The Cult of the CEO

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The picture on the cover of the magazine is easy to imagine. CEO Mr. X -- the genius at the top of a massively powerful publicly traded corporate empire -- has a plan to make the impossible possible. He will innovate, motivate, execute, re-invent, and win the game. He's got the whole package -- brains, pedigree, track record, bold management philosophies, and charisma to boot. And here's the best part: if you invest in his company, his success will be yours, too.

The first step in successfully transitioning from being a gambler to a smart investor is to trash this ridiculous notion. The best person to invest your money with is you. What you've got is at least as powerful as that CEO -- a dedication to succeed and the skill or the will to find the opportunities that will lead to success. If you want to back a horse, don't rely on the two-dimensional magazine portrait. Just take a look at the face in the mirror.

In this blog, we're going to start with a blank slate. We'll address the issue of money from the beginning. What are you trying to accomplish? What tools do you have at your disposal to reach your financial goals? What obstacles stand in your path? We'll look at all the issues and use the very simple, yet effective principles of The Only Guide to Investing an Entrepreneur Will Ever Need to help you tap into the real secrets of financial success.

If that sounds a little too fantastic to be believable, it isn't. More wealth is created in America by private business owners than by those CEOs running the biggest, highest profile publicly traded companies. When you chose to go into business for yourself, you made a very smart move. Now, it's time to maximize the opportunity.

We're all starting off from different places as investors so some of this may feel a bit remedial to some of you. Before you tune out the basics, keep this in mind: 90 percent of individual investors fail to match the returns of the market! While many people know something about investing, a very small number actually achieve the kinds of returns most of us would consider worthwhile.

In the meantime, as we start at point A, feel free to jump ahead by exploring our manifesto. You can also send me your financial questions in the comment box below or -- if you prefer privacy -- at investingguide@inc.com. I'll only publish your question if you give me permission and only in a way that doesn't reveal your identity.

NEXT: Why the best wealth-creators invest outside their business.

Lewis Schiff is the chairman and executive director of Inc. Business Owners Council, and the author of the book, The Middle-Class Millionaire. He can be reached by email, on twitter or by phone: (800)536-0046. @lewisschiff