Decent, Honorable People

As a business owner, I want to attract decent, honorable people.  This is important on a number of levels, not the least of which are the implications of attracting the opposite.

In my "day job", I manage a group of 72 people.  When I first introduce myself to any group I talk about having two extra eyes.  I then go on to explain that I really mean they need to have to extra "i's".  These two i's are initiative and integrity.  Decent, honorable people, for the most part, have these two i's.

Let me tell you how I define them.  Integrity means that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing when no one is watching.  Initiative means that you do things on your own, without having to be told.

In our business, you need to engage in productive daily activity.  Your sense of integrity needs to drive doing what you are supposed to be doing.  Discipline is absolutely essential.  And this rolls right into initiative because the only one you are accountable to is yourself.

However, the best organizations encourage teamwork and having an accountability partner.  An accountability partner can be one of your business partners, it can be your spouse, it can really be anyone who is tuned into your daily activity.  You need to "do" things to build your business.  Nothing happens on its own.

When you get started, all your time is spent marketing (getting your message or what you offer) in front of people for them to evaluate.  A portion of your time initially also needs to be spent building resources and learning tools.  Then, progressively more and more of your time will be spent supporting and teaching people in your business.

To bring this full circle, attracting decent, honorable people simply makes things easier and you will grow your business on a much more solid foundation when you attract people who understand their own character and can commit to doing what it takes to be successful.

A Community Approach to Income

Let me be clear.  Earning vehicles come and go and should not be the ultimate determining factor in your decision to get involved with something.

Here's the point:  the value in what we do is relationship-based.  It is not about this deal or that opportunity, it is about the community that supports the concept of income generation.  This is the asset.  The network of positive, lasting relationships you build is directly proportional to the success you will have.

As such, the business is secondary (essentially).  If you land on a good one, and it has "market permanence"... is well respected... all the better.  This is not to advocate that we should all be looking for the next shiny object, but it does not negate the fact that when people are tied into the pulse of "what is working now", mass migrations can and should take place to capitalize on the next-big-thing.

This does not discount your core program or programs.  I strongly believe that a strong core program is ideal.  However, again, the value in what you build is not the payments you receive on a monthly basis, but the people making the payments.

Said differently, if you want success, it has to be about your people.  The money will take care of itself if you build strong, caring, supportive relationships.  If you don't care for, teach and help people in their progression to competency, frankly... you may have some success initially, but the odds are you will not maintain that level of success.  If they are not profitable, you have a short-term asset.

Therefore, the title of this post, "A Community Approach to Income" speaks to the idea of "it takes a village".  Communities share norms and values and culture... and so much more.  Let me close by repeating this core construct:  The asset (the value) in what you build is the human beings you come to know, like and respect as business partners.  In this sense, our "work" is socially redeeming in that we elevate people's lives and as a community, we prosper together.

Again, be people-driven.  The "long money" is a by-product of successful and mutually beneficial relationships.  The more of these you have (the more people you mentor) the more money it will represent.

Money Alliance

This is what we do.  This is who we are.  We are an alliance of people who pool our knowledge and resources to make money.  It is really not complicated.  We share a common goal and are "allied" in achieving it.

The rest is just details.  We market a subscription and need about 20-30 people participating (in a group) to replace most middle-class incomes.  We collectively  build to this point progressively and work with people to ramp up to profitability.  There are no secret formulas or inside strategies... but just common sense and practical steps to understand and implement.

We reject the notions of simple and easy.  The fact is that if simple and easy defined what we do, everyone would be doing it and be successful.  We all know that this is not the case.

Our job is to find people who will take the time to understand what we do.  Informed people with whom we develop a level of trust, choose to join us.  Again, it is really not complicated.  The challenge is to simply "expose" as many people as we can to what we do and how we do it.

That's where little articles and blog posts like this come in.  This is meant to educate.  Nothing more. People make judgments about our authenticity.  This is fair and as it should be.  Not everyone "gets it" or buys-in.  This is what makes the world go round.  We do not want people to think they have landed in money nirvana and things will miraculously happen.

However, for those willing to lean in, with their eyes wide open - and are willing to apply focused effort to achieve a goal, our Money Alliance is one of the better places you can choose to invest your energy and resources.

A Time and Place

Sounds like a movie title... actually it is the name of a song by Mike and the Mechanics.  But a time and place in this context has everything to do with things you choose.

During the time you choose to "work", you will inherently be somewhere.  But where?  Do you (will you) have a place that is free of distraction?  Are you willing to turn off the television and focus? Can you find a space in your home to go to and close the door?  The obvious implication here is that you will enhance your chances of success if you do.

If you work a day job, the obvious thing is that you will need to focus on your business during the evening.  If you work second shift, the reverse is true.  Understanding "time" is more important to your success than just about any other factor.  You will need to consciously choose to alter the way you have lived your life.  This means choosing to invest hours of your day(s) in different ways.

This change and sacrifice will reward you with success.  And, here's the truth: most people can't do it. The question is whether you can.  I talk about this change as the core element that people need to embrace and understand.  No change, no difference, no success.  It is that fundamental.

Therefore, a time and place has everything to do with doing something different.  Where you are in your house at 7 pm is an indicator that you are taking this seriously.  Not on the sofa in front of the TV, but in your bedroom at a make-shift desk.  Not hanging out with pals on Social Media, or playing computer games, but locked into meeting a daily goal that will build your business.

Consciously choose to create a different life.  At first, there is NO reward.  The reward is the change itself.  You need to believe that the change will pay off.  I am not going to tell you it will... you need to develop your own belief.  The closest I will come is to say that your discipline and commitment will be the best measure of the level of success you will have.

The best place to start is understanding a time and place.

Tax Form 1099

A 1099 is a tax form that is required to report Independent Contractor earnings.  This is something you register for with the company you are working with.  An initial "litmus test" of whether a business is legitimate (or is flying the seat of their pants) is if they are requiring you to fill out and submit 1099 paperwork as a part of their enrollment process.

Statements like, "Your taxes are your responsibility and it is assumed you will do the right thing" are a red flag and simply indicates that the "deal" you are considering does not have the administrative sophistication to track and then report your earnings to you (and the government).

Therefore, if you are at the stage of trying to discriminate between "this one and that one" in terms of money-making opportunities, ask (or find out) if they provide you with a 1099.  If they do not, it is reasonable cause for concern and you should be asking if you want to hitch your wagon to their "opportunity" if you are serious about building a stable, long-term business.

In this context, and by extension, depending on your tax bracket and in doing your calculations of "what it will take" to quit your job, take 25-30% off the top for taxes.  Start saving all of your receipts, and begin considering that if you have not done it before, you may want to be filing a 1040 long form - like a real business.

Here's why:  if your mindset is in the right place, you will be running a real business that will legitimately provide you with the earnings that will require leveraging tax advantages.

What Is There to Lose?

This is standard rhetoric, right?  It's twin is, "hey, give it a chance... what have you got to lose"?  So, let's talk about it.

I recently wrote a post about risk aversion and people having the fear of losing their money.  OK.  So this is on the table.  If things don't work out for you, you stand to lose some money.  I get it.  No judgment here.  Many need to choose the safe route and consider it the mature and responsible thing to do, especially if living month to month and hand-to-mouth.  If this is you, God bless you.

But for those willing to take the next step, what else is there to lose?  Time invested?  Personal credibility, especially if you are not successful?  Failed aspirations and not achieving a goal?  Suffice it to say that there are may things "riding" on success or failure.  This is the reality.  This is life.  You can probably add items and create your own list of how you stand to lose.

When I studied abroad, about two weeks into my experience I was really questioning my decision to go to Columbia (he country).  I didn't understand the language, I was a very tall guy in a very short culture, I could not express myself adequately... and then one of the faculty members said this to me, "It is better to regret having done something than to regret never having done it at all".  That brief bit of sage advice changed my attitude toward that experience and is advice I have relied on in the balance of my life.

As such, let me frame, "what you have to lose" this way.  You lose knowing if you could have made something work for yourself.  You lose the possibility of a brighter future that more stable finances will enable.  You miss out on finding out if a community actually exists that will help you learn and grow and prosper.

This is not a cheesy attempt to appeal to the devil and the angel on each of your shoulders whispering in your ear.  It is simply meant to be something to consider in evaluating information - as you gather all the facts in deciding whether or not to join us.

We encourage your hard analysis and wish you the best in your decision-making process as we hope to welcome you into our learning community.