MLM Success and The Power of Two

MLM Success is contingent upon many factors, not the least of which is the ability to build a large and successful downline. Most MLM practitioners are unable to recruit enough people to sustain their business long enough for it to succeed. The industry average is something like 2.7, meaning that the average person can recruit 2.7 people. Sure, there are gifted men and women who seem to be able to recruit at will but they are the exception, not the rule. So, if a large and thriving downline is critical to Network Marketing success and the average network marketer can only bring in 2.7 people, how can anyone succeed in this industry? The answer lies in a very simple concept, "The Power of Two."

Simply put, recruit two people and help each of those recruit two people. Then teach the first two to help their people recruit two and so forth. This strategy sets the average MLM distributor up for success instead of failure. There are some very good reasons for this. First, you have simplified the whole recruiting process. All they have to do is recruit two. Second, it creates the momentum necessary to achieve sustained growth. And as the team grows, your support system grows along with it because now everyone is helping everyone below them to get their two. Building with The Power of Two enables your team to work together to grow a solid downline that will make the business profitable for everyone.

The numbers are truly staggering! They may seem small at first but watch what happens as The Power of Two takes over and the business begins to grow. If you start with one person recruiting two people in their first month and each person thereafter recruits just two in their first month and if everyone on the team follows through with the plan, in four months there will be 63 people on the team. In Six months it will grow to 127, in eight months it will be 511 and in one year, with everyone only expected to recruit two and help their two recruit two, your organization would grow to 8,191 distributors. Now, in any MLM compensation plan I know of, that translates to success and a boat load of cash! And it was accomplished in just one year.

Of course it's a given that no system is perfect and there will always be folks who drop out or who refuse to do their part, that's MLM. It doesn't matter. You simply bypass those weak spots by recruiting another distributor and help them get their two. Problem solved. MLM Success is not always easy but it is incredibly simple. Achieve success by helping others succeed. Help others succeed by building with The Power of Two.

Developing A Business Mentality is Key to MLM Success

So you found the MLM business you want to get into, great products you can believe in, a lucrative compensation plan, impressive training and marketing tools. You have a real connection with the person who will be sponsoring and mentoring you. The company is just beginning to hit the explosive growth surge that will make it's distributors a fortune over the next several years. All the ingredients for success seem to be in place. It truly is a "right place, right time" opportunity. But none of this matters if you don't have the right mindset, if you don't enter into it with a business mentality. Without that key ingredient, you are destined for failure.

Too many people get into MLM thinking it will be all sunshine and roses. They're told that the product and business opportunity will "sell themselves." All they have to do is show it to people and they will be beating down the door, to get in. The truth is, good products will sell themselves but not everyone is going to buy. And when it comes to sponsoring new members, things can become even tougher. If you don't have a business mentality, prepared to deal with hearing the word "no" more often than you will hear the word "yes," you will quickly become discouraged and quit. Rejection is part of the game so you need to be prepared for it.

Another problem is what I call the "Hobby Mentality." Hobbies cost money, businesses make money. But all to often, people get into an MLM and don't take it seriously. If it takes off right away and makes money, great. If not, it's on to something else. MLM success takes work. It requires training, planning and preparation, goal setting and taking deliberate action. It requires time spent talking to people, getting your product and opportunity out there so others can see them. Success not going to just happen, it's the by-product of hard work and determination. You have to DO something if you want something to happen, even with today's online automated tools and systems. They won't work FOR you unless you work WITH them. And success takes time to achieve. It won't happen overnight.

In summary, if you desire MLM success, long term residual income, financial freedom and security, find a good MLM with a profitable compensation plan and products you can believe in. Then if you don't have one already, you must develop a business mentality. Educate yourself, set measurable goals, expect and be prepared to handle the ups and downs associated with any business endeavor and grow a thick skin so you can handle the word "No." Be prepared for the long haul. Business is a marathon, not a sprint. Do this and you will achieve MLM success.

Your Home Business Success Is Up To You

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?

To Achieve Your Dreams Remember Your ABC's

The following is written on a plaque hung in one of the bathrooms in our house. I cannot tell you how many times I have stood there and read these words. A couple of days ago I was, well, standing there and reading the plaque yet another time. But this time the words burned through me, all the way to my heart and this time they spoke to me, really spoke to me. These words are powerful. They truly are a recipe for achieving one's dreams. They are a recipe for success in life, in any endeavor one choses to undertake. I submit them now to you, my readers and ask you to consider their consequences. Take them to heart as I finally did, if you want to achieve your dreams.

Remember your ABC's.

Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits.
Believe in yourself.
Consider things from every angle.
Don't give up and don't give in.
Enjoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
Family & friends are hidden treasures, seek them, enjoy their riches.
Give more than you planned to.
Hang on to your dreams.
Ignore those who try to discourage you.
Just do it.
Keep trying no matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.
Love yourself first and most.
Make it happen.
Never lie, cheat or steal, always strike a fair deal.
Open your eyes and see things as they really are.
Practice makes perfect.
Quitters never win and winners never quit.
Read, study and learn about everything important in your life.
Stop procrastinating.
Take control of your own destiny.
Understand yourself in order to better understand others.
Visualize it.
Want it more than anything.
Xcellerate your efforts.
You are unique of all God's creations, nothing can replace you.
Zero in on your target and go for it.

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!

Becoming An MLM Mentor

It's a given that there is a high rate of failure in the home business industry, MLM in particular. This has given rise to much discussion as to the viability of MLM, these days. It doesn't work. It's a scam. It's not a real business model. It's days are over. These are just a few of the recriminations you'll hear. While there are a number of valid reasons for the high rate of failure in MLM, it remains not only a viable industry but a legitimate and profitable business model. It's days are not over, it's not a scam and it does work.

The problem is not in the business model itself, but in it's practitioners. For the most part they are improperly recruited, poorly equipped and poorly trained, thus destined to fail. One of the most glaring deficiencies this author has observed is the lack of good mentoring. Mentoring is key to success in any profession, Law, Medicine, and yes, Business. All of these professions require extensive internships before a someone is allowed to practice independently. It just makes sense. It should be no different in MLM.

Sponsoring a person into one's MLM business without training and mentoring them is a recipe for disaster! Dani Johnson says that people who come into the industry and to not get properly trained will become frustrated and quit within three months. She should know, she's the best trainer in the MLM industry, bar none. Dani has trained many of the most successful and profitable people in MLM, today.

The solution to this problem is really quite simple. First, become a mentor yourself, then train your new prople to become mentors. In essence, train the trainers. What will result is a strong and powerful organization with a downline capable of growing and duplicating with incredible consistency and efficiency. This process will produce strong, independent and confident distributors, instead of MLM cripples. Now you have a recipe for success, not disaster.

So, how does one become an MLM mentor? The answer is obvious. Spend time in the presence of one. If the person who sponsored you is not capable of doing the job, look up the chain of command and find someone who can, then spend time with them, even if you have to go all the way to the top! These people are successful for a reason. Learn what they know and do what they do, until it becomes second nature and you will become successful. Then, when you sponsor new people into your business they won't have to look any further than to you, to find guidance.

In the event that one of your newer inexperienced distributors sponsors someone, it is imperative that you or another mentor take the new recruit under your wing. If you have done your job and developed a team of mentors and trainers, you will have no problem finding someone to work with them. As an added bonus, this provides a valuable training opportunity for your less experienced distributors. They'll learn how to mentor by observing the process in action. In short, with MLM, mentoring is the key to duplication and duplication is the key to success.

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!

Thanks And Perspective

It comes to mind that we humans aren't in touch enough with our frailties and our inherent weaknesses. We make our plans and attempt to determine our lives' course on our own, as though we are the ones in charge of our destiny. How utterly proud and at the same time, stupid, this is. We are before Almighty God, like an ant shouting to a Steam Roller, "Halt I command you!" I suppose pride should be listed in that first sentence regarding things we need to understand about ourselves. If you have spent any time reading scripture, you know where is the end of a life lived in pride.

My credo "Nothing of lasting value in life happens by accident. Chart your own course," at first inspection would seem to be a proud thing to say. The reason that it is not so is because I understand from the outset, that all the plans of Man are in vain unless they are first inspired by The Lord. As much as is possible I try to live in this manner. I fail. We all do. But sometimes I succeed. Yes, I am one of those strange people you hear about who believe we can talk to and hear back from, God. Our lives depend upon it. I do not spend enough time in His presence, but I do try to walk in a manner worthy of Him. A dear friend, a former pastor, Forest Jones, used to say to me, "Honor God and God will Honor you." I have seen the benefit of this in my life, in times when I was lower than low. So, I know it to be true.

This business I am working at present and will be working for years to come, Nutronix and The Berry Tree, I believe was given me to do by The Lord. No, there was no thundering voice from heaven, nothing like that. What has given me this confidence is that I can see His hand in it. When everything appears dark and hopeless, he brings light and renewed hope. When I need a boost of encouragement the most, somehow it comes my way. Recently, my lower back has been reeking havoc with me. I have been almost completely incapacitated. Before this happened, as I have said in earlier posts, people came along, into my team, that are capable of and in fact have taken the wheel and kept this ship sailing on course. That's what teamwork is all about!

Thora, Dave, and any others I cannot bring to mind at this writing, you have my sincerest thanks. And I cannot express strongly enough, nor with enough grattitude, how fortunate I am to have the leadership I have in this business, guys like James Hamilton, Mike Baxter, Chris Aitken. You guys are true warriors and brilliant leaders. I say that I am fortunate because I do not believe in luck. Fortune comes from above and has direction and purpose. Lady Luck is random and fickle, cheating her recipients far more often than she blesses them.

I determined long ago that for any success that came from this business I would give honor and praise first to God from whom I know all success comes in the first place. I determined that I would honor Him in all I do, all my business dealings, all my marketing and recruiting practices, in every part of this business. It is time I put another post here, to do just that. Also, I want to say publicly a huge Thank You to all my team, "Team Alliance," and to all my leadership, James and "Team Synergy" as well as Bob Bremner, the brains behind all the products at Nutronix. Bob, for those of you who do not know, is a brilliant man. He can talk for hours, trust me I know personally, about the ins and outs and whys of how our products work.

But more importantly to me than that, Bob is a man of Faith. He will quickly say that in the end, it is God's design in us as humans and the making of products that cooperate with that design, that makes these products so effective. So to all the above, I say first, Thanks to Him, then thanks to you. Our success is guaranteed as long as we endeavor to do business with honor, as a team, working together and as long as we keep our eyes on The One who makes all of this possible. To our Massive Success!

Mitch

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.

What Are The Best Home Business Opportunities

After re-reading one of my blog posts below on this subject, I decided a little more elaboration on the point was in order and would better serve the serious researcher. In order to know what the best home based business opportunities are, one must first understand a few things about business in general. What consumer groups are profitable to market to? What products do those consumer groups purchase, and why? What is the best way to position oneself as a seller to those groups, and how does one go about doing so? According to some of the more knowledgable industry experts such as Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, Tim Sales, and others, the single best way to go into business and tap into these markets is with MLM or Multi Level Marketing, also known as Network Marketing. MLM's are the best home based business opportunities for several reasons.

One can get started as an affiliate with a good MLM company, Nutronix International and The Berry Tree being two excellent examples, for a fairly reasonable start up cost, usually anywhere from $100 to $500 and have access to numerous products, websites to market them, websites to manage the business, training and mentoring from established men and women in the business. Add in an advertising allowance and one can be in business, up and running for under $1000. In most cases the company will drop ship an order placed on an affiliate's website so the affiliate doesn't have to store, handle and ship products. The company will keep record of sales, taxes, inventory, etc.

The distributor can make money both by selling products and recruiting more distributors to sell, called a downline, and making a small percentage on business done by the downline as well. Those percentages are paid through several levels and can become very lucrative over time. The real power here is not in selling products but rather in recruiting a large and active downline to sell products and earning a small percentage on their sales. It's better to make a small percentage on the efforts of hundreds of people than to make a large percentage on ones efforts only. The best home business opportunities are with companies like those above who offer good products at a reasonable price and have a lucrative compensation plan with realistically achievable qualification requirements.

As important as the type of company one chooses is the consumer group or groups they market to. It's an established fact that The best home business opportunities are ones who market to the Baby Boom Generation, in the US those men and women born between 1947 and 1964. In Canada those born between the years of 1947 and 1966, and in Australia between 1946 and 1961 are considered Baby Boomers. Companies like the ones named above have understood for a number of years now that businesses who cater to these Boomers are going to be highly successful and very profitable.

Here are a few facts one needs to understand about this group of people. They constitute the single largest consumer group in the world, today. They currently range in age from 40 to 63 years. 80% of them are employed. Their buying power is well over 2 Trillion dollars and growing. Another characteristic of this group is that as they continue to age, the products they want and need will change. The best home business opportunities are ones that market products these Boomers want now with an eye out for products they will be interested in as they age. The best companies understand that to remain profitable for many years to come, they must recognize and constantly be on the leading edge of buying trends as they emerge and they must be able to anticipate future trends and adapt accordingly.

In summary, look for a Network Marketing company with affordable products and a good compensation plan with achievable qualification goals that understands who they should be marketing to, and how to reach them. Most of these will be marketing to the Baby Boom Generation. Look for a business one can get started in for a reasonable cost, including any initial start up fees and advertising costs. There seems to be a bias against business opportunities having any start up cost at all, but this is completely unrealistic. You are not looking for a job, you are looking to start a business. To think one can do so for nothing is absurd. There are a number of good home business opportunities one can get up and running with for $500 to $1000 out of pocket. That's a pretty reasonable expectation. The best home business opportunities will be the ones that meet most or all of these criteria. So, Happy Hunting!

"Back" In The Game!

You know you're getting older when..... We've all heard the jokes starting with that famous intro. Well, this past week or so it wasn't a joke, at least for me it wasn't. I woke up one morning and my lower back was screaming at me. I couldn't get out of the bed! Pain was shooting down my right leg, and my back was locked up. I managed a few stretches, struggled to get to an upright position, and called my Chiropractor. It took me over an hour to get up, dressed and in the car, my wife driving me of course.

I had no idea what I had done to bring this spasm on. I have a history of low back trouble, degenerative disc disease, and as I indicated, I am under the care of a Chiropractor. The next five or six days were awful, filled with Chiropractic adjustments, pain pills, muscle relaxers, Ice, stretches, agonizing walks from the bed to the bathroom where I could not even stand erect without being in excruciating pain. I'm much better now, not totally pain free, but much better.

Why am I writing about this? well, it knocked me out of the game for almost a week. I couldn't call leads, couldn't follow up with customers and prospects, couldn't work with my team. Here's where the point comes in. I have a gal in Atlanta, Thora, super gal, great right hand (wo)man. I gave her my leads, handed over my three newest people and she took the ball and ran with it. She followed up with them, did some training with them, called leads with them, etc. You see, you have to have someone or someones like Thora on your team, someone who can step up in relief so the game can go on. This is only possible if you have learned how to duplicate yourself in your downline.

It could have been a disaster, no one to lead, no one to support the new guys, no one to manage the reigns. But it wasn't. No, it was instead, a testament to the power of duplication. You cannot delegate if you don't duplicate. I am fortunate. I have folks who are working hard to learn the system, learn the business, folks who in times like this can keep the ship sailing on course, and on time. Now that my back is better, and I'm "Back" in the game, I can rest a lot easier knowing that it's not all on my shoulders. And that's a great feeling to have, I assure you.

A Work At Home Business Opportunity, Better Than The Lottery!

I was talking with one of my business partners this afternoon, about people who would like to start a home based business but will say they are unable to come up with any start up cash. They'll agree that it's a legitimate work at home business opportunity, but still they balk at the cost. Of course it's absurd to think one can start a business and have no capital with which to do so. The online forums are full of posts indicating that any business that has start up costs must be a scam. They couldn't be any more wrong, but that's not really the subject of this article.

These same people, who say they can't come up with any start up capital have no qualms about going down to their local 7-11 each and every Payday and purchasing lottery tickets! They'll plop down anywhere from $10 to $20 or more every week without any reservation, knowing that the odds of even recovering their investment are slim to none. To make matters worse, once in a while they may actually win a hundred bucks or so, which just adds fuel to the fire. Yet, they're unwilling to spend $50 - $100 to start a home based business that will enable them to work at home with the opportunity to make thousands of dollars a month, passive residual income and be secure financially for the rest of their lives.

One definition of the word Insanity is "To continue doing the same things over and over, expecting different results." That definition certainly applies to these people. They want to strike it rich and they're willing to bet on extremely long odds, over and over again, to do so. Insanity! It's incomprehensible to me to think that anyone would refuse a legitimate opportunity to work at home and build a respectable and profitable business but they'll turn right around and throw money away on nothing more than a pipe dream!

No, there's no guarantee that a home based business will succeed. There are no guarantees in life, period, with the exception of death and taxes! But I will promise you, the chances of success with a work at home business opportunity are a heck of a lot better than they are with a lottery ticket. I'll take those odds all day long! Wouldn't you?

Who Inspires You?

I posted my article, "The Secret To MLM Success" in one or two of the online forums in which I participate. I never know what kind of response I will receive when I post an article out there. Well, the feedback I have been getting from this one has been incredible. The most common adjective that comes to mind is, Inspiring. This prompted me to write and post a little more about a man who is somewhat of a hero to me, "Pistol Pete Maravich." He almost singlehandedly revolutionized the game of basketball. But it was his dedication, his faith, his desire to let nothing stand in his way and prevent him from being the best he could possibly be that is truly inspiring. That phrase "This is Inspiring," keeps coming up over. Here is my response. Enjoy.

Yes it is, ______. I will not ever forget seeing him play. He was one in a million, a skinny white kid who looked like he would break in half if someone ran into him. But once he stepped onto a basketball court, he was poetry in motion. His shooting ability was matched only by his ball handling and passing skill. He would make some of the most incredible passes that teammates would miss because no one would ever expect that a pass that good was even possible.

But what I said about Pete in my post above is only part of the story. The rest of the story (Oh man, now I sound like Paul Harvey, LOL!) is even more inspiring. His dad, Press Maravich, was was a successful college basketball coach and former college and professional player. When Pete was growing up, he found a passion for the game that fueled the most amazing, even legendary work ethic. He was determined to be the best that had ever been.

His unwavering dedication, the superior knowledge of the game of basketball he gained from his father along with hours upon hours upon hours, usually late into the evening, spent working on ball handling, passing and shooting drills, also learned from his father all combined to produce the most incredible and unstoppable force the game had ever seen.

It is this dedication and tireless and relentless practice and work ethic that comes to mind now, as I reflect upon my post, above. The fans only saw the end result, and as awesome as that was, it pales in comparison to the work ethic and dedication that got him there. His confidence, his skill, his ability to take over a game and carry his team upon his shoulders were only the tip of the iceberg. So, when a bad game would come, and they always do, he would just keep right on doing the things he knew would get him through it and the law of averages, which it always does, would turn in his favor. Success and the turn of the tide, was always only one "jump shot" away.

It's important that we have people in our lives that inspire us to keep on keeping on, when it looks hopeless, when everyone else says "just give up, it's impossible," when nothing seems to be going right. I have had many such people over the years, to inspire me, the greatest of all being my Father, truly the best man I have ever known! Another is "Pistol Pete Maravich," the greatest player I have ever seen play the game of basketball. My quesiton to you, the reader, is "Who Inspires You?"

The Best MLM Business Opportunity

What's the best MLM business opportunity? Well, there are lots of excellent MLM business opportunities depending upon what you're looking for. What's the best one? To be completely honest, there isn't one. Let me explain. I'm with The Berry Tree and Nutronix. For me, this is The Best MLM opportunity. It has changed our life. I love the products and would use them even if they were not attached to a business. I like the people I am in business with, upline and down and I have met and like the company ownership and many of the company leaders. I believe in the business and products. So for me, The Berry Tree and Nutronix is the best MLM business opportunity out there. However, there are lots of folks for which this MLM would not be the best. People are as different as night and day, each with his or her own unique personality traits, likes and dislikes, and so forth. For some, MLM is not a good business opportunity at all. They'd be better off opening an online store or a traditional brick and mortar business. Some people are not a fit for being business for themselves, period. There's certainly nothing wrong with that. What I am saying here is, when it comes to a business opportunity, there's no such thing as "one size fits all."

If someone is looking to start an MLM home business, online or off, they should at first, search with no filter at all. Just explore all the opportunities that are available, to start with. Some of them will "strike a chord" with you, and some will not. Toss aside those that don't and start narrowing the search. Examine their products, marketing plan, compensation plan, up front cost, monthly autoship requirements, etc. and even more of them will prove undesirable. A word of caution here, don't let cost alone be the deciding factor. Any business will incur costs. You're looking for a business, not a job. Look past the cost, to the potential return on investment. Also keep in mind, you're looking for the best MLM business, not the cheapest. Once you've settled on the MLM business opportunity you like the looks of and there may be two or three of them, do some more detailed research. Open every closet, look behind every door and leave no stone unturned. One of them will shine above the others. The one that looks best to you will not necessarily be the one that looks best to someone else. Remember, "one size does not fit all."

Once you've decided on the best MLM business opportunity for you, don't hesitate to jump in with both feet. Don't be tentative, here. A number of MLM businesses offer a free trial period. That's fine. Take advantage of the offer. This will allow you some time to get better acquainted with the company and the folks you'll be working with. But after that, if you still like what you see, GO FOR IT, and go all the way. Find out the highest level you at which you can get on board in order to maximize your profitability down the road, and start there. Don't let the old "I don't have any money" excuse cause you to miss what could be the very best decision you have ever made. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way. Remember your goal, financial and personal freedom, or whatever your particular "why" may be. Focus on that, find a way to get in, and in the words of the Nike commercials, "Just Do It!" In the end, the best MLM business opportunity is the one you can sink your teeth into, believe in whole-heartedly and be passionate about. It will feel more like a breath of fresh air, than a job. It has been said that those who love what they do for a living never have to "go to work." For them, it's like being on vacation, every day. That's how to find the best MLM business and for me, without question, it's The Berry Tree and Nutronix.

Stay The Course

People are lazy. In this credit based, I want it now, microwave oven world we live in, the concept of delayed gratification is a forgotten ideal. Analysts and philosophers alike debate the reasons behind the recent economical recession. I propose that at least in part, the problem can be attributed to the all pervasive "I want it now" mentality. If we want something we charge it to a credit card or a line of credit from the bank. People used to work hard and save their money and when they had enough to make the purchase, they bought whatever it was they wanted. They payed in real money, too. Not anymore.

Now we can whip out a piece of plastic or sign our name on a piece of paper and the desired purchase is ours. We may not even have the funds to repay the bank or credit card company, but that doesn't matter. We want it, we don't want to wait to get it, so we charge it. Now, extrapolate this concept so as to include the entire world and it becomes clear what is playing a major role in the downturn of the global economy. The culprit, at the very core of it all is greed and it's sidekick, impatience. The global economy is based on debt. Not a very sound foundation, would you agree?

So how does this apply to running a home based business? As I said before, people are lazy and they're impatient. They want success but they aren't willing to work for it, let alone be patient enough to wait for it. In the MLM world, people jump around from one home based business opportunity to another almost as often as they change shirts. If they don't make it rich in a month or two, they begin to grumble and complain and within a very short time either quit or jump ship. Very few will invest their time, money and energy and then stay the course, giving the plan time to work. If you've ever had a vegetable or flower garden, you understand that it's rediculous to assume that you will sew one day and reap the next. Just ask a farmer and see what kind of answer you get.

No, you have to till the ground, mix in some fertilizer and plant your seeds. Then you have to water the garden regularly and get rid of the weeds that will crop up every few days, or so. It takes weeks sometimes, especially in a vegetable garden before you begin to see the first sign of growth. If this were an MLM and after a week or so, there was no visible evidence of anything growing, most people would give up. Or they would just dig it all up and start over. How utterly absurd! Yet, that's the pervasive mentality among Network Marketers. That is in part, why 95 percent of the people who start out in an MLM, fail. They either don't know how or they don't want to stay the course. They want it now.

If you're in an MLM like The Berry Tree, my particular business, and you're prepared to do the things necessary to succeed and if you're willing be patient and wait for the results, those results will come and they will be incredible! The true gem in MLM is the achievement of a long term passive residual income that will enable you to live financially free and comfortable, for the rest of your life. The best part is, you will eventually reach the point where you don't even have to do anything to perpetuate it. It will just keep on coming.

No, you won't get there overnight. You may have to work hard and invest into your business for a year or two or three. So what? Can you achieve that in your current job? Not likely! What if it were to take five years to get there, would it be worth the wait? If you can answer that question with a resounding yes, then you have what it takes to stay the course. You have what it takes to succeed and succeed you will, and you will become very wealthy. The others? They'll just keep on grumbling, complaining, dropping out or jumping ship. So work hard, give it your all and by all means, stay the course!

On The Making Of New Years Resolutions

The practice of making new years resolutions seems to get somewhat of a bad rap. Few people seem to take it seriously and every year one hears any number of jokes about it's sincerity and how long those resolutions will last. I have never really done this, made a New Years resolution. The idea always seemed a bit pretensive to me, not to mention somewhat proud.

Just take a look at the root of the word, resolution. It's resolve. Now that's a strong word. It speaks volumes, doesn't it? It resounds with deep undertones such as commitment and determination. It speaks of serious intent to make good on something. If one is going to resolve something, one had better give some deep thought as to the seriousness of the resolution and whether or not one has the strength to follow through.

Let's look at some of the definitions of the word resolve:

1. to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine to do something.

2. to settle, determine, or state formally in a vote or resolution.

3. to clear away or dispel doubts, fears, etc.

I like that second one, to settle. That sounds decisive, stong, certian. It has a sense of surety about it.

This New Years, after wrestling with these things and giving much thought to what I would be willing to resolve to do, I made some resolutions. I resolved to persue a closer walk with The Lord and to work at being a better man, a better husband, a better father. And I resolved to treat others with more respect and dignity and to practice putting others first and self, last. Of course without the first of those resolutions, all the others are impossible to keep.

But maybe that's the point. Mere human strength is often not enough. We need to lean on the devine. One of my favorite scriptures says it best. "Those who wait upon The Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.

In the persuit of success in business as well as in life in general, one can achieve nothing unless one has resolve. And true resolve, the kind that can stay the course, comes from The Lord. I wish all who read this post a very happy, prosperous and faith filled, New Year.

The Customer Is Always Right

I was born in 1953, grew up in the 60's and graduated high school in 1972. So many things have changed, since then. Life was different, slower paced, simpler. People felt a much stronger sense of community. Neighbors would hang out on one anther's front porch on into the evening and catch up on what was going on in each others' lives. Neighborhoods were like one big family. Kids would run and play outside from dawn till dark and no one ever worried about a child being abducted. Life was a lot less expensive. Gasoline was cheap, we could get high test for 37 cents. We could go to the movies for under a dollar, two if we bought a soda and some pop corn. Heck, you could buy a really nice sports car for under Five Grand and the average mortgage was under Fifty Thousand. Yeah, life was more simple.

There was a popular saying in business in those days, it went something like this, "The customer is always right." Sadly, that philosophy is rarely if ever, adhered to, today. Of course, the customer was not always right but that wasn't the point. Business establishments, especially those that were locally owned, treated their customers like family. There was a strong sense of honesty and fairness in business dealings. Proprietors would rather make a little less on a sale, than cheat a customer. In return, people felt a sense of loyalty and would shop at the same stores, buy a car from the same dealership, get gas at the same station, eat at the same restaurants and so on. Why? Because the customer was always made to feel that they were important, that they were family. And in a very real sense, they were.

Another benefit to the establishment was word of mouth advertising by very satisfied customers. This is the best kind of advertising because it's very effective and it doesn't cost anything. Well, it does, but not monetarily. It's cost is measured in things like integrity, character, honesty, a good work ethic, taking the time to insure the customer gets the right product at a fair price. This is the kind of advertising that will grow a large and successful business for you. In Network Marketing we talk a lot about offering products and a business opportunity that meet a real need and make someones' life better. To me that's what that old "The Customer is Always Right " philosophy meant.

The truth is, this business, any business, is not about you. It's about your customer, your prospect. Our business exists because we have products and an opportunity that can help people and make their lives better. People don't care what's important to us. They don't care about how their purchase or decision to join us will help us, financially. They care about what THEY need, want or desire. If they believe you care about them and truly want to help them, they will buy from you and they will sign up for your opportunity. Remember, People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. It's not about you. It never has been. It's about your customer and "The Customer is Always Right."