Friday Feature Book Review: Wall Street Myths: Traders' Tales by Ron Insana ウォール街の興味深い財政物語、神話、物語 (面白い金融のストーリー): ロン・インサナ

Author Ron Insana, is a CNBC journalist and former hedge fund professional, who has gathered a wide assortment of great stories about how traders, act, react, and let off steam in a high stress environment. Take break, get a beer (or three) and enjoy this great collection of true (or maybe untrue) legendary stories of how traders in the markets have done well or very badly. Many men behave badly while drinking to excess, and it is very funny on many occasions.

There are wonderfully funny recalls of stories involving a $90,000 mix up on stock about Coke, not cocaine. CPR messages for help, not any listed stock, hangovers & heart attacks with the wrong victim, and of course the $2,500 cockroach challenge! It is outrageous behavior mainly by men and a few women, who have much more money than brains after drinks. It fills a guilty curious need to read about the mistakes of others. All of these tales are worth hearing in detail, and certainly worth the price of this book. 

This is not about how to make more money in finance, but more about how others in the markets have acted while trying to do that "big trade". The bunny suit story, about a night with a lady who was not his wife, stealing his wallet, and all his clothes, may give you pause for similar drunken action. Another great tale about the trader with a missing glass eye and the hundreds of super ball eyes that were bounced around the trading floor when the one eyed trade lost his glass eye is also very memorable.

The Top 3 Takeaways from this book that really impact any reader are:

1) There is no limit to how badly men in finance tease and treat one another. Hazing culture increases when more cash in added.

2) There is no escape from bad habits by your colleagues. Going overboard with excessive drinking in particular, will be found out.

3) There is a great culture of acceptance of faults within finance. That does not mean you are not victimized for it. In the end, it is all fun and games after hours.

This is an easy to read guilty pleasure to read on the train home, or over a weekend at the beach. Satisfying mind candy that is very amusing and fills a need to hear about how bad it has been for some other traders out there. Every story is different, and this is a never dull or repeated. It is amazing how traders are people, and they get into trouble like everybody else. Perfect for the weekend or holiday time away.business. Highly recommended!

Please visit us for our Friday Feature Review where TMJ Partners will review books, movies, conferences and anything else with a financial theme. Follow us now for our free weekly updates, just click here. Thank you for reading and learning more about how money is made in finance! 

If you are interested in Sales & Trading, Banking or FinTech focused roles in Asia or Japan then click here. Follow TMJ Partners on Linkedin Instagram or Twitter. We are the world's #1 recruiter on Twitter, with over 50,000+ followers globally! click here! 

あなたがアジアや日本のセールストレーディング,
バンキング、フィンテックの役割に興味がある場合は、こちらをクリックしてください。ティエムジェィパートナーズをLinkedin Instagram またはTwitterでフォローしてください！ 世界中のTwitterで第1位のリクルーター、50,000以上のフォロワーを既に持っています！クリックしてください。

For more Buy-Side and Sell-Side roles in Asia-Pacific, contact our TMJ Partners Japan & Asia Finance team.
Tokyo                                          Tokyo

      Mark  Pink                               Shinichi Nagasawa
Direct + 81 3 3505 3891              Direct + 81 3 3505 3891

Friday Feature Book Review: Classic Leadership "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli 古典的なリーダーシップ : 君主論ニッコロ・マキャベリ

"The Prince" is must reading for any entrepreneur, hedge fund founder or CEO. It is the secret "how to" book for many corporate politicians, especially within investment banking. It was written in 1513, in Florence, Italy, by one of the most innovative thinkers of his time. The author Niccolo Machiavelli, opened the eyes of many rulers then and since. Every James Bond villain or ambitious person has often learned many of these aggressive power lessons. They were first laid out so clearly when small kingdoms ruled the world. This template of power centered around a castle and ruled from Europe to Japan. Although famous today, the title "The Prince" was only created by the publishers 5 years after his death. This is not widely known. It is another case of a great artist never knowing how deeply his work could spread in wide influence until centuries after his death. My only satisfaction is that Machiavelli himself, would relish the appreciation of his findings. They were wonderfully explained and ultimately followed by many all around the world.

Few know that he was arrested by the Medici family and tortured with a "strappado". A device used to slowly and painfully dislocate one's shoulders over time. A counter-coup in Florence, was discovered and Machiavelli's name was found among others in the group. Luckily he was released after an amnesty was given following a family member then a cardinal, became elected pope in Rome. Bribery would have been more widely acceptable in elections then (if not now). Machiavelli was restricted to house arrest, and during his free time, he wrote this book as a way of showing his thoughts on power for the Medici court. 

It was no small estate, according to a tax census in 1498, it was 150 acres or 60 hectares (sqm 600,000). It is now run by a local winemaker that has restored the original house where this fine and timeless book was written. The literal translation of the name means crossed nails, from the same cross Jesus Christ died upon. After 14 years of previous experience, this is basically a job application. Many of the best accepted lessons are now widely known like "the end justifies the means". Other pearls of wisdom have also spread far and wide. It is best to remember that there were no European nation states like today, only principalities. 

One noble family with a large land holding would dominate an area. Rivals were everywhere and borders were very impermanent. As families intermarried or went to war, these borders expanded or contracted. Politics were at best very basic. You could say anything you wanted, or do anything you wanted, but only if you had the ability to back it up with violence. You needed military backing in order to enforce your rule and helpful ideas. Having a local home grown military was not always expected. If you had the money back then, then hardened mercenaries, especially from Swiss cantons were often hired for enforcement duties. Leaders were free to rule as long as they had they might to make their own rules known. The top 10 lessons for any leader today in any nation are in fact timeless, and can be adjusted to today's modern world be it economic or political. My personal favorites are listed below:



The Top 10 Takeaways from this book that really impact any reader are:

1) Power is about the ability to change, power unused is power wasted. (Do not talk about a plan, just get it done)

2) Once in power, make change immediately without delay. (Fire everybody you hate in the first day, then everybody left will feel better and more focused once they know they will survive)

3) You win power because you are in the right place at the right time. (Never think you are just better and deserving)

4) It is better to be feared and respected than loved. Unpopular decisions force this to happen (Get used to it)

5) Dress like a leader, look the part everyday, not just occasionally. (Presentation is a major part of power)

6) Confrontation is a part of power. Keep an eye out for fights with your enemies. (The loser may become your friend)

7) Being in power means you tell your own story your own way, in your own time, the way you want.(No need for any filters)

8) When powerful leaders make a mistake, fix it quickly without delay, never let it linger. (You solidify loyalty faster)

9) Never expect the best forever, do not trust luck. Luck will always run out. (You never keep power over time just because you are lucky)

10) Never change your mind. Make decisions early, never sit on the fence. (Power needs to be projected clearly and constantly)

These are just a small list of favorites. The whole book gives many more and illustrates the contexts around them. The mental mind set of true power is very key. It is amazing to think that leaders over time, have had to figure out so many basics on their own, when this author figured them out and explained them so well 500+ years ago. Well worth a read, and worth many more reviews in the years to follow. Kingdoms that do not change and adapt, wither and die. (Companies seem to be similar) All are words to remember by a great thinker and observer. Highly recommended!

Please visit us for our Friday Feature Review where TMJ Partners will review books, movies, conferences and anything else with a financial theme. Follow us now for our free weekly updates, just click here. Thank you for reading and learning more about how money is made in finance! 

If you are interested in Sales & Trading, Banking or FinTech focused roles in Asia or Japan then click here. Follow TMJ Partners on Linkedin Instagram or Twitter. We are the world's #1 recruiter on Twitter, with over 50,000+ followers globally! click here! 

あなたがアジアや日本のセールストレーディング,
バンキング、フィンテックの役割に興味がある場合は、こちらをクリックしてください。ティエムジェィパートナーズをLinkedin Instagram またはTwitterでフォローしてください！ 世界中のTwitterで第1位のリクルーター、50,000以上のフォロワーを既に持っています！クリックしてください。

For more Buy-Side and Sell-Side roles in Asia-Pacific, contact our TMJ Partners Japan & Asia Finance team.
Tokyo                                          Tokyo

      Mark  Pink                               Shinichi Nagasawa
Direct + 81 3 3505 3891              Direct + 81 3 3505 3891

Friday Feature Book Review: Rich Dad Poor Dad (Millionaire Mindset) by Robert Kiyosaki 金持ち父さん貧乏父さん: ロバート・キヨサキ ( 起業家になる方法 )

This book explains the winning mental attitude needed towards wealth & opportunity. It explains how to think in order to be a true entrepreneur. Set in Hawaii in the 1950s & 60s, it is the true story of 2 influences from the author's past. His own father is a well respected teacher. A union loving man of the government system. His alter ego father is a private investor and risk taker who never went to college. This long time best selling book is about the mindset needed for a comfortable future with money. It explains the entrepreneurial view needed to see opportunities all around you everyday, no matter where you are. 

An important part of the story is about how "a nobody" in Hawaii's establishment, without a university education, can save, invest and become "a player" when the timing presents itself. This is his "Rich Dad" influence, a best friend's father. His real father or "Poor Dad" is unhappy with the economic system he has been educated by. He feels cheated by his lack of wealth despite a university PhD education. He does not take risks, yet feels that he should have these risk rewards. It is a mindset that he is trapped by. The main character tries to see both as being worth understanding. They represent the many and the few, and he tries to figure out why. Ultimately, he is trying to decide which career path to take himself.

Some of the concepts that he tries to pick apart includes housing ownership. If you buy a house, is it really an investment? His Poor Dad thinks so. We then learn from Rich Dad that it can be if you pay in cash, but if you fail to pay the mortgage, it is not. He boils down many complex concepts into very simple observations. My favorite is so seemingly simple. Rich Dad states, "an asset puts money in your pocket, a debt takes some money out". With this simple definition, is a private house really an investment? If you rent it out, it puts money in your pocket, if you rent out a room, that would too. However, if you just pay your mortgage, loose your job, and then the house, how can you best view that same house? Is it really still an asset then or just a debt?

The whole book makes you question a number of assumed truths that may be worth questioning. As young kids growing up in Hawaii, any kind of entrepreneurship is rare. It needs a way of seeing opportunities sometimes right in front of you, that needs to be explored. It is a skill that needs to be learned and relearned constantly. Just because you have eyes, not mean that you can see, and in this case it means profitable opportunities are all around you. 

The two best friends like comic books, and always hang out in the local drugstore reading them. When Rich Dad tells them to keep their eyes open for opportunities, they finally "see" new business opportunities that cannot be shown by others. They discover that unsold comics get the cover ripped off, returned for a cash refund, and the rest is discarded as waste. This is the base of a new idea. A possible business.

The Top 3 Takeaways from this book that really impact any reader are:

1) There is a very easy way of figuring out an asset or a liability. An asset puts money in your pocket, a liability takes it out. By that simple definition, a home you live in, and pay a mortgage for, is not an asset. It may be more of a speculative option.

2) The education you have is only a basic starting point. Lifelong learning needs to continue. There is always something new to learn. You are never an expert forever.

3) The classic fable of the tortoise and the hare can be found in business. Long term savers and investors can build great wealth over time. Reinvesting profits and not "living the life" is what can get you rich more often than not.

To the two boys, finally they see that these coverless comics could be rented to other boys for a fee, who just want to read the stories, so they think about opening a comic lounge. By renting out space for young readers, for a fee, while using "the free inventory" of discarded comics, they create a new business opportunity. They become entrepreneurs even though both are less than 10. This way of seeing the world is what they discover. As a reader, you learn to observe and finally see business opportunities all around you. It is well written and well explained. Many ages can all benefit from this great best seller. Highly recommended!

Please visit us for our Friday Feature Review where TMJ Partners will review books, movies, conferences and anything else with a financial theme. Follow us now for our free weekly updates, just click here. Thank you for reading and learning more about how money is made in finance! 

If you are interested in Sales & Trading, Banking or FinTech focused roles in Asia or Japan then click here. Follow TMJ Partners on Linkedin Instagram or Twitter. We are the world's #1 recruiter on Twitter, with over 50,000+ followers globally! click here! 

あなたがアジアや日本のセールストレーディング,
バンキング、フィンテックの役割に興味がある場合は、こちらをクリックしてください。ティエムジェィパートナーズをLinkedin Instagram またはTwitterでフォローしてください！ 世界中のTwitterで第1位のリクルーター、50,000以上のフォロワーを既に持っています！クリックしてください。

For more Buy-Side and Sell-Side roles in Asia-Pacific, contact our TMJ Partners Japan & Asia Finance team.
Tokyo                                          Tokyo

      Mark  Pink                               Shinichi Nagasawa
Direct + 81 3 3505 3891              Direct + 81 3 3505 3891

Friday Feature Book Review: Ugly Americans (Ivy Leaguer Dealers Making Millions) :Ben Mezrich 東京ゴールド・ラッシュ: ベン メズリック (バブル時代の物語)

The bubble days of Japan, had a winner, in fact, a very big one. Back in the mid 1990s Japan's economy was just past its peak, and a few could still make a fortune from the Nikkei Index 225. One of these new traders is our hero. John Malcolm is an Ivy League US football hero who went to Princeton free on scholarship for his athletic abilities. He made it as far as an NFL pro team try out with the New York Giants, but was too small to make the final cut. What do you do when your football dreams end? If you come from an Ivy league college, you find new dreams, as in "mounds of money" dreams only found on Wall Street. New York Times Bestseller Ben Mezrich, certainly knows how to spin a fascinating tale.

At least our hero had one real shot. It is often who you know, not what you know. As part of a special football exhibition game in Japan, he runs into a fellow Princeton alumni now working in finance, doing "derivatives" in Tokyo. "Give me a call if you football journey does not work out". A year later, after graduation, that call takes place. How is "Friday for you?" As it was Wednesday in New York, he said "fine". Great, there will be a plane ticket waiting for you at JFK airport. Just like that, no real harcore interview, he was on his way to Osaka, not Tokyo, for a career in financial derivatives. If only financial careers were that easy for all.

Tokyo & Osaka back then, were pretty wild and fueled by bubble times money. Jason Akari, a fellow graduate from Princeton, meets John at Itami airport, and shows him the ways of Index Arbitrage for Nikkei 225. This is before high frequency trading and the cloud. If you wanted to deal, you got on the phone. Margins were "truck wide" and the biggest price differences between Osaka and Singapore which also ran Nikkei futures, were a gold mine for traders arounds the world. The futures pit however, was hardly easy, even in Osaka. He needed his athletic background to make it in the Nikkei pit, just to survive. Concentration and focus from his football days came very handy indeed.


The fun never ends after market where big deals, big bonuses, and big hangovers are all usual daily hurdles. This is the same timing of Nick Leeson, formerly of Barings Securities, made famous when the Nikkei was a major market mover and few wanted to get in the way of any major move. The first day on the job, has our hero putting on a USD4 million dollar trade on his first time out. More money than he could ever need, enough money to retire on, he thinks. That was the thought of a newcomer to the markets. 

The market continues to change and evolve. Today's traders  in 2017 may find the software changed and faster, but the basics remain the same. The story goes on to amazing opportunities in an amazing market of financial excess. All is realistic and all sounds so attractive, if you share that cowboy mentality of a young dealer willing to take on the world as it was then.The learning curve is steep and full of difficult to understand twists that make no sense to those used to a New York mind set. Such is life far away in a land called Japan. All of these stories are in large part true, with the names changed to protect the innocent or many more less so.

The Top 3 Takeaways from this book that really impact any reader are:

1) There is a lot of economic history in Japan when it comes to commerce. Osaka, not just Tokyo, has had a long history of businesses making a lot of money over time

2) The value of the Japanese yen is high for many countries. The nightlife in major cities is a large portion of the economic GNP of any nation like Japan.

3) The gangster element of Japan has many tentacles in many businesses. This was more the case in the past but still the case now. It may not be seen, but is still clearly there.

Any reader of this great novel will find it nostalgic in many ways. It is a time when yesterday's PCs had a lot less speed, just when Windows 95 was rolling out. Mobiles were just coming out and were not smart. This is even before Blackberry. The nightlife of Japan with its bars, strip clubs, massage parlors and brothels are still around, but now less vital today compared to the past. The worklife & nightlife scenes are all very authentic for its time. Tokyo & Osaka certainly had some crazy wild times in the heyday, but so did New York or London. Nothing has changed or everything has changed depending on your point of view. The hero is a real life hedge fund manager today, but what parts are true and which are less so? Many love to speculate. No matter if you lived it or not, it all rings very true and is a great relaxing fun read. Highly recommended!

Please visit us for our Friday Feature Review where TMJ Partners will review books, movies, conferences and anything else with a financial theme. Follow us now for our free weekly updates, just click here. Thank you for reading and learning more about how money is made in finance! 

If you are interested in Sales & Trading, Banking or FinTech focused roles in Asia or Japan then click here. Follow TMJ Partners on Linkedin Instagram or Twitter. We are the world's #1 recruiter on Twitter, with over 50,000+ followers globally! click here! 

あなたがアジアや日本のセールストレーディング,
バンキング、フィンテックの役割に興味がある場合は、こちらをクリックしてください。ティエムジェィパートナーズをLinkedin Instagram またはTwitterでフォローしてください！ 世界中のTwitterで第1位のリクルーター、50,000以上のフォロワーを既に持っています！クリックしてください。

For more Buy-Side and Sell-Side roles in Asia-Pacific, contact our TMJ Partners Japan & Asia Finance team.
Tokyo                                          Tokyo

      Mark  Pink                               Shinichi Nagasawa
Direct + 81 3 3505 3891              Direct + 81 3 3505 3891

Friday Feature Book Review : The Entrepreneur: 25 Golden Rules! by Bill Heinecke (Billionaire) アジアの起業家：ビル・ハイネケ: 億万長者からの25のルール

There are 25 rules to becoming a billionaire, and this is according to a real one. Not some lucky kid who inherited his father's solid business, but really self-made, as in zero cash. Not many expat high school kids skip college, clean offices at night, sell advertising by day, and sell the business to become a millionaire by age 21. Opportunity comes rarely, and must be seized right away, not when you are ready. Bill Heinecke, now a billionaire in Thailand, is such a person, and is running hotels and restaurants all over Asia today. 

This book is about his 25 golden rules. Valuable insight from a billionaire, after more than 40 years in Asian business, and they come from a very valuable source, direct on the job experience. Many in the media feel he is the Richard Branson of Asia, and I agree with the comparison.

Bill explains 25 clear rules that are basic to any entrepreneur who seeks to start a business. He started 2 when he was 18, a cleaning business AND an advertising firm. All of his lessons come with realistic constructive views on what is important and what is not. He also touches on the sacrifices needed. 

One of my favorites is about being committed, and working part-time. If you work 100% of time for $100, you cannot work 90% of the time and expect $90. The money is made in the last 10%. There is no clear reward in climbing Mount Everest 90% of the way up. You have to finish what you start, and close any deal. That is how you really get paid as an entrepreneur. That is how you learn and build upon your own success. 

He was the Thailand partner for Pizza Hut for over 20 years, and fought back corporate actions to break away with a more successful brand called "The Pizza Company" still running smoothly today. His battles over the the Royal Garden Resort with Goldman Sachs, are other business battle scars that he reveals in full detail right from inside the boardroom. 

The Top 3 Takeaways from this book that really impact any reader are:

1) There is a lot to learn about hard work that takes a long time. Persistence over time is key. Easy quick ways to riches are often not solid.

2) There is a real art to introducing foreign brands into any new market. The product or service does not sell by itself. Local tastes have to be understood and adapted.

3) A local expert is tough to beat. If you know your own market deeply, a foreign management team can easily lose when trying to enter from overseas.

Bill Heinecke has a current net worth according to Forbes of over US$1.1BN. He runs Minor International which now runs 100 hotels, 250 retail outlets, and 1500 restaurants in 18 countries, mostly in Asia. If you did not know about him before, he is worth learning about. This book and its 25 golden rules, are the foundation needed for any self made billionaire to use as a guide, and that is the bottom line. 

Please visit us for our Friday Feature Review where TMJ Partners will review books, movies, conferences and anything else with a financial theme. Follow us now for our free weekly updates, just click here. Thank you for reading and learning more about how money is made in finance! 

If you are interested in Sales & Trading, Banking or FinTech focused roles in Asia or Japan then click here. Follow TMJ Partners on Linkedin Instagram or Twitter. We are the world's #1 recruiter on Twitter, with over 50,000+ followers globally! click here! 

あなたがアジアや日本のセールストレーディング,
バンキング、フィンテックの役割に興味がある場合は、こちらをクリックしてください。ティエムジェィパートナーズをLinkedin Instagram またはTwitterでフォローしてください！ 世界中のTwitterで第1位のリクルーター、50,000以上のフォロワーを既に持っています！クリックしてください。

For more Buy-Side and Sell-Side roles in Asia-Pacific, contact our TMJ Partners Japan & Asia Finance team.
Tokyo                                          Tokyo

      Mark  Pink                               Shinichi Nagasawa
Direct + 81 3 3505 3891              Direct + 81 3 3505 3891