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Everybody Ought to Be Rich

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Jul 15, 2008 9:47 pm

Here is a riddle: What is the significance of this thread’s title and what lesson does it teach regarding our current market situation?

  I'll give one hint; Empire State Building   Geez I'm practically giving it away.   Winners need to be present to collect prizes,   Good luck!
Jul 18, 2008 2:26 pm

Everybody Ought To Be Rich

  There is a valuable lesson here, especially in light of current market conditions. What's better is the true lesson isn't what's most obvious. I thought I would post it to give the group of mostly younger FAs some insight into the markets, as well as something valuable that they can use in their businesses and with clients. Then I thought it would be better for everyone to flesh this out themselves, as I did years ago. I use it in my business and with my clients. Thus the riddle format. Buttt, apparently nobody wants to play. Hey WTF, it's July I don't blame ya.   The lesson is so valuable that in a time not unlike what is happening now in the markets I sent a letter to every client regarding it. I got a lot of positive feed back. Pretty cool stuff.   It's there for anyone who wants it. You just have to dig it out and then figure it out.
Jul 18, 2008 3:44 pm

JJ Rascob built the Empire State Building and penned the article as stated above.  In it he basically stated that anyone could build wealth over time through steady investment in the market.  He wrote the article right before the Depression.

      What's my prize?
Jul 18, 2008 3:56 pm

BG, I like stories like that.

  But what lesson does it teach to people that wouldn't survive the depression?  I see the value for a younger investor.   I guess I'm just wondering how you tied it back to your clients' situation.
Jul 18, 2008 11:54 pm

B24 not quite there, but I’ll give you a prize anyway.

  Snags the answer is in Jeremy Siegel's book "Stocks For The Long Run"   It is easy to find. It's Chapter 1, the very first section subtitled Everybody Ought To Be Rich.   It is a good story for bear market times like now.   B24 your prize is you now know where to find a great story to tell your clients as you hold their hands in uncertain times. That and this book belongs in every advisor's office. I'd suggest reading it, because it's good stuff whether or not you use any of the info gleened with clients.
Jul 19, 2008 2:58 am

I have it. Excellent.

Jul 19, 2008 7:51 pm
BondGuy:

B24 your prize is you now know where to find a great story to tell your clients as you hold their hands in uncertain times. That and this book belongs in every advisor’s office. I’d suggest reading it, because it’s good stuff whether or not you use any of the info gleened with clients.



Crap, I thought it was a date with Selma Hyack.
Jul 20, 2008 2:01 am

[quote=B24] [quote=BondGuy] B24 your prize is you now know where to find a great story to tell your clients as you hold their hands in uncertain times. That and this book belongs in every advisor’s office. I’d suggest reading it, because it’s good stuff whether or not you use any of the info gleened with clients.

[/quote]

Crap, I thought it was a date with Selma Hyack.[/quote] You won't get a date if you can't spell her name right......
Jul 20, 2008 2:17 am

“From Dusk Till Dawn” 53 minutes in.

Jul 21, 2008 5:07 pm

[quote=BondGuy]Jeremy Siegel’s book “Stocks For The Long Run”

  That and this book belongs in every advisor's office. I'd suggest reading it, because it's good stuff whether or not you use any of the info gleened with clients.[/quote]   I picked up this book over the weekend on BG's reco.  I must say I generally skip these books in the bookstore because it's lumped in with everyone else's "This is the best stock market strategy...you can't lose..." book.  But, I thumbed through a lot of it over the weekend, and I love it.  The 4th edition came out this year.    The way it is broken up makes whatever topic you're into at the time easy to read, so you don't have to read it all the way through.   Thanks for the recommendation and story BondGuy...keep them coming!    
Jul 22, 2008 1:02 am
Thanks BondGuy!  I'm always looking for a good story for my newsletter to clients at times like this.  The story can be read online.  This link will take you there: (the story starts on page 3)   http://books.google.com/books?id=RmPQGSawe7MC&dq=stocks+for+the+long+run&pg=PP1&ots=O_AOCeZT3u&sig=6L0tqjqn2rwJka87uytDUDLRw4Q&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPR30,M1  
Jul 22, 2008 2:11 pm

Pre, thanks for the link.

  What struck me as i started reading about the adventures of John Raskob was that he was vilified but right. Popular opinion had him pegged as a bad guy poster boy for the greed of stock market investing. And that opinion was wrong. I look past the fact that his recco to invest $15 a month in stocks was unrealistic in that, that amount represented about 25% of the average worker's monthly  take home pay in those days. The fact was and is, he was right about the wealth building power of long term stock market investing.   The second lesson taken is that the financial media has it's own agenda. And that agenda has nothing to do with helping investors. That Forbes still has the Raskob story wrong 63 years after the fact is case in point.   Every advisor should buy this book. You might find more gold to mine from it.