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The Book on Making Money
After skipping college, Steve Oliverez worked a series of low-paying jobs before setting a remarkable goal for himself - to double his income every year. In The Book On Making Money, he reveals what he learned while successfully hitting this goal for seven years in a row, growing his annual income to more than $1 million. Walking readers through the steps he took to reach his goal, he shows how they can apply the same techniques to greatly increase their own income, whether they work for someone else or run their own business.
Oliverez spells out his disagreements with the traditional wisdom that tells young adults to go to school, get good grades and find a safe, steady job - advice that has left many Americans with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans, credit card debt or mortgages on homes they can't afford. He also assaults the idea of saving one’s way to wealth as absurd and counterproductive, using his own experience of trying to save money while poor as an example. Instead of promoting an austere lifestyle of clipping coupons and spending as little as possible, he shows how those habits can actually prevent people from becoming wealthy.
Oliverez spells out his disagreements with the traditional wisdom that tells young adults to go to school, get good grades and find a safe, steady job - advice that has left many Americans with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans, credit card debt or mortgages on homes they can't afford. He also assaults the idea of saving one’s way to wealth as absurd and counterproductive, using his own experience of trying to save money while poor as an example. Instead of promoting an austere lifestyle of clipping coupons and spending as little as possible, he shows how those habits can actually prevent people from becoming wealthy.
- GenresBusiness
246 pages, Paperback
Published November 3, 2017
356 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 6, 2017
When I spotted the ad for this book on my Kindle, I was intrigued by the premise quite a bit. A high school graduate who skipped college goes from minimum-wage earner to millionaire, all through a promise he made to double his income every year for seven years? Heck yeah. I'm down for a good ol' fashioned rags-to-riches story.
Except when I read it, I felt like I was reading a rough draft.
The Book on Making Money by Steve Oliverez feels like one-part autobiography, one-part persuasive essay, and two-parts summaries of Internet marketing tactics that could easily be found elsewhere via Google search. The autobiographical and persuasive parts were fascinating and sometimes heart-breaking. For example, Oliverez points to his own experience growing up as an example of how nothing is a "sure thing" in world of money -- that a recession can close your father's fifteen-year-old restaurant that he built from the ground up, force you to declare personal bankruptcy, and make you move in with your relatives. He also calls out how insulting it can be to tell someone poor to invest their money in real estate and stocks because poor people don't have that kind of money to invest in, to begin with. Put another way, in this fascinating Atlantic article, those in poverty literally can't afford to think about the future:
But further into the book, I have a harder and harder time trusting it.
First, he claims that "a person who is self-employed is four times more likely to be a millionaire." Okay. Sure. Self-employed people don't have the risk of a company getting laid off. But where did that statistic come from? What kind of self-employed person? An independent contractor or a writer?
Second, he tries to support technology and automation in the workplace on a logical fallacy: "The unemployment rate a hundred years ago was 5.6 percent. At the end of last year, it was 5 percent." Again, where's the source for this number? According to the CES, unemployment rates in those years were hard to come by because of how incomplete the census were and all whole host of other factors, and the number they list for only a handful of industries in 1917 is 6.0. Also, even if this claim were true, it's still flawed. You can't take two numbers a hundred years apart and claim that the economy hasn't changed much in that time that technology has come in. Sure, technology has made things easier, but unemployment rates can change in tenths from month to month. They are far more volatile than we think. And it's things like that, along with how the book feels like I'm being told about things rather than the things themselves, that make me want to put down the book and pick up a different one.
I imagine that some people reading this book will feel as excited as I did at the prospect of making more money. And I also imagine that some of them will get to the end and feel inspired enough to follow some of the suggestions the book outlines. But for those on the fence about whether or not to get this book, allow me to say this:
You're better of getting your feet wet than spending more time outside the pool. Keep Googling and learning as much as you can. Take a look at SBA.gov, and look at their tips and online video courses. Diversify your education. Then, dive in with all you've got. There's no failing -- only finding ways that don't work. And while this book might help nudge you onto that path, I don't think that nudge will be huge.
Except when I read it, I felt like I was reading a rough draft.
The Book on Making Money by Steve Oliverez feels like one-part autobiography, one-part persuasive essay, and two-parts summaries of Internet marketing tactics that could easily be found elsewhere via Google search. The autobiographical and persuasive parts were fascinating and sometimes heart-breaking. For example, Oliverez points to his own experience growing up as an example of how nothing is a "sure thing" in world of money -- that a recession can close your father's fifteen-year-old restaurant that he built from the ground up, force you to declare personal bankruptcy, and make you move in with your relatives. He also calls out how insulting it can be to tell someone poor to invest their money in real estate and stocks because poor people don't have that kind of money to invest in, to begin with. Put another way, in this fascinating Atlantic article, those in poverty literally can't afford to think about the future:
Poverty is a chaos that screams in the present tense, and the anxiety of having no money forces poorer families to direct their attention to immediate concerns. As a result, the poor spend relatively more on what will keep them alive, because they must. And the rich spend more on what will keep them rich, because they can.Oliverez knows what he's talking about. He's lived through it. He's heard the arguments and knows how much BS they contain. And so, on that level, I can trust the book and what it says.
But further into the book, I have a harder and harder time trusting it.
First, he claims that "a person who is self-employed is four times more likely to be a millionaire." Okay. Sure. Self-employed people don't have the risk of a company getting laid off. But where did that statistic come from? What kind of self-employed person? An independent contractor or a writer?
Second, he tries to support technology and automation in the workplace on a logical fallacy: "The unemployment rate a hundred years ago was 5.6 percent. At the end of last year, it was 5 percent." Again, where's the source for this number? According to the CES, unemployment rates in those years were hard to come by because of how incomplete the census were and all whole host of other factors, and the number they list for only a handful of industries in 1917 is 6.0. Also, even if this claim were true, it's still flawed. You can't take two numbers a hundred years apart and claim that the economy hasn't changed much in that time that technology has come in. Sure, technology has made things easier, but unemployment rates can change in tenths from month to month. They are far more volatile than we think. And it's things like that, along with how the book feels like I'm being told about things rather than the things themselves, that make me want to put down the book and pick up a different one.
I imagine that some people reading this book will feel as excited as I did at the prospect of making more money. And I also imagine that some of them will get to the end and feel inspired enough to follow some of the suggestions the book outlines. But for those on the fence about whether or not to get this book, allow me to say this:
You're better of getting your feet wet than spending more time outside the pool. Keep Googling and learning as much as you can. Take a look at SBA.gov, and look at their tips and online video courses. Diversify your education. Then, dive in with all you've got. There's no failing -- only finding ways that don't work. And while this book might help nudge you onto that path, I don't think that nudge will be huge.
December 28, 2017
This is one of the best and most accurate books on wealthbuilding I have read. It holds its own against the classics of the genre and really provides a deterministic no excuses path to wealth. I am grateful this book was recommended to me!
I think you might like this book – "The Book on Making Money" by Steve Oliverez.
Start reading it for free: http://a.co/45WX0Zo
I think you might like this book – "The Book on Making Money" by Steve Oliverez.
Start reading it for free: http://a.co/45WX0Zo
February 23, 2018
This book contains pretty generic advice, but it aims to provide high-level guidance that can be adapted individually to suit specific needs. It's more motivational than it is a how-to book, and the author's straightforward, honest approach to financial success is refreshing.
This is definitely not a step-by-step guide to becoming rich, and it doesn't present itself as such. At the very least it's an interesting read that provides some insight into how those who have achieved a degree of financial success view the world. It's a quick read and I enjoyed it.
This is definitely not a step-by-step guide to becoming rich, and it doesn't present itself as such. At the very least it's an interesting read that provides some insight into how those who have achieved a degree of financial success view the world. It's a quick read and I enjoyed it.
February 13, 2018
This book is a razor-sharp blade which delivers the truth about money, or making money.
Advice like 'Money doesn't care how hard you work', is something very original.
There's a lot of insights to be gleaned from the book.
The author also touched on Affiliate Marketing which helped him to shift into the riches which a reader needs to be open minded about it.
He also mentioned some unethical practices of other people he met which is pretty interesting as well.
It will be good if he could have a book all on that topic.
Overall, it is a book i will personally recommend to friends who are interested in making money as this book tried to rewire the brain to accept the truth about what money is which is really the core value of the book.
Advice like 'Money doesn't care how hard you work', is something very original.
There's a lot of insights to be gleaned from the book.
The author also touched on Affiliate Marketing which helped him to shift into the riches which a reader needs to be open minded about it.
He also mentioned some unethical practices of other people he met which is pretty interesting as well.
It will be good if he could have a book all on that topic.
Overall, it is a book i will personally recommend to friends who are interested in making money as this book tried to rewire the brain to accept the truth about what money is which is really the core value of the book.
March 9, 2019
Relatable advice with actionable steps you can take today!
While a little repetitive at times, Oliverez’s down-to-earth tone is motivational without being insulting, which is where many “financial freedom gurus” struggle a little. The advice given is highly practical and I liked the attention paid to ethical practices.
I recommend this to anyone needing that last push before taking the first steps towards financial independence.
While a little repetitive at times, Oliverez’s down-to-earth tone is motivational without being insulting, which is where many “financial freedom gurus” struggle a little. The advice given is highly practical and I liked the attention paid to ethical practices.
I recommend this to anyone needing that last push before taking the first steps towards financial independence.
July 30, 2018
Very Motivating
I can relate to Steve and it has a lot of valuable information in this book. Thanks a bunch Steve!
I can relate to Steve and it has a lot of valuable information in this book. Thanks a bunch Steve!
February 19, 2018
Loved it. Received much better advice than a lot of so-called money making books out there. Information was informative and very true. I am going to follow through on his suggestions.
I am 61, college-educated and still working at a low-paying job. Rated it a 5 because it had more truths about a college education, working hard, saving money, and what it will do for you in the long run when you start out poor. You are like a hamster on a wheel, going round and round to nowhere and like me just about at the end of my working years with still no measurable assets. Take his advice if you are still young. I am taking so i can look forward regenerating additional income and really enjoy my retirement years.
I am 61, college-educated and still working at a low-paying job. Rated it a 5 because it had more truths about a college education, working hard, saving money, and what it will do for you in the long run when you start out poor. You are like a hamster on a wheel, going round and round to nowhere and like me just about at the end of my working years with still no measurable assets. Take his advice if you are still young. I am taking so i can look forward regenerating additional income and really enjoy my retirement years.
August 28, 2018
A good kick in the butt book
...that reminds you that to be financially successful one must take action and execute a plan. ...and that's all I will say about that.
...that reminds you that to be financially successful one must take action and execute a plan. ...and that's all I will say about that.
December 9, 2017
Very powerful book. I thought about many things in the same way . I had not been able to share these thoughts with anyone. Reading this book assured me I was not wrong.
Very powerful book. I've thought many things in the same way. I had not been able to share these thoughts to anyone . Good reading.
Very powerful book. I've thought many things in the same way. I had not been able to share these thoughts to anyone . Good reading.
January 26, 2018
Inspiring
I am more inspired to make money, but I am still not sure how to do it. I will have to re-read some of the tech and affiliate marketing stuff. Overall, good points and a feeling that I am not alone in my times of failure and confusion. That alone is worth something.
I am more inspired to make money, but I am still not sure how to do it. I will have to re-read some of the tech and affiliate marketing stuff. Overall, good points and a feeling that I am not alone in my times of failure and confusion. That alone is worth something.
February 6, 2018
Good and detail enough
Good explanation what you need to do in order to get more money. The author himself got enough good luck to start with. But... It's all up to us to make this happen.
Good explanation what you need to do in order to get more money. The author himself got enough good luck to start with. But... It's all up to us to make this happen.
July 19, 2018
http://imeducatingmyself.com/the-book...
This book is one of those entrepreneurship books that are written in order to help you find some kind of direction in life, if you’re finding yourself a bit lost, you’re not making enough money in your life and want to change that. Overall author’s focus is helping you with some common sense advice on how to find better job, and how to start your own business on the side that is based online.
Since I went through this subject many time, really nothing much new for me is written in this book, just many common sense thing which I already know. When it comes to online businesses that are suggested in this book, I already know about them – and I’m already working as an Affiliate with this blog. But don’t expect to get in depth guide on how to get into affiliate marketing from this books – information on that are very basic; but there enough to help you get direction.
I have to say that first 30% of this book sounded a bit cliche in my opinion. I’m not dissing the author’s life story, but this kind of story (no college, poop young age) doesn’t get used so much in books, courses etc. And that was the boring part, when I thought in myself “ohh, not again” and considered to quit reading it. But the second part was a better, and it was easy read through. I like that part when it talks about people taking advantage of people and businesses to make money. Not that I like it in a way that I would use it, but it’s nice that is mentioned because everybody should know if you do that, you’ll get caught sooner or later.
The last part is for those who are already making enough money which they can invest in stocks, real-estates etc.
I would suggest this book for those who are struggling with low paid jobs and they are looking for something that could motivate them to start working on making changes and improvements in their life, and start thinking on how to earn more. I’ve been through all of that already, and I’m still not there where I want to be, but it’s a work in progress.
I would not recommend this book if you already know about online based businesses, and you want book that would provide you with in-depth guide on how to succeed in affiliate marketing – because this book doesn’t deliver that.
This book is one of those entrepreneurship books that are written in order to help you find some kind of direction in life, if you’re finding yourself a bit lost, you’re not making enough money in your life and want to change that. Overall author’s focus is helping you with some common sense advice on how to find better job, and how to start your own business on the side that is based online.
Since I went through this subject many time, really nothing much new for me is written in this book, just many common sense thing which I already know. When it comes to online businesses that are suggested in this book, I already know about them – and I’m already working as an Affiliate with this blog. But don’t expect to get in depth guide on how to get into affiliate marketing from this books – information on that are very basic; but there enough to help you get direction.
I have to say that first 30% of this book sounded a bit cliche in my opinion. I’m not dissing the author’s life story, but this kind of story (no college, poop young age) doesn’t get used so much in books, courses etc. And that was the boring part, when I thought in myself “ohh, not again” and considered to quit reading it. But the second part was a better, and it was easy read through. I like that part when it talks about people taking advantage of people and businesses to make money. Not that I like it in a way that I would use it, but it’s nice that is mentioned because everybody should know if you do that, you’ll get caught sooner or later.
The last part is for those who are already making enough money which they can invest in stocks, real-estates etc.
I would suggest this book for those who are struggling with low paid jobs and they are looking for something that could motivate them to start working on making changes and improvements in their life, and start thinking on how to earn more. I’ve been through all of that already, and I’m still not there where I want to be, but it’s a work in progress.
I would not recommend this book if you already know about online based businesses, and you want book that would provide you with in-depth guide on how to succeed in affiliate marketing – because this book doesn’t deliver that.
January 11, 2018
Personally I am not an advocate of success without basic education and I am anyway too far away on the education scale to change my personal situation, but I reckon the dynamics and opportunities in the USA are different in this respect than in other part of the world. On the other hand, there are a lot of opportunities nowadays for entrepreneurs with ideas and a bit of skills that can advance notwithstanding regardless of their (educational) background.
The Book on Making Money offers a couple of basic useful ideas about how to 'create value' for making money, trying to de-mystify the usual approaches on financial success and how to achieve it. True is that 'The more money you have the more choices you have' and nowadays you don't have to necessarily create a special service to answer the needs of a very specific market. It is important to do what you know/learn to do and to do it perfectly well. But somehow, the author is caught into the trap of too easy tips to be true temptation. My impression after reading the book is that I got a couple of good ideas - like how to create sounding SEO strategies and use Google Ads -but even more promises which shall be considered nothing more than glittering packaging for those looking for a survival path from the usual office jobs. How you can practically create those 6-figure salary allowing you that perfect freedom of spending time with the family, travel the world and be rich is another story not necessarily covered by the book.
Otherwise, if you are just at the very beginning of your business planning and you need some basic inspiration, this book may offer couple of good inspiration.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Book on Making Money offers a couple of basic useful ideas about how to 'create value' for making money, trying to de-mystify the usual approaches on financial success and how to achieve it. True is that 'The more money you have the more choices you have' and nowadays you don't have to necessarily create a special service to answer the needs of a very specific market. It is important to do what you know/learn to do and to do it perfectly well. But somehow, the author is caught into the trap of too easy tips to be true temptation. My impression after reading the book is that I got a couple of good ideas - like how to create sounding SEO strategies and use Google Ads -but even more promises which shall be considered nothing more than glittering packaging for those looking for a survival path from the usual office jobs. How you can practically create those 6-figure salary allowing you that perfect freedom of spending time with the family, travel the world and be rich is another story not necessarily covered by the book.
Otherwise, if you are just at the very beginning of your business planning and you need some basic inspiration, this book may offer couple of good inspiration.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 26, 2018
Good read
I like how the author tells stories. More details are needed to make it actionable. Still some good ideas. I need to learn more about affiliate programs.
I like how the author tells stories. More details are needed to make it actionable. Still some good ideas. I need to learn more about affiliate programs.
July 16, 2019
Pratical Insights on Wealth
Very pratical and to the point. Worth the effort to read and a good starting point take effective action on creating wealth.
Very pratical and to the point. Worth the effort to read and a good starting point take effective action on creating wealth.
January 26, 2020
Good anecdotes. There's truth on what he says.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews