money guidance and how to get rich_240

_{A lot can be learned about a company or industry by asking some carefully}

_{chosen questions of carefully chosen people. In his 1958 masterpiece}

_{this practice, calling it "scuttlebutt":}

_{"Most people, particularly if they feel sure there is no}

_{danger of their being quoted, like to talk about the field}

_{of work in which they are engaged and will talk rather}

_{freely about their competitors. Go to five companies in an}

_{industry, ask each of them intelligent questions about the}

_{points of strength and weakness of the other four, and}

_{nine times out of 10 a surprisingly detailed and accurate}

_{picture of all five will emerge."}

_{Imagine you're considering investing in Ethan Allen Interiors. It might}

_{look good on paper, but you should still check out the scuttlebutt. If}

_{you're in an investment club, you can work in teams to gather information.}

_{Give Ethan Allen's Investor Relations department a call and}

_{ask some questions. Find out who the company's top competitors are.}

_{and see what information it can provide.}

_{Computers are bringing scuttlebutt to your desktop, as you can now}

_{access valuable industry information online. Head to a search engine}

_{can discover some wonderful resources, such as trade journals, trade}

_{associations, websites, and articles, all focused on the industry you're}

_{Someone who lives near an Ethan Allen factory might visit it late at}

_{night and on the weekend, to count cars in the parking lot and see if}

_{workers are toiling overtime. They might report on discussions with}

_{local employees and suppliers. You and others across the country can}

_{don trench coats and visit retail outlets, checking to see how many}

_{customers are placing orders and how successful the product mix appears}

_{to be. You can interview store workers, too. Assembled together,}

_{this information should be quite revealing.}

_{By mixing a careful reading of financial statements and scuttlebutt}

_{gathered from a variety of sources, you'll have a much better chance}

_{of beating the market. Keep up with scuttlebutt even after you buy}

_{and own shares of a company.}