Create an Income for Life

Conventional wisdom says “Invest in retirement funds until you turn 60 and then retire”. But at 60 you may be too old to enjoy the fruits of all your labour. No matter where you are in financial terms right now ‘Create an Income for life’ can show you how to retire far sooner than conventional wisdom would have you believe. In fact financial freedom is a relative concept and is far easier to achieve than you might realise. Too many so-called investors are repeating the same mistakes made by their parents and their financial advisers. This is why 95% of the population retire with financial restraints. They often feel let down when the investment does not perform as was expected. Most often because their investment strategy was wrong they often end up incorrectly blaming the investment and not the advisor. ‘Create an Income for Life’ will set the record straight by giving the facts as well as the tools that will allow the reader to create an income for life, an income that will last as long as they do.

Testimonials

Gavin’s book came as a Godsend to my wife, Shani and I. In the first two years of our marriage, our finances were in a downward spiral. Our expenditure was exceeding our income and there seemed to be nothing we could do about it. We gave up luxuries such as dining out at restaurants and we cut back on every expense we could think of, short of selling our wonderful house. I believe a lot of people are in the situation that we were in. We both earn a satisfactory salary and we are not extravagant in our living style, yet somehow our monthly set costs could not be met by what we brought in. We were getting desperate and I was on the verge of selling my car and cycling to work. The desperation came from the fact that there seemed to be no way out. Overseas friends were buying up properties cash, with the pounds they were earning. They could secure their future because they had money now to do it with. We couldn’t do a thing, because we did not have any available cash at hand. WRONG !

A few days into trying to find a buyer for my car, I was introduced to Gavin’s book. It has turned our financial status around. You can not read this book and be passive afterwards. It introduces principles to you that you have to actively make work for you. But it is so simple to apply these principles. My wife and I have been shown ways to release funds for immediate availability, to drastically reduce monthly costs with no sacrifice and to secure our future through investments.

Since reading Gavin’s book, our monthly costs have been reduced by a further two and a half thousand Rands a month plus we have our luxuries back. My car is no longer for sale, we have in excess of three hundred thousand rand available cash in our bank account and we own seven additional properties to our residential home, all being rented out and therefore paying themselves off. At one point we had nine. We will continue to buy, sell, or keep, aligning ourselves as closely as possible to the principles we have learnt from Gavin. We may delve into the stock market very conservatively as an additional venture. There are in depth lectures and writings on how to do this with minimal risk offered by Gavin. We would also like to follow his principles, when funds allow, to purchase a commercial property, and ultimately, follow his path to buying our own business.

This book is concise, practical and logical and you come away from it moved and positive. Whether you act upon what it teaches you, is up to you. The fact of the matter is, if you do, you will drastically increase your chances of improving your financial position like we did.

One year later Keith wrote....

Three of our flats that we bought in the same block for R180 000 (7 months ago) can now be sold for R380 000 each. That’s a profit of just over R600 000 after costs if we were to sell. That means that we have gone from basically destitute when we met Gavin a year ago, to having R110 000 cash to build the self-contained flat above the garage that my Mom will live in one day and that Shani will use as a classroom for her pre school when she finishes her studies in 5 months (which will pay the room off through incoming pre school fees in time). It will give us R90 000 cash to carry us through the 5 months of Shani not earning now. And it will give us R400 0000 cash to invest in a portfolio which, if it offers around 30% return annually, will be about R5 mil in 10 years. AND we’ll still have 4 other flats paying themselves off still. Things are looking very very rosy right now. We talk about you often and we are eternally grateful for what you’ve done for us Gav ! (Keith Higginson)

Times have changed. It’s no longer what you know or who you know but who knows you. In South Africa, the single most important criterion for succedss in small business is the size of one’s network. ‘Make them think of U 1st’ will teach the reader to position him or herself to build a network of people who will assist the reader to: earn career promotions; make more sales than they ever thought possible; become the first name on everyone’s lips when it comes to matters of importance to the reader; and learn how to build mutually beneficial relationships that lead to extraordinary business success. People buy from people that they like and trust. This book expands on that principle. If you are looking for answers and strategies to develop leading edge networking and referral skills in the new millennium; then make sure you find the time to read this book. It will change the way you do business.

Foreword by Cindy Norcott
Networking is best described by the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know but who knows you”. No matter how wonderful your product or how fantastic the service that your company offers, if you do not market yourself or your company effectively, you are doomed to fail. Networking has become an essential marketing tool in South Africa, especially for the smaller business which has a limited marketing budget.
Recent research has shown that in South Africa, the single most important criterion for success in small business is the size of one’s network. Word of mouth can account for up to 80% of many companies’ new business so it is vital to make sure that your name and your company name are on people’s lips. Many successful business people include networking as part of their marketing strategy, allocating a set amount of time and money every month to attend selected meetings and functions. People buy from people and not from a company so becoming known as the industry leader in your particular field will make you stand out from your competitors. It is important to keep on networking as you want to achieve top of mind awareness and be the first person that is thought of when your contacts need your product or service. In the fast-paced business world where we are constantly bombarded by information, we need to have a strategy to “be seen, be liked and be involved” with business associates, clients and prospects. I have found that in the service industry, in particular, networking is very effective as people buy services from people they know, like and trust or from people that they are referred to by those they trust.

Over the years I have realized that business success is not about techniques and strategies but about relationships. Networking involves building strong mutually beneficial relationships with others. Networking is about give and take, not just about expecting referrals but also connecting people, giving of your time to them and referring others. Successful networkers understand this and operate from an abundance mentality, believing that the wheel turns. Networking will only work for you if your integrity is beyond reproach and if your service excellence is consistent. People don’t believe what you say but they believe what you do. You will only keep your good reputation by repeated acts of credibility.
Networking is not about going to a breakfast or cocktail party and it is not about listening to a guest speaker. Successful networkers recognise that a chance meeting in the supermarket can be more powerful than attending a glitzy function. Many business people sabotage themselves subconsciously by attending functions and being either too shy or too lazy to go up to strangers and converse with them. As a result, they do not see the benefits from networking that others do. My company, the KZN Business Training Centre, understands “networking reluctance” and recently introduced a brand new concept called “Speed Networking” where 28 business people, each from different industries, have a one on one conversation about their businesses with each of the other participants in a controlled environment. I have been amazed by the positive response, especially from those who usually feel uncomfortable in networking situations. Dale Carnegie once advised that the best way to get people to like you is to stop talking. The best networkers have mastered the art of genuinely listening to others and remembering what they said. I recently heard a staggering statistic that stated that only 5% of what is promised at networking actually happens. If you say you will call someone or refer them, do it immediately afterwards, before you have a chance to forget, so that people can see that you are a person of your word. You will be remembered for this.
It has been said that you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. It is important to choose the people with whom you network wisely as they can reflect on you. If you recommend someone who does not deliver, this can hurt your reputation as you may be judged badly as a result of this recommendation.
This book on Networking will provide you with practical skills to make networking a powerful part of your Marketing strategy. Gavin Bramley is an accomplished networker and his tips come from his vast experience in the business world, as a sales professional and as a successful business owner. The advice in this book will give you the leading edge that will enable you to profit from networking.

Cindy Norcott

A South African book on financial freedom as it pertains to a South African audience from a South African Author. Gavin Bramley was born and educated in Durban, South Africa. For the past twenty years he has assisted individuals and businesses with their financial affairs and in this book, he shares the knowledge and the closely guarded secrets of the wealthy that he has accumulated with the reader.
Financially Free is a ‘life manual’, showing the reader how to escape from the so-called ‘rat-race’ towards financial freedom as achieved by Private investors and business owners. The writing style and examples Gavin has used makes this book easy to read and understand.
Gavin discusses the do’s and don’ts of financial investments. He exposes what the rich will invest in and what they will ignore. If you are starting out or if you have already built up some investment capital this book is for you. By following Gavin’s simple advice you will come to understand your own cash flow management from a whole new perspective as you begin to consistently advance your financial wealth.

Testimonials

Testimonials for Financially Free:

What Gavin has shown me has opened up a world of future and I am so motivated by this whole philosophy that I am unbelievably hungry for new information! Gavin, thank you for the contribution that you have made to me seeing my way to financial freedom. Not just for the money, but for the free time it will give my wife and I, to spend with our family and to give back to the community.

Gavin's book is such a valuable book to have! It is clear and well written and in a manner that is very easy to understand! This is a must have book for anyone wanting to start or improve on their financial literacy. I wish I could have had such a book 10 years ago! (Bruce Duckham)

Gavin's teachings have a lot to offer anyone who wants to start down the road to financial freedom or fast track themselves if they have already started the journey. Not only does Gavin introduce his students to the concepts but he empowers them with the tools to start putting the concepts to work. A must read for anyone who wants to "step out of the rat race". (Peter Mares)

Gavin has an ability to explain financial concepts in a way that makes you realise how easy it is to take control of your own financial destiny. (Craig Bryden)

Gavin’s ideas and the manner in which he conveyed them removed my blinkers and made me see the reality of money and finance. His descriptions, although seemingly simplistic, do actually work in the way he describes. Since learning from Gavin I’ve made much headway with property investments, to the extent of purchasing 7 small properties in the space of 3 months, all of them making real financial sense. (Dean Morris)