Q2-2008 – Update & Financial Literacy Newsletter

I hope that this update finds everyone doing well! Greetings from New York City, where I just arrived on Thursday for a variety of media interviews.

Since April is also unofficially "Financial Literacy Month" in the US, I have a lot of exciting news to share with you since my last update back in February. I am continuing strong with my nationwide initiative to bring awareness to the Financial Illiteracy Epidemic, which is ultimately the cause of the daily news headlines relating to the Foreclosure Crisis, Stock Market Meltdown, the Looming Recession, and the like. Studies continue to show that we as Americans are ignorant when it comes to the basic understanding of our own personal finances, and I am working diligently to reverse this trend at ALL age, income and education levels, and not just for the business or financial savvy.

My ultimate goal is for a semester-long Financial Literacy Class, taught by a qualified instructor, to become a high school graduation requirement, just like math, English, science, etc. (unfortunately, only 7 states currently have this type of a program in place). Almost unanimously, parents and business leaders are in favor of this plan, but due to a multitude of excuses, school officials have generally been resistant to making Financial Literacy Classes a priority. Until this happens, it is our responsibility for obtaining our own financial education.

Here is a summary of my current happenings and upcoming activities:

Nationwide Book & Speaking TourIn early January, I began traveling the country for my Nationwide Book & Speaking Tour, and I have already visited over 25 cities for book signings and other related events, with almost 15 more cities left before the tour concludes with my participation at Book Expo America (BEA) in Los Angeles at the end of May. Please check the website Events page to see if I will be coming soon to your area!

I am really enjoying the public speaking part of this project, as I have what I feel is a very powerful presentation on the importance of Financial Literacy (accompanied by some scary statistics!), and it allows me to connect with large groups of people simultaneously. If you are part of an association, professional organization, corporation or school (high school or college) and would like to have me come speak at one of your events, please contact me. For additional information about my speaking services, or to see what other meeting planners and attendees are saying, please visit www.BraunSpeaks.com.

Media Interviews & LIVE Fox TV Appearance
In order to get the word out about the importance of Financial Literacy, I have been conducting numerous radio and TV interviews across the country. Last night, I was a guest on the nationally syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" which airs in over 80 markets across the country, talking about the importance of Financial Literacy. I was a Live TV guest with Neil Cavuto on the Fox Business Network on April 11, 2008.

Barnes & Noble Stores now Stocking my Book!
I am pleased to announce that the majority of the 700+ Barnes & Noble stores are now stocking The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy. So now, no matter where you live in the country, or where you may hear me speak, you can easily get a copy of this new release locally. This is a major accomplishment for me, considering that it is relatively unheard of for both a new and self-published author to get this type of distribution in place so quickly, and I am appreciative for the cooperation of the executives at Barnes & Noble who helped make this a reality. Thank you too for all of your patience and support while this agreement was being put in place.

FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com Releases Quarterly Results
As part of my nationwide initiative, I created FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com, so that visitors could test their own knowledge of this important subject and determine areas needing improvement. This 50-question and multiple-choice online quiz covers topics such as Credit & Banking, Real Estate (Buying, Selling, Leasing & Financing), Car Buying, Insurance, Taxes, Investing for the Future, and simple Estate Planning. While certainly not surprising, sadly the average quiz scores for the 1st quarter of 2008 were just 56.84%, yet a minimum score of 75% is required to "pass." Please click here to take the quiz yourself or click here for the full press release detailing the quarterly quiz results.

Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill
I am pleased to have been invited to participate in the upcoming "Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill," being held in Washington, DC on Monday, April 28th. Both the public and numerous lawmakers are invited, and I am planning to use my FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com website to bring awareness to the need for better financial education across the country.

Book Awards
I am now an award-winning author! The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy recently earned a 3rd place for the EVVY Award in the Business & Finance category, issued by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA). The book is also a candidate for the national "Benjamin Franklin Award" which is sponsored by the Publishers Marketing Association (PMA), and winners will be announced at Book Expo America (BEA) in Los Angeles at the end of May.

Financial Literacy Book Camps
I am currently working with some other experts in the field on the development of a Financial Literacy Boot Camp (www.FinancialLiteracyBootCamp.com) which will provide comprehensive and accelerated financial education classes multiple times per year lasting 2-5 days each, and may start as early as this fall. Insofar as the details of this program are still being worked out, we would greatly welcome any input or suggestions on how to make these classes as successful as possible.

Delta Sigma Pi Initiation
As a national business fraternity founded in 1907 with more than 200,000 members, I was humbled when they recently asked me to be one of their honorary initiates for 2008. It was a great experience to participate in the very traditional initiation ceremony at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), which was attended by the local pledge class, numerous alumni and the associate director who traveled out from the home office in Ohio. I now know the secret handshake and password, but have been sworn to secrecy! I look forward to keeping in touch with my new "brothers" from Delta Sigma Pi across the country!

Summary & Closing
Thank you again to everyone for your ongoing support of my nationwide Financial Literacy Project - I could not do any of this without your help! Please be sure to frequently visit my website and BLOG for timely updates. As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome. I hope to see you soon at an upcoming Event!

Warmest Regards,

Braun Mincher, Author/Speaker
The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy
Available at www.BraunMincher.com and from booksellers nationwide.
(ISBN-13: 978-0-9797003-0-9)