A true Wall Street icon tells his story in Confessions of a Municipal Bond Salesman. Follow Jim Lebenthal's life journey from Hollywood reporter to renowned bond salesman in this intriguing book. Each chapter consists of vivid stories in which Lebenthal recounts his successes and setbacks, as he worked to build his family business into one of the best-known municipal bond firms in America. Throughout the book, Lebenthal distills his experiences to help you apply what he's learned to your own careers and life. You'll benefit from Lebenthal's unique advice, as he touches on issues such as recognizing opportunity, ethics and morality at work, the secrets to selling, and avoiding procrastination. Written in an accessible manner and delivered with a dose of Lebenthal's trademark humor, Confessions of a Municipal Bond Salesman offers an entertaining and engaging look at this incredible individual-and shows you how to make the most out of your life.
IF YOU KNEW WHAT I KNOW... Would you buy a municipal bond for the subways in New York City that’s rated AA-, or only A? Would you care what a bond is for as long, as it’s a general obligation backed by the issuer’s full faith, credit, and taxing power? Would you pay 109 for a bond, a premium of $90 for every $1,000 face value, knowing you’re going to get back only $1,000 at the end??Would it be crazy to buy a 30-year bond at age 80? Would you read “these bonds are not a debt of the state” as a fair warning, Buyer Beware??Tax free municipal bonds. Would you buy them at all? STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE MAN WHO PUT MUNIS ON THE MAP FOR THE INDIVIDUAL INVESTOR. Would telling you the whole story about investing in municipal bonds, and making sure you know the risks involved, kill the sale? “I’ll take my chances,” says Jim (Municipal Bonds Are My Babies) Lebenthal. For 45 years, Jim Lebenthal wrote and starred in the Lebenthal family’s municipal bond business commercials - information nuggets that educated the public and turned munis into a household word, wherever his face and voice were seen and heard. Outraged by what Wall Street had done to the financial markets with reckless abandon, and Bernie Madoff with malice aforethought, Jim gives equal time in Lebenthal On Munis…Deciding, "Yes…" or "No!" to the Whys and Why Nots for investing in his "babies." "Balancing the heady appeal of tax exemption with the payment record of municipal bonds in the Depression and the volatility of resale prices during the inflation tortured '70s and '80s, isn’t optional for a broker," says Lebenthal. "Full Disclosure is the law." In Lebenthal on Munis, Jim carries out that law, even if Full Disclosure means turning Jim and his babies, thumbs down. DECIDING, "YES…" OR "NO!"
For over 1,400 years in ancient Israel, the Sanctuary Tax was unchanged. God had created a sound monetary system that experienced no inflation, despite wars, royal intrigue, foreign invaders, and 70 years spent in Babylonian captivity. Furthermore, the prophet Ezekiel describes a third temple to be built 5, 50, or 500 years from now. In this future temple, the Sanctuary Tax is the same as it was in the days of Moses. So, what’s the answer? A partial answer is discovered in the Hebrew word “shekel.” The definition of shekel is “weight.” As recently as the 18th Century, the British Empire had two centuries of no inflation. During this period, bank clerks’ salaries were unchanged for a century, all because of no inflation. With paper currencies, the world’s monies have lost their weight. Consequently, this book offers alternatives for 21st Century citizens to help protect their finances--and have more control over their assets, regardless of the evening news.
The memoir of a high-functioning, law-abiding (well, mostly) sociopath and a roadmap—right from the source—for dealing with the sociopath in your life. “[A] gripping and important book . . . revelatory . . . quite the memorable roller coaster ride.”—The New York Times Book Review As M.E. Thomas says of her fellow sociopaths, “We are your neighbors, your coworkers, and quite possibly the people closest to you: lovers, family, friends. Our risk-seeking behavior and general fearlessness are thrilling, our glibness and charm alluring. Our often quick wit and outside-the-box thinking make us appear intelligent—even brilliant. We climb the corporate ladder faster than the rest, and appear to have limitless self-confidence. Who are we? We are highly successful, noncriminal sociopaths and we comprise 4 percent of the American population.” Confessions of a Sociopath—part confessional memoir, part primer for the curious—takes readers on a journey into the mind of a sociopath, revealing what makes them tick while debunking myths about sociopathy and offering a road map for dealing with the sociopaths in your life. M. E. Thomas draws from her own experiences as a diagnosed sociopath; her popular blog, Sociopathworld; and scientific literature to unveil for the very first time these men and women who are “hiding in plain sight.”
Shifting faculty roles in a changing landscape Ernest L. Boyer's landmark book Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate challenged the publish-or-perish status quo that dominated the academic landscape for generations. His powerful and enduring argument for a new approach to faculty roles and rewards continues to play a significant part of the national conversation on scholarship in the academy. Though steeped in tradition, the role of faculty in the academic world has shifted significantly in recent decades. The rise of the non-tenure-track class of professors is well documented. If the historic rule of promotion and tenure is waning, what role can scholarship play in a fragmented, unbundled academy? Boyer offers a still much-needed approach. He calls for a broadened view of scholarship, audaciously refocusing its gaze from the tenure file and to a wider community. This expanded edition offers, in addition to the original text, a critical introduction that explores the impact of Boyer's views, a call to action for applying Boyer's message to the changing nature of faculty work, and a discussion guide to help readers start a new conversation about how Scholarship Reconsidered applies today.
A REVOLUTIONARY NEW PERSPECTIVE ON HOW PRICING REALLY WORKS “Contextual Pricing delivers a knock-out punch to complacent and low-return pricing approaches. . . . This book is full of intriguing, fresh insights which will expand your perspective on what is possible in maximizing revenue from your company’s products and services.” —Mark Greatrex, Chief Marketing Officer, Cox Communications, and former SVP, Global Still Beverages, The Coca Cola Company “To effectively price, managers must understand market context—the frame of reference for buyers. Context is far more important than the usual measures of price variation. I strongly recommend this readable and useful book to any business leader who suspects his or her company is falling short of achievable revenues.” —Dave Calhoun, Chairman and CEO, Nielsen Company, and former Vice Chairman, General Electric Company About the Book: A few leading companies have jettisoned ideas about pricing that other companies believe are indispensible. The result has been superior performance against competitors who persist in a simplistic 1990s belief in “value.” Contextual Pricing describes how buyers are influenced by comparison points and contextual messages more than by actual price levels. Identical products can sell at radically different prices to the same target customer—if context is strategically managed. This fact is how Procter & Gamble, GE, Coca-Cola Company, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others make sure they get the best possible price. The use of context is changing the way companies price and sell in the new global economy. This readable and market-tested book describes the contextual pricing perspective, how it is being used in B2B and B2C markets, and how you can make the shift to contextual pricing in your own business. Whether you’re a CEO, P&L manager marketing director, sales manager, or entrepreneur, Contextual Pricing shows you how to: Understand how your customer will make buying decisions and the role of pricing in those decisions Establish better, more intuitive prices using context Develop contextual pricing strategies that defeat competitor pricing—how contextual pricing can be the antidote to destructive price wars Harmonize your pricing with branding, product development and channel strategies Increase your profits with proven pricing tools, such as scientific bundling, tiering, branding, upsell “hooks” and more Through its illuminating case-by-case studies, Contextual Pricing delivers a wide range of pricing techniques and customer insights that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls when raising or lowering prices and discover how you can compete in traditional or emerging digital marketplaces—and beat the competition through superior tactics, not through lower margins. When you know the secrets of Contextual Pricing, you can name your price, drive your sales, increase your profits, and own your success.
