The Agreement Seekers Blog

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 th...

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 ...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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...

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 th...

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 h...

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 econom...

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...

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, ...

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 authorit...

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 ...

...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...

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 i...

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...

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 involve...

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 ...

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.