To Act is to Live

There is a quote by the WWII General Omar S. Bradley:

"This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act and in acting, to live."

If you are waiting for the stars to align... or for the perfect moment to pull the trigger that will initiate change... you will stay stuck.  Decisions are a function of information.  The formula is this: d=(f)i.  What our Community does is educate about a path, then educate about a process.  We do not compare ourselves to others... but pose just one option that hopefully "feels right" to people.  We know we are different.  People recognizing this difference is our basic value proposition.

The quote above speaks to living a life of quiet desperation.  Circumstances will not change unless you do.  I saw this attributed to Bill Gates recently:  "Learn to drop the L."  The notion of change involves a great deal of learning and forming of new habits.  I say this over and over, but it bears repeating... the reason most people fail is that they are not successful in incorporating something new into their lives.

It is the same as a New Year's Resolution.  Major intent.  No follow-through.  Why?  Because integrating new behaviors and shedding old patterns is inherently hard.  For me, it was "Good-bye" to evening TV.  Goodbye evening news.  Goodbye Jeopardy.  Goodbye Big Bang Theory.  So long Rachel Maddow.  "See you when I can afford to watch again".

So what do I do instead?  Well, for one, I am writing this.  I communicate with and support new people.  I post things on Social Media.  During the day, I get out of the house and talk to people... but this is a small slice of what I do simply to provide examples.  What you do may be similar, but the point is that your life (will be/needs to be) inherently different from your former lifestyle.

When you make the decision to join us, you are a Business Owner.  To grow a business takes effort.  This effort involves a commitment of time doing new and different things with your time.

I can't say this enough.  If you want to succeed, you need to wrap your head around and embrace this fundamental shift - that - it is necessary to invest segments of your day differently until they become new habits and lifestyle choices.

It is not easy, or everyone would be doing it.  Being exceptional requires you being the exception.

Time to look in the mirror and ask yourself what you want from your life.  In acting, you live on your own terms.  It is a choice you need to consciously make and vibrantly embrace.

Our Community exists to help you, and support this choice.

Have a Monthly Housing Expense? Then,You Need What We Have,

The title of this article helps us define the working poor.  If you have a mortgage or are paying rent, you are captive to this monthly obligation.  As a result, obviously, you have a job to meet this primary expense.  For most, it goes without saying, that if this expense did not exist there would be a world of possibilities of where to direct this money... whether it be savings, travel, toys, better food choices, giving to charity... how many ways can you think of to use money?

The bottom line here is that (given a choice) most would welcome eliminating their mortgage (or) having their monthly housing expense covered by a predictable stream of monthly income.  This is the goal of our Community.  What we work toward is the creation of residual income that will exist over time.

The glue that holds it together is a commitment to the concept of inter-dependence and people buying into (literally and figuratively) the notion that we can create our own economy by pooling our resources and subscribing to a common set of beliefs, values, knowledge, and actions.

The first (micro) goal is to make your first dollar.  The first (macro) goal is to replace your income and have all of your expenses covered.  If you get to that point, the sky is the limit and you will be in a position to eliminate your eight-hour-a-day commitment.  The corollary to this is that if you equal your conventional income once, there is no reason you will not be able to create generational wealth.

I wrote another article recently about never out-earning your self-concept.  If you can not see yourself as being "free" of your job, the probability is that you never will be.  This has everything to do with mindset being borne of mini-success + mini-success + mini-success equalling a milestone.  Then, milestone + milestone + milestone equalling a transformed life.

Part of this transformed life is having no worries about your monthly housing expense (nor any other bill for that matter).

Get Deep In the Rhythm

This is a lighter post.  Some say you get to know people by the choices they make.  I want to share a video that is one of my favorites... for its groove and sophistication.

"I kicked the habit.  Shed my skin.  This is the new stuff.  I go dancin' in."

This is what our community is all about.  Shed your skin.  A crustacean (a crab, a lobster)... sheds its shell to grow.  Vulnerable for a while - but bigger and stronger as a result.

"You could have a steam train if you just lay down your tracks."

Anyway, I love this performance.  Hopefully, you will too!  Got headphones or earbuds?  Enjoy...

Credit goes to my friend Shirley who introduced me to this singer, Morgan James.

Breaking Free of Needing a Job

There is another post I had written recently talking about an alternative to the job economy.  The majority of people are "wired" to have a job with benefits... and the job paying for a portion of health insurance and matching a portion of your 401K contribution...

This is the reality.   This is the pool of people who are future business partners.  This then begs the question of "how" we are able to transform the circumstances of people - to enable them to start to consider breaking free from "needing" a job.

The bottom line is money, right?  If you have enough money to pay for your living expenses, buy your own health insurance and put chunks of money aside... then you don't need a "job"... or, am I missing something?

A good place to start with all this is understanding the math, both in terms of dollars and people participating in your business.  You need to articulate a number.  What will it take for you to comfortably and confidently be in a position to not fear losing your job?  For me, that number is around $5000 a month.  Roughly, this replaces a $60,000 salary.  This number is different for everyone.

With the business platforms we use, we know exactly what-it-takes (academically) in terms of total numbers of people and the total dollars derived.  What is not spelled out is attrition, loss-of-interest, lack-of-effort, and self-sabotage.  Therefore, this has to be built into the equation.

There is no such thing as people participating equally and/or predictable geometric progression.  This is one fault I find with the primary platform we use.  It is much more honest and useful to describe level advancement in terms of phases, and not assign any time references such as weeks, months or years.  If you describe a path to a million dollars in 6 months, it is theoretical and hypothetical - AND (more importantly) not real or plausible.  It, therefore, detracts from the genuineness of the overall proposition.  But, I digress.  Trust me, there is nothing that is perfect.

The point I am wanting to make here is working backward from a number.  That number is the dollar amount you need.  Typically, for most people, this is the amount that replaces your current income.  The strength of an organization is its ability to attract and retain people who are participating fully, committed to the mission of helping others and who are confident ambassadors of being a part of this worthwhile endeavor that truly is a "way out" for the Working Poor.

Our job is to find, educate and engage people to the extent that they are able to "break free".  If you can find and help (a solid) 40 people in our model, you will be well-on-your-way to replacing your income.

This does not happen on its own, but it is a relatively safe bet if you invest the time, acquire the skills and develop the daily habits to make it happen.

Do Good and Keep it Real

The worst advice I ever received is "fake it until you make it".  Here's the thing.  If you fake honesty, you are lying.  If you fake being genuine, you are being disingenuous.

While our role is to be optimistic and ambassadors of goodwill, please understand that being truthful about who you are, where you have been and where you are in your home business journey is critical to your authenticity.  Ultimately, we help people elevate themselves through enhancing their finances.  This alone has skepticism written all over it.  Most people are jaded and negative.  Some are outright hostile, especially if they have been burnt in the past.

Our goal is to wade through the masses and find the ones who "see it".  Then, when someone shows that they are open and receptive to learning more, the last thing you want to be is a "tail feather fluffer" and appear to be bigger than you really are.

Your genuine self is all-that-you-are.  Your genuine self will evolve.  You will add bits of credibility as-you-go.  Yes, you can lean on "the community" as being a great thing to be a part of.  You can talk about your business associates and the affect you have for them.  You can talk about skills acquisition and what you are learning...  What you don't want to do is posture yourself as someone you are not.  This is foundational.  It is where you build your base of credibility.

Being likable and personable is a great advantage.  There is a common adage in the home business industry is that people join with people they know, like and trust.  This is true for anything.

This is why we "lead" with an About Me page.  It is the first step to being real.  It is being open and setting an expectation of what our values are and how we operate.  If it is too great a challenge for you to write a one page summary of your life and learn the skills to put this online for the world to see, (then) how we function may not be for you.

As you grow, this autobiography becomes a work-in-progress.  It is a part of your toolset that you will continue to refine over time.  It is a look in the mirror at first and then quickly evolves into credible examples of success, how you have helped others and the value you offer without expressly stating it.  Ultimately, it will reflect your character and how you choose to operate in the world.

A related way of saying "Do Good" is Do No Harm.  Generally, we deal with a frustrated and bitter lot who are seeking a better way.  Never give them a reason not to trust you.  This is why we don't lead with "the money".  We lead with the reality of what it takes to earn the money... and this has everything to do with you and everyone you encounter understanding that skills + tools + values + daily habits = the size of your bank account.

If you are missing all of the +'s, you will never get to the =.

Advice: Choose. Then, get after it.

Here's the reality.  There are many, good, reasonable ways to make money.  As well, there are many great mentors and systems to follow.  Most lay claim to be plug-and-play... just join and follow the system... what we do is really not all that different.

The point of this post is to simply choose.  Do your homework. Make some assessments about your level of trust in the process, the people, etc... and then jump on whatever horse and ride it at a gallop.

The system is important.  Our differentiator is that we espouse that learning, teaching, relationships, and community are as equally significant variables in managing a successful home business.

All of this is preceded by trust.  Unless we are able to establish a baseline of trust that is earned from providing honest and real information and a plausible path forward, nothing will happen.

Our job is to help people choose us - then, get after it with gusto.  We help people change their lives.  When you get to the point of understanding that this is a noble and worthwhile endeavor, you will be a professional in the home business industry.

You Can't Out-Earn Your Self Image

This post is about hope - seasoned with realism.  The Working Poor No More Community exists to help people elevate themselves financially.  While this is a worthy "goal statement", it presupposes a great deal in terms of how to get there.

There are a number of different (competing?) schools of thought in regard to what is important to understand in the home business arena.  Many people package and sell this information in their own "system", not all that different than what is done here in the WPNM Community - the difference being is that we do not attempt to make money from our information.  It is free and open to anyone given its universal truth - intended (again) to help people regardless of their business affiliation(s).

The notion of out-earning your self-concept has everything to do with mindset.  Some preach that this is the "all important" first step to success.  I am inclined to agree - to a point.  The other major school of thought is "taking action".  Or, engaging in business-building activities on a daily basis.  This has everything to do with choices of how to invest available time, lifestyle modification, and adapting to the fact that your life will be (and needs to be) inherently different - as a business owner who consciously controls your daily activity... creating your own resources, making contacts, following up with people who are interested and evaluating what we do... and working with people in your group to grow their skills and business.

Therefore, if you combine mindset and action-taking you have a reasonable foundation for launching a successful business.   The first step in defining success is making your first dollar.  This means that someone will have said "yes" to your offer.  They are now a-part-of what we do and you now have the responsibility to help them grow by teaching and modeling the habits of a successful home business owner.  The important thing to recognize is that this does not happen on its own and inherently requires a relationship that has the components of communication and accountability.

So, unless you see yourself as a leader and teacher with something to offer (or understanding that this needs to be your destination), what we do may not be the best fit for you.  Your self-image needs to be that you provide genuine value to others and there is value in partnering with you.  Otherwise, you will simply be a ticket-taker to an "opportunity" and once people pass through the gate, they will go and be lost in a whole stadium of people.  This can't be you.  You have to accompany them to their seat and watch and explain the game.

The Law of Compensation basically means reaping what you sow.  Another way to frame this is that you are compensated in direct proportion to the value you offer.  This means leading, teaching and mentoring.  It also means casting aside the mindset of where you are (were?).  You need to re-define who you are and be able to articulate (verbally and in writing) the value proposition you offer.

When you learn to incorporate these things into your self-image, there will be no limit to what you can earn.  And, this earning has a direct correlation to the success you have in others emulating who you are and what you do.

The amount of money you earn is not the yardstick to be measured by.  The real important metrics are all the fundamentals that contribute to your true asset - which is the community you build - the loyalty and fidelity to that community - and the long-term relationships that are the building blocks of that community.

This has to be ingrained in who you are and how you function as a home business owner.

We Organize Money and People for Everyone's Benefit

After years of pondering, this statement may be the best characterization (to date) for what we do.  We organize groups of people and encourage them to use a portion of their money that we then aggregate and leverage through the use of online money-making platforms.

Organizing involves finding and educating, and these two things are defined by specific marketing methods and tools use.  There is no mystery.  It is all about applied effort doing things that will put information in front of people for them to evaluate.  The more people you get to evaluate what we do, the more money you will make (if you are a good mentor).

Then, long-term, the way you engage the people who join with you... the leadership you provide... will determine if you will have built a sustainable business.

That's it.  Find.  Educate.  Engage and support for the long-term.  Build on the habits, values, and sense of community that we talk about on this blog.  It is a worthwhile endeavor that will enable you to truly impact others' lives.

This is one of the shortest posts on this blog.  Read it again.

Contribution to Each Others' Success

Early on in the evaluation process of joining a business, it is prudent and fair to evaluate your enroller.  This is why we "preach" to anyone considering joining us is that you have to work hard at establishing your credibility and be worthy of being followed.

One lens to look at this is through in the title of this post.  It is fair to consider how two people can "contribute to each others' success".  In this context, please understand, you need to make a commitment to entering a relationship.  You are "joining" a person and a community... not a "deal" to make money.

It is completely fair and reasonable to judge how you will "click" with the person who has introduced you.  Hopefully, in them, you will glean a sense of integrity and truthfulness with a bit of an edge (a disclaimer) that what we do is not easy and is not for everyone.  Otherwise, everyone would be doing it.

Our business is about the interdependence of a large group of people "buying into" a common set of principles and values.  Beyond the "character-givens" of being a decent human being, this has to be about being "smart" and different.  It is a new path clothed in a robe of goodness and guided by a moral compass with compassion for peoples' lives.

Our mission is to help people and their families.  Recruiting and sponsoring people into anything is just the first step into a whole new world of possibility.  Once this threshold is crossed, then the real work begins by helping people understand "what it takes" to be successful.  This has to be done with cheerful accountability in terms of how those you work with invest their time.  More specifically, what they are doing to enhance their skills, polish their credibility and introduce others to what we do.

It is a model of constant, incremental improvement - of yourself and on business-building activities.  As such, this post is meant for both the enroller and the enrollee.  If you do not "see" a positive role model and mentor, or if you do not see yourself as being a positive role model and mentor... this is a huge red flag.

Successful businesses do not "just happen".  There is a ton of work and learning involved.  In contributing to each others' success, you need to understand that it is fundamental to expect that new habits, new choices of how to invest hours of your day and an overall facelift of your lifestyle is necessary to achieve success.

If this is a bitter pill, it is better you know up-front and you should save your time - and put your aspirations on hold.  But, to end on a positive, it is best that you join with someone you trust is going to be an effective mentor and team builder and who can model the habits necessary to grow a successful home business.  At the end of the day, this will enable you to contribute to each others' success.

Security

What is security?  To many, it means having a job with benefits.  Going to work every day, having a predictable paycheck and getting two weeks off a year.  All play a role in defining how most people view "security".

There is a movement going on in the home business industry that suggests you "create your own economy" that is independent of the traditional economy.  What this means is that you have control of your finances (such that) you can/could live independently from the eight-hour-a-day slog.

Forget about the lifestyle considerations this will afford you.  Forget about ALL of the creature comforts of toys, travel and being a big tipper.  Simply reflect on the underlying, fundamental baseline of what it will feel like waking up every morning knowing that your bills are covered - and will be for as long as you can rationally see into the future.

This is what our business model offers.  This is the goal.  Getting there does not happen with a wiggle of the nose (Bewitched reference), but is absolutely possible by finding and leading a group of people that is guided by the standards and values of our Community.

I encourage you to think about security.  Really ponder what you are willing to sacrifice to "have it".  And, when pondering, fully realize the daily minute-by-minute and hour-by-hour decisions you will need to make by simply focusing on things other than you have been accustomed to.

I have written about this many times, however, it bears repeating.  The single biggest factor in anyone's' success is their ability to adapt to change.  This means to recognize and implement the things that are necessary to affect results.  This is the fuel that runs the engine.

For many, this simply means turning off the TV and focusing on business-building activities.  For others, it means going to the bar or going to the gym less.  For others, it simply means getting up earlier or going to bed later.  It is all individual, but it all starts with recognizing your life (inherently) is going to be different - tangibly - in how you choose to invest your waking hours.

If you want security, this needs to be fundamental to your understanding of how to achieve it.

An Alternate Economy to the Job Economy

Most people have jobs.  Understood.  All good.

For most, this is not a choice - but is a function of how they have been taught to think and then adapting it to their role in life... to have a job with benefits... being a responsible, productive member of society... yadda, yadda, yadda...  Still, all good.  This is the way the world works for most people.

The WorkingPoorNoMore Community exists to pose an alternative.  We propose (in addition to your current job) that you take the time to understand a different and more personalized way to make a living.  The common sense aspect deals with your ability to control your future by controlling your income.

Under the WorkingPoorNoMore umbrella, we have a variety of marketing sites that focus on different target markets.  We introduce people to a specific online businesses that is progressive, ultimately building into full-time residual income that enables people to consider leaving the world of the "full-time employed" to the world of an independent entrepreneur, professional mentor/group leader, and teacher.

This is simple in theory, but not so easy to execute.  It becomes easier when the structures and supports are in place to enable individuals' competence through our Learning Community.  It is very real for those who embrace it.  It is absolutely possible if you make a commitment and invest the hours in doing very specific things to make it happen.

We exist to help you understand what those things are.

Financial Literacy, Leverage, and Understanding Growth

One of our marketing sites is "Three Steps to Retire at Any Age".  This is a pretty bold and provocative title.  The three steps outline a pragmatic "system" that can be followed and combines a progressive rationale from simple to more complex.

In the beginning, little is required except to commit and get going.  This means developing a few simple resources that enable people to get to know you (a simple "About Me" site and how to set up a couple of Gmail accounts that are used in different ways).  Then, it is just a matter of exposing people to any of our Marketing Sites that are specifically focused on the people we target.

At the end of the day, we engage in what we do to create income.  Our model leverages both money and people (or, people and their money) for each others' benefit.  We are inter-dependent.  We rely on each other and pool resources by choosing vehicles to participate with.  These vehicles provide a structure that is common to all who participate.  Growth occurs by more and more people participating and utilizing compensation models that strategically structure money  This is explained in our Three Steps to Retire at Any Age site.

Becoming literate about how the money "works" with all of the tools we use is an important part of your overall education.  This includes not only the compensation models we choose to participate with but also the entire "universe" of ways to make money that compare and contrast to what we do.

At some point, you will need to articulate why "what we do" is plausible and smart.  You will need to be able to explain how it is progressive and makes sense based on simple growth dynamics.

The sign of an educated person is one that can talk about what they know.  Your income will be directly proportional to the value you offer.  Understanding and being able to articulate how the money works is a big part of that value.

People You Know is Phase Two: Trust Me On This One

Most people know the difference between warm market (people you know) and cold market (people you don't know) in identifying a marketing strategy at the initial stages of building a business.

Talking to people you know (your friends, family, and personal network) about something you have never done before and have no track record with presents "issues".  If your credibility is important to you, our experience dictates that "proof" that something is working is significantly preferable to sharing a hope, dream or goal about something's potential - which you have not yet fulfilled.

In addition, once you "burn through" your warm market, then what?  Necessarily, you need to learn the skills and techniques to market to people you don't know.  This is the long-term-play.  Therefore, acquiring these skills and having the ability to model the daily practices necessary to appeal to cold market prospects is the practical and common sense thing to do.

Inherently, and in our way of doing business, this will mean you will have built resources, you will have a track record of success and income and you will be well-on-your-way to being a positive role model and teacher.

Contrary to the old-fashioned "make a list" and go after the low hanging fruit model, learning what it takes (early in the home-business-building process) will enable you to learn to build an organization of people who share your vision and values, but with whom you have no initial connection.

Then, and only then, does it make sense to share what you are doing with people you know.  At this point you can convey with credibility and authority that you have a viable and worthwhile thing to consider.  At this point, you will have your business "legs" that will carry you forward with results-driven facts and not a hope and prayer that you are going to make something work and you are inviting (those you know) to come along based solely on potential and speculation.

Develop the resources.  Learn the skills.  Have a plan of action that you can demonstrably share.  At this point, and only then, should you put yourself in the position of telling people you know about how they can participate with you.

Intelligent Application of Specialized Knowledge

There is a lot of "noise" in the home business industry.  It leaves people wondering what is real, and who to trust.  It is all warranted.

In evaluating a path to the creation of a reliable and stable income, you need to start with an assessment of the individual components that make up (what is hopefully) an integrated whole.  At the end of the day, it has to make sense to you and you need to have confidence that it will make sense to others.

Our system/process is smart and backed by rational judgments of the best way(s) to progress in building a home business.  It is extensive and intensive and requires a commitment of time and effort.  In our Learning Community environment, our "job" is to learn Specialized Knowledge (tools, skills, and strategies) and then teach others to Intelligently Apply what we collectively come to "know".

There are many credible vehicles for people to use to make a side income that can morph into a full-time income.  Ours is just one of them.  Our value proposition in terms of specialized knowledge is that our focus is not on the vehicles we use to make money, but the community and culture that enables sustaining a group of people to hang together for the long-term for each other's benefit.

This is the asset you own.  It is based on commitment, fidelity, a common and shared ethos, values, understanding a strategy and execution of that strategy...

As the title of this post says - it is about "Intelligent Application of Specialized Knowledge".

Moral Health and Doing Things Right

It is really easy to say or claim anything.  This goes back to the idea of actions speaking louder than words.  If this is the case, then how do you know 1) that what you evaluate, and; 2) then choose to become involved with - has merit and conforms to "all that is good"?

The idea of "moral health" speaks to this.  It is a representation of a line in the sand.  It is a proclamation that doing something right - matters.  This includes when we are in the business of helping people make money, that we understand and take seriously that peoples' lives matter.  It encompasses the fundamental decency of not leading anyone down a path that leads to nowhere in the pursuit of a quick buck.

It holds true to the idea that we are attempting to build something that has permanence and in doing so will provide security to families - and in many cases have implications regarding altering the legacy of families for generations to come.

However, when we state that what we do can lead to "life-altering" outcomes, we have the responsibility to provide all of the variables that will support this taking place.  Some refer to this as "walking the talk".  In our case, it is about skills, competence, behaviors, habits...  It has everything to do with helping people understand that what we do is not a cake walk and that income is directly proportional to value offered (the value you offer). If you do not lead.  If you are not a positive role model in terms of habits and values... you should not expect to make any money in the home business/networking industry.

Therefore, I implore you to "do it right". At the end of the day, we learn and we teach.  Or more specifically, our job is to find people who are receptive to learning and then teaching them what we do.

There are core skills and tools that are shared by everyone in our Community.  You have to buy into the fact that we are guided by a moral compass and the true north on that compass is to do things right with competence and integrity for the long-term.

Empathy and Humility

I just want to make a quick point about being authentic.  In the past, I have written about leadership, integrity, honesty, character...  and their role in establishing and maintaining a successful home business.

I was a communication major in college.  In one of the classes I took, we made a deep dive into what "attitude" is.  At the end of the day, it is basically how you are wired (predisposed) to react to things.  Attitude comes from how you think based on the accumulated experiences of your life.  Then, when you react to something (anything) you express yourself verbally and non-verbally with your "attitude" toward.. whatever.

I have also written about the importance of relationships... and the real asset you build is not a bank account, but the friendships and loyalties you build that support that income.  Our business is all about people helping people and a creating culture and community where people feel included, appreciated, respected, valued... and their confidence is borne of competence and success.

All this being said, let me bring it back around to empathy and humility.  First, empathy is necessary to understand and accept people for where they are in terms of life experience and skills.  This is a very, very wide range of attitudes, behaviors, and skills.  Anyone does not automatically "click" with just anyone.  Therefore, (although I generally don't like the term) finding and grooming a group of "like-minded" people that results in a community that will support your income is not easy.  It takes effort and investment of time - specifically focused on engendering the values and norms that are manifest in a culture of success.  This has everything to do with assessing where people are and getting them on the same page with you... or singing off of the same sheet of music, so to speak.

Humility, on the other hand, is all about you.  Let me put it this way:  if you try to fake it... if you are not honest about who you are, where you've been... you will be revealed as being disingenuous (at best) and a liar (at worst).  This is why I think it is important for anyone to develop resources about who they are and talk about "your story", no matter what that story is.

Fortunately, if you do not have a strong back-story, we have the systems, tools, and processes to enable success relatively quickly - and this is through being genuine about who we are, what we do and setting brutally honest expectations.  If you do not have a strong story, you can start with this... and talk about our community and culture and why it made sense to you... why it is different than most anything you have ever looked at in the past...

This has gone on a bit longer than I anticipated so I will close.  There is a lot to digest and try to integrate into your own "attitude" toward your life and your business.  I encourage you to read this a few times and really try to grasp what is being attempted to be communicated.

It will serve you well.

Two Steps to Retire at Any Age

Our Two Steps combine specific programs chosen for their financial dynamics as well as their practical capacity for fitting together in an overall strategy.  What follows is an overview of what these programs are and the justification for how and why they fit together.

It should be noted at the outset that the only component of this plan that is meant to "last" for the long-term in the third and final step.  This will become clear.  The programs (vehicles) we use are all online platforms with digitally-delivered products.  Each has a back office for tracking and accounting.  As a part of your education, you will learn about how different compensation structures work.  

Step One:  A Referral Line Compensation Structure

• A one-up is also known as a powerline model where you "pass-up" a sale to your sponsor.
• The investment levels for these programs are as low as $25, but normally (to create leverage) you want to start at $250, $500 or $1000, which inherently make this a "cash infusion" type vehicle.  This is a low-tier offer in the context of many programs in the market starting at $3500 as an initial investment... with programs that go to a $50,000+ one time investment.
• The goal at this level is to work with an ever-evolving smaller group of 6-8 people who will keep promoting and coordinating their business at this first level and who are comfortable enough financially to move on to the next step.
• You will not receive a Form1099 in this program and will be responsible for disclosing your earnings for tax purposes

Step Two: A Subscription in a Double Referral Line Structure

• The industry nickname for this compensation structure is a reverse two-up.
• The first sale in a reverse two-up goes directly back to you - so you break even with your first sale.  The second goes to your sponsor.  Thie third to you, and the fourth to your sponsor.  This creates great leverage in an expanding group.
• The model for this program is a monthly subscription, which creates predictable monthly income.
• The investment levels are $25, $50, and $100 when people use this as a primary program.  However, in our model, you will have built the resources to "come in" at the combined total of $175 a month.
• At this point, you will have built an initial group of 40-50 people.  The first "goal" with this program is to build to the same 40-50 level (which will not be the same as the initial 40-50 but only those who have committed to getting to this step.)
• $175 x 40 people = $7000 a month.  With this program (as you would hope in considering long-term income) you will receive a Form 1099.  Therefore, you will have to pay taxes.  As such, depending on how you are structured, you can anticipate, of this $7000, to "net" in the area of $5000-$5600 a month.
• This is monthly - replacement - retirement income for most people (and) this is just the starting point... the first goal for Two Steps to Retire at Any Age.

It all starts with our first program for $250 to $1000 one-time and then "getting after it" with effort and learning.  It is completely conceivable to make this happen within one year.  All you need to do is plug in and commit to learning what it will take in terms of skills and effort.  We provide the coaching and the environment to make it happen.

At the Edge of Propriety (or) Like Any Other Investment?

I have previously written about the idea of being money mercenary.  Essentially, my thought process is that making money is an end in itself - divorced from a product or service.  As such, the ability to make money, whether it be a program, process or platform is the "value" conveyed by the marketer and this is the proposition considered by the consumer.

"At the edge of propriety" challenges and articulates this notion of making money as an-end-in-itself  - as legitimate perspective.  The reason 'at the edge' is chosen to describe our reality is that what we do is unconventional.  Or, said differently, is not in the mainstream of how people typically view commerce... e.g. money exchanged for some "thing".

"Something of value" is typically something you can hold in your hand, or derive some benefit from a service provider.  In my transactional worldview, the product behind the transaction is secondary to the transaction itself - with the ultimate goal being transacting commerce with a focus on financial mechanics and this, standing alone, is the object of the business (with the ancillary benefits of being a part of a culture and community with the ethos and values that exist in  all we do).

As such, this is no different than an "investment" in the stock market.  You put your money to work for you in vehicles.  If you invest in Exxon, Procter and Gamble, or Microsoft - you are not obliged to buy their gas, use Bounty Paper Towels or have Bing as your default search engine.  In each case, your money is working for you independently of a product or service.

The question is whether what we do is "at the edge of propriety"?  Obviously, I don't think so.

Your Business - 10 Things to Consider

Here are 10 things worth pondering and understanding:

1. Your business is finding people who embrace the idea of partnering with you to make money.  
2. Your business is not the business you "represent".  The businesses you represent is the tool you use to make money.
3. If you love and are zealous about the business you represent, your passion will be a sales asset, however...
4. The true asset in your business is the strength of the relationships you build with people and everyone's' level of commitment.  This is grounded in their monetary success.
5. Long-term success in our industry is a function of the social group.  Inclusion and support of a community of people who share the same goals and values are foundational to success - and many companies/businesses provide this kind of culture.  This is as it should be.
6. As such, fidelity to a core business is also foundational to success.
7. However, once established, a portfolio approach to expanding earning opportunities within the confines of the community and guided by the constructs of trust, measured consideration, and viability for success is a reasonable proposition.
8. The syndrome of "chasing shiny objects" speaks to an immature mindset of people who are not established (successful) in a primary business.
9. Home business marketers have two roles:  a) finding people to join you, and; b) supporting them in their maturation to competence and success as a home business marketer.
10. Once profitable, the majority of people do not leave a business. Therefore, the key to long-term stability and growth is helping new people find success.

Lists versus Community

Anyone who has been around internet marketing for any length of time has heard the saying, "The money is in your list".  For some businesses this is true - especially affiliate offers or an Amazon or Shopify store.  Or, for information and private label products.  There are more...

Many of these list advocates (you guessed it) market their list-building funnels with an attached affiliate opportunity to push their funnel.  This convenient and ultimately symbiotic function is great for low cost and "free plus shipping" deals, however, they are not necessarily what is needed to build an organization that is built upon a community, support, and interdependence - with a higher ticket, lower volume numbers.

Large lists work for what they are intended to do - and many people make a ton of money with this strategy.  However, many would have you believe that the "be-all-and-end-all" in internet marketing is building a large list.  This is simply not true.

Our model is building a strong community.  On average, replacement incomes can be achieved with groups as small as 40-60 people depending on the income being replaced.  Our model places a higher value on the higher value.  That is to say higher-value relationships, higher-value investment levels, and overall higher "lifetime value" - spread over a much smaller number of people.

This is not to say that many of the same skills used to build a large list are not employed to build a small list.  Mass marketing is mass marketing and the more eyeballs you get your message in front of, the higher potential for your success.  Therefore, I am not discounting sales funnels, but challenging the end result that you are trying to achieve.

We do not see the large list as an asset.  We see the value of people we pluck off of the list and those we work with and help develop - as the asset.

The money-in-the-list advocates have their reasons for saying so... and the skills they teach are fundamental to internet marketing.  However, how we monetize the list is where we diverge in terms of the value and depth we build in the business partners we attract.  As such, if people are on our list, but not active participants in our community, there is a re-marketing opportunity, but essentially are just names until they engage and choose to learn about what we do.