people socially. The sports in itself is a microcosm of society, but a separate world within its own. Time and time again I would chuckle to myself as I would read a quote made by Vince Lambardi, some NBA coach, or read a personal anecdote from the now disgraced coach Lou Holtz. Having to read Yogi Berra's lobotomy-like quotes and philosophy was quite dull, and not very informative.

Some helpful and practical information is the "66 question customer profile," as well as the "12P Competitor profile." I liked his noting (book written 1988) of how people who usually don't have money go out and buy a brand new "prestigious" car that depreciates.

Mackay also reminds us (or me atleast) of the importance of writing small yet important things down on paper and/or notepads.

One of his tips on how to save time is to drive near the front of a grocery store you plan on shopping in. Then look for how many people are in line. If its too crowded don't go in. Thanks Harvey. You've changed my life with your insights.

He also tried to break an attempt by his employees to form a union, which he lost. He openly stated how he conned very employee into thinking they were "special" and "important" with his one-to-one meetings with them. It didn't work. They didn't buy it.

He does understand (see "Dig You Well Before Your Thirsty") the art of the schmooze in talking with celebrities such as O.J. and world figures such as Castro about things that they do, and interest them in their free time and NOT about what they do for work.

All in all, useful things can be gleaned from "Swim With The Sharks," and it's a very quick read.

Best self-improvement book I have ever read
I am generally very skeptical about inspirational/ "how-to better your life" type of books because most of them teach very practical common sense (and many times seem to be taking their target audience to be naive idiots).

Mackay's book is however, different. I heard this book on cassette during the drive from/ to work, and found it to give wonderful advise and examples of negotiations, determination, management and salesmanship. I noted that some of his techniques I have used successfully even before reading this book. His ideas have inspired me to finetune my techniques, as well as learn some other important pointers which I was too complacent to note. With an attractive price, this is without question a BEST BUY.

Passes on Some Simple But Important Lessons
I came across this book a few years ago during a difficult time in my life. I was in the process of failing miserably at yet another professional endeavor, and in the throes of a major personal upheaval. It was shortly after these calamities that I seriously began to read this book. Internalizing just a few of the simple but important lessons in this book has made all the difference for me, and has allowed me to pursue life very much on my own terms.

From this book, I learned that in order to satisfy a demand, you first have to create the demand, the very first lesson of the text, and one that I applied to maximum benefit repeatedly shortly after internalizing it. I also learned that while money is nice, good information is priceless; otherwise, you will not have the money for long. Too many people never learn that lesson. Finally, the most important lesson for me came in the first few pages and had to do with salesmanship. As MacKay says, anyone can get the order if they are willing to say anything and do anything to get it. The real question is whether or not they can get the reorder, as that is the mark of the true salesman. I work with people at the moment that should have learned that lesson, but did not, and let me tell you, it is excruciatingly frustrating to interact with such individuals. People who have not learned this crucial and important lesson simply can not be trusted, and lack integrity. They develop reputations that, in a word, are most un-flattering, and can bring out the worst in people. An appropriate analogy for such people are scurrilous and reproachable politicians- all talk and promises, but very much non-action and non-delivery. Most important, once entrenched in a position with a fancy title and of some limited power and authority, they can and do frustrate any and all attempts at progress and forward locomotion. You would do well to cease contact with these people at the first and most convenient opportunity.

As an aside, I liked his musings on the old cliche 'Sell Yourself'- truly a meaningless and overworked phrase if there ever was one. As MacKay remarks, we as individuals often make for lousy products. I also concur with others who found Mr. MacKay's admonishment, Don't Get Mad, and DON'T Get Even, to be wise beyond words. I can affirm that stewing over personal and professional slights and plotting revenge wastes precious time and energy which could be directed towards more constructive and fruitful pursuits. However, I must admit that I have yet to internalize this truest of truisms, as some tresspasses are difficult to forgive. Still, as for most of the other lessons the reader probably already knows them or is familiar with them, but having them placed before you by an unrelated and credible third party always makes for good, sound, positive reinforcement. While some may dismiss most of the lessons in the book as common sense, I have to commend Mr. MacKay on his key insights on the human condition and human relationships.

Which, in the end is what business, and for that matter, everything else, including my profession, science, is all about. I especially recommend this book to those from non-business or professional backgrounds (especially scientists, as many of us are, perish the thought!, unfortunately severely handicapped in the people skills department, this reviewer included) who nonetheless must interact with people. Obtaining this book solely for the lessons on good, effective salesmanship alone would justify its purchase. I have also found that reading this book, in combination with a handy and powerful little volume, Soft Selling in a Hard World: Plain Talk on the Art of Persuasion, by Jerry Vass, can turn even the most reluctant, shy non-people-person into an effective salesperson. One of these days I am going to read Mr. MacKay's follow-up, Sharkproof!, as there are quite a few of those carnivorous, maneating fish in The Business of Science.

Why didn't I think of that?
Looking into networking for any reason at all? This is the book for you. The information is simple to apply and leaves you asking, "Why didn't I think of that?" If you are ready to not only meet people but to remember them well then read this book and have fun putting it into action today!

Nuts!
A bunch of feel-good stories about the author. The only real meat is his list of questions about his/your customers. The substance of the book is: find out all you can about you customers AND find out how they fit in and see the companies they represent.

The only good news is the book has so little substance it took me only an hour to read it. ... Read more

Book Description

An introduction to the complex world of options that every investor can use

Too many books on options trading make the mistake of assuming that readers can already tell a delta from a sigma summation. Options and Options Trading breaks the code that envelops the often-foreign language of options, providing an accessible introduction into how the options market works as it explains the rules that traders must understand if they hope to take part in this high-leverage, high-profit game. Author Robert Ward's goal is simple--to demystify the tangled world of options trading without leaving readers too confused and frustrated to continue. The book to read before continuing on to the more detailed, and much higher-level, existing library of options trading guides, Options and Options Trading features:

• End-of-chapter material including "Things to Think About" and "Key Concepts"
• Simplified explanations of complex mathematical equations
• Step-by-step rationales to help readers move from basic to complex

Book Description

For over 15 years "Film & Video Budgets" has been the essential handbook for the independent filmmaker. Written by two pioneers of do-it-yourself filmmaking, this book outlines every element of production.

UPDATED AND REVISED for digital video productions (and video-to-film transfers), this definitive budget book contains detailed formats and sample budgets for many different kinds of productions, from "no budget" movies and documentaries to a $5 million feature - along with all the crucial practical information that's made it an industry bible.


Also includes new and highly useful materials such as a comprehensive master list of line items, which covers just about everything that could possibly be put into a production; and chapters on pre-production and setting up a production company. Plus downloadable budgets from www.mwp.com which you can customize.

Includes new budgets for digital filmmaking
Accompanying website contains budget forms for your own use ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Budget your Movie
"If you have never put together a budget for a movie, this is the first book you should read. Not only does it provide job descriptions for all members of the production team, but also includes sample budgets for movies ranging...feature films to Digital 'no budget' feature movies and music videos. You will probably find this book on every independent producers bookshelf." -- RMS

The buck stops here!
This no-nonsense guide gives you "just the facts" about what it costs to make a film. Each chapter features a printout of a spreadsheet, and then gives you several pages of explanations as to what each item is for in the production. The book shows you every cost from legal fees to VHS screening copies (A+ for the detail). If you want to work in the video or film industry, or want to make your own films this is a good guide into what it takes to make a film. This book answers the question "why does it cost so much to make entertainment?" You get a bookkeepers viewpoint on the army it takes to make a film.

An excellent resource for filmmakers of any level.
This was one of my Film/Video Production text books last semester. It's nothing you would read cover to cover, but something you will keep coming back to. It provides 5 sample budgets from $5 million features to no budget student films and explains them all in detailed, line-item fashion, offering shortcuts and realistic advise wherever possible. If you are planning on making a movie, this book could be one of your most valuable investments. ... Read more

Book Description

A budget is the formal expression of the plans and objectives of management that covers all phases of operations for a specific period of time. Without clearly outlined budgets, corporations are unable to predict profits or losses or create plans for the future. The Fifth Edition of the Handbook of Budgeting has been fully revised and updated to help you keep up with this ever-changing world. This handbook shows controllers and budget directors how to create any style of budget, from traditional approaches to more cutting-edge approaches. Divided into five informative parts: An Introduction to Budgeting, Tools and Techniques, Preparation of Specific Budgets, Budgeting Applications, and Industry Budgets, this book provides complete coverage of the preparation, presentation, analysis, and effective use of the budgeting function. The Fifth Edition of the Handbook of Budgeting covers all facets of budget presentation for both profit and nonprofit organizations, and includes chapters on specific industries such as healthcare, biotechnology, and higher education. Numerous checklists and examples will ensure your understanding of this critical topic and help you enhance your budgeting skills. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Needs more updating
Overall a good book, because it covers most topics related to planning and budgeting.

Some chapters need serious updating. For instance Chapter 32: "Computer applications in Budgeting, 'Microcomputer' Overview and needs assessment.." is totally out of date with respect to software applications in budgeting (Who still uses the term "Microcomputer" ?.
I have found this to be unnacceptable for a book with this price tag.

Great resources for all financial professionals
As a new financial manager I was searching for a book which will show me to prepare a budget and understand a budget process. No doubt understanding budget is the most immportant role in this field and this book I found was most helpful. I strongly recommend this to all finaltial professionals. ... Read more

Book Description

Take control of your organization’s short- and long-term financial plan

The trend toward decentralizing decision-making powers in not-for-profit organizations means a greater number of employees are responsible for creating and managing the annual budget.Budgets, therefore, must be well designed, easy to implement, and accessible to professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Wishful thinking? Not any more. Continuous budgeting, as explained in Edward McMillan’s trenchant Not-for-Profit Budgeting and Financial Management, offers a system that is not only easy to use and monitor, but also ensures true fiscal accountability in the complex not-for-profit arena.

Continuous budgeting breaks down time-consuming annual budgeting processes into twelve easy-to-manage increments that produce more accurate and effective resource allocation. In this handy guide, the author explains how to:

• Separate controllable, semi-controllable, and fixed expenses
• Take corrective actions during the year to offset budget shortfalls
• Define the roles of the CEO, CFO, the staff, and volunteer leaders
• Establish expense reduction plans before they are needed
• Prepare and present such top-notch budget documents that budgets will be approved the first time

McMillan writes in a nontechnical, understandable, how-to language and format, incorporating dozens of relevant forms and documents. This completely revised and expanded edition also includes all-new material on long-term financial planning, so that not-for-profits can work toward liberating themselves from the year-to-year scramble for increasingly scarce resources.

Not-for-profit managers must be able to direct and control their resource allocation rather than be controlled by outdated, cumbersome, and inaccurate budgeting processes. Not-for-Profit Budgeting and Financial Management, and its powerful system of continuous budgeting, enables all not-for-profit professionals to create and manage reasonable financial plans that fit their organization’s needs. ... Read more

Book Description

This text explores all areas of capital budgeting and all the strategies used to make long-term financing decisions.Utilizing a strategic framework, it discusses how the key concepts synchronize with overall corporate strategies and goals.This text covers practical capital budgeting and long-term financing decisions in a way that is comprehensive, applicable, understandable, and flexible. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Old fashioned and somewhat confuse
I have used this as a textbook for executive MBA students. The text is comprehensive and the reading is easy but some cases, although short, are confuse. The authors spend precious time in topics which are usually subject of other disciplines and the students have already studied, like derivatives, lease analysis, linear programming and mergers, just to name a few. On the other hand, the discussion of option models is restricted to a few pages and do not emphasize the use of options to evaluate flexibility. It's almost unconceivable to organize a course in capital budgeting without discussing real options, so the book has to be complemented, while several chapters could be eliminated.

Excellent Professional Resource
An excellent book to refresh your knowledge or as a reference source. Well written and covers everything. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (12)

Mary Hunt's the Complete Cheapskate : How to Get Out of Debt
I found out about this book through a friend of mine. Five years ago, she was in debt, driving a 9 yr old car, and having some problems with finances. Last year, after paying off her new car with cash, she purchased a condo. I asked how she changed so dramatically. She told me about this book.

Last year, I sent this book to my sister who was 20K in debt. She was worrying about her finances every time we talked. Within a week of reading this book, her whole attitude changed and her worry was gone. She started the system in the book. Today, her debt is reduced to 14K and she is very confident in eliminating her debt in the near future. The results I have witnessed have been phenomenal!

I have always been a saver but have always wanted to help my sister who was troubled with her finances. I tried to help her but the only result was more frustration. Sending this book to my sister was the best thing I have done for her. And I won't hesitate to send it to anyone else in my life that needs this type of help.

This book is right on target for those in debt
I was unfamiliar with Mary's work prior to purchasing this book. Her thoughts on debt and money management hit me right between the eyes. We are giving ourselves a money makeover using Mary's ideas to get out of credit card debt.

This is an easy and enjoyable read (despite the subject matter). Mary has conquered a personal debt of $100,000 without declaring bankruptcy and it is nice to hear from someone who has "been there, done that". Her tone is non-judgemental, her ideas practical and her approach non-threatening even for financial novices.

I highly recommend this book!

Moneysaving Tip #1: Don't Buy This Book
I cannot believe this book exists.

First of all, she spends a good half of the book with this weird, overkill, convoluted little accounting system where basically you hide your own money from yourself but later get to find it again. Frankly, anybody who can't get a grip on their cash flow and spend within their means is NEVER going to be able to do the bookeeping needed to apply this "system". So half the book is a waste of money right there.

The rest of the book is just this littany of Betty homemaker moneysaving tips, most of which are either already obvious to even a dilettante moneysaver or you could probably find by Googling for a couple hours on the subject matter of your choice.

It is also bespeckled with patronizing little pieces of advice that are just-plain off-topic. For instance: stay out of the fast lane when you're driving because it's dangerous.

So like I said, your 1st step toward a cheapskate lifestyle involves not buying this book.

There. I just saved you $10. :)

Ingenious way of approaching common-sense money management.
Simply put: this book changed my life. I couldn't put it down once I started it. I have since begun my money makeover and things are looking better than they have in years. The book is a Godsend for those like me who found money disappearing every month. She uses common sense techniques, but the key is the way that they all work together. Also, don't discount this book if you're not a religious person. Even though she emphasizes God and tithing, you can give your money to ANY charitable organization and still follow her program.

This book is not perfect, and although my complaints are minor, I do have a few.

1. My main complaint was that she ignores past-due debt when doing the money makeover. I had MANY past due bills and they just didn't fit into the makeover anywhere. My solution was to postpone opening my Freedom account for 3 months, and use that money to pay off as many past due accounts as I could. I also started my savings & giving at a lower percentage at first. It will work, just be VERY careful not to let total outgoing money exceed total income. Open your Freedom account as soon as possible, it is wonderful and essential to keeping on track.

2. She recommends dealing with cash. I found that dealing with cash was one of the reasons my money kept disappearing. I am electing to deal with as LITTLE cash as possible, so it's much easier for me to keep track of where I'm spending my money.

Even with complaints, I still rate this book 5 stars because of the radical positive impact it had on my finances when I followed her program. I highly recommend it.

A Bit Disappointing
I guess if you are really unable to handle your money, this book may help you. But most of the stuff is plain common sense you'll figure out in ten minutes if you just sit at a table with a pen and a paper and start counting your income and outcome and think about how should you use your money.

There are three aspects about this book that I'll consider:

1. The advice on how to get out of debt is adequate. But it is not as sound and clear as that in Your Money Or Your Life. Hey, you can even get similar results by just reading The Richest Man In Babylon and doing everything it suggests and you won't be let too far behind. What I found disappointing was that this book is only well applicable by an american. It is not impossible to transfer the advice to other countries, but you'll have to rethink most of the math and tables yourself.

2. The end has some advice on how to live cheaper than in the past. There are some good tips here, but about half of it is just plain common sense like "buy in bulk and freeze it", "strecth your juices", "buy a used car", "shop second hand if possible", "if you need desperate money, sell something"...

3. I believe in God and all, but c'mon I didn't buy this book to read a lecture on God and charity. There is _way_ too much stuff about faith, religion, worshiping god, "giving the tenth", the Bible and such stuff. It is also not that good stuff. The same stuff is better told in The Power Of Your Subconscious by Murphy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Definitely 5 stars!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Money for Teens by Susan Shelly is really easy to understand especially for teens. Lots of useful tips on how to earn, save and spend money. Thumbs up to this great book that will continue to help teens out there to get a head start and be financially healthy!

This Book is Definitely NOT for the Idiot!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Money for Teens by Susan Shelly is a book for people who want to take control of their money. It presents information on topics such as why money is so important in our society, how one can go about earning money, and other topics such as budgeting, debt and investing. The author provides concrete information that is beneficial for any teen who wants to become familiar with the basics of financial management. Shelly writes on the level of a teen-ager, short and to the point. She leaves out the extra, useless information that would cause narcolepsy in most of today's teenaged population. Shelly goes into detail about how to "make your money work for you." She talks about the benefits and disadvantages of different types of savings accounts, checking accounts, and money market accounts. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Money for Teens is a great book for anybody who wants to be more financially savvy. The essential information it provides will send any teen on his or her way to a financially successful future. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you need to take responsibility for the budget of your organizationor department--or if you're not directly responsible for it, but it would helpyou immensely to be able to understand it--you'll love this energeticallyformatted pocket-sized book that explains the whole budgeting process in 72quick-and-clean pages. Opening with a basic explanation of budgets and theirpurpose, it goes on to illustrate how to prepare one (clarifying objectives,standardizing it), write one (anticipating revenues and estimating expenditures,producing the figures, understanding capital budgets, and producing cashbudgets, then consolidating and finalizing them), and monitor one (analyzingdiscrepancies, monitoring and investigating variances, making adjustments, andrecognizing "behavioral" problems). If all of that sounds confusing, you'll behappy to know that boxed tips, sample budget sheets, to-do checklists, andeasily followed flow charts demystify the process on every page--even for those(like this reviewer) who barely can balance their own checkbooks! Granted, ifyou're looking for very specific or in-depth guidance, you might find this booktoo cursory and general in its approach. But, if you're looking for a thumbnailguide to the basics, it'll do just fine.

It's worth mentioning that the book is part of the "Essential Managers" seriesby reference publisher Dorling-Kindersley--a series comprising 20 itty-bittybooks on business and career topics that range from communication, leadership,and decision-making to the management of time, budgets, change, meetings,people, projects, and teams. Combining the talent of the "For Dummies" bookseries for breaking down a lot of information into bite-sized bits and sidebarswith Dorling-Kindersley's signature design style of crisp, classy graphics on agleaming white backdrop, the books don't represent the cutting edge of businessthinking or reflect necessarily any unique individual perspective. Instead, it'sas if someone had collated the best general thinking on these 20 topics, androlled them out into 72 brightly designed and easy-to-read pages--studded alongthe way with boxed tips, color shots of a multiracial cast of "coworkers"animatedly hashing through the workplace issues of the day, and, on the last fewpages of each volume, a self-test of one's skills in the topic at hand. Again,they're not for anyone who's looking for more in-depth or focused help on any ofthe covered subjects, but they're perfect as a quick general-interest reference;and, let's face it, they're so damn cute, and look so smart in a neat littlestack or row, that probably you'll want to buy a whole bunch to give as gifts toyour entire staff or department. --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (2)

We should send a copy to every member in Congress ;>
Money in...Money out. How do you control the flow and make sure you balance your budget? To learn all you need to know about the budgeing process, you have to first consider the expenditures, anticipate revenues and correct errors.

"Budgeting is the process of preparing, compiling, and monitoring financial budgets. It is a key management tool for planning and controlling a department within an organization."

Tips like: "Always remember that if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail" sounded familiar. Monitoring Budgets is a helpful chapter as it also has a case study. Graphs, charts and a budget analysis all add to the fun.

This compact reminder will help managers to keep an eye on the company budget and will give them some new ideas. I still think a copy of this book would be handy for everyone in Congress.

Excellent primer on budget management
This short book provides a clear blueprint for managers faceing the insidious hurdles of P&L management for the first time. The chapters provide an easy progression from basic COGS management to allocating scarce dollars between competing interests and simultaneously controlling the small items which eat into your profit margin. It is sufficiently general enough in scope to be applied to a number of different situations but specific enough to offer concrete advice. ... Read more

Book Description

How do firms like Hewlett-Packard, DuPont, Dow Chemical, IBM, and Texas Instruments routinely convert the ideas of their employees into profits that sustain the corporation?

How can buyers and sellers calculate the assets of the acquired firm in a merger or acquisition?

How can an organization affect the firm's stock price using the leverage of intellectual assets?

Identifying a firm's assets, especially its intellectual assets-the proprietary knowledge expressed as a recipe, formula, trade secret, invention, program, or process-has become critical to a company's overall vision and strategic plan and essential in such transactions as stock offerings or mergers. In the era of the knowledge-based company, where the firm's genius and future lies in its ideas, a firm's collective know-how has become a measurable commodity-and as much a part of its bottom line as the condition of its cash investments, plant, and equipment. Extracting and measuring the real value of knowledge is essential for any corporate head who knows how high the stakes have become for corporate survival in the information age-where the innovative idea is as good as, if not better than, gold! Value-Driven Intellectual Capital is a corporate and financial executives' handbook to the new world of intangible assets-what they are and how to convert them into cash or strategic position. Written by one of the seminal thinkers in the field, and the key organizer of the ICM Gathering, a group of leading-edge knowledge-based companies, Value-Driven Intellectual Capital explains the new, boundary-expanding world of intellectual assets-where translating an innovative idea into bottom-line profits involves a tightly focused strategy with clear directives for making it happen. A blueprint for turning corporate knowledge, know-how, and intellectual property into a sustainable competitive weapon that will build a firm's reputation and market share, this practical, insightful book outlines:
* Basic concepts underlying IC (intellectual capital) and corporate value creation
* The linkage between IC, business strategy, and profits
* The different kinds of value-including qualitative and quantitative -firms realize from their IC
* Activities required to produce the value firms desire from their IC
* Methods for calculating the dollar value of companies-for market capitalization and mergers or acquisitions
* An economic model of an IC company

The book's appendix is a valuable distillation for corporate and financial executives, managers, researchers, and analysts of IC's basic working concepts and definitions, including the principles underlying value creation and value extraction, the concepts and strategies used by successful companies, the sources of value for knowledge companies, and the mechanisms used to convert that value into real profits. And since it is managerial talent that turns intellectual property into business assets, the book provides an arsenal of key concepts, methods, and processes for aligning with and using intellectual property as an active element of a firm's business strategies. It concludes with a discussion of how value is extracted from human capital, focusing on its elusive magnetic core: creativity and productivity. In an era in which firms are increasingly accountable to shareholders and success is judged solely by stock price, knowing how to measure and extract the value of a firm's intellectual assets has become one of the most critical and essential skills needed by CEOs today. Reflecting the most innovative thinking from some of the most sophisticated firms in the world, Sullivan's Value-Driven Intellectual Capital is a manifesto, a clarion call to excellence for any corporate or financial executive, merger and acquisition partner or investor who understands how much future corporate survival and success depends on the simple enduring genius of a good idea and the need to convert those ideas into corporate value.

Visit our Web site at: www.wiley.com/ ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An Excellent Teaching Tool within the Corporate Setting
An important story to tell. Pat's new book is both an eye catcher and recipe for success. "Value Driven" takes the subject matter out the hypothetical and moves it into the real world where the bottom line counts. This is definitely suggested reading for any business manager charged with the responsibility extracting maximum value from the firms intellectual assets or more broadly, intellectual capital.

Written in a down-to-earth fashion, this is the first book of its kind to outline a roll-up-the-sleeves systematic approach to choosing the best options to leverage the firm's intangibles. Dr. Sullivan draws from his own experience as a leading consultant on the subject as well as that of companies who are recognized leaders in intellectual asset management.

As a practitioner, I will use this book within my own firm to help guide our business leaders as they wrestle with how to better manage their IA portfolios in order to achieve maximum shareholder value. A daunting task viewed by many, managing intangibles is made workable, providing a disciplined and systematic approach is adopted as Sullivan describes in his book.

Outstanding and thought provoking
I found this book to be extremely valuable in thinking about intangible assets in a new light. The use of charts and diagrams was especially helpful for me to grasp the value extraction concepts. This book will be valuable for anyone trying to realize value from the intellectual capital within their organization.

Non-Quantitiative & of Limited Value
For individuals actually interested in quantitative measurements of intellectual property value, this book is largely a waste of time. The text is full of a lot of business school "value creation" idealism and has little practical value in my opinion. Indeed, for those really interested in valuing intellectual property and intangible assets, see the associated book by Gordon V. Smith and Russell L. Parr. This text has everything you are looking for and this book is unnecessary.

Good quick Introduction
This book has its good points and its bad points. The good thing is that it is very well written, concise and easy to read. It brings important points to light and is a good start at dealing with a large complex issue. The bad aspect is that the book tends to rely on the experience of the author in developing the models that are at the heart of the book, rather on validated and tested truths.

A good place to start....

An invaluable introduction to IC Management
"In 1999, CEO Magazine and Arthur Andersen hosted a roundtable luncheon for CEOs interested in discussing intellectual capital (IC) and its impact on the firm as we know it. The luncheon drew 17 CEOs representing both manufacturing and service industry companies. All were intrigued by the potential hidden value that the intellectual capital perspective suggests lies untapped within their businesses, but none knew what kinds of value they could obtain from their company's intangible assets or how they might go about it. They just knew that there was hidden value in their companies and that it was somehow wrapped up in the thoughts, skills, innovations, and abilities of their employees. They wanted to learn more about this value: how to harness it, direct it, and extract value from it. This book is written for those CEOs and for anyone else who wants to know how to extract the hidden value that resides within the firm's intellectual capital. As of this writing dozens of firms actively engage in extracting value from their IC. The people directing the activities for these firms have formed a community (called the ICM Gathering) to share their ideas and success stories. With the expectation of a very few proprietary bits of information that could be useful to competitors, these firms are willing to share their knowledge, and this book draws heavily on their experiences. The purpose of this book is to help businesses profit from one of their most important assets, their intellectual capital" (from the Introduction pp.3-4).

In this context, Patrick H. Sullivan divides his book into three major parts as follows:

I. The Relationship Between Intellectual Capital and Corporate Value (Chapters 1-4). In this part, he basically:

* defines and discusses intellectual capital and its importance, and outlines some of the basic concepts underlying corporate value.

* describes a three-dimensional IC framework that reveals the IC aspect of the firm, and outlines the four key elements of the IC framework.

* discusses the kinds of value that intellectual capital provides to the firm, including direct and indirect, offensive and defensive, and internal and external value.

* discusses the ways managers may determine which activities are required to produce the firm's anticipated IC value.

II. Valuing Knowledge Companies (Chapters 5-7). In this part, he basically:

* discusses the concepts that underlie determining the amount of value that intellectual capital has for an organization.

* discusses the quantitative value of knowledge companies in two different kinds of situations: the value as a going concern (the stock market value), and the value in a merger or acquisition scenario.

* discusses the following questions: When determining how much to pay for a knowledge company being acquired, how does the potential purchaser make the calculation? Is the frame of reference an accounting or financial one? Or is it an intellectual capital one?

III. Managing Intellectual Capital (Chapters 8-12). In this part, he basically:

* describes the key elements involved in extracting value from intellectual property, including key decisions and decision-making processes, including who is involved, what information is needed by the decision-makers, what work processes are necessary to provide this information, what databases are needed to store the information, and how each decision will be implemented.

* discusses the