Network Marketing Today and Beyond

Follow Friday on Twitter

Do you Follow Friday on Twitter?

Sailing to Success

What did you think?

Read Everyday

Image by National Media Museum via Flickr

"Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity."-Christopher Morley

Reading five books a day to my kindergarten class eight years ago was about all of the reading I was able to squeeze in during the day.  I realize now how important it is to feed my mind every day. It took a commitment to a new profession as well as the encouragement of mentors to find the books that would inspire me on my current journey.

Here are just a few.  Pick one and make a decision to immerse yourself in one book a week  until the new year and let me know how your life and your perspective has changed.

You can read my review and the reviews of others at Goodreads.com

The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success

The Image

The Game of Life and How to Play It

The Oracle's Secret: An Inspiring Fable About Achieving Your Dreams

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

"If I...Would You...?"

I received this resource from a great friend and wanted to share it with you.


This 3 ½ minute Video training on the “If I, …. Would You?” multi-million dollar skill could help you grow your network marketing business.

I encourage you to subscribe to the FREE training videos, right on the website. There is a new 2-10 minute video each day, Monday-Friday.

Here are some other  "If I...would you..." scenarios. Do you have any others to add?

Invite*
If I .... were to invite you to a Business Presentation,
would you .... come?

*HOP (Hand Out Packets)*
If I ... were to give you this CD,
would you .... listen?

*PAP (Pre-Approach Packets)*
If I ... were to give you this (product),
would (use it)?


*GBS (Gift Bag Shows)*
If I ... were to give you this Gift Bag Show,
would you ... share it and gather orders from your family, friends,
neighbors and those you work with?

*Information Packet*
"If I ... were to mail this information packet,
would you... watch the 10 minute video on my website, write down your questions,
and meet me on the phone at this time tomorrow?"

Are you Surviving or Living?

Image via Wikipedia

If I had my choice, we would not own a TV.  I have been overridden by a sport loving husband and three video game, movie loving, PBS watching munchkins.  On nights when we snuggle together on the couch for movies, with freshly popped popcorn in hand, I am totally there and loving every minute of it.   We do have quite a movie collection from the "Sound of Music", to "High School Musical 3".  From “I Love Lucy” to “Zoom”.   One of my favorites is Disney's, Wall-E.  

I have watched it a number of times but it was not until last week that I really heard this quote from the Captain, “I don’t want to survive, I want to live!”

What do you think of when you hear this?

I believe that many of us go through life just doing enough to get by. “Getting by” financially, spiritually, emotionally and in our personal growth and development is easy. "Getting by" will not help you move forward in anything.  It is the lazy way of living.

Truly living is HARD.  Living forces you to make decisions and yes, some of them will be the wrong ones. Living allows you to see the stuff that you are really made of by facing and pushing through challenges and thinking creatively to finally get to the other side where you can savor the fruits of your labor.

Truly living is a challenge I present to you right now.  Do you want to survive or thrive? Yes, it can be done in this economy!  Are you ready to get by or to really LIVE? Let me know as I would love to encourage you along your journey!

ArtPrize Connects with the Crowd

Photo by Fellowship of the Rich

ArtPrize has brought out and brought together a community to enjoy the talents of artists from as far away as New York and as close as the city of Grand Rapids itself, and taught all of us to laugh, think and embrace art in all shapes and sizes.   Instead of the winners of this event being chosen by those trained in art, it was those that appreciate art that were able to vote and determine who won the first place prize of $250,000.  Embracing social media, the organizers of this walk around town event used the power of texting to allow viewers to give a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to vote for each exhibit.  The top 10 “thumbs up” recipients were in the running
for the top money prizes. 

ArtPrize itself was a great way to see various art forms as well as to experience venues in Grand Rapids that I had never stepped foot in, until this event.  Many kudos go to the organizers as well as the coffee shops and restaurants who often ran out of food feeding the happy crowds that poured into their establishments. 

So where am I going with this flowing review of this event and how can it help you build your business?

On the day I attended Art Prize, my goal was to experience the chosen top 10.  I accomplished that…in 3 hours.  I was more than thrilled to meet a few of the artists themselves as they were answering questions and milling with those that were curious of or admirers of their work.

 
Is it a coincidence that the three artists whom I met also happened to be the top prize earners for the event?  I don’t think so.   The Open Water no.24 by Ran Ortner , “Imagine That” by Tracy Van Duinen, and  Portraits by Eric Daigh were all spectacular in their own way.   Hearing about the inspiration behind the art as well as how it was created, the time it took to create, and the challenges along the way from the mouth of the artist gave the art life!

This is my point - Your product is just a product until you breathe life into it with YOUR story.  Would I have voted for any of these artists, and their work had I not met them?  No.  It
was the handshake, the smiles, the STORY, that helped me to see beyond the art to the life within. 
 
Your story can give life to the product you offer and hope, laughter, inspiration and fun to your “audience”, your customers and life to your business.

Be available, be transparent, and share your passion, inspiration, challenges and story to create the business of your dreams.  How does $250,000 sound to you?

Big Changes are Right Behind the Little Ones

Image via Wikipedia

As a child, I always wanted to be on “Bewitched”. I even practiced wiggling my nose in front of the bathroom mirror for hours on end.  I could never master it though, always needed to use my finger to give the end of nose a little push.  What I enjoyed even more about Samantha, and the series itself, was the fact that with a twitch of her nose she could be anywhere, wearing anything, preventing or causing change in a split second. 

I want that! When I exercise I want to see muscles and diminished fat within seconds.  In my business, I want to see a team that grows wide and deep, with the twitch of my nose; an answering machine laden with customers who need product, RIGHT NOW; and a residual income that grows daily.

I am not Samantha. As I said, I never mastered the nose twitch.

I am however, persistent.  When I see results, even little ones, I am motivated to keep doing the action that is causing the results. 

Two months ago, I made a commitment to exercise 6 days a week, alternating a 3-5 mile walk/run and Pilates.  I can’t tell you how many days I have had an excuse  NOT to exercise, but I did it anyways.   I didn’t see the change at first.  I see it now.   Pants that now need a belt or they will fall down;  a second look in the mirror when I walk past thinking, “who is that?” and a confidence and desire to lose more fat and gain more muscle.

Network Marketing is the same way. 

Make a commitment to daily do the money making activities that will distinguish a business from a hobby.  I guarantee that once you outline what those activities are for you and your business, you will see a change in your confidence and your check.

Create a NO EXCUSES rule!  As a homeschooling mom of three, I have more than three excuses as to why building a six figure income from home is not possible.  I truly do not have time, unless I make it.   I have a strict schedule and follow it.  No excuses!

Look for the little changes and the large ones are right behind it.  When you make a commitment to
work your business like a business,  and you allow no excuses to turn it into a hobby, all of a sudden you  will notice changes that you had not noticed before.  Your confidence will grow, your energy will soar and you will want to do more, read more, grow more and talk more because you know it works.  You see it!

Sunday's Proverb

Image by tpeñalver via Flickr

Proverbs 10:9- The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

09-09-09

Many of us in the United States cannot even imagine the abuse, fear and horror that occurs every day to children as little as 5 years old, and sometimes younger, in countries such as India and Thailand, just to name a few.

Journalist, Diana Scimone, has not only seen first hand but has been touched to the core by the plight of these children. She is doing something about it. You can to! Diana's goal is 9,000 people giving $9.00 to the BF2 project to stop child trafficking. For just one day, give up your Starbucks latte and a bagel and be a part of something larger than yourself.

The very cool aspect to this fundraiser is that it shows the power of social media and gives everyone a voice from thousands of miles away.

Take a good look into the eyes of your child, your grandchild, the student in your classroom or the child in the check out line in front of you at the store, and imagine their world from the eyes of these children who are sold. It could change your perspective forever.

Sunday's Proverb

Image by albyper via Flickr

Proverbs 10:4

Lazy hands make a man poor,

       but diligent hands bring wealth.

So You Want to be a Work-At-Home Mom LAUNCH!

My friends, Jill and Diana have taken their years of experience as "work at home moms" and created a great resource for anyone, male or female, that is searching for a business they can do from home. I am honored to share this resource with you!

Enjoy and please pass on.

Kelly Wissink

Home-based businesses are estimated to be a $427 billion-a-year industry. In recent studies it was found that as many as 105 million people in North America alone were working at home. Considering this information, it is obvious that home-based businesses can be successful and authors Jill Hart and Diana Ennen will help you succeed with your own. So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom details all the basics of starting a business in a spiritual, motivational, and comprehensive manner. From deciding what type of business to start to keeping your family and faith first, this helpful tool details every aspect of establishing a business. With proven success tips utilized by the authors and others who own work-at-home businesses, this inspiration approach will provide you with the resources you need to start your own home-based business. So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom includes: * Detailed information on types of businesses to start * Ideas and assistance for setting up, operating, and marketing your business * Definitions and descriptions of work-at-home terminology and processes * Help for developing your Website * Explanations of the business nuts and bolts, including bookkeeping, taxes, and more About the Authors JILL HART is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom. Jill has published many articles and is a contributing author in Laundry Tales, The Business Mom Guide Book, I'll Be Home for Christmas, and Faith Deployed. She holds a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies. Learn more about working from home at http://www.cwahm.com/work-at-home/ . DIANA ENNEN has been a leader and mentor in the work-at-home industry since starting her business, Virtual Word Publishing, in 1985. She is the author of many books, including Virtual Assistant the Series; Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and Words from Home: Start, Run, and Profit from a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She resides in Margate, Florida, with her husband and their three children. Below is an interview with the authors of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom – Jill & Diana. If have questions they are happy to answer your questions anytime. Leave a comment below or email Jill@cwahm.com or Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com How long have you been working at home? Jill Hart - I've been working at home since 2000. I had to go back to work full-time for a brief period in 2003 when my husband got out of the Air Force. At that point I got even more serious about making my business work and I've been home full-time since then. Diana Ennen – I’ve been working at home since 1985, when my son was born. He’s now graduated college and already working towards his own career. I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.   What types of businesses do you operate? Jill Hart – I run Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, a website full of free resources, job listings and information about home businesses. I also write articles and books (yes, more books to come!) and am a blogger for sites like Time/Warner's Christian Momlogic.com and a member of the Guideposts blogger team Diana Ennen– I’m the President of Virtual Word Publishing. I’m a virtual assistant and specialize in marketing & publicity. I’ve also written numerous books on how to start a VA business and offer PR and VA Coaching.   Tell us about your book? How do you think it can benefit those who want to start a business? Jill Hart - The book has been such a "God thing." He orchestrated the entire sequence of events - from putting Diana and I together as co-authors to bringing us to the right publisher. The book is a hands-on practical guide for anyone who wants to build a business from home. We cover topics ranging from how to select the right type of business for you, to how to get started, to how to market and grow your business. Diana Ennen - I think one of the best features of our book is that it’s not only informative, but motivational as well. You’ll feel like friends are helping you on your journey to success. Also, we discuss numerous types of businesses to start and provide proven methods to achieve success. We also often hear how starting a business can be so overwhelming. That’s why we pay special attention to all the how tos. We feel very confident our book will help, not only those starting a business, but those already in business wanting to expand it.   What types of businesses are featured in your book? Jill Hart - We have such a great range of contributors - everything from direct sales companies like Southern Living at Home and Avon to unique product-driven businesses like BSM Media and GrillCharms. These woman are amazing and give readers a great insight into how they've grown their businesses in very different ways. Diana Ennen - We cover everything from direct sales companies to specialized areas such as medical transcription and virtual assisting. Also, Jill shares detailed information on starting a community based membership site. We think you’ll get a lot of helpful tips too from such work-at-home powerhouses as Maria Bailey and Lesley Spencer Pyle.   Do you have any tips for success for Christian entrepreneurs that you’d like to share? Jill Hart - I think my favorite tip - shared with me by one of our contributors, Tammy Degenhart, almost ten years ago is that working together benefits everyone. She told me, "Jill, what you give to others God brings back tenfold" and I've seen that hold true time and time again. It may not be in financial gains and it may not look like what we expected but God is so faithful in that when we work together there is no competition - it's a win-win situation. Diana Ennen - Do what you believe in and use your own skills and prior experience to find the business that’s just right for you. Research/Research/Research. The more you research, the better your business. Continue to market and be out there. So many once they find a few clients stop marketing. You need to get out there continually. You then become the go to person when someone needs services or products that you offer.   What are some of the challenges that you see with those starting or operating a business? Jill Hart – In my experience, I've talked with many women who get frustrated because success doesn't come easily or quickly. Working from home may sound easy, but in reality it can actually be just as hard as working outside the home. There are many unique challenges, especially when working at home while raising children. If women don't prepare themselves, they can become discouraged and disheartened. Diana Ennen– One of the major challenges I see is losing belief in yourself that you can do it. That’s why I think a faith-based book will be so beneficial. Even when times get tough, you can rely on your faith to forge ahead.   With the economy, do you believe it’s still a good time to start a business? Why? Jill Hart – I think it's a better time than ever. The internet is so much more widely used than it was even nine years ago when I began my website. If people do their research and find a company that fits them as well as their budget this can be a great time to break into the work-at-home field. Diana Ennen – Absolutely. In fact, I think there’s never been a better time. You might have to work a little harder, but it absolutely can be done. Plus, there are so many businesses who need us more than ever because of the economy. For example, with virtual assistants because businesses are downsizing they are seeking the help of a VA to help on an as needed basis.   Your book is written from a Christian perspective? Tell us a little about that and how you feel that makes it so unique? Jill Hart – My faith is central to who I am and therefore central to my business. I began Christian Work at Home Moms because I wanted women to have a safe place where they could discuss not only business things, but also talk about an area that doesn't get talked about a lot in business circles - how our faith affects our businesses. The book is written in a way that doesn't hit anyone over the head with our faith, but it's true to who we are and talks about things from the vantage point that we see life - through the lens of our faith. Diana Ennen – There are so many books out there today on starting a business. However, few have the Christian mom in mind. We provide a lot of scriptures and examples of how you can use your faith to help you. Our hope is that not only will your business thrive, but it might just give a little boost to your faith as well. Learn more about the book at Beacon Hill Press or SoYouWantToBeAWAHM.com.