Learn the financial strategies that will set you apart

Enjoyable and informative financial information do not often go together but Clemens is someone who has does manage to achieve both goals. He has a new book which I recommend.

This is not another finance book that promises you to get rich quick. Instead, it offers a systematic approach to learn some essential finance skills and to promote good money habits. The book is geared towards musicians and artists but it is also full of vital information for a typical young adult entering the work force or about to head for college. If you are considering a career as a self-employed creative entrepreneur or in case you just wish to brush up on your basic financial literacy skills, you will find extremely good value in this book. The author is an investment advisor and a former musician. He can relate to the world of finance from an artist’s perspective and is therefore uniquely qualified to teach personal finance in a way that makes sense to someone who has little or no experience with money matters. The book is full of fun and thought-provoking examples showing you how to keep your financial house in order. Ultimately, you will learn the financial strategies that will set you apart from those who live from paycheck to paycheck.

About the Author

Clemens Kownatzki is founder and CEO of FX Investment Strategies, a Registered Investment Advisor. In addition to running his investment advisory firm, he is a contributing author at SeekingAlpha.com and BusinessInsider.com. He also publishes the popular investment blog www.fxinvestmentstrategies.com along with a weekly news-letter. In 2010, he joined Pepperdine University as an adjunct professor of finance. Prior to starting his own business, Clemens has been in charge of the operations and risk management of two international foreign exchange and commodities brokerage firms in London and Singapore. Clemens earned his M.B.A. degree from the Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University. He is also an experienced and passionate musician of many years. He graduated from Musician’s Institute, Los Angeles in 1987 and was nominated Outstanding Guitar Player of the Year Award Winner. He currently lives in California with his wife and two children.

Aussie dollar boosted by its own 'gold standard'

The Chinese are told by their government to own gold bars and now India is picking up that investment philosophy. Dollars are no longer seen to be reliable - unless you are talking Canadian dollars or Australian. European money continues to flood the Canadian Hedge funds as Canada seen to be a haven of stability for the next 20 years.

The Australian dollar is one of the strongest currencies in the world because it is a commodity-backed currency. That’s why it hit a 29-year high against the US dollar today – and it’s all related to the gold price

Aussie dollar boosted by its own 'gold standard' - Telegraph

BMW breaks car sales record

Guess the boys are back in town - driving their BMWs. When I saw this heading, I figured the sales would be from Asian growth and that seems to be the case.

Consumer confidence may be fragile in Europe amid spending cuts and sovereign debt concerns, but sales of premium Western cars are soaring in emerging markets as the middle classes grow. BMW said sales in Europe rose 8pc to 93,540 and sales in America gained 19pc. However, Asia surged by 52pc

BMW breaks car sales record - Telegraph

Canadian private equity deals 2010 - 2011

Business Development Bank of Canada(9 deals, $49 million) 
GrowthWorks Ltd. (6 deals, $26 million) 
VenGrowth Asset Management Inc. (4 deals, $14 million) 
iNovia Capital (4 deals, $8 million) 
Covington Capital Corporation (3 deals, $12 million) 
Tandem Expansion Fund (2 deals, $29 million) 
Export Development Canada (2 deals, $13 million) 
British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC) (2 deals, $8 million) 

It is not just House saying this

Everyone lies

"Some people will lie to you because they mean to. Others will do it to tell you what you want to hear. Either way, test everything you are told. If someone tells you they are going to invest, get a date. And if the date passes, make sure your spider senses are tingling. If a client tells you he is giving you the order, ask him if it is in procurement yet; if not, then ask him if he minds if you call the purchaser yourself. Test what people tell you. They don't always mean to lie to you, but they do lies," says Robert Herjavec.

Robert is very fair in revealing this basic human need to be liked when face to face. Knowing this given when dealing with people, you can prepare strategies to move the sale forward. It reminds me of a negotiation course I did which taught me no matter what the first offer is, no matter how reasonable, act horrified, make a lot of noise and bring out your inner freak - out. I was returning a leased car and used this technique and was amazed when using strategies brought the final invoice down from a thousand to zero. That's right - zero. Planning your communication techniques works.


Read more in Money Magnet by J B Loewen