Wealth Habits

You don’t have to be educated or connected to be wealthy

How do wealthy people do it? Are they geniuses? Lucky? We tend to think something special must be going on because it looks like magic. But nothing could be further from the truth. Wealthy people have simply adopted six key, yet ordinary, habits … and they do them extraordinarily well.

Candy Valentino opened her first brick-and-mortar store at 19—no college, no connections, no money—and built it into a seven-figure business before most of her friends graduated college. Over two decades of success as a serial entrepreneur and real estate investor, she has labored relentlessly to crack the code of the super-wealthy, and in doing so, has unearthed six simple habits that directly contribute to those who become part of the self-made millionaire class.

In Wealth Habits, Valentino reveals all six habits, and shows you how you can put them to work for you:

• Long-term investing strategies
• How to recession-proof your business
• Ways to keep money out of the IRS’ hands
• What to teach your children about money
• How to establish financial protection and security
• The secrets to keep more of the money you make (so you can invest more)

“Think and get rich” will only get you so far. It’s time to do and become wealthy… and set yourself up for a lifetime of true financial freedom.

Introduction ix

Wealth Habit 1 Growing Your Way to Wealth 1

1 How the BS You Hear Could Be Keeping You Broke 3

2 Four Common Beliefs Keeping You Broke 9

3 Seven Core Commitments to Make to Yourself 19

Wealth Habit 2 Learning Your Way to Wealth 33

4 The Compounding Dividends of Self-Education 35

5 The Four Crucial Lessons We Didn’t Learn in School 49

Wealth Habit 3 Earning Your Way to Wealth 59

6 The Secrets to Building Multiple Streams of Income 61

7 The Three Reasons Why Owning a Business Is a Powerful Wealth-Builder 75

8 Calling Out the BS in Business—and How to Avoid It 81

9 Yes, You Can Start a Business—Here’s How 95

10 Real-World Business Lessons on Revenue Growth 103

11 Become the Ritz-Carlton of Your Industry and Create Cult-Like Customers 113

Wealth Habit 4 Saving Your Way to Wealth 119

12 It’s Not How Much You Earn, It’s How Much You Keep: How to Give as Little Money as Legally Possible to the IRS 121

13 Three Secret Tax Strategies That Sound Illegal (But Are Actually Totally Legal!) 139

14 Trusts Aren’t Just for the Rich Kids Anymore 151

15 The Brinks Truck of Your Finances—Security and Protection 157

16 Give Yourself the Opportunity to Retire Early—and Rich 169

Wealth Habit 5 Investing Your Way to Wealth 175

17 Real Estate Investing: The Hat Trick of Building Wealth 177

18 Recession-Proof Your Finances—and Your Life 197

Wealth Habit 6 Giving Your Way to Wealth 205

19 Contribution: Where True Wealth Lies 207

Resources and References 219

Acknowledgments 225

About the Author 227

Index 229

CANDY VALENTINO is a successful founder, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. She started her first business at 19 years old with no degree, no corporate background, and no money. She has gone on to build, scale, and exit businesses in a variety of industries in addition to investing in real estate for more than two decades. Leveraging 25 years of actual business and investing experience, Candy is sought after to consult, speak, and train on the topics of wealth creation, business growth, and investing.

Proceeds of each book sold will be donated to charity.

SKIP THE SHORTCUTS AND BUILD WEALTH NOW

Candy Valentino has cracked the code of the wealthy and is breaking it down to share with you. In Wealth Habits, she shows you how the “think to get rich” philosophy will only get you so far, and you have to “do to become wealthy.”

Whether you have thousands in debt, want to start a business, are looking to begin investing, or simply want to become financially free, Wealth Habits shows you how to learn, earn, save, and invest your way to wealth. These ordinary habits will put you in control of your finances and your future so you can start building extraordinary wealth today.

Wealth Habits teaches you what you actually need to know to become wealthy:

• Long-term investing strategies
• How to recession-proof your life
• Real-world businesses and how to make more
• Ways to keep money out of the IRS’s hands
• What to teach your children about money
• How to establish financial protection and security
• The secrets to keep more of the money you make (so you can invest more)

Wealth Habits is your personal, no BS playbook to financial success. It does more than just teach you what to do to create financial freedom; it teaches you how to do it. It’s time to drop the fluffy mantras and learn the real-world way to earn more, save more, and invest more… today.

PRAISE FOR WEALTH HABITS

“I love the way Candy thinks. She shows you how to collapse time in a way the most successful people I know have done: breaking wealth down to the simplest form of the game to create success. This book should be required reading for every high school student, aspiring entrepreneur, or anyone who wants to turn the tables on their current financial situation.”
—RICK STEELE, Founder & Executive Chairman, SelectBlinds and PGA Trustee

“Candy has been a huge help to me and to so many other founders I know. Her knowledge has been invaluable in building an 8-figure business and has changed the way I diversify wealth and investments. Her wisdom, this book, and its message belongs in the hands of every student, every entrepreneur, and every person who wants to take control of their future, attain success, and create wealth.”
—AMY LACEY, Founder, Cali’flour Foods, international bestselling author, Cali’flour Kitchen

“People that build wealth do things differently. Not only does Candy understand this from her own experience, but she does a masterful job of giving the reader actionable steps to immediately put them on the path to financial freedom and generational wealth. She has cracked the code, and if you’re looking to change your financial reality, this book is for you.”
—TODD DAVIS, Retired Founder & CEO, LifeLock, Inc. and Executive Chairman, Kadenwood

“Candy Valentino is the real deal! She’s overcome massive obstacles and built practical systems to help anyone achieve massive wealth. I highly recommend this book!”
—RORY VADEN, New York Times bestselling author, Take the Stairs

“Candy Valentino is an Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur! By researching and interviewing the various stages of wealth creation from industry leaders, Candy has really done a masterful job of simplifying the complex. This book is a must read!"

—TOM HATTEN, Founder, Mountainside Fitness Centers of Arizona

Your personal playbook to entrepreneurial success, Wealth Habits will take you to the next level of financial freedom and independence—if you’re willing to put in the work.