Making sound investments is tough enough without having to worry about unscrupulous financial advisers and outright frauds. But recently strengthened laws aren't enough to stop the "professionals" intent on profiting from--or just plain stealing--your money. As an Enforcement Branch Chief at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Pat Huddleston witnessed countless people lose their life savings to reckless stockbrokers and fraudulent schemes. Now an SEC-recommended Receiver andCEO of a securities and investment fraud investigation agency, Huddleston has intimate knowledge of how scam artists and bad brokers operate. In The Vigilant Investor, he explains WHY we fall for investment scams, HOW con artists play on our emotions, and WHAT we can do to protect ourselves from predators. With its unique look into the science of financial decision making, the book blows up the popular myths and simplistic "do's and don'ts" of investing while sharing techniques anyone can use to perform due diligence even better than the "experts." With gripping stories of actual cases, Huddleston sheds light on the dark corners of the investment industry and teaches investors and professionals alike how to spot fraud and guard themselves against financial catastrophe.

"Become Your Own Boss is a must-read if you're thinking of launching a business of your own." --Jean Chatzky, bestselling author of Money 911 and Financial Editor, NBC Today Create a successful business this year! Written by America's #1 Small Business Expert, this essential handbook shows you how to launch your own business in just twelve months. Using her years of experience in business development, Melinda Emerson guides you through the process with step-by-step instructions for developing an effective marketing plan, setting a budget, and maintaining your business once it's up and running. She also offers brand-new strategies for obtaining financing through means like crowdsourcing as well as social media techniques that help build your business--all of which has been updated for today's market. With Emerson's expert business advice, you will finally follow your dreams and become your own boss!

Your own guide is waiting to meet you and steer you along the best path in life. He or she will make sure you're never alone again, andalways have a wise friend with you on your journey to serve mankind.By learning to listen to your own guide, intuition or inner voice, you'll unlock the secrets of the universe as they exist for you.With the help of this book, you'll be able to hear guidance whenever you want to. You need only ask and help will be there. You will indeed unlockthe meaning of life and the secrets of joy, happiness and contentment.

Table of Contents Introduction Facing Challenges Capitalize on Your Own Strengths The Rope Trick Example Help and Support Gaining Clear Perspectives Analyze That Learn to Love Yourself Gaining Self-Esteem Identify Your Complexes Attainment of Perfection… Taking Responsibility and Taking Blame The Power of Forgiveness Holding Grudges Conclusion Author Bio Publisher Introduction Our parents are our best guides and mentors when we are young, but when we grow up, we may need to take our lives in our own hands. A colleague once asked me why I did not think of moonlighting as a self-help trainer, with all my experience in psychology, guiding, mentoring and training. I just told her that I definitely encouraged people to help themselves. Instead of looking for other people to help them, a person who was capable of thinking on his own, and making his own decisions was infinitely preferable to another who would just go to the nearest Guru and ask him to be his spiritual, emotional, and mental guide, mentor, and support.

ALA Booklist Top Ten Business Books 2011 It's hardly a secret that the corporate ladder is no longer the path to success it once was. Wayne Rogers-star of the classic TV series M*A*S*H*-has had even more success as a businessman and entrepreneur than as an actor. Applying his own unique viewpoint to a wide range of businesses (a restaurant, a vineyard, a chain of convenience stores, the world of banking, real estate, a film distribution company, and even a famous bridal boutique), the iconoclastic star has steadfastly refused to accept limitations, and boldly forged a path for himself beyond the stifling constraints of the corporate system. Filled with insights and engaging stories, Make Your Own Rules paints a fascinating portrait of how Rogers excelled precisely because he didn't have prior experience in each of these businesses...or any preconceived notions of how they should be run. Rogers reveals the keys to his success over the past four decades-lessons thatare even more important today. After all, in the current economic climate, learning to be creative, challenge convention, and seize unexpected opportunities is not only liberating-it can make all the difference to success. Anyone who yearns to succeed without the burdens of corporate culture can thrive outside the establishment. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a small business owner, changing careers, or just entering the workforce, Make Your Own Rules delivers the inspiration and guidance youneed to climb the ladder of your choice.

For the person who longs to run their business from home, author Carrie Wilkerson says it is possible. She says to the reader: reclaim your time, determine your income, and change your lifestyle—all while keeping personal priorities intact. Successful at running her own seven-figure business from home—and an active speaker on the subject—the author demonstrates business models with tables and charts in an easy-to-understand format. Chapters include such subjects as finding a target market, marketing strategies, and brand development. Especially important are the common pitfalls listed to avoid in starting a business from home. To succeed as the barefoot executive, “Do what you are qualified to do most immediately for maximum profit,” the author says. “Then, you are free to pursue what you are passionate about.”

New Revised 4th Edition Now How To Be Your Own Booking Agent is available in its completely Revised 4th Edition. It offers current immigration regulations for touring artists, new scripts for contacting potential presenters, strategies for contact relation management, crowdfunding and a completely revised chapter on The New Recording Industry . Since 1998, the award-winning, How To Be Your Own Booking Agent has been among the top selling music and performing arts business books. It is regularly selected each semester by professors teaching music business and the performing arts and continually recommended by musicians and performing artists, worldwide. This unique step-by-step guide and resource book is artfully organized so that it's easy and fun to read with savvy advice, realistic methods and action plans geared for your success. Exciting new insights from experienced professionals in the entertainment business pepper each page. The 24 chapters are enhanced with completely updated resource sections following each chapter packed with recommended books, directories, websites, social media marketing resources and new conferences helping musicians and performing artists achieve their career goals.This Revised 4th Edition remains THE Musician's & Performing Artist's Guide To Successful Touring. How To Be Your Own Booking Agent THE Musician's & Performing Artist's Guide To Successful Touring tackles such topics as: The Art of Negotiating; How to Eliminate Cold Calls-Make Friendly Calls; Setting Long-Term Goals; New, more Effective Telephone Techniques; Creating An Effective Promotional Package; Contracts; The Art of Touring; Managing the Road; Conferences; Trade Shows and Industry Events; Funding Sources; Crossing Borders-U.S./Canada Touring; Marketing Your Act; Accessing the Media: Print, Radio, Television and Internet Marketing; The New Record Industry; Working with Managers and Agents; When to Quit Your Day Job; Hiring Help and Ethics and Attitudes. "As someone who has had the experience of climbing from the bottom to the top of the music industry, I find Goldsteins' book to be THE road map for taking a career from oblivion to stardom, on one's own terms while maintaining artistic integrity! By combining universal business practices with music industry savvy, HOW TO BE YOUR OWN BOOKING AGENT is your guide to success." - RAVI, Singer/Songwriter, Former Guitarist for Triple GRAMMY Nominee, HANSON The information in How To Be Your Own Booking Agent is visually accessible with worksheets and a variety of forms included throughout the book that may be copied for the artist's use and convenience. I've answered most of the burning questions, provided immediately usable methods and tackled many of the foreseeable problems. This is THE step-by-step guide to begin, create and maintain a successful touring career.

You are invited to take a journey inward to discover a reliable source of guidance and support.The Journey to Emotional Self-Reliance is a practical guidebook that teaches you how to find your own way when you are alone, lost, or afraid. As you begin reading, you will find yourself as the main character on an imaginary journey of self-discovery. As you experience ¿The Journey,¿ you will have the opportunity to gain valuable life lessons and personal practices that will prepare you for learning the Five-Step Practice of Emotional Self-Reliance. When you apply this Five-Step Practice to your own life, you can develop a source of internal guidance that will help you to: ¿ Take responsibility for your life.¿ Support yourself emotionally. ¿ Make practical decisions that are in your best interest.

A fun & uplifting women’s guide to embracing happiness at middle age and beyond. Queen of Your Own Life is a philosophy, a decision, and an invitation to happiness for women who have made the tough but rewarding journey to the midpoint in their lives. Kathy Kinney (best known as Mimi on The Drew Carey Show) and Cindy Ratzlaff (marketing genius behind the launch of The South Beach Diet) have been best friends for more than thirty years, and have helped each other navigate the ups and downs of their lives with humor and grace. In this entertaining and inspiring book, they share the tried-and-true techniques they call “the seven best gifts a woman can give herself.” They reveal how they learned to value themselves just the way they are—women in full bloom, sensual, vibrant, wise and more beautiful than ever—and they’ll show you how you can, too. With these seven gifts you’ll discover how to: • Claim your beauty and feel your power • Clean your mental closet and find your queen voice • Admire yourself for who you’ve become • Build deep, fulfilling friendships with other women • Establish firm boundaries that will strengthen all your relationships • Learn the simple trick to finally being happy • Place the crown firmly on your head With humor, comfort and inspiration, Queen of Your Own Life offers easy step-by-step actions to blast away at the societal tall tale that young is beautiful and old is just old. If you’ve been feeling that the best part of your life may be behind you, then this book will prove to you just how untrue that is, and that the door to being happy is not only never closed, but just waiting for you to fling it open. Remember, you don’t have to be twenty to have your whole life ahead of you. Now is the time to become Queen of Your Own Life!