The Agreement Seekers Blog

There is an old adage of the empty vessel.  From afar, it looks fine.  It floats.  It is doing all the things that vessels do... but as you get closer and finally board, you find nothing there. You don't want to be that boat.  Live compassionately, with empathy and generosity of spirit.  There are plenty of hucksters and charlatans in this world.  We need to be at our best and firmly perceived at the opposite end of the continuum from the cons and quick flippers.  This is only possible if you are compassionate in your approach to others - in valuing their needs, understanding their circumstances and helping them understand your goal is to help them. We talk a lot about moral posture.  This includes caring about what we do as a mission, not just a "biz opp".  If you are not invested emotionally, you will be smoked out as one who is disingenuous.  Being honest in all you do builds credibility.  It speaks to your integrity. ...

Helplessly Hoping.  Not much as a life strategy, would you agree?  I was in a store the other day and heard a guy with all due earnest optimism say that his time to hit the lottery had to be near.  Again... hanging one's sense of optimism on the lottery... go figure. As many of my generation know, Helplessly Hoping is a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song.  If you will allow me to borrow randomly from the song, one line of the lyrics is, "confusion has its cost".  Frankly, I am not certain whether it is confusion, lack of knowledge, lack of trust... but I am certain that there is a lack of something inherent in people not taking charge of their financial destiny. Confusion presupposes that are different aspects to be confused over, right?  As I think about it, it may be more apt to say "ignorance has its cost".  This is not meant in a negative way.  This is simply to say lack of knowledge about any subject can be costly. As marketers, our...

This applies to people starting a home business who do not have a group of people with whom they are currently working.  If this describes you, please read on. Everyone needs an anchor - a home base - a primary program. This has to be what you build your brand on - what you are known for - and what you unflinchingly support as your foundation.  It is what you "lead" with to new prospects who are considering joining you.  We recommend strongly that it is not "this or that"... but it is ONE THING that defines who you are, what you do, why you promote it - and is the expectation for anyone who joins you that this program is what your business and community are built upon - at its core. This is not to say that in time you can not add things to your earning portfolio.  It is simply to say that "out of the gate" you are consistent with your primary offer when engaging new people. Obviously, you do not need to follow this advice, however, if you are looki...

So, what does iteration mean?  One definition could be doing something over and over until you get it right.  Another could be successive approximations.  Another could be the process of continual improvement or refinement. A part of what we teach is to have an "About Me" website.  This is a brief bio that enables people to get to know your story.  It is the beginning of building your brand as someone worthy of trust and being followed.  For some, this is a difficult task.  Understood. Here's the thing.  It does not need to be perfect.  As you refine it over time... it inherently evolves.  This is a work-in-progress.  Remember, you are "paid" in direct proportion to the value you offer.  If you have a weak bio, your earnings are a reflection.  This is the same as not having the skills to teach... but if you never set up the tools to use, you will never be able to teach someone else how to use them. The point is this:...

I once worked with a guy in a retail environment.  He was about 40, had 6 kids... was articulate, knew his job and was good at what he did.  At the same time, he was literally drowning in frustration and hated what he did. Although he uses computers all day every day at work, he defined himself as a computer illiterate outside of the confines of the tools we used.  I always found this irony interesting. I have a pretty strict guideline of not mixing my home business with those whom I associate with on a daily basis.  Nonetheless, when I have written different pieces for this series, I have naturally mentioned some of them to him.  His lack of interest has always puzzled me. This brings me to the question of this title.  "What would you do to save yourself?"  I mention my co-worker simply because I think he represents many people who hate their lives and what they are obligated to do (go to a job they hate) in order to meet their bills.  It i...

Do this exercise.  Put yourself on your death bed.  Let's assume you have lived a long life.  Will it be important to you to have made a difference?  How will that be defined?  Will you have had a positive impact on the world, or did you simply and complacently exist; conforming to what was "normal" and expected? We are a Community of difference makers.  At the most fundamental level, our goal is to make a difference in peoples' lives.  We are driven by this purpose and are united by common values of competence and credibility, honesty and integrity, candor and accountability, and this is just some of what is at our core. Do you care about being exceptional, or about distinguishing yourself in some way? There is no higher calling and no greater honor than to lift people up and enable their new beginning.  We offer one viable and realistic path... not the only path, but a solid one to consider if one is seeking change. People in our Communi...

This post can quickly devolve into what many would describe as class warfare.  OK, so be it.  Let's call out oppression for the sake of profitability - and - the lack of conscience corporations and the economic elite demonstrate.  Not much joy in talking about this, but here we go... Let me ask a fundamental question this way:    Do you think your employer is looking out for your best interest, or their own?  Some would say yes, my employer understands positive culture and rewarding performance.  These are the lucky ones.  Most laugh at the question as preposterous.  Why is that? In the Fortune 500 culture, shareholder value takes precedence over everything.  At the end of the day, if a company is not growing and increasing profitability, Management is forced to squeeze what they can control to maintain their "numbers".  The first, most obvious and easiest thing is to cut labor... or to repress labor by short staffing, increasin...

We are all free to make choices.   However, many times, jobs are not chosen but are more a function of circumstance.  As a result, many stay stuck in their lives, relegated to a job they have by default and then rely on the relative safety of the status quo in the 40 hours a week for 40 years grind. This is the expectation set by societal norms - and the value system that is most prevalent in public schools.  It is the worker bee mentality of doing your job, doing it well, earning a wage or salary and making a commitment to this as an expression of "responsibility". There is no arguing this, except in the context of alternatives and the right to choose.  We do not recommend or encourage "dumping your day job".  We strongly encourage doing our "side thing" as a means to earn extra income and offer a strategy to first equal and then exceed your current full-time income. What we do is measured, calculated and predictable.  The financial...

The reality is this.  Most people are a dried, brittle canvas.  In terms of life experience and expectation, the oils have hardened, the acrylic is set, or... the water is dry.  Their futures seem certain as long as they continue to conform to what is expected and stay in their safe-zone of a job and benefits. Most people feel "set" financially in meeting their bills and saving for Christmas and vacations.  No value judgment here, I am simply describing reality.  Most are "comfortable" with their lot in life and not seeking to rattle their status quo.  We wish them the best. In keeping your colors wet, it enables moving around the mix on your canvas.  It maintains the possibility of the next brush stroke.  We are a community who are malleable to opportunity, wherever it may arise.  As such, we do/will not appeal to brittle canvases of the world. We seek to attract artists wanting and willing keep adding depth and color to their can...

No, not the spies in Washington DC... the CIA in our world is an abbreviation for the words Competence, Integrity and Analysis.  Stick with me here.  These three words encapsulate most of what we do, so let's take a look at how they apply; and, why you will want to understand (and use) these words when describing yourself and how they form a part of our moral foundation. Competence  If you don't know already, we are a "skills pay the bills" organization.  There is no faking it.  We talk about providing service and value - and - being paid has a direct correlation to the amount of service and value you provide.  Competence means that you have made the transition from student to teacher and you possess (have earned) the skills to teach others.  Competence means you consistently engage in business building activities as a part of your skill set on a daily basis.  Competence simply means you are capable of transacting a process from ...

This article is about tone.  It is about how we present ourselves to people evaluating what we do.  It is about "access" to an off-ramp on the highway of life.  Some people will choose to read the road sign, turn on their blinker and pull off to have a look.  Most will keep moseying on down the road without a thought of attending to what is passing by them. Yes, we have something to offer.  Ultimately, it can be transforming in terms of income, lifestyle, and options people have.  Our ethos and values dictate that people understand that we are simply one of many options.  We feel no need to impress others in a showy manner but allow the overall "tone" of what we do carry-the-day, followed by responsible, descriptive information. We don't want to be perceived as the latest, greatest, whiz-bang deal that you want to jump on and get rich with.  It is simply not that easy and does not work that way.  Therefore, our focus is the fric...

My view is that everyone should have a "side" something to make money.  It could be painting rocks you find - and selling them at a flea market... it could be anything... When considering what we do, we would be foolish to not embrace casual "lookers" who are at the tinkering stage of getting involved with something.  Once we have their attention, it is our job to demonstrate that there is "meat on the bone" that is worthy of cooking and eating... (and) that can be a sustainable food source for years to come. Going from tinkerer to Titan is an evolutionary process.  Evolution inherently means transformation over time.  In our terms, time means weeks and months, not eons.  It is about things learned, tasks completed and moving up the knowledge and competence food chain. Skill acquisition and then being able to pass along these skills is the heart of what pumps life into the success we have.  You must embrace being a learner with an eye to bec...

Yes, everyone wants what we have.  The trick is to enable them getting it. This begs the question of defining the "what" in what we have.  Ultimately, this is financial security that has the potential to migrate to prosperity, then with time, legacy and generational wealth.  And boy... does this presuppose a lot! The nitty-gritty of getting there is explained in the posts in this series.  If the math works... if the marketing makes sense... if the vibe feels right... if the people associated with your "thing" seem genuine and sincere... (and) if you are committed to doing what you need to do on a daily basis to make-it-work, then success should be a certainty, right? It is just a matter of applying effort doing specific things.  It is about finding people who may be interested in "what we have" (but/and) are willing to take the steps necessary to "own it".  It is simply a matter of 1) time spent, 2) applying effort, 3) doing specific things...

Dreams can come true.  It starts with a decision to get going.  Then, a commitment to keep going... until attained.  It is not a fantasy, but something earned. "Pity the fool" who thinks it does not require effort, overcoming setbacks, handling the sense of being overwhelmed, getting stuck and then unstuck... and all of the peaks and valleys that are an inherent part of growth.  Nothing is a straight linear progression, but in many instances is two steps forward, one step back.  It all good - this is when and where the learning takes place. Decide.  Commit.  If you join us, you will be in a good place, however, it does not need to be with us.  Find something you are comfortable with and get going.  The clock inexorably ticks, however if you are not motivated to excel or exceed your current circumstances the weeks and months will turn into years and decades. Waiting for the time to be right?  It never will be - and might as well be ...

OK.  One night a week you have to plan.  Well, you don't HAVE TO, but if you want to increase the probability of your success, you will. This goes hand-in-hand with making a schedule and generating a task list.  It takes a bit of effort at first... to get to know Google Calendar and how you make the actual schedule and identify all of the big chunks of time that are already committed.  That is the easy part.  Where success is driven is in all of the "uncommitted" hours.  This is where the work gets done for your business. I recently wrote a post, and in it I said:  "If You Don't Know What You Are Doing, You Don't Know What You Are Doing".  This gets to the heart of a schedule and task lists.  This defines daily activity and taking the steps necessary to build your business.  It makes you focus and apply conscious effort. My planning night is Sunday.  I typically know what my fixed commitments are for the coming week by that ti...

Let me be clear.  We build a network through marketing.  This inherently qualifies us as Network Marketing.  However, Multi-Level Marketing (typically) infers percentages of group volume at different levels that are (many times) termed in stones (diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby...) precious metals platinum, gold, silver, bronze...), organizational or geographical titles i.e. National Director, Regional, Area, and starting at some entry-level inferring "Representative".  There are many, many more.  However, in some form, they all infer "rank". Most of these models require successively larger organizations or group sales volumes associated with a group size.  With size and volume, you "rank advance".  Also, with each, the higher levels get larger and larger pieces of "the pie".  These pie pieces (again, typically) are percentage-based. Again, we do not shy away from being network builders, organization developers or community organize...

I understand caution and holding on to the reins as tightly as you can.  I understand a conservative approach to life and having all of your bills met.  I understand not "acting" on something because it is beyond your current world-view and does not match with the current status quo. There is fear of loss (financially, time, credibility).  There is a fear of self (can I do it?).  There is fear of not knowing what to do.  There is fear of others (said differently, can I trust the person or thing has my best interest in mind?)  And actually, there is fear of success (for example, if money is not a concern, as a couple, then do we really don't need each other?).  There are many more examples. Fear is the driver that prevents people from moving forward.  (I am budgeted so tightly, I can not rob Peter to pay Paul to come up with the money to get started).  This is many peoples' situation, and it keeps them stuck. Our role is to provide a saf...

Ponder this for a minute:  You don't know what you are doing if you don't know what you are doing. This gets to the core of the daily discipline of being organized and getting stuff done.  Chances are if you are not keeping yourself accountable to things written on a list, you are being far less productive than you could be. It can be an app or a software program... if you use the list function in Gmail or Outlook (which is what I do)... or if you have a notebook and pen... or the back of a napkin... you are robbing yourself of productivity if you are not crossing things off of a list as you get them completed. Having a list is the same thing as knowing what you are doing.  It inherently forces intentionality... i.e., "what do you intend to get done today?"  I am not going to extend this discussion to objectives and goals, but they are all related. Write things down.  Execute on the things.  Then, cross the things off when completed. ...

The title here is about your income in a home business being directly correlated to the value you offer.  I encourage you to think about the people you enroll in your business as clients and investors.  They have paid you (invested in) your services.  Clients (can and should) have expectations that you will "deliver" by attending to their needs - by being a good mentor and role model.  No different than an Attorney, Accountant, or any other professional who are retained for their expertise and the results they deliver. Service and value are at the foundation of the Law of Compensation.  You will reap what you sow.  Our community is built on a foundation of norms and values and primary among them is that you build an organization based on quality and competence. If so, you will build an organization that will last and your future security will be on much more solid ground.

When will it happen?  When will you make it happen?  If you are a generally busy person, you need to nail down segments of time.  Let me provide an example. Writing this piece takes time.  I have an appointment at 11:00 am.  It is now 9:15.  I need a half hour to shower and get dressed.  That gives me 45 minutes or so to write this and then I am out the door. So what? (you may ask).  Here's the deal.  I am consciously jamming productivity into my day.  I am being mindful and intentional.  I am taking action.  This has been the case for the 100+ posts I have written for my readers, in addition to all the other things I do to grow my business. Now, apply this snippet to your own life.  How can you best-utilize bits and pieces of time?  It starts with understanding the big picture of what your firm commitments are (work or going to class, sleep, personal hygiene, eating, walking your dog...) then all the rest ...