By Matt Baginski
Correspondent
Alumnus Bryan M. Kuderna’s “Millennial Millionaire: A Guide to Become a Millionaire by 30” is far from the average self-improvement book. It pinpoints understandable, applicable habits that can be established the moment you put down the book. Kuderna (‘09) expertly reaches a young audience by delivering sound financial advice combined with humor and historical insights.
Kuderna tells a variety of stories from losing his savings in poor stocks because he listened to “experts,” to becoming a Certified Financial Planner. Throughout the book, he reminds readers that not many people are aware of many complex intricacies of the finance world.
Something I found particularly interesting is Kuderna’s philosophy on how to become a successful entrepreneur. Those who wish to be entrepreneurs and leaders need to be open-minded, according to Kuderna. He goes as far as to say aspiring entrepreneurs should do something out of their comfort zone, however big or small, once a day.
He also expresses the importance of seeking out a reputable fiduciary to help one reach their goals of financial independence. After all, that’s why we go to College, no? I think it is safe to say that this is not the last leg of our journey — we all wish for massive success after graduation. Kuderna’s tips on asset allocation, entrepreneurship and investment planning are useful tools to help us do so.
Kuderna’s advice is accompanied by a healthy dose of excellent storytelling and some crass humor. At 134 pages, the paperback is concise in its message. It gets directly to the point in each of its 16 chapters, something most other business-related novels fail to do. Without an ounce of filler, this book includes insightful quotes from incredible historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Sun Tzu. It also covers topics from personal debt to macro-economic policies from their time to our own.
As a student in the College’s reputable school of business, I am a fan of books that can help me to one day become a leader, and this one is probably my favorite. The fact that it was written by an alumnus makes it that much sweeter.
It is an easy read. Any financial jargon is defined, so even the financially illiterate will be able to pick up this book and be much better off after reading it. Bias for the College aside, this book is super helpful to anyone looking to become wealthy and financially independent in their future. At a relatively low price point, the book’s return on investment is astronomical.
