Jason Cunningham Interview: Where’s My Money?
Jason Cunningham is a thirty something boyishly good looking Certified Practicing Accountant with a sense of humor, and is the author of the financial self help book Where’s My Money.
Beneath the affable exterior is a person who at 13 witnessed first hand his parents’ efforts at recovering their financial standing after an unscrupulous business partner absconded with the cash. Jason states that the adversity he and his family faced shaped character and forged his entrepreneurial spirit.
As a founding partner in his highly successful accounting firm The Practice, he saw the all too familiar financial train wrecks of business and personal clients. An inability to consciously monitor their cash flow and expenditure for the financial year meant that Jason would invariably be faced with his clients’ plaintive and supplicatory pleas of “Where’s my money?”
In response he wrote Where’s My Money, aimed squarely at the financially illiterate who walk amongst us. Judging by the parlous state of most peoples’ bank accounts, it should cover approximately 90 % of the population.
In this interview, Jason describes how our personalities can greatly influence our desire to save, hoard or divest ourselves of our cash, in no particular order.
Jason Cunningham Interview (unlinked)
In addition to the safe and sure methods of long term wealth creation that includes investments in property, the share market or sound businesses he addresses the Gen Y expectation of instant gratification by throwing down the challenge that they provide more value if they want more money from their employers.
His concern that children are not taught the basic financial skills at school has him putting his money where his mouth is. Asked about his legacy, Jason replied, “In time to come I’ll sell the business, not have to worry about the money and become a primary school teacher”. Happy Days, Mr Cunningham
You can contact Jason at http://www.thepractice.com.au
Level 1, 200 Lygon St, Carlton Vic 3053 AUSTRALIA
Ph: +613 8888 4000; Fax: +613 8888 4099
Katana Abbott Interview: It’s Never Too Late To Become A Millionaire
If I said to you that a child can grow up in poverty with an abusive stepfather and then at 18 marry a violent man, walk away from that marriage virtually penniless, hit rock bottom physically, mentally and emotionally before coming back as a self made millionaire at 47 years of age, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a Cinderella story of feel good fiction.
Let me introduce you to Katana Abbott, the lady whose life I just described. 
I have no doubt that countless women can identify with Katana’s early financial circumstances. However, this is not the point of the exercise because I invite you to listen to my interview with a woman who took action on a number of fronts to change her life.
Katana Abbott Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
The most obvious was to qualify as a certified financial planner and grow a multi million dollar business. Equally important but not as apparent is Katana’s commitment to becoming a life long student of personal development.
Katana is living proof that when you change your thought and beliefs from can’t to can, positive actions that support your new beliefs pave the way for financial and personal success.
Her concern for the financial futures of Americans entering their golden years prompted her to coin the clever analogy of the “three legged stool” of Social Security, Savings and Pensions as the highly unstable but fundamentally the default option of many peoples’ retirement plan. Know as the Midlife Millionaire Coach, Katana is focused on helping women entrepreneurs, ages 43-65, create financial freedom whilst following their passion.
Her generosity knows no bounds so if you go to http://www.smartwomenscafe.com you will get a free membership to the community and can participate in a free monthly coaching call beginning in April.
And there’s more!
If you go to http://www.Katanaabbott.com you will get her free midlife millionaire success system and for everyone listening to this interview receive Katana’s signature financial organizer planner to get your finances in order.
Ladies and gentleman, you are witnessing the actions of a woman who not only knows that her life has a higher purpose; she lives it.
Prince Charming Isn’t Coming or How to reclaim your financial destiny: Barbara Stanny Tells
Barbara Stanny is a pioneer in the field of financial education for women and has authored a number of books including the best seller “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming-How women get smart about money” and “Secrets of Six Figure Women”.
When I spoke with Barbara Stanny about her road to becoming financially literate, her story had an all too familiar ring. Many women will be able to identify with her journey; some of it isn’t pretty, some of it will cause you to squirm. You may even feel the fear stab you in your heart because it hits uncomfortably close to home.
Listen to her pull no punches interview here: Barbara Stanny Interview1 (unlinked)
She like so many women did not feel confident enough to take control of her finances until fate intervened. What started as a simple act of withdrawing cash from an automatic teller machine turned into horror when these two words “insufficient funds” appeared on the ATM advice slip.
Barbara’s spouse (who mismanaged her inheritance) left her to find her own way out of the financial maze that included paying back taxes of $ 1million. Believing in the adage that “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger,” she set out to learn the language of money. In doing so Barbara discovered how to overcome not only the external but internal blockages to becoming financially independent.
As Barbara states, “In your deepest pain lies your highest purpose”. We are eternally grateful that her purpose to empower women through her books, seminars and retreats has saved many a woman from financial ruin.
What appeared initially a financial disaster of monumental proportions has been a gift of self discovery. Barbara is passionate about sharing her hard won knowledge in her latest program “Sacred Success” for women who are on the verge of or have reached affluence. Specifically it speaks to women who want to make a difference in the world through philanthropy.
This is indeed a fine legacy for any woman.
Find Barbara at http://www.barbarastanny.com
Robert Jordan Interview: Six Success Tips for Aspiring Billionaires (How They Did It)
If you are like me, you too will wonder about what sets these seemingly ordinary people apart from the rest in terms of their capacity to recognize and identify a need, develop a service or a widget that addresses that need and then go on realize their goal of turning their ideas into millions of dollars.
I asked Robert Jordan who has compiled interviews with 45 billionaire entrepreneurs and published his book telling us how they did it. Below are six indispensable tips that helped them succeed. 
Click here to listen Robert Jordan Interview (unlinked)
Robert Jordan is an entrepreneur and author who has made it his mission to discover the “secret sauce” used by self made billionaires to launch themselves from growing an idea into $100 million dollar companies or if it suits, taking their pride and joy public to the tune of $300 million or more.
Robert’s entrée into their world is paved by his own success when he launched and grew his startup company, Online Access, the first Internet-coverage magazine that made it on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies.
As is quintessential a characteristic of all serial entrepreneurs, he then sold his highly profitable Online Access and proceeded to start up a couple more companies, RedFlash, a project implementation team, and interimCEOinterimCFO, a worldwide network of interim, contract, and project executives.
Robert’s gift for getting consensus saw 21 of the eventual 45 founders agreeing to meet and freely share their insights, occasional pain and billion dollar experiences.
Their collective wisdom has been distilled into his latest book, How they did it: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America. 
He freely admits this book was a labor of love, driven by an insatiable curiosity to know the minds and passions of this select group of diverse individuals.
All aspiring entrepreneurs who believe they are billionaires in the making will do well to heed the advice of the 45 who have gone before them. Here are just six tips to steer you to success:
1. Do not be afraid to fail; if and when you do, make sure you fail fast.
2. Do not be precious about your idea, be willing to tweak it
3. Leave your ego at the door; be astute enough to hire people smarter than you
4. However, make sure they are nice not just smart.
5. Honestly is still the best policy, so be on the level when communicating with the people who work for you because no one becomes a billionaire on their own.
6. Believe in the goodness of your angel investors but have Plans B, C and D just in case they decide to bail
Find Robert Jordan on http://www.HowTheyDidItBook.com
Female Friendly Investment Strategies: Stock Trading with Louise Bedford
Previously I explored investing from the female perspective. The idea of bricks and mortar i.e., residential or commercial property investing has great appeal to most women. It is tangible and can be tizzed up with an exterior paint job or reasonably priced landscaping to the front garden. In doing so, extra value (capital growth) can very quickly be added.
In this article I want you to consider the diametrically opposite. I invite you to get your head around the idea of investing or more specifically trading the stock market.
So I asked Louise Bedford the question: What makes a successful share trader?
Her definitive and emphatic response: “Mindset is God”.
Louise Bedford Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
Louise arrived at this conclusion after being struck by a serious illness that left her without the use of both arms. Unable to work, she looked to share trading as a means of making an income.
Thankfully Louise fully recovered the use of both limbs and has gone on to not only understand but also conquer the market. Her burning desire to share her knowledge resulted in Louise authoring not one but four best selling books on how to read and profit from stock market trends regardless of whether the index is up or down. Trading Secrets, Charting Secrets, The Secret of Candlestick Charting and The Secret of Writing Options, are without a doubt “must reads” for anyone wanting to successfully trade the share market.
Her invaluable insights into how not to lose your shirt trading include having a strategy and being disciplined enough to stick to it. She explains how we can be our own worse enemy, when unbridled emotions scupper our ability to trade analytically and sensibly. Besides understanding the charts, self awareness and personal development make up the equation of a winning trade.
Louise is a woman after my own heart as she believes that wealth and philanthropy are inseparable. As she rightly says, “Give a hand up and not a handout” as part of her commitment to international programs that disburse and administer micro loans to women entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Louise and business partner Chris Tate offer a mentoring program to guide the novice and even the experienced become successful traders. If you would like to know more about this remarkable lady, find her at http://www.tradingsecrets.com.au
Female Friendly Investment Strategies: Debbie Williams Property Diva
The age old debate as to whether the stock market or investing in property returns the better yield is better answered by asking the personal question: What is your individual appetite for risk?
Women are generally perceived to be more conservative in their investment strategies and there is an element of truth in this observation.
The emergence of a generation of single women in full time employment, and their new found financial freedom and independence means that investment decisions are now wholly and solely within their sphere of control.
Unlike their male counterparts they have only just become aware that they are now in the position to invest and with that plan for a very comfortable self funded retirement.
Faced with an often confusing number of choices, the only way to know if the property or the share market suits you is to be actively involved.
Do not let fear of making a mistake stop you from taking action, because that is the only way you will learn, grasshopper.
So, let me introduce you to Debbie Williams.
If her story does not inspire you to do something for yourself, then we are all doomed!
Click here Interview with Debbie Williams (unlinked)
Debbie Williams’ amazing trajectory to becoming a millionaire property investor began not as a person with a truckload of cash but as a 15 year old homeless youth.
From being a self-confessed dissatisfied person, Debbie found that her knack for property investing dramatically improved her self-esteem and lifestyle. The momentum from her first renovation that netted $30, 000 has seen her recently create a cool $1 million in equity in 12 months.
The experience of being disenfranchised and dispossessed became the impetus for Debbie to carve out a better future for herself. Today she helps local homeless people with their accommodation needs.
Her advice includes, “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable”. She talks about feeling the fear but taking action. “Attending property investment courses are only half of the equation, implementing the steps learned has made all the difference in my life”.
She is living proof that even in this current economic climate of gloom and doom, there are profits to be made. “It is all in how you look at it”, she states. “Your attitude is very important, and surround yourself with a good team of people”. “Finally, celebrate your wins, no matter how small they seem at the time”.
Find Debbie at
http://www.savvypropertypeople.com.au
Dal LaMagna Interview: Failure Is Not Final
If you subscribe to self-development eNewsletters, round about this time of the year, (late January of 2011), your inbox will be inundated with a ton of emails with subject headings like “10 reasons why your new year’s resolutions have failed” and that is usually followed by an offer of “How we can help”.
If you have stuck with your resolution to improve your health, fitness, finances, and personal relationships then kudos to you.
Okay, so the title of this article may sound like one of those motivational, “Come on people, pick yourself up when you’re down” types.
Maybe it is, may be it isn’t. It all depends on your perspective.
Dal LaMagna Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
You see, we often make the mistake that successful people (millionaires) burst on to the scene as readymade straight out of the box (overnight) successes.
Some of these erroneous assumptions are engineered by the popular press because of the higher drama impact it has on the reader and hence circulation, and revenue (ooh, isn’t that cynical).
The reality is more boring, but nevertheless equally important.
It isn’t sexy to talk about the hard yards, sacrifices and sense of self belief and faith these people showed in the face of adversity.
Show me a person who claims to have just thought up an idea, implemented it and cashed in the millions of dollars without breaking into a sweat and I will show you Pinocchio.
So, I am going to throw you this idea. If you don’t fail, you will not know how to succeed. No, it’s not a mind bender, it actually occurs with predictable frequency.
I have made it my mission to ask self made millionaires how they arrived at their current situation.
Not a single millionaire has glossed over their multiple attempts before finally getting the right business plan, system or model to work well for them. Their candour and honesty is indeed refreshing.
Therefore, I would like to share with you the following interview with Mr Dal LaMagna, the founder of Tweezerman. He is actually a funny guy.
Mr Tweezerman
I have included a synopsis and titled the interview: How to fail your way to success
Dal LaMagna speaks honestly about his sixteen failed business ventures including turning down an offer from Coca Cola and saying no to being involved with the Woodstock Music Festival before he made his fortune from his company Tweezerman.
Tweezerman started as a one-man operation with seed capital of $500. By using head and heart business principles to grow his venture, he was able to walk away with millions when he sold it years later.
Dal shares his wisdom and insights on how to succeed as an entrepreneur in his new book Raising Eyebrows: A Failed Entrepreneur Finally Gets It Right (John Wiley & Sons).
He has done a huge favor to all the budding business tycoons out there by being up front and authentic when he tells it like it is which means you have to do the hard yards and own up to your mistakes, and that’s just for starters.
What more, the man shows that you can be a capitalist and have a social conscience.
I found Dal’s leadership style inspirational-there aren’t many CEOs who genuinely care and will take onboard every employee’s suggestion to grow a business.
Tweezerman flourished because Dal had the foresight to make each and every employee a partner in the business. Yes folks, they got a share of the revenue, not just a monthly pay check.
Do yourself a favor, get the book and read Dal’s many tips on how to succeed in business, and maybe just maybe you will not need to fail 16 times before hitting the mother lode.
Find him at his website:
http://www.dallamagna.com
MJ DeMarco Interview: How to retire young and rich
Ladies, this one is for the men in your lives.
I recently spoke with Michael J DeMarco who has just authored a book with a title that caught my eye.
The Millionaire Fastlane-Crack the code to wealth and live rich for a lifetime
Mr Millionaire Fastlane
MJ DeMarco Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
MJ’s views and opinions on wealth creation take on a high octane flavour. For one thing, he doesn’t accept that people have to scrimp and save and take 50 years to become financial independent.
He rejects the “get rich slow” plan which see people in the twilight of their years before they can enjoy their hard earned cash.
His ideas certainly challenge conventional financial wisdom that is offered by many other well known finance gurus on the scene.
In my interview with MJ now in his thirties, he tells of a chance meeting with a young man getting into his Lamborghini at an ice cream place, where he, as a spellbound 12 year old awoke to the possibility that one day he too be like this young millionaire.
From that fateful encounter he made it his mission to study the habits and characteristics of young millionaires and decided that in the simplest terms it would mean becoming an entrepreneur.
He pulls no punches and tells it like it is; that people can either do nothing (Sidewalk strollers), take the Slowlane and wait until they are in their 70’s before being able to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Then there are people like MJ who elect to take the Fastlane and retire YOUNG without sacrificing lifestyle.
And yes, he does drive a Lamborghini.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Matt and Amanda Clarkson Interview: eBay and Wealth Creation
Christmas is a wonderful time of coming together to share a special meal and re connect with other family members.
At one time or another we all have been at the receiving end of a Christmas present that has not rocked our world.
So hands up anybody who has had the idea of hocking off that gift on eBay.
I talked to an Australian couple Matt and Amanda Clarkson, who found eBay to be their ticket to financial freedom.
Matt and Amanda Clarkson eBay Magic
Matt and Amanda Clarkson Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
The story of their journey may just be what you need to take inspired action towards a new beginning for yourself.
Matt and Amanda both left school at 16, he to become a carpenter and she working through 33 jobs and 11 businesses over the last 20 years.
They knew that working for “the man” or being a sole operator was limiting their dream of becoming financially independent. In 2006, the internet was where they found the clue that became their golden key to freedom.
In this interview they speak frankly of their learning experiences during this process including Amanda’s honest and candid admission that she was not introduced to her first PC until she was a young forty year old.
Matt is a bestselling author and international expert in Internet Marketing and in particular eBay business development. Amanda’s eBay business, which she started with a credit card in Feb 2006 was a run away success and is still forging ahead to this day.
Now, they show everyday people how to become cash and time rich with eBay through their simple, and inspiring eBay education courses through their multi national company Bidding Buzz.
The passion and vision of these two heart centered entrepreneurs is to help as many people as possible live life on their own terms instead of someone else’s through The Magic Of Making Money On eBay.
Courageously Moving Into 2011
I welcomed in 2011 with a quiet dinner and contemplation.
Perhaps it was the 43C (109F) evening that was the deciding factor between heading into the city to join in the celebrations and festivities (read beer and more beer, wine and spirits) with the usual suspects or staying home in the cool Adelaide Hills.
As is my custom and habit I use the first week of January to set the course for the coming 12 months.
This comes in the form of writing down on a sheet of unlined paper five important goals I want to achieve, covering all aspects including career, personal relationships and finances, health and spirituality. I sign and date this document that I like to call my memorandum of understanding. I then put this in my pocket book that I have with me every day.
However, this will be unlike previous years in that I stopped in my tracks when I sat down to put fountain pen (there is something magical about writing the old fashioned way) to paper.
I examined the underlying reason(s) for wanting to achieve each goal and I must say, took the time to squarely look at the why for listing it. These are very important personal goals and there is only so much room at the inn.
So, some honest appraisal and self interrogation ensued and the realizations that dawned on me were that my goals:
1) Are a reflection of my current state of being
2) Can be driven either by FEAR (False Expectation Appearing Real) or courage
The nerdy kid in me has always had a fascination for etymology (the study of the origins and history of words) so a quick on line search found how the word “courage” came into being.
Courage: from Old French corage, from couer or heart
Noun
1. the power or quality of dealing with or facing danger, fear, pain, etc
2. the courage of one’s convictions the confidence to act in accordance with one’s beliefs
3. take one’s courage in both hands to nerve oneself to perform an action
Courage is an acknowledgement of goals that emanate from my heart and are accompanied by a deep sense of conviction that they are in keeping with my highest purpose.
Courage means that these goals require wholehearted commitment to see them come to fruition.
Courage means experiencing a feeling of peace that the decision to set into motion a course of action is aligned with my heart.
May 2011 be the year you found your heart (courage).
Yours in health, wealth and happiness