Concentration

Vitamins for the Mind by Jim Rohn
Concentration

The best advice I ever came across on the subject of concentration is: Wherever you are, be there.

When you work, work. When you play, play. Don't mix the two.

Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of attention.

On the way to work, concentrate on the way - not the work.

Pay attention. Don't just stagger through the day.

Wordless Wednesday Travel

When the grandparents ask if the kids can go on vacation with them make sure they have plenty of room in the car for the kids.

(No children were harmed in the production of this photo...ha!)

For more Wordless Wednesday pics be sure to stop over at 5 Minutes for Mom!

Book Review - Parable of the Pipeline

The Parable of the Pipeline
(How Anyone Can Build a Pipeline Of Ongoing Residual Income In The New Economy)
By Burke Hedges

From the Back Cover:
One Pipeline is Worth a Thousand Paychecks!

We’re living in the most affluent economy in decades. Yet millions of people are still living from paycheck to paycheck, working longer and longer hours just to stay even.

Why? Because they bought into the wrong plan! They’ve fallen for the Time-for-Money Trap. You know, a day’s work for a day’s pay. A month’s work for a month’s pay. Sound familiar?

Whether you’re a $10,000 a-year dishwasher or a $100,000 a-year doctor, you’re still trading one unit of time for one unit of money. You’re still living paycheck to paycheck. As for “job security” – if you can’t do the work because of layoffs…illness…injury…or retirement – the paychecks stop!

Where’s the security in that?

How do you escape the Time-for-Money Trap? By building pipelines of ongoing, residual income. With residual income, you do the work once and get paid over and over again. That’s why one pipeline is worth a thousand paychecks. Pipelines keep pumping day after day, year after year, whether you’re there to do the work or not.

Now, that’s security – true financial security!

The Parable of the Pipeline will teach you how to build pipelines so that you can make the leap from earning a living today…to enjoying a lifestyle tomorrow!

From Me:

I never fully understood the importance of the “pipeline” until I finished reading this book. It was like the lights had been turned on in my head and all of the sudden I knew what I had to do next.

I would strongly encourage anyone, whether you are in network marketing or not, to read this book and grasp the importance of stepping out of the Time-for-Money trap that the author talks about. Once you grab a hold of that information it will radically transform how your look at your job, your business, and your life.

Keep Reading, Learning, and Growing,

Success Magazine Article - Part 2

Direct Selling Offers Flexibility and Financial Freedom
Erin Casey May 5, 2008

Tap into a proven system for success. Avoid wasting time or money by learning from others’ experiences and wisdom. Direct selling companies often provide high-quality, high-impact marketing tools, including personal Web sites, brochures, catalogs, DVDs and CDs to help direct sellers present a professional image—at a fraction of what it would cost to produce the same tools on their own. Additionally, training in best practices is frequently offered online and via conference calls as well as at local and national conferences.

Start a business for $500 or less. Direct selling companies offer big opportunity with minimal startup costs. For a small sign-up fee, new reps receive access to training and marketing materials, discounts on products and sample products to show and sell. You can set up office at your kitchen table with phone and laptop. Low overhead combined with minimal(if any) inventory expenses make direct selling businesses affordable. And because many companies handle online orders and deliver directly to customers, independent representatives can focus their time on connecting with potential clients and team members.


Experience flexibility and time freedom. The flexibility to work around full-time jobs or to create an income stream that fits into their families' schedules is a huge perk. Becauseeach representative is an independent contractor, not an employee, there is no set schedule or required number of hours. On average, part-time direct sellers devote three to 10 hours per week to their businesses. Those who pursue the business full time invest 15 to 35 hours per week. In either case, representatives can set their own schedules and build their businesses during off hours and lunch breaks or on weekends.


Earn what you’re worth. When you’re the boss, you don’t have to ask for a raise—you simply go out and earn one. A results-driven industry, direct selling levels the playing field by offering the same opportunity to everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic background. Equal opportunity, a clearly defined career path and no earning restrictions mean there are no limits on what successful direct sellers can earn. While some in the industry are earning millions, it’s more common for direct sellers to use their businesses to earn extra cash per month to pay for dinnersout, private school, college expenses, cars and family vacations.


Maximize your earnings with residual(or passive) income. By building a team of people who love the products and are excited about telling others about the opportunity, direct sellers can leverage their time and maximize their income. Capitalizing on a team’s efforts means a business owner can devote 10 hours a week to their business, but with 10 other people also devoting 10 hours to their businesses, the team leader earns a commission from the collective sales and team-building results of 110 hours’ effort. It also means a team builder’s business has the potential to grow, even while he or she is on vacation.


“I like the honesty about direct selling,” says economist Paul Zane Pilzer, author of The Next Millionaires, “because it openly tells people the way to get rich is residual income: Get paid tomorrow for something you did yesterday—and let it accumulate.”


Reap the rewards of helping others succeed. Building a team definitely makes financial sense, but it also offers significant intangible rewards. Though representatives run their businesses independently, they often develop a family-like connection with their team members and others in the business. The friendships formed and the experiences of helping others improve their personal and financial lives are often as meaningful to direct sellers as the money they earn.


Get the recognition—and prizes—you deserve. In the corporate world, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, much less free vacations, luxury cars or fine jewelry. Direct selling companies know most people work more diligently and with more enthusiasm for a reward. First-class incentive trips to exotic locations, free cars or car allowances, fine jewelry and cash bonuses are offered by many companies to those who excel. And the opportunity to earn such rewards is open to everyone.


Become a better you. Direct sellers are faced with numerous comfort-zone challenges, and by overcoming those challenges they grow personally and professionally. The encouragement and training these independent business owners receive from their companies’ leaders as well as others in the field spur them to step outside their comfort zones to achieve success.

Success Magazine Article - Part 1

Direct Selling Offers Flexibility and Financial Freedom
Erin Casey May 5, 2008

If you want to spread your entrepreneurial wings but have little or no business experience, don’t have a product or service to offer or are simply looking for a proven system for success, direct selling might be the ideal opportunity.

For more than 100 years, direct selling companies have offered independent representatives the ability to purchase products at wholesale prices and earn a profit by selling them at retail prices. Most direct selling companies also allow representatives to earn commissions for introducing new sales reps to the business. This business model relies on independent contractors, rather than traditional advertising, to spread the word about a company’s products or services. The word-of-mouth marketing approach works for several reasons: Consumers appreciate the personal service, the convenience of shopping from home, and the comfort of buying from those they know and trust.

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money, is bullish on direct selling, especially during a slowing economy. “Direct selling is a great model…with high gross margins, low capital intensity, lots of free cash flow,” he said on a recent show. “It’s a fragmented industry with gigantic room for growth. The top 15 players only account for about half the market.”

Amy M. Robinson, Direct Selling Association Vice President of Communications and Media Relations, points out that, while many people seek additional income during lean economic times, “in all honesty, direct selling is hot because it’s a fun, convenient way to shop that people enjoy. So, poor economic times or not, people find direct selling to be appealing. Great products, personal service and income potential are elements of direct selling that make it a strong economic contender at all times.”

“People motivated to get started in direct selling typically share certain attributes,” she says. “Most seek supplemental income, either short-term or long term. The social aspect also is appealing for those who love to meet new people and many enjoy buying products and services they already use—at a discount.”

With a direct selling business opportunity you can: Join an industry where business is booming and there’s always room at the top. Direct selling, sometimes referred to as network marketing, is a $32 billion industry in the United States and a $110 billion industry worldwide. The millions of individuals building direct selling businesses determine for themselves when they want to move up the career ladder and exactly how high they want to climb.

In the next post there will be more information on how, exactly, to do that...

KC Chiefs partner up with YTB

Chiefs, YTB launch innovative rewards program allowing fans to become a Chief for a Day, win pre-game sideline passes or VIP status. Left to Right: Ken Blume - Kansas City Chiefs Director of Development,J. Kim Sorensen - President and CEO of YTB Travel Network, Bobby Bell - Pro Football Hall of Fame,Russell Wolf - YTB Corporate Consultant.

YTB Travel Network Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of YTB International Inc., is partnering with the Kansas City Chiefs to administer the football team's online and fan-based travel through the Chiefs travel Web site, http://www.chiefstravel.com/, the organizations announced Tuesday.

Chiefs fans can book their travel through the Web site, which will offer multiple entry opportunities to win game day packages, tickets to a luxury suite, autographed memorabilia, the opportunity to become a "Chief for a Day," a cabin on a Chiefs celebrity cruise and more.

"Fan support at home and also on the road has been a vital ingredient in the success of this franchise over the last 20 years," Chiefs President Carl Peterson said in a statement. "

Moreover, with this new travel program we can reward our fans for that support, as each time they book travel -whether business or personal, related to Chiefs games or not -they have the opportunity to win any number of special prizes from watching a preseason game from a luxury suite, becoming a Chiefs player for a day and enjoying other fan friendly experiences."

You've Got a Friend!

If you've ever felt as though you needed guidance in regard to following your dreams, but your colleagues or friends simply couldn't provide the help that you needed, you're not alone.

There are millions of people in the world who are frustrated with their careers and who feel as though they have no one to turn to for advice - but I'm writing to you today to let you know that I am here for you, every step of the way.

The business opportunity that I would like to share with you is not an overwhelming or daunting enterprise, but since it may be new for you, I'd like to offer a helping hand. Not just any home-based business partner will do. I will go above and beyond the call of duty to help you in your new entrepreneurial venture.

After all, who couldn't use a friend in the business world?

Let me offer my assistance. Simply select the Web site below to get started and let me guide you through your first steps in a business opportunity that will change your life for the better!

Watch this quick 4-minute video The Right Place, and then check out this web site ---> Money4Vacation

This could be the beginning of something amazing!

Sincerely,


P.S. An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous. (Henry Ford)

Moms Online

Moms Online: Browsing, Researching, Buying Summary

Once upon a time, marketers advertised on daytime TV and soap operas to reach mothers. Today, more than 40% of all women who go online in the US—approximately 35 million of them—are mothers who have children under 18 at home.

The Moms Online report analyzes the changing Internet habits and decision-making patterns of this all-important consumer demographic.

Moms regularly engage in parenting-related activities online, but they are also involved in other online activities such as search, entertainment and shopping.

In fact, moms rely on the Internet for purchase decisions. Upwards of two-thirds of online moms of young children research products online, so it is critical for marketers and retailers to understand the role of the Internet in their purchase decisions.

Key questions the “Moms Online” report answers:
* How many mothers are online in the US?
* What types of Web sites do they visit?
* How are moms using the Internet during the purchase process?
* What role does search play in online and offline purchase decisions?
* How does word of mouth impact moms’ shopping habits?
* And many others…

eMarketer Reports—On Target and Up to Date

The Moms Online report aggregates the latest data from marketing and communications researchers with eMarketer analysis to provide the information you need to make smart, accurate business decisions.

This article is from eMarketer.com - click on the name to go directly to the page.

Book Review - 5/2/08

Network Marketing is an interesting field to work in. It can be the life you've always wanted but it can also take a lot of work and time. Every so often I will do a Book Review here on this blog to let you know about some REALLY amazing books that I have read about this phenomenal industry.

Knowledge is POWER and I truly believe that we can all grow to be at our absolute BEST if we continue to learn, grow, and care for others. The first book I want to tell you about is probably one of my ALL time favorite books about Network Marketing and that's because it is told in a parable in which you become intertwined into the characters of the story's lives.

Let me share with you what I found about the book on the Random House web site.

Network marketing is a burgeoning field, and it can be a frustrating and difficult experience. There are many who have achieved minimal success, and many more who have made no money at all. With these discouraging figures, how can one become a member of the successful elite? Millions agree that the best way to do this is to spend some time with The Greatest Networker in the World.

John Milton Fogg’s extended parable is the story of a young man on the verge of quitting the multilevel marketing business. As he prepares to give his final opportunity meeting, he meets the individual everyone refers to as The Greatest Networker in the World. This warm and wise man takes in his young counterpart and shows him the trade secrets so he too can become a successful network marketer.

The young man soon learns that the trade secrets have very little to do with conventional marketing techniques. In fact, he has to unlearn everything he thought he knew about business. "The paradigm of network marketing is so fundamentally different and distinct from all other paradigms of business, that it requires a pretty complete shift from the way we normally view business to appreciate and understand it."

The new paradigm is built around one’s habits of thought and discovering that the secrets to network marketing success are within oneself. The values of responsibility, team building, and caring for one’s downline play a much more important role than competitive promotion and advertising. A critical skill for all marketers is the ability to teach people to teach others.

Once one has mastered the new paradigm of multilevel marketing, he needs to not only show his downline how to master it, but also how to teach those techniques to others. This leads to greater leadership within the organization, more stability, improved productivity, and as a result, long-lasting success.

About the Author
John Milton Fogg is an international speaker and the author of more than two dozen books and tapes, including The Greatest Networker in the World. He is the founding editor and chairman of Upline and Network Marketing Lifestyles magazines. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Take a minute right now and head over to Amazon.com and pick up a copy of the book, you won't regret it!