Ethan Willis - Prosper: Creating the Life You Really Want

It would be inaccurate to say that this book was written by any one person, or even by two. This book is a product of so many people giving us the benefit of their time and resources that it is impossible to thank everyone adequately.

With a few exceptions, weve changed the names of the students we discuss. Rebecca Miller, our case study in , is a composite of dozens of individual students Prosper coaches have worked with. We decided to build this case history around a composite character for two reasons. First, we did not want to compromise the privacy of any individual to the extent a case history of this detail would require. Second, coaching engagements are so highly individualized that the coaching ends up emphasizing one or more of the Six Prosperity Practices more than the others. We felt a case history based on a composite character would best fill the need for balance.

We also owe our gratitude to the many people who have read and re-read this book, offered comments, and voiced criticisms. Their suggestions helped make this book a reality.

Without a doubt, we could not have developed this book without our dedicated employees at Prosper. We have been inspired by their passion and drive to help people realize their true potential and live a better life. Together, we are working toward achieving true prosperity.

Wed especially like to thank the following individuals.

John Kador kept pushing us for the right words and the right idea to help us better communicate the concepts in this book; his skills in organization and vision are astounding. John was the perfect person to help us complete this project about prosperity because he lives it. Steve Piersantis editorial skills are unmatched in the publishing industry, and we deeply cherish his friendship. Without Steves guidance, this book would be twice as long and half as good.

We also value our association with the members of the remarkable Berrett-Koehler community, and we thank you all. Wed especially like to thank Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, Jaime Smith, Katie Sheehan, Kristen Frantz, David Marshall, Dianne Platner, Rick Wilson, Zoe Mackey, Mike Crowley, Bonnie Kaufman, Marina Cook, Cynthia Shannon, Catherine Lengronne, and Maria Jesus Aguilo. All of you acted as our brain trust, offering critical feedback and giving freely of yourselves. You are all an outstanding publishing crew to associate with.

At Prosper, we are especially grateful for the passion and dedication of Larissa Hommes, Jeff Kempton, Dane Ing, Kim Cannon, Jason Coulam, Aaron Peterson, Jade Koyle, Neal Jenks, and Michelle Zundel. Busy people all, they were with us every step of the way, from the books design stages to its final completion. Without their assistance, we would not have this book.

We would also like to thanks our mentors, friends, and other influencers in our lives who have helped shaped our lives for the better: Ken Blanchard, Vic Conant, Harvey Mackay, Kim Clark, Lynda Applegate, Cynthia Montgomery, Deepak Malhotra, Robert Allen, Tom Painter, Joe Vitale, Larry Benet, Alex Mandossian, Kevin Small, Kevin Hall, Ceasar Milder, Jose Fabricio, Mark Peterson, Chris Waters, Daniel McNairy, Neel Reddy, Vince Silva, Richard Andrews, Martha Lawrence, Paul Mix, Josh Christopherson, McKay Ercanbrack, Dave Greene, Steve Gross, Don Hutson, Cecily Markland, Brian Blair, Brandon Williams, Kevin Miyasaki, Justin Hyde, Clayton Christensen, Jay Abraham, Ned Hallowell, Jess Brown, Robin Bergstrom, Joe Soto, Joe Polish, Rudy Ruettiger, Paul Zane Pilzer, Mike Willbond, Robert Tingey, Devin Willis, Triton Willis, Damon Willis, Brent and Phelicia Hatch, Chloe Willis, Stan Sadowski, Farshad Fardad, and the Harvard OPM 39 group.

Ethan would like to thank his wonderful wife Ashley and their children Isabel, Ava, Gavin, Kate, and Ruby.

Randy would like to thank his wonderful wife Char and their beautiful daughters Grace, Halle, Jane, and Sadie.

Most of our success in life is because of their unconditional love and support. Were also grateful to our parents for their loving direction in life: the late Donald Willis, Karen Willis-Hollcraft and Dr. Richard Hollcraft, and Geedus and Joan Garn. Together weve had a wonderful journey, and together weve set a course for lasting prosperity.

We are a leading provider in the world of one-to-one personalized education and mentoring for entrepreneurship, career development, stock market investing, real estate investing, personal development, personal finance, and e-commerce.

Learn more at www.prospering.com .

Entrepreneurship. Core Lesson Topics include Develop Business Strategies, Conduct Market Research, Perform Marketing Activities, Manage the Numbers, Manage Customer Service, Perform Employee Administration, Perform Administrative Tasks, Manage Websites and Technology, and Manage Personal Development.

Career Development. Core Lesson Topics include Resume Strategies, Negotiation, Interviewing, Time Management, Multi-Tasking vs. Focus, Building Effective Teams, Business Communication, Goal-Setting, Diversity in the Workplace, Being Indispensable, Leadership, Being Customer-Oriented, Building Culture, Strategies for Career Success, and Raises and Promotions.

Stock Market Investing. Core Lesson Topics include Market Basics, Fundamental Analysis, Technical Analysis, Sector Rotation, Volatility, Exchange Traded Funds, Debit Spreads, and Credit Spreads.

Real Estate Investing. Core Lesson Topics include Building a Solid Foundation, Strategic Planning, Finding Potential Deals, Analyzing Your Opportunities, Making an Offer, Funding Your Deals, Managing Your Property Effectively, Protecting your Assets, and Preparing for Closing.

Personal Development. Core Lesson Topics include The Ultimate You, Passion, Your Development Framework, Visualizing and Mapping Out Your Success, Developing You and Your Relationships, Taking Inventory of Potential Skills, Leveraging Your Network, and Celebrating Success.

Personal Finance. Core Lesson Topics include Introduction to Financial Planning, Cash Flow Management, Credit Management, Debt Elimination, Vision and Goal Setting, Risk Management, Retirement Planning, and Estate Planning.

E-Commerce. Core Lesson Topics include Starting an Online Business, Business Planning and Product Sourcing, Developing Your Own Website, Website Differentiation Growth, Generating Targeted Traffic 101, Developing a Social Media Strategy, and Managing Business Finances.

Students enjoy access to our online Success Center, elective classes, course curriculum, graduate group coaching sessions, and the Prosper E-Library.

We live by the philosophy Your Life Is Your Business, Making It Prosper Is Ours. With a personal mentor, Prosper enables the individual to make the jump from learning to earning in a remarkable way. Weve helped over 75,000 individuals in over eighty countries find lasting prosperity through our programs.

We take pride in fulfilling our promises to our customers. Since our doors first opened in 1999, Prospers customer experience has yielded significant returns, both to our students and to our coaches. Recent graduates have awarded Prosper high marks in customer satisfaction. Weve also seen an average of more than 80 percent of our students graduate from our programs.

Before we partner with industry experts, we make sure they adhere to the highest ethical standards and conduct and that they are well recognized within their own industry. Our certified educational partners include Robert Allen, David Bach, Ken Blanchard, Adam Mesh, Harvey Mackay, Nightingale Conant, Donald Trump, John Assaraf, Jay Abraham, Joe Vitale, Stephen Cooper, Stephen Pierce, Andrew Daniels, Jason Lavigne, John Cummuta, and many others.