Foreword
by John Mauldin
I've been very fortunate in my
professional life. I've traveled around the world and have been able to meet
some of the most intelligent and provocative people in the investing arena and
others fields. Listening to and in many instances working with these great minds
has helped me develop and grow. Occasionally, I feel as if I'm spending too much
of my time away from my home and covering too many cities in too few days. Fortunately,
my children - or their concerts, ballgames, and return trips home from school
- remind me of what really matters.
That's why I'm especially
pleased to introduce you to Rocking Wall Street by Gary
Marks. In the first of what I hope will be an ongoing series of books by
people I think have a valuable message, this work offers a unique perspective
on the investing game and why too many people play it wrong and end up in financially
precarious positions instead of more secure ones.
Gary is a professional money manager. He manages money for other people, especially
very affluent individuals. He doesn't spend his time flying around the world,
meeting clients or fund managers. In fact, he hardly travels at all. Gary prefers
to stay close to home -- Maui -- with his wife and three children. Hey, if I
lived in Maui, I'm not sure I would ever want to leave either! In fact, a number
of years ago, Gary made a conscious decision to change his life. He was living
in California and working at warp speed in the investing profession. He was
making lots of money for himself and his clients, but he wasn't particularly
happy. With a very supportive wife, he moved to the beautiful state of Hawaii.
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ORDER NOW!
Please feel free to visit Gary’s web
site
to listen to his music at www.GaryMarksMusic.com. |
There's more to Gary's story. He has another profession as
well. He spent a number of years touring as a rock/jazz musician. He has recorded
10 albums since the early 1970s, has taught piano, and has written books on piano
techniques. In Rocking Wall Street, Gary talks about his own life and why he
feels that the creative skills he has used in his music help him in his investing
strategy. He also explains why he often gives his clients advice that they may
not want to hear. Usually, investors want an adviser to tell them how much more
money they can make. Gary won't do that because he views investing as inextricably
tied to risk, as well as to other aspects of life. He will tell clients to put
aside money and invest in a secure, low-risk vehicle, rather than trying go hit
a grand slam. Why? The market is simply too unpredictable and Gary has seen
people lose their businesses, homes, and sometimes their health and their families.
He's baffled by clients who make the same mistakes as gamblers, always assuming
that they can beat the house and will manage to outsmart the other players,
including adept professionals on the other side of the trade. Unfortunately,
gambling and investing are very similar, and that's why Gary's unique view deserves
to be presented.
Gary questions many individuals and institutions that are part of my daily
routine -- financial journalists, investment advisers, mutual funds, brokers,
and hedge funds. He's skeptical of the promises, the predictions, and the so-called
guarantees that can lull individual investors into making decisions that aren't
right for their particular circumstances. He cautions readers to question everything
they hear. There are no guarantees in life, and not even the most educated
or most astute investment professional is perfect. Of course, you want to work
with a financial professional whom you trust and who you believe has your best
interests in mind -- whether you have $100,000 to invest or $10,000,000 to invest.
But, you always have to be skeptical and do your own research as to their motivations.
Rocking Wall Street offers a fresh perspective for investors. It focuses on
how to invest, what to invest in, and how to profit with less risk, and gives
away a lot of Gary's hard-won knowledge about the investing game. But the book
also shows that you can make choices about how much time you spend investing
and worrying about your money, where to live, how long to work, what type of
job to have, what kind of lifestyle to enjoy, and whatever other values matter
to you. That's one of the key messages of this book. There's nothing wrong with
wanting to accumulate wealth or with making lots and lots of money; however,
your investing strategy shouldn't simply focus on the money itself -- but on
what it allows you to do with the rest of your life.
-- John Mauldin
November 2006
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