Mandy's Friends - Book Reviews

Books Burnout

2007-01-12T04:57:00.000-08:00

I've just seemed to get a burn out reading books, and am not sure what direction to take this section of the blog.

I recently picked up a whole bunch of movies, so this may just turn into a media section/review.

Comments below are appreciated.

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen

2006-12-05T02:38:00.000-08:00

And Listen so Kids Will Talk.

A book by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish.

Ok, so sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to the Rich Woman book, but I just haven't gotten to it yet.

This book, I will be blogging about in chapters as I read them. The fascinating thing about the first chapter is that it can be applied to everyone since (guess what!) everyone has feelings! =D

An Overdue Book

2006-11-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've done a book review - way overdue. So, the next book I hope to be reviewing soon is Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki. I'll be looking forward to writing it.

A Sad Day for Youthcove

2006-11-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that one of my favorite Young Entrepreneur websites - YouthCove - has come to a close. (Ya, it's been that long since I've been there.)

It's certainly too bad to see it go and we will always remember you. It was a good run while it lasted and we've met some wonderful people along the way. My gratitude goes out to all who came, got inspired and left inspiration for others on that little island.

My heart goes out to Jonathan and Matt for starting this community and seeing it through all the way to the end. It's certainly been a good ride. Thank you for all the good times - and the midnight McDonalds runs (Matt) *wink*.

Internet Business Manifesto

2006-06-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the "Internet Business Manifesto" is an eBook and one of the shorter books I've read - spanning only 33 pages.

The image at the top (shown on the left) is definietly one that gets your attention as it identifies all many aspects of Internet Marketing and attempts to overwhelm the reader at first glace of all the things that Internet Marketers do (hire others to do..) to be successful. (Click on the image for a larger view.)

A few pages down, it starts off by identifying with the reader that most emails from Internet Marketers are sales copy trying to sell you the 'next biggest thing that will make you tons of money with little effort'.

Further on, the credibility from all the laundry-list name-dropping of well known internet marketers and the amount of money they've made makes Rich Shcefren hard to match, much less beat.

This eBook did make some interesting points. The first is comparing the internet to TV, radio, car, and newspaper industry in that once there were many competitors and now there are very few - the survival of the fittest. He suggests the same is true for the Internet Marketing industry. Only time will tell whether this philosophy is true or not. Is this a marketing technique, is it true, or a little of both? Be sure to comment below and tell us what you think!

The second point is that most people work IN their business instead of ON their business. The best book I've found for explaining this concept is E-Myth by Gerber, and certainly would recommend it to those looking to work ON their business.

The third main point I got was creating systems, processes and identifying who's going to do what process - an idea I first heard of from One Minute Manager - and one definitely worth repeating.

Since I don't want to give away the whole eBook, there are a few points I left out of this review.

However, at the end as many eBooks do, it points you to their website stating "3 Simple Tactics Started An Immediate Avalanche of Profits... Going From $500,000 to $5,000,000 in Only 12 Months.

It leads to an eleven week program and with the understanding that most people need seven (seems to be the magic number) 'encounters' (for lack of a better word) with a product/service/idea before someone will buy, the two weeks of emails stated that are coming will definitely increase sales of this eleven week program.

All-in-all, a good piece of copy and it sounds pretty good for those willing to take action (the most important part) on the things they will learn from this course. Nicely done.

One Minute Manager

2006-05-08T00:46:00.000-07:00

There are two main types of managers in the world:

Hard-Nosed: Results and bottom-line oriented. Typically viewed as autocratic.

Soft: Nice to the people, but not as good in results. Typically viewed as democratic.

Can there be BOTH? Where the manager is a nice person AND results are good?

OF COURSE you can have your cake and eat it too. :)

It's called being a 'One Minute Manager'.

There are three main steps to being a One Minute Manager.

One Minute Goals
First, ask yourself what you think your duties are. Then, go ask your boss. (Or, if you are the boss and have employees, reverse the roles.) Chances are, each of you will have a different opinion of what you (or the employees) are suppose to do.

Now, can you see the importance of goals? So, write down, in 250 words or less on 1 sheet of paper, the your goals - either for a specific project or overall what you're suppose to be doing. Make two copies, one for you and one for your boss, so you both know exactly what you're suppose to be doing. Not too many. Maybe 3-6 total.

Without that, it's like two football teams running up and down the field without any goals - not being able to score touchdowns. No one knows what the goal is. :)

One Minute Praises
Everyone feels better when they're happier; so, instead of trying to catch someone doing something wrong and waiting for the *gag* Yearly Performance Eval's, CATCH THEM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! :) You'll feel alot better and so will they. So, tell them exactly what they did right and how you feel about it. Bosses, even if things aren't going so great in other areas doesn't mean you shouldn't be grateful and appreciative of what is going well. Tell them right away and that will let the employees know you are aware of what they're doing and you care about them.

One Minute Reprimands
This happens only when the person's been on the job awhile and knows the ropes. Like the 'One Minute Praising', tell the person the behavior they did wrong (don't attack them as a person) and tell them right away. That way, they know right up front. The second half of the reprimand is letting them know that they're still a good person. Tough 'N Nice.

This is the meat of the One Minute Manager, and I hope you've enjoyed it and can apply it in your busines(es).

More Book Reviews Soon

2006-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

I ordered a couple more books off Amazon.com and within a couple weeks or so, I should have a few more up. :)

Must Reads

2006-04-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

From my experience, above all else - correct financial education is the best gift anyone can give themselves and freely give to others, making your life and their lives better. No matter what style of life you chose or what you chose to do with your life, everyone can use financial education. So, below is my list of Top 3 Must-Reads.

Top 3 Must Reads

Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
Richest Man in Babylon - George S. Clayson
Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill

There are many many more books (and tapes, for the car) out there which specialize in one area or another (eg. real estate, paper assets, business, internet marketing, etc.), but cutting right to the chase, these are my top three picks.

Enjoy!

Wracking My Brain

2006-04-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

After my head stopped spinning from the REI stuff, I realized that it would be best for me to laser focus my attention on what I know and what I'm good at - Internet.

So, I have taken a step back from wanting to streach myself thin and really concentrate my skills on creating valuable sites that everyone can use.

Once I've got a stronghold in that, then I'll move into REI.

Change of Books

2006-03-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

I've had a taste of the REI world (and my head went into spinning overdrive) and I have a feeling the next few books I'll be checking out and reading are going to be on *gulp* real estate.

So, hang on to your seat as we take a turn and venture into the world of buying and selling property.

How Full Is Your Bucket?

2006-03-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton.

Everyone has an invisible bucket. We are at our best when our buckets are overflowing - and at our worst when they are empty.

Everyone also has an invisible dipper. In each interaction, we can use our dipper to fill or dip from others' buckets.

Whenever we choose to fill others' buckets, we in turn fill our own.
Page 25

That quote pretty much sums up the book. Whenever you interact with people, you can choose to be cheerful, supporting, loving and all the things good in the world. When you do that, you are filling other people's buckets - and in turn filling your own because it feels good to talk pleasantly to and about other people.

During interactions, if you are unrelentingly negative in all they say and do, you are dipping from other people's buckets and sucking the life right out of them. Energy is drained from you and all people involved - and this is the level of consciousness that most people are stuck at.

You are the creator of your life. So, the title - How Full Is Your Bucket - is determined by how we interact with other people.

Give praise and compliments freely and frequently and you can rise above the negative level of consciousness and your bucket, in turn, will be overflowing too.

One Minute Millionaire

2006-02-21T22:30:00.000-08:00

Just because I haven't written up a review in awhile doesn't mean I've stopped reading! :) So, I'll be catching you up over the next few days over the great books I've read. Today's delight is The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen.

This book is different from many books I've read so far as it divided into two sections - one for the left (logical) side of the brain and the other for the right side of the brain (creative). All the even pages are for the 'left brain' people - more of a factual approach - and all the odd pages are for the 'right brain' people - telling more of a story. I fell into more the right side; so, that is the side I have chosen from which to give the review.

The right side tells of a story of a mother (Michelle) who isn't that great handling money and gets her two children (Nicky and Hannah) taken away by their grandparents (the Ericksens). The ultimatum that the Ericksens give is that Michelle must come up with 1 million dollars in 90 days in cash or she will never see her children again.

Of course, the number and timeline scare her, but with her perseverance, knowledge, enthusiasm of getting her kids back, and the team that she attracts with that enthusiasm is miraculous. The rich people stereotypes that are broken with this book, as the writers are multi-millionaires themselves, but remember they are people too. They just think different about the world and about money.

For a better understanding, visit the Part 1 of 3: The roots produce the fruits. posts and the finishing two in the Entrepreneur section.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

2005-12-22T23:17:00.000-08:00

The Fundamentals in Handling People

Don�??t criticize, condemn, or complain
Give honest and sincere appreciation.
Arouse in the other person an eager want.

6 Ways to Make People Like You

Become genuinely interested in other people.
Smile.
Remember that person�??s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Talk in terms of the other person�??s interests.
Make the other person feel important �?? and do it sincerely.

How to Win People in Your Way of Thinking

The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
Show respect for the other person�??s opinions. Never say �??you�??re wrong�??..
If you�??re wrong, admit it quickly and empathetically.
Begin in a friendly way.
Get the person to saying �??yes�?? �??yes�?? immediately.
Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
Try to honestly see things from the other person�??s point of view.
Be sympathetic to the other person�??s ideas and desires.
Appeal to a nobler motive.
Dramatize your ideas.
Throw down a challenge.

Be A Leader

Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
Call attention to people�??s mistakes indirectly.
Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
Let the other person save face.
Praise the slightest improvement and every improvement �??Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise�??.
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
Use encouragement. Make the fault easy to correct.
Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

Wow, if even each person did one of these categories, imagine the repercussions around the world that would be. It starts with one �?? you �?? a ripple in the pond and it would spread. And I think to myself - what a wonderful world. :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Book Review for the Week

2005-12-18T04:05:00.000-08:00

The book review for this week is "Who to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.

Google Goes Seasonal

2005-12-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Do a search for 'Christmas' on Google and you'll see what I mean. Happy Holidays, everyone! :D

Book Review for the Week

2005-12-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion

The first person you need to convince you can Succeed and Grow Rich is yourself, and that�??s the primary focus of this book. It first starts with having a positive mental attitude moving toward a higher power belief and faith in that higher power. Then, the book moves to your persuasive personality, power, salesmanship, and mastering your mind power.

The first section of the book, and perhaps the most difficult for most people to understand today, is the power of a positive mental attitude. With all the media �?? newspaper, radio, internet, TV and other forms of media showing every good, and mostly the bad and ugly, it�??s hard to stay away from all the negativity in the world. As Joe Vitale writes in the Attractor Factor, �??Gossip. Complaining. Bitterness. Negativity. I could go on. The point is the vast majority of humanity is stuck on this level of consciousness. It�??s the level of the media. It�??s the level of most conversations. It�??s the level of low energy. And this very same level keeps people exactly where they are.�?? (pg. 55).

Now that we recognize and have moved on from our negative media filled environment to consciously choosing our positive thoughts and mental attitude, we can put that faith in a higher power. Make your positive minded goals. Pray for strength and wisdom every morning and pray for them every night. Consciously changing your beliefs and praying for strength and wisdom to achieve your goals is a huge transformation in itself, but it doesn�??t stop there.

You can use these powerful beliefs and work toward your goals to make the world a better place for yourself and for those around you. Salesmanship does not have to be the act of hard selling a product, but instead fulfilling a need to a friend �?? and it is this transformation in the way that you look at selling that will make all the difference.

The last part of the book is mastering your mind power. First with the positive mental attitude, putting your faith in a higher power, then applying your new found ways to salesmanship and finally mastering your mind power. You are the master of your own mind, and have the final say in every single choice you make. Every moment passing by is a moment in time you can never take back. So, take the most of your time and focus with a positive mental attitude �?? for it is the things we do today that affect the future.

This Week's Book Review

2005-12-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

I'll be reviewing Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion by Napoleon Hill this week.

The Internet Marketing Library

2005-12-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

For those of you looking to get started in Internet Marketing, I've built a free library just for you. Affiliate, Google, Joint Ventures, Niche Marketing, SEO, and Viral Marketing. It's all covered in there. So, click on the Internet Marketing link and check it out for yourself. If there's something else you'd like to see there, a question you have about it, feel free to leave me a comment below. It's that easy to get started, and you've found a great free beginners guide. So, bookmark it and come back to it whenver you need a question about Internet Marketing answered. See ya 'round in the virtual world. :)

Mandy's Library - Introduction

2005-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Wow. I've worked pretty hard on this Internet Marketing library, and it's finally come together. Version 0.9 is avaiable for you to sit back, read, and learn. Click here to see it and enjoy. :)

Mandy's Library

2005-11-29T01:35:00.000-08:00

This website is dedicated to helping you become a successul entrepreneur, and one of the many ways you can do that is through Internet Marketing.

Many of my good friends are successful internet marketers themselves.

So, instead of reviewing a book this week, as an Internet Marketer - I'm going to put together a library of resources for you so you can learn about many aspects of what I do - market on the internet. I plan to have it done by the end of this week, and then I'll link to it from here. :)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

2005-11-21T03:08:00.000-08:00

In light of Thanksgiving, I will not be reviewing a book this week. Enjoy time with your family and Happy Thanksgiving everyone. :)

The Irresistible Offer

2005-11-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

The Irresistible Offer �?? Mark Joyner

An offer. All businesses great, small and those in between all do one thing in their business - and that is make an offer. Whether it be for money, exchange for goods, or exchange for services �?? all the advertising in the world does one thing. It makes an offer to the viewer �?? the potential customer.

Many people would argue that all businesses do make is an offer is too simple. To them I suggest the KISS principles (Keep It Simple, Silly). What about Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising, Branding, Positioning and many other important concepts of business? All of those are important, but none are as important as the offer being made to the prospective customer. I�??ll give you (this) if you give me (that).

So, now we understand all businesses need an offer, but isn�??t the title of the book The Irresistible Offer? Yes. And what makes an offer irresistible? �??The Irresistible Offer is an identity-building offer central to a product, service, or company where the believable return on investment is communicated so clearly and efficiently that it�??s immediately apparent you�??d have to be a fool to pass it up.�?? (pg. 15)

Written by Mark Joyner, an internet marketing genius, this book is written for anyone that makes an offer (which is everyone!). It�??s written in simple English, taking special care to explain any terms that someone outside the business realm would not understand. Everyone around the world, be it business or not, makes offers all the time. Don�??t believe me? Didn�??t you make an offer when you applied for a job? Were you selling yourself to be the best person for that position? If you�??re a business person, did you have to make an offer to the bank that your idea was sound? Yes.

Even in this very blog post �?? I make an offer to you, the reader. I give you a review of what a book is about every week and offer you to purchase the book I review at the end of every post. Kind of like now. �??

Book Review for the Week

2005-11-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

The book review for this week will be The Irresistible Offer by Mark Joyner.

The Attractor Factor

2005-11-10T23:21:00.000-08:00

Being an entrepreneur is one of the most thrilling, exciting, wild rides one could ever take. In college, my life was supposedly set. I was going to get a job based on the average amount of pay for that profession �?? which happened to be a computer programmer at the time. I really didn�??t know what I wanted in life before, but at least it was something.

Now, it�??s like my world was turned upside-down. The Attractor Factor allows me to attract my goals, and then it gets better. You get to decide what your goals are. Most people believe �??life happens�?? but when you choose your goals, firmly believe in your goals, and work your goals - you get to decide what life happens. Isn�??t that cool!

The question then begins �?? What do you want? What are your goals in life? And that�??s a tough one to answer. The sun? The moon? The stars? World peace? It all starts with a ripple, a thought in space and time. All great things start with a thought, intent, and faith. Never underestimate the power of a small group or one person. All people have thoughts and the ability to control them at their own will. Life does not simply just happen.

Most people are stuck in Level One thinking �?? Gossip. Complaining. Bitterness. Negativity. The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. The rut that their stuck in is focusing on the things that they don�??t want in their life. You don�??t want this, that, or the other thing. Headache, bills, debt�?� and more. By focusing your energy on what you don�??t want �?? you attract more of it to your life.

So, what can you do instead to attract the things you DO want in your life. First of all, you have to figure out what you do want. �??In fact, everything in life seems to be plastic. You can mold it to fit what you want and where you want to go.�?? The Attractor Factor. �??Things are impossible until they are not.�?? Patrick Stewart.

It is true that in life, nothing is set as concrete. Everything is in a constant state of change. Today was not the same as yesterday, nor will it be the same as tomorrow. Impossibilities are happening everyday. Do we fall to the destiny of fate, or do we choose our own destiny?

And so, The Attractor Factor begins. We consciously choose the latter of the two options �?? choosing our own destiny and attracting the things we want in our lives. Our outer world, the good and the bad things that happen in it, are the culminations of the inner world on the outside. Our inner becomes our outer. �??Mind operates under its own conception of itself.�??

You can attract the things you want in your life by focusing on what you want instead of the Level One thinking �?? what you don�??t want �?? and this book by Mr. Joe Vitale, the Attractor Factor �?? may just have helped you in finding this page to jump start you on attracting the things you want in your life. Go get �??em.

Richest Man In Babylon - Book Review

2005-10-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Richest Man In Babylon

Let�??s travel back in time to 8000 years ago to a city known as Babylon �?? the richest city in the world at the time, not only for the amount of gold and silver within its great Babylonian walls �?? but for the few people within its walls who knew how to accumulate the gold and silver and keep it flowing to them in an ever-increasing supply. However, the King of Babylon was not among these rich few and wondered how it escaped the flow of mainstream society. �??�??It [gold] has found its way, I fear,�?? responded the Chancellor, �??into the possession of a few very rich men of our city�?? �?� �??because they know how.�??�?? (pg. 23).

In fact, so much gold had gone to these few that King of Babylon didn�??t have a clue what to do about the poor financial condition of most of the Babylonian citizens within his walls. �??The laborers are without employment. The merchants have few customers. The farmers are unable to sell their produce. The people have not enough gold to buy food.�?? (pg. 22) Concerned for his people, he called on the assistance of the The Richest Man In Babylon, Akrad, for his advice.

Now, take a step back for a moment - how in the world does a city half way across the world existing 8000 years ago apply to us today? We are much more technologically advanced �?? with cell phones, computers, the internet, TV, vehicles for us to get around. We know more about diseases �?? how to prevent and treat them. We can fly all the way around the world if we want to. Heck, we even have a tutorial on How to Make Distressed Jeans!

We have a Federal Reserve System in Washington D.C. with 12 Federal District banks across the USA to control the money flow and supply. What in the heck could they possibly know about money that we don�??t know today? Let me ask you this - is this condition of Babylon �?? where few people within the Babylonian walls who knew how to accumulate the gold and silver and keep it flowing to them in an ever-increasing supply �?? so different from today - where 5% of the population in the USA controls 95% of the wealth and just seem to keep getting richer? Is it really all that different?* No, it�??s not.

So, the good King of Babylon did as any king would do who cared about his citizens and spoke the following words to Akrad, �??It is my desire that Babylon be the wealthiest city in the world. Therefore, it must be a city of many wealth men. Therefore, we must teach all the people how to acquire riches. Tell me, Akrad, is there any secret to acquiring wealth? Can it be taught?�??

Akrad, so graciously, replied, �??�??Whatever knowledge I posses will I gladly give for the betterment of my fellow men and the glory of my king. Let your good chancellor arrange for me a class of one hundred men and I will teach them those seven cures which did fatten my purse, than which there was none leaner in all Babylon.

Let�??s listen in on the first day Akrad met with this group. �??Akrad turned to a humble man who had declared himself an egg merchant, �??If thou select one of thy baskets and put it into and put it in each morning ten eggs and take out one from it each evening nine eggs, what eventually will happen?�??�??

�??It will become in time overflowing.�??

�??Why?�??

�??Because I put one more egg in each day than I take out.�??

And so it is the same with gold and is the first cure of a lean purse �?? start thy purse to fattening. A part of all you earn is yours to keep. Keep one tenth of all that you earn �?? and your heart will lighten to the jingle of gold in your pocket you know to be yours.

So, the week continued �?? with each day Akrad telling his lesson of the Seven Cures for a Lean Purse as a story and filling the ears of his one hundred students the words of wisdom that had let him become the Richest Man in Babylon.

Seven Cures for a Lean Purse

* Start thy purse to fattening - A part of all you earn is yours to keep (most Americans try to live far beyond their means and keep up the �??Jones�??)
* Control thy expenditures �?? Control your expenses to be 9/10 of what you earn (how much debt are most Americans in? How many file for bankruptcy each year?)
* Make thy gold multiply
* Guard thy treasure from loss �?? invest only where the principle is safe, where it may be reclaimed if desirable, and where thou will not fail to collect a fair rental. (Get rich quick schemes just don�??t work and don�??t take advice about jewels from the brick maker.)
* Make thy dwelling a profitable investment �?? own thy home
* Insure a future income �?? plan for your retirement and have a will (look what�??s happening to Social Security, folks!)
* Increase thy ability to earn �?? the more wisdom we know, the more we can earn

Mind you, the Seven Cures for a Lean Purse are contained within the first 42 pages of this 144 page book �?? and look at the timeless truths that apply �?? even today. Within the rest of the pages, you can meet the Goddess of Good Luck (who does not favor the gaming tables �?? as many so hope, even in today�??s world of Las Vegas), learn the 5 Laws of Gold, meet the Gold Lender of Babylon (in today�??s terms �?? would be a bank) and learn why you shouldn�??t trust a brick maker to go in search of jewels, envision The Great Walls of Babylon �?? as no city should be without adequate protection (today �?? navy, army, etc.), meet The Camel Trader of Babylon who teaches us where the determination is, the way can be found, and finally read The Clay Tablets of Babylon and understand how so many simple truths about money from 8000 years ago can be applied in today�??s tecno-babble society.

*Being a US citizen myself, this is how I relate the richest city of Babylon �?? which existed 8000 years ago �?? to today. In your country, I am almost certain that you can relate to the concept I am showing �?? where a small portion of the population controls a majority of the wealth.