Dan Eklund Rule of Thumb

A lot of money is tainted ... taint yours and taint mine.

J. Paul Getty Rule of Thumb

If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars.

Frank Hubbard Rule of Thumb

The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket!

VC Rule of Thumb

Setting a proper “Use of Funds” strategy is a balance between asking for enough money to enable the company to achieve some meaningful milestones and preserving the founder’s dilution ... for the first seed round of funding, don't sell any more than 15-20% of the company.

Russell Hubbard Rule of Thumb

Banks holding land or buildings as collateral can sell them and usually recoup about half their losses if the borrower files for bankruptcy protection.

The Fs Rule of Thumb

First funding from founders, family, friends, fanatics, ... and fools!

Woody Allen Rule of Thumb

Death should not be seen as the end, but as a very effective way to cut down expenses.

[Thank you, Dale Dauten]

Sam Stovall Rule of Thumb

Investors are typically making their decisions based on what the economy will look like in six to nine months.

Skilled Traders Rules of Thumb

Skilled traders find a strategy or market pattern that offers a high probability for success ... they make money by exploiting this edge over and over again.

Skilled traders never deviate from their methodology or “wing it”.

Skilled traders never enter a trade without an entry and exit strategy ... they know exactly when and where to cut their losses as well as taking profits.

Skilled traders never ever let a winning trade turn into a losing one ... the easiest way to ensure that this doesn’t happen is to place a protective stop at or a few ticks in the money once your position is up several points.

Skilled traders never hope, pray or wish that their stock would go up. They understand that when they are wrong they are wrong and the best thing to do is cut their losses short.

Skilled traders never trade with their emotions ... they don’t allow themselves to get caught up in the latest and greatest investment hype.

Skilled traders always have one goal in mind: To preserve their capital at all costs. They do this by never taking on too large of a position ... never use more than 5% of your funds on any one trade ... this way in the worst-case scenario the stock could drop to zero and your account would not be severely affected.

Skilled traders never get too greedy. There is an old saying that “Pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered” ... skilled traders don’t try to make one big trade that will turn them into instant millionaires ... they don’t try to hit home runs, instead they understand that it is better to keep hitting singles and making smaller consistent profits.

Skilled traders enter and exit trades swiftly and decisively.

Skilled traders listen to no one else’s opinion concerning the market or particular trade they are in.

Skilled traders are often contrarians. ... they will be buying when others are too scared to and sell when the crowd starts buying.

John Morton Rule of Thumb

For valuing a newspaper, multiply $2,000 by the average daily circulation over a week.

Janet Portman Rule of Thumb

Landlords lose about two months' rent at turnaround time, even if the unit doesn't stand vacant for long.

Bill Finley Rule of Thumb

In horse racing, the favorites win about 30% of the time.

Matts Larsson Rule of Thumb

In large-scale construction projects, the longer a decision is left unmade the greater the costs will be of incorporating it.

Yves Smith Rule of Thumb

In M&A, having another bidder in the mix will add 10% to the sales price ... that's why, unless there is a need for secrecy or speed, businesses for sale are shopped widely.

Ping Fu Rule of Thumb

Do not allow the business to run out of cash!

Ray Anderson Rule of Thumb

Treat other people's money as if it were your own!

Pamela Morrone Rule of Thumb

Work hard to get a big pool of investors so that if one drops out, you always have one waiting in the wings.

J. P. Morgan Rule of Thumb

They (markets) will fluctuate.

Stephen Lund Rule of Thumb

Out of every 10 venture capital deals, two will fail, six will continue to go along, and the other two deals are where you make your money.

Donald Lawson Rule of Thumb

You should not buy a home that cost you more per month that 20 to 25% of your take home pay.