Forbes® Best Business Mistakes: How Today's Top Business Leaders Turned Missteps into Success

Chapter 23. SUZE ORMAN

Host of CNBC's The Suze Orman Show

Named by Forbes as one of the Most Influential Women in Media

Author of six consecutive New York Times best sellers

When you think about financial advice from somebody on television, on radio, or in print, one of the first names that comes to mind—if not the first—is Suze Orman.

You can see her on her own show on CNBC, on PBS raising money and giving motivational speeches, or visiting Oprah to offer financial guidance and give away free copies of her latest book on controlling your financial life.

But you may be one of those people who don't get Suze's popularity. You may not understand the allure of a TV show where she asks people whether they can afford a new car or a trip to the beach this summer.

It may not make sense to you why she:

• Has written six straight best sellers on managing your financial life.

• Is considered the biggest fund raiser on PBS.

• Is a frequent guest on Oprah.

• Has won two daytime Emmy Awards.

• Has won six Gracie Allen Awards.

• Was named by Forbes as one of the Most Influential Women in Media.

• Was picked by Time as one of the World's Most Influential People.

Let me explain her appeal. I learned it after getting to know her at CNBC. As an anchor on a daily basis I interviewed, on the one hand, money managers who would tout their latest approach to picking the right stocks. They would back-test their investment theories, prove their approaches were successful with charts and numbers that added or divided this into that, ...