Connecting the Dots

About the Book

‘Connecting the Dots’ – does that sound like a phrase you have heard someplace before?  Maybe in school?  And do you remember what it means to ‘connect the dots’?

Several months ago in a major newspaper it was stated in a by-line in the Business Section that most Americans are ‘financially ignorant’.  Now, no one likes to be called ‘ignorant’, but what does it mean to be ‘ignorant’?  I make the distinction between being ‘ignorant’ and ‘stupid’ as comparing ‘the not knowing of certain truths’ vs.. ‘knowing certain truths and acting contrary to them’.  If one did not know of gravity, and walked off a five-story building, one might well die from the fall – but not from ignorance.  If one knew of gravity and decided it did not apply to him and walked off a five-story building, then he died of stupidity – not ignorance.

In the attempt to help others in my business become more successful I preached the reading of the business section daily.  For if one is truly a business person, should not a business person be aware of business activities?  It then dawned on me that most have not been tutored or taught of the financial processes in America. Though they might read of events, what might be truly undermining actions could still remain a mystery.  Thus, the birth of Connecting the Dots.  A weekly missive sent to all in my business with one goal:  to help them start to understand what might be going on, and why.  What was ultimately hoped for was that through reading this column and thinking about what was shared, each would come to their own ‘truths’ concerning the financial world they lived in and how it would impact them.

Hopefully, during, and after  reading this book, the reader will start to ask more questions, seek more information, and ultimately find that they can better define the ‘truths’ of the financial world they live in.

About the Author

The author of this book is just like most every other American in this country.  Graduating from high school in the 1960’s, and having heard the mantra of the times from both Mom and Dad of “go to school, get a good education, go to college, get a better job, work hard and retire to the Golden Years.”  Funny thing happened on the way to the Golden Years – they disappeared.  Ross J Stone did go on to college, receiving a Bachelors degree in Mathematics, and a Masters in Engineering.  Unfortunately, between the Math degree and the Engineering degree, he found that the profession he wanted to go into, teaching high school Mathematics, was more of a baby-sitting job then he expected.  Thus, his move to the Engineering degree.  During this process, Ross did enter the teaching profession:  teaching a Building Construction program for high school seniors in a vocational program.  After five years, he left to work full-time in his construction company.  After some fifteen years as a designer/builder of custom homes, he started another business.  One that would ultimately cost him close to a million dollars – in losses.  It is said that fire refines gold – and each of us is worth gold – though most do not believe it.  I understood there had to be a reason for my fire – and I found it.

Though I spent some ten years in college, learning much – but really not much – I found myself involved with a business much different from the typical business.  To better understand what I was involved in, and with, I found that I needed to – nay, had to – re-educate my mind.  Fortunately I was able to stand upon the shoulders of two Giants:  Larry MacCracken and Robert Kiyosaki.  Much of the country has heard of Robert Kiyosaki and his books – fewer have heard of Larry MacCracken.  Yet, both are Giants.  Their teachings gave me the ability to think as never before. Not prior to college, not after college.  Not as the masses think, but as the ‘2-percenters’ think

The author is no one really special – well, he is to his family – but his goal is to help others find a different perspective of financial goings, what they might mean, and how to best prepare themselves and their family for the startling changes about to occur in the American economy.