Skip the Debt. Build the Man.

"The Preparation is one of the most important books a young man can read today."

Sep 06, 2025

Success will come in droves.

That’s what Jeff was told. Everyone around him echoed the same thing — friends, family, and society as a whole — all singing the praises of college from the rooftops.

He took the path. But, after coming out the other side with a mountain of debt and few real-world skills, he found himself in a financial hole…and things didn’t look so bright. No doubt he was feeling cheated.

Now, Jeff is setting his two sons up for REAL success on a very different path.

No debt. High-value skills. Adventure. Opportunity.

Hear it from the man himself:

Skip the debt. Build the man.

I bought this book for my 22-year-old son and my 15-year-old son because I believe The Preparation is one of the most important books a young man can read today.

I’m 56 years old. I was told my whole life that I’d be nothing without a college degree. So I followed the script: took on major debt, sat through years of institutional education, and came out with very little real-world value, except the painful lesson of how hard I’d have to work just to dig myself out of the financial hole I’d willingly stepped into.

I wish this book had existed back then. It would have saved me time, money, and years of frustration. The Preparation gives young men the roadmap I never had, how to think independently, live with purpose, and reject the lies society pushes about debt, status, and self-worth.

I saw one reviewer say they skimmed it and threw it away. Honestly? That says more about them than the book. Some people are so trapped in the system they can’t recognize truth even when it’s right in front of them.

This book is bold, clear, and essential. If you’re a father, mentor, or young man trying to find your path, buy it. Read it. Pass it on.
-Jeff Staron (5-star reviewer on Amazon)