I have spent the day considering the question posed in this thread.
My answer will be presented in three posts, which I will submit starting with:
1)[font="] [/font]Why are you a member of this forum:
I think it is important to disclose what might be viewed as vested interests.
Followed by:
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What is DCT:
This will be a short (Not a book) description of what Dollar Cost Trading is and how it works.
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Suggested protocol for forum members.
Perhaps if forum members followed a guideline of what is acceptable / unacceptable practice, we might then avoid unpleasant situations.
Why am I a member of this forum:
First up I wish to disclose that I own various businesses that are involved with property, equities and planning.
Two of these businesses are:
Navra Financial Services - a Financial Planning business:
In order to be legally able to give advice to clients, one needs to have a Financial Planning license. NFS is one of the VERY few financial planning groups that will give direct advice about, and INCLUDE PROPERTY as a suggested medium of investment.
Navrainvest LTD:
Is a Funds Management business that offers clients the opportunity to invest in shares.
Formed at the request and behest of NFS clients so that we all have a safe and valid medium in which to invest in shares. This business is half owned by myself and my clients. (Many of who are forum members)
My reasons for being a member are as follows:
- I regard this forum as being the premier source of property investment knowledge in Australia. The information contained within the forum is superior to most all investment books I have read. I personally have learned heaps from this forum, and the most impressive thing about this resource is that it is interactive . . . meaning you can ask a question and almost immediately obtain your answer.
- One of my prime reasons for running the planning business is that it is my means of offering FREE EDUCATION about a subject that has been my life and passion since I was 16 years old. Contrary to some forum members’ belief, NFS is not a big profit generating business. In fact it runs at a financial loss each year! You might ask “Why I would operate a business at a loss?” The answer is simply that I hope each year that it will break even ; but in essence, I am fully financially independent with all the income required being generated from my investment assets. (I have been living off equity for many years now) I run the planning business as a ‘retirement hobby’. I love running the educational Structure Courses and this is the legal and compliant method to do this.
- I DO NOT use this forum as an advertisement for the planning business.
The planning business has in excess of 1,500 clients and all new business is self generated by referral from these satisfied clients.
- I offer free educational knowledge to forum members via some of the articles I post, as well as giving FREE EVENING talks to any of this FORUM’s investor groups, whenever they have asked me to do so. (SIG, BIG, MIG . . . have been to Perth and Adelaide by request from forum members there too) The knowledge I share freely on the forum, together with the talks to Forum groups means that it is NOT NECESSARY for forum members to attend my formal Structure Courses. (Which would cost them $176 per person) Most forum members are self-doers; they read investment books and articles, source their own assets etc. Yes some forum members have attended my courses and most of these who have attended have enlisted our help with their planning, but I wish to emphasize that LESS than 10% of course attendees come from the forum. (So suggestions of me generating huge profit from the forum is not true, nor is it the reason why I contribute to the forum.
- I DO USE THE FORUM:
The structure I advocate to my clients is of an ADVANCED STRUCTURE nature. Many clients come to me for help and they are very far from advanced or sophisticated investors. I therefore
use this forum as a basic educational tool by suggesting to this level of client investor that they acquire the Jan Somers books (Rich Dad, Poor Dad also) and that they
READ THIS FORUM. This forms their basic financial education; and they can learn and gain value in an interactive way.
This helps me as I do not have the time (or inclination) to offer “basic” educational courses. I have tried to help many people (Forum members) to get started, so that they could run ‘Basic Structure Courses’, but the compliance and licensing requirements rendered it too expensive and too difficult to do.
Thus, I USE the forum as a “basic educational tool” for all people who might be interested in investing.
I hope this full disclosure goes some way to satisfying other members about what my self interest and credible reason is for my participation.
I encourage other members to post why they choose to be members of this forum.
Regards,
Steve