SUCCESS STORIES Mpho Mokobi Daniel Matsapola Steven Musumba Daniel Matsapola   As I write this true story, I am content with my life thanks to the Amazing Formula for Wealth Creation...all the four pillars of it. I do feel particularly good about the 7 Laws of Wealth Creation and the impact this has had on my life. The first law is by far the most Powerful even though its effect is closely linked with the others. I have diligently followed this law consciously since 2005 and it has and continues to bear fruit for me in ALL areas of my life. I report on my success in my Vocational area, which is becoming more and more like a vacation. I used to work in a Satellite Ground Station and my job was to track particular satellites as they passed over the Ground Station`s footprint (the area the antennas can "see" or acquire the signal transmitted by the satellite). The data acquired from that was then archived and catalogued and a copy was sent to the Remote Sensing analysts who would process it further into useable products for the different applications of Remote Sensing. I always wanted to interact with the users of "my" data to see whether or not I was making an impact and whether or not that warranted my further involvement in that capacity at the lowest level of the value chain. I knew that the true leaders in the field, especially in the Earth Observation field in South Africa was the CSIR (my current employer). I knew that I could readily fit into their data acquisition department and continue to do what I have been doing since April 2001. But I needed something else...something more challenging that will build on the experience I had tracking satellites for a little over 7 years. When the opportunity finally presented itself for me to join the CSIR I grabbed it with open arms. What really stands out for me was the fact that I got the job without ever having gone through the interview process as is normally the case in an organization as big as the CSIR. I like to believe that I sold myself as the perfect fit for the required person and as I write this story that is becoming more and more evident. I love this job. I love what I do. Of course, it is a lot more involving that just tracking satellites that are scheduled to arrive at particular times of the day. I get to work with the leaders in the field and experience decisions as they are made and sit across the table with people I would only read about in the monthly newsletters and would have had to adapt our plans to what they were saying. This for me is a true application of the 6th Law: Negotiate your way to Financial Freedom. With the transition from the Cape to Pretoria, I have had to make some serious adjustments...new job, new friends to make, new environment, a lot more advertising exposure, the traffic, a little more expensive accommodation etc. My car was recently due to service at 96 000km`s and the nearest dealership quoted me R13 000 as the service was major and needed them to take two full days to complete. This was a steep price for me as I had never even paid close to a quarter of that in each of the last 4 services I had done on the car. I asked another one for a quote and they said they would do it for R9 000 (same brand...not mentioned by name deliberately as this is not meant to discredit or demean anyone). This would save me R4 000 on the spot if I accepted the quote. Truth be told, I almost gave in and paid the R9 000. Believe it or not, on my way to Gaborone, I was talking to myself and asking myself what the Amazing Formula for Wealth Creation would have me do under the circumstances. I found myself asking "how can I minimize my risk, thereby maximizing my growth in these circumstances?". Obviously the more I pay, the more risk I would incur...financial risk. Although I knew it would give me peace of mind knowing that my car would not likely stop in the middle of nowhere due to taking short cuts that are normally associated with paying less for a product or service. On Monday, following my return trip from Gaborone, I was just having a loose conversation with a colleague when she suggested I find an alternative for service that does not cost R9 000. By that time the R13 000 was out and R9 000 was the best deal on the table. Best for whom? I then followed up and called a friend who drives a similar car for tips on saving money without compromising on quality. He recommended another company that does marvelous work on many brands of cars for much cheaper with just as good if not better quality than the accredited dealerships. That company quoted me R4800 with genuine parts and R4300 with non-genuine parts. I accepted this on the strength of my friend`s recommendation (and the trust I have in him) as well as the attractive price tag. They initially thought they could do it in one day but called later to say they needed two. Little pain, alot of financial gain (and hopefully peace of mind knowing my car`s campbelt has been properly changed...the effect of not doing it may result in me needing to buy another car...RISK). At the end of the day, the car was properly done and cost about R100 less than quoted. The true surprise for me was when the service company showed me receipts of genuine parts from the very dealership that quoted me R13 000 the week before. I was speechless. Apparently the greatest part of the R13 000 was the R500-R600 per hour labour (compared to about R280 per hour) and not the parts as the dealerships had earlier claimed. I was so glad I "negotiated my way to financial freedom", thanks to the training you provided me in the last three years and the great networks of friends and family. I will continue to reflect on the Formula as a whole and apply it in my life to create, preserve and enjoy all the abundance I can get. See you at the next seminar. I remain Daniel A. Matsapola, Wealth Creator for Life.   Thando Makhoba Daniel Matsapola Gordon Mackay Waldi Van De Merwe Mpho Mokobi Gerrit Geyser Henrico Hanekom Charles Fraser Kobus Portwig Ben Durandt Steven Musumba Premo Sewnunan Daniel Matsapola Johan Stroh Kobus Badenhorst Nicola Blewett Mpho Mokobi Daniel Matsapola Gary Hirson Gerrit Geyser Jolanda Niemann Johan Swiegers Jennifer Hudson Gletwyn Rubidge Francois Basson Heather Pienaar Steven Musumba Sanet Glatz Cindy Labuschagne Thando Makhoba Hendrik Ehlers Ben Durandt Stephan Du Toit Richard Daguiar Rici van Graan Emil Jansen Marius Adams Hannes Gerber Andre Jordaan Andre Nel Petrus Coenraad Bezuidenhout Jurie Steyn Garth Saunders Michael Enos Barry Van Niekerk Carel Hauptfleisch Juhan de Milander Desmond Bann Bryan Paton Daniel Matsapola Jan Cilliers Chiquita van Rooyen Gerrit Geyser Cecilia Lombard Gabrie Cillie Levien Smuts Emil Jansen Ben Durandt Philip Viviers Malcolm Cruickshank Marius De Kock Anne-Marie Sevenster Dave Griffin Zahier Dalvie Hein Kruger Shane Ferreira Dawie De Wet Marius Van Den Berg Corne Marais Rehabeam Nangura Gregory Kaylor Koetoe Botha Barend Gouws Roman Konig Gerrit Breedt Santosh Balgobind Corne Liebenberg Gideon Le Roux Gordon Mackay Richard Daguiar Adie Jansen van Rensburg Jes Prettejohn Jans Badenhorst Ian Bosman Massimo Guerini Pieter Bos Cliff Kayat Cliff Kayat Gerhard Hattingh Christina Heystek Mark Balios Gunther Keil Johan van der Merwe Jacques Jordaan Rentia Joubert Christo Tolmay Yves Lombard Lynette Minnaar Don Barrie Leon van Zyl Angela Carlson Angela Carlson Jaco Maartens Paul Lefera Gert Portheine Rakesh Kalyan Chris Venter Cornelius Ukattah Alan Boucher Nic Du Toit Trevor Farley Manuela Patterson Stephen Rademeyer Alan Boucher Hendrietta Mostert Abe Kempen Pieter Enslin Jako Pieterse Philip Viviers Gideon Le Roux Ben Durandt Johan Lubbe Clive Wetherill Nick Acker Pieter Walser Andrew Dumbris Tanya Jansen van Vuren Frikkie Pretorius Gerrard Boulle Daniel Matsapola Susan Nel Martin Jansen Van Rensburg Leon Steenkamp Tertius Gouws William Grimes Gideon Le Roux Clinton Meyer Andre Sterley Ben Groenewald Magda Barnard Lynne Oosthuizen Gawie Vermeulen Malcolm Cruickshank Scott Picken Gerhard Cronje Pia Beukes Andre van der Merwe Petra Coetzee Mpho Gumede Alan Boucher Johan Potgieter Henry Simpson Hermie Visser Leonard Lengton Andy Anderson Gugulethu Dlamini Marcel Delport Arlindo Tembe Leon Janse van Rensburg Xaver Walser Martin Jonker Paul Botha Ian Van Greunen Hannes Oosthuizen Marlene Scheepers Darryl Laing David Leslie Francois Vivier Johan van der Merwe Maryke Herbst Charles Fuller Kobus Portwig Charles Barnard Anton Moolman Roelof van Wyk Teddy Avolo Mark Webber Tseliso Mokeke Arlindo Tembe Mark Byrne Stephan Gilbert Ronel Burger Louis Teixeira Thomas Kromker Jannie Van Der Merwe Flip Kotze Henry Simpson Lindsey Dallas-Orr Hans Van Driel Angela Carlson Angela Carlson Colin Lee Ester Wiid Pieter Walser Susan Warring Paulus Basson Garth Farrant Pieter Koegelenberg Jeanne Maré Ilme Malherbe Andre Myburgh Christina Heystek Mitch Brandt Christoff Gouws Ian Henderson Mark Byrne Lance Woolley Estelle Coetzee Richard Daguiar Jose De Franca Jannie Mostert Ben Groenewald Miemie Van Loggerenberg Gys Van Nieuwenhuizen Lance Woolley Corne Liebenberg Gerrit Geyser Garth Farrant Trevor Farley Hermie Visser Rozanne Le Roux Admin Erna Boswell Willem Coetzer Desmond Bann Eugene Du Plessis JJ Vorster Lynn Oosthuizen