Multiple Streams of Income...

Last night, we had a big snow in Louisville Kentucky.


I am at home with my wife right now; we are about to have breakfast...


It is 11:30 am on a Monday morning.


There are some benefits to having multiple streams of Income (I have four distinct income streams, all of which are self-employment related)...


I did not have to 'call in' this morning. I can still do some measure of work at home. And I was able to work a little more this week, in order to get ahead of the snow financially (I made more money earlier in the week, so that I would not miss the income loss from the snow)...


To be sure, I am NOT rich... but I do have the benefit of being IN CONTROL of my own income.

Which Sounds Better To You?

When you tell everyone that they can make millions... and almost none of them do... is that honest? Well, you be the judge of that...

But, might it be a better approach to tell them that they can earn a little bit extra... and then help them to do exactly that?

In the video below, I wanted to touch on my broad philosophy on this. Check it out...

Which Is Better?

Just Be Yourself!

Sometimes we are encouraged in Amway to act like we are already successful in business. We are told to 'have the right posture' when dealing with potential business prospects...

I wanted to come at you face-to-face on this one. Check it out below...

Fake It Till You Make It?

Have We Lost The Message?

The Amway company was founded on four fundamental principles...

1. Support the fundamental FREEDOM of people to determine their own future.

2. Allow the time and resources to protect and nurture FAMILY.

3. Offer HOPE to individuals.

4. Present the opportunity to receive REWARD in proportion to individual efforts.

These are the four principles of Amway... in print on the Amway literature... inscribed in stone at the Amway headquarters. This is what the company is all about.

Many Amway leaders readily tout these fundamentals in inspirational rallies, and in recorded speeches on CD. Most are very eager to promote the value of personal and financial freedom... the ability to do what you wish to do, when you wish to do it... no boss to tell you otherwise. And many leaders will encourage their business team to "dream big"... to visualize the ultimate reward that awaits them... world travel, fancy cars, the best wardrobe, and all the rest. But wait...

Look again at the Amway fundamentals. What do they state about freedom and reward? Rather than an exclusive focus on personal financial freedom, Amway supports the freedom of every business owner "to determine their own future"... each person should determine his own goals; decide his own objectives for the business. So, maybe you want to "go Diamond"... become the next millionaire in your family... if so, fantastic! But maybe you just want to pay  your mortgage... or the daycare... or the electric bill. Maybe you just want to save for a rainy day... for a vacation... or for the holidays. Many of the Amway leaders would have you believe that "Diamond is where it's at!" ...that you have to "flush that stupid job" in order to be a winner at this thing. Well, maybe these leaders have lost the message... because the founders of Amway want us all to choose our own path, to "determine their own future"...

And look again at Amway fundamental # 4. The founders were committed to giving all business owners the "opportunity to receive reward in proportion to individual efforts". That word "opportunity" is interesting... it doesn't mean "guarantee", for sure. And it doesn't even mean "possibility" really...

According to the dictionary app on my device, the word opportunity means "a situation in which something can be done" or "a good chance for advancement or progress". Here's a question: Have the Amway leaders... the ones who praise the value of 'going Diamond'... have they created "a situation in which [Diamond] can be done?" Have the leaders created an environment in which someone has a "good chance for advancement" toward that goal? Hmm...

The possibility of Diamond exists. And all Amway leaders will tell you that "you can do it!" But, when Amway literature says that less than one half of one percent of all Amway Independent Business Owners earn Diamond income (not quite one out of a thousand average $100K in North America)... do you really have "the opportunity to receive reward", "a good chance for advancement" toward this goal? Again, hmm...

Maybe, just maybe, by focusing almost exclusively on Diamond, many of the business leaders have lost the message. Because the founders of this company want you to have "the opportunity", "a good chance" to be rewarded in this thing. The founders want you to get your reward for all of your hard work...

So, maybe an environment that encourages you to set your own goals is the key... an environment where you can actually learn how to do what you really want to do, not what someone else wants you to do. Maybe 'a situation' where you have the best chance to reach smaller goals... rather than little chance to reach the top... maybe that makes more sense. It certainly is in harmony with the mission of the founders... it certainly is the message of Amway.

Wake Up Now...(?)

I love this NPR radio program called THIS AMERICAN LIFE, with Ira Glass...

The show recently aired an interesting segment about network marketing (kinda), featuring a company(?) called Wake Up Now...

m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/543/wake-up-now

One of the things that struck me, is the fact that the biggest problem with many networking companies may be... LACK OF CLARITY in the presentation!

Presentation of what? ...whatever.

It could be a product... it could be a service... it could be the real business opportunity. Whatever you have to offer... lack of clarity in your presentation will destroy you!

In the interest of clarity, let me say that I don't endorse Wake Up Now... and I don't speak against it. But look, whether you build Wake Up Now, or Amway, or whatever...

you better be CLEAR, you better be STRAIGHT-FORWARD... you better come correct with people.

Direct Sales 101...

I picked up two guys today, while I was driving with Uber.

We talked about our various enterprises... I sell Amway products, they sell telecom services. Since I also happened to have a book about direct sales... well, they asked for any advice i'd like to give.

I asked them what they liked about the services they offer. They said, "we don't like anything about the services we offer." (What?! ...Why are you selling that service then?!)

So, I asked them how they expected to be any good at selling something they didn't like. They said, "we could just lie to people about liking it, right?"............

So, here it goes... direct sales 101...

DON'T SELL WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE! ...ONLY SELL WHAT YOU DO LIKE! ...and

DON'T LIE TO FOLKS TO GET SALES...

Class Dismissed.

Sales Recommendation...

I just thought that I would mention...

our personal biggest sellers are the MEN'S HEALTH pack, and the WOMEN'S HEALTH pack. They are once-a-day supplement packs... they're easy to take... they're inexpensive...all of our customers buy them!

It's important, as far as sales are concerned, to find a specific product to market... something you personally like... and something that appeals to an audience.

You don't wanna try to sell everything... Amway has about 450 products! AND, they distribute a couple hundred thousand products thru their PARTNER STORES...

so find something specific.

If you're still researching Amway, check out the health packs here...


http://www.amway.com/shop/product/product.aspx/?itemno=105481&pwsID=saibusinessgroup

http://www.amway.com/shop/product/product.aspx/?itemno=105480&pwsID=saibusinessgroup

Remember, when it comes to sales... be specific!