Forging Ahead in Business Part 8

"During the past two years my salary has increased more than 400%. This has been due to the rather remarkable increase the Fuller Brush Company has had in sales. These sales are indirectly the result of the ideas I have received from your Course."

S. L. METCALF, _Former Vice-President and Director of Sales, Fuller Brushes, Inc. Now President, Better Brushes, Inc., Palmer, Ma.s.s._

"To the man who has had the advantage of a college education this Course opens up what might be called a vista of the business world in a very unique manner. The information obtained from this course, if acquired by the ordinary college man by actual experience, would require no less than a lifetime and it is presented in such a manner as to be readily a.s.similated in the short s.p.a.ce of two years, devoting only odd hours to study."

Mr. E. J. BARTELLS, _Manager_ _Wood Pipe Export Company, Seattle, Was.h.i.+ngton_

A subscriber from a prosperous city in Iowa recently called at the New York offices of the Alexander Hamilton Inst.i.tute, saying that he wanted to meet some of the men who had given him such valuable a.s.sistance. He is the controller of a large manufacturing company and a thoroughly trained and expert accountant. The thing that impressed him most about the plan of the Modern Business Course and Service was the opportunity it offered him of increasing his already extensive knowledge of the principles of finance, management, advertising, selling and organization, as well as accounting.

"Let me tell you what happened to me a few weeks ago," he said. "I found myself up against a problem that never had arisen in my previous experience. I was simply stumped. I sought help from various sources in attempting to find a satisfactory solution. Then it occurred to me--the most obvious things often come to mind last--to look in the Modern Business texts for a ray of light. To my great delight, there I found a clear and definite statement of the very principles that should be applied.

"I am frank to say to you," he concluded, "that this one bit of information was worth to me at least three times the price of your Course." Already this subscriber had realized a 300 per cent dividend on his investment. Of his subsequent gains we have no record. To the great majority of those who subscribe for the Course and Service the returns are simply incalculable. The training, the information and the ideas that they secure are a big--often an essential--factor in making their business careers happier and more successful. Who can calculate the money value of a return of that kind?

The moderate fee which is charged for the Modern Business Course and Service is based directly upon the cost of producing the literature included in the Course and of maintaining the organization that conducts the Course and Service. The fee is small in itself; it shrinks into insignificance when compared with the returns. One of our subscribers was speaking only the literal truth when he said:

"To the man of ability and brains, your Course and Service offers a _priceless_ means of developing these qualities to their highest efficiency."

For the woman in business

The Modern Business Course and Service makes the same appeal to the business woman as it does to the business man. Consequently a number of women are enrolled for it. Among these women are:

Mrs. E. M. Simon, President, R. & H. Simon Company, Union Hill, New Jersey Miss Sara F. Jones, Mgr. Woman's Dept., Equitable Life a.s.surance Society, Chicago, Illinois Mrs. M. K. Alexander, Solicitor, Equitable Life a.s.surance Society, Chicago, Illinois Miss Mary R. Ca.s.s, Manager, F. N. Burt Company, Buffalo, New York Miss Louise Messner, Accountant, Petermann Stores Company, Kearsarge, Michigan Miss S. F. Troutman, Secretary and a.s.sistant to Treasurer, First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mrs. N. M. Favor, a.s.sistant Cas.h.i.+er, The Travelers Insurance Company, Manchester, New Hamps.h.i.+re

Today women are engaged in all branches of business. A great number of women occupy executive and other important positions in some of the large concerns of the country, and the number is steadily increasing. For the ambitious woman a career in business, with its great rewards and the possibilities of rendering worthy service, holds forth attractive opportunities.

Chapter V

THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU

A serious business question is now confronting you. It is important that you should consider it fairly and calmly and that you should promptly make up your mind for or against it. The facts are all before you.

The question is whether or not you should enrol for the Modern Business Course and Service. Think over the arguments pro and con.

You know that the Course and Service will bring you a better understanding of sound business principles; that it will give you increased self-confidence; ability to plan more effectively and to decide business questions more quickly and surely. You will find yourself with increased ability to handle men. You will probably enjoy more leisure; you will certainly earn a larger income.

You are well enough acquainted with the standing and reputation of the men behind the Alexander Hamilton Inst.i.tute to know that the Modern Business Course and Service must be of the highest quality. And for the same reason you know that it naturally is offered to you at a very moderate fee.

The fee for the Modern Business Course and Service is $136 in the United States. This covers, without any additional expense, the Texts, Talks, Lectures, Problems Monthly Letters, Financial and Trade Reviews, Reports and all necessary personal help. The complete set of 24 Text volumes comes at once, and the other literature at convenient intervals.

If the Course is worth anything at all, the fee is slight in comparison with the results that will follow. The fee may be paid in convenient terms.

Make your decision

Certain objections may occur to you:

_You have other uses for your money--_

No doubt; yet none of them is as necessary to your successful business career as the Modern Business Course and Service.

_You are too busy--_

Everybody who amounts to anything is busy; yet never "too busy" to acquire knowledge so important as this.

_You have a debt to pay off, or a trip to take, or you would rather "think it over--"_

These arguments are unsound from every point of view. No man, in justice to himself, or to those who may be dependent upon him, should deny himself this opportunity to make an investment that will yield large dividends one, two and three years from today.

In the coming struggle for world markets, there will be a great need for men of broad, executive training. For men who are prepared, there will be more opportunities to succeed in a big way than ever before.

It is false economy, therefore, to postpone for a single day a decision that will enable you to push beyond the half-way mark and forge ahead in business.

You are a business man, trained to make decisions. The simple facts are before you now. Weigh the arguments; then act.

Chapter VI

DESCRIPTIVE OUTLINE OF THE COURSE

In looking over the following detailed outline of the Modern Business Course, you will see more clearly how closely every section is related to daily business practice.

The italics after each t.i.tle give the actual chapter headings; the following matter gives a brief discussion of the purpose and scope of each section of the Course.

BUSINESS AND THE MAN

"_Scientific Training for Business_," _an introduction to the Modern Business Course and Service_ _Nature and aim of business_ _The profit problem_ _Economics and sociology_ _Psychology_ _Ethics of business_ _Vision, or the idea_ _Personal efficiency_ _Health_ _The efficient business man_ _The executive_ _Subordinate or junior officers_ _The rank-and-file worker_ _Personality_ _Character a.n.a.lysis_ _Opportunity_

The most important thing in business is the human element--you. Every man must have real ambition, high ideals, and a definite goal in mind before even a correct knowledge of business principles will help him to more than a half-way success.

The purpose of this first section of the Course is to discuss the viewpoint of the successful business man in an inspiring way, so that you may be inspired yourself and so that you may be able to inspire others about you.

"Scientific training for business" is an introduction to the whole Modern Business Course and Service. In it Dean Johnson tells you in what way you should read the Course, how to get the most out of it, and how to use the equipment so as to bring results.

The Course begins with an a.n.a.lysis of business operations. It shows briefly what are the dominant features of business life which no man can afford to neglect. It then takes up the relation of personal qualities to business success; it shows what personal characteristics are helpful and how they may be cultivated; and it also points out the traits of mind, manners and morals which hinder men in their business career. The first point in understanding business problems and business principles is to approach them with the right att.i.tude of mind.

This section of the Course serves to bring the reader into personal touch with the business problems which will engage his attention more in detail in the subsequent sections and thus furnishes a useful introduction to the entire Course.

ECONOMICS--THE SCIENCE OF BUSINESS