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.

Fear of Pulling the Trigger

Most people understand that it takes money to make money... in most cases.  The amount of money varies and the amount invested is typically correlated to the size of the return that can be expected.

Serious propositions, however, do not always require "serious" investments.  Our business is typical of this.  The upside potential compared to the initial investment required is significantly in favor of the upside potential.

But, here's the kicker:  people are risk averse.  Or, they have a fear of pulling the trigger and parting with the money to get started.  This is why you need to learn all you can.  Cross the t's and dot the i's. Ask questions and analyze.  At the end of the day, you will be smarter and better off for doing so.

However, at the end of this process, you need to decide.  The key in the ignition of our income vehicle is the initial investment.  It is the trigger that releases the firing pin that strikes the shell, that explodes powder, that launches the bullet that spins out of the barrel to make a killing financially.

If you are risk averse, this won't happen.  Do your homework and create some belief in yourself and in what we do.  The rest is just learning and execution.

Counter Culture

The term "counter-culture" is typically associated with hippies in the 60's.  Hippies were a sub-group of the population.  I don't need to describe them, other than that they were driven by different norms and values that made them distinct.  If you saw a guy with a beard, hair to the middle of his back and wearing a peace patch on a vest, he was called a hippie.

Flower child, tree hugger, and crunchy granola are all derivatives, but each gives this same subset of our society a slightly different definition, again based on what they espouse, what they eat, their position on the environment...

I encourage you to think of our movement (our culture) in similar terms.  We are different from the mainstream.  We know and teach things that separate us from the norms of a job or career, a bi-weekly paycheck, getting up to be at work at 6 am (if you are like me), chronic exhaustion... and in general "living a life a quiet desperation".

How many times have you heard someone say, "there has to be a better way"?  In our humble opinion, we are this "better way".  Frankly, it is not about this business or that opportunity, these are fluid and can change.  At the core of what we do is the culture and community of entrepreneurship that aligns you "with" and "in" a community of learners and earners.  It is about being a part of a group of people that value skills and competence.  It is about how we elevate people to a level of understanding that nothing is accomplished without effort.

This is the "counter" culture.  We welcome people who are open to learning "what it takes", and then carve the time out of their lifestyles to make it happen.  You need a plan - to succeed.  We provide the frame, you build the rest of the structure.  Not everyone can do it.  If they could, we would not be a "subset" of society.  What we do requires a unique kind of person who understands the big picture and is willing to grind it out to get there.

Most people do not have the perseverance or tenacity to make it happen.  This is why the failure rate is so high.  In every sense of the word:  it is work.  It requires changes to your lifestyle and how you spend hours of your day.  We will love to help you, but when you step through the door, hopefully, this helps you do so with your eyes wide open.

Build Your Own Wall

With the election just passed, there is a level of uncertainty to what will evolve in our country.  Of all the issues that are going to be turned on their heads - the economy, taxes, income inequality, the minimum wage... many of these may have a bearing on you and your family in the months and years to come.

Building Your Own Wall is a strategy to deal with this uncertainty.  It is intended to inoculate you from the potential volatility that the new administration can instigate and use Donald Trump's concept of making America strong by taking care of Americans first.  One of his proposals is to build a physical wall.  We build a conceptual wall.

The wall we build is a financial one - that will enable you to create an economy for yourself that is independent of your job, the national economy and all of the traditional notions of how income is earned and money is made.  We want you to think about building an income fortress that keeps the "greater economy" at bay, and provide you with the vehicle to create your own economy that is based upon your skills [and] over which you have complete control.

Essentially, this defines our community.  We have created our own "space" and are a specialized and innovative subset within the larger economy.  We are an interconnected and inter-dependent group of business builders that care for and take care of each other.  We advocate and engender competence as our driving core value.  We build a wall of security that keeps the demons of want and lack at the foot of the rampart and welcome anyone inside to learn more.

Important to Understand and Put in Context

You may want to expand the video to full page, then come back to read the commentary.  Hit play, then while playing, expand to 'Full Screen' in the lower right corner.  To return here from the Full Screen, hit 'Esc' at the upper left of your keyboard.

There is so much to say about this.  It is potentially a big black eye on our industry unless you understand how it differs from what we do and put this video in its proper context.

First, let me get something out of the way.  I was a part of a class action lawsuit in 1992 against NuSkin.  As the video states, I was "garage qualified".  NuSkin's model had a monetary threshold to qualify for executive bonuses.  It is kind of embarrassing to think back on, but let me simply say, "been there, done that", to the tune of $3K a month.  Whether I was a naive dreamer, or I was duped doesn't really matter now, just suffice it to say that I intimately and painfully understand the "voice" John Oliver is representing.

Second, let me say that I enjoy his humor, generally.  And, although he denigrates Network Marketing in this piece, I can't say that I absolutely disagree with everything he says - especially for tangible, product-based MLM's.

So, how do we differ?  First, our products are digital information products that are delivered over the internet.  We don't inventory anything that does not exist on your computer hard drive.  The value we create is in building people who build a business in a community of competence.  This is a good thing.

Second, our compensation model does drive width and depth, but it is not completely analogous due to fundamental structural differences.  We collect 100% of payments and do not have an over-ride component for uplines... there are more factors... not the least of which is that of the money we earn, the CEO does not receive a penny - ever.  However, the money is not the point here. The point is what we do is different than what is described in this video.

It does get a bit dicey when splitting hairs about the notion of being a "pyramid scheme'".  John Oliver does a pretty effective job of lampooning the idea of a pyramid and attempts to distinguish the accepted corporate pyramid from an MLM pyramid.  He attempts to make the point that if you are selling products to retail customers it is probably a legitimate business. However, if you are only "moving product" through your network, it is probably a pyramid.  We are a hybrid due to the fact that we are a subscription, no different than a financial newsletter.

Another hallmark of pyramid schemes is a guarantee of returns.  We are required to not make income claims and discourage using potential earnings as a "carrot".  We stress that you earn in direct correlation to the value you provide.  Check this one off.

And, smack dab in the middle of all this are the real estate and insurance industries, using a closely allied compensation system. How do they get a free pass?  And what about franchises?  Or, the in-home sales home improvement industry?

We do business with self-selected people who participate in our community that is interconnected and interdependent - and who choose to invest their personal resources.  This benefits those who participate under the umbrella of an agreed-upon business model. Our market consists of people who want to attain financial security.  Instead of homes or life insurance, people have the option to choose something allied to what we do.  We sell a system, a platform to earn money between informed and consenting adults.

Someone needs to explain how this is unreasonable and deserving of derision?  In fact, I advocate that this is socially redeeming and worthy "work" due to the fact that we change peoples' finances, we impact lives, raise self-esteem and are relevant to a whole host of other positive attributes.

Can anyone do it, and will everyone be successful?  We know the answer to this one.  But the problem is not the business model.  The problem is people's ability to adapt to and integrate change into their lives (first), and; having the aptitude to learn and apply new things i.e. execute and implement (second), then; teaching what they have learned to others to perpetuate a culture of competence.  No, not everyone can do it, otherwise, everyone would be.  Many people can not adapt to the change required.  If people try and fail, they need to look no further than the mirror.  It has nothing to do with the business model, other than it inherently relies on the transfer of skills and knowledge.

John Oliver is not really being unfair in this piece - but you need to understand, he is not talking about what we do.  Take pride and understand that our mission is to help people in what has been described by our CEO as a "culture of assistance".  What we do is worthy,

I will repeat this simple truth: what we do is worthy.  John Oliver is talking about "the old" segment of our industry and to a degree, this segment legitimately warrants its comeuppance.

Going to School in Our Community

What we do is not unlike going to school.  The difference is that you will be paid to do so.  Leave no doubt however that there are things to learn, skills to develop, tools to use.  All of this requires effort and commitment.

I talk about managing and incorporating "change" in many places, so I do not want to make this the focus here.  My goal is to convey what the nitty-gritty of what all this means (as a practical matter) if you "buy in" to consciously choosing to alter how you spend hours of your day consistently and with perseverance in joining our community.

So what do you need to know?  What skills will you need to acquire?

Initially, most everything is / can be done on the Google platform. Using Gmail "for all it is worth" is an important first skill. This involves simple things like setting up multiple accounts and understanding how to use them for different purposes.  When you get more advanced, you will want to invest in an autoresponder, but Gmail will get you where you need to go initially.

Then, there is understanding the back office of our business and what it can do for you.  It has tools and strategies you can follow. There are training videos in the back office and on YouTube.  There are Facebook groups. There are weekly training calls and webinars...  Getting "tuned into" all of this stuff is important initially.

These two things should happen relatively quickly. When you get things rolling, and you have these fundamentals under your belt, you will want to understand who our market is and how to reach them. You will need to make decisions about "what you will do" to build your business.  This varies for everyone, but Internet Marketing (or) Online Business inherently shares the common feature of computer use.  There are strategies to use social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram...) Later,

If you have the "chops" to do so, you can create a blog to brand yourself.  You don't necessarily need to create all of the content, but can aggregate and curate information and create an online presence to enhance your credibility.

All of this happens incrementally.  Step by step, day by day, you "go to school" and learn new things. All of these things are geared toward getting what you are offering in front of people for them to evaluate.  To make it really simple, this will / should occupy half of your time initially.  You need to be constantly learning new things - creating resources and applying them to what we do.  The other half of your time needs to be engaged in working with other people to help and support them in the same process.  This involves seeking out the right people and resources to get questions answered that will enable you to implement / execute.

Beyond all of the learning and teaching, the bottom line is this:  our job is to get what we have to offer in front of people for them to evaluate.  At the end of the day, the more people we expose, the more money we will make.  Not everyone will be interested.  Our job is to work with the ones who are - and help them determine if what we do is a good fit for themselves and their families.

Got 'Em? Great - If Not, Get 'Em

If you bring skills to the table that will contribute to your success, great.  This article will tell you what these skills are.  If you don't, you need to be willing to commit to learning them.

So, what are the skills and tools you need?  At the most fundamental level there is something we call getting "Google-ized".  This includes:

• Gmail - having Gmail accounts and understanding all they have to offer is fundamental.  As examples, knowing how to create an account that is specifically set to reply automatically.  How to create a hyperlink that directs people to another place on the internet.  Understanding that you can have multiple Gmail account for different purposes.
• Google Voice - you can have a free phone to used for business purposes and to use as a texting platform
• As you evolve, you will want to understand Blogger and Sites and have the ability to "create" content and share it.  These resources will position you as an authority in whatever you choose to talk about.

Then, there is the back office of our business and understanding the marketing tools including the capture page system and the other free (and) pay-to-play tools.  There is email capability here too.

Again, as you evolve, you will want to understand Social Media and how this "figures" into your mix. There are things called "business pages" that are separate from your personal page.  There are groups you will want to be aware of and become a part of.  In addition to Facebook and Twitter, there is Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest... and the rest of the Social Media rabbit hole.

Having a private autoresponder (Aweber, GetResponse, MailChimp, any of the many others) will be in your future, again, as you surpass the fundamentals of getting started.

This gives you an idea of the "stuff" that makes the toolkit of an online marketer.  If you have "no interest" in learning any of this, then what we offer will not be a good fit for you.

If you can invest a bit of time everyday learning and applying these skills, then there is every reason to expect that you will have success.  Nothing happens without learning and growth.. and then having the ability to pass along and help others learn and integrate what you know.

Building Trust

Relationships develop over time.  With time, and with the ups and downs that all relationships take, you develop trust.  After all, how do you judge that someone or something is being reliably truthful? How do you know that you are not being "fed" bunk and people are not simply trying to put their hand on your wallet?

There is a communication dynamic called "instant intimacy".  In communication terms, it is not really the same thing as love at first sight.  The process of information exchange typically (in normal social interactions) go through layers of information from public, then social, then personal and finally (over time) intimate information.  Instant intimacy is really instant trust to allow people into your world and to engage in intimate topics.

The reason what we do is at times, tough - is that "money" is a very personal/intimate topic for most people, especially if you don't have enough of it.  As marketers, we violate and blast right through the outer two layers of information exchange.  So, how do we compensate for this?

As you will find out as you become more familiar with our business philosophy, first and foremost, we are a relationship-centered, community-based and culturally grounded model.  We encourage "look before you jump" and "learn all you can" kinds of reasonableness.  But at the same time, before we lose people, there has to be an element of instant intimacy to capture people's attention and a handful of their belief.

As such, everything we do, everything we say has to be viewed as "refreshingly honest".  It has to be different and unique in the marketplace of money opportunities.  It has to be both reasonable and well-reasoned.  There is no room for anything other than genuine and earnest information with the inherent goal of developing trust.

It is somewhat sad in industry and marketing terms - that the central thesis here is to simply be honest. What does this say about marketing in general?  In any event, this is how we roll.  We want to move people through an information acquisition process and be as transparent and candid as we can.

In doing so, we hopefully build and earn trust.

What Do You Want?

...and what are you going to do to get it?

Let's put a little sharper point on the pencil here.  We are talking about money.  Money lubricates life. If you are not meeting your bills rights now... if you want something you can't afford right now... if you have college loans to pay... if  you are not set up well for retirement and have no realistic Plan B... name your need:_____________________.

No matter the reason for you needing more money, addressing these needs is (and will remain) a dream or a wish unless you have a strategy to close the gap between where you are, and where you want to be.

What we do is offer ONE option.  ONE alternative.  ONE thing for you to consider.  The reality is that there are a million ways to make money.  You only need ONE.  What we do may or may not be that ONE thing.  Our point is that if you brush off what we do and don't have a serious look, you are significantly short-changing yourself (your life, your future).

Money is fuel.  It powers the things you want in life. You won't know if our fuel is dry garss and twigs, or if it is liquid nitrogen under pressure - until and unless you give what we do a fair "read", an honest evaluation and compare it to every other thing you have ever heard of and considered as a way to make money.

You owe this to yourself and to your family - if you have one.

Broke and Broken

This post is going to be a bit tough, but it is the unvarnished reality.  You won't find many people who are trying to recruit warm bodies, do the numbers and see who sticks...  talking about this.

From our perspective, we want to be selective and help people we introduce to what we do and self-select.  In this context, here's the deal:  you will not build a business working with broke and broken people.  Yes, this may sound harsh, but unfortunately, it is absolutely true.

First, let's address broke.  Being in business inherently involves the creation of commerce (the exchange of money for something of value).  Many people are simply not wired for this.  The "why" behind this is not easily answered.  However, the broad stroke on this topic is that people who have been surviving month to month and living hand-to-mouth simply do not have the risk tolerance to do anything outside of their current experience and comfort zone.  Therefore, they remain "stuck".  They don't have (and won't risk) the money it takes to get out of their box.  There is no judgment here. It is a safe way to survive.  However, it erases a huge segment of what otherwise could be a much larger potential market. If, for about the price of a dinner out for two (a month) - to get started in a business that can absolutely be life-altering is too much... this in all probability this qualifies someone as broke.

Second, many people are broken (or) their notions about what we do are broken.  I am not going to go down this rabbit hole too far.  There are so many reasons why this is the case... and as many scenarios as there are people.  I will say however thr number of past failures in home-based-business "type deals" is a big one.  The readily available social pronouncement of direct sales opportunities with an organization-building component as "scams" is another.  People "buy" these arguments as valid without a complete examination.  This is "the way it is" for some people. Again, no judgment. Everyone has and is entitled to their opinion.

Our goal and our role is to find people who are not broke or broken.  There are plenty of bright and eager people who are receptive to creating an additional source of income.  Our job is to find them and guide them through an information-gathering process.  And, they must have the risk tolerance to reach into their pocket for the first time and part with a sum of money that they will recover completely with their first sale.

This is the truth.  It is intended to: 1) be a barometer for you to use (for yourself) if you are considering joining us, and; 2) if you are already in a business - to understand that you absolutely only want to work with people who have the ability to rise above their mindset of being broke, or elevate themselves beyond being broken.

The reality is this: many, many people are stuck.  We can't spend our time helping people get out of their ditch who are sitting in their car, gunning the gas, and spinning their wheels.  We need to find those who already have the boards under the tires and their shoulder to the bumper and are simply thankful for someone to come along and give them a hand to get back on the road and continue on their journey.

They are out there.  Our role is to find and educate them about what we do.

Consulting / Coaching / Advising

At the end of the day, if you wanted a description of what we do, the goal is to be a consultant and coach.  We advise and counsel and help people determine if they think we can help them through working collaboratively toward financial prosperity.

First, we consult with people and provide information.  We, as business owners, evolve through information acquisition to the point of becoming experts at what we do.  Our "job" is to match people who have the mindset, drive, and resources (with) our business model and our business philosophy.  In this sense, we do not "sell".  We simply guide people through an information and decision-making process.  For the prospect, this is a real bargain, because we offer this service for free.

Second, our role is to coach.  In many places on this blog, I use the word "teach".  I compare the process to going to school.  You need to learn, then take what you have learned and teach it to others. This continuity of information being passed along engenders competence at all levels of your organization.  It is the at the core of everyone's success.

This "concept" of competence takes precedence over anything else.  The business, the business model, the business philosophy... all do not matter unless they are all being competently "driven". Literally, we teach / coach people how do drive our income vehicle.

If you are willing to learn, then teach what you have learned... if you are willing to support and hold others accountable for their effort (or lack of effort)... if you can see yourself being grounded in a foundation of helping others elevate themselves from financial stress and all of the life issues that accompany "lack"... then you can do this.

It is good, redeemable, socially valuable "work".  We genuinely help people become stronger, better, smarter and through all of this:  financially stable.  When you get to the point of believing that this is what you do, there is not stopping anyone from embracing success.

Alan Shawn Feinstein

I live in Rhode Island.  To most people in this state, the "named" in this post is well known.  He gives significant amounts of money to education and then requires schools be named after him.  He still advertises on TV promoting his foundation and philanthropic efforts.  His career has not been without controversy, but overall he is perceived as a good man with a lot of money who attempts to do good in the world. You can look up his Wiki.

The interesting thing here is how this "self-made" man garnered his wealth?  Among being a stamp trader and buying and selling (the physical) Babe Ruth's contract - a significant percentage of his money came from selling a subscription to newsletters.  One was called "The Wealth Maker", and another called "International Insider's Report".  He also wrote booklets called, "How To Make Money" and "How to Make Money Fast".

So what does this have to do with what we do?  It is reported that Feinstein, at his peak, had a circulation / subscription of about 400,000 (a month).  To get to this number, he bought lists from brokers and did direct mail marketing, he also advertised in magazines... (Neither of these we do or advocate).

Although I have not been able to find the number, for illustration purposes, let's say his subscription was $10 a month.  For the time it lasted, that is $4 million a month.  These are lofty numbers and explain why he can give money away in million dollar chunks.  Thirty-six million a year spells success by anyone's standard.

What we do is completely parallel. We provide the structure (the platform) that enables you to market a subscription.  However, instead of having a 400K subscriber base, you need the participation of about 30 people.  Or, to tweak this just a bit, most people need 30 people to replace their income.

The question very simply becomes, "Do you think there are 30 people in this world (who you, along with those in your group can find) that are seeking to change their financial circumstances?"  We explain the money and how it works in the next step of your research.  However, suffice it to say, the monthly commitment is a "sweet spot" of affordability and the out-of-pocket risk is minimal if you get busy and treat your business as a business.

Get back to the person who led you here.  Find out more.  Find out all you can.  Decisions are a function of information.  The information is free.  Your life, your future, your happiness could be in the balance.  All we ask at this juncture is that you do your homework, then decide if it might be a potential "fit".

Money Instructions

Instructions provide detailed information about how something should be done.  As such, instructions are free of bias.  They do not favor anything.  Instructions just tell you what to do.  When you bake a cake out of a box:  1) preheat the oven...  When you assemble a grill:  1) remove contents from packaging and inspect...  We have all followed instructions since we could read.

What if there were a recipe or assembly instructions to make money?  First, do this.  Second, do this. Third...  Then at the end, you will have assembled money.  Can it be that easy?

At great risk of oversimplification, the answer is actually "yes".  It all starts with Step 1, which is learning all you can about our Marketing Group and philosophy of doing business.  Step 2 is learning about the vehicle we use to make money.  Step 3 is to get your questions answered.  Step 4 is deciding to join us.

Once you decide to get involved, there is a whole new set of instructions.  These instructions are tailored to you, based upon your circumstances, the amount of time you can invest, your past experience with sales and marketing... and then putting together a set of instructions that you will follow to enable your success.  These instructions differ for everyone.  Some might call it a game plan... or a strategy...  But the adage applies here:  if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

When considering all of this, you should keep in mind that there are many people very generously profiting from what we do.  However, more importantly, you need to know it "doesn't just happen". It ALL requires thought and effort.

So, let me bring this back to Step 1.  Find out all you can about us.  Read this blog.  Be in touch with the person who led you here and ask about the vehicle we use to make money.  Ask tough questions and be a skeptic.  It's all good.

Prove to yourself that earning money is as easy as following a set of instructions.

We did.  Again, Step 1 is to learn all you can.  Study "us" like your entire future depends on it.

Participatory Economics

If the title seems a bit dense, bear with me as I explain.

The central notion of Participatory Economics is that we can produce the conditions that enable you to achieve financial stability.  In time, the goal is to achieve prosperity and ultimately, wealth. Participatory Economics is a process.  It is a philosophy.  It is a strategy.  You control the level of participation through the investment of your time, effort and resources.

On the most basic level, we share and participate in an "idea".  This idea - literally - is that we create our own economy - individually (and) collectively.  We are a community of people with the shared purpose of putting money woes in the rear view mirror.  For far too many people, money is an adversary.  It doesn't need to be this way.

So, how do we do it?

We describe what we do as achieving financial independence through financial inter-dependence.  As adults (of intelligence and having the powers of judgment and discernment) - we subscribe to a common idea, pool common resources and create a common experience.  In this case, the common experience is financial stability through cooperation and helping ourselves through helping others.  At the end of the day, our model compares favorably to a "club" with each member owning individual responsibility for the greater, common good of the group, and also benefiting personally from their involvement.

Our "idea" is based on individuals who take the time to understand and (then) consent to being involved with a community of people who utilize the mechanics of leveraging money to the benefit of everyone who participates.  In this sense, we create our own economy.  Fundamentally, we are our own economy.

We share a common culture and core set of beliefs and values.  We share information, knowledge and collective wisdom in a community of support and culture of assistance.  In the process of all of this, we help people change their relationship to money and to how they earn a living.

All you need to do is to figure out if any of this makes sense to you.  Right now, this is all happening - without you.  This is not a "take away", but simply to say that there is an active and vital community you can choose to join that will support you in your quest to change your financial circumstances. Right now, you can choose to reach out to the person who pointed you here and engage in your first conversation on the phone or via email.  You have everything to gain by simply learning about what we do and deciding if it "fits" with whatever criteria you measure it against.

The ultimate decision is yours as to whether you can make it work.  We are here to provide information and to assist you in making a decision whether joining us makes sense for you at this time in your life.  We will be happy to hear from you.

Subscribe to a New Life

What if you could just "enroll" to change your finances?  What if a monthly subscription, with the ability to enroll other subscribers enabled you to do just that?

This is what we do.  In the most straightforward and refreshingly honest way we can muster, we provide a voice that aspires to elevate your belief that "changing your life" is possible.  We then go a step further and also provide a platform for you to consider to make it happen.

The title of this post, "Subscribe to a New Life" simplifies our business from the most basic concept of a recurring monthly commitment - that can and will  - result in a liberated life that you can live on your own terms.

There is so much more to it - that you can find in the other posts on this blog.  The point here is this:  you can choose to subscribe.  You can choose to work toward a liberated life.

Our goal (our job) is to simply expose you to one way to get there.