I've spent time over the past few weeks reading and paying attention to all the media hype over the current recession, both here in the US and worldwide. The news is depressing. This is the worst recession since the stock market crash of 1929. Making matters worse is the fact that in 1929 our currency was still backed by a gold standard. Today, it's all pretend money. With hedge funds, stock options, annuities, retirement accounts, bank notes, one country in debt to another who in turn is in debt to another and another, and so on, there is no such thing as real money anymore. In the words of that famous hamburger joint commercial in the 1980's, "Where's the money?" Answer, there is none. It's all pretend. This is profoundly terrible news, for sure. So what you might ask, does this have to do with your home business success? Everything.
Listen to all this depressing news for long and it's easy to feel like just giving up! Many network marketers are doing just that. Their dream of home business success and financial freedom has turned into a nightmare. Hope turns into despair under the onslaught of one "woe is me" news report after another. The nightly news has become the nightly "Death Knell." But I am here to tell you it doesn't have to be this way! Success is a choice. It has no more to do with what the news media has to say about the world financial climate than it does with what the weather channel says about the weather. The only person that can determine your home business success or failure is, you got it, you. Let's look a bit of history and see how this is so.
I wonder how many people told Wilbur and Orville Wright that their contraption would never get off the ground. Or how many people believed Thomas Edison was crazy, thinking it possible to light up a room without lighting a fire? Then there was Alexander Graham Bell. Hold a conversation with someone miles away using electricity and a bunch of wires? Yeah, Right! Were any of these men deterred by what other people had to say about what they could and could not do? No, they continued to press on, to pursue their dream, no matter what. And they succeeded. The truth is, no one but you determines your fate. Your home business success is within reach, so reach out and grab it! Don't listen to all the gloom and doom. Don't listen to the "Nay Sayers," there are plenty of them out there.
Instead, listen to your heart. Believe in yourself. Press on. Never give up on the dream. So what, if it takes you two years, three years, five, more, to realize true financial freedom, is it not worth it? Only you can answer that question. For me the answer is a resounding YES! How about you?
Showing posts with label home business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home business. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Are You A Twenty Percenter?
I posted the comments below as a response to someone Else's comment on Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Forum" earlier tonight. His comment had something to do with people not getting it, not understanding the power of free market enterprise and the simple truth that true wealth will never be attained by working for someone else. It inspired me to write what I did below and I figured I ought to share it with my readers, here. Perhaps it will speak to you as it did to me.
There are those people in the world who are task oriented, job oriented. Go to school, learn a trade, get a job, buy a house, cars, stuff and then work hard to pay for it all. This is what we are taught from a very young age and not just by our parents. No, society teaches us this as well. Now, there is nothing wrong with learning an honorable and honest trade and going to work. Truthfully, that is how most people are "wired," anyway. Those of us who aspire to a different way of life, a life of self determination, self employment and the creation of true wealth, are in the minority! Most people do not believe it possible but we do. It's not their fault, by the way. As I said, that's how they are "wired."
The reality is that the 80/20 rule actually does exist as some sort of spiritual and universal law. Eighty percent of the work in this world is done by twenty percent of the people. The other eighty percent only do twenty percent of the work, achieve 20 percent of the success and they earn an even a smaller percentage of the money. Those eighty percenters are blind to the possibilities of true wealth creation. They are the ones who sit and wonder why the rich are rich and complain about how unfair it is.
It's those twenty percenters that are wired in such a way as to be able to think and grow rich. They are the ones who will aspire to more and will do what it takes to realize their dream. They are the ones who will embrace the power of free market enterprise. They are the ones who become the movers and shakers in life. They are the risk takers, the entrepreneurs. They are the ones who would rather own their own home business than work for someone else. They are the ones who get it! So, my question to you is this. Do you get it? I certainly do!
There are those people in the world who are task oriented, job oriented. Go to school, learn a trade, get a job, buy a house, cars, stuff and then work hard to pay for it all. This is what we are taught from a very young age and not just by our parents. No, society teaches us this as well. Now, there is nothing wrong with learning an honorable and honest trade and going to work. Truthfully, that is how most people are "wired," anyway. Those of us who aspire to a different way of life, a life of self determination, self employment and the creation of true wealth, are in the minority! Most people do not believe it possible but we do. It's not their fault, by the way. As I said, that's how they are "wired."
The reality is that the 80/20 rule actually does exist as some sort of spiritual and universal law. Eighty percent of the work in this world is done by twenty percent of the people. The other eighty percent only do twenty percent of the work, achieve 20 percent of the success and they earn an even a smaller percentage of the money. Those eighty percenters are blind to the possibilities of true wealth creation. They are the ones who sit and wonder why the rich are rich and complain about how unfair it is.
It's those twenty percenters that are wired in such a way as to be able to think and grow rich. They are the ones who will aspire to more and will do what it takes to realize their dream. They are the ones who will embrace the power of free market enterprise. They are the ones who become the movers and shakers in life. They are the risk takers, the entrepreneurs. They are the ones who would rather own their own home business than work for someone else. They are the ones who get it! So, my question to you is this. Do you get it? I certainly do!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Enemy Of Success
It never ceases to amaze me how things just "seem" to come along in my life just when I need it the most. You cannot convince me there is no such thing as Divine Intervention. There is no way this can be coincidental, at least not time after time after time after.....well, you get the point. Most recently, in the last few days in fact, as my business partners and close friends are aware, I have been sidelined with some back trouble. Not new, I have known for a few years now, that I have degenerative disc disease. I can thank my lineage for that. Anyway so as not to digress, it's been rather tough going through it.
The business is at a very critical juncture, a number of new and very green downline, the coming together of several very powerful advertising campaigns, culminating in a nationally televised infomercial which kicks off in just a few days. This is NOT the time to be knocked out of commission. But since when does timing ever care whose favor it works in? As I have said before, I don't believe in luck and I don't. At least I don't a it make habit of counting on it. If it comes and things go my way, fine. But I don't hold my breath. Besides, Lady Luck is schizophrenic, she's up one day, down the next! Or is that Manic Depressive. Perhaps both. Either way, I'm not in the habit of counting on crazy people.
Well, in the last three days, while down with my back and feeling down on my luck (there's that word again) I watched three movies that, and there is no other way to put this, have changed my whole frame of mind. They are, in order, "October Sky," "The Great Debaters" and "Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story." I highly recommend all three of them. In each story, someone had to find the inner courage and strength (and in two of the three God gets most of the credit for putting it there) to overcome personal demons and seemingly insurmountable odds in order to reach their true potential and realize incredible achievement and success.
In "October Sky," Dr. Homer Hickam who lived in the poverty stricken coal mine region of West Virginia grew up to become one of the greatest NASA scientists of all time. In "The Great Debaters," a debate team from tiny Wiley College in circa 1935 Texas fought racism, poverty, personal struggles on the way to defeating national power Harvard University and becoming what many consider to be the best debate team that has ever been. In "Gifted Hands," Ben Carson rose from poverty, racial prejudice, a single parent childhood to become one of the finest Pediatric Neurosurgeons that has ever graced the halls of a hospital. In each story the road to success was paved with struggle, with blood, sweat and tears and what I like to call "sweat equity." None of these individuals were perfect. In fact all of them were quite flawed. But all were equally determined to not let anything deter them from realizing their dream.
As you can imagine, these three stories had a profound effect on me. Did my back suddenly and miraculously get better? Did I jump right up, rush out and immediately sponsor that superstar who in no time is going to take me and my business to the next level and bring in thousands of dollars? No, to both. My back still hurts and I am still several levels lower than I want to be, but that doesn't matter. It's just part of the deal. Besides, if we never have to struggle to get where we want to be, we never really are able to appreciate it when we arrive! Case in point, the three movies I have pointed out. In all three stories there were plenty of opportunities to give up. None, no, not one of them EVER gave up! Sure they all experienced setbacks, weak moments, and they all faced the temptation to throw in the towel and just quit.
No one would have blamed any of them if they had given up. But that's usually the way. To quit, that's the easy road, the least obstructed. It's even socially acceptable. No one questions you when you do. Most people when faced with adversity, take that road, at least the unsuccessful and even the marginally successful, do. After all the odds were stacked, no piled higher than the ceiling against them. It's OK. But to these individuals, to any individual who has ever achieved greatness NO, IT IS NOT! Success and struggle are bound together by both natural and spiritual law. They are inseparable. Therefore there is nothing inherently good about success nor inherently bad about struggle. One lies on the road to the other. It cannot be avoided.
I hope this piece serves to inspire someone else, perhaps someone who may be struggling with their home business, even thinking about giving up. For those people, please allow me to conclude with these two final thoughts. The greatest enemy of success is not failure. In fact failure is essential to achieving success. No, the enemy of success is compromise, a willingness to settle for less than the best. One can no more avoid failure on the road to success than one can go swimming without getting wet. And the greatest enemy of greatness is not bad, it's mediocrity. I encourage you, never settle for mediocrity when greatness is beckoning to you. Fight on!
The business is at a very critical juncture, a number of new and very green downline, the coming together of several very powerful advertising campaigns, culminating in a nationally televised infomercial which kicks off in just a few days. This is NOT the time to be knocked out of commission. But since when does timing ever care whose favor it works in? As I have said before, I don't believe in luck and I don't. At least I don't a it make habit of counting on it. If it comes and things go my way, fine. But I don't hold my breath. Besides, Lady Luck is schizophrenic, she's up one day, down the next! Or is that Manic Depressive. Perhaps both. Either way, I'm not in the habit of counting on crazy people.
Well, in the last three days, while down with my back and feeling down on my luck (there's that word again) I watched three movies that, and there is no other way to put this, have changed my whole frame of mind. They are, in order, "October Sky," "The Great Debaters" and "Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story." I highly recommend all three of them. In each story, someone had to find the inner courage and strength (and in two of the three God gets most of the credit for putting it there) to overcome personal demons and seemingly insurmountable odds in order to reach their true potential and realize incredible achievement and success.
In "October Sky," Dr. Homer Hickam who lived in the poverty stricken coal mine region of West Virginia grew up to become one of the greatest NASA scientists of all time. In "The Great Debaters," a debate team from tiny Wiley College in circa 1935 Texas fought racism, poverty, personal struggles on the way to defeating national power Harvard University and becoming what many consider to be the best debate team that has ever been. In "Gifted Hands," Ben Carson rose from poverty, racial prejudice, a single parent childhood to become one of the finest Pediatric Neurosurgeons that has ever graced the halls of a hospital. In each story the road to success was paved with struggle, with blood, sweat and tears and what I like to call "sweat equity." None of these individuals were perfect. In fact all of them were quite flawed. But all were equally determined to not let anything deter them from realizing their dream.
As you can imagine, these three stories had a profound effect on me. Did my back suddenly and miraculously get better? Did I jump right up, rush out and immediately sponsor that superstar who in no time is going to take me and my business to the next level and bring in thousands of dollars? No, to both. My back still hurts and I am still several levels lower than I want to be, but that doesn't matter. It's just part of the deal. Besides, if we never have to struggle to get where we want to be, we never really are able to appreciate it when we arrive! Case in point, the three movies I have pointed out. In all three stories there were plenty of opportunities to give up. None, no, not one of them EVER gave up! Sure they all experienced setbacks, weak moments, and they all faced the temptation to throw in the towel and just quit.
No one would have blamed any of them if they had given up. But that's usually the way. To quit, that's the easy road, the least obstructed. It's even socially acceptable. No one questions you when you do. Most people when faced with adversity, take that road, at least the unsuccessful and even the marginally successful, do. After all the odds were stacked, no piled higher than the ceiling against them. It's OK. But to these individuals, to any individual who has ever achieved greatness NO, IT IS NOT! Success and struggle are bound together by both natural and spiritual law. They are inseparable. Therefore there is nothing inherently good about success nor inherently bad about struggle. One lies on the road to the other. It cannot be avoided.
I hope this piece serves to inspire someone else, perhaps someone who may be struggling with their home business, even thinking about giving up. For those people, please allow me to conclude with these two final thoughts. The greatest enemy of success is not failure. In fact failure is essential to achieving success. No, the enemy of success is compromise, a willingness to settle for less than the best. One can no more avoid failure on the road to success than one can go swimming without getting wet. And the greatest enemy of greatness is not bad, it's mediocrity. I encourage you, never settle for mediocrity when greatness is beckoning to you. Fight on!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Gloom and Doom Economy, Celebration Time for MLM Oppportunities
It's in the news every night, the world news and local. The economy is tanking. Retail took a major hit this past Christmas and now it's being kicked while it's down. Layoffs, cut-backs, downsizing, business closures, it's everywhere! Add to that, a continuing rise in unemployment, foreclosures and a plummeting stock market and there is every reason to shout Gloom and Doom. It's terrible, the worst we have seen in recent memory. On the news last night, I saw where one of the big banks' stock was trading at $60 a year ago and today is at $3. I don't remember which one. Some industries, such as healthcare are holding on, but who knows for how long? Today the US Post Office announced job cut-backs. Prognosticators are telling us this is going to get worse before it gets better. Will it get better? Sure it will, but it will take some time to do so. We Americans are a resilient people. We don't give up that easily. But in the meantime, millions of people are looking for some way to make ends meet.
If you're in the Home Business arena, this should be a time to cheer! MLM or Network Marketing Opportunities are going to see an amazing boom over the next few years. Why? Because people need income and millions of them are flocking to the Home Business Industry. There are several reasons. It's less expensive to work from home a few hours a day, on the phone and the computer, than it is to pay the gas prices to drive several days a week to a second job that barely pays enough to make that trip worth it. Add to that the cost for clothing or uniforms, meals, taxes on what little money you do make, wear and tear on your car and by the time you're done, there's not much left. Sure, there are exceptions, mostly in the professional arena, doctors, lawyers, nurses, etc. Their salaries are high enough to make the extra time worth it. But it still takes people away from home and family, more than they are already, a major concern for most people. The Family is the last bastion of sanctity left in this world, and now it's being sacrificed to make sure the bills are paid, kids clothed and fed and there is a roof overhead. It's serious. These are difficult times.
But for those of us who are in a legitimate, profitable and relatively inexpensive to join home business, like The Berry Tree and Nutronix, our recruiting and business building just became a lot easier. People are looking for what we have to offer, and they're serious. It's like having a drink of cold water to offer someone who has just crawled out of the desert. Do you think they'll want it? Of course they will. If you believe in your products and your opportunity and if you understand who your market is, serious people who are looking for a legitimate business, willing to do whatever they have to do to make their lives better and if you are able to present your business the right way, out of a desire to help them achieve that goal, they will be receptive to and interested in what you have to say. Your downline will grow, your business will prosper and you will have turned gloom and doom into a time for celebration! You will be very successful and will make a lot of money doing so.
If you're in the Home Business arena, this should be a time to cheer! MLM or Network Marketing Opportunities are going to see an amazing boom over the next few years. Why? Because people need income and millions of them are flocking to the Home Business Industry. There are several reasons. It's less expensive to work from home a few hours a day, on the phone and the computer, than it is to pay the gas prices to drive several days a week to a second job that barely pays enough to make that trip worth it. Add to that the cost for clothing or uniforms, meals, taxes on what little money you do make, wear and tear on your car and by the time you're done, there's not much left. Sure, there are exceptions, mostly in the professional arena, doctors, lawyers, nurses, etc. Their salaries are high enough to make the extra time worth it. But it still takes people away from home and family, more than they are already, a major concern for most people. The Family is the last bastion of sanctity left in this world, and now it's being sacrificed to make sure the bills are paid, kids clothed and fed and there is a roof overhead. It's serious. These are difficult times.
But for those of us who are in a legitimate, profitable and relatively inexpensive to join home business, like The Berry Tree and Nutronix, our recruiting and business building just became a lot easier. People are looking for what we have to offer, and they're serious. It's like having a drink of cold water to offer someone who has just crawled out of the desert. Do you think they'll want it? Of course they will. If you believe in your products and your opportunity and if you understand who your market is, serious people who are looking for a legitimate business, willing to do whatever they have to do to make their lives better and if you are able to present your business the right way, out of a desire to help them achieve that goal, they will be receptive to and interested in what you have to say. Your downline will grow, your business will prosper and you will have turned gloom and doom into a time for celebration! You will be very successful and will make a lot of money doing so.
Friday, October 24, 2008
No Boundaries, The Berry Tree Opportunity
Tonight, I did something really interesting. I called a new distributor in my Bery Tree business. So what, you might ask, is so interesting about that? Well nothing, other than the fact that this gentleman lives in Australia, in a time zone 14 hours ahead of mine and the fact that it was a three way call with another person in California, a time zone three hours behind mine. Ok you say, that's fairly interesting. Oh, but I left out one small detail. My guy in Australia is not Australian. He's Serbian and speaks English as a second language, a very second language. His English is a bit rusty and he understands a good bit better than he speaks. Ok, a little more interesting. Add to that the different accents. Yes, friends, we Americans do have accents, just ask someone from Serbia. So, as you might have guessed by now, my third party in California was a translator, a Serbian National teaching at the College level in the US. I'm sure by now that you will agree, rather interesting. It was the ultimate three-way training call!
That's the beauty of this business of ours. We literally have no boundaries! Someone from Serbia, living in Australia who barely speaks English, found one of my articles in one of the online article directories and clicked on a link in the article to find out about my home based business. On his own, he signed up for The Berry Tree free trial and before the day was over, upgraded to a full member. All this, before I even had the chance to call him. This happened a few weeks ago and I have been having rather broken conversations with him while looking for a translator to enable me to properly educate and train this new distributor. In the meantime, I found a Berry Tree distributor, a young lady named Nicola, in Sydney, where this gentleman lives. Nicola IS Australian. She was willing to make contact with him and try to help him for me, while I was on the hunt for a translator. Nicola isn't even in my upline or my downline, she is in Shane Woods' downline! Talk about camaraderie and international cooperation! What a great business. It truly is for anyone, if they can just see the opportunity in front of them. Zivko did, and he barely speaks my language. Through the power of MLM and the universal reach of the Internet, we can do business anywhere in the world! So, why am I blogging about this? What's the point? I'll tell you.
If I can do this, find a translator, set up a three-way call spanning 17 time zones, to work with a person who found The Berry Tree business by reading articles on the Internet, how difficult can it be to pick up a phone and call someone just a few hundred miles away, or to reach out to someone in your own neighborhood? It's not difficult, at all. All one has to have is the desire, the will and the determination to overcome whatever barriers are placed in one's way and the willingness to get it done. We have a truly wonderful opportunity, here. We have a business that changes peoples' lives. Our products offer truly amazing health benefits and our business opportunity offers a truly incredible financial reward to anyone willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Over the next weeks and months we have the chance to gear up our efforts in preparation for our national Infomercial advertising campaign. We need to be training our downline distributors, getting them up to speed, getting them ready to handle the flood of new members that will come rushing in. Yes folks, we need to get ready. The Berry Tree is going to take the MLM and home business world by storm and we are in a true legacy position, on the front edge of a wave that is literally going to circle the globe. People are going to become very wealthy with this business and I intend to be one of them. Let's put away the excuses, break out the elbow grease and get to work. What do you say?
That's the beauty of this business of ours. We literally have no boundaries! Someone from Serbia, living in Australia who barely speaks English, found one of my articles in one of the online article directories and clicked on a link in the article to find out about my home based business. On his own, he signed up for The Berry Tree free trial and before the day was over, upgraded to a full member. All this, before I even had the chance to call him. This happened a few weeks ago and I have been having rather broken conversations with him while looking for a translator to enable me to properly educate and train this new distributor. In the meantime, I found a Berry Tree distributor, a young lady named Nicola, in Sydney, where this gentleman lives. Nicola IS Australian. She was willing to make contact with him and try to help him for me, while I was on the hunt for a translator. Nicola isn't even in my upline or my downline, she is in Shane Woods' downline! Talk about camaraderie and international cooperation! What a great business. It truly is for anyone, if they can just see the opportunity in front of them. Zivko did, and he barely speaks my language. Through the power of MLM and the universal reach of the Internet, we can do business anywhere in the world! So, why am I blogging about this? What's the point? I'll tell you.
If I can do this, find a translator, set up a three-way call spanning 17 time zones, to work with a person who found The Berry Tree business by reading articles on the Internet, how difficult can it be to pick up a phone and call someone just a few hundred miles away, or to reach out to someone in your own neighborhood? It's not difficult, at all. All one has to have is the desire, the will and the determination to overcome whatever barriers are placed in one's way and the willingness to get it done. We have a truly wonderful opportunity, here. We have a business that changes peoples' lives. Our products offer truly amazing health benefits and our business opportunity offers a truly incredible financial reward to anyone willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Over the next weeks and months we have the chance to gear up our efforts in preparation for our national Infomercial advertising campaign. We need to be training our downline distributors, getting them up to speed, getting them ready to handle the flood of new members that will come rushing in. Yes folks, we need to get ready. The Berry Tree is going to take the MLM and home business world by storm and we are in a true legacy position, on the front edge of a wave that is literally going to circle the globe. People are going to become very wealthy with this business and I intend to be one of them. Let's put away the excuses, break out the elbow grease and get to work. What do you say?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Life is Short, so Live It!
I recently went through a period of being just completely emotionally and physically drained. There were several family issues, nothing really big, but lots of little ones all hitting at once, compounding their effect. In addition to that, my mother has been having heart problems, and some other medical difficulties as well, and that was weighing on me. In fact we went out to Texas just last week to see her and my Dad. She had an operative procedure done this afternoon that should get the heart problems back in line. Things went well, and that provided some stress relief.
In the midst of all this, I was experiencing somewhat of a dry spell in building my home business. I was having difficulty recruiting new members, and in an MLM business that can be quite discouraging. Looking back, I can see that more than likely the trouble recruiting was largely attributable to the fact that all of the above was coming through in my voice and potential recruits were being affected by it and driven away. I'm not by nature a negative person, but the past few weeks or more I know I have been. It had to be having an effect on my prospecting efforts. What, you might ask, does all of this have to do with MLM or Home Business? Everything. It really put things in perspective for me. Perhaps it can do so, for you.
You see, life is short, very short. It's much too short to lose sight of the important things, like family, friendships, even our goals and dreams. It's much too short to spend complaining, whining, worrying, things I had been doing quite a bit of, recently. We spend far too much time in MLM, talking about the negative. We lament over things that hinder our success, people who just don't get it, who can't see or won't see the power of the opportunity we are putting in front of them. We discuss all the negative press our industry gets from people on the outside who, quite frankly, don't know what they are talking about. And we complain about how it affects our recruiting efforts. We gripe about success not coming quickly enough to suit us, when all along the greatest gift of all has been given to us, for free! That gift is life. And that life is very short.
We have so much to be thankful for. I know I do. No, I'm not making as much money as I would like, one never does. My business is not growing as fast as I would like it to, and even if it were, I would just want it to grow even faster. It's amazing what things we allow to upset our apple cart, things that when put into proper perspective when we or a loved one becomes ill, or worse, really don't matter. I'm not saying our dreams and our goals are not important or worthy of our commitment, our determination and effort. I'm not saying that the obstacles in our way are not real. I'm just saying that we need balance. That balance for me comes in the form of my wife, family and friends, my church, my faith, and yes, my life. If we lose balance we lose perspective. If we lose perspective we are lost, adrift in a sea of confusion and uncertainty, like a ship with no rudder. If we lose balance it will affect every thing in our life. Nothing will be truly right, for us, unless that balance is restored.
I apologize if this is a bit too metaphysical, but I do believe it is important. Maybe it will help someone else who is going through a crisis of balance and perspective. If you have lost sight of what is really important in life, my suggestion is to take the time to get alone with yourself, take time out to be thankful for the incredible gift of life you have been given. Find that center, find that balance and let it put everything else back into perspective. It will, if you will let it, I promise you. It did, for me. And now, with that balance restored, I can get back to the business of growing a successful organization that will continue to change my life and the lives of those who will come along. I can focus on my dreams and goals with much more clarity of vision and I can work toward them with much more commitment and determination. Yes my friends, life is short. So live it.
In the midst of all this, I was experiencing somewhat of a dry spell in building my home business. I was having difficulty recruiting new members, and in an MLM business that can be quite discouraging. Looking back, I can see that more than likely the trouble recruiting was largely attributable to the fact that all of the above was coming through in my voice and potential recruits were being affected by it and driven away. I'm not by nature a negative person, but the past few weeks or more I know I have been. It had to be having an effect on my prospecting efforts. What, you might ask, does all of this have to do with MLM or Home Business? Everything. It really put things in perspective for me. Perhaps it can do so, for you.
You see, life is short, very short. It's much too short to lose sight of the important things, like family, friendships, even our goals and dreams. It's much too short to spend complaining, whining, worrying, things I had been doing quite a bit of, recently. We spend far too much time in MLM, talking about the negative. We lament over things that hinder our success, people who just don't get it, who can't see or won't see the power of the opportunity we are putting in front of them. We discuss all the negative press our industry gets from people on the outside who, quite frankly, don't know what they are talking about. And we complain about how it affects our recruiting efforts. We gripe about success not coming quickly enough to suit us, when all along the greatest gift of all has been given to us, for free! That gift is life. And that life is very short.
We have so much to be thankful for. I know I do. No, I'm not making as much money as I would like, one never does. My business is not growing as fast as I would like it to, and even if it were, I would just want it to grow even faster. It's amazing what things we allow to upset our apple cart, things that when put into proper perspective when we or a loved one becomes ill, or worse, really don't matter. I'm not saying our dreams and our goals are not important or worthy of our commitment, our determination and effort. I'm not saying that the obstacles in our way are not real. I'm just saying that we need balance. That balance for me comes in the form of my wife, family and friends, my church, my faith, and yes, my life. If we lose balance we lose perspective. If we lose perspective we are lost, adrift in a sea of confusion and uncertainty, like a ship with no rudder. If we lose balance it will affect every thing in our life. Nothing will be truly right, for us, unless that balance is restored.
I apologize if this is a bit too metaphysical, but I do believe it is important. Maybe it will help someone else who is going through a crisis of balance and perspective. If you have lost sight of what is really important in life, my suggestion is to take the time to get alone with yourself, take time out to be thankful for the incredible gift of life you have been given. Find that center, find that balance and let it put everything else back into perspective. It will, if you will let it, I promise you. It did, for me. And now, with that balance restored, I can get back to the business of growing a successful organization that will continue to change my life and the lives of those who will come along. I can focus on my dreams and goals with much more clarity of vision and I can work toward them with much more commitment and determination. Yes my friends, life is short. So live it.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Berry Tree Scam
As I spend time in Internet forums, various blogs, researching and publsihing articles in various ezines and on other social networking sites, I find this recurring theme being played out like a broken record. The Berry Tree is a scam. This complaint is due, for the most part, to a few supposed problems; they charge a membership fee to join, the bonus pools are too small, it takes a too long to make any significant money and too many people fail with the business. In this article I will address these complaints, as well as the accusation that MLM's in general and The Berry Tree in particular, are scams.
I'm intrigued by how freely the word scam is thrown around these days, focused and aimed like a sniper's rifle at anything that smacks of MLM, The Berry Tree included. In most cases these accusations are by people who are simply misinformed. Or, they are by people who feel they've been burned by MLM and they're on a mission to bring the entire industry to it's knees! Not exactly what I would call credible witnesses. I wouldn't build a court case based on their testimony.
To determine the truth of such accusations, I suppose some definitions are in order. I turned to our good friend, Mr. Webster, and what I found was both interesting and informative. The definition of the word scam is "a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation," or, "an attempt to make money by fraudulent means." Fraud. Scam. Deception. Those are strong words and should derinately not be spoken lightly! If someone is going to hurl those words like a cannon ball at the MLM industry, and more specifically, at The Berry Tree, they had better be sure of their facts.
Let's take a closer lookat the above accusations in light of these definitions. MLM's like The Berry Tree, charge a membership fee in exchange for which the distributor receives products, marketing and training tools, mentorship, etc. They in turn, get the rights to profit from the business. That sounds pretty fair to me. It's not unlike buying into a McDonald's, or Starbucks Franchise. To own a franchise, one will have to pay franchise fees. So what's the difference?
If a membership or start-up fee makes The Berry Tree or any MLM a scam, then by definition, charging franchise fees to open a McDonald's or Starbucks is also a scam. Now, the start up cost for most MLM's is under $100, whereas the franchise fees above are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which of these do you suppose would enable the average person to become a successful business owner and realize great wealth and financial freedom?
If promising someone they will make money with an MLM, only for them to end up in failure, is a scam, then the same is true with traditional business owners who start out with that same dream, only to fail, and go out of business. It happens every day. Most often that failure is attributable to failure on the part of the business owner to do the things necessary to succeed. And, in those cases where it was the fault of the company, insufficient training, poorly designed compensation plan or whatever, it's still not fraud, and therefore not a scam.
Remember, scam means "by a fraudulent or deceptive act." Just because the business owner doesn't make the money they or the company thought they would make, either by their own fault, the company's fault, or some combination of the two, this is not a scam. It's not fraud. It's a bad business business model, maybe, bad luck, maybe, but it's not fraud.
I'm not implying that there are not real scams out there, there certainly are. There are those phony envelope stuffing schemes, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and perhaps the most successful one of all, that inheritance that suddenly has become yours from some rich philanthropist in Nigeria who has passed away and somehow their attorney or a family member has found you and wants to give you a large sum of money, yada yada yada. Now, pay attention class, those are scams. Remember, "by fraudulent means?"
So why is The Berry Tree being accused of being a scam? Several reasons. They charge a membership fee to join, we've already addressed that point. It takes time to make money and the bonus pools are small. The Berry Tree is not intended to be a get rich quick scheme. It is a compensation plan based upon growing and developing a deep and stable downline. The idea is not just to build numbers, but to build quality, distributors capable of reproducing themselves and duplicating the process downward. It takes time to accomplish this.
Sure, this will pay less in the beginning, but over time, this process will produce significant long term passive residual income. The small bonus pools do not indicate a problem either, but quite the opposite. The company is entering a phase where more people are qualifying for those bonuses, which of course will deplete them somewhat. However, those same people are sponsoring new members and growing the business, which will in turn increase the bonus pools, over time. This perceived problem is in reality evidence of growth and stability.
In summary, a scam is a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation, an attempt to make money by fraudulent means. It implies intent. Poorly run companies, bad business models, people not making money due to their failure or their company's, are not scams. They are problems for sure, but they're not scams. Membership and franchise fees are not scams. Businesses fail, people fail, this is a fact of life. This does not make the company a scam. MLM is a solid business model and The Berry Tree is one of the best this author has ever seen. It certainly has been successful for us. The only way to fail with The Berry Tree or any good MLM is to quit.
Look for The Berry Tree on CNBC, coming this fall on Eye on America with Diane Sawyer.
I'm intrigued by how freely the word scam is thrown around these days, focused and aimed like a sniper's rifle at anything that smacks of MLM, The Berry Tree included. In most cases these accusations are by people who are simply misinformed. Or, they are by people who feel they've been burned by MLM and they're on a mission to bring the entire industry to it's knees! Not exactly what I would call credible witnesses. I wouldn't build a court case based on their testimony.
To determine the truth of such accusations, I suppose some definitions are in order. I turned to our good friend, Mr. Webster, and what I found was both interesting and informative. The definition of the word scam is "a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation," or, "an attempt to make money by fraudulent means." Fraud. Scam. Deception. Those are strong words and should derinately not be spoken lightly! If someone is going to hurl those words like a cannon ball at the MLM industry, and more specifically, at The Berry Tree, they had better be sure of their facts.
Let's take a closer lookat the above accusations in light of these definitions. MLM's like The Berry Tree, charge a membership fee in exchange for which the distributor receives products, marketing and training tools, mentorship, etc. They in turn, get the rights to profit from the business. That sounds pretty fair to me. It's not unlike buying into a McDonald's, or Starbucks Franchise. To own a franchise, one will have to pay franchise fees. So what's the difference?
If a membership or start-up fee makes The Berry Tree or any MLM a scam, then by definition, charging franchise fees to open a McDonald's or Starbucks is also a scam. Now, the start up cost for most MLM's is under $100, whereas the franchise fees above are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which of these do you suppose would enable the average person to become a successful business owner and realize great wealth and financial freedom?
If promising someone they will make money with an MLM, only for them to end up in failure, is a scam, then the same is true with traditional business owners who start out with that same dream, only to fail, and go out of business. It happens every day. Most often that failure is attributable to failure on the part of the business owner to do the things necessary to succeed. And, in those cases where it was the fault of the company, insufficient training, poorly designed compensation plan or whatever, it's still not fraud, and therefore not a scam.
Remember, scam means "by a fraudulent or deceptive act." Just because the business owner doesn't make the money they or the company thought they would make, either by their own fault, the company's fault, or some combination of the two, this is not a scam. It's not fraud. It's a bad business business model, maybe, bad luck, maybe, but it's not fraud.
I'm not implying that there are not real scams out there, there certainly are. There are those phony envelope stuffing schemes, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and perhaps the most successful one of all, that inheritance that suddenly has become yours from some rich philanthropist in Nigeria who has passed away and somehow their attorney or a family member has found you and wants to give you a large sum of money, yada yada yada. Now, pay attention class, those are scams. Remember, "by fraudulent means?"
So why is The Berry Tree being accused of being a scam? Several reasons. They charge a membership fee to join, we've already addressed that point. It takes time to make money and the bonus pools are small. The Berry Tree is not intended to be a get rich quick scheme. It is a compensation plan based upon growing and developing a deep and stable downline. The idea is not just to build numbers, but to build quality, distributors capable of reproducing themselves and duplicating the process downward. It takes time to accomplish this.
Sure, this will pay less in the beginning, but over time, this process will produce significant long term passive residual income. The small bonus pools do not indicate a problem either, but quite the opposite. The company is entering a phase where more people are qualifying for those bonuses, which of course will deplete them somewhat. However, those same people are sponsoring new members and growing the business, which will in turn increase the bonus pools, over time. This perceived problem is in reality evidence of growth and stability.
In summary, a scam is a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation, an attempt to make money by fraudulent means. It implies intent. Poorly run companies, bad business models, people not making money due to their failure or their company's, are not scams. They are problems for sure, but they're not scams. Membership and franchise fees are not scams. Businesses fail, people fail, this is a fact of life. This does not make the company a scam. MLM is a solid business model and The Berry Tree is one of the best this author has ever seen. It certainly has been successful for us. The only way to fail with The Berry Tree or any good MLM is to quit.
Look for The Berry Tree on CNBC, coming this fall on Eye on America with Diane Sawyer.
Friday, July 11, 2008
MLM Home Based Business Success is Never an Accident
It never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times I see it happen, how so many people enter into an MLM Home Business unprepared and without a plan, expecting to be successful. And when they fail, which unless they are very lucky, they eventually will, they blame their failure on the industry, on their company or on their upline. Home Based Business success does not happen by accident. Success must be studied, planned and worked for with determination and resolve. I'm reminded of the old adage, "nothing of lasting value in life happens by accident." Success in business, in any career, in life even, is no exception. In this three part series we will examine the three components of Home Business success mentioned previously. This list is by no means exclusive, there are other components as well. We are just going to focus on these three.
Success must be studied. If you want to be successful in any venture whether it be business or any other vocation, you must study every aspect of the endeavor. If you want to become a physician, you must first study medicine, and then apprentice under skilled and experienced physicians before you can be licensed to practice on your own. If you want to become an attorney, the same is true. It is true for any chosen profession. Can you imagine men like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein or Marshall Field becoming successful inventors, scientists, businessmen, without being thoroughly educated on every aspect of their field of expertise? Absurd! Why would it be any different in a Home Business, MLM or otherwise? It's not.
In business, you need to know your product, your marketing and compensation plans. You need to know how much it will cost you to do business and the profitability of your business and products. Those costs include but are not exclusive to; advertising and lead generation, advertising materials, business and office supplies, telephone charges, and very important, your time. Time is the one resource you have that is non-replenishable. Once spent, you can never get it back. So, time spent learning the business, learning the products, advertising, calling leads, following up on prospects and customers, training associates or downline, must all be taken into account. Your time may be your most costly resource, because as I stated earlier, it's non renewable.
Additionally, you need to know who your target market is and how best to reach them. Products fall into some kind of niche, you need to know what that niche is for your business. You need to be able to fine tune your advertising and sales efforts to be most effective for reaching the demographic for which your particular business and products are most suited. You cannot do this unless you thoroughly understand your product, sales and marketing strategy, and your niche market.
Another important aspect of studying for success is mentor-ship. Why re-invent the wheel? Once you decide upon a business, one of the most important things you can do is to seek out a mentor, someone who has been there, done that, and knows the quickest and most efficient path to success and the pitfalls to avoid. You need to attach yourself to this person and soak up every last drop of knowledge and wisdom he or she has to share with you. Obviously you should seek out someone who is very successful and learn how to do what they do the way that they do it. Don't cut corners. Don't resist the training. They are successful for a reason. Find out what that reason is and duplicate it. It has been said the shortest path to any destination is a straight line. Well, this person can show you how to walk that straight line, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of pain and frustration. Follow them.
Lastly, and very importantly, prepare yourself for setbacks. Discuss this with your mentor, know ahead of time what those set backs can and will be, where you can expect them crop up, and be prepared. This won't prevent setbacks from coming, but it will prepare you mentally to "tough it out" and work through them. They won't catch you by surprise and you will know how to deal with them. Trust me, you will face obstacles and difficult times. You will go through periods where you couldn't sell soap to someone covered in mud! It just happens. It's not you, it's not the company, it's not the marketing plan, it's just life, Murphy's law. And Murphy was an optimist. Knowing there's a boogie man about to jump out of some doorway or dark alley makes it a lot less frightening when it happens and prepares you to respond in an efficient and effective manor.
To summarize, success must be studied. Prepare, apprentice, anticipate obstacles and setbacks, and you will succeed. You won't be able not to. In your Home Based Business as in any career or chosen endeavor, the ones who succeed are the ones who have prepared. The ones who have prepared are the ones who have studied. The ones who have studied are the ones who are serious, dedicated, focused and determined and who have decided ahead of time, failure is not an option and success is not an accident.
Success must be studied. If you want to be successful in any venture whether it be business or any other vocation, you must study every aspect of the endeavor. If you want to become a physician, you must first study medicine, and then apprentice under skilled and experienced physicians before you can be licensed to practice on your own. If you want to become an attorney, the same is true. It is true for any chosen profession. Can you imagine men like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein or Marshall Field becoming successful inventors, scientists, businessmen, without being thoroughly educated on every aspect of their field of expertise? Absurd! Why would it be any different in a Home Business, MLM or otherwise? It's not.
In business, you need to know your product, your marketing and compensation plans. You need to know how much it will cost you to do business and the profitability of your business and products. Those costs include but are not exclusive to; advertising and lead generation, advertising materials, business and office supplies, telephone charges, and very important, your time. Time is the one resource you have that is non-replenishable. Once spent, you can never get it back. So, time spent learning the business, learning the products, advertising, calling leads, following up on prospects and customers, training associates or downline, must all be taken into account. Your time may be your most costly resource, because as I stated earlier, it's non renewable.
Additionally, you need to know who your target market is and how best to reach them. Products fall into some kind of niche, you need to know what that niche is for your business. You need to be able to fine tune your advertising and sales efforts to be most effective for reaching the demographic for which your particular business and products are most suited. You cannot do this unless you thoroughly understand your product, sales and marketing strategy, and your niche market.
Another important aspect of studying for success is mentor-ship. Why re-invent the wheel? Once you decide upon a business, one of the most important things you can do is to seek out a mentor, someone who has been there, done that, and knows the quickest and most efficient path to success and the pitfalls to avoid. You need to attach yourself to this person and soak up every last drop of knowledge and wisdom he or she has to share with you. Obviously you should seek out someone who is very successful and learn how to do what they do the way that they do it. Don't cut corners. Don't resist the training. They are successful for a reason. Find out what that reason is and duplicate it. It has been said the shortest path to any destination is a straight line. Well, this person can show you how to walk that straight line, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of pain and frustration. Follow them.
Lastly, and very importantly, prepare yourself for setbacks. Discuss this with your mentor, know ahead of time what those set backs can and will be, where you can expect them crop up, and be prepared. This won't prevent setbacks from coming, but it will prepare you mentally to "tough it out" and work through them. They won't catch you by surprise and you will know how to deal with them. Trust me, you will face obstacles and difficult times. You will go through periods where you couldn't sell soap to someone covered in mud! It just happens. It's not you, it's not the company, it's not the marketing plan, it's just life, Murphy's law. And Murphy was an optimist. Knowing there's a boogie man about to jump out of some doorway or dark alley makes it a lot less frightening when it happens and prepares you to respond in an efficient and effective manor.
To summarize, success must be studied. Prepare, apprentice, anticipate obstacles and setbacks, and you will succeed. You won't be able not to. In your Home Based Business as in any career or chosen endeavor, the ones who succeed are the ones who have prepared. The ones who have prepared are the ones who have studied. The ones who have studied are the ones who are serious, dedicated, focused and determined and who have decided ahead of time, failure is not an option and success is not an accident.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Get In Touch With Reality
This outstanding article was written my good friend, Michael Lemm aka FreedomFire, administrator of the Home Based Business Forum, an excellent resource for all Home Business professionals. I highly recommend this forum to those of you striving run a successful business venture. His articles and posts always inspire me, and this one is no exception. I believe we can all benefit from what it teaches.
Enjoy!
One of the traits of current television programming is the various series of "reality" shows. While I am not sure how much any of these really depict the "reality" of anyone except a select few, the trend does raise the question:
Are you in touch with your own reality?
Your reality might be that you are where you want to be in life, and you want more of the same. Or at the other end of the spectrum, your reality might be a severe financial hardship that you do not know how you are going to recover from. Or your reality might be somewhere in between these two extremes.
Whatever your reality is, be aware that it is only human nature to want good things and be comfortable. If you don't have that, then that is what you want. If you already have that, then you want more of that. But the REALITY of the situation is, some say, "what it is is what it is, and you cannot do anything about it."
The problem with that picture of reality is that it is the most blatant LIE on the face of the planet. If you do not like where you are in life, then the power to change that is within your grasp. There are rarely any exceptions to this rule, yet people would have you believe otherwise, perhaps only because they themselves have already long ago given up on the dreams and goals they had in their younger years.
The following is a story which I would like to share with you to further drive home this point:
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which are you? Are you the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did you have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. You can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and learn from them to make your future better.
Your Home Business is what you make it and is a direct reflection of the amount of time and energy you put into it. If you treat it as a hobby, your commission checks will be "hobby sized", but if you are serious about it, then have your seriousness be reflected in your actions.
May we all be coffee!
Enjoy!
One of the traits of current television programming is the various series of "reality" shows. While I am not sure how much any of these really depict the "reality" of anyone except a select few, the trend does raise the question:
Are you in touch with your own reality?
Your reality might be that you are where you want to be in life, and you want more of the same. Or at the other end of the spectrum, your reality might be a severe financial hardship that you do not know how you are going to recover from. Or your reality might be somewhere in between these two extremes.
Whatever your reality is, be aware that it is only human nature to want good things and be comfortable. If you don't have that, then that is what you want. If you already have that, then you want more of that. But the REALITY of the situation is, some say, "what it is is what it is, and you cannot do anything about it."
The problem with that picture of reality is that it is the most blatant LIE on the face of the planet. If you do not like where you are in life, then the power to change that is within your grasp. There are rarely any exceptions to this rule, yet people would have you believe otherwise, perhaps only because they themselves have already long ago given up on the dreams and goals they had in their younger years.
The following is a story which I would like to share with you to further drive home this point:
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which are you? Are you the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did you have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. You can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and learn from them to make your future better.
Your Home Business is what you make it and is a direct reflection of the amount of time and energy you put into it. If you treat it as a hobby, your commission checks will be "hobby sized", but if you are serious about it, then have your seriousness be reflected in your actions.
May we all be coffee!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What Is an Opportunity
I came accross this article on my good friend Josh Bradley's Blog. Josh is CEO of Big Cash Creator, a company who's business is providing Home Business marketers state of the art tools for marketing their business opportunities. I believe this article addresses a valid concern and represents somewhat of a paradigm shift in how we should be marketing our MLM opportunities. Our economy, in deed the whole world's economy is changing drastically. These changes are having a significant effect on how prople approach the whole "work from home" idea. I believe if we can adapt our approach, how we try to "sell" our products and opportunities, these changes can work in our favor. Alan Kuykendall, the author of this particular article seems to agree with this way of thinking. I hope you will benefit as much as I did from reading this article. I cleaned it up a bit gramatically and changed some of the wording to make the article flow a little better, but the author's ideas remain intact. Enjoy!
Once apon a time MLM or Network Marketing companies and direct sales organizations would tell you that their opportunity was something that the average individual could take part in and could become a multimillionaire virtually overnight. The greatest pitch and almost standard tag lines used, were by people who have made and who continue to make millions from this industry. Through the years of network marketing using the internet as it's primary marketing medium, this approach has remained fairly successful!
Why wouldn’t it be? Becoming instantly rich by signing up with a company that everybody else was part of, seemingly making tons of cash, always looks good! As I am writing this article I can remember back to the time when I got the fever for MLM. It was based on the same principle. I was broke and tired of scratching for every dollar just to make ends meet. My rent was late, my family and I ate at home every day and our meals were something of a bore because of the tight budget we were on. It cost me so much money just to keep the 7am.-7pm job at the time as well. Gas, uniforms, insurance, union fees, tools, etc. had to be taken from my check every week and it was amazing what that amount was.
It was that same old “pitch” of getting rich overnight that gave me my original fever and it has not left me to this very day! But in all actuality, did I get rich overnight? No, and just like 75% of all people who come into network marketing, I failed at my first attempt. I did make a few bucks, but not nearly enough to pay for all the products I was buying, let alone enough to allow me to stop working. As I aged through the years, I kept at it with this industry and eventually figured out everything and started to make enough money to finally quit my day job. And from that day forward, I have always worked for myself from my home except for a short 3 year period when I went to work as the Director of Operations of our city’s biggest nutritional MLM networking company. That was 5 yrs ago and now, as everyone knows, I am cofounder of Big Cash Creator, LLC.
My point is, that I did not become rich over night. It took me several attempts, several thousand dollars and almost 2 yrs before I could honestly say that I was one of those persons that could boast about making gazillions. It took hard work, practice and a ton of learning to finally achieve the success that a lot of companies pitch today, that anyone can do it and in a very short time. Now, don’t get me wrong. There ARE individuals out there that have made a ton of money overnight without having any experience whatsoever. And that is the dream of MLM, make no mistake about it! But in this article I would like to suggest to you a change in our marketing strategy, that the opportunity is NOT about making a million bucks over night but is instead about something a little more reasonable, something people can more easily identify with.
At Big Cash Creator, LLC, we pay attention to the economy as well as to what is going on in the world politically and to the general attitude of society. The truth of the matter is that these factors play a very important role in the success of Network Marketing. Success relies solely in the hands of what we call, “The Masses." Most companies out there will tell you that without the masses there could never be a successful multimillion dollar company. If a company is not bringing in tens of thousands of regular people, like you and I, they will ultimately fail. If you ask any leader in any company with the 10K sized down lines, they will tell you that the majority of people in their organizations are simple people with a dream.
Now if we look at any major news network, newspaper or nationally circulated news magazine, a good part of their stories and topics are based on today’s economy and where it is going. Even with the current political change that is about to take place in the United States, the economy is starting to play a major role in that change. And if we dig deeper we will also see that there are quite a few people out there that feel that our economy is only going to worsen before it gets better. These days in America, most people do not see the possibility of being a millionaire in their future. Even though we are telling people that “Anyone Can Become a Millionaire,” more and more people are hesitant about taking anything out of their budget to try it out.
Recently, on CNN news, there was a story by their financial news anchor about how to budget the family income so that it would be possible to keep up with the rising cost of food. Just with the high cost of fuel, they are already predicting that there will be a whopping 37% fewer people traveling this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. With that in mind and with everyone really trying to stretch every dollar they earn, it is only reasonable to assume that more and more people very well may not buy into the whole “Earn a Million Dollars in Your First Month” hype. Only a few years back, statistics show, people would take a chance with a few dollars out of their paycheck or income tax check and take a stab at a Home Business Opportunity and give it their best shot.
Today however, especially if what the financial experts are predicting comes true, we are going to find that people are not going to be willing to take that chance. The truth of the matter is that our society can see through that hype and basically figure out that if anybody could do it, why is our economical outlook so bleak? As I said, I would like to suggest a change in our marketing approach from that of promoting the great opportunity hype to one of selling an opportunity to make a few extra bucks, instead. It is because of our current economical status that I have already started to employ this in my day to day prospecting efforts. I no longer tell my prospects that by joining my opportunity they will become rich like me. Instead, what they really respect and take to heart is, that I tell them this is an opportunity to make some extra cash for the possibility of troubled times ahead.
When I ask someone if they are going to travel this Memorial Day weekend and they tell me that they just can’t afford it, then that is my time to shine. I love to tell my prospects that I won’t lie.. It is not everyone that can be another Donald Trump. But what I can tell them and show them is how they can add an extra 100-200 dollars to their family budget by getting into my opportunity and utilizing the tools that I have. And that folks is GOLD, right now. One of the biggest reasons prospects fail to upgrade in your business is that they simply feel they cannot afford to and are unwilling to take that chance, with the small budget they have now. But the truth of the matter is, with most opportunities today, the average person really can add that extra income to supplement their budget. Who would not want to do that?
When someone tells me they cannot afford to take a camping trip or take the family out to dinner, I will go to great lengths, laying it out on the table for them, how my opportunity can allow them to do just that! And by joining my opportunity they will be able keep everything they are doing for their budget. No chances taken so to say. The thing is, it really is true that people do become extremely wealthy in MLM and by starting out with their only goal being to add more money to the budget to compensate for the small things like gas, food, and entertainment they are presented with the ability to become one of those millionaires, over time, with effort and motivation.
With this concept of creating a smaller opportunity for today’s financially difficult times, we will soon see that these new type of prospects that continue to work for their current employers are actually able to bring in more prospects because of what they are doing. While standing around the company water fountain or copy machine, your new team mate is telling his or her colleagues that he just came back from a weekend long camping trip with the entire family. They will be approached by co-workers who want to know exactly how they could afford such a luxury, working at the same place. And guess what they will offer in response? The same sort of opportunity that you presented.
Yes, anyone can become a zillionaire in this business. But only if they are able to bring in the masses. The masses are not going to take a chance with the current opportunity hype, but they will do almost anything including working 1 or 2 part time jobs just to make ends meet. Remember that gas alone to drive to yet another part time job costs the same as most opportunities cost on a monthly basis. But your opportunity not only provides the freedom of not having to buy gas, it allows people to enjoy the little time they currently have with their present full time job. Which would you prefer? I know that my prospects prefer the comfort of their own home and the ability to spend time with their families and especially going into the woods for a couple of days because it can be afforded!
- Article Written By Alan Kuykendall, C.O.O. and Cofounder, Big Cash Creator, LLC
Once apon a time MLM or Network Marketing companies and direct sales organizations would tell you that their opportunity was something that the average individual could take part in and could become a multimillionaire virtually overnight. The greatest pitch and almost standard tag lines used, were by people who have made and who continue to make millions from this industry. Through the years of network marketing using the internet as it's primary marketing medium, this approach has remained fairly successful!
Why wouldn’t it be? Becoming instantly rich by signing up with a company that everybody else was part of, seemingly making tons of cash, always looks good! As I am writing this article I can remember back to the time when I got the fever for MLM. It was based on the same principle. I was broke and tired of scratching for every dollar just to make ends meet. My rent was late, my family and I ate at home every day and our meals were something of a bore because of the tight budget we were on. It cost me so much money just to keep the 7am.-7pm job at the time as well. Gas, uniforms, insurance, union fees, tools, etc. had to be taken from my check every week and it was amazing what that amount was.
It was that same old “pitch” of getting rich overnight that gave me my original fever and it has not left me to this very day! But in all actuality, did I get rich overnight? No, and just like 75% of all people who come into network marketing, I failed at my first attempt. I did make a few bucks, but not nearly enough to pay for all the products I was buying, let alone enough to allow me to stop working. As I aged through the years, I kept at it with this industry and eventually figured out everything and started to make enough money to finally quit my day job. And from that day forward, I have always worked for myself from my home except for a short 3 year period when I went to work as the Director of Operations of our city’s biggest nutritional MLM networking company. That was 5 yrs ago and now, as everyone knows, I am cofounder of Big Cash Creator, LLC.
My point is, that I did not become rich over night. It took me several attempts, several thousand dollars and almost 2 yrs before I could honestly say that I was one of those persons that could boast about making gazillions. It took hard work, practice and a ton of learning to finally achieve the success that a lot of companies pitch today, that anyone can do it and in a very short time. Now, don’t get me wrong. There ARE individuals out there that have made a ton of money overnight without having any experience whatsoever. And that is the dream of MLM, make no mistake about it! But in this article I would like to suggest to you a change in our marketing strategy, that the opportunity is NOT about making a million bucks over night but is instead about something a little more reasonable, something people can more easily identify with.
At Big Cash Creator, LLC, we pay attention to the economy as well as to what is going on in the world politically and to the general attitude of society. The truth of the matter is that these factors play a very important role in the success of Network Marketing. Success relies solely in the hands of what we call, “The Masses." Most companies out there will tell you that without the masses there could never be a successful multimillion dollar company. If a company is not bringing in tens of thousands of regular people, like you and I, they will ultimately fail. If you ask any leader in any company with the 10K sized down lines, they will tell you that the majority of people in their organizations are simple people with a dream.
Now if we look at any major news network, newspaper or nationally circulated news magazine, a good part of their stories and topics are based on today’s economy and where it is going. Even with the current political change that is about to take place in the United States, the economy is starting to play a major role in that change. And if we dig deeper we will also see that there are quite a few people out there that feel that our economy is only going to worsen before it gets better. These days in America, most people do not see the possibility of being a millionaire in their future. Even though we are telling people that “Anyone Can Become a Millionaire,” more and more people are hesitant about taking anything out of their budget to try it out.
Recently, on CNN news, there was a story by their financial news anchor about how to budget the family income so that it would be possible to keep up with the rising cost of food. Just with the high cost of fuel, they are already predicting that there will be a whopping 37% fewer people traveling this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. With that in mind and with everyone really trying to stretch every dollar they earn, it is only reasonable to assume that more and more people very well may not buy into the whole “Earn a Million Dollars in Your First Month” hype. Only a few years back, statistics show, people would take a chance with a few dollars out of their paycheck or income tax check and take a stab at a Home Business Opportunity and give it their best shot.
Today however, especially if what the financial experts are predicting comes true, we are going to find that people are not going to be willing to take that chance. The truth of the matter is that our society can see through that hype and basically figure out that if anybody could do it, why is our economical outlook so bleak? As I said, I would like to suggest a change in our marketing approach from that of promoting the great opportunity hype to one of selling an opportunity to make a few extra bucks, instead. It is because of our current economical status that I have already started to employ this in my day to day prospecting efforts. I no longer tell my prospects that by joining my opportunity they will become rich like me. Instead, what they really respect and take to heart is, that I tell them this is an opportunity to make some extra cash for the possibility of troubled times ahead.
When I ask someone if they are going to travel this Memorial Day weekend and they tell me that they just can’t afford it, then that is my time to shine. I love to tell my prospects that I won’t lie.. It is not everyone that can be another Donald Trump. But what I can tell them and show them is how they can add an extra 100-200 dollars to their family budget by getting into my opportunity and utilizing the tools that I have. And that folks is GOLD, right now. One of the biggest reasons prospects fail to upgrade in your business is that they simply feel they cannot afford to and are unwilling to take that chance, with the small budget they have now. But the truth of the matter is, with most opportunities today, the average person really can add that extra income to supplement their budget. Who would not want to do that?
When someone tells me they cannot afford to take a camping trip or take the family out to dinner, I will go to great lengths, laying it out on the table for them, how my opportunity can allow them to do just that! And by joining my opportunity they will be able keep everything they are doing for their budget. No chances taken so to say. The thing is, it really is true that people do become extremely wealthy in MLM and by starting out with their only goal being to add more money to the budget to compensate for the small things like gas, food, and entertainment they are presented with the ability to become one of those millionaires, over time, with effort and motivation.
With this concept of creating a smaller opportunity for today’s financially difficult times, we will soon see that these new type of prospects that continue to work for their current employers are actually able to bring in more prospects because of what they are doing. While standing around the company water fountain or copy machine, your new team mate is telling his or her colleagues that he just came back from a weekend long camping trip with the entire family. They will be approached by co-workers who want to know exactly how they could afford such a luxury, working at the same place. And guess what they will offer in response? The same sort of opportunity that you presented.
Yes, anyone can become a zillionaire in this business. But only if they are able to bring in the masses. The masses are not going to take a chance with the current opportunity hype, but they will do almost anything including working 1 or 2 part time jobs just to make ends meet. Remember that gas alone to drive to yet another part time job costs the same as most opportunities cost on a monthly basis. But your opportunity not only provides the freedom of not having to buy gas, it allows people to enjoy the little time they currently have with their present full time job. Which would you prefer? I know that my prospects prefer the comfort of their own home and the ability to spend time with their families and especially going into the woods for a couple of days because it can be afforded!
- Article Written By Alan Kuykendall, C.O.O. and Cofounder, Big Cash Creator, LLC
Thursday, June 5, 2008
This Business is About People
I read a great comment in The Work AT Home Forum just the other day. The discussion was about building a successful downline. There were lots of very good comments on the subject. But then I came across this one by Rob and Rayvin Nyte. Simply put, I was blown away! You will be too.
To Quote:
“I don’t like the word Downline. It’s too impersonal. These are people with families, hopes and dreams, with goals for the future, with people who love them. How much do you know about the people dowline from you? Do they have any pets, hobbies, aspirations? We don’t know of any better way to build a successful downline than to build the people who are in it (emphasis mine). Our mentor is right. He never tires of repeating to us, “Build people and you will build your business.” Those words have become a mantra for us. May they help you transform your people as they have helped us.”
You see, we are not in the MLM Business or the Health and Wellness Business. We are not in the Vacation and Travel Business. We are in The People Business! Forget that when dealing with potential customers and business partners and we begin to sound impersonal, pushy, like a salesman. Forget it when we are working with our downline and we lose the ability to lead. Relationships build a successful business, not your product or compensation plan. To quote that silly insurance commercial, “Human Beings, acting Humanly, Brilliant!” But it’s the truth. Treat people with compassion, dignity and respect, become genuinely interested in their needs and concerns, their hopes and aspirations, and they will reward you by purchasing your products. They will reward you by not just joining your opportunity, but by excelling and building your business. Why, because you have made it Their Business as well. You have created a true Joint Venture.
Success in your Home Business isn’t measured by how big a downline you can recruit, or how much product you can sell. It’s not even measured by how much money you make. Those are all important benchmarks, to be sure. But true success, the kind that will build a strong, viable long lasting and profitable business, lies in how well you build people. It lies in how well you are able to help other people succeed, achieve their dreams, live a better life, and so on. If you don’t own a copy of Tim Sales’ Professional Inviter series, I suggest you purchase a copy. I won't benefit one way or the other by your purchasing a copy, but then agan, I will. If we all endeavor to be more professional, more ethical, More Human, we will give this industry a much better image, and likely as not, we will all reap the benefits of that.
In his own insightful way, Tim teaches you how to get in touch, how to connect with your potential customers and business partners. He teaches you how to identify with them and their needs wants and concerns, and sometimes, their pain. You've heard the old addage, "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!" You can’t get around that one. It's just human nature. You have to know how to Invite people in such a way that they feel invited, not sold. They need to know you care and that you truly want to help them. You lead and build your organization, the same way. "Build People and they will build your business." Simple, but Powerful.
Mitch
To Quote:
“I don’t like the word Downline. It’s too impersonal. These are people with families, hopes and dreams, with goals for the future, with people who love them. How much do you know about the people dowline from you? Do they have any pets, hobbies, aspirations? We don’t know of any better way to build a successful downline than to build the people who are in it (emphasis mine). Our mentor is right. He never tires of repeating to us, “Build people and you will build your business.” Those words have become a mantra for us. May they help you transform your people as they have helped us.”
You see, we are not in the MLM Business or the Health and Wellness Business. We are not in the Vacation and Travel Business. We are in The People Business! Forget that when dealing with potential customers and business partners and we begin to sound impersonal, pushy, like a salesman. Forget it when we are working with our downline and we lose the ability to lead. Relationships build a successful business, not your product or compensation plan. To quote that silly insurance commercial, “Human Beings, acting Humanly, Brilliant!” But it’s the truth. Treat people with compassion, dignity and respect, become genuinely interested in their needs and concerns, their hopes and aspirations, and they will reward you by purchasing your products. They will reward you by not just joining your opportunity, but by excelling and building your business. Why, because you have made it Their Business as well. You have created a true Joint Venture.
Success in your Home Business isn’t measured by how big a downline you can recruit, or how much product you can sell. It’s not even measured by how much money you make. Those are all important benchmarks, to be sure. But true success, the kind that will build a strong, viable long lasting and profitable business, lies in how well you build people. It lies in how well you are able to help other people succeed, achieve their dreams, live a better life, and so on. If you don’t own a copy of Tim Sales’ Professional Inviter series, I suggest you purchase a copy. I won't benefit one way or the other by your purchasing a copy, but then agan, I will. If we all endeavor to be more professional, more ethical, More Human, we will give this industry a much better image, and likely as not, we will all reap the benefits of that.
In his own insightful way, Tim teaches you how to get in touch, how to connect with your potential customers and business partners. He teaches you how to identify with them and their needs wants and concerns, and sometimes, their pain. You've heard the old addage, "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!" You can’t get around that one. It's just human nature. You have to know how to Invite people in such a way that they feel invited, not sold. They need to know you care and that you truly want to help them. You lead and build your organization, the same way. "Build People and they will build your business." Simple, but Powerful.
Mitch
Friday, May 30, 2008
There is NO Plan B!
For my first post, I would like to share a short article i posted in one or two of the forums I frequent on a regular basis. I recommend you do the same, especially if you are truly serious about getting involved in a Home Business Opportunity. Forums and Blogs are some of the best resources available to those of us who have embarked upon the journey that is a Home Business. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The prize goes to the one who perseveres when all the odds seem to be stacked against them, thus the reason for my title, "There is NO Plan B." So, read on, and I hope this will inspire you, encourage you, give you a sense of purpose. To your success and mine!
I was having a discussion a while back with a good friend, a very successful member of my organization. His name is Martin. We were talking about motivation, about selling out, doing whatever is necessary to succeed in this industry. I asked him what had made him so successful and his reply almost bowled me over in it's simplicity, yet it was such a powerful motivator that it became a defining moment in my MLM career, in my life, even. "Mitch" he said "there is No Plan B." For a moment, all I could do was just sit quietly and reflect on what I had just heard. What power, what insight was contained in those simple words. He's right, you know, there really is No Plan B. For those of us who are endeavoring to walk this path, an MLM Business Opportunity is our one shot at creating a secure financial future. For whatever reason, lack of planning, calamity, sickness, poor financial decisions, we have no other means with which to build enough wealth to retire securely and comfortably.
At that moment, the epiphany that exploded in my mind defined me and set me upon a course not unlike Cortez, when he came to the New World. He commanded his troops to "burn the ships." Why? It left them with No Plan B. They were sold out! They were committed! They had to be, there was no going back. For me, there is no going back. There are not enough years nor is there enough strength left in this 54 year old body to do it the old fashioned way, invest, save, etc. My personal situation is not unlike many of you, I imagine. Life has dealt me enough curves, some of which I dealt myself, I might add, that I have too little savings, no investments, not enough in retirement, pension plans, to survive on, let alone live the "good life." And I don't want to wind up a Wal Mart greeter, or bag boy in some supermarket at 65 years of age. Not even!
No, this is it for me. It is my one and only plan, my one and only course of action, my one and only means with which to secure my financial independence and freedom. One cannot succeed in any venture, especially Online Marketing unless one has a powerful and all consuming "why." This is a major component of my "why." If this doesn't work for me, nothing will. So it's "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!" It's sell out, give my all, whatever it takes, I will do, because there is no other option. Sure, I want to get out of debt. Sure, I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Sure, I want to have a legacy to leave my kids when I am gone. But those motivators, powerful as they can be, pale in comparison to the realization that, the ships have been burned, the old world is an ocean away, my future is in my hands, no one Else's. It's succeed or else. I'm not being melodramatic here, it's the absolute truth.
Fortunately for me, and for many of you in the same boat, oh, I forgot they were burned, just kidding. As I was saying, fortunately for all of us, MLM is a great industry! We truly are in control of our own destiny, or own financial security, our own financial future. I'm thankful that there is No Plan B. If there were, I would have been tempted to give up, quit, because contrary to what many people believe, this industry is not easy. It's simple, unbelievably and amazingly simple, but it's not easy. It requires resolve, a thick skin, determination, commitment. It requires a strong enough "why!" So, in the words of Cortez, I say BURN THE SHIPS! Leave yourself no way back. It will change your whole approach to this business. It will change your heart, give you the strength to go on in the face of all the doubters, Nay Sayers, critics, self professed pundits who will try to tell you to just "get a job, take the easy way, MLM doesn't work," or whatever they are saying that has you spooked.
Just remember, burn this into your consciousness.
THERE IS NO PLAN B!
Respectfully submitted,
Mitch
The Berry Tree Is The Better Way!
I was having a discussion a while back with a good friend, a very successful member of my organization. His name is Martin. We were talking about motivation, about selling out, doing whatever is necessary to succeed in this industry. I asked him what had made him so successful and his reply almost bowled me over in it's simplicity, yet it was such a powerful motivator that it became a defining moment in my MLM career, in my life, even. "Mitch" he said "there is No Plan B." For a moment, all I could do was just sit quietly and reflect on what I had just heard. What power, what insight was contained in those simple words. He's right, you know, there really is No Plan B. For those of us who are endeavoring to walk this path, an MLM Business Opportunity is our one shot at creating a secure financial future. For whatever reason, lack of planning, calamity, sickness, poor financial decisions, we have no other means with which to build enough wealth to retire securely and comfortably.
At that moment, the epiphany that exploded in my mind defined me and set me upon a course not unlike Cortez, when he came to the New World. He commanded his troops to "burn the ships." Why? It left them with No Plan B. They were sold out! They were committed! They had to be, there was no going back. For me, there is no going back. There are not enough years nor is there enough strength left in this 54 year old body to do it the old fashioned way, invest, save, etc. My personal situation is not unlike many of you, I imagine. Life has dealt me enough curves, some of which I dealt myself, I might add, that I have too little savings, no investments, not enough in retirement, pension plans, to survive on, let alone live the "good life." And I don't want to wind up a Wal Mart greeter, or bag boy in some supermarket at 65 years of age. Not even!
No, this is it for me. It is my one and only plan, my one and only course of action, my one and only means with which to secure my financial independence and freedom. One cannot succeed in any venture, especially Online Marketing unless one has a powerful and all consuming "why." This is a major component of my "why." If this doesn't work for me, nothing will. So it's "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!" It's sell out, give my all, whatever it takes, I will do, because there is no other option. Sure, I want to get out of debt. Sure, I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Sure, I want to have a legacy to leave my kids when I am gone. But those motivators, powerful as they can be, pale in comparison to the realization that, the ships have been burned, the old world is an ocean away, my future is in my hands, no one Else's. It's succeed or else. I'm not being melodramatic here, it's the absolute truth.
Fortunately for me, and for many of you in the same boat, oh, I forgot they were burned, just kidding. As I was saying, fortunately for all of us, MLM is a great industry! We truly are in control of our own destiny, or own financial security, our own financial future. I'm thankful that there is No Plan B. If there were, I would have been tempted to give up, quit, because contrary to what many people believe, this industry is not easy. It's simple, unbelievably and amazingly simple, but it's not easy. It requires resolve, a thick skin, determination, commitment. It requires a strong enough "why!" So, in the words of Cortez, I say BURN THE SHIPS! Leave yourself no way back. It will change your whole approach to this business. It will change your heart, give you the strength to go on in the face of all the doubters, Nay Sayers, critics, self professed pundits who will try to tell you to just "get a job, take the easy way, MLM doesn't work," or whatever they are saying that has you spooked.
Just remember, burn this into your consciousness.
THERE IS NO PLAN B!
Respectfully submitted,
Mitch
The Berry Tree Is The Better Way!
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