Brendon Burchard is the expert on the “expert” industry or the guru of gurus. I was first attracted by his motto: live fully, love openly, and make a difference. I have subscribed to his email newsletters for a year now and found him to deliver consistent value to his subscribers and his “students.” Although I have not attended any of his seminars, I found this book to be very comprehensive and helpful. He paints a very good picture of what it takes and how to become an expert, and the associated benefits and potential financial rewards. It’s very encouraging and valuable to anyone who wants to become an expert of his/her chosen field. Highly recommended.

Outlines of the book:
Reasons why the “expert industry” should be chosen:
1. Work is based on your passion and knowledge.
2. Activities center on “relating and creating.”
3. You work anywhere and anytime, starting now.
4. You work with who you want.
5. Your promotions are based on your promotions.
6. Your pay equals the value you deliver, not the hours your work.
7. You don’t need a big team.
8. The tools for success are simple and cheap.
9. Financial income can beat that of other industries.

Three pillars of expertise:
1. The results expert giving advises like motivation, leadership, financial, business, marketing, relationship, spiritual, style, and productivity. “You have come further than some others on the highway of life, and the lessons you have learned are helpful and valuable to others.”
2. The research expert who chooses a topic that people fine valuable, research it, interview others on it, synthesize what he/she learns, and then offer findings for sales so others can learn and improve their lives. “Experts are students first and that you can go research any topic and become an expert in that area, starting now.”
3. The Role Model. “People listen to those they trust, respect, admire, and follow – they listen to role models.”

10 Steps to an Expert Empire:
1. Claim and master your topic.
2. Pick your audience.
3. Discover your audience’s problems.
4. Define your story.
5. Create a solution.
6. Put up a website.
7. Campaign your products and programs.
8. Post free contents.
9. Get promotional partners.
10. Repeat and build a business based on distinction (unique value), excellence (360 degrees: ourselves, staffs, and customers), and service (serving others and provide valuable information).

Money Map – Six Profit Pillars:
1. Writing
2. speaking
3. Giving seminars
4. Coaching
5. Consulting
6. Online marketing

Mindsets:
1. My life experience, message, and voice are valuable.
2. If I don’t know it or have it, I will go learn it or create it.
3. I will not let my small business make me small-minded.
4. Student first, teacher second, servant always.
5. Mastery is a way of life.

Mandates:
1. Positioning: develop a good sense of a) what your audience wants, b) what it takes to ensure that your customers and other experts in your community hold you and your content in high regard.
2. Packaging: package the information in a way that their customers can easily understand and implement. Next, package their products and themselves well.
3. Promoting: 8 elements: 1. claim (promise of how your product helps), 2. challenge (problems they’re facing), 3. commonality (your own struggle), 4. credibility (why you’re qualified), 5.Choice (obviously different and better than anyone else), 6. comparison shopping (a good deal), 7. concern (objections to obliterate, try out on your friends), 8. Close and call to action (Click this button now)
4. Partnering.
5. Serving with purpose.

The Messenger Manifesto: The great industry reset.
Reset #1: From silos to sharing
Reset #2: Renewed focus on innovation and distinction
Reset #3: Better branding
Reset #4: Transition from sales communication to value communication
Reset #5: Achieving customer service excellence
Reset #6: Honor (your customers) more, expect more

Warren Buffer is one of people I admire. He’s got excellent business sense with integrity. With one track mind of acquiring money, he became one of the richest men of the world. And now, he stands ready to give away his money to good causes just like the steel tycoon, Andrew Carnegie. I admire his talents and good sense of life purposes.

I often wondered how he could acquire so much weather just by managing a good stock portfolio. This book gave a good account of his rise from being a trader working for Ben Graham, his mentor and teacher, to his huge, current holding of Berkshire Hathaway. It was through the “snowballing” or compounding the assets and the “float” of the assets he owns that the snowball got as big as it is now.

Some of Warren Buffet’s winning traits: 1. stay focused: he doesn’t own too many stocks – just enough for him to pay his full attention. This applies to friendships too. 2. Buy with caution and sufficient margin of safety – like American Express when under stress. 3. Do your homework; reads a lot. He likes to read the annual reports from cover to cover and Wall Street Journal. 4. Only buy stocks he understands the business models. 5. See the big picture: for every $1 he spent now, he thinks it’s like spending $10 in the future so he takes care not to waste money.

His other quirks: 1. doesn’t like confrontations because of his fear of his irate, bipoloar Mom, 2. doesn’t like letting go – like the relationship with his estranged wife, 3. applying his one-track focus on relationship like the ones with Kay Graham. 4. drinks Pepsi early in his life and Cherry Coke after buying big chunk of Coca Cola.

Have read an earlier biography of Warren Buffet by Roger Lowenstein, I believe this book goes into more details about his relationship with his loved ones – his wife, his mistress – Astrid, his children. It also goes into more details about each deal. The audiobook is wonderful as the narrator mimics Warren Buffet’s voice really well, giving the audiobook some vividness. The printed book has many photographs that connect the characters to their real faces.

Overall, I can say with certainty that Warren Buffet lives his life to fullest potential and yet he judges his own success by how much he’s loved by the people he wants to love him. The bonus is that he’s loved by many people who need not love him. Now, how many people can claim that kind of success in their life times?!

There are many Lincoln autobiographies out there. This book goes into the detailed working of the his cabinet members during his presidency overseeing the biggest crisis of this young country – the Civil War over slavery. As a good lawyer, Lincoln realized there are always many perspectives to an argument. He brought together many of political foes (William Seward, Salmon Chase, Montgomery Blair, Edward Bates, his Republican nomination opposition) into one place so that the best solutions can be produced by the rigorous debates and proposals. Ultimately, Lincoln has the final say and took responsibilities for his decision. That’s the genius of Abraham Lincoln.

During the Civil War, he had to make many tough decisions on the selection of generals and strategy. He often had to push his generals, especially the self-serving McClellan, to move their troops with a sense of urgency. At the same time, he needed to maneuver around the meddling by the Congress. It took lots of patience and political smartness to maintain a sense of normalcy.

The Proclamation of Emancipation was a stroke of genius that kill two birds with one stone. Ultimately, it’s Lincoln’s act and the underlying intentions that won the hearts of the people as shown in his Gettysburg’s address.

I particularly like his quote, “… I have no other [ambition] so great that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rending myself worthy of their esteem.” With that goal in mind, he overcame many failures, personal tragedies, and constant state of depression. I think his genius lies in his love of people, his good understanding of human natures and his ability to communicate effectively.

This is a good leadership book for those who want to lead and advance a great cause or a great company. Building up a team of rivals is essential that difficult issues are properly debated and the right people are selected to execute the mission. It’s not easy as it takes a person of a big heart to foster that kind of environment. Lincoln showed the world why he will be remembered as one the best leaders this country and the world ever had.