The Daily Crisis of, "Can't Afford It"

I was in the grocery store recently.  There were two young kids with their mom.  The boy was about 7, the girl 4 or so.  Like most kids in the checkout line, they were wide-eyed and grabbing candy bars.  Even before they could ask, the Mom said, "Put it back, we can't afford it".  With a sunken whimper, they complied and that was that.

For me, I just stood as a stoic observer, but inside I was crushed for the kids.  They were just doing what kids do... testing limits and "going for it".  But, the thud of the Mom's authority struck me.  Their budget obviously could not withstand a frivolous candy purchase.  She didn't say, "Not this time" (or) "No, we got candy last time..."  It was like, shut 'em down, drop a rock on their head finality - and they knew there was no sense in arguing.  They were being trained to "not afford it".

This simple example is how many people live... on the edge and barely making it.  A $2 make-or-break proposition that sucks the life out of things.  It is the daily wearing down of peoples' souls because the money simply does not exist to buy $2 worth of happiness.  It is chronically being in crisis - day after day, month after month.  It is the definition of being stuck, frustrated and miserable... and a candy bar is just one little example of the millions of ways this can play out.

We simply offer an option.  A different, additional path to consider.

To have the tact and empathy to approach this Mom - and invite her to have a look at what we do and explain how we can help is just one little moment that may never avail itself again.  This was a woulda', shoulda', coulda' moment for me.  I didn't say anything to this Mom, this time.

These moments exist every day.  Our role is to ask for permission and invite them to evaluate something that may be able to help them.  In doing so, we potentially elevate peoples' lives.  You never know, unless you speak - you act.

Technology and Humanity

There is a saying in the online marketing space that "the money is in your list".  The assumption is that the bigger your "database" of names is, the bigger pond you have to go fishing in.  It follows that then the more likely you will be able to make money as a function of large numbers.  Then, let autoresponders reach out to people with the latest and greatest offer.  This is not our model.  A large email or subscriber list is one way to go about things, especially for affiliate marketers selling other people's stuff.  However, what we do is more focused on quality than quantity.

Said differently, our focus is on humanity.  We strive to build deep and long-lasting relationships... not to interact with "names" on a list and see if the flavor-of-the-day might appeal to them.  Please do not misunderstand, there is value in a large list, but it is not where anyone starts... and therefore telling people to have (or get) a list is fundamentally bad advice as a place to start.  Obviously, the "large list" crowd would disagree.

Our model requires only 40-50 people who are fully participating to replace most middle-class incomes, and these 40-50 are built in a group, by the group.  It is uncannily smart.

This is not a technology-driven large list.  This is a drop in the bucket list that is driven by trust and reciprocal best-interests.  Humanity is what drives our business.  It is about helping people elevate beyond their current circumstances.  It is about hope anchored to pragmatism.  It is about bright futures being tied to daily disciplines.

Ultimately, it is about being genuine and real with people in terms of what is required and expected if one is to achieve success.  This is the practical, human thing to do.

Major in Your Life

OK.  This is a college (or education) analogy.  If you go to school, you are expected to learn things.  On these things, you get tested and get a grade.  Some people are honors students, some do the minimum and squeak by with C's and some fail.

Owning a business is really no different.  The premise here is that you can choose to go to school to learn and apply new things, or you can choose to do the minimum (or nothing) and let the status quo be "your life".  Note that the word "choose" is in both statements.

Now, taking this one more step, the tuition you pay (in real dollars) is next to nothing compared to a conventional college... and the education is essentially free.  What you are paying for with what we do is access to a platform that aggregates and tracks people and money.  There are literally thousands of these platforms.

The differentiator, the value proposition of what we offer is the culture and community that surrounds the money vehicle(s).  It is about norms and standards.  It is about shared values and expectations.  It is about time-defined (daily, weekly, monthly) disciplines.  But leave no doubt, it is all about EDUCATION and becoming competent, otherwise, the money does not really matter because the likelihood is that you will not make any.

This is no different than becoming an Accountant, Engineer, or any other Professional.  You need to learn things and then apply what you have learned on a consistent basis.  Said differently, you need to go to work every day.

Major in your life.  Elevate your circumstances.  Choose to change.  Embrace the saying, "If it is to be, it is up to me".

You are not alone.  We are here to help.  If you need help, ask for it, no different than office hours with a Professor.  When you graduate, you will have earned your "degree" in Life Transformation.

Resources and the 24 Hour Work Day

Ours is not a "normal" business unless you consider working around-the-clock as normal.  We teach and preach personal branding, establishing credibility and being of value to others and the marketplace.  This cannot be done in the absence of resources that enable people getting to know who you are and how you (we) think.

Once you establish a core set of resources (a bio page, an email auto response, a social media presence) these will "work for you" around-the-clock.  But, here's the deal:  they do not just appear.  They need to be created, worked on, and refined.  This is just part of the equation for developing into a business that has "legs" for the long-term.

If the person you are working with is not "engaged" in creating resources, you are being under-served.  If anyone has been involved with our Community for more than 30 days and does not have a rough bio page that they can refer others to... their head is simply not in-the-game.  As well, you need to be looking yourself in the mirror on this one.

You are your business.  People will join YOU.  The "deal" you represent (that is the financial vehicle enabling the exchange of money) is not your business.  The community and relationships you build is your business.  Without people who are engaged with and agree about core beliefs and values, there is no long-term business, but just a quick flip, buck-making exercise.

Your goal should be to build something that lasts.  Something that lasts needs to be built on a strong foundation.  The cornerstone of that foundation is YOU.  Resources that work around-the-clock for you is a simple fact of life for a successful home business owner.

Our Community exists to assist and support in making it all happen.

Make an Impact. Make an Income.

Mission and money.  Hmmm...  What if the mission is money?  Can making money be a stand-alone mission of an organization?  Money, almost universally, is something that just about everyone says they could use more of, right?  So, what if the core "mission" of an entity is boldly stated, "we exist to make money (for ourselves and for each other) - independent of the product or service that "legitimizes" the exchange and flow of it.

Well... that is pretty much what we do.  However, in doing so - the more important aspect is (more to the point) of the "impact" creating a new source of income has on peoples' lives.

Call it what you will: transformation, renewal, metamorphosis...  What we do does change lives.  Some engage, learn and apply themselves (then) get into profit... then scale their profits.  Some stick their toe in and then for whatever reason choose not to engage.

You will know you are "making it" when you feel you are having an impact.  The money will be there.  It an inherent part of the equation.  Let your goal be to help people and impact peoples' lives.  The money will take care of itself.