What do you think?
Rate this book
The Freedom Frameworks: Infinite Possibilities to Achieve Career Independence On Your Own Terms
Design Your Dream Career -- Imagine the a career that energizes you, gives you financial security, and allows you to live life on your own terms. The Freedom Frameworks provides the roadmap you need to turn that dream into reality. How? By optimizing your most valuable asset -- YOU. Learn how to leverage the 3 keys to success, and more than 60 frameworks used by Jack M Cohen, an iconoclast in his own right, whether running his own businesses, those belonging to others, mentoring entrepreneurs or C-suite executives. Jack delivers a timeless and proven roadmap with infinite possibilities for career success, based on his 43 years in commercial real estate capital markets, leading his own business from $200m to $35 billion in loan servicing, and as an investor with successes and failures. But this book is not for aspiring real estate professionals alone. Anyone looking for secrets to advance their careers will want to refer to this book often.
Packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples, you'll learn how
Nurture your dreams while facing your demonsIdentify who you want to be and how to get thereIncrease your self- and net-worthMaster the art and science of collaboration, time management and leading teamsBuild a transition plan to your intended futureand much more.As the economy continues to evolve, don't become obsolete. The Freedom Frameworks will help you break free from the traditional career mold and design a work life that's truly yours.
Packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples, you'll learn how
Nurture your dreams while facing your demonsIdentify who you want to be and how to get thereIncrease your self- and net-worthMaster the art and science of collaboration, time management and leading teamsBuild a transition plan to your intended futureand much more.As the economy continues to evolve, don't become obsolete. The Freedom Frameworks will help you break free from the traditional career mold and design a work life that's truly yours.
- GenresNonfiction
246 pages, Paperback
Published June 30, 2024
16 people are currently reading
2177 people want to read
About the author
Jack M Cohen
2 books12 followersJack M. Cohen is a distinguished iconoclast executive and mentor capitalist with over four decades of experience in commercial real estate finance and business leadership. He is the founder and CEO of Darkknight Ventures, an advisory and investment firm. He also holds a role as the managing director of ArrowMark Partners and Saluda Grade, where he leverages his extensive background to invest intellectual and economic capital, helping individuals and corporations accelerate growth by optimizing their journey.
Cohen’s expertise lies in guiding C-suite leadership, entrepreneurs, and young professionals to develop superior skills, advance careers, create high-performance teams, and implement effective growth strategies. His mission is to optimize others’ journeys by sharing his accumulated skills, experiences, and relationships. Cohen’s strategic acumen is evidenced by his role in growing Cohen Financial from a $200 million operation to a peak of $6 billion in origination and $35 billion in servicing.
Throughout his career, Cohen has held numerous influential positions, including nonexecutive vice-chairman at 3650 REIT and board member for companies such as CRE Simple, Hillcrest, and B+E. He currently advises ArrowMark Partners, a $24 billion investment management firm, and serves as head of strategy at Saluda Grade, a multibillion-dollar residential real estate asset and investment firm. Cohen’s contributions to the industry have been recognized with several honors, including the CREFC Founder’s Award for lifetime contributions to the commercial real estate securitization industry. He has served as association president of Chartered Realty Investor and on the boards of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council and Mortgage Bankers Association. Cohen earned his master’s degree in construction management from Stanford University.
Cohen resides in Aspen, where he balances his professional pursuits with diverse personal interests. An avid aviator, he holds an airline transport pilot license and two single pilot type ratings for light jets. Cohen is also a second-degree black belt in Tomiki-style aikido, a certified scuba diver, and an enthusiast of CrossFit and rock climbing.
For more insights into Jack M. Cohen’s approach to business leadership and personal development, connect with him on social media platforms, where he regularly shares valuable advice for aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs, or visit his website https://darkknightventures.net.
Cohen’s expertise lies in guiding C-suite leadership, entrepreneurs, and young professionals to develop superior skills, advance careers, create high-performance teams, and implement effective growth strategies. His mission is to optimize others’ journeys by sharing his accumulated skills, experiences, and relationships. Cohen’s strategic acumen is evidenced by his role in growing Cohen Financial from a $200 million operation to a peak of $6 billion in origination and $35 billion in servicing.
Throughout his career, Cohen has held numerous influential positions, including nonexecutive vice-chairman at 3650 REIT and board member for companies such as CRE Simple, Hillcrest, and B+E. He currently advises ArrowMark Partners, a $24 billion investment management firm, and serves as head of strategy at Saluda Grade, a multibillion-dollar residential real estate asset and investment firm. Cohen’s contributions to the industry have been recognized with several honors, including the CREFC Founder’s Award for lifetime contributions to the commercial real estate securitization industry. He has served as association president of Chartered Realty Investor and on the boards of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council and Mortgage Bankers Association. Cohen earned his master’s degree in construction management from Stanford University.
Cohen resides in Aspen, where he balances his professional pursuits with diverse personal interests. An avid aviator, he holds an airline transport pilot license and two single pilot type ratings for light jets. Cohen is also a second-degree black belt in Tomiki-style aikido, a certified scuba diver, and an enthusiast of CrossFit and rock climbing.
For more insights into Jack M. Cohen’s approach to business leadership and personal development, connect with him on social media platforms, where he regularly shares valuable advice for aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs, or visit his website https://darkknightventures.net.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 14, 2025
"Holy Epiphany Explosion, Batman! I’ve had more 'aha' moments than ever reading this book!"
That’s likely what Robin might exclaim to Batman after finishing The Freedom Frameworks: Infinite Possibilities to Achieve Career Independence On Your Own Terms which is an exceptional read; thought provoking, inspiring and actionable.
Having read many books on self-betterment, life, and career advice, I can confidently say that this book stands out among the very best. What truly sets it apart is Jack M Cohen's remarkable blend of experience, humility, and vulnerability in his writing and story telling.
The book is honest straight talk, extremely well written, often entertaining and a highly enjoyable to read. The author offered many excellent perspectives and sound advice often articulating subtle and “unwritten rules” along the way.
There’s plenty of fundamentals in the book which are important for those reading or hearing these things early in their career and life but, it’s also good to be reinforced for those of us longer in the tooth. That said, he also introduced some excellent theory, studies and research which was all brand new to me. This helped validate and/or shed new light on concepts for me too.
I especially appreciated the "Quick Takes" and "Bringing It All Together" summaries at the end of each chapter. These features distill key insights into actionable points, making it easy to revisit and apply the lessons in a day to day manner.
The Freedom Frameworks is a resource I know I’ll return to often for reference and I’m already looking forward to recommending it widely and gifting it to friends and colleagues. In fact, this is probably the best graduation gift one could give and I actually did so this past June even when I was only halfway through the book.
To further illustrate just how much I enjoyed this book, it has earned a place on my Goodreads 5 Star Books Great Enough to Gift List and I’ve already sent a copy to my kids and a few nephews and nieces too.
So, to once again quote the side kick of the author’s favorite superhero, as evidenced by the name of his firm, Darkknight Ventures, “Holy Enlightenment, Batman! This book's brighter than the Bat-Signal!
That’s likely what Robin might exclaim to Batman after finishing The Freedom Frameworks: Infinite Possibilities to Achieve Career Independence On Your Own Terms which is an exceptional read; thought provoking, inspiring and actionable.
Having read many books on self-betterment, life, and career advice, I can confidently say that this book stands out among the very best. What truly sets it apart is Jack M Cohen's remarkable blend of experience, humility, and vulnerability in his writing and story telling.
The book is honest straight talk, extremely well written, often entertaining and a highly enjoyable to read. The author offered many excellent perspectives and sound advice often articulating subtle and “unwritten rules” along the way.
There’s plenty of fundamentals in the book which are important for those reading or hearing these things early in their career and life but, it’s also good to be reinforced for those of us longer in the tooth. That said, he also introduced some excellent theory, studies and research which was all brand new to me. This helped validate and/or shed new light on concepts for me too.
I especially appreciated the "Quick Takes" and "Bringing It All Together" summaries at the end of each chapter. These features distill key insights into actionable points, making it easy to revisit and apply the lessons in a day to day manner.
The Freedom Frameworks is a resource I know I’ll return to often for reference and I’m already looking forward to recommending it widely and gifting it to friends and colleagues. In fact, this is probably the best graduation gift one could give and I actually did so this past June even when I was only halfway through the book.
To further illustrate just how much I enjoyed this book, it has earned a place on my Goodreads 5 Star Books Great Enough to Gift List and I’ve already sent a copy to my kids and a few nephews and nieces too.
So, to once again quote the side kick of the author’s favorite superhero, as evidenced by the name of his firm, Darkknight Ventures, “Holy Enlightenment, Batman! This book's brighter than the Bat-Signal!
October 2, 2024
Jack Cohen's new book delivers wisdom that only comes from being there, done that and learned from what works and what doesn't. I found many valuable "frameworks" to apply to my professional, and personal, life and found his writing style to be engaging, candid and relevant. It's timeless as it is available in today's marketplace. I love his comparisons with Batman, his storytelling, and vulnerable look at how he is/has used the frameworks in his own career ascension. This book is for anyone in the workplace, particularly ambitious, who wants a mentor they can carry with them, learn from and refer back to often. Highly recommend this one by a true thought-leader.
November 30, 2024
Growing up, we are told “Go to school, get a degree, get married and get a job.” Easier said than done, that’s for sure. And anybody who has tried to live their life according to this strict expectation will tell you it can’t be done. No, really, for some of us, it can’t. It’s not so simple. There’s got to be a better way! Well, Jack M. Cohen is here to tell you that there is.
In his book, “The Freedom Frameworks: Infinite Possibilities to Achieve Career Independence On Your Own Terms,” Jack Cohen explains that your road to work satisfaction and success can totally be nonlinear. In fact, sometimes, it’s a zigzag approach just to get there! With a formula outlining his method of finding work satisfaction, Cohen leads the reader through each step towards figuring out the best path for them to take.
And if you’re the kind of person who is struggling with a job that you hate, then this book will help you out there, too. Through personal stories of people in that same exact situation who found a career they were satisfied with, readers of this book will get to see just what they need to do to set out for something better. And if you’re the type of person who refuses to stick to the 9-5 routine, plugging away at something that promises security but not satisfaction, then there’s something in this book for you to be inspired by as well.
But what about the people who don’t know what they want to do with their life? The people who aren’t sure about what kind of career to pursue? Cohen shares strategies for these people, as well. And, true to form, he provides more than one method to help people in such a situation to figure things out. As Cohen reminds readers, there’s more than one way to do things. There is not one tried and true method, but many at your disposal. This book outlines some of those surefire methods.
The big thing which Cohen points out on page 4 is that if we want to succeed in our careers, we must be willing to accept change and adapt to it.
To achieve career or economic independence, we have to recognize one simple, yet profound reality: Change is inevitable. More than that, it’s required. We need to change to evolve. To continually adapt to the times, the situation, and to remake ourselves based on our inventory of skills and experiences.
Change is the only constant in the working world. We change jobs, we change interests, we change careers, and we change connections.
Change is hard, yes. And it can also be scary. But if we stay in our comfort zones even in the working world, it leaves little room for growth, progress, or success. We have to decide what is more important: Staying stuck or going after what we want? As Cohen notes, on page 5:
We can be launched by our dreams or grounded by our demons.
This is the moment where we get to decide what we want. Do we want a job (just a temporary thing we hate doing) or a career?
Another thing we are told is that “nobody likes their job” and that it’s a job and not supposed to be something that brings us any kind of satisfaction. In a way, there’s this popular idea that our jobs are supposed to suck and that they are supposed to be soul-sucking.
But life is too short to be unhappy!
If we want a career, then it should be something that we enjoy doing. Something we are happy doing. As Cohen notes on page 59,
Above all else, focus on what gives you joy and fulfillment.
If you’re still not convinced this book’s program could be of any use to you, then consider this quote, on page 111:
“The Freedom Frameworks” focuses on how any individual can optimize their career by seizing self-reliance and self-efficacy tools and applying skill sets that give them an edge in the marketplace.
Seriously, who could say no to that? Self-reliance, self-efficacy and skill sets are top notch qualities that can help anyone stand out from the crowd of other people without those qualities who are vying for the same positions. But they don’t have that edge; someone following the advice in “The Freedom Frameworks” would. And that’s the kind of job candidate which employers want, and that can help pave the way to a successful career.
This is an essential book for anyone trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Take heed of the Be. Do. Have. principle which this book puts forward, as you can read it in better detail on page 119:
Be yourself. Do what you’re best at or most interested in. Have fun living your professional and personal journey.
It’s your journey. Use the formulas in this book to help you make it a good one.
In his book, “The Freedom Frameworks: Infinite Possibilities to Achieve Career Independence On Your Own Terms,” Jack Cohen explains that your road to work satisfaction and success can totally be nonlinear. In fact, sometimes, it’s a zigzag approach just to get there! With a formula outlining his method of finding work satisfaction, Cohen leads the reader through each step towards figuring out the best path for them to take.
And if you’re the kind of person who is struggling with a job that you hate, then this book will help you out there, too. Through personal stories of people in that same exact situation who found a career they were satisfied with, readers of this book will get to see just what they need to do to set out for something better. And if you’re the type of person who refuses to stick to the 9-5 routine, plugging away at something that promises security but not satisfaction, then there’s something in this book for you to be inspired by as well.
But what about the people who don’t know what they want to do with their life? The people who aren’t sure about what kind of career to pursue? Cohen shares strategies for these people, as well. And, true to form, he provides more than one method to help people in such a situation to figure things out. As Cohen reminds readers, there’s more than one way to do things. There is not one tried and true method, but many at your disposal. This book outlines some of those surefire methods.
The big thing which Cohen points out on page 4 is that if we want to succeed in our careers, we must be willing to accept change and adapt to it.
To achieve career or economic independence, we have to recognize one simple, yet profound reality: Change is inevitable. More than that, it’s required. We need to change to evolve. To continually adapt to the times, the situation, and to remake ourselves based on our inventory of skills and experiences.
Change is the only constant in the working world. We change jobs, we change interests, we change careers, and we change connections.
Change is hard, yes. And it can also be scary. But if we stay in our comfort zones even in the working world, it leaves little room for growth, progress, or success. We have to decide what is more important: Staying stuck or going after what we want? As Cohen notes, on page 5:
We can be launched by our dreams or grounded by our demons.
This is the moment where we get to decide what we want. Do we want a job (just a temporary thing we hate doing) or a career?
Another thing we are told is that “nobody likes their job” and that it’s a job and not supposed to be something that brings us any kind of satisfaction. In a way, there’s this popular idea that our jobs are supposed to suck and that they are supposed to be soul-sucking.
But life is too short to be unhappy!
If we want a career, then it should be something that we enjoy doing. Something we are happy doing. As Cohen notes on page 59,
Above all else, focus on what gives you joy and fulfillment.
If you’re still not convinced this book’s program could be of any use to you, then consider this quote, on page 111:
“The Freedom Frameworks” focuses on how any individual can optimize their career by seizing self-reliance and self-efficacy tools and applying skill sets that give them an edge in the marketplace.
Seriously, who could say no to that? Self-reliance, self-efficacy and skill sets are top notch qualities that can help anyone stand out from the crowd of other people without those qualities who are vying for the same positions. But they don’t have that edge; someone following the advice in “The Freedom Frameworks” would. And that’s the kind of job candidate which employers want, and that can help pave the way to a successful career.
This is an essential book for anyone trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Take heed of the Be. Do. Have. principle which this book puts forward, as you can read it in better detail on page 119:
Be yourself. Do what you’re best at or most interested in. Have fun living your professional and personal journey.
It’s your journey. Use the formulas in this book to help you make it a good one.
April 15, 2025
A book that shows you other choices to going on to college and getting a career.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews