The thing about Robert Kiyosaki is that he has lot of financial insights via which he has the wealth which sometimes takes years for people to accumulate and at times they never even get the wisp of it. And that is what drives me to read his books. After Reading rich dad poor dad which is a best-seller, I got my hands on this read. While Rich dad Poor dad talked about understanding the finance in general, the Business of the 21st Century by Robert Kiyosaki has a niche in mind.
The Business of the 21st Century by Robert Kiyosaki Review
You know what’s the best way to sell a product ? Well ! it’s usually NOT by making the product and selling by its USP but by selling the solution to the problem that the people are facing. That’s how the book starts.
Everybody (majority) is trying to run far from the economic meltdown, running away from the daily turmoil of making it another day in this current economy. He talks about the 4 quadrants of Cash-flow :
E : Employed
S : Self-Employed
B : Business owner
I : Investor
According to him, the E and S quadrant are are the ones where people are mostly stuck and the wealth they accumulate is not an asset. Because the moment they stop working, the cash flow will stop too. Whereas the B and I quadrants of the cash-flow where you are no longer dependant on the economy or your boss for your annual income. Most of the people live in the first two quadrants. And breaking away from E and S to B and I is where the freedom resides. See this is what finding the Gap means. The solution that he arrives to for changing the quadrants is via strategy of Network Marketing. Some might also know it by the name of Multi level Marketing.
The book has a note of optimism, considering the sensitivity of the topic – to be financially free. Most of you might have come across this kind of marketing knowingly and unknowingly. Some through great success stories like that of Amway and in some other time might be due to scams. The books talks about both the aspects and about ways to avoid the scams.
The not so charming part of this book is that the crucial information is in a very scattered form. At times it seems like *gyaan* and too much of it. You will reach till page 100 of the book with no specific knowledge on Network Marketing. The thing that missed in the book is a practical example of a real time marketing success or a personal experience with this strategy. That would have really turned the table for this book. It missed a certain human touch and seemed more like a academic book on marketing with lot of drags.
People hoping to get a direct solution to become financially independent should avoid reading this book. The Business of the 21st Century does not provide you the magic beans. Educating oneself and developing certain skills with the right attitude. That is what this book is about. It will give you a direction but the path to be chosen and the goal setting has to be done by the individual himself.
Two very important takeaways from the book on Network Marketing :
- 10 Assets of Networking Marketing
- How to wisely choose the Network Marketing Company – Priority should be given to things like people, philosophy of the company, Training, product and not on the profit and payout. If the network is focused on remuneration only then that’s the first sign to avoid that company as well as network.
The book tells that network marketing is not the business of selling. It is a business of self development, developing management and communication skills and educating ourselves and others as well. It is about discovering the entrepreneur in you and the financial freedom is like an additive that comes along with it.
Overall it is a one time read. However, if you are interested or planning to get into Network Marketing then a second look might not harm.
Recommended to :
The Business of the 21st Century book is recommend for any person who is struggling in his 9 to 5 job and is looking for a new perspective. Also to people with entrepreneur mindset and also to any marketing enthusiast specially college students (because they have ample time to experiment).
About the Author :
Robert Kiyosaki is an American author and a business man. He is the author of a New York best seller Rich Dad Poor Dad which is an all time guide to personal finance. He is the founder of the Rich Dad Company. It provides financial consulting and education to people via videos and books. Robert has authored 26 books till date whose combined sale is more than 26 Mn worldwide.
