In this bonus episode we play the full audio version of the Official WealthBuilders eBook 'The 7 Pillars of Wealth'. Make sure to tune in.
This bonus episode is an opportunity to hear the full audio version of the Official WealthBuilders eBook ‘The 7 Pillars of Wealth’, written by Kevin Whelan and narrated by Lex McKee. Kevin shares the fundamentals of what it takes to reach a place of complete financial Independence, a shocking statistic that only 5% of the UK population ever achieve. It was a single event at a young age that proved to be the catalyst for Kevin to commit to never having to trade time-for-money ever again and through trial and error, he achieved his goal. Those learnings are now shared with you, in a simple and easy to follow manner. We hope you enjoy listening to Kevin’s story and feel compelled at the end to download a copy of our Declaration of Complete Financial Independence by visiting www.wealthbuilders.co.uk/declaration.
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Unknown Speaker 0:01 Hello and welcome to Episode 71 of wealth talk. My name is Cristian Rodwell, the membership director for wealth builders. And this week we are bringing you a bonus episode. And it's a recording of the wealth builders ebook, which was written a couple of years back by Kevin Whelan, and it's narrated by Lex McKee. Now we're having a bit of a quiet down month in August, but we thought we'd share the ebook because whilst it is available through the wealth builders website, as an ebook version, the audio is not so easy to get hold of. So we thought we would make this accessible as one of our podcast episodes, and that makes it easy for you to share as well. So if you've been enjoying listening to wealth talk in the past 70 episodes, then why not share this ebook with someone who would appreciate it. So click on your podcasting app and the share button and send this to someone who you think would really value learning about the wealth builders process at the end of the day. There's a call to action and it's a simple call to download and sign our declaration of financial independence. So if you commit and resonate with our values, and you want to commit to your own financial independence, then download a copy by heading over to wealth builders.co.uk forward slash declaration, and you can share that with your friends with your family. And if you feel bold, even share it on social media and inside the wealth builders Facebook group. Anyway, enjoy listening, and we'll catch you back in September.
Unknown Speaker 1:33
Wealth builders the new blueprint for complete financial independence in the 21st century, by Kevin Whelan, blown away by the blueprint next Mickey's foreword to the series of books on wealth building. When I first interviewed Kevin Wieland about his process for building wealth, I was blown away by the beauty of his blueprint. Here was a design for life that was accessible under Standard rule, and above all applicable immediately, I was convinced that anyone could get it and therefore, that everyone could get wealth. Everyone could become a wealth builder. And I was partially right. The truth is that becoming a real wealth builder requires a certain commitment. Kevin had demonstrated this in his own life, and continues to do so now, as a mentor for others. It requires that rare person who will read beyond the first chapter of a business book, who will find the relevance for themselves and who will take action consistently. One of Kevin's sayings, is now part of my everyday consciousness. Never let a month go by without building wealth.
Unknown Speaker 2:49
If I share a brief overview of Kevin's blueprint, I think you might just be one of those types, who will reap the benefits of the scientific process that has all the beauty of a world Have art. The detail is in the book. But let me share what might be described as the lid of the jigsaw, the power of eight. The blueprint, our logo for it looks like the Pentium with seven solid pillars. This it turns out is good news. There are only seven assets to think about, with the frame of the foundation and the roof. That gives the aspiring wealth builder just eight major areas to consider when making their own plans for financial independence, or for their dream life of financial abundance. The foundation deals with becoming financially smart, four types of smart help get the wealth builder on the up escalator to financial security. They are being debt smart, which is about managing debt so that it serves a purpose. On some occasions. The return on investment makes the cost of investment worthwhile. Most of the time, however, a wealth builder To get the best return on investment by being completely debt free. Being tax smart recognizes that there is a tax overlay on every asset being built. Understanding how to use tax advantageously is a key aspect of Financial Intelligence. Being bill smart is equally about taking advantage of an increasingly competitive market. With some diligence, the wealth builder can make huge savings, which can then be applied to the serious business of building more wealth. Finally, being insure smart means that wherever you are in your personal journey of building wealth, your overall plan is secured. Kevin's insights into these aspects of Financial Intelligence made the blueprint worthwhile for me since we all have to manage our liabilities. All this wonderful architecture of wealth crumbles however, without the right roof, Kevin's frame is complete in mind mind because it covers the ways to protect your assets, your future, and the future for your family. Just understanding the deliberate combination of your will power of attorney and trusts was a real revelation. Kevin summarizes the aspect of the frame with three L's legal legacy and legend legal is the documentation that makes managing your estate easier your will, for example, the way you own assets and your trusts. Legacy is how your wealth is passed on to those causes and people you care about, and legend, the enduring contribution you make to the world. History is littered with examples of generations who have wasted the wealth built by the generation before. For this reason, the educational aspect of passing on your financial wisdom to your family is vital to the establishment of a dynasty of ethical wealth builders. This is the age of intellectual property it's never been easier to pass on your wisdom. To others to live and communicate your own legend, filling the frame the power of the pillars. As I said the frame really was an eye opener for me. But the education leaped to a higher level. When Kevin explained to me the heart of the wealth building process, the ownership of assets, which Kevin refers to as pillars, there are seven, and only seven of these. The first is home equity, but I discovered that almost nobody turns their home into an asset. Instead, it's usually a liability until it's sold or downsized at retirement. With the right strategy, you could be living in a goldmine. The second pillar really fills people with excitement, pensions, there is probably no other asset that is so misunderstood or underutilized. So don't be surprised if you get excited about your pensions, perhaps for the first time ever when you discover Through the series of books, how pensions can become a source of funding in the here and now, pillar three investments will get you more engaged with the strategies Kevin shares to protect your investments against loss, but the stock market in such a volatile state. This will boost your confidence again in the value of having stocks and shares as part of your seven fold strategy. pillar for property portfolio will encourage you to think outside the box, the box being the all too obvious route of buying to lead. In a later book. In this series, Kevin will reveal the secrets of how to achieve a much higher return on investment on property, you'll love it. pillar five business may well cause you to reevaluate the worth of any current businesses you own. This pillar will create a fresh appreciation of why anyone should be in business. It's a timely reminder of why the business owner needs to work on their business rather than in it. There's no higher risk Turn on investment, the running your own business. pillar six, intellectual property is the one pillar I've always been in love with. I discovered though that my own intellectual property was underperforming unnecessarily. Kevin unveiled ways to monetize my ideas that I'd never considered same ideas, yet higher return on investment. That's smart thinking. If you're passionate about a subject, you'll enjoy developing this through the pillar of intellectual property. The seventh pillar turns out to be the keystone of the blueprint for many joint ventures. Joint ventures empower you to work with others towards a mutually beneficial goal. Too many of us are loners in business, following what some call the rugged individual paradigm. By paradigm I mean a pattern of thinking or behaving. It used to be cool to be a self made man or a self made woman. I discovered though, that being this kind of call is really like being a fool in the 21st century, none of us needs to build wealth alone. anymore. And in fact, Kevin will argue that it is impossible to build sufficient wealth. Using the pioneering ways of the 20th century. The new pioneers build together the forthcoming joint venture, but we'll show you how to build relationships you can trust and how to structure a win win agreement, so that you can have confidence in any venture. Joint ventures and the mentoring they require are at the heart of the growing community of wealth builders, a shared journey to financial independence.
Unknown Speaker 9:33
Let me conclude my foreword to the introductory book and Kevin series. This is a book with a story Kevin is who he is and does what he does, because of a positive response to a challenge that became the turning point in his life. This is no sob story or tale of rags to riches. But when you hear his story, you'll understand how adversity can become a catalyst if you have the mindset of a wealth builder. What will be your story? What results will emerge for you as you travel through this blueprint, I believe you are in for a massive personal paradigm shift. You may find along the way that you to begin to see yourself as a wealth builder on an exciting journey with others. Whether you're an employee who wants to create independence from the need to work, a property expert, who needs greater leverage, or perhaps a business owner looking for a new source of finance to help your business really grow. I trust that you will seek to engage with this new pioneering community of the financially independent minded. I recommend Kevin's book, because I think that any reader who takes action will find their wealth transformed. for the better. Part One, setting the scene. Let's define wealth as a noun and abundance of valuable possessions or money. This Date of being rich and abundance or profusion of something desirable. And let's define builder also a noun, a person who constructs by putting parts or materials together, a person able to take a resource and increase it in size or intensity over time. A person who is able to use a resource as a basis for further progress or development, and our unique definition of a wealth builder, a new noun, a person of high integrity, committed to financial independence through sharing with like minded people, and he leaves a great legacy. Here is Kevin story in his own words. My own catalyst for becoming a wealth builder, and for writing this series of books was deeply significant. In 1985, when I was just 25, my father died. Tragically, he was only 46. He was a North Sea oil worker who had a Heart attack on a rig. Back in 1985. My father didn't have the opportunities that exist now. They couldn't take him off the rig or care for him in the ways possible today. He died on that rig. My father's death impacted me in many ways on many levels. Genetically, we were cut from the same cloth. We were the same height. We even walked and talked the same. Whilst we weren't exactly peas in a pod, we were pretty close to 25. I simply sought to get over the tragedy, but I needed to move forward and carve out a career for myself. I was seeking to build some momentum. As a young economist. I knew something about finance, but didn't really know what I wanted to do. Then the thought struck me What if I go at the same age? What if that genetic cloth is cut the same way for me to what should I do? In a period of reflection, I decided I would have to change my financial future. I was getting married in 19 89 and I realized I couldn't possibly leave the kind of legacy that I wanted to. I couldn't possibly save enough after tax to care for my wife, and future family. If I wasn't there. I needed a new paradigm, a fresh strategy.
Unknown Speaker 13:17
As well as the tragedy of an early death, my father died without a will. He died leaving the family in debt. That was clearly not his intention. So the situation acted as a powerful catalyst in my life. And I resolved not to be the same. I found my motivation, I realized that I couldn't achieve what I wanted to by working for a living, I had to build something that had ongoing value. This is when the seeds of the ideas began to germinate into what later became the full wealth building process. One key idea was the difference between working for a living as opposed to building things that pay you between working income asset income. Education is at the heart of everything that motivates me. The foundation of my approach was to train in finance, I got a financial education. I figured that the best way to deal with these issues was to teach myself. I became my own mentor. trained by a major UK financial institution. I got the inside track on how money really worked. Fueled by the growth in home ownership, and a massive desire to produce something of value. I went on to build a mortgage broking business. I created this unique concept. We don't do mortgages, we eliminate them. I paid off my own mortgage in superfast time. Then I wrote the book on how to do that save a fortune fast. Because I proved it could be done. I became an expert. This is when I really began to invest in my own intellectual property. The deliberate focus was always to build things on asset income rather than working income. The balance was tough, but it paid off. My catalyst was so strong. So let's define a catalyst, another noun, a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction, a person or thing that precipitates an event. Acid income comes from assets, it flows into your bank account while you're asleep. It is permanent income, you can pass it on. Work income, on the other hand comes from your activities. It is trading time for money, it ceases when you are not there. You cannot pass it on. Working gum is by definition work it's often hard work. Moving from a work income mindset to an asset income mindset is called a paradigm shift. It's a bit like reading upside down, or turning the book round. It requires a complete shift of perspective. My definite Have an asset is unique, it will influence the assessment of the value of all seven assets. So let me state it in full. An asset is something you own. That is not you. It puts money into your bank account while you are asleep. And you can pass that money on to the people you care about or good causes. It does not end because you are not there. creating wealth by building assets is motivating and enjoyable. It takes work, but that work is rewarding. And energizing. It gets easier and easier. In fact, it's as simple as ABC assets build cash flow by the age of 45. That's one year younger than when my father died. I was financially independent. My assets had created the cash flow I needed to live the life I wanted. What I discovered next was very exciting. I found my ability to build wealth just accelerated. It was like being on an up so Later, getting further up and ahead was easy. I now want to be an accelerator for others. What I do now flows from a position of financial abundance. That's true financial freedom. Now my life has more to do with the transference of wisdom. Being a mentor to those who are hungry for alternatives. The lessons that I learned can be shared, I can help others learn and apply these lessons at an accelerated pace. Because over the last 25 years, I've developed a CAT scan like ability to diagnose the financial health of anyone. So that's why I do what I do. My catalyst was tragic, but it changed my life. Most people never get a wake up call. I'd like this message to be yours. So what's your why without a catalyst, nothing worthwhile happens. wealth building without a strong Why is virtually impossible. So what is your WHY? This is such a fundamental question. Then I'm going to invite you to press pause right now. I have two questions for you at this point. What does wealth mean to you? How would you define wealth? And why is building wealth important to you?
Unknown Speaker 18:16
Without a big enough why you'll find reasons to quit if the going gets tough. But having a huge y will be your catalyst that will drive your motivation. It's part of your story. I've shared with you my story, my catalyst, my motivation. Now we must reflect on your story and write the next chapters of it together. They're intense, or they're in five. I'm trusting that if you're still listening, it means that financial freedom is an important part of your future story. It took me 15 years to reach the state of financial independence. Now I've learned some more lessons. I had a good foundation and develop some useful intelligence from being an economist. This experience has been priceless. Part of my story was being my own mentor learning by trial and error. This book and your future story is very much focused on the value of having the right mentors at the right time. I now have my own mentors to facilitate the way I grow my wealth in areas which are not my speciality. I'm not claiming to be the mentor, just a suitable one. For the purpose of this message. I understand all seven assets. I've made connections over the last 25 years with experts who are masters in their field. When you're ready, I can introduce you to mentors in each pillar, fellow wealth builders who will accelerate the process for you. The result is that I can now teach you how to become completely financially independent within 10 years. Or, if you're really up for it, I can teach you to get there in five years. To achieve this, I formed the structure To accelerate the process, the seven and only seven assets that generate wealth, a community of wealth builders, mentors with integrity and expertise, and the financial GPS system to keep you on track. This unique structure built upon the principles of integrity and sharing is all your need to get to financial independence and beyond. The way forward is the CO operative way of the community, not just a group of people who travel on the same journey, but rather a community of people who share values, and to share skills and lessons. Being part of a community of people who work together towards shared goals is energizing, and empowering. It's the way of the future. So let's finish this first section of my story with a couple of further questions to drive you forward on your journey. Now that you can decide to become financially independent in as little as five years, I'd like you to reflect on the progress you've made. Over the last five years, consider the two following questions. Firstly, what major steps have you taken in the past five years to generate wealth? Secondly, how much of your current time are you spending on income generation rather than wealth building activities? I hope that made you think, like I said, I want this book to be your catalyst. So if you need a catalyst to be a wealth builder, if you need a bigger why continue listening? Now and then three dramatic shifts. As an economist, I've been a keen student of economic history. Let's give you a quick historical perspective. To help with your understanding of how to build wealth in the 21st century, the major changes in wealth have been obvious. In fact, there have been three dramatic shifts. Firstly, landed gentry to industrialists, what we call the Industrial Revolution. So Secondly, industrialists to individuals the social revolution. And thirdly, individuals to wealth builders, the community Revolution, the Industrial Revolution. In the Industrial Revolution, there was a major shift in wealth from landowners to industrialists. A new breed of entrepreneurs invented products and processes that transformed the world. work practices were changed forever too, as factories which housed hundreds of people were a magnet attracting droves from the country to the cities. It was a radical transformation in economic culture and wealth. The UK was the powerhouse behind it all the social revolution. As companies grew created by industrialists, the benefits of wealth began to percolate down to more and more workers. In fact, the development of the concept of companies created the concept of shares. workers could become shareholders buying a share in the value of the company they worked for, or in any other company they chose.
Unknown Speaker 23:07
Unlike today, back then shares were a reflection of the value of the company. The market to trade shares in these new companies grew too. As companies expanded, and employment grew, the future security of the workers became more closely linked to the success of the company. Increasingly, employers provided a pension in return for long term employment. It was not unusual for an individual to work their entire life for the same firm. Financial Security came at retirement, workers gave their pound of flesh in exchange for long term security. This was the trade off. You collected your courage clock to reflect on the time you've given the company and you retired. For most retirement was a relief though life expectancy was not long. With the emergence of the state pension, the increase in the concept of home ownership and a nest egg with the bank, life was safe. In order to achieve a decent level of security, you didn't really have to be that smart. You didn't need to build anything. You just needed to turn up for work. Now you can't those days have gone. The community revolution. A shift is happening now. That is every bit as dramatic as the changes of the industrial and social revolutions, these changes will affect you. So let's take note, there are key distinctions between now and then. In the 20th century financial security was dependent upon the stability offered by a jump for life by the employer. The introduction of state benefits made the situation even more stable. Now we have a triple whammy that's destabilized and changed everything. Historic change number one, final salary pension schemes offered a secure foundation for income in retirement. That was the past now, the foundations have crumbled, highlighting the need for alternative types of pensions and a broader financial strategy. Final salary pension schemes have been a great way to build security for a good retirement for many Not anymore. The first punch is the demise of final salary pension schemes. Those in the military, civil service politicians, public sector employees and a few fortunate others still have this solid foundation paid for by the taxpayer or by the employer. Moreover, there is no need for the individual to be involved in taking decisions about risk. There is no commitment beyond turning up for work. For everyone else, this safe pension as either gone or is going fast. The foundations are crumbling. For those outside the comfort of final salary pension schemes. There is the prevalence of stock market based pensions with a final pension depends upon an increasingly volatile stock market and historically low annuity rates. Whereas formerly the risk and the responsibility was mitigated by the employer or the state. Now that entire responsibility falls upon the individual.
Unknown Speaker 26:22
Let's have a look at historic change number two, formerly a solid state pension at 60 for women and 65. For men, good days. Now, state pension no longer is solid, and it's being pushed back and back and back. The second punch then is successive governments response to the pressure of an aging population. The pension part is not bottomless. Benefits must drop or taxes must rise. living longer already means waiting longer to tap into a state pension. The age has already been revised outward from 65. Wherever that line ends up a state pension We'll be insufficient for the majority of us. It's important to realize that this is an issue that is recognized by all parties. It is an issue of economics and demographics, not just of politics. Frankly, if you have to get into the details of what your state pension will be in order to live, you've got the wrong plan. Historic changed. Number three, annuity rates of 15% were common in 1990. Now annuity rates are at their lowest in history 5% or less. So here's the knockout third punch the triple whammy. That's right annuity rates are at their lowest in history. With the volatility of the stock market giving low returns, many understandably cautious people are falling in to the annuity trap, converting their pension funds into an annuity, often of just 5%. Once you've signed up to an annuity, the rate is fixed. forever. I call it the annuity trap. an annuity is an annual income payable monthly from a pension pot. Most frequently This is the income an insurance company agrees to pay out from the funds you saved in your retirement nest egg. tumbling from a 15% to a 5% annuity rate means that your money has to work three times as hard than in the past. This means that you will have to save three times as much in order to generate the same level of return available in 1990.
Unknown Speaker 28:34
What was a good idea then, is a bad deal now. The poor value of annuities is always in the press and for good reason. For most people, they are terrible value for money. And annuity is one of the few things in life that can never change. You can change your name. You can change where you live, you can change your job. You can even surgically change your gender. But once you've agreed to an annuity rate, it is fixed forever. Of course, you can change your future by changing your choices. But as far as an annuity goes, once that choice is made, the future is fixed. There will be more specifically on the annuity trap later in my book on pensions, but I will state the warning again. annuity rates are at their lowest in history, you need alternatives, the changing economic landscape and its impact on the next generation. Part of the problem behind low annuity rates is the changing nature of the stock market. Stocks used to represent a share in the value of a company. There has been a cultural shift to a more sentimental appraisal of shares. They are worth what people feel they are worth. The stock market has thus become as volatile as feelings can be. This creates uncertainty and confusion. The economic landscape has changed forever. We'll probably never returned earlier forms were not to blame, politics, economics, social, and technological trends have all played a part. We do, however, have to pay attention to the changes that are about to impact our children. If you think about it, we are richer than any other generation in history. But the next generation will be poorer than ours. So for the first time in history, the next generation will be poorer than our own. That's a stunning change in the economic, social, and cultural landscape. Since education is a key driver of economic change, it's interesting to think about the future for today's students. In the past, through student grants, the state used to fund higher education now we have student debt, many students will enter employment with more than 50,000 pounds of debt. That's a financial millstone by anyone's standards. For many it's become even harder to get started in work, youth Unemployment is currently over 50%. In some European countries, a third of the UK unemployed youth do not believe they will ever get a job. With student debt projected at being over 50,000 pounds. The challenge is clear. We all need a catalyst. The huge growth in payday loan companies is a sad indicator of the nation's attitude to debt. My greatest concern for the future is that students carrying such a burden of debt will find turning to a payday loan company, the path of least resistance. Is this the future you want for your children? There has never been a greater need or a better time for you and I to get a financial education. So why don't they teach this in schools, where you ever taught at school about what it takes to be financially intelligent. Without this education, it is most unlikely that you'll be equipped to make the best choices for your future. By the time Our children leave school practical skills need to have become habit in four main areas. How to manage finances, including understanding debt and cumulative interest, developing the practice of budgeting, and learning how to use tax advantageously. Secondly, the crucial difference between investing in liabilities and investing in assets. Both are investments, but the returns are 180 degrees opposite to one another. Thirdly, how to create asset income and thus become a wealth builder. And fourthly, how to protect yourself and your assets and define how these assets will transfer to others in the future. This is exciting, practical, and relevant education. No child in their right mind would say yes to a payday loan offer once they've seen for themselves, the true scale and impact of cumulative debt interest. This sort of education is a great opportunity for goes to teach my basic mathematics is so important to a student's success in life. It's important for their entire financial future. And I don't remember my math teacher framing it in this way. So getting started, I was asked by a budding wealth builder. How do you start this process if you've got no money? That's an excellent question. And it cuts right to the heart of beginning of financial education. It all starts with a switch, a choice between only two options, choosing liabilities, or choosing assets. I was then asked by someone in their early 50s. Is it too late? It was great to be able to share with them than I can get them there in five years. I think they're going to live more than five years. So in no way, is it too late to start right now. Let's pause for thought about this choice for a moment. Every time you choose an asset, you're choosing a better future. For all wealth builders. There's a point where this fact just clicks, let me tell you About a technique that will make this distinction, a habit for you. I took one of my wealth building bridge builders. Those are the members of our community who introduce other wealth builders to the most appropriate mentors and other connections that were moving forward. So I taught this wealth building bridge builder, this straightforward technique, I suggested he actually clicked his fingers. When he got out his debit card to pay for anything. He had an addiction to spending that had caused him to amass liabilities rather than build assets. As his mentor, he'd asked me to help him break this habit. I said, when you click your fingers, this will remind you of the choice you have before you the switch. It will let you pause and think about whether you're investing in a liability or an asset. In this way, you will always make a financial decision on purpose. And if it is a liability, you will find you can enjoy that expense more because you know exactly what you're doing. The technique I shared with this bridge builder is called anchoring by professionals who use neuro linguistic programming to boost their performance. It turns out the since that time, he has used the click technique every time he starts his working day. A right click, almost like using a mouse was for him building an asset. A left click was used as a self check that he'd slipped into trading time for money, or was spending assets on a liability. He said to me, it had become like waking himself out of a spending trance. Each wealth builders life is a series of deliberate choices. So this is one of the scientific facts about Financial Intelligence, there are no neutrals. Anything that keeps that fact at the forefront of your mind is going to help you move forwards. Liabilities are most often a barrier to progress. If your finances were a vehicle to get you to the life you desire, liabilities are the break and assets are the accelerator. You press One or the other. Stepping on the brake is not always bad. Of course, pausing along the journey to have a celebratory meal with another wealth builder reinforces the point that this is never about Penny pinching. This applies to the bigger decisions too. If you're buying a car that reflects your journey, it's a liability. But if you've got a fortune coming in through acid income each month, because you've worked the plan, you can say so what rewards at the right time, or a hallmark of abundance. If however, you're still 50,000 pounds in debt, buying that 52 inch flat screen TV on sale does not make sense to a wealth builder. Enough said no, it acute is a strange word. Of course, there's actually a lot of education going on is called no eat acute no eat acute is education backwards. At the moment, there's a huge amount of education on the value of boring how easy it is. How it will empower you to have the life you dream of lies, lies, and more damn lies, but we let the advertisers get away with it by call advertising. This is advice with a vested interest. To combat this, we might benefit from some really good old fashioned education. The borrower becomes the lenders slave. That's from a book of good management practice that's over 3000 years old. Somehow that message has gotten lost. The first part of the proverb actually says unambiguously the rich rule over the poor. The book is attributed to King Solomon, who historians count both as one of the wisest counselors that ever lived and reputedly the richest. So our children need to learn how to become debt smart. Otherwise, they will abdicate control of their lives to others. I am certain that we are agreed that the 21st century demands a good financial education But no institution consistently provides this. This is madness. In an age of so much opportunity, yet so much debt and financial ignorance, it is the best and worst of times. Which reminds me of something. Charles Dickens said. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom. It was the age of foolishness. That's from a tale of two cities, supported by final salary pension schemes supported by state benefits and high annuity rates. Many people would argue that the 20th century was the best of times. I think they're mistaken. Today's changes in the economic landscape have created opportunities as dramatic as the shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy. Even though the next generation and our own are facing such huge challenges. It has never been easier to build wealth. And it's never been harder. If you don't know how to do it. Why is it never been easier You can now have at your fingertips all the information, the education and the technology you could possibly need to make transformational financial decisions. In my opinion, this is the best time of all to be building wealth. It's simply a matter of learning the principles, and then consistently applying them. When you learn how to build wealth, it's your money that will do the hard work, you'll just work smarter, and you'll become smarter to being a wealth builder changes you. breakthroughs in technology and access to information have made it easier and faster. But in the past information was accessible to the fortunate few. Now we have information overload. Now there is a wealth of information, but it's like putting a cup into Niagara Falls to get a drink. With so much information. You will need A Guide to direct you to the right information of the right time. This will help you find new forms of leverage to access generate your progress, a new force to overcome the gravity holding you in your current financial situation. I'll be sharing more forms of leverage with you in a later publication. It's all a matter of science, let me be your guide and companion for this part of the journey. I got to financial freedom in 15 years, I can get you there in five, there's a way and I can make the journey faster and far more enjoyable. They say that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. So let me take you back to the drawing board. But first, pause and review.