Businesses these days talk a lot about figuring out what the customer wants. Well, here’s your first lesson: the customer doesn’t know what he wants. This book is going to show you how to convince him he wants the thing you’re selling. Les Gold has been in business since age twelve, when he started selling used golf clubs from his dad’s basement. Now he owns Detroit’s biggest pawnshop, American Jewelry and Loan, and is the star of the hit reality TV show Hardcore Pawn. As a third-generation pawnbroker, Gold grew up in the business, dealing with customers who could be unruly and violent as often as they were friendly. He became good at selling just about anything and at buying items for what they were worth. Although he started at his family’s small pawnshop, he has now expanded into a fifty-thousand-square-foot former bowling alley, making a thousand deals a day. On any given day, he could be taking a vintage car in to pawn or chasing down a thief who’s just stolen a gold chain from the store. No business school in the world can teach you as much about buying, selling, negotiating, managing employees, dealing with customers, advertising, tracking trends, and predicting the economy’s ups and downs. In this entertaining, honest book, Gold takes you inside some of his weirdest, wackiest deals and steals. From the monkey his dad once took in to pawn to the deal Gold made for a stripper pole, he has no boundaries for what he considers to be part of his business?and neither should you. You will learn: How to tell an emotional story when you’re selling?and take emotion out of the transaction when you’re buying Why judging your customers before you know them can kill a potential deal How to deal with risk, both mental and physical How to communicate with employees (even if they’re your own kids) Why investing in relationships with your community is time well spent Why your business should never be limited by what others tell you it should be No place in the world prepares you better for the working world than a pawnshop, and Les Gold takes you inside his shop to share what he’s learned from fifty-five years in the most interesting job in the world.

Byron Wien, a legendary figure on Wall Street, shares his profound insights and life lessons in Stay at Risk and Live Forever. Co-authored by Taylor Becker, this memoir provides a unique blend of personal anecdotes and professional wisdom from Wien's decades-long career. Known for his famous "Ten Surprises" and "Life's Lessons" lists, Wien guides readers through the complexities of investment strategy, risk management, and lifelong learning. The book delves into Wien's early challenges and triumphs, revealing the innovative strategies and intellectual curiosity that propelled him to success. From his humble beginnings, overcoming personal adversity, to becoming one of Wall Street's most respected strategists, Wien's journey is a testament to resilience and perseverance. Anecdotes such as Wien's audacious prediction of Barack Obama's presidential victory in 2008, his pioneering use of technical analysis in portfolio management, and his unique approach to networking provide readers with practical takeaways. Stay at Risk and Live Forever also emphasizes the importance of humility and continuous learning. Wien's reflections on his career and personal life offer invaluable lessons on how to stay intellectually engaged, adapt to changing market conditions, and embrace new opportunities. His dedication to nurturing professional relationships and building a robust network is a recurring theme, showcasing the significance of human connections in achieving long-term success. Whether you're an investment professional, a business student, or someone interested in personal development, this memoir serves as an inspiring and instructive read. Learn how to navigate the complexities of both the financial world and life itself with wisdom from one of the greatest minds in finance. Embrace the principles of curiosity, grit, and reinvention, and discover how staying at risk can lead to a life of fulfillment and impact. Stay at Risk and Live Forever is not just a memoir; it's a timeless guide to achieving enduring success, offering readers the tools and insights needed to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

It was the summer of '81 and the brokers at the shabby offices of Bache & Co. couldn't have been happier: After years of their business being tainted by one scandal after another, the beleaguered firm was being purchased by one of America's most respected institutions, Prudential Insurance. Soon rechristened as Prudential-Bache Securities, the brokerage firm would continued the trust needed to attract thousands of new investors eager to put their savings into rock-solid investments. Yet as billions of dollars began pouring in from around the country, Pru-Bache executives and their outside sponsors of investment deals were secretly eating into the very cash Pru-Bache was supposed to be protecting - and indeed growing - for their customers. As their brokers were touting financially shaky limited partnership deals as safe and solid investments, everyone from elderly retirees to sophisticated investors was being duped, with hundreds of thousands of them losing their homes, their retirement funds, or massive chunks of their savings. Meanwhile, executives at Pru-Bache and their colleagues were enjoying lavish party vacations, exorbitant personal gifts, and business trips aboard ships like the QE2 - all paid for by the investor capital with which they were entrusted. By the time regulators could pin anything on Pru-Bache, what began as the comeback story of the '80s had become the most destructive scandal Wall Street had ever known. In Serpent on the Rock, award-winning reporter Kurt Eichenwald, who investigated the scandal for the New York Times, tells the whole devastating story of the rot behind the dignified facade of Wall Street. With intricate detail of the crimes and lies behind the "rock-solid" image, Eichenwald re-creates the colorful characters who were the primary enablers of the massive scandal the company is still reeling from today.