EVALUATING ANY INCOME OPPORTUNITY

EVALUATING ANY INCOME OPPORTUNITY

You’ve just heard about the greatest opportunity or the latest “must-have” product to come along in the past century! So you jump inot the “opportunity” head-first without really thinking about it. You have visions of dollar signs dancing in your head. You tell, your friends, your co-workers, your dog…. Just about anyone or anything with a heartbeat about this great opportunity. You may get one or tow excited responses but most likely you will be shot down. The air has been let our of your balloon, your sails have been deflated.. your hopes have been dashed.

OR the Opposite Occurs

You pass on an income opportunity thinking you have seen it all BUT everyone else seems to get involved and you miss the boat!!

What went wrong??

Quite simply, you let your emotions get the best of you. You did not have the tools or the knowledge to discern the good from the not so good. You thought with your heart and not with your head.

Take some time to assess and answer the following questions in each category in relation to your current or prospective business. The more honest you are with your answers, the better the likelihood is that you’ll be on your way to finding the ideal income opportunity.

Your Leveraged Support Team (LST)

1. Does your LST understand how to build long term relationships?
2. Is integrity evident in the members of your LST?
3. Is crossline interaction encouraged on LST?
4. Do you and your LST have compatible values?
5. Does your LST us manipulative techniques to prospect new members?
6. Is the LST taking advantage of the latest Social Networking technology?
7. Are the LST members willing to do three-way calls and conference calls?
8. Is there room for leadership advancement?
9. Are you recognized and rewarded as a member of the LST
10. Does the LST celebrate your success?
11. Does the LST encourage your participation without making you feel pressured?

The Product or Service

1. Is the product or service highly consumable?
2. Do people have to change a habit or create a new one?
3. Is there a big learning curve to use or apply the product?
4. Will consumers purchase the product even if they are not involved with the opportunity?
5. Is the product fairly priced?
6. If nutrition based is the potency and purity guaranteed?
7. Does the company manufacture its own products according to the highest standards?
8. Is the product safe/low risk?
9. Are there valid testimonials?
10. Is there a money back guarantee?
11. Is there scientific research and credibility behind the product?
12. Is the product a fad?

The Company

1. What is the purpose of the company?
2. Is the company managed by a reputable and skilled management team?
3. Has the company been in business long enough to have a proven track record?
4. Does the company have a good reputation within its industry?
5. Does the company have solid financial backing?
6. Is there ongoing communication between corporate officers and the field leadership?
7. Does the company provide exceptional support material at a fair price?
8. Does the field leadership have input into company policies?
9. Does the company grow in economic downturns?
10. Does the company have plans for international expansion?
11. Does the company have long term vision?

The Compensation Plan (CP)

1. What is the minimum enrollment?
2. Is there tons of front end loading?
3. Is the CP a modern or 21^st century plan designed to create leverage AND personal productivity?
4. Is there good income possibility for part time involvement?
5. Does the CP pay weekly?
6. Are there monthly personal or group requirements?
7. Are you paid on personal purchases?
8. Will your organization eventually break-away from you?
9. Does the CP provide for quick or immediate income?
10. Does the volume flush to the company?

Just as Important – What About You –

1. Are you a team player?
2. Are you coachable?
3. Do you take personal responsibility for your actions?
4. Do you have integrity?
5. Are you willing to support and help your team, LST, and crossline?
6. Will you take the time to develop your personal skills?
7. Can you manage more than one thing at a time?
8. Do you have Stick-em? (my Dad’s term)
9. Do you have goals?
10. Do you follow through on commitments?
11. How do you manage your time?
12. Do you like to have fun?

My Dad said "Never Give Up"

Leave a Legacy by Never Giving Up!

Fifteen years ago, when Shirley and I started our “five-year plan” to become financially free with our own Home Based Business, we had no idea where it would lead us.

Here is the difference between us and most people. We have not given up. This journey has been challenging. We’ve had a lot of challenges, and I am sure we will have many more. We could have “thrown in the towel” many times. Before we learned what we know today, it was tempting to want to give up.

But my question was always. Give what up? Give up life? Give up learning? Give up growing? Give up caring? Give up setting an example for our kids? Give up on ourselves? Give into the failure mentality that is current in today’s environment????

My dad and mom taught us kids to “Never Give Up” on a worthwhile goal. Both my brother and sister have successful traditional businesses. Must have sunk in!

I remember being told “I don’t care if you are a ditch digger or a professional athlete, be the best you can be." “Give eight hours work for eight hours pay.” “Dig your well before your well goes dry.”

When I was 10 years old, my dad hurt his back working and we almost lost everything. My little brother and I took over the operation of the farm until he could work again. I lived hard work and commitment. When I grew up, I just continued on in what I was taught and have never given up.

While we changed directions a few times, we have never quit. We got better mentors, more focused information., better opportunities came our way, we searched and found truth. We never quit!

Life prepared us to never give up. When we lost our first son at birth we could not give up. When it happened a second time we asked why and slowed down for awhile, but we did not give up. We now knew what was important in life and we did not give up. Life is not easy, everybody has their own story and we celebrate them. We are not unique as I have seen many people win in many areas of their life. They did not give up either.

In the book “Think and Grow Rich” Napoleon Hill says “When you make a plan, if that plan fails, make another plan. If that plan fails, make another plan.”

So where is the rich part? …. We have a beautiful family, girls in university and doing well, are debt free, Shirley was able to stay home as a full time mom, we have an organic farm, and thriving home based businesses etc. I would say we are rich and we are not done yet. Never give up!

In my family, there was always a plan A, B, C… etc. It seemed that nothing ever went according to plan. We were constantly in a state of change. So it seemed a natural thing for me to always have a backup. “Dig your well before your well goes dry”

I’ve recreated myself a few times and am doing so again. We have mastered personal productivity and leverage, two important components necessary for success today.

The purpose of this article is to urge you to Never Give Up…. To Dig Your Well BEFORE Your Well Goes Dry… because in this debt-based monetary system it will go dry.

I’m so fortunate to have a great family, to know who I am and Whom I serve, successful businesses and great friends to share and grow with.

So just because your first vision doesn’t come true, leave a legacy by never giving up.

What Comes First.... Motivation or Action?

This post is inspired by motivational speaker, Doug Nielsen.
Take some time and watch his videos.

Which comes first, motivation or action? Most folks say motivation comes first. After all, we all need something to get us going, some heart-felt energy to drive ourselves to take the first few steps in a new venture, don’t we?

I’m firmly in the ACTION camp.

Some of us have little to no motivation, yet struggle ahead in a particular direction anyway. When it comes right down to it, we can all think of personal examples.

For example, most of us go to a job we do not enjoy, for less pay than we feel we deserve, for a boss we do not like, etc. We get up everyday and do it anyway. It may be a sense of obligation, of duty, of fear of loss, and so on.

Another example could be exercise. Many of us are motivated to set this goal at this time of year. We buy a piece of exercise equipment, only to have it become a dust collector. We are motivated, but our actions do not follow. So you can see that it was not helpful that our motivation came ahead of our actual (in)action.

Motivation alone isn’t always enough.

I played hockey when I was younger, but did not start to play goal till I was 12 years old. The coach had asked me to play goal but I did not want to. Playing out was fun, scoring goals was fun. My first game in goal, we lost 12 to 3. I certainly did not want to do that again! The coach sat me on his knee and told me I could not quit after my first time out. I had to play the next game.

I cried! But what he said made sense. I was not a quitter. The next game, we won and I was the hero. I did not want to do it at first. But it got easier as I got better. I was still scared stiff before every game, but I enjoyed the recognition and the challenge. I went on to have a fairly successful career as a goaltender. I certainly played at much higher levels than I could have as a forward…all thanks to that initial push and my coach.

So find any reason to continue, but just don’t quit.

From the Inside Looking Out…Not the Outside Looking In

Think back to a time when you got excited about something. Was it when you were looking at it from the outside and you knew next to nothing about it? Or was it from the inside, after you got over the hard, initial phase and could now see the real possibilities?

The latter, right? That’s because this is the wonderful, I-now-know-I-can-do-this-thing phase.
Is there something you’d like to try but just can’t seem to muster the effort? This is truly the hardest part. Stay with your project long enough to develop the skills, and each step will take you closer to victory.

In network distribution, there are people who have gone before you and who have skills that they want to share with you. Find your coach who believes in you and take that belief and motivation. Push yourself to develop the skills, and your confidence will grow. Then, your motivation will grow through the roof!

My friends, ACT FIRST. The motivation will follow.

Reflect on 2008 to Create a 2009 that Shines

As 2008 comes to a close, I find I am reflecting on this past year and years previous. I do this every year, but this year I am more focused.

Last night, I was looking at pictures I found on my laptop computer. Our youngest daughter has downloaded pictures from her camera over the years. She has even scanned some of our old, 35 mm pictures, so I had a whole history to review and reflect on. What an unexpected blessing.

By nature, I can get kind of nostalgic. I think of what people have gone through in their lives. I wonder if they look back with satisfaction or discipline or regret. A wise man once told me, the cost of discipline is ounces but the cost of regret is unbearable. This has stuck with me.

I think of communities and even companies, how they developed and of the people who lived and developed them. What were their principles and convictions? The same is true when building a life. Some people who start against all odds build great lives, yet others who have great beginnings fail. I came to the conclusion that lives are built day by day; lives are built on the seemingly little daily events and on the foundations of one’s principles.

One of the best things about networking is, it is about life, it is about people. The people we meet, the relationships that grow, the impact people have on us and vise versa. Life is, after all, a journey and in the end it is the people we have an impact on that matter the most.

As we look forward to a new year, I find I reflect on these thoughts even more. Last night I spent hours going through pictures of our family and therefore our lives. I want to share a series of questions I am going through at the close of 2008.

These 30 questions can be asked, meditated upon, and answered in all areas of our lives: family, business, spiritual, personal, etc. If you find value here and want to do the same, then feel free to ask yourself the following.

Reflection Questions:

1. What did I accomplish this year?
2. What accomplishment am I most proud of?
3. What did I learn this year?
4. Knowing what I know now, what would I have done differently?
5. What are my most lasting memories of this year?
6. Why am I doing what I am doing?
7. What did I contribute to others?
8. What were my biggest challenges or obstacles?
9. Which ones did I overcome?
10. Who are the most interesting or challenging people I met?
11. What did I learn from them?
12. How did they impact my life?
13. How am I different now than I was at the start of the year?
14. What am I most grateful for?
15. What else do I want to reflect on?

Projection Questions:

1. What excites me the most about the coming year?
2. What are my FIVE most important goals for this year?
3. How will I best develop and use my skills?
4. How will I build up my strengths?
5. How will I apply the most valuable lessons of last year (and previous years) to 2009?
6. What do I want to learn?
7. How am I going to learn this?
8. Who do I want to meet?
9. What relationships do I most want to develop?
10. What new habits will I create?
11. What old habits will I change or eliminate?
12. What will I do to become healthier this year?
13. What lasting memories do I want to create?
14. Who will I serve more effectively this year?
15. What impact will I have?

We are definitely living in interesting times. Times that cannot be taken lightly. We need to get better or we fall behind. We need to grow to thrive. Staying were we are is a recipe for falling behind. It is a truth and the nature of our system.

Let me know if these questions help you.
If you are one of the few who do go through them, I guarantee the impact will be amazing!

Here is to fighting the good fight and coming out victorious in 2009!

To your contiued Success!

Fred.

The only measure of success is the ratio between what we might have been and what we have become.
In another words, success comes as the result of growing to our potential!
H.G. Wells

The Integrity Factor

The Integrity Factor


This is a two-part formula to help you live with the utmost integrity. It’s simple and effective. I challenge you to start following this every day.

1. When you always tell the truth, people trust you.
2. When you do what you promise to do, people respect you.

You will rise above 98% of the competition if you follow this formula. When you think of it, most people do not do what they say they are going to do, or don’t do it when they say they will do it. If you DO what you promise, it will become apparent to people you deal with and in time you will have NO competition.

A friend of mine, Andrew, was expanding his company and needed a graphic designer. One came highly recommended as very talented; he was not very expensive and was available. Andrew contracted with this graphic designer, set up timelines and then got to work in other areas. The talented graphic designer was always late, causing Andrew to be late. Andrew was losing his integrity with his clients by being late. This happened over and over.

To resolve this problem, Andrew was referred to another graphic designer. His first question was about meeting deadlines. Andrew took her on, and he never missed another deadline. In fact, this designer kept my friend honest. “Andrew, if you do not get me the information I need I will not meet the deadline and neither of us will be happy.”

This designer was only 24 years old and not as artistically talented, yet she kept her promises and her integrity and therefore was booked solid. She could subsequently charge more money and in effect had no competition.

The words “as promised” are significant. Use these in your regular correspondence. It will reinforce the fact that you really do follow through. If you say you are going to send a follow up e-mail to a prospective client, start the e-mail “As promised, here is the information about ……..”

When you do this, it is a subtle reminder that you keep your commitments. And if you keep your commitments, you will rise above 98% of the crowd. You will have no competition.

Build your life on Integrity and you will never have to look over your shoulder.

Your partner in Success

Fred

Eat That Frog

Being in business as a Home Based Globalpreneur is always an adventure. Every day, we are faced with at least one thing we simply do not want to do!

Check out Mac Anderson's (Founder of Simple Truths) email that I just received. Enter... Eat That Frog! This video is based on a little piece of Brian Tracy's best-selling book...Eat That Frog. It takes less than 2 minutes to watch, but here's betting...you won't forget it!

I can tell you that this concept is simple. It works and will add to your personal productivity.

We all understand this concept, but this is a great illustration to forward to your teams. When times are tough, this simple video will make the concept more enjoyable.

Enjoy and Live with Passion,
Fred and Shirley

http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com

Still True Today!!

The Steel Square

As a student of currency creation, history, discernment, communities and people, I am always on the lookout for great books. While at a garage sale last year I saw an old book and the author’s name was almost the same as mine, Fred Hodgson. How could I turn this book down for a whopping $.50? The book is entitled Practical Uses of the Steel Square. For those who may not know, the steel square is a carpenter’s tool. Little did I know the gem this would turn out to be!

This book was written over 100 years ago, in 1903. That was before the financial crash of 1907, before the Federal Reserve, before WW1 and the Great Depression. This was a time when 90% of homes were owned outright. Credit was very hard to get, people lived within their means, communities really supported one another, people knew their neighbours, etc.

From this book, you could mail order the full blueprints for homes for $5.00. A large two story 3000 sq ft home was estimated to cost $1,600.00 to $1,800.00 to build. A smaller 1000 sq ft bungalow would cost $900 to $1,050. That’s hard to imagine today!

Below is a short excerpt from the preface which resonated with me and is the purpose of this article. Remember, this was written in 1903, so the sentence structure is more complicated than today. The bold text and italics are mine.

“It is not necessary for me in this preface to remind the young workman of today of the necessity of arming himself with all the resources of modern methods and appliances for the performance of his work, if he desires to stand in the front rank of his trade.

It is the bright, well-informed young man that wins the race, and the fellow who drops his tools at the first clang of the bell at quitting time and gives no further thought either to his work or his tools until the commencement of work again the following day, always remains at the foot of the ladder, and wonders how it is he does not prosper and thrive at the same rate as his more energetic and studious fellow workman.

A few hours quiet study each week during the winter nights makes the difference between poverty and sufficiency, for be it known the employer soon discovers the superior qualities of the man who employs his brains as well as his hands in the performance of his duties, and advancement and higher pay are sure to follow sooner or later.”

I would like to take a moment and re-word Mr. Hodgson’s observations for this article.

You will notice the workman who does not prosper did his job, showed up each day and did the basics. Yet, it is the man or woman, who is diligent, discerns, thinks, learns, and applies these strategies in the marketplace that will excel, build wealth and leave a legacy for future generations. The person who does only the basics will stay an amateur and will wonder why others succeed and he/she does not.

It only takes a few hours each week of doing the right things to make the difference between failure and high residual wealth. “Advancement and achievement are sure to follow sooner or later.”

In 1903, Mr. Hodgson was talking about mastering the simple carpenter’s tool called the steel square. If it takes extra study to learn to master the steel square, how much more so to master our business?

Do not expect to do just the basics and then to win long term. Do not expect to read an article, book, website, blog and have all the answers to your success. Do not expect that one meeting, one strategy, one method is all it takes.

When looking to partner with people, be diligent; ask questions because it is your future at stake. Look for integrity, honesty, perseverance, compassion, sincerity, mental toughness. Look for people who tell the truth even when it is not convenient. I can sum this up with "look for leadership, and become a leader."

In the industry of network distribution, people are a dime a dozen and companies are a dime a dozen. This is a great, ever-changing profession and the difference between poverty and sufficiency, between sufficiency and riches (see my article on personal wealth) is totally up to you.

As Mr. Hodgson said so long ago, “Do not drop your tools at the first clang of the bell and start work the next day” and think you will prosper. If that was true in 1903, it is still true today.


If you do not know the truth about money you will believe the lie about money and there are multiple lies!

Fred Hodgins