Lets be clear, I am not a Suze Orman fan. I have never been a Suze Orman fan. I cannot stand the collar on most of her shirts (which look more like pants that she has cut the crotch out of and is now wearing on her top) and she gets a little to “girlfriend” for my liking. But, she does understand that failure in personal finance woes for most people has little to do with where the money is being invested, and much more to do with the individual’s psyche.

I read this article on MSN.com two days ago: Stop Listening to Suze Orman. It is by James Scurlock from “The Big Money”. The problem with guys like James, is that they do not understand entrepreneurialism for 90% of Americans. Let me explain:

My father was a successful pediatrician, and I thought that getting a professional degree made you successful. Thus, in 2002 I went to law school. What I did not understand was that a professional degree, while it makes you generally a better thinker, boxes you into a mode of thinking that kills entrepreneurialism. About two years ago I finally shed all the fears and the “that won’t work” concepts that higher education jammed into me and buit STARTrightllc.com. What I learned was irreplaceable. My Father was a successful entrepreneur and that made him a successful pediatrician. From the very beginning, my Father realized that if he was subsumed by the HMO’s in the state he would struggle financially and his independent life would definitely change.

Guys like James speak from the “higher education” point of reference. He picks apart Suze’s financial advice and gives examples as to how there were better options. He thinks the base of her being a useful “guru” to many in society revolves around her ability to give the right stock tip, or the right career advice. It doesn’t. Suze’s usefulness, despite her wardrobe woes comes from her ability to jazz people up (also known in the non-skeptical world as inspiring) to make life changes. These people have lived above their means, and $30K in credit card debt. At that level, it does not matter what stocks are hot, you are screwed. If you get enough people to make a real life change, and they in-turn sign your praises, it doesn’t really matter what stock you are telling people to buy.