Banker-turned-'barista' predicts big things for gourmet coffee

Kouta-san, Thank you for sharing your courage on changing your life & career direction... it is very inspiring... i wish to have the same courage too...

i hope i can have the opportunity to taste your specialty coffee...

Gambate Kudasai !!!

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Banker-turned-'barista' predicts big things for gourmet coffee
By TETSUSHI KAJIMOTO - Staff writer


Kouta Matsuda's obsession with world food began in his childhood, when he traveled around the globe with his father, a trader.

Kouta Matsuda spells out the taste -- and profit -- in specialty coffee.
But the 32-year-old president, CEO and chief "barista" (a specialist in making gourmet coffee) of Tully's Coffee Japan Co. didn't fall in love with specialty coffee until a trip to Boston for a friend's wedding in 1995.

He was so impressed by the taste of specialty coffee that he resigned from Sanwa Bank in 1996 and decided to pursue a career in coffee. When Tom O'Keefe, Tully's founder, chairman and head barista, came to Tokyo later that year, Matsuda negotiated with him to obtain a franchise for the third-largest coffee shop chain in the U.S., which is based in Seattle.

Matsuda admits that he couldn't care less about the taste of coffee during his banking days.
"I used to drink coffee like smokers smoked cigarettes -- like at times when I was working on a report and could do with a little something to keep my mouth busy," he said in a recent interview.

"But now I can't drink canned or instant coffee."

Matsuda launched the affiliate firm in May 1998, about nine months after he set up a Tully's coffee shop in Tokyo's posh Ginza district, which proved a success.

With deflation now gripping the economy, some wonder why relatively expensive specialty coffee shop chains like Starbucks and Tully's are proving so popular.

But Matsuda firmly believes that business opportunities still exist in a dour economic environment as long as value is added to the product and a strong brand image is projected.
"The sheer taste and quality of the coffee make a difference after all," Matsuda said. "And many Japanese consumers have a subtle sense of taste and can distinguish one type of coffee from another by its aroma and appreciate high-quality coffee."

Matsuda believes businesses such as his will increase in popularity as Japanese people increasingly embrace their individuality. This is in stark contrast to their tendency to sway between polarized extremes, as was evident in consumer sentiment during and after the asset-inflated bubble economy years.

"During the bubble (years of the late 1980s), people were infatuated with big-name brands and anything expensive," Matsuda said, recalling his college senior year around 1990 when he didn't mind paying 800 yen to 900 yen for a cup of coffee while job-hunting.

"Then the bubble burst, and people suddenly leaped at coffee served for 150 yen to 180 yen," he said. "And now consumers have become more mature and are willing to spend a little extra money on what they consider worthwhile.

"Also, when businesspeople are forced to tighten their purse strings, they may feel a sense of luxury and relief in sipping a cup or two of specialty coffee, which costs about 100 yen more than some low-priced brands."

Despite an initial struggle to get the business off the ground, Matsuda said he has never been happier, pursuing his childhood dream to own his own business in the food industry.
What's more, the chain has now secured a foothold in the Tokyo metropolitan area with 34 outlets, and recently went public to facilitate further expansion.

The entrepreneur predicted, "This is just the beginning, since specialty coffee has only 1 percent of the overall coffee market share in Japan now."

The Japan Times: Sunday, Sept. 23, 2001(C)
All rights reserved

Source : http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/nn20010923b3.html

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why there is no recession in the world's leading Muslim economy By Terry Lacey

Following the election of US President-elect Barack Obama there is likely to be a slow recovery in confidence in the United States financial and banking system. A recession is unavoidable in the US and EU, but with only a downturn in developing countries. This crisis of confidence in the Western banking and financial system comes during the dying days of the most unpopular American presidency in living memory. Financial mismanagement and weak regulatory frameworks have devastated the US economy, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Two million Americans may lose their homes. Millions in the US and Europe will lose their jobs.

Yet the devastating legacy of the Bush presidency leaves open great opportunities for Indonesia, the Muslim world and the developing countries of the South.

Indonesia can play a key role in leading the Muslim world toward economic recovery, and help minimize the impact of global recession.

First, by managing its national economy to maintain growth, demand, imports and exports. The nominal Gross Domestic Product for 2009 is projected at $547 billion. Indonesia is already in the top 20 economies of the world.

Indonesia is currently overtaking Belgium and Sweden. It will soon overtake Turkey, the Netherlands and Austria as it enormous size, resources and population come into play. It is a strong candidate to join the top 10 economies in the world within two decades.

Second, by mobilizing investment for oil, gas, energy projects, biofuels, infrastructure (roads, railways, ports), manufacturing and retailing sectors. It needs over $40 billion for electricity alone, to finance an additional 40,000 MWe of power by 2025. Indonesia will become a nuclear power, and plans four power stations. Total foreign investment needed overall during the next 15 years exceeds $100 billion.

Investment is still coming from the US and EU (including Eastern Europe) but increasingly from the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China), and also from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries like Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and from Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states (including Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand). Investment is also coming in greater volume from the Gulf Arab states, Israel and South Africa.

Third, Indonesia can help lead Muslim economies by using its economic size and prestige as a member of the United Nations Security Council to join Brazil, Russia, India, China and Southern countries to bring about changes in policies and in the balance of power in world organizations dealing with trade, finance and development, especially the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organization (WTO).

Indonesia has major reservations about the IMF following its own experience in 1998. German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said that the world should not slip into creating a shadow world economic government run by an inner IMF council. Indonesia is also tired of being kept on the fringes in the WTO.

Asia and Southern countries want a new deal. Muslim countries collectively represent an increasingly important source of capital, while Western liquidity has partly dried up. Muslim economies represent important investment sources as well as investment destinations. The collective size of Muslim economies represents significant demand for Western goods and services, relatively unaffected by the recession in the West.

Indonesia can still deploy export credits, sovereign funds, Islamic finance and other non-traditional financial sources, such as environmental funds and carbon credits. Despite the global downturn Indonesia is still pulling in some bank finance.

A $140 million syndicated loan for Excelcomindo for telecommunications expansion was announced recently. Low-cost airline Lion Air is buying 12 Boeing 737 planes even though the required local cash contribution for the last four has risen to 30 percent. Lion Air will use its own cash to carry on expanding. St. Miguel Corp. of the Philippines is competing with a US-led consortium to clinch a $1.3 billion coal supply deal, to buy PT Bumi Resources from Bakri Brothers. There is money here and money coming in.

Standard and Poors is holding Indonesian credit ratings stable and its credit rating may even be raised. Singapore could slip into recession but Indonesia will not, and the reason is mostly sheer size plus improved financial and economic management.

Indonesia is in a key position as the largest Muslim country in the world with a population of 230 million and a land area of 1.9 million square kilometers.

The Indonesian Gross Domestic Product was $843.7 billion in terms of purchasing power and $432.9 billion in terms of official exchange rates in 2007. It has fixed foreign investment of $57.6 billion and holds $9 billion of investment in other countries. It has more than 3,500 millionaires holding over $100 million each, of whom 70 percent live in Jakarta.

Its current economic growth is 6.5 percent and may fall below 6 percent in 2009 due to reduced exports. Government will stimulate growth using the national budget which already reached $100 billion in 2008. Government is confident it can hold growth at 6 percent. The World Bank has set aside a $2 billion standby loan for 2009 only to be triggered if growth falls below 5.8 percent.

In 2007 Indonesian exports were $118 billion and imports $86 billion, a trade surplus of $32 billion, and foreign exchange reserves as of this month were $50 billion.

Indonesia has already lost some jobs in sectors like textiles. Some exports to the US and Europe fell in the fourth quarter. The stock market, government bonds and the national currency also fell in value during the global financial crash in the first week of October.

The government launched a securities buy-back program spearheaded by state-owned enterprises and defended the rupiah currency by intervening in the currency market via the Bank of Indonesia. The government also took steps to increase liquidity and focused on getting inflation under control and on maintaining growth.

The government has increased guarantees on personal deposits to 2 billion rupiahs ($190,000), which covers 100 percent of deposits for over 99.7 percent of 81 million bank accounts.

Indonesian banks are strong, with adequate reserves, low non-performing loans and almost no exposure to subprime losses. Only a small group of investors lost money on Lehman-related instruments purchased via international banks.

The Indonesian inflation rate is declining from a high of 12 percent to maybe 9 percent by January with reductions planned to between 9 percent and 7 percent for the rest of 2009. The bank rate is being stabilized at 9.5 percent after six months of consecutive rises. It will be held for a while and then reduced to 7.5 percent in 2009.

Indonesian bonds are recovering from their recent nose-dive and the stock market is stabilizing. Local economists say the stock market was over-valued and more normal values and returns will be restored as part of the local share trading cycle.

The government is now focusing on trying to mobilize its massive $115 billion dollar national budget for 2009, up from $100 billion in 2008, to push projects and overall spending forward and help substitute local demand for declines in exports, with every hope of keeping economic growth for 2009 at between 5.5 and 6.0 percent.

Despite the collapse of the Bank of Indonesia subsidiary Indover Bank in the Netherlands, there is no sovereign default. Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and the new central bank governor, Boediono, have taken a stand against previous mismanagement.

In contrast to the kid-glove treatment of failed bankers and financial managers in the West, who took imprudent and possibly illegal risks, the Indonesian government is directing the work of its Corruption Eradication Commission and Corruption Court against corrupt central bankers and parliamentarians who took bribes.

The Indonesian government also says it will pursue legally those who misused its name and dragged it into the Indover collapse, by implying there were sovereign guarantees backing Indover borrowing when there were none. It also intends to pursue allegations of short trading and fraudulent practices in the stock exchange.

Indonesia lost 10 years as a result of the 1998 banking crash when it put its fate in the hands of the IMF, which initially failed to understand local strengths and exaggerated local weaknesses. An historical photo shows President Suharto sitting at his desk, signing his own political death-warrant while the IMF representative stood over him, as he signed the IMF agreement.

A lot has changed between the Asian banking crash of 1998 and the Wall Street crash of 2008. The economic balance of power in the world has changed and the balance of global power has shifted to the South and East. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown recognized this when he urged the Gulf states and the G20 to help stabilize the world economy.

In the 1998 bank crash Indonesia had no freedom and no choice. This time in 2008 Indonesia has freedom and is stronger, and can chose to tread its own path. Hopefully its greater strength and determination will inspire Muslim and Southern countries not to panic in the face of recession in the West, but to work together to avoid the spread of recession to the South and to build and strengthen a new world economic order.

Terry Lacey is a development economist who writes from Jakarta, Indonesia, on modernization in the Muslim world, investment and trade relations with the European Union and Islamic banking. This article is published with permission from the author.

Source : http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=97616

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Time is All We Have: 3 Ways to Increase Return on Investment

"Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of."- Benjamin Franklin

Return on investment (ROI) is a term you hear frequently, usually in relation to business and finance. The goal (obviously) is to maximize return on the money you invest. The implications of this concept go much deeper when you start to think of time as your primary investment rather than money. Everything you do is an investment of time. When you watch television, you’re making an investment in entertainment. If you watch a show that sucks, you’ve made a bad investment and receive a poor return for your time.

In many ways time is more valuable than money. You’ll always have the opportunity to make more money, but once time has been spent it’s gone forever. When you think of time as a commodity, and all of your actions as investments, it changes the way you approach every day decisions.

We spend time in many different ways: working, eating, sleep, exercise, entertainment, etc. All of these things are important. When we start investing too heavily in one area and not enough in another we create problems for ourselves. The key is investing our time in a manner that perfectly balances each of these areas and forms a productive and pleasurable life.

Deciding how to invest our time is a formidable task. Unlike business, there are no percentages or spreadsheets to reference. We have to rely on experience and intuition. I’m far from a master at this, but these are a few principals I use to guide my decision making.

1. Look for Multiple Positives
A multiple positive is an activity that generates a positive return in more than one area. These are great for ROI because they multiply returns and incur fewer losses. One of my best multiple positives is working on this website. It’s something that I find extremely entertaining, it contributes to a small (but steadily growing) stream of income, and it develops skills that I’ll be able to use the rest of my life like writing, web design, and networking.

Every individual will have different multiple positives, the important part is finding ones that work for you. A multiple positive for a software developer might be working on open source or a personal project. It can even be as simple as playing basketball, a fun game that’s also great exercise. The key to finding multiple positives is finding areas where different positive actions intersect. If I can find a way to get paid to eat delicious food I’ll be golden.

2. Avoid Multiple Negatives
Multiple negatives are the same as multiple positives, except the complete opposite. These are activities that detract from multiple areas of life. One of my favorite weaknesses is going out drinking. This hurts me in three ways: the time spent isn’t productive, drinks are expensive, and the effect of staying up late and being hungover usually ruins the following day. If I don’t have a good time, this is basically the worst possible scenario.

I’m not saying you should never go out and have a good time. To be happy we need socialization and excitement. My point is that we should always try to minimize the negative impact of our actions. I try to do this by minimizing the amount I drink and only going out when I know it will be enjoyable. Often we get caught in a pattern of poor investment. Over time, the benefits fade away and what remains is mostly negative, but we keep doing it out of habit. This can be avoided by periodically analyzing our behavior. Is it still a good investment, or is it time to make a change?

3. Utilize the Power of Compounding
I’m sure that everyone reading this understands the power of compound interest. When you invest money you earn interest. Then you start earning interest on the money you earned from interest. Over many years this continues to compound and eventually leads to a very large sum of money. The same concept applies to time. If you invest time by working hard when you’re young, you put yourself in a position to succeed that will continue compounding for the rest of your life. If you waste time when you’re young, you can’t make up for it later because you’ve lost the opportunity to utilize the power compounding.

Many people my age fail realize this, in fact I didn’t, or at least I didn’t act on it, until fairly recently. The primary reason is that we’re trapped in the childish mindset. As a child, your only responsibility is entertaining yourself. You needn’t worry about investing your time because Mommy and Daddy are there to take care of you and they’re usually happy as long as you stay out of trouble. These days many young adults ride the childish mindset straight through college.

After graduation we’re expected to adopt the adult mindset (and the responsibility of investing our time) instantaneously. A lot of people don’t get it, and every year they waste trying to extend the college days is an opportunity that can never be replaced.

Many people think their time isn’t valuable when they aren’t working, so they throw it away on activities that have a poor return on investment and don’t build for the future. The truth is, no one else is going to consider your time valuable until you do. If you want to acquire the wealth that will provide the freedom to live your ideal lifestyle, start thinking of every decision as an investment. Nothing is insignificant.

One mental model that can help you make better decisions is imagining that your life is a corporation and you’re the only employee. If you were the CEO of John Doe Incorporated, and were obliged to maximize profit on behalf of investors, what would you make yourself do? You’ll find that this sort of analysis simplifies many decisions and increases return on investment.

Source : http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/time-is-all-we-have-3-ways-to-increase-return-on-investment/

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Are You Born to Be a Billionaire?

by Maureen Farrell, Forbes.com

Empire builders like Bill Gates and Sam Walton aren't just great businessmen. They are bona fide revolutionaries.

Self-made billionaires don't dominate industries--they transform them and spawn new ones. That takes more than intelligence, courage and luck. It takes divine-like vision.

Billionaire entrepreneurs are "not working within the confines of the current market," says Gerald Kraines, chief executive of the Levinson Institute, a business consulting firm in Jaffey, N.H. "They're anticipating things much further afield. You have to see spaces that no one else sees."

The world's self-made billionaires certainly have vision in spades, spanning everything from how computers work to how people shop. But the ability to see around corners isn't the only quality that separates the very accomplished from the stratospherically wealthy. To crack the $1 billion barrier, you need total, unwavering belief in your vision--and an immutable will to pull it off.

"[Billionaire entrepreneurs] need a deep passion and a point of view about the future," says Peter Skarzynski, chief executive of Strategos, a Chicago-based consulting firm that advises global companies, including Nokia and Whirlpool. "They fundamentally believe that they have a better way to solve a set of problems than how they're being solved now."

Billionaires also have a seemingly ravenous appetite for risk. It's hard enough for many of us to muster the courage to abandon our cubicles and start a small company, let alone build an empire. And while the risks pile up as businesses expand, billionaires have a confidence bordering on arrogance that checks their fear and doubt, says Skarzynski.

Are you a born billionaire? Before you tackle a serious growth strategy and all its attendant hassles, ask yourself some hard questions at the outset, says executive psychologist Debra Condren, who has worked with big names like 3M, Chevron and Hewlett-Packard.

The most important one: Why go big at all? Are you looking to cash out in a sale? Enamored of the thought of having your own stock ticker? Suffused with competitive desire? Whatever your reason, get a grip on it before you decide to kick your zealous pursuits into high gear.

Next, ask yourself if you are willing to make tough decisions for the growth of your company. If you have an intense loyalty to the small group who helped get things off the ground, understand that those folks may not be able to come along for the ride. If you're not comfortable supplanting (or firing) them, stay small.

For entrepreneurs who prize their independence, ask yourselves how much of it you're willing to give up. As the demands mount, both your schedule and decisions become less your own; worse, you may have investors and board members to appease.

"It becomes very hard for company founders to accept that they are no longer the real boss," says Carl Robinson, a psychologist who works primarily with growing, middle-market companies.

Like holding forth in public? You'd better, because companies of any significant size need a public face. Entrepreneurs who thrive on public performances--weekly meetings, shareholder gripe sessions, even television interviews--have an easier time than those who shun the spotlight.

"You need to have the ability to fill a room and inspire people," says Condren. If public speaking isn't your forté, but you're still hankering to grow, find a confident substitute who can sell your story.

Not only do you have to be able to communicate, you need a knack for building consensus. In most cases, the bigger your business, the more input you need from those around you--and that means being willing and able to marshal them to your cause. Have a my-way-or-the-highway mentality? Can your growth plans.

In the end, chasing billionaire status--and not crashing along the way--is as much about knowing who you are as it is about knowing how to nab new customers or manage inventory. Who knows? Maybe a modest $100 million might be a better fit.

Copyrighted, Forbes.com. All rights reserved.

Source : http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/104565/Are-You-Born-to-Be-a-Billionaire?

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Seven Forehead-Slapping Stock Blunders

by Glenn Curtis

Ignorance may be bliss, but not knowing why your stocks are failing and money is disappearing from your pockets is a long way from paradise. In this article, we'll uncover some of the more common investing faux pas, as well as provide you with suggestions on how to avoid them.

1. Ignoring Catalysts
The financial pundits, trade journals and business schools teach that proper valuation is the key to stock selection. This is only half of the picture because calculating P/E ratios and running cash flow spreadsheets can only show where a company is at a given point in time - it cannot tell us where it is heading.

Therefore, in addition to a quantitative evaluation of a company, you must also do a qualitative study so that you can determine which catalysts will drive earnings going forward.

Some good questions to ask yourself include:

* Is the company about to acquire a very profitable enterprise?
* Is a potential blockbuster product about to be launched?
* Are economies of scale being realized at the company's new plant and are margins about to rise dramatically?
* What will drive earnings and the stock price going forward?

2. Catching the Falling Knife
Investors love to buy companies on the cheap, but far too often, investors buy in before all of the bad news is out in the public domain, and/or before the stock stops its free fall. Remember, new lows in a company's share price often beget further new lows as investors see the shares dropping, become disheartened and then sell their shares. Waiting until the selling pressure has subsided is almost always your best bet to avoid getting cut on a falling knife stock. (To learn more, read How Investors Often Cause The Market's Problems.)

3. Failing to Consider Macroeconomic Variables
You have found a company you want to invest in. Its valuation is superior to that of its peers. It has several new products that are about to be launched, and sales could skyrocket. Even the insiders are buying the stock, which bolsters your confidence all the more.

But if you haven't considered the current macroeconomic conditions, such as unemployment and inflation, and how they might impact the sector you are invested in, you've made a fatal mistake!

Keep in mind that a retailer or electronics manufacturer is subject to a number of factors beyond its control that could adversely impact the share price. Things to consider are oil prices, labor costs, scarcity of raw materials, strikes, interest rate fluctuations and consumer spending. (For more on these factors, see Macroeconomic Analysis and Where Top Down Meets Bottom Up.)

4. Forgetting About Dilution
Be on the lookout for companies that are continuously issuing millions of shares and causing dilution, or those that have issued convertible debt. Convertible debt may be converted by the holder into common shares at a set price. Conversion will result in a lower value of holdings for existing shareholders

A better idea is to seek companies that are repurchasing stock and therefore reducing the number of shares outstanding. This process increases earnings per share (EPS) and it tells investors that the company feels that there is no better investment than their own company at the moment. (You can read more about buybacks in A Breakdown Of Stock Buybacks.)

5. Not Recognizing Seasonal Fluctuations
You can't fight the Fed. By that same token, you can't expect that your shares will appreciate even if the company's shares are widely traded in high volumes. The fact is that many companies (such as retailers) go through boom and bust cycles year in and year out. Luckily, these cycles are fairly predictable, so do yourself a favor and look at a five-year chart before buying shares in a company. Does the stock typically wane during a particular part of the year and then pick up during others? If so, consider timing your purchase or sale accordingly. (To learn more, see Capitalizing On Seasonal Effects.)

6. Missing Sector Trends
Some stocks do buck the larger trend; however, this behavior usually occurs because there is some huge catalyst that propels the stock either higher or lower. For the most part, companies trade in relative parity to their peers. This keeps their stock price movements within a trading band or range. Keep this in mind as you consider your entry/exit points in a stock.

Also, if you own stock in a semiconductor company (for example), understand that if other semiconductor companies are experiencing certain problems, your company will too. The same is true if the situation was reversed, and positive news hit the industry.

7. Avoiding Technical Trends
Many people shy away from technical analysis, but you don't have to be a chartist to be able to identify certain technical trends. A simple graph depicting 50-day and 200-day moving averages as well as daily closing prices can give investors a good picture of where a stock is headed. (To learn about this method, read the Basics Of Technical Analysis.)

Be wary of companies that trade and/or close below those averages. It usually means the shares will go lower. The same can be said to the upside. Also remember that as volume trails off, the stock price typically follows suit.

Lastly, look for general trends. Has the stock been under accumulation or distribution over the past year? In other words, is the price gradually moving up, or down? This is simple information that can be gleaned from a chart. It is truly surprising that most investors don't take advantage of these simple and accessible tools.

The Bottom line
There are a myriad of mistakes that investors can and do make. These are simply some of the more common ones. In any case, it pays to think about factors beyond what will propel the stock you own higher. A stock's past and expected performance in comparison to its peers, as well as its performance when subjected to economic conditions that may impact the company, are some other factors to consider.

To read about more investor follies, check out Seven Common Investor Mistakes, Learning From Others' Mistakes and Seven Common Financial Mistakes.

by Glenn Curtis, (Contact Author Biography)

Glenn Curtis started his career as an equity analyst at Cantone Research, a New Jersey-based regional brokerage firm. He has since worked as an equity analyst and a financial writer at a number of print/web publications and brokerage firms including Registered Representative Magazine, Advanced Trading Magazine, Worldlyinvestor.com, RealMoney.com, TheStreet.com and Prudential Securities. Curtis has also held Series 6,7,24 and 63 securities licenses.

Source : Forbes

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Nasehat Warren Buffett untuk Kaum Muda

Found this on Kompas Cyber Media, i thought that i could use all these advices someday...

Buffet has No Cellphone, No Credit Cards and No Personal Computer... gee... that must be a hard way on spending weekend... :p

Thanx to Zeverina for sharing...

JT

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Nasehat Warren Buffett untuk Kaum Muda

WES - Australia

Dear Zeverina & KoKiers

Email address ini hanya untuk Zeverina.

Baru-baru ini aku mendapat Email yang berjudul "Excellent presentation of Warren Buffett" yang setelah membacanya aku pikir baik maka langsung aku forward keberbagai handai taulan. Kemungkinan besar ada KoKiers yang juga mendapat kiriman Email serupa, kalau ada ya silahkan forward ke Email address Zeverina untuk bisa dimuat di KoKi. Atau barangkali Zeverina juga sudah menerimanya dari sumber lain ? Dalam Email tersebut diperlihatkan rumah kediaman dan mobil Warren Buffett.

Disini aku mau membagikannya untuk KoKiers yang sudah aku terjemahkan secara bebas dan aku komentari.

Ada beberapa aspek kehidupannya yang menarik, patut disimak, dijadikan bahan pertimbangan untuk diteladani serta dipraktekkan sepanjang sesuai dengan karakter dan sikon kalian. Different people have different financial requirement and personality.

Aku sering mengutip dan MEMUJI buah pikiran, kepribadian maupun langkah-langkah Warren Buffett serta terkadang menerapkan beberapa teorinya. TETAPI AKU TIDAK AKAN PERNAH MEMUJA WARREN BUFFETT ATAU SIAPAPUN MANUSIA DIDUNIA INI DAN MANUT ATAU MENJIPLAK HABIS "PERSON" YANG AKU PUJI-PUJI. Kalian pasti tahu bedanya "MEMUJI" dan "MEMUJA" !

INILAH 10 ASPEK GAYA HIDUP WARREN BUFFETT :

DORONG ANAK-ANAK ANDA UNTUK BERINVESTASI. Buffett membeli saham pertama ketika berusia 11 tahun dan dia menyesal mengapa memulainya agak terlambat padahal ketika itu harga saham-saham sangat murah. Komentarku : barangkali usia 11 tahun terlalu muda dan sepertinya sekarang ini menurut undang-undang anak-anak dibawah usia 18 tahun tak boleh menandatangani kontrak entah beli mobil, property, saham dsb. Entah di jaman-nya Buffett ?

DORONG ANAK-ANAK ANDA MULAI BERBISNIS. Seseorang dapat memulai banyak hal dengan sedikit uang tabungan. Buffett pada umur 14 tahun membeli sebuah pertanian kecil dengan uang tabungan hasil mengantarkan koran.

Komentarku : lihat nomor 1.

JANGAN MEMBELI SESUATU LEBIH DARIPADA YANG ANDA BETUL-BETUL BUTUHKAN, LALU DORONG ANAK-ANAKMU UNTUK MELAKUKAN HAL YANG SAMA ! Dia tinggal dirumah yang sama yang dibelinya sejak 50 tahun yang lampau ketika baru menikah. Rumah itu hanyalah rumah "kecil" dengan 3 kamar tidur, tetapi dia bilang dia memperoleh segala yang diperlukan dirumah itu. Rumahnya tidak berpagar.

Komentarku :

Buat apa punya rumah besar ada amusement park segala kayak Michael Jackson tetapi hati Jackson tidak happy dan selalu dirundung problem padahal kekayaan Jackson tidak ada apa-apanya dibandingkan Buffett ? Memang betul kita tidak perlu punya rumah kayak istana, tetapi kalau mampu ya apa salahnya beli yang lebih besar, lebih nyaman dan lebih aman (dipagari).

BERLAKULAH APA ADANYA (YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE) ! Dia menyetir sendiri mobilnya karena tidak punya supir atau pengawal pribadi. Komentarku : Buffett.....buffett........sederhana sih okay-okay saja, tetapi ya jangan kebangetan !

SENANTIASA BERPIKIR EKONOMIS ! Dia nyaris tidak pernah bepergian naik pesawat jet pribadi, padahal dia adalah pemilik perusahaan pesawat jet pribadi terbesar didunia. Komentarku : Ya benar-benar keterlaluan si Buffett ini.

REKRUT ORANG YANG TEPAT UNTUK JABATAN YANG TEPAT ! Perusahaan induknya Berkshire Hathaway menaungi 63 perusahaan besar. Dia hanya perlu menulis satu surat saja setiap tahunnya kepada para CEO perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut sekedar memberikan "goals" tahun itu. Dia tidak pernah menghadiri rapat atau memanggil mereka secara berkala.

Komentarku : No comment !

SODORKAN "GOALS"NYA DAN PASTIKAN MEREKA (CEO) MEMFOKUS DIRI ! Dia hanya menetapkan 2 aturan yaitu "Aturan pertama" : Jangan merugikan pemegang saham dan "Aturan kedua" : Jangan lupa Aturan pertama.

JANGAN SOK PAMER ! BERLAKU WAJAR SAJA DAN LAKUKAN APA YANG ANDA SUKAI ! Dia jarang bergaul pesta-pesta dikalangan atas (jet set). Sepulang kerja, dia langsung pulang kerumah nonton TV sambil mengunyah Popcorn.

Komentarku :

Ya memang bisnisnya dia sebagai investor di bursa saham tidak perlu sosialisasi begituan terkecuali dia mau lakukan "inside trading" yang melanggar hukum. Orang sekaliber dia buat apa bikin kotor tangan dan pakaian ? Aku pribadi pun (yang cuma kelas teri) semenjak retired hanya jadi investor, tidak terjun bisnis secara langsung lagi - maka ya membatasi diri untuk sosialisasi macam begitu. Wong tidak perlu approach-approach-an atau koneksi-koneksi-an. Sosialisasiku cukup yang santai-santai dengan keluarga dan sahabat-sahabat non-komersil saja.

BUFFETT JARANG BAWA CELL PHONE (HP) DAN DIMEJANYA TAK ADA KOMPUTER.

Komentarku :

Ah Buffett belum tahu ada "KoKi", belum kenal dia sama Zeverina dan KoKiers. Coba kalau dia sudah melongok ke "KoKi" pasti kecanduan.

BILL GATES MENJADI PENYANJUNG WARREN BUFFETT. Ketika Bill Gates yang saat itu jadi orang terkaya didunia, untuk pertama kalinya akan bertemu dengan Warren Buffett...............maka Bill Gates hanya menjadwalkan pertemuan itu 30 menit saja. Tetapi begitu Bill Gates mengobrol dengan Warren Buffett maka pertemuan itu jadi molor sampai 10 jam dan sejak itu Bill Gates tak sungkan-sungkan memuji dan menyanjung Warren Buffett. Komentarku : Baru tahu dia !

6 NASEHAT WARREN BUFFETT UNTUK KAUM MUDA :

Hindari pemakaian Kartu Kredit dan Pinjaman Bank !

Komentarku :

Kayaknya susah dijaman sekarang hidup tanpa Kartu Kredit, karena situasi dimana-mana menuju "cashless society" (masyarakat tanpa uang, semua serba Kartu dan Pin Number). Juga tanpa Pinjaman Bank, ya kapan bisa beli rumah dan berbisnis ? Mungkin maksudnya adalah "pembelanjaan yang terkontrol" dari Kartu Kredit meski diberi limit tinggi. Sedangkan Pinjaman Bank hanya digunakan untuk maksud produktif, bukan konsumtif.

UANG TIDAK MEMBUAT MANUSIA, MANUSIALAH YANG MEMBUAT UANG !

HIDUPLAH SEDERHANA DAN WAJAR MENURUT KEMAMPUAN KALIAN !

JANGAN LAKUKAN APA YANG ORANG LAIN KATAKAN - CUKUP DENGARKAN APA KATA MEREKA, TETAPI LAKUKANLAH SESUATU YANG KALIAN ANGGAP BAIK !
JANGAN MEMAKSAKAN PAKAI BARANG BERMEREK, PAKAILAH YANG NYAMAN DAN COCOK (COMFORTABLE) UNTUK KALIAN !

JANGAN BOROSKAN UANG ANDA UNTUK SESUATU YANG TAK PERLU, MELAINKAN GUNAKANLAH UNTUK SESUATU YANG BERGUNA UNTUK KALIAN DAN MASYARAKAT !

KESEMUANYA ADALAH KEHIDUPAN KALIAN MAKA MENGAPA KALIAN BIARKAN ORANG LAIN MENGATUR HIDUP KALIAN !

ORANG YANG BERBAHAGIA TIDAK PERLU MEMILIKI YANG TERBAIK SELURUHNYA - YANG TERUTAMA MEREKA MAMPU MENGHARGAI SETIAP HAL YANG MEREKA DAPATKAN DALAM PERJALANAN HIDUP MEREKA.

Regards

WES, Australia

Catatanku : Tidak semua gaya hidup dan nasehat Warren Buffett bisa dipraktekkan dan cocok untuk kita. Mengapa ? Kita bukan Warren Buffett ! Dia lahir, besar dan tinggal di USA, pusatnya keuangan dan bisnis dunia.

Ayahnya adalah local stockbroker di Wall Street. Warren adalah lulusan Columbia Business School dimana punya dosen-dosen jempolan (teori dan praktek) seperti Benjamin Graham & David Dodd yang juga adalah securities analyst. Dia juga tamatan Wharton Business School dan menjadi anggota Apha Sigma Phi Fraternity (suatu perkumpulan orang-orang berprestasi dibidang ilmu pengetahuan) dimana ayah dan para pamannya pun bergabung disitu. Salah satu mentornya John Maynard Keynes adalah pakar ekonomi terkenal didunia sekaligus seorang investor yang sukses.

Kehidupan pribadinya kelihatannya dari luar tak bercela dan anggota keluarganya tak pernah berkeluh kesah kepada siapapun - semuanya nampak baik-baik. Apakah mereka benar-benar berbahagia sejati ? Inilah yang aku berhasil mengintipnya : Isterinya (mantan penyanyi nightclub) Susan Thompson dinikahi tahun 1952 sampai meninggal karena stroke pada 29 Juli 2004, berarti pernikahan itu bertahan selama 52 tahun dan mereka berdua menghadiri berbagai pesta atau pertemuan sebagai suami isteri yang rukun. Susan juga tetap menjadi pemegang saham besar di perusahaan Berkshire Hathaway. Tetapi yang tidak diketahui orang kebanyakan adalah bahwa Susan sudah hidup berpisah dengan Warren sejak tahun 1977 setelah memberikan 3 orang anak dan Susan pindah ke San Francisco, sedangkan Warren tetap di Omaha.

Lucunya Susan memperkenalkan sahabatnya Astrid Menks (ex-waitress) untuk menemani (look after) dan hidup bersama Warren dirumahnya di Omaha. Susan dan Astrid tetap bersahabat. Kok bisa, ya ? Astrid hidup bersama dengan Warren sejak September 1978 tetapi baru dinikahi secara sah pada 30 Agustus 2006 setelah lewat 2 tahun Susan wafat. Sopan juga, ya ?

Anak-anak Buffett (dari Susan, isteri pertama) adalah Howard G. Buffett (photographer), Susie Buffett (homemaker) dan Peter Buffett (musician) tidak ada profesinya yang meng-copy jejak Warren Buffett meskipun sudah pasti mereka masing-masing diwarisi portfolio kepemilikan saham yang solid.

Apakah anak-anak ini berbahagia yang sejati ? Hanya mereka yang tahu, namun dari sorot dan raut wajah mereka ketika diwawancarai di TV aku punya firasat mereka agak "tertekan" juga perasaannya bukan saja karena mereka berada dibawah bayang-bayang kebesaran nama Buffett, melainkan juga sepertinya Warren yang kelihatannya sopan, santun, ramah, bijak dan pemurah itu terhadap anggota keluarganya pun bertindak dan bersikap seperti terhadap CEO-nya, kurang kasih sayang dan ketulusan. Manusia memang tidak ada yang sempurna.

Biarpun begitu Warren Buffett sepertinya enak diajak "kongkow" (ngobrol santai), pribadinya menarik dan kuat - banyak hal yang bisa dicontoh darinya. Aku juga kepingin bisa bertemu muka dengan muka dengannya. Sayangnya beberapa kali ikut kompetisi untuk memenangkan hadiah gratis bertemu dengan Warren Buffett di Rapat Tahunan Pemegang Saham Berkshire Hathaway di USA tak pernah dapat. Cara lain adalah membeli beberapa unit sahamnya maka pasti dikirimi undangan, tetapi ya .............itu yang bikin mules.............harga sahamnya per unit sekitar US $ 70,000 an. Mana tahan ? Iya kalau naik terus (bull), bagaimana kalau lagi turun terus (bearish).

Achirul kata :

Itulah sebabnya aku biar bagaimana "gandrungnya" dan "kesengsemnya" akan kepribadian atau kharisma seseorang pemimpin, terus terang tak sudi memujanya apalagi mengorbankan diri. Tak usah, ya ? Aku berharap kalian juga para KoKiers angkatan muda ! Jangan mau diperbodoh dijadikan "fanatik", "martir" atau "tumbal" !

Hidup ini indah, kalian harus bisa menikmatinya !

MODERATOR - Penanggungjawab: ZEVERINA

Pembaca "KOLOM KITA" (KoKi) entah di Bontang, Inggris, Bali, Belanda, New Jersey, Kuwait, Australia, atau di Kediri, silakan berbagi peristiwa seputar kehidupan sehari-hari. Kirimkan artikel dan foto melalui form "Kirim Artikel", jika mengalami kesulitan kirimkan melalui email: zeverina@kompas.co.id ; zeverina.koki@yahoo.co.id

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The Three "Bedrock" Ideas Behind Warren Buffett's Billions

The Three "Bedrock" Ideas Behind Warren Buffett's Billions

Posted By:Alex Crippen

Topics:Stock Market Investment Strategy Warren Buffett

Companies:Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

During his European tour last week, Warren Buffett held four news conferences in four days and answered a lot of questions.

While a few of his answers generated headlines, most did not.

There was, however, one answer in Madrid that stood out to me as I listened to all those questions and answers in a variety of languages.

It's not new, so it's not news. But this one, brief, answer is essential to understanding how Warren Buffett has been so incredibly successful with his investments over the decades.

Buffett was asked to name the most important lesson he learned from his mentor, Benjamin Graham.

Instead he listed three, using just 85 seconds to deftly describe the trio of "bedrock" ideas that have helped make him the world's richest man.

It all comes from this ....

Warren Buffett: The three most important lessons I learned were all from the same book, The Intelligent Investor. It was written first by (Benjamin) Graham in 1949. They appear in chapters 8 and chapters 20.

The first is, to look at stocks as pieces of businesses, not as little items on a chart that move around, not as ticker symbols, not as something that might split next week or next month or something of the sort. But, rather, to look at the business, value the business, divide by the shares outstanding, and decide whether you really want to own a piece of that business at that price.

The second one was his commentary about your attitude toward the stock market. That it is there to serve you rather than to instruct you, and he used the famous Mr. Market example of that. That attitude is fundamental to making money in stocks over time.

And the final item he talked about was margin of safety. When you buy a stock that you think is worth 10 dollars, you don't pay $9.95 for it, because you can't be that precise in estimating its value. So you leave a considerable margin of safety for both what you don't understand and for the vagueries of the future.

And those three ideas, which I learned when I was 19 years old, have been the bedrock of everything I've done since.

Current Berkshire price:

Berkshire Hathaway Inc US%3bBRK.A 127910.0 3940.00 +3.18% NYSE

Quote Chart News Profile

[US;BRK.A 127910.0 3940.00 (+3.18%) ]

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Strategi Melakukan Investasi

Ada banyak cara melakukan investasi. Tapi sebelumnya, ada beberapa hal yang perlu diperhatikan:

1. Pahami Kondisi Keuangan

Sebelum melakukan investasi, Anda harus benar-benar memahami kondisi keuangan pribadi. Bukan hanya kondisi keuangan saat ini, tapi juga kondisi keuangan, sumber penghasilan, jumlah tanggungan, dan gaya hidup Anda di masa depan. Kalkulasikan secermat mungkin, hingga Anda dapat menentukan besarnya dana yang bisa diinvestasikan.

2. Tujuan Investasi

Setelah mengetahui kondisi kocek pribadi, tentukan apa tujuan investasi Anda. Untuk menggandakan dana, untuk jaminan hari tua, atau sekedar menyimpan uang agar aman. Untuk tujuan hari tua, misalnya, investasi bisa diarahkan pada sebuah produk yang menghasilkan tingkat pengembalian yang lumayan dalam jangkan panjang, seperti dana pensiun atau deposito.

3. Sisa Waktu yang Dimiliki

Bila sudah menentukan tujuan investasi, Anda perlu memperhitungkan berapa lama investasi tersebut berjalan. Hal ini tentu harus disesuaikan dengan usia Anda saat ini. Jika sisa waktu terbatas, sebaiknya Anda memilih produk investasi yang lebih agresif.

4. Tingkat Risiko

Setiap jenis investasi mengandung risiko. Tapi hal itu sangat tergantung dari sisi mana Anda melihatnya, karena setiap orang mempunyai pandangan berbeda terhadap sebuah masalah. Oleh sebab itu, yakinkan Anda mengetahui batas-batas kemampuan diri.

Setelah memahami dan yakin akan itu semua, barulah Anda bisa menentukan sarana dan cara investasi yang tepat.

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Investasi Apa yang Cocok untuk Anda?

Ada banyak produk investasi yang baik dan menarik untuk diikuti. Tapi, produk apa yang benar-benar cocok untuk Anda?

Tabungan

• Tak terbatas waktu dan tempat. Anda bisa menyimpan uang dan mengambilnya kapan saja, dimana saja.
• Jumlah uang yang disimpan dijamin utuh, bahkan mendapat bunga.
• Jumlah penyertaan awal relatif kecil.
• Cocok untuk investasi harian atau jangka pendek

Deposito

• Relatif terbatas. Anda hanya bisa menyimpannya sekali untuk satu rekening dan hanya bisa mengambilnya pda waktu yang ditentukan.
• Jumlah uang yang disimpan dijamin utuh, bahkan mendapat bunga yang lebih tinggi.
• Jumlah penyertaan awal relatif lebih besar.
• Cocok untuk investasi jangka panjang atau dana pensiun.

Valuta Asing (Valas)

• Tak terbatas waktu dan tempat. Anda bisa membeli valas dan menjualnya kapan saja.
• Bisa disimpan dalam bentuk tabungan atau deposito dengan jaminan dana utuh dan bunga menarik.
• Memberi peluang mengeruk keuntungan yang lebih besar, bila dibeli ketika nilai rupiah rendah dan dijual ketika nilai rupiah tinggi.
• Nilainya cenderung berfluktuasi, karena RI menerapkan sistem devisa bebas.
• Cocok bagi yang ingin mencari keuntungan, dan yang berurusan dengan luar negeri.

Emas

• Tak terbatas waktu dan tempat. Anda bisa membeli dan menjualnya kapan saja.
• Bisa digunakan sebagai perhiasan (aksesori).
• Nilainya (harga) relatif stabil.
• Tak mendapat bunga walau disimpan bertahun-tahun.
• Beratnya (kadar) bisa menyusut karena gesekan.
• Tidak bisa digunakan sebagai alat transaksi sehari-hari.
• Cocok bagi yang berjiwa konvensional, atau yang nggan ke bank.

Properti (Tanah dan Bangunan)

• Bisa beli atau dijual kapan saja, tergantung kemampuan dana.
• Relatif aman, kecuali terjadi kebakaran atau bencana alam.
• Harga jualnya cenderung naik, terutama bila terjadi inflasi.
• Harus punya banyak uang untuk membelinya.
• Sulit dijual bila inflasi (dayabeli) menurun.
• Cocok bagi yang punya dana berlebih.

Saham

• Terbatas pada tempat (secara resmi). Harus dilakukan di Bursa Efek.
• Bisa dilakukan secara periodik atau cukup sekali.
• Memberi peluang mengeruk keuntungan yang sangat besar.
• Harganya berfluktuasi, tergantung sentimen pasar.
• Resiko tinggi, harus siap rugi besar.
• Cocok untuk yang berjiwa petualang.

Reksadana

• Gabungan antara tabungan, saham dan obligasi dengan risiko yang diminimalkan.
• Terbatas pada tempat (secara resmi). Harus dibeli atau dijual pada satu tempat.
• Bisa dilakukan secara periodik atau cukup sekali.
• Memberi peluang mengeruk keuntungan yang besar, meski tak sebesar bermain saham.
• Cocok bagi investor yang ingin mendapatkan hasil tinggi dengan resiko rendah

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