About 40 People - An Explanation and Approximation

I have written other posts about "the money being in your list".  This post is related.  I have argued that building a large list and monetizing that list is certainly one viable strategy, however not an easy one - both in terms of the resources required to make it happen (a capture page, autoresponder, etc.) AND the entire process to make it happen.

Juxtaposed to this is a small list.  A group, if you will... of About 40 People.  Or, a tight-knit community of 40 who share common values, skills, goals... an interdependent, supportive, and cohesive structure all geared to each others' financial well-being.  Allow me to slice and dice this a few different ways.

So, why 40?  To be clear, I am starting here explaining the "end state".  This is the place you work toward and where you "end up" after a year's effort.  (You can't blink this into existence).

We use a progressive model that builds different income platforms.  The first starts at $40 (an instant pay / direct pay platform) that successively and progressively works to higher investment levels based on (and funded out of) earnings.  While engaged in this platform, you are gathering and training people.  Ultimately, you are finding the ones who will commit - and "stick" as long-term partners.

Ultimately, when you are in a position to do so, we participate in a $175 a month subscription.  Doing the math, $175 x 40 people = $7000.  If done right, and treated like a real business, you will want to claim this income for tax purposes.  So, you are in the 22% bracket.  $7000 x .78 = $54,600 a month "net".  This replaces most middle-class incomes.  And, this is just the baseline goal on which you build.

Another perspective on this:  $7000 x 12 months = $84,000 annually... from 40 people.  From a strong, committed, powerful group of people.

The amount of money you would need in investments with a modest 6% return to derive this amount of money is $1,400,000.  Therefore, if you are like many, if you do not have investments, real estate, any type of royalty... or if nearing retirement,  a 401K or IRA that is worth this amount, then this is "an alternative" to get to the same income goal.

40 People in this entire world... can you find 40 people and groom each into a reliable business partner - and be their friend and mentor?  40 solid people with skills and credibility who share your goals and vision - based on solid and stable relationships?  This doesn't sound like a tall order.  The viability of it happening for you - is completely dependent on you - and your ability to acquire and apply new information over the next 12 months.

Our Community exists to aid in this process: to strategically find and mentor 40 People (as a starting point) to achieve financial security and potentially, generational wealth.  It is entirely possible, however, it is also entirely disruptive to your life.  Most people can not deal with this disruption and engage in "what it takes".

If you are sick-of-life as you are currently living it, if you are willing to endure some short-term pain in modifying your lifestyle... and learn and apply new habits over the next 12 months... join us.

Aggregation + Leverage = Residual Income

First, let's talk about these words and their meaning and then apply them in terms of how they are related and work together.

Aggregate means to collect, gather, or bring together.  We aggregate people and money.

Leverage, in physics, involves a fulcrum and the length of a lever.   It involves creating a mechanical advantage.  Think of prying a rock out of the ground with a digging iron.  Here, the rock is a pool of money (or income).  The fulcrum is the platforms (the businesses) we utilize.  The long end of the lever is all the resources and credibility we apply working with the fulcrum in order to pry the rock (money) out of the ground.

Residual Income is money that is created and recurs over time, typically monthly.  This is accomplished through various means.  Compensation models of the businesses we work with have residual income "built-in".  These vary.  The most stable is a monthly subscription, like any other subscription (a magazine, cable bill, gym membership).

The goal of our business model is to create monthly residual income that first supplements, then replaces your full-time income.  We do this in a smart and strategic fashion using different platforms with different entry points (investment levels) in order to build to investing money on a monthly basis in a consistent and reliable way.

The goal is to replace your income in a 12-month time frame.  This means one year of learning and applying knowledge.  This is one year of consistent effort resulting in the decision to keep your "job" or to do what we do, full-time.

The last thing I want to mention here is that none of this takes place without solid relationships with people who understand you are invested in and committed to their success.  This is a cultural issue.  You need to "buy-in" to your own competence and being a solid mentor.  This is one of the most fundamental values of our culture.  This is the foundation on which everything else is built.  Solid, genuine, dynamic relationships are at the very core of everything we do.

If you are not committed to and invested in helping people of all stripes and strata of life, then this whole "network building thing" is probably not for you.

If so, you can change your life within a 12-month time frame.  If you have not already seriously investigated what we do and how we do it - and see if it all makes sense to you, we simply invite you to do so.

Understand the Complexity

Here is the truth:  making money through marketing an online business is neither easy nor simple.  If it were, everyone would be doing it and enjoying success.  Obviously, this is not the case.  The fact is that there are many components that need to be in place all acting together in an integrated fashion.  This is not to say that it can't all be laid out and explained.  It can.  However, one of the "tests" you should apply is running from anything that proclaims to be a "no brainer".

Here's the truth:  you need to create resources that support your "ventures".  If wanting to create a long-term business, it is not as simple as joining something with a replicated website and promoting that link.  If you want a business with long-term legs, there are many more things that need to be in place.  However, let's just start with the first two:

Here's what you will want to consider.  First, how will people get to know you?  You will need to establish both familiarity and credibility.  As such, we use an "About Me" resource.

Second, how will you communicate with them?  You will need a business email and an email that talks about your offer that is sent to permanent "Vacation Response".  (This is the most basic and most simple... and free.)

You will need to have resources to point people to when responding to their questions.  The articles on our blog, resources from the businesses we promote, and the ability to articulate the rationale and philosophy behind our business model need to be assembled and structured as resources, typically in templated email responses.  This can all be done in Gmail and does not require a paid autoresponder.

You need to have mapped out "what you will do".  What will your strategy be for activity, i.e. business-building activities?  In other words, how will you invest your time?  Is this time scheduled?  Are you mapping out this time daily, weekly, monthly?

What are your metrics?  At the end of the day, it all comes down to numbers.  How many contacts and exposures to people evaluating what you do, actively engaging with a percentage of them and bringing a portion of these into your business.

At that point, you need to divide your time between marketing and support, i.e. supporting the new person in their competence acquisition.

Also, at that point you will have three basic roles:  1) content creation and refinement, which is talked about above , 2) marketing (getting what you have to offer in front of people) which is not really addressed in this post, and; 3) teaching others the same, i.e. being a mentor.

When this "juggling act" begins the true test of your business viability begins.  Can you and will you balance all three things in optimal proportion to ensure you will have stable growth (and) conversely you do not fail due to spending too much time in one area (or) not enough time in any of these areas (activities).

In understanding this complexity, you will be able to articulate the complexity.  What we do involves a professional skill set, if done professionally.  Therefore, understand that your goal is to evolve into someone who has established their credibility and competence.  This is not overly complex, but it is reasonably complex.  It involves a focused effort with specific things that need to be done.  These things are laid out for you in our process.

Our job in our Community is to mentor and support people through their learning curve and help them balance the three basic roles identified above.  When all three of these cylinders are at full stroke, money manifests itself in a manner that will "attract" or induce people to want to work with you.

This is not the first or last time you will hear this:  competence, credibility and the overall value you provide are directly tied to the amount of money you will make.

Understand the complexity (at a minimum) on this level.  It takes time and effort.  There are no magic pills.  Our Community exists to accelerate the process, but it all takes time and effort.  Anyone telling or selling you anything different (in terms of strategy) is either ill-informed or simply seeking a short-term "quick flipper" relationship with no long-term strategy to offer.

This is the truth.  Now you know.

Payment Platforms

There is an email in our system that talks about "having ways" to get paid.  In the first tier of our business model, we are in the direct-pay / instant-pay arena in terms of the vehicles we use to earn income.

It (should) go without saying that in an online environment where commerce is taking place, you will need platforms to enable transactions.  In other words, you will need to set up relationships with payment platforms and link these platforms to your existing financial resources - .typically this is your bank account and your debit or credit card.

Why?  You need to have ways for people to pay you.  The more payment platforms you are set up with, the more ease there will be in enabling people to "transact" with you.

The most fundamental and universal of these is PayPal.  If you do not have a PayPal account, you will want to get one.  As well, PayPal owns Venmo.  You will want a Venmo account as well.

CashApp, Facebook Pay, Google Pay are all free to set up (as are PayPal and Venmo).  Within a week or so, one of the first "once and done" tasks you will have is setting up all of these relationships with these processors/platforms.  These are simply the "starters".  There are many more including Credit Cards (payment processors) like Stripe.  Also, cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin and all of the different wallets available in that universe of money.

Then as you (we) migrate to the second tier of our model, you will have the ability to use many of these platforms for subscriptions that will automatically debit someone else's funds on a monthly basis and you will have a true and significant long-term residual income.

Not to put the cart before the horse here, I simply mention subscriptions as a future feature because it is important for you to understand that there is a long-term plan that includes a strategy of personal development, organizational growth and building a business that has "legs" for the long-term.

Money Aggregation (Ways to Pool Money) and What We Do

Aggregate, accumulate, save, invest, build a nest egg... call it what you will, the "ways" to establish a pool of money are diverse.  So, let's talk about what we do and how it fits into this context of building your bank account.

You are no doubt aware of the phrase that "it takes money to make money".  Here is the reality:  it does.  You need savings in a bank for it to gain interest.  You need a broker or brokerage account to put money into and hope stocks appreciate.  You need the funds to buy a fixer-upper to upgrade and then flip for a profit.  If you can think of a scenario where it does not take money to make money, I am curious to hear about it.

Like all of these, our business requires an initial outlay of money.  This is based primarily on two factors.  Means (does someone have the money) and risk tolerance (how do they view potentially losing this amount of money?). 

What we do is not traditional.  We aggregate people and their money into pools under the structure of an interdependent community.  The money vehicles we use are secondary.  They could be anything.  The important thing to understand is that we are building a community where people share common values, sense of commitment, shared competencies, work ethic based on an understanding of what work is involved and many other things that are "common" to anyone participating in our community.

The investment levels in our model begin with being extremely modest (small ticket prices) in the under $100 range, to mid-tier in the $5K range.  It is important to understand that our model promotes progressive earnings into higher levels, based on one's means and risk tolerance.

We are a Learning and Teaching Community.  We build people's knowledge and value as marketers and mentors.  In this process, we utilize money platforms and teach people how to use these platforms in the context of building a Community of Competence - where everyone understands our mission and "buys in" emotionally, intellectually and financially.

It is like building any business.  More people, more money.  You get more people by being a better and better leader and mentor.  Simply being a "recruiting machine" will not serve you long-term.

If you do not have it in your gut to care about people and their futures, this business (the way we do it) is not for you.  People you "recruit" are your responsibility to nurture and help become successful.

This is the pledge you need to make to yourself and to those you work with.  Otherwise, you are just playing a money game that will die a slow death and be filled with frustration and littered with bitter people who know you were more interested in their wallet and not their soul.

Yes, we aggregate money.  We do it honorably, with competence and need you to understand this standard and rise to this level of expectation.

Decisions to Dollars

Everything starts with making decisions.  And, (for our purposes) ends with money in your bank account, e.g. decisions to dollars.

This assumes there is a sound decision-making structure to operate from.  You will find this information on a few other places on this blog:  Decisions are a function of information.  D=(f)i  Slow down and let that sink in if you have not pondered it before.

So, what information do you (or someone you are wanting to attract) need to gather, evaluate and act upon in order to progress to the point of "getting started"?

This breaks down into the two broad categories of affect and intellect.  In other words, how people feel and what they think.

The biggest affective component is trust.  Are you being dealt with in an honest and fair manner (and) is your best interest is at heart?  Trust is (typically) built and earned over time, however in our business, we need to move people through "trust development" in a relatively accelerated way - keeping in mind that most people are wary and skeptical of what we have to offer.

We have tools to aid in this acceleration that blast through the superficial public and social information and get to the core of what matters in peoples' lives.  We are not looking for sign-ups.  We are looking to build deep and lasting relationships.  In other words, we are not looking to recruit and engage with deadbeat sponsors, but want to make clear that what we do is to become a Professional home business owner in the digital space.  This candor, along with the tools we use, builds trust.  This onboarding that leads to a long-term perspective is fundamental to what we do.  It is a primary value proposition of our business model.

And what about intellect?  Does what we have to offer make sense from a common-sense perspective?  Does the whole proposition hang together as a viable and worthy thing to be a part of?

This aspect is highly dependent on resources.  What information can you provide to someone that does a credible job of explaining what we do?  You are a part of this equation, in terms of your ability to explain things, however the systems and information that are part and parcel of what you "promote" have to be credible, logical and engaging.  Please notice I did not say polished, with high production value... genuine, methodical and sincere will always rule the day.

As such, whether you are evaluating something currently, or you are looking to build a framework to attract others to what you do, making decisions about your level of trust and the credibility of the information you present are fundamental components of deeming something "worthy".

Anyone makes decisions about trust and credibility.  This is at the most fundamental level of a successful business.  If they are lacking trust, they will not engage with you, e.g. they will not decide to join you.

Lacking this decision, you have no shot at converting their decision to dollars.

Persevere and Break Through

This post is intentionally short and sweet.

The first $1000 you make is the hardest.  It is where most of the learning takes place.  However, understand the difference between learning and applying.  There is an important balance in terms of time invested.

Nothing will happen in your business if people are not actively evaluating what you have to offer, measuring its utility/viability and making a decision to either buy from or join with you.

Exposures of what you do, creating interest, educating, and forming lasting relationships are the fundamentals of a sustainable business.  The more people you form relationships with (customers and business partners) - the more money you make.

Your first $1000 starts with your first sale.  If you do not have a strategy in place to be telling people about what you do and you can convey its value, you are not in business and you will make no money.

Once that plan is in place and you are executing, then you just need to persevere and break through.

Deadbeat Sponsorship is a Culture Issue

Social Commerce has an inherent problem of the blind leading the blind.  It is a function of people joining people who have "joined" and neither have a real clue of what to do - beyond making a list of 100 names.  The question is:  is this an industry issue, or an individual company issue?

Well, you can't really control an entire industry.  Therefore, the answer has to lie in all of the individual companies whose model is basically to let people "wing it".  There is no structure, no planning, no accountability.  This is for daily activities, scheduled communication (check-ins), or any other form of "active" mentorship/sponsorship.

For most, sponsorship ends when the transaction is complete.  It's simply a, "OK, I got mine.  Good luck in going to get your's" approach.  The contention of this post is that this is when the "relationship" should begin.  The issue is that there is no formal process (in most scenarios) to make this happen.  It is not a sponsorship numbers game to see who sticks.  It should be/needs to be about the transfer of skills, attitudes and best practices tailored to the one sponsored.

As such, this is a cultural issue of individual companies, which in the aggregate, make up an entire industry.  This is a huge deficiency in the home business arena.

It should be no wonder why the failure rate is so high.  Best practices have to extend well beyond "sign up and try it".  When someone is enrolled, it infers a responsibility to that person to ensure they have a game plan to execute.  Otherwise, you are a deadbeat sponsor.

Again, without a formal process to make this happen, with tools and metrics, with standards and accountability and with an expectation that a business relationship involves being in a relationship, then "the industry" will continue to falter (as an industry) and will continue to fail people individually.

The WPNMLC offers this structure, these expectations, and the ethos to have a responsible approach to enrolling others.  This is our core message and our core value proposition.

PaaP Businesses

Platform as a Product (PaaP) businesses have been around (in earnest) for at least a decade.  These businesses provide the system, processes, and administrative functionality to both market and track digital commerce.  Most require a one-time (or periodic) Administration Fee that is paid to the Platform owner.  As well, many now have peer-to-peer-based money-exchange models where funds (the commerce) is made on platforms such as Bitcoin, PayPal, Cash.app, Stripe, Googlepay, etc.

Typically, these platforms have training information or service-based offers.  However, no matter "what" the offer is, all have a front-end marketing system (capture pages, autoresponders, sizzle calls, chatbots, etc.) and a back-end where "the business" is tracked and administered.  This marketing and administrative platform is the product. 

It enables Social Commerce where people agree to participate in the exchange of money for mutual benefit by engaging with "the platform" -  used as a vehicle to transact commerce, e.g. the exchange of money for something of value.

Seems straightforward enough... adults choosing to participate in a technology-based, digitally-driven platform to create commerce for the mutual benefit of those who choose to be involved.  What could go wrong?

Well then, there are leverage components.  These components enable a single exchange of money to become financially magnified based on the compensation structure of the platform... i.e. the rules agreed to when joining the platform regarding how the money works.  These compensation systems can vary widely.  Simply stated, they all have some form of leverage component. (unilevel, one up, two up, reverse one up, matrix or grid, 50/50 hybrid... you get the idea).  There are many more.

The question is whether these models detract from the legitimacy of these PaaP businesses?  Or, to put a finer point on it, whether governmental laws overseeing these platforms prejudicially hinder their existence?  And, whether corporate policy (especially in the financial and technology sectors) do the same?

In an industry that exists to elevate people's lives, it seems a bit counterintuitive that there would be resistance of corporate and governmental entities to inhibit these platforms from proliferating and flourishing.  Nonetheless, this seems to be the case.

The question is why?  My response is fairly simple.  It is based on the prejudice borne of the historical inertia of "failure" in the industry.  It is based on the idea that "these programs don't work", when in fact, structurally, these programs do work.  The problem is, people do not work to make the programs work to their benefit.

Then there is the "issue" of supervisorial requirements.  In other words, joining is not enough.  This infers that a "sponsor" has a managerial responsibility to those sponsored.  If this is lacking, it creates a very big target for the dart throwers.  There are many more "issues" like this.  If you want to take a deep dive, see THIS SITE.  You can find your state right at the top.  "State Listings" is a link.  This is very worthy stuff to read and learn about as you become a Professional in this industry.

But then again, keeping it real, as this site references, there are the Neanderthals who market these businesses by making inflated earnings representations and get-rich-quick claims.  The "establishment" generally sees the industry as the more well-informed preying on the less well-informed.  Unfortunately, given the "open" model and marketing to the masses approach of the industry, one has to give berth this seedy and somewhat insidious aspect, and the scoundrels who perpetrate these rancid practices.  All this muck generates the "scam" tags.

The reality is that this "reputation" is replete in the industry and exists as a stigma - especially for any new company trying to establish a foothold that can grow into a long-term, stable, (wholesome, worthy) proposition for those involved.

This reputational liability of an entire industry is hard to overcome, especially in an environment where some of the major players are currently under scrutiny and hedge fund owners bicker back and forth - which in turn gets the attention of regulators.  It is unfortunate but nonetheless is the current reality.  Herbalife and NuSkin going public as a stock did no one in our industry any favors.

In any event, PaaP businesses are here to stay.  Many exist and are thriving.  Others, especially in a start-up environment need to wiggle and push out their pointy elbows to get established and gain traction.  In these instances, my best advice is an ecosystem approach where "the deal" is more than the platform, but is inclusive of community and culture, standards, norms and values, mentorship and leadership - all leading to an "entity" of such high value that is cannot be dismissed as "one of those pyramid things".

People banding together under the proposition of making money is (can be?) an inherently good and noble thing to do.  The moral foundation on which the proposition is based becomes the declaration of its legitimacy.  Competence.  Character.  Contribution. Candor.  All of these "C's" need to be part and parcel of Compensation.  Here is why:  if it is simply about the money, it won't last.  This is why an entire ecosystem is necessary to engender short-term success, which in turn will greatly enhance long-term viability.

Otherwise, if it is another "here today, gone tomorrow" venture, it will be one more business on the large trash heap of failed attempts in the Social Commerce space.  None of us wants to see this happen to or for anyone - owner or participant.

Everyone Wants a Map

So... if everyone wants a map, is it the same map?  Does the same map get everyone to the same destination?  I don't think so.

If you are talking a literal, conventional map with roads and streets... sure, the concept applies.  However, here, we are talking about a map to the "promised land" of success, profitability, leadership, etc.  As such, everyone has a different starting point and this is why we say, "we will work with you based on what you bring to the table".  In other words, we may know where we are going, but the route to get there has to be tailored and specific to an individual's starting point.

This is based on current skills, amount of time, the amount of money, likes and dislikes, introversion versus extroversion... ultimately, what someone is "willing" to do.  But leave no doubt, "something" has to be done.  This is not an empty gesture.

The "map" has to have directions.  On the first leg of the journey, you go here (do this).  Then, on and on and on.

Everyone wants and deserves to have a map.  Our job is to create that map with them and provide the coaching and mentorship to ensure that on each leg of the journey the wheels are rolling.  In other contexts, I have referred to this as cheerful accountability.

Now, to hold someone accountable, you need to have a relationship such that it is comfortable to ask, "What did you do today to advance your business?"  Or, what are your goals for this coming week?  Or, how can I help in getting you to take action?  Or, to simply say, I care about your success, how can I help?

This is a major contributing factor in this industry's abysmal failure rate.  No support.  No accountability... no relationships in what is supposed to be a relationship business.

Your success depends on being different.  If you have recruited someone and they have paid money to be in business with you, and you will profit from their efforts... this is part and parcel of the package of what they have bought and should expect from you.

Provide a map (mentorship and leadership).  Use our tools to get to know those you sponsor.  Build relationships.  Be actively engaged in people's success.  Learn to be a velvet hammer and understand that you have the ability to significantly impact peoples' lives.  Evolve personally and use this evolution to grow an organization in your likeness. 

It all starts with tailoring a map (strategy) with each person you partner with and then working with and building them into a leader replete with skills, resources, habits, credibility... 

Sound like work?  Nothing happens in growing business unless you are actively engaged in helping people.

The Mirror: CRM's and Sales Funnels

If you do a Google Images search on Sales Funnels, you will find many rainbow-colored funnels with intricate explanations of how they work.  The fundamental concept for any sales funnel is the same.

The way we build relationships moves people through this structured process of Awareness to Loyalty (if the process is working properly).  Here is just one example:

Now, here's the dashboard of how we choose to manage our "pipeline" in our Gmail  CRM add-on named Streak.

As you note, each is the same process.  We move people through an evaluation process from initial exposure to creating a lifelong partnership.  Each step is broken down into actionable "things-to-do".

In the beginning, we are creating Awareness by exposing people to our offer through varied means.  In the end, we are creating Loyalty through our on-boarding process and putting a plan in place that is tailored to an individual's time and talents.

We track.  We manage.  We follow-up and are metrics-based.  There is no guesswork.  Input equals output.  At the same time, we engender skills and ensure a solid foundation for people's success.

No wingin' it.

What is "Fair"?

Fair is a powerful word, perceptually.  It speaks to both sides of anything being in equilibrium... i.e. fair and balanced.

Fair means you get yours, and I get mine - and we are both happy with the result.  So, what does this have to do with our business and our Community?

It is out or a posture of fairness that we want to operate.  We create financial independence through financial interdependence.  Inter means between.  We (you and me) are linked and this concept of "fair".  It extends to everything we do.

However, is it realistic to expect that everyone will invest the same effort?  If not, is this fair?  How do we deal with people who are initially a ball-of-fire, but then peter out and become non-productive?  Do we cajole and attempt to motivate?

Let's take a step back.  We try to attract people who understand standards and expectations.  Our Community is all about, "What it takes".  This is expressed in effort - consistently applied.  Non-productive means not applying effort.

People and their circumstances differ.  Someone working full-time and caring for an elderly parent... and doing our business is much different than a college student who has comparatively less to deal with.  There simply will not be the same amount of hours in a day when effort can be applied.

This comes full circle in accepting people "where they are" and what they bring to the table.  There is no common baseline.  Therefore, it makes no real sense in trying to calibrate what is "fair".

Fair is progress.  Fair is moving forward.  Fair is small successes leading to larger successes.  Fair is being engaged in one's own process pursuant to their goals.  Fair is dictated by one's own standards that are put through the filter of our Community Standards.

Ultimately, what is "fair" is working with people that is "in kind" with their level of effort.  At the minimum, as a mentor, we owe this level of reciprocation.  We invest in people to the level that they invest in themselves.  The committed, the hungry, the active need to be met with the same.  If someone is on a slower, less aggressive trajectory, we need to be mindful and attentive to their progress, however, progress is the metric on which attention is paid.

It is only fair.  Business is about many things, but ultimately it is about transactions and making money.  If someone (anyone) is not engaged in behaviors that will result in earnings, eventually they will atrophy and die in terms of being deserving of your time and attention.

We do our best to prevent this from happening.  It is contrary to our culture and values.  However, we can only reciprocate and reflect back positive effort and move forward with those who have their game face on and "bring it" consistently.

Agreeing Slowly

Frankly, we don't want people "jumping at a hot opportunity".  This is not what we are about.

We offer a long-term proposition that requires patience to get there and understanding of a great deal of content (to get there).

Therefore, as you "recruit", allow for peoples' consideration in learning about what we do and their natural skepticism.  Our job is to provide a context for constructive information acquisition.  We enable adult decisions that have a real-world-bearing on peoples' futures.  Treat it as such.

If we provide an experience that is thoughtful and purposeful, we will greatly enhance the probability of those we work with being around long-term.

So don't rush it.  Don't pressure.  Make a friend.  Provide guidance.  Have conversations about real possibilities.

It will serve you, long-term.

Understanding the Four C Formula

Building a bridge between knowing what to do - and - doing it, is the starting point of "what it takes" to be successful in managing a home business.

This blog, our Training Site, and many other resources are instructive in laying out a game plan for what-to-do.  This is the pragmatic... the daily grind... the activities... the hours invested.

Then there is aspiration... what you want, the reason for your involvement, what is driving you - some call it your "why?".

You would think these two things are inextricably linked.  But somehow in the process of life happening, there is a disconnect.  This results of what-you-want are not supported by what-you-do.

Having a vision of where you are going is critical.  It requires a "grand plan"... a strategy to get there.  This is broken down into skills and knowledge that needs to be applied, both in the academic sense of learning, but also in the athletic sense of practicing and performing.  In football terms, it is the difference between watching film during the week in a classroom and playing the game on the weekend.

To be a winner, you need both.  What you learn needs to be applied pursuant to your goal(s).  Knowledge without application is derelict.  My father used to refer to this as being an "educated bum".  I have termed it as one being an "intellectual vagrant", or simply, knowledge not applied is useless.

Keep engaged.  Professional Development happens both when you are learning and teaching.  In doing so, you refine your thinking, hone your delivery and in so doing, you build your value.

The greater your value, the more money you make.  It is the Law of Compensation (or) The Rules of Reciprocity.  You get what you give.  You reap what you sow.  Or, think of it in terms of this "C formula":  Competence + Credibility + Contribution = Compensation.

The Underemployed

So you have a job.  Let me ask, are you satisfied with your life?  Do you want more?  So then let me also ask, are you capable of doing more?

Just about everyone thinks they should get paid more money.  This inherently defines underemployment (from your perspective).  A problem arises when you feel disillusioned and left-behind... forgotten about... taken for granted.  There is little we can do "in the system" to change this.

This leads to frustration and apathy and people "hating" what they do.  Essentially, it is a life wasted doing things with no intrinsic value other than being a part of the same system (for the masses) that enables you to pay the rent and put food on the table.  What's worse, for most, is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  Many people are simply resolved to this as their reality.

So let me ask again, are you capable of doing more?  And, if so, what would that be?  We offer one alternative, but this "something more" doesn't need to be "our" alternative.  Broaden your lens.  If you don't have enough money because you are underemployed, what are you willing to do about it?

We teach an alternative.  This is what a Learning Community exists for... to perpetuate a cycle of teaching and learning, teaching and learning... focused on core skills, values, and processes.

If you are underemployed and want more, look in the mirror. Find something (anything) that will enable you to earn extra.  For some (in the masses category), this means a second job with another hourly wage scenario in the "oppression" system.

For many others (those for whom this is written to inspire), there is a whole world of opportunity that is based on personal value and personal production.  This world functions off of the Law of Compensation where competence and compensation are inextricably linked.

To gain competence in a specialized field, you have to learn new things.  Our Learning Community teaches these things with the goal of income supplementation leading to income replacement.

At that point, you will be in a position to determine if having a job still fits with who you are and how you function in this world.

So let me ask one last time, are you capable of doing more?

My Conversation with a Hedge Fund Owner

It has been interesting since my profile has elevated on Linkedin, I am getting contacts from various people seeking synergies - open to exploring how we may be of benefit to each other.

This morning I spoke with Matt who owns a hedge fund and says he is in the lineage of Warren Buffet... in terms of training and philosophy.  He tells me he learned from a guy who learned from WB...

In describing my business, I found myself saying that my goal is to give people the skills to improve their circumstances... the guy or gal who is one paycheck away from disaster... Joe or Jane Sixpack who doesn't know that a whole universe of opportunity exists that s/he had no idea about... and is thrilled to get in on "the game" once this portal to new opportunity presents itself.

On the other hand, his "pitch" was essentially about good months and bad months with about a 10% monthly return in the good months... annualized to about 30-40%.  Seems to me, that would be a whole lot of heartburn in suffering through the bad months and a wild roller coaster ride.  Phew!

I told him my business does not require a large up-front capital investment, is much less risky as a result and can realize a 200% return over and over again within days or weeks... with an incremental, progressive investment scenario that is perpetually self-funding.

I described reinvestment and this resulting in sequential and strategic growth... all backed by a Learning Community where we teach skills, processes, and mindset.  I told him about our model of people helping people to visualize and actualize becoming a professional home business owner...

It was a great opportunity to contrast two ways of making money.  On the one hand, a Hedge Fund owner seeking big chunks of money to invest, and; me providing the juxtaposition of earning money through growth... both personally and financially - fueled by human beings, not algorithms and market speculation.

Obviously, I think ours is a better path to long term financial security.

The Role of Respectability

Anyone with a conscience needs to be proud of what they do.  This pride extends to all areas of our business.  Our mission, how we operate, how we treat people... are all internally consistent with each other.  Your role is to rise to this level of expectation.  That is, to rise to the level of a Professional home business owner who offers value to those you work with.

Being respected as a role model in terms of how you comport yourself, the "clues" you leave to others about success, and the overt expression of your leadership all combine to form the mantle you wear on a daily basis.  The adage is, "respect is earned".

Digging deeper, the more problematic aspect of respectability is in regard to our business model and fighting the stigma of person-to-person commerce.  There is no getting around the fact that we battle the, "oh... it's one of those things" perception of our industry.  In many cases, this reputation is warranted due to the failure rate... (and) of people spending money and not succeeding.  Unfortunately, there is a long sorry history of business flops and broken dreams - most under the old model of product-based direct selling.

Our model is new, clean and simple.  However, we can't simply jump to claiming respectability as a result.  Again, we need to dig deeper.  We need to have the ability to articulate, "why?"

We help people.  Or more precisely, we have the ability and the potential to help people.  Whether this happens is ultimately the responsibility of the one being helped.

Our Learning Community, our training resources, our onboarding process, and the support offered makes us unique in the peer-to-peer marketing industry.  We are different from anything else "out there".  This personalization experience, this guided process, this conscious intent to help ensure people's success is a difference that warrants respect.

Our candor, our "not for everyone" mantra, our constant admonitions about integrating change - all contribute to the fact that we are not attempting to "pull the wool over anyone's eyes" but are sincerely committed to helping people elevate their life circumstances.

We seek quality, not quantity.  We drive deep and lasting relationships.  And, we provide the tools and processes to enable the same.  This is our difference.  This is what is deserving of respect.

Your Schedule - Your Success - Your Life

Getting to the "change" necessary to manage a successful home business is difficult. I offer the assertion  (the reason) people do not succeed is due to their inability to incorporate change into their daily habits and routines.

A big part of knowing "how to go about it" is tied to taking intentional steps on a daily basis.  This inherently has to be a "plan" of how you are going to invest your time doing "what" it takes.  Most people do this on Sundays.  On Sunday, you know what your week looks like for the next 6 days.

If you work, you know when that is.  You know how much time it takes to get there.  If you exercise, you know when that is.  ...when you prepare food and then eat.  When you walk the dog.  All the rest of the time is "potentially" when you can work on building your business.

If you write it in a schedule, you are making a commitment to yourself.  It is a mental contract that says, "Tuesday at 6:30 after the kitchen is cleaned up, I am going to (what you are going to do).  This presupposes that you have defined the activities that constitute your "what"... i.e. your business building strategy.

This is how success is built.  It is thoughtful and intentional.  These thoughts and this intent happen on Sunday night for the coming week.  Otherwise, you are just "winging it".  Your Google or Outlook calendar need to become your best ally.  You can color code different activities... blue for work, green for food, red for exercise.... then you can copy this template week to week and then fill in WHEN you are going to "work" on your business... in say ORANGE.

Online:  posting to groups, placing classified ads, creating a blog, commenting in forums, doing paid advertising... if none of these... then...

Offline: belly-to-belly talking to people in Retail, tagging doors and cars with mini flyers, making signs and posting them around town, going to flea markets and talking to all the vendors, going to events and approaching people...

WHAT are you going to do?  Then... schedule when you are going to do it.

Do it as if your future and your life depend on it.  Why?  Because it does.

The simple, bold and brutally honest truth is:  most people are incapable of making this sacrifice and commitment and will not take one hour on a Sunday night (morning?) and plan their coming week.

No fault of the business model.  If you are on-boarded correctly, and you have a strategy of what-to-do that you have agreed upon... and you fail to invest the time in doing it...

The results you get will be obvious.  Don't let that happen to you.  Learn to use your calendar and allow it to become your best ally and friend.  Then teach others to do the same.

Be a mentor, be a role model.  Be an accountability partner. Be a success.

Selling or Sharing?

Let's face it.  Most people don't want to do what it takes to build a business.  This is the reason for the failure rate in the Relationship Marketing business.  It has nothing to do with the business model, compensation structures, upline support... There is an old adage, "Nothing happens until something is sold".  Or in reverse, until something is sold, nothing happens.

So, if we soften it a bit, and call it "sharing"... it nonetheless comes down to the idea that "a rose is a rose by any other name".  Call it anything you want.  Commerce needs to be transacted.  Money needs to change hands.  It all starts with getting "what you have" in front of people for them to evaluate.

The bottom line is this:  unless you figure out "how" and commit "to" the fact that you need to get what you have in front of people, nothing will happen.  "How to" and "what you are willing to do" will drive your success.  This can't be a maybe.  It has to be thoughtful, strategic and tied to daily discipline(s).  Otherwise, you are just "wingin' it".

So, let me ask again... what are you willing to do?  What can you commit to that blends with your time, the skills you bring, and the money you can invest?

Here's the rub.  In your present life, you cannot just decide not to go to work (if you have a job).  Or, if you own a brick and mortar business, you cannot decide not to open on many days... you either lose your job or go out of business.  Well, this is exactly where many home-business-owners end up.  They don't show up... and they don't get paid.  Why would anyone expect any different result?

So let me ask anyone who is not inclined to "sell"... let me frame it this way:  are you willing to do what is uncomfortable for a year to position yourself for a better future?  Are you willing to disrupt your life and integrate daily (or scheduled) disciplines pursuant to exposing your message to "x" number of people a day?

How about these numbers?  Set a goal of 1200 people in a year.  This is 100 a month - 25 a week - 3.57 a day.  So, can you do 15 on the weekend and the other 10 on Tuesday and Thursday?  This is scheduled, not daily... but it gets to the same result.  The reality is this: they are both intentional.

It can be online or offline... it can be face-to-face, it can be posting in Groups... it can be posting classified ads, it can be tagging cars or apartment complex doors with mini-flyers... set up at a flea market, or simply go to a flea market and talk to all of the vendors, contact organizations:  churches, PTO's, youth sports, medical malady causes...  If you have the skills, make videos and create funnels... or create a blog like I have done here.  Let me ask the question again:  what are you willing to do?  What are you willing to commit to that results in 25 conversations a week?  Or, 25 views of your video?

Without this clear intention and commitment, save your money, don't consider a home business.  Go to work, resolve yourself to your status quo life and understand that you were not willing to make the sacrifices and do-what-it-takes to elevate beyond your current circumstances.

Time to look in the mirror.

The American Dream

The American Dream is a lie.  It is a hoax perpetrated on the majority of people in this country.  Work hard.  Get ahead.  Equal Opportunity...  This is simply an aspirational "message".  It is an adage that suppresses prosperity and ignores the fact that "working" for an hourly wage (or even a generous salary) will not lead you to financial prosperity.  It is a myth.

If your income is "predictable" in the coming year, you are buying the lie.  Sure, you may position yourself for a raise or promotion.  This will elevate your circumstances marginally.  However, at the end of the year, you will still have a finite "number" to budget around, save from and invest with.

Schools totally fail our youth by not teaching the concept of leverage.  Leverage drives wealth and yet the concept is ignored (outside of how interest works) as a general principle of financial education and literacy.  The WPNM Community exists to share the fact that many great tools exist to create financial leverage that are both credible and viable means to leverage both time and money.

This is what we do.  This is what we teach in our Learning Community.  We expose people to ways to leverage their finite pool of money into an ever-expanding resource of financial growth.  No caps.  No constraints.  No ceilings.

It doesn't just "happen".  It is a process of learning and execution.  It requires a mindset of deliberate intention and utilizing tools and strategies that crush the potential of an hourly wage or salary.

It is all possible and you fall into one of two groups:  you "see it", or; you don't.