Robert Kiyosaki released an audio book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad : The Cashflow Quadrant to allow people to be aware of their own sources of income and varying forms of investment. In the end, hopefully to advise you on the dos and don'ts on the path to being financially free. Keep in mind that the term financially free is used here, not necessarily rich. However, this guide seems to promise that you can be rich too. Keep in mind that this blog post is merely a summary of what I absorbed form the book. 

First, let's go through the quadrant, starting with the E (Employee) section. This is where most of us would probably be at after our college degree, working, struggling to make ends meet. If you are in this part of the quadrant, you are relying on a firm to provide money to you. This is most likely the hardest way to be rich as it is not your bosses' duty to make you rich and your money will get eaten up by taxes. The key here is to work smart not hard. If you climb the corporate ladder, if you do not participate in the other parts of this quadrant, you will also be climbing the tax bracket ladder. An E would be characterised by the desire for security. They tend to avoid taking risks in order to hopefully retire when they can't move any more.

Next, we have the S (Self Employed) section. This is where most doctors and lawyers who go into private practice fit. Self employed means that you are your own boss. Every penny you make, odds are, you will be there to make it yourself. This section is often for the perfectionist who feels that their work alone is satisfactory and no one else can do it. Sometimes, an S would not even train people because they may rise as competition. Being an S is a high risk but high reward venture. It is also extremely exhausting since it is mainly you doing all the work. Clever Ss would sell off their businesses or private practices before they burn out but most of the time, they would either work themselves to death or watch their own business burn to the ground. 

The two sections on the left side of the quadrants use time as the true currency. It is about the amount of time you put into your job and the returns associated. If you don't put in the time, you won't make the money. If you are a youth and you are reading this, you want to get rich quick, don't you? If so, being simply an E or an S will not be the fastest track you desire.

What you seek is the residual income half, the right side of the Cashflow Quadrant, B (Business Owner)  and I (Investor) sections respectively. Let's start with the B section. Here, you start your own business but that is not it. You own or create the business system itself. Instead of dealing with time, you deal more with people and these people work for you. As a business owner, you do not even have to be directly involved in the processes of the business after initial implementation as you can hire a business manager to deal with that. Bs tend to have the mindset of "If I can't do it, why don't I hire someone to do it for me and do it better".  The challenge here is that you have to either buy a business system or come up with your own and capital is an issue. The good thing is that you can own multiple businesses and let all the businesses build passive income for you. 

Note that I said buy your business system. This means that you have that option if you have the money lying around to buy, let's say, a franchise. You purchase their business model and own the rights to it in your area. However, since it isn't your own model, you have to follow whatever the higher ups do. If you don't, your business would fail. Buying a franchise is seen as one of the better ways of entering the B section because through using a tried and true business system, you can learn how to create one of your own. 

A Business Owner must have the mindset that they are willing to learn and they must learn to be humble. This is because if you choose the B section, you will be working with a lot of people and these people are often way more qualified than you can over hope to be. So, if there is a group consensus and it seems logical, you will have to accept it because if you want things to go your way only, you are reverting to the S mentality. 

Now, let us begin with the I (Investor) section. An I is when your money works for you and you practically don't really have to life a finger for the cashflow to come in. Kiyosaki emphasised the 7 levels of investors to explain to people how to self identify and set goald. This blog  summarises the topic rather well so I won't go into detail. But the gist of it is that if you want to be an investor you have to start with long term investments and learn the market from there. It could be fixed deposits and the like. Just ensure that you have a passive income from there. 

A great thing to invest in is property, keep in mind that you must own the said property, avoid unnecessary debts, unless you are absolutely sure that you will still be making a good passive turnover with rent. Allow leeway for a price change in the event of a fluctuating market, while maintaining a good profit. If the market flourishes, then you can increase prices. 

Next, you must understand that if a deal is too good to be true then that is often the case. If you see a property deal that is unusually cheap, learn the motives of the seller. Maybe there is a mall being closed down or there is a freeway being built right in front of the house that would devalue the property. Research is pivotal in all aspects of your financial journey.

So, the keyword for the B and I sections is passive income. If you can earn passive income that is more than your expenses and are able to maintain that income, you will probably survive barring a major change in the market. 

The thing about the Cashflow Quadrant is that you are not limited to just one section and especially not just one section at a time. Kiyosaki gave an interesting example of a doctor. The doctor may work in a general hospital (making him an E) while having private clients (making him an S), he may own a lab or a clinic where he hires other doctors to work for him (making him a B) and he may own many properties and stock (making him an I). So, you are not limited to either aspect of the quadrant, it is entirely up to you when it comes to how you want your income to arrive.

 Kiyosaki introduced a different concept of wealth that was rather foreign to me. He stated that wealth is not a measurement of money but how long you can survive without income. For example, if you need $1000 to survive a month and you have $10k in your bank account, you are able to survive for 10 months. If you can survive for the rest of your expected lifetime, then you are truly wealthy. 

But I think one of the most important lessons that Robert Kiyosaki taught was that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single baby step. Because it is  not just a single step like the traditional saying, it is a baby step. Just like in the human life cycle, you have to crawl first before you get to walk. If your legs aren't fully developed and you intend on running, you will fall and hurt yourself. So, to get into the financial game and let money talk, you have to take the first step but at the same time be patient with yourself and the market as you slowly build your financial empire. 

Therefore, good luck in your wishes to be wealthy and happy. Because, even if the love of money is the root of all evil, you are still going to be freaking rich and make your family happy. 

Purchase Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad: Cashflow Quadrant on Amazon 

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Last year, I attended a 12-week programme by Soroptimist International of Petaling Jaya (SIPJ) , called SEEED JobsForLife, initiated by Dato' Anusha Santhirasthipam. It was a great programme to help youth find their dream jobs and I learned a lot from the course. I would like to share some of the lessons I found useful in this blog post. Thank you SIPJ!

Whether applying for a job or a scholarship, you will have to admit that an interview is a part of your life whether you like it or not. Here are my top 10 tricks to help you survive your interview and hopefully score you that job you like. These tricks are not in any particular order.

#1 - Your Dress Code

You must dress to impress and by that I mean to impress positively. Wear something comfortable but smart and neat. Business attire is appropriate if you are applying for a corporate position. However, this depends on your job. Some companies may appreciate a more casual approach to the interview. Bottom line is don't show up in a singlet with a sideway cap on, unless you are joining a record company and even then, they would expect some professionalism from you. 

So, DO:

   

 DON'T: 

  

#2 - Your Phone

Just like in a cinema, turn off your phone. Unless there is an absolute emergency, you need to direct your immediate attention to your interviewer. Being distracted by your phone and , god forbid, answering your phone in the middle of an interview is a surefire way to not get the job. 

 

  

#3 - Friendly Conversation

Your interview actually begins not in the interview room itself. It begins the second you greet the receptionist. If your interviewer comes out and meets you, be alert and attentive. Don't be passed out on the waiting room chair. 

  

When you meet anyone in the room, keep a good smile on and talk casually. Find something like sports or the weather to talk about. However, don't talk out of your ass.  No one likes a noisy person who doesn't contribute but they like a sociable person as it shows that you can work with people. 

 #4 - Your Resume

I am not going to go into how to make a good resume now. This article is assuming that you already have a perfect resume on hand. 

Do: 

• Have a printed copy of your resume
• Make sure it isn't a crumpled mess
• Store it in a clear folder
• Make sure it is professional while standing out among others

Don't:

•  Put it in the back pocket of your pants
• Show your interviewer a soft copy using your phone
• Use colour unless you are applying for an artistic job
• Stuff it in your wallet
• Leave stains on it

 #5 - Eye Contact

Eye contact is very important as it is a sign of mutual respect and attention. However, constant eye contact make become creepy. So, instead of looking into their eyes and soul, look at their nose or the space in between the eyes. It becomes less offputting while maintaining the same effect of attentiveness and respect. 

#6 - Anticipate

Learn to anticipate questions that your potential employer may ask because fumbling on your answer may be a sign of lack of confidence. Here are some question to expect in an interview:

• Tell me about yourself?
• Learn how you identify yourself before you go to a company. 
• What is your greatest strength and weakness? 
• Learn what you can provide for the company.
• Why should the company hire you?
• Assess your skills and self worth.      
• How do you handle stress?
• Stress management is very important in any workplace to ensure you don't do anything impulsive that may destroy the company (applies especially when working in a bomb squad *kaboom*)

#7 - Be prepared 

It is important to be prepared for your interview. It isn't just a matter of being physically and mentally prepared but it is important to learn up on the company that you want. For example, you don't go up to Microsoft when you don't know the first thing about what the company does. A bad scenario would be when the employer asks you "Do you know what Microsoft is?" and you respond with "An edgy dessert chain?". Yeah, so don't be foolish, read up on your company. 

#8 - Hygiene


This could be a supplement to the above statement on dress code but I feel that hygiene is important enough to warrant its own slot on this list. Sometimes, people go to interviews and they smell like they lived out of a dumpster for the past few weeks. Even if that was the case, it would be recommended that you find a way to get a quick bath. If you don't own a bathroom, go to a local toilet and have a quick shower using the bidet. A clean worker is a hired worker.  
 

#9 - Be Confident but Humble

 Confidence is important but never be too overconfident. Sure, you may be able to beat 10 guys in a barfight but would you go around claiming that you can beat 20 only to be beaten when a group of 11 comes at you? Understand your own strengths and weaknesses but don't overestimate what you can do. Understand that employers will take full advantage of all your strengths upon hiring you, so if you over-exaggerate, you could ruin the company. So, if you are too good to be true, the odds of you being hired isn't as high. 

However, confidence itself is very important as you have to be able to show that you have the emotional strength and stress management skills to bring the company to new heights. 

And Finally... #10 - Breathe

 

Many problems arise from people who just don't breathe. You may talk to quickly. Jump around in conversation. And as your potential boss' face contorts into a confused glare, you would panic. This simple exercise would be good to do before your interview:

1. Inhale
2. Exhale
3. Inhale for 4 seconds
4. Hold for 4 seconds
5. Exhale for 4 seconds
6.  Repeat the above 4 times

 Now with these 10 tricks, you will be able to get your job! Good luck!

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Sean Wang 

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SPOILER WARNING: SPOILERS WILL BE REDACTED (HIGHLIGHT FOR SPOILER)

Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. That is what S.H.I.E.L.D stands for. But do you know what this series stands for? It is the glue that holds together the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). You want Bond? Got it! You want aliens? Got it! You want mutants? Eh, close enough. If you claim to be a fan of the MCU, you must not miss this show. Honestly, I did at first and even though there is no direct impact from the show onto the MCU, it helped make the entire universe expanded and fluid. When I said I fluid, I meant that there are now fewer gaps between each movie, especially the Captain America and Avengers franchise. Let me break this show down and hopefully by the end of it, you would enjoy this show with me. It is going 3 seasons strong but I am going to only review the 1st season mainly, so let's dive into it.

Premise

S.H.I.E.L.D. protects people from what they don't understand and protects what people don't understand from people. The revived Agent Coulson (previously suffering heartache due to Loki) now leads a team of dysfunctional yet effective members from various backgrounds in science and espionage to deal with high-level situations. Hijinks ensues. 

Plot

Without giving anything away, this is your standard weekly monster show with different challenges for the team to go through. Since this is the bridge between the Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier , certain elements are carried on such as HYDRA TAKING OVER SHIELD .  As the series progresses, the team would encounter more problems such as the rise of the inhumans and even a betrayal in the team..  

Characters

Agent Coulson is a favourite hailing from the big screen onto the small screen. He is a nostalgia fanatic, harboring old tech like a magpie. However, he sometimes doesn't just maintain it, he improves it like his flying car. Coulson is in charge of making clever one liners. Skye is an interesting character with a very mysterious past, the show would go into further details in the second season and it is too much to spoil here. 

My absolute favourite are Fitz-Simmons. They are the cutest little couple and the actors really work well off each other despite initially seeming like the comedic relief of the series. These two are extremely high functioning academics yet low functioning as socialites. Ugh, they are just so cute together. If smart is the new sexy, these two are the sex gods! These British babies need to be protected. (Sorry, went into fan mode there)

Ming-Na Wen, the voice of Mulan, plays Melinda May, the Cavalry, a complete badass. She is silent but deadly. Eventually, she warms up to the group and we learn more about her character. She is actually pretty sympathetic as you grow to love her.

Humour

Despite being mainly an action show, the humour is on point. If you enjoyed the Avenger's brand of humour, you would appreciate the sort of jokes pulled on this show. There is this joke where nah I'm not going to spoil it for you. Watch the damn show!  

TL;DR

If you are into Marvel, watch this show. If you like action, watch this show. I would recommend it to anyone. This show evolves as it ages, it learns from its mistakes, it improves. Season 3, so far, is one of the best seasons yet! I would rate this show 7.8/10

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 Sean Wang

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It seems that sugar and pies go hand in hand. Fret not, weary diabetics, because this pie is mostly sugar free. The only sugars are the natural sugars from the apples themselves.

Here's what you need:

6 cups Green Apples (Sliced)
2 pie crust/ puff pastry liners (You may make them youself if you have the time and means)
12 fluid ounces Apple Juice
3 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Now, the first thing you would like to do is to preheat the oven to 175 C. After doing that, while the oven is getting all nice and warm, whisk your corn starch, cinnamon and about 1/3 cup of apple juice into a sweet thick mixture. The key here is that the numbers don't really matter as long as your texture is not too thick and not too watery. You may add (or not) as much as you like and feel free to experiment.

Now, set that glorious mixture aside and start simmering your apples with all the remaining juice until it is nice and tender. This will probably take around 10 minutes. When everything is nice and soft, pour the mixture that you set aside into the pot and stir till the sauce is thick.

Remove from heat and spoon that baby into a nice pastry-lined pie plate. Seal it with another layer (You could do a little weave if you like) and make sure there are vents for steam to be released. You don't want a ex-pie-sion would you? (Sorry bad pun)

Bake your pie for 45 minutes or until the pie crust goes brown and serve it hot (or cold) with ice cream or whip cream.

Now, you've got yourself a nice pie recipe! Hope you can a-pie-se you ap-pie-tite. Sorry. Couldn't resist!

 

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know what else you'd want me to teach you how to make or let me know what else you want seen on this blog!

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The Big Short, more like the big shots. Am I right? This biographical movie about business and financial crises boasts a rather impressive cast which includes Christian Bale (The freaking Batman!) and Steve Carell (A not-so-bad comedian). Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling entered the fray as major characters too.

What kind of movie would attract these A-Listers? Especially, what kind of documentary-esque movie would attract such fame?

Well, The Big Short is a rather unique take on the financial crisis of '07-'08 where the housing market of America crashed and along with it, global economy. The premise alone wouldn't seem so promising if it weren't for the execution of the cast members and the writers involved.

Imagine Wolf of Wall Street humour if they focused it more on the crisis itself, rather the crisis that is Leonardo diCaprio. You've got The Big Short. Economical crises are extremely heavy subjects, so to be able to eloquently explain terms foreign to the fiscally apathetic, they got random yet useful celebrity cameos including Selena Gomez! The writers made the movie extremely lighthearted and digestable for those who have not picked up a paper and have not read the business section if they did. However, I would go for a second viewing to clear up some doubts because at some points, it was truly an information overload. However, the humour is entertaining enough that I wouldn't mind a second viewing.

There was also this heart wrenching back story for one of the characters who is an otherwise "prick" disillusioned by the system. I won't want to give up too much but it gets pretty sad. 

So, it was well written, funny and at some points heart wrenching, I must applaud the writers and directors behind this movie. The actors all played their roles really well (Christian Bale is a really good actor since I thought it was actually Jim Carrey the whole time he was on screen)

So, now we know it was a good movie but what did I take from it. Basically, our economy is boned. The problem is that banks can be bailed out by the government by using tax payers dollars which could cause many people to lose their jobs and houses while the top percentage remain living comfortably.

Knowing the problem, we should acknowledge a solution. Self-sustainability. If all economic systems fail, in order to survive, the best way is to be self sustainable. If you can muster up enough money right now, to buy a small patch of land, organic seeds, a water purification system and some solar panels, irregardless of the economic outcome of the outside world, you might survive. What is most important is that you have enough food, water and shelter to live. Hell, in a world without a functioning economic system, luxuries would be meaningless and any excess supplies you have would be worth a mighty barter.

Anyways, this movie was really good. I would recommend everyone who has any interest in current affairs, the economy and our future should watch it. 8.5/10



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Sean Wang

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