AboutFinance Guy Expertise 1. All questions relating to finance
2. All practical aspects of mergers and acquisitions
3. Many general business questions
Experience Considerable experience in the area consisting of 25 years in both consumer and commercial finance and business management, including 15 years specializing in international Mergers and Acquisitions with over $100 billion in assets acquired
Education/Credentials Business administration undergrad
Wharton post grad in finance
Awards and Honors numerous corporate awards
Past/Present clients range from small enterprenurial companies to large multinationals
Expert: Finance Guy Date: 6/8/2008 Subject: Being a Financial Analyst?
Question Dear Ron,
How far can a person go in this world by being proficient in financial analysis? I am not but planned to be. Any suggestion? Thanks.
Answer Dear Chow.
Dennis kozlowski, remember him? Chairman and CEO of Tyco, International, a $100 billion market cap company at one time, well he was a mediocore financial analyst/accountant and he went to jail.
So just think of all the places that financial analytical training can get you...
I am uncomfortable giving career advice, for the one thing that educators and career counselors seem to forget is that the "best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" according to Robert Burns.
I tend to agree.
So much happens in the course of a lifetime...
But to get to specifics, a financial analysis education, like law, medicine, accounting, etc. are all good diciplines. Each can instruct in the basics of how to look at deals, and life in general.
Get good mentors, genuine mentors, not psychopaths that cling to the young for thrills, you WILL know the difference, and do so, early on, so that you can learn from their experience and mistakes.
And as you go, be on the lookout for your passion.
Tend to steer toward those opportunites that interest and excite you.
But alas, there is no substitute for hard work and diligence.
And as crass as it seems, showing up early and leaving late, especially in the early years.
Gold luck my friend.
We have left you (the young) a much more difficult world than we inherited.
