Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki
Kiyosaki in 2023
Kiyosaki in 2023
BornRobert Toru Kiyosaki
(1947-04-08) April 8, 1947 (age 76)
Hilo, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.
OccupationBusinessman, author
Education
SubjectPersonal finance, business investing
Years active1973–1994
1997–present
Notable worksRich Dad Poor Dad
Spouse
Kim Meyer
(m. 1986; div. 2017)
RelativesEmi Kiyosaki (sister)
Beth Kiyosaki (sister)
John Kiyosaki (brother)
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1970–1974
Rank First Lieutenant
Battles/warsVietnam War
Website
www.richdad.com

Robert Toru Kiyosaki (born April 8, 1947) is a Japanese-American businessman and author.[1] Kiyosaki is the founder of Rich Global LLC and the Rich Dad Company, a private financial education company that provides personal finance and business education to people through books and videos. The company's main revenues come from franchisees of the Rich Dad seminars that are conducted by independent individuals using Kiyosaki's brand name.[citation needed] He is also the creator of the Cashflow board and software games to educate adults and children about business and financial concepts.[2] He is the author of more than 26 books, including the international self-published personal finance Rich Dad Poor Dad series of books which has been translated into 51 languages and sold over 41 million copies worldwide.

Kiyosaki's company, Rich Global LLC, filed for bankruptcy in 2012.[3] As of 2016, Kiyosaki was the subject of a class action suit filed by people who attended his seminars.[4] He has been the subject of investigative documentaries by the CBC, WTAE-TV and CBS News.

Early life and family

Kiyosaki was born in 1947 in Hilo, in the American Territory of Hawaii, into a family of Japanese descent.[citation needed]

Business career

In 1974, Kiyosaki attended the Erhard EST seminars, which he says changed his life.[5][6]

In 1977, he started a company called "Rippers" that marketed nylon and Velcro wallets.[7] The company eventually went bankrupt.[7]

Kiyosaki took a job as a sales associate for Xerox until June 1978.

In 1993, Kiyosaki published his first book, If You Want to Be Rich and Happy, Don't Go To School. In his book, he encouraged parents not to send their children to college and instead to enter the real estate business.[8]

In 1997, Kiyosaki launched Cashflow Technologies, Inc., a business and financial education company[9] that owns and operates the Rich Dad and Cashflow brands.[10]

Other business ventures and investments

Kiyosaki's earlier two businesses (for surfing bags with Velcro fasteners and T-shirts) went bankrupt.[11] In an interview with CBC, Kiyosaki described his books as an advertisement for his higher-priced seminars. In 2012, Kiyosaki's company "Rich Global LLC" filed for bankruptcy and was ordered to pay nearly $24 million to The Learning Annex and its founder.[12][13]

Business and financial advice

Kiyosaki operates through a number of companies that he owns fully or in part, and through franchisee arrangements with other companies authorized to use his name for a fee.[14] This includes Rich Dad LLC, Whitney Information Network, Rich Dad Education and Rich Dad Academy.[15]

Kiyosaki's financial and business teachings focus on what he calls "financial education": generating passive income by focusing on business and investment opportunities, such as real estate investments, businesses, stocks and commodities, with the goal of being able to support oneself by such investments alone and thus achieving true financial independence.[16][17]

Kiyosaki uses the term "assets" for things that put money in one's pocket.[18] He stresses the importance of building up an asset first to fund one's liabilities instead of saving cash or relying on a salary from a traditional job.[19]

Personal life

Kiyosaki endorsed and supported Republican candidate Donald Trump for the 2016 presidential elections.[20] Kiyosaki had previously co-authored two books with Trump.[21]

Criticism

Kiyosaki's advice has been criticized for emphasizing anecdotes and containing nothing in the way of concrete advice on how readers should proceed or work.[22]

In 2006 and 2007, Kiyosaki's Rich Dad seminars continued to promote real estate as a sound investment, just before their prices came crashing down.[23]

In 2010, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation did an exposé on scams that were being perpetuated by Kiyosaki's company in Canada in the guise of seminars.[24] Upon tracking the success claims of "Rich Dad" seminar organizers, they discovered that these claims were not true. Investments in trailers and trailer parks, which were being propagated as "successful" by seminar teachers, were found to actually be barren pieces of land that no one was using. Their Marketplace exposé on his seminars in Canada showed what occurred in $450 seminars through a hidden camera, including Kiyosaki's response to them.[2]

Also in 2010, Allan Roth of CBS News documented what occurred when he attended one of Rich Dad's free seminars and dissected some of the tactics employed.[25]

WTAE-TV, the ABC television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, produced another critical segment about him in 2013.[26]

Books authored

References

  1. ^ "Marketwatch – Rich dad's seminar's deceptive marketplace". CBC. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2017 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ a b "Road to rich dad". CBC. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  3. ^ Kim, Susanna (October 12, 2012). "'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' Author Files for Bankruptcy for His Company". ABC news. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  4. ^ Olen, Helaine (February 11, 2016). "This Legal Dispute Says Everything About the Shadiness of Personal Finance Gurus". Slate. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  5. ^ Kioysaki, Robert. "Why was RD Created" (PDF). Rich Dad. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  6. ^ "What Are You Working For - A Financial Education or a Job?". Rich Dad Blog. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Youn, Jacy. "Robert Kiyosaki". Hawaii Business. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  8. ^ Kiyosaki, Robert (April 1, 1993). If You Want to Be Rich & Happy Don't Go to School: Ensuring Lifetime Security for Yourself and Your Children (2 ed.). Aslan publications. ISBN 978-0-944031-38-4.
  9. ^ "Entity Details – Secretary of State, Nevada". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "Trademark Electronic Search System: RICH DAD". USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  11. ^ "Interview with Robert Kiyosaki". CNN Money. July 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "Robert Kiyosaki files for bankruptcy, again". ABC News. October 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  13. ^ Roth, Allan (January 20, 2013). "Rich Dad, Poor Dad's bankrupt company". CBS News. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  14. ^ Jaffe, Chuck (February 10, 2006). "'Teach Me to Trade' seminar is a lesson in futility". MarketWatch. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  15. ^ Jaffe, Chuck (July 13, 2017). "'Rich Dad Academy' a poor choice for investors". MarketWatch. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  16. ^ Yardney, Michael (October 7, 2022). "Do Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad" lessons still apply? Here's what I learned from my interview with him". Property Update. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Silva, Derek (September 21, 2022). "Robert Kiyosaki - Everything You Need to Know". SmartAsset. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Kiyosaki, Robert (October 18, 2016). "Dear Millennials, Experiences Are Still Liabilities".
  19. ^ Chris Schnabel (December 1, 2015). "Robert Kiyosaki: Traditional school is useless". Rappler. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  20. ^ Kiyosaki, Robert (October 20, 2015). "Why America Needs Donald Trump". Jetset Magazine. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  21. ^ Trump, Donald; Kiyosaki, Robert T.; McIver, Meredith; Lechter, Sharon L. (2006). Why we want you to be rich : two men, one message. New York Berkeley, CA: Rich Press Distributed by Publishers Group West. ISBN 978-1-933914-02-2. OCLC 71305016.
  22. ^ Sing, Terrence (July 13, 2003). "Writer ignores critics of his self-help success".
  23. ^ Jaffe, Chuck. "Stupid Investment of the Week". MarketWatch. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  24. ^ "Road to Rich Dad: Who's getting rich off Rich Dad?". Marketplace. CBC. January 29, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  25. ^ "Rich Dad Education - The Ultimate Emotional Investment". CBS News. March 4, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  26. ^ Van Osdol, Paul (May 9, 2013). "'Rich Dad' author's seminars cost thousands, but not everyone gets rich". WTAE-TV. Retrieved July 18, 2018.

External links