A free Rich Dad event in Red Deer is not affiliated with the company investigated for its sales tactics in a CBC-televised report, says the presenter.
Darren Weeks, founder and chief executive officer of St. Albert-based Fast Track to Cash Flow, will host a three-hour workshop on How to Get Rich in Alberta — In Any Economy, Up or Down. It will be held in the afternoon and again at night on Thursday at the Red Deer Lodge.
Since 2001, when he launched Fast Track to Cash Flow, more than 250,000 people have attended the company’s educational events in Canada.
In promotional materials distributed throughout the city, Weeks says he will reveal proven success stories he learned personally from Robert Kiyosaki, the American behind bestseller book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, first published 13 years ago.
Last week, CBC TV’s Marketplace program aired a piece looking at get-rich programs connected to Kiyosaki, who licensed his name to a company that organizes some of the shows in Canada. According to the investigative report, the company gives questionable advice and focuses on getting participants to pay for more seminars, which can run in the thousands of dollars.
“We’re not associated with them,” said Weeks, who promotes himself as the Canadian Rich Dad. “We have completely different values. We don’t sell courses. We have money-back guarantees, we don’t pressure — that’s why we’re one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada.”
He added his company has sponsored Canada’s national luge team for more than $1 million in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
“We like to help people, including the Olympic team.”
Weeks said he doesn’t sell workshops at the event.
“There is nothing for sale,” he said.
To help defray costs, Weeks has a couple select corporate sponsors that make presentations.
He added that the Marketplace story has had no impact on his business.
“We’ve had tons of interest,” said Weeks, regarding Red Deer’s workshop.
About 400 people have registered, he added.
Attendees can expect free information on how to escape the rat race, using real estate, business and investment techniques that Weeks said he’s been using for years.
And these practices work, he added.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com