The "Rest of the Story" on David Asman of Fox Business

David Asman of Fox Business, who was a guest on my program a few months back, spoke with passion about a terrible incident that happened when his wife and him were traveling to London, England. In his own words, from an article in the Wall Street Journal, he talks about being approached by an employee of the hotel they were staying at: "'Mr. Asman, could you come down to the gym? Your wife appears to be having a small problem.' In typical British understatement, this was the first word I received of my wife's stroke. We had arrived in London the night before for a two-week vacation. We spent the day sightseeing and were planning to go to the theater. I decided to take a nap, but my wife wanted to get in a workout in the hotel's gym before theater. Little did either of us know that a tiny blood clot had developed in her leg on the flight to London and was quietly working its way up to her heart. Her workout on the Stairmaster pumped the clot right through a too-porous wall in the heart on a direct path to the right side of her brain. Hurrying down to the gym, I suspected that whatever the 'small' problem was, we might still have time to make the play. Instead, our lives were about to change fundamentally, and we were both about to experience firsthand the inner workings of British health care." He goes on to make one of the most eloquent arguments I have heard about the horrors of socialized medicine.

What stayed with me in that interview was the amount of "heart" he had in this discussion about saving his wife. You hope every man or woman would have the same amount of passion in wanting to save his or her partner. In Asman it was awe aspiring. I understand more so why this is the case after learning the "rest of the story." A friend of mine, who knew how much I liked Asmen refereed to me an article from the Miami Hearald called "A Revolutionary Love Story."

It reads like an adventure novel with a romantic bent. In it, Asman describes his adventures as a journalist in Nicaragua in the dangerous days of the Communist Revolution. While there he is introduced to Marta Cecilia, a revolutionary herself who grew to find that the communists were merely offering another brand of totalitarianism. She quickly gave up her government job, which made her a threat to the new regime and even became a critic of the revolution. With people being arrested left and right for criticizing the government, it was clear Cecilia had to get out. During all this drama, Asman and Cecilia fell very much in love and an amazing story unfolded that resulted in their life together as a family with children in New York City today. The article reads like great fiction, but it is absolutely true. I'm only scratching the surface. I suggest you read the entire article yourself. To hear my interview with Asman, click here.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business, the longest running show on AM 650 (M-F at 11 am) in Houston, Texas and on AOL Radio. His articles often appear in Chicago Sun Times, Reuters, USA Today, and other national media. Steve Moore of the Wall Street Journal calls Price the “best business talk show host in the country.” Find out why and visit his blog at www.BizPlusBlog.com and his show site at www.PriceofBusiness.com. You can also find Price on Strategy Room at FoxNews.com.

Will CBS 60 minutes Get a Pass on the Oil Boom?

This past Sunday 60 Minutes (CBS) did an "expose" about the forces behind the explosive increase in oil prices. Unfortunately, they limited their discussion to mere oil speculation and missed several other factors that drove prices up. A few of them include:

• The rapid drop in the value of the dollar since 2001. There has been a 40 percent drop since that time. This alone would lead to an increase in fuel costs.
  
• People seem to forget that the wars in the Middle East are in the heart of where oil is produced. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that the possibility of disruption can lead to an increase prices.


• Since 2001 there has been a rapid increase in all commodities, not just oil. Some of those commodities have seen a bigger increase than oil. Is there collusion going on in all these industries or are there simply larger business pressures playing a role? 60 Minutes didn't even consider this possibility.
  
• 60 Minutes completely ignored the link between an expanding economy (which increased the demand for oil and therefore led to higher prices) and the recent recession (which has decreased demand and recently led to lower prices). This is something that would be covered in a high school economics class, but again ignored by 60 minutes.


• There was no mention in the dramatic change in geo-politics since September 11th, 2001, including the rise of al-Quada, the growing hostilities in the Middle East, the disdain of Hugo Chavez of Venezuela towards the US, and the Nigeria crisis that has led to a disruption of supplies. These are among the factors that 60 Minutes did not even consider.


• Then there is the rapid economic expansion of China and India that has only added to the demand on every commodity (as mentioned earlier), including oil. Again ignored by 60 minutes.


• High prices in fuel led to a dramatic decrease in travel in the US by several billions of miles. This has led to a decrease in demand and a decrease in prices. This further proves that there was more than mere speculation involved in the rise of fuel prices.

These are just a few of the things 60 Minutes didn't address. One can easily go on, unless you have an apparent agenda like CBS. So far, virtually everyone in the media has given the network a pass, with the rare exception of Eric Bolling at Fox Business. Currently he is one of the only serious financial journalists to address the poor reporting by CBS. Maybe most journalists simply didn't watch the CBS program or maybe they don't believe they should hold their fellow news journalists accountable. All I know, is that the news industry needs to be held to a higher standard.

Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media. Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

The Price of Business and the "Syndication Effect"

One of my objectives is to get the media that my company is developing in front of as many ears and eyes as possible. That is, after all, the purpose of media. The Price of Business Show is the longest running program on CNN 650, which is in the Houston market. Lately, I have been getting calls and emails from all over the country. Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania are just a few of the states that have been taking a part in the program (you will get an example by clicking the image above). Thanks to the Internet, the show may already be "syndicated." I like to call this phenomenon the "syndication effect." We are nationwide, even thought the program is broadcasted locally.

CNN 650 is a partner with AOL radio and as a result, many of my listeners are listening to my show in their car, on the bus, and at the restaurant on their Ipods. Furthermore, with the ease of finding our media through Google searches (with over 150,000 unique visitors each month) and our growing business media platform (including USBusinessDaily.com, ChicagoBusinessDaily.com, etc.), our reach is only expected to expand.

The syndication effect doesn't end with AOL radio. Rarely does a day go by that I don't see an article of mine from BizPlusBlog.com in Reuters.com, USAToday.com, ChicagoSunTimes.com, or other major media. Blog syndication services, such as Blogburst, is continually changing the way people get seen and heard.

A very popular concept these days is the effort to become "almost famous." With some solid and consistent content and strong efforts to get your information seen, it is easier than ever. Furthermore, with websites like ours enjoying visitors measured in the hundreds of thousands monthly, it is very feasible to be a player in media today.

Kevin Price articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Steve Stockman on the Radio

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the radio, Steve Stockman has his own show. The former Republican Congressman will be on every Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 PM on CNN 650.

I have known Steve for years. He and I were both members of Young Conservatives of Texas and I found myself on the front lines helping to fight for his reelection in 1996 when I hosted a radio show in the heart of his Congressional District. A fight he almost won in spite of the enormous amount of resources thrown at him by the Democratic Party that year (he was the number one Congressional target).

Stockman will bring an unusual amount of honesty and experience to the radio, especially for a former Congressman. And he won't have any problem telling listeners the way he feels about today's political issues. He will easily speak his mind. Knowing Steve, this is a mere first step for something bigger, it will be interesting to see how his program goes.

Until Stockman, I have been one of the few political voices on CNN 650. Sure, there are others on the station with opinions, but few seem very passionate. I think Steve is an excellent added voice.

Hear a recent interview between Steve Stockman and Kevin Price here.

For a copy of the free audio program and free report, "Why Your Marketing Isn't Working," email Info@HoustonBusinessShow.com and put "marketing" in the subject line.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

On the Show: Charles Payne Tackles Poverty

Charles Payne of Wall Street Strategies (and of Fox News and Fox Business) was recently on the Houston Business Show discussing the problem of poverty facing many minorities today. Charles brings a unique perspective on the subject since he has faced both poverty as a young boy raised by a single parent and wealth because of his entrepreneurial success as an adult. As a result of his up bringing, Charles takes a some what contrarian view of poverty.

Conventional wisdom is that poor people should be given hand outs and that the poor should be treated as victims rather than as people merely seeking opportunity. Conventional wisdom fails to understand that the more you subsidize something, the more you get of it. Subsidizing poverty generates more of it.

Payne says that a big part of the poverty problem as that the focus is on the wrong thing. We don't need a "Poverty Czar" as advocated by many liberal leaders, but a "Wealth Czar" who points people away from poverty. We need to tackle the real causes of poverty in this country -- excessive taxation on wealth creation that prevents many businesses and opportunities to be created, excessive regulation that deters business growth, and licensure laws that inhibit people from entering the market place.

I love Charles' insights and he is one of my favorite contributors to the Houston Business Show. Listen to this informative two part interview here and here to understand America's poverty problems from someone who has experienced them.

For a copy of the free report, "Why Your Marketing Isn't Working," email Info@HoustonBusinessShow.com and put "marketing" in the subject line.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

On the Show: Raising Entrepreneurs

On a recent Houston Business Show I interviewed Troy Dunn, author of the best selling book, Young Bucks. This book is excellent and a must read for parents every where. Furthermore, Troy was an engaging guest. There are numerous reasons why I love the book. It is an easy read and are easily equally easy to apply. Here are a few excellent pointers.

Three Myths About Kids and Money

* A college education is key to success. I'm a big fan of formal education and credit being the first in my family to graduate as a great accomplishment. However, it isn't a guarantee for business accomplishment and often inhibits success by distorting a person's view of failure. Failure isn't disaster (like a "F" in school), but an indication that one should do things differently.

* A job with a good corporation will secure your financial future. This is one of the biggest myths of all. The more you make in such corporations, the more limited your expertise tends to be, and the more vulnerable you are to being displaced. Owning one's financial future is the best plan by working towards owning a business or becoming investors.

* Children should not have to "worry" about when they are young. There is plenty of time to worry about finances when they are adults. This may be the single most important issue that must be addressed. Demystifying money early and empowering your children to take hold of their financial future early are crucial in raising successful adults.

There is much more information, including a list of more than 50 businesses that a young person can start and strategies on getting them going, that makes this book a must read. The book is empowering and the difference it will make in a child's life and the life of the parents is huge. If you order the book through my bookstore, you will get it for less than $15. It may be the best money you spend on your children.

Hear the entirety of that interview here:

Part I: Troy Dunn, best selling author of Young Bucks

Part II: More with Troy Dunn, best selling author of Young Bucks

Part III: Host Kevin Price and Troy Dunn

Troy is a great interview and guest and his book is must reading.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Sneak Peek of This Week's Show

I'm not much for brash commercialism in this blog, but there are several guests coming up this week on the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) that you might want to be aware of.




On Tuesday, Floyd Brown, who is a nationally known economist and Washington, DC political consultant will discuss why McCain will likely be our next President. Sound improbable? The current Democrat opponents are actually perfect competition for the Arizona Senator, according to Brown.


Also on Tuesday, Troy Dunn, author of Young Bucks (a phenomenal book on raising successful kids), will be on to discuss his unique philosophy on building future business leaders. I receive many more books than I could ever read from potential guests, but Troy's book is must reading and you can order it here. You can either raise financially successful adults or perennially dependent adult children. This book can help you in pointing your child in the right direction.


Jonathan Hoenig of Capitalist Pig and Charles Payne of Wall Street Strategies, two regulars from Fox Business and Fox News, will both be on Wednesday to discuss what is going on in the volatile stock market. They always provide great answers to the complex business environment of today. Hear recent interviews by Jonathan and Charles from the Houston Business Show archive.


Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

On the Show: Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal

Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal is an old friend of mine whom I have known for 20 years. When I first met him, he was with the Heritage Foundation and I was working with the National Center for Public Policy Research.

Over the years he wrote a book for an organization I was the President of, led the charge in getting a book I wrote (Empowerment to the People) excellent attention on the political landscape, and we have worked together on many endeavors. Stephen got Congressman Dick Armey (than House Republican Leader) to write an endorsement of my book and got a copy of it with Armey's recommendation, in the hands of every Republican Member of Congress.

He has been a frequent guest on my show(s) over the years. Not because of his relationship, but because he has one of the finest minds in economics today. He's sharp. optimistic, and passionate. You can get an example of his brilliance in the excerpt from an interview with him here on a recent Houston Business Show. Also, you can hear him tomorrow at 11 AM on the Houston Business Show.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

On the Show: Neil Bush on His Unique Family and More

For a short time the Houston Business Show was at 7 AM and called "The Houston Business Hour." Fortunately for me, both the name and the time have changed. However, I did enjoy the opportunity to do a number of important and interesting interviews. One of my favorites was with Neil Bush, the younger brother of President George Bush and son of Bush 41.

What I enjoyed most about the interview is that Bush was an extremely "average" guy. He could be someone I would enjoy coffee with (and in fact have), go play golf, or simply hang out together. His up bringing and mine couldn't be more different. He came from a political dynasty that is one of the most famous in US history. Virtually everyone in his family went to and graduated from some of the nation's most prestigious universities and often got multiple degrees. I came from a very blue collar home with parents who simply hoped that each of their children would finish high school. I became the first in my family on either side to actually graduate from college. In my home, it was some what easy to be an over achiever and in his home, that was a virtual impossibility.

But again, he was a great guy and one of the most enjoyable interviews I have ever had. For those who missed it, I am displaying the first of the segments. Check them out and enjoy them. For those heard the show before, see the video. I hope you enjoy it as much I did. See all of my interviews with Neil Bush here. The program was produced and directed by Marketing Dynamics and Andy Valadez.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Welcome to Extreme Networking

No one doubts the value of networking and the radio show demonstrated how to take this concept to new heights. Earlier this week we did a remote at the 1308 Cantina in Houston, which brought over 100 guests to this exciting event.

Doing events such as this is fairly common. People standing around the media personality and doing a little meeting and greeting. For the price of some of the finest Mexican food in town, it is a great event in and of itself. This was so much more than that.

Andy Valadez of Marketing Dynamics and I have been working extensively on the importance of the convergence of media in building a business. That is why the Houston business Media Group includes a radio show (The Houston Business Show, M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650), an ezine (the Houston Business Review), television (Movers and Shakers on Phonoscope), and other media. We brought many of these elements to El Tiempo.

So the large crowd came for great food and exchange cards, but instead received so much more. Many did short interviews on the radio show where they gave their message to thousands online and on the radio. We are talking about twenty such guests. Others still were interviewed via video and will be promoted in my ezine and on the radio (like I did of the interview with Jessica Colon of Young Republicans and Fox News). Others are being promoted at the What's New Page at Houston Business Show What's New Page and the Houston Business Review. Many will put the audio and video on their website, creating a level of credibility that is hard to come by and long term exposure that is simply hard to come by. I don't know what you call this approach to business development, but I call it Extreme Networking.

The feedback about the event was overwhelmingly positive. People enjoyed great food and fun. More importantly, many of them were able to redefine networking by getting their message out directly to thousands and over a much longer of period of time. We are excited about making a difference in the way people network.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

What are the Five Worst Credit Card Companies?

According to Calvin Brown (of Credit Restore, Inc.), Houston Business Show Advisor on Credit Strategies, you are going to recognize them immediately.

On Friday's Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650), I interviewed our new Houston Business Show Advisor and Calvin pointed out the five worst credit card companies.
Here’s a quick run down of the five companies that have a reputation of destroying a client’s credit and even their financial reputations:

* Bank of America. The largest bank of America has a terrible reputation at damaging one's economy. The purchase of a smaller credit firm has weakened the economic structures of the larger company.

* Discover Financial. One of the hardest cards to get is one that you might want the least.

* Capital One. In spite the nifty commercials that position themselves as the savior of credit card users, they have a reputation of worsening one's credit situation.

* World Financial Network National Bank (WFNNB). You don't know this company because they underwrite the credit efforts of many other firms. But when you get something financed, they might be the ones underwriting it.

* Washington Mutual/Providian. Another company that has suffered from the practices of its acquisitions.

These companies’ are all noted for being unforgiving, rude customer service, overextending credit, and weak ID theft controls.

Calvin went into detail on these companies and has developed a report that he is making available upon request plus five others. For that list of the top ten and details why they were chosen, ask for a report at Info@HoustonBusinessShow.com.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show, M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650.

John Lucas: Legend On and Off the Court

Basketball great John Lucas was on the Houston Business Hour with Allen Robinson and myself today on CNN 650 (M-F at 7 AM). It was a fascinating interview which included a candid conversation about his struggle with drugs and an even more open look at what is going on in the business side of sports.

On today's show John discussed:

* How he found himself struggling with drug and alcohol addiction

* How high profile athletes stay in major cities and how that affects league parity

* The struggles young athletes have transitioning from high school and college to the pros

* Insight into the way salary caps work in the NBA and more

Check out the entire video at you tube by clicking here.

Film footage provided by Andy Valadez of Marketing Dynamics.

Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

Neil Bush on the Houston Business Hour

He's introduced as "the President's brother," or the "former President's son", or the "former First Lady's favorite son" (as he like to put it) but I will merely call him Neil. Neil Bush was a guest on the Houston Business Hour yesterday (M-F at 7 AM on CNN 650). He has this unique ability of making a person feel like they have known them for years. He's friendly, like a next door neighbor. He's intuitive and seems like he has solid business sense. He provided one of my favorite interviews in years.

Andy Valadez of Marketing Dynamics and a regular contributor to my program and website video taped the interview and you can see it in its entirety at YouTube.

Neil's company, Ignite Learning, seems to be very cutting edge and provided a great subject for today's program. Instead of being redundant by saying what the interview was about, let me encourage you to watch it instead.

Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

Dave Ramsey on Fox Business

My search for Fox Business is over! I found it on channel 359 on Direct TV (for others who have that service, but don't know where the channel can be found). I found the station to be very fresh, similar to its sister station, Fox News.

One of the things that always concern me about business programming is that such networks often disregard business beyond Wall Street. It is too early to see how Fox will be (unfortunately, I had to work much of the day and didn't get to watch every minute of it), but I was please to see the direction it appears to be going.

In particular, I was delighted to see the Dave Ramsey television show on Fox Business. Dave is an old friend who has been a guest on my own show back when he too was on AM 650 locally. Dave does an excellent job of addressing the "rubber meets the road" issues when it comes to personal finances. Most of our personal dollars are saved and spent on Main Street, rather than Wall Street and he provides great advise in that arena.

I know it is early, but I'm pleased to see the good things going on at the new Fox Business Network.

Note: Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

I Felt Like the Media Elite

I have been doing talk radio for decades, including national shows, but rarely do I feel like "the media elite." I admit, the new time and five days a week is great in terms of size of audience (on CNN 650), but starting a show at 7 AM feels more like day labor (except at night because it is still dark).

Well on Tuesday, Mark Pantak got word that some Houston Texan cheerleaders and Houston Rocket Power Dancers were going to be at the Sports Radio 610 morning show with Andre Ware and company. There program is right across the hall from mine. Now on Wednesday when Allen Robinson and I got there to do the Sports Business Edition, I noticed Marc Vandermeer and Andre Ware were looking unusually sharp. Sure enough, right after the show, a crowd of lovely ladies filled their studio.

This morning I had to harass them a little bit, since they looked much more casual today (especially Andre, who was wearing shorts, t-shirt, and a tennis visor). They assured me it was "because of the TV cameras there for the event." Surrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre.

Any way, as I left the studio and saw this group, I thought it was nice to be a part of the so-called "media elite." But then I realized, I was in the wrong studio.

Want the best in business news and information? Subscribe to the Houston Business Review at HoustonBusiness.com.

On Going Daily

It has been ten years since I have done a daily radio show and the first time ever that I have done such during drive time in Houston. But Monday is my first day to host the new Houston Business Hour, 7 AM on CNN 650.

7 AM as "drive time." That's an interesting concept for a night owl like me. 7 AM would normally be drive time if:

* My wife was pregnant and she decided to deliver.

* My house was on fire and I needed some where else to stay.

* If I were on vacation and had left late in the night to get a great deal of time in while my kids are sleeping (like I did last week when we went to Orlando under the false notion that driving together was "good family time").

Now, every day, Monday through Friday I should already be in the studio at 7 AM! This will take some adjustments. I decided to start my own business in order to avoid such obscene hours. As I said, it will take adjustment.

However, to reach a larger audience and to do it daily, I'm delighted for the opportunity.

A Blogging Success Story

Many journalists, talk show hosts, and others in the media subscribe to Google Alerts in order to keep informed on specific issues (this is a great free, tool that I strongly recommend). I have several, including one called "Houston Real Estate" which I use to prepare for the Houston Home Show I host with Mark Jeffrey of UBuildIt (Friday at 1 PM on CNN 650). Recently I received an alert that included a blog post that discussed Houston's booming economy and how that should contribute to continued growth in Real Estate in the future.

That post was written by Rose Stabler (photo at left, a local business broker), who ironically just decided to start a blog in the last few weeks. It was an excellent piece and clearly shows that Houstonians can expect this economy to continue to grow, that unemployment should be well below the national average, and that housing should continue to improve for investment and other purposes. I asked her to be on today's show and she did a fine job pointing to the reasons for continued optimism. Her interview will be available online at the Houston Business Review (I suggest getting a free subscription to it by clicking here so you can be kept up to date on all our media). I encourage sharing that segment of the show with others who wonder about the future of Houston's economy.

I'm not suggesting that if you start a blog you will be on the radio speaking to thousands in a few weeks. I do believe, however, that starting a blog can differentiate you as an expert (something Rose is doing very well in her blog), can attract attention from those who can help your business, and can provide discipline to help you become better at what you do. For those of you who spend hours reading blogs, but debate whether or not you should get in, the water is great.

If We Don't Learn Anything Else From Anna Nicole Smith...

Immediately after I finished my radio show (the Houston Business Show, Monday at 1 PM on CNN 650), I realized that I hadn't heard any news on Anna Nicole Smith. There really shouldn't be much more to be said about the poor girl since she has now been dead a couple of weeks, but big news she is and doesn't appear to be leaving the media radar screen any time soon.

The poor woman couldn't seem to live her life with much dignity and her death seems to be even more embarrassing. What is center piece in all of these legal disputes and battles is knowing what she wanted if she died. She seriously failed to provide much information in the most common means people use to do so, which is a will. It appears she had one, but it was very old and out of date. It no longer reflected her current situation (leaving everything to a son who passed away) and created more questions than answers.

As a result, Anna's body remains on ice as they determine her future. An unlimited number of court cases are involved and if there is an estate left, her baby (and the people who "win" her) may find themselves without a penny because of it being consumed in probate.

So, in the end, it is difficult to ascertain much value in terms of wisdom from the life of Anna Nicole Smith, in my opinion. Instead of learning from examples of what she did do, we have to garner some opposite information in what she didn't do. Her failure to keep an up to date will should teach us all the importance to keeping ours current.

A will prevents families speculating what you really wanted, how you wanted your resources spent, what future plans you have for your children, and what you desired for your company. A will has people working in unison to fulfill your life dreams and remaining a family after you pass away. A will keeps more of your resources with your family and not liberally given to the government in taxes and legal disputes.

On today's show I interviewed Shahara Wright of the Wright Law Firm, who is our Business Show Advisor on Business Law. She discussed the importance of a will, how easy it is to express your wishes to your loved ones, and the need to make sure it is current on a periodic basis. People seem to behave that a will is something merely done for oneself. The reality it is done for your loved ones and it plays a significant role in making sure they stay loved ones after you leave. Contact your attorney about your will. If you don't have one, I can confidently suggest Shahara. Doing such could help you avoid some of the tragedies that Anna Nicole has faced.

Bruce Kaufmann on "Making Your List and Checking it Twice"

Corporate Financial Management Expert Bruce Kaufmann has a new article and podcast at the Houston Business Show website. Bruce is doing an excellent job of bringing quality business radio programming to our website on a weekly basis. We are going to be adding new programming to the show virtually every week and over time this site will be a radio station of its own.

The following is an excerpt from Bruce's latest article (How are You Doing - The Financial 14 Checklist; follow the link to finish the article and to hear the podcast):

Financial management is about your performance, the results you produce, and the numbers you use to quantify your activities. As the financial manager of your company—whether you are the CEO, the CFO, the VP-Finance or Treasurer—you are going to interact with all other areas of the business: operations, personnel, marketing, production, and administration. You will play a key role in setting goals and measuring progress towards achieving those goals. If the company fails to meet its corporate objectives, you...

Bruce is one of the many reasons why the Houston Business Show is an excellent source -- 24 hours a day/7 days a week -- for quality business news and information. To receive a weekly email of updated articles and podcasts, subscribe to the free Houston Business Review e-zine by clicking here.

New Website Supports the Houston Business Show

I'm proud to announce the creation of a new website, being launched today, supporting the Houston Business Show (Monday at 1 PM on CNN 650). Called HoustonBusinessShow.com, this website is more that the typical page devoted to advertisers and show promotion. Rather, it is a radio program of its own, entirely online.

The Houston Business Show, Monday at 1 PM on CNN 650 is the longest running program on that station. Although the show covers a great deal of information one hour each week, it is really only scratching the surface. Our new podcasts will regularly add hours of new programs, on numerous business and lifestyle related topics, that will keep listeners informed. Over time there will be new podcasts added daily and it will operate like a radio station of its own.

Spend some time at the site and visit our newest personalities -- Bruce Kaufmann (Kaufmann Capital, expert on corporate financial management), Noel Halgreen (life style editor with Sona Med Spa), Cathy Stucker (Content for marketing expert), and more. The best way to keep up to date of the changes that are being made is to subscribe to the Houston Business Review newsletter at HoustonBusiness.com.

We hope you enjoy it and if you would like to learn how to participate as an expert, contact us at kj_hbr@sbcglobal.net. This website will be creating numerous opportunities to get their business message to larger audiences.