The Finance Book

The Finance Book will help you think and manage like a financial strategist. Written specifically for non-finance professionals, it will give you all you need to know to manage your business more effectively and think more strategically. It will help you to: Have the confidence to read and interpret financial statements Ask the right questions about financial performance Apply important financial tools and ratios Learn how to think financially and make better strategic financial decisions Covering business finance, accounting fundamentals, budgeting, profitability and cash management, you'll find the tools you need in order to make the best financial decisions for your business. 'Essential reading for any non-finance ‭professional. This is an easy to read and ‭practical guide to the world of finance.’ ‭Paul Herman, Group CEO, Bluebox ‭Corporate Finance ‭‘A really helpful, well organised and easy to ‭understand primer and reference book for ‭those who aren’t accountants but still need ‭to understand the accounts.’ ‭Roger Siddle, Chairman, Cordium Group ‘A great book. At last, a guide that ‭demystifies and encourages business ‭owners to practically understand financial ‭matters. A must read.’ ‭Gordon Vater CEO, RiiG Limited

Manage, budget, save, and invest your money wisely.

THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS EVERY PROFESSIONAL NEEDS, TO MAKE BETTER FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS DECISIONS. Why this book is different to other finance books: • Quick and easy to use • Spotlights “what you need to know” • Requires no prior finance knowledge • Practical and real-world focus • Written by practitioners No knowledge required The book is purposefully designed to be quick and easy to use with no previous knowledge required to comprehend the concepts. We “tell you what you need to know” to quickly “get up to speed” in core finance concepts. A key feature of this book is that you do not have read it from cover to cover to make sense of finance. Each chapter is written as a “standalone” topic. This enables you to dip in and dip out of chapters. Further, we have taken otherwise complex topics and broken them down into key concepts that are explained in concise, easy to read sections. Practitioners not academics Whilst not an academic book, it is also not a “simplistic” book. It is a practical book because it has been written by practitioners. We include throughout this book our first-hand personal experiences gained from working in businesses across many industries and sectors, rather than replicating knowledge from academia. In addition, the authors have spent countless hours instructing, teaching and training thousands of professionals from disciplines including marketing, sales, production, administration, HR and legal. Focused on business application The overwhelming majority of finance books available are better suited to trainee accountants because they take an academic approach to finance. Whilst necessary for accountants, they immerse the reader in the “detail”. The Finance Book is written for non-finance people like you. It is aimed at those who work or aspire to work in business. It will help professionals in business or thinking about a career in business including board directors, business managers, MBA students, graduates and undergraduates. Your book, your journey To make the book easy to read, we have used a consistent format across chapters. Within each chapter there are multiple cross references (and links) to other relevant chapters as they occur. This will enable you to review chapters and make connections relevant to you. Allow your curiosity to determine your path through the book. THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS EVERY PROFESSIONAL NEEDS, TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS FOR THEIR BUSINESS

Nobel Prize-winning economist explains why we need to reclaim finance for the common good The reputation of the financial industry could hardly be worse than it is today in the painful aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. New York Times best-selling economist Robert Shiller is no apologist for the sins of finance—he is probably the only person to have predicted both the stock market bubble of 2000 and the real estate bubble that led up to the subprime mortgage meltdown. But in this important and timely book, Shiller argues that, rather than condemning finance, we need to reclaim it for the common good. He makes a powerful case for recognizing that finance, far from being a parasite on society, is one of the most powerful tools we have for solving our common problems and increasing the general well-being. We need more financial innovation—not less—and finance should play a larger role in helping society achieve its goals. Challenging the public and its leaders to rethink finance and its role in society, Shiller argues that finance should be defined not merely as the manipulation of money or the management of risk but as the stewardship of society's assets. He explains how people in financial careers—from CEO, investment manager, and banker to insurer, lawyer, and regulator—can and do manage, protect, and increase these assets. He describes how finance has historically contributed to the good of society through inventions such as insurance, mortgages, savings accounts, and pensions, and argues that we need to envision new ways to rechannel financial creativity to benefit society as a whole. Ultimately, Shiller shows how society can once again harness the power of finance for the greater good.

The bestselling mother/daughter coauthors of "The Two-Income Trap" now pen an essential guide to the five simple keys to lasting financial peace.

Where do you want to be in one, three, or five years? Even small adjustments can bring about enormous results to your personal success. Where does that “winning edge” you’ve heard so much about come from? How do some people seem to find success simply from waking up and getting out of bed? World-renowned performance expert Brian Tracy has spent decades studying uncommonly high achievers. Instead of finding commonalities such as Ivy League educations, gold-star connections, and a dash of blind luck, Tracy discovered that the keys to their success were more often small adjustments in outlook and behavior. In this easy-to-follow guide, Tracy lays out a simple, clear plan for anyone to be able to unlock their potential and find the success they previously thought was unattainable for them. In Personal Success, you will learn to: Change your mindset to attract opportunity Banish self-limited beliefs Build your self-confidence Practice courage and taking risks Sharpen your natural intuition Continually upgrade your skills and more! Packed with simple but game-changing techniques, Personal Success is the answer you’ve been searching for to gain that winning edge and turn your dreams into realities.

This is a book for people like us, and we all know who we are. We make our own hours, keep our own profits, chart our own way. We have things like gigs, contracts, clients, and assignments. All of us are working toward our dreams: doing our own work, on our own time, on our own terms. We have no real boss, no corporate nameplate, no cubicle of our very own. Unfortunately, we also have no 401(k)s and no one matching them, no benefits package, and no one collecting our taxes until April 15th. It’s time to take stock of where you are and where you want to be. Ask yourself: Who is planning for your retirement? Who covers your expenses when clients flake out and checks are late? Who is setting money aside for your taxes? Who is responsible for your health insurance? Take a good look in the mirror: You are. The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed describes a completely new, comprehensive system for earning, spending, saving, and surviving as an independent worker. From interviews with financial experts to anecdotes from real-life freelancers, plus handy charts and graphs to help you visualize key concepts, you’ll learn about topics including: • Managing Cash Flow When the Cash Isn’t Flowing Your Way • Getting Real About What You’re Really Earning • Tools for Getting Out of Debt and Into Financial Security • Saving Consistently When You Earn Irregularly • What To Do When a Client’s Check Doesn’t Come In • Health Savings Accounts and How To Use Them • Planning for Retirement, Taxes and Dreams—All On Your Own

Since the Global Financial Crisis, a surge of interest in the use of finance as a tool to address social and economic problems suggests the potential for a generational shift in how the finance industry operates and is perceived. J. C. de Swaan seeks to channel the forces of well-intentioned finance professionals to improve finance from within and help restore its focus on serving society. Drawing from inspiring individuals in the field, de Swaan proposes a framework for pursuing a viable career in finance while benefiting society and upholding humanistic values. In doing so, he challenges traditional concepts of success in the industry. This will also engage readers outside of finance who are concerned about the industry's impact on society.

Get control of your finances - and your future! Do you feel like you'll never pay off your student loans? Worried about your mounting credit card debt? Wondering when you'll ever make enough money to stop living paycheck to paycheck? You're not alone - millions of young Americans are finding it hard to save for the future and still pay today's bills on time. But with The Everything Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s Book, 3rd Edition, you'll learn how to be financially independent by: Creating a workable budget Minimizing credit card and student loan debt Investing money wisely Building an emergency fund You'll also learn how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help you navigate the often-confusing world of financial service products. With this easy-to-use guide, you'll learn how to manage, save, and invest wisely - starting today!

Finance is the study of value and how it is determined. Individuals, small businesses and corporations regularly make use of value determinations for making strategic decisions that affect the future outcomes of their endeavors. The importance of accurate valuations cannot be overestimated; valuing assets too highly will lead to investing in assets whose costs are greater than their returns, while undervaluing assets will lead to missed opportunities for growth. In some situations (such as a merger or an acquisition), the outcome of the decision can make or break the investor. The need for solid financial skills has never been more pressing than in today's global economy. The Fundamental Principles of Finance offers a new and innovative approach to financial theory. The book introduces three fundamental principles of finance that flow throughout the theoretical material covered in most corporate finance textbooks. These fundamental principles are developed in their own chapter of the book, then referred to in each chapter introducing financial theory. In this way, the theory is able to be mastered at a fundamental level. The interactions among the principles are introduced through the three precepts, which help show the impact of the three principles on financial decision-making. This fresh and original approach to finance will be key reading for undergraduate students of introduction to finance, corporate finance, capital markets, financial management and related courses, as well as managers undertaking MBAs.