Now that we’re inside 30 days until the Convention, most of the “news” and “upgrades” are saved for those who actually show up in St. Louis. I went back to July, 2008 to review all the excitement of our largest Convention to date – the buzz about Lady Liberty – and clear signs that YTB was doing everything they could to appease California’s claims about YTB being a “gigantic pyramid scheme”.

The month before Convention, YTB announced they were contemplating a franchise model, and also removed the booking engine link from the marketing sites although nobody really knew why these changes were being made so close to Convention.

Hindsight is always 20/20 – and it’s clear looking back that YTB and California were communicating at the time. YTB was making the appropriate changes during their discussions to conform and ease the concerns California had.

Discussions had been going on since January 2007 when YTB came out with booking requirements for credentials in California. New legislation passed in the state required that any agent had to actually book travel before they were qualified to carry any card offered in the industry.

Typical of critics and zealots who have no clue – they thought this legislation would stop the massive growth of YTB and end the reign of MLM’s in their industry. What it did was put YTB on the map in California. At the beginning of 2007 there was somewhere around 3000 RTA’s in the state. By the end of 2007 – there were more than 20,000.

Oooops.

So zealots and critics do what they always do – they come up with more obstacles. Another group of “professionals” convinced Royal Caribbean to pull the plug on bookings with them to make it look like suppliers were now against MLM.

Problem was – business isn’t that stupid – bookings are bookings and only one other company YTB did a small number of bookings with pulled the plug besides RCL. (There was one other, but I can’t remember who it was. We never did business with them to begin with but any critic could tell you because it matters to them.)

After only securing 3 vendors with no more in sight, critics then came up with more complaints and more hoops that YTB had to jump through in order to remain “compliant”. The heat was cranked up after the company showed a profit to the SEC and was labeled a “Darling” instead of a “scam”. The company got their stock symbol off the Pink Sheets and back onto the OTC.BB. We also can’t forget YTB’s 9 point jump in Travel Weekly’s Power List from #35 to #26.

It scared the living daylights out of the dolts who can’t accept MLM and Network Marketing as a legitimate and viable business model. Remember THEY have to be right – otherwise they’re entire world collapses. MLM’s just can’t do things like this – it’s not right and there has to be something wrong here. (Small thinking I know – but look at whose pointing fingers at us.)

Since nothing critics said or did appeared to be working – they did what they always do when MLM grows to big too fast for their comfort zone. You file a $25 million lawsuit and for added impact they did it the day before everyone got together for the largest Convention to date.

That ‘ill show ‘em! Right?

Wrong…

Fast forward to 2009, and we find Jerry Brown announcing that he “brought an end to an elaborate pyramid scheme” in a very amusing press release. Legal documents however confirmed that all the time and money spent on the litigation pointed directly to the hoops YTB jumped through before the suit was filed to appease concerns about being an illegal pyramid scheme.

If you’re thinking the pyramid schemes are illegal – you’re spot on. Programs and companies that fall into that category are shut down – abruptly.

Since little had changed and Jerry’s claims about shutting the company down fell woefully short – we showed up a year later for another Convention.

California’s suit did work to some degree however. The suit did bleed the company of money with litigation and we never achieved the franchise model announced in 2008 as a legitimate or respectable “franchise”. We still don’t have a franchise to sell. After California took $875,000 from YTB’s pockets, (leaving only $125,000 for the “victims” they claimed they filed it for.) they handed their false claims over to Illinois to squeeze more money out of the company. The company continues to tolerate this myth that someone actually pays for the opportunity to recruit others into a pyramid. (Something that YTB has never done since it’s inception in 2001.)

The Illinois litigation has been stalled since it was filed – ironically filed  just 4 hours after the settlement with California was announced more than a year ago. After passing the baton, millions continue to be spent by both sides over ignorance, bitterness, and sheer stupidity instead of actually spending time and money on franchising.

Now that we’re two years removed from California’s stunt and we’re gearing up for our second Convention since the California A.G. announced his goal of ending our “pyramid scheme” I have to wonder if critics of YTB still think they won and we lost. Sure YTB has been bloodied and battered over California’s claims. The perception over the mere appearance of the word pyramid scheme would put some companies out of business.

Unfortunately, perceptions and accusations can’t overcome or extinguish truth or fact. The false claims from States like California and Illinois and the incessant shaming of our founders and members of YTB by overzealous critics has – in its own way – done some good.

Anyone who takes what they’ve read verbatim or doesn’t conduct their own due diligence about YTB (or Network Marketing in general) certainly won’t take the steps necessary to build a business. I learned very early on in my carrier with YTB that changing habits and perceptions over the ridiculous myths about money just rolling in without doing any work is an unnecessary step in the process. For the vast majority, it stacks the odds against them. While it’s not impossible – it’s a long shot at best that you can extract the weeds that choke logical thinking or change lazy habits if someone is unwilling or uncooperative.

To use an already overused verse – “You can lead a horse to water – but you can’t make them drink.”

I’ve seen and heard about the fears about brain washing. I’ll freely admit that I’ve been brain washed and take the term literally.

Thanks to my journey with YTB and the study I’ve done over the years, my mind has been cleansed. Dirt, stains, limiting beliefs, or any matter that doesn’t serve me has been washed away. One definition is “to free from spiritual defilement” which is appropriate when it comes to the brain. You are what you think about most of the time. What you focus on expands.

Some will continue to focus on perceptions, claims, fears and phobias. (Daily no less.) While the smart ones will see right through the hype and limiting beliefs. I find it fascinating that it’s the folks at YTB who are the ones who mislead and hype everything up. We’re the ones labeled as uncooperative and unwilling to see the light.

Looking back and reading memory lane documented here – and the fact the another Convention is less than 30 days away – me thinks it’s the other way around. ;-P

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Do You ZamZuu?

I remember our first trip to Jamaica more than 13 years ago. It was our first cruise and Ocho Rios was one of the ports of call.

Ronda and I climbed Dunn’s River Falls and after the falls a local took a Polaroid of us and handed it to me.

Not knowing the local “landscape” at the time, I took possession of the Polaroid from the man’s hands – and before I knew it – he was asking for $5.00. For a stinkin’ Polaroid picture! When I told him “no” and tried to hand it back, he pushed my hand away only to stick his other hand out for his $5.00 “picture fee”. The more I told him I wasn’t interested – the more he insisted.

I finally ended up dropping his picture on the ground and walking away.

When we got back on board that afternoon I saw a number of souvenir shirts that read what’s pictured here.

I swore at that moment that our next trip to Jamaica would include this shirt.

We’ve been back several times since then, and I can’t remember which cruise I found it on, but it’s one of my favorite shirts I keep in my drawer.

Yesterday afternoon I got a Google Alert that made me think of this shirt. So I pulled it out, ironed it (it was really wrinkled) and took a snapshot of it just for this article.

Why? Because there are really stupid people in this world who can’t take “NO” for an answer.

Remember the the $100 million Class Action filed two years ago that’s been pulverized, beaten, and obliterated by the Courts turning the entire lawsuit into a very amusing joke? Well it just took a turn for the worse from “joke” to total “embarrassment” because they’re at it – AGAIN!

I wasn’t kidding when I said these idiots think Class Action lawsuits are like cats who have nine lives. It’s simply refilled for another shot. There have been six rulings over the last two years which the Court has denied or dismissed on separate occasions – and instead changing their stance – coming at it from another angle, or better yet – just admitting defeat – these pin heads just keep spouting the same tired argument over and over again.

After six ruling against them, I’m sorry, but it’s time to consider a Mental Health evaluation, not a Lawyer.

What’s even more mind blowing is their claims and position hasn’t changed a single bit. The latest filing is almost verbatim of the first suit file two years ago. It’s the same bogus myths and pyramid scheme mantra with the same cast of characters. What happened to words like “failed”, “corrected”, “deficiency”, “amending”, “incorrectly”, and “realized after 100 hours of arguing”?

Apparently, it was nothing more than lip service. Nothing’s changed and they haven’t learned a blessed thing.

True to form – they’re myths and illusions are spot on – and your knowledge and experience is wrong. The Courts have called this ordeal an “ungainly monster” and used specific words like “redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter” in one ruling, and “the very definition of a fishing expedition” in another ruling.

A Zealots response? Damn the torpedoes – we’re going full speed ahead.

I’m sorry guys…but I have zero tolerance for this kind of stupidity and arrogance. Zealots like this, and the “professional” gang like Frenaye and Stilphen who continue to pitch this pyramid scheme mantra are just dumber than dirt. Anyone who wants to hitch their wagon to this dead horse is only hurting themselves and their reputation. There’s no gray area after all this time and all these rulings.

The answer is still going to be “NO”.

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Do You ZamZuu?

The Direct Selling Association celebrates its centennial this year. One of its founding members was The California Perfume Company. If you don’t recognize the company, they changed their name in 1939 to something you may be more familiar with.

Avon.

The Direct Selling Association was first formed in 1910 in Binghamton, New York as Agents Credit Association. Over the years the Association changed its name a few times, but became what we know today as the DSA in 1968 when it moved to Washington, DC where it’s made its home for the last 41 years.

Some 200 Direct Sales and Network Marketing companies are members of the Direct Selling Association today. YTB International applied for membership more than three years ago, and was granted membership to this prestigious organization in September, 2007. The company remains a member to this day.

So why has an Association like the DSA and companies like Avon been able to withstand the test of time?

Simple – it’s one of the purest forms of distribution there is.

Period.

Manufactures who choose a Direct Sales company to distribute their products or services have major advantages over traditional channels. Both advertising and distribution costs are controlled – unlike “traditional” models. A manufacture only pays for product that’s actually sold instead of forking over hundreds of thousands (often times millions) in advertising to get the word out. Distribution costs are also controlled going “direct” and don’t pass through an elaborate maze of middle men who each take a cut along the way. Middle men only increase the cost to the end user. The variance between a manufacture and the end user can be so substantial that often the commissions earned in a Direct Sales company can be substantial, while being less expensive than other similar brands found on store shelves to consumers.

Tupperware is probably the best example I can think of – because it’s been done both ways. Invented in 1946, Earl Tupper took a gamble (or so he thought) by taking Tupperware off store shelves in the 1950′s and followed the “party plan” of Direct Sales. The line exploded and it’s a big reason why Tupperware is a house hold name today. It’s now sold in 100 Countries worldwide and has more than $1 billion in sales annually.

So if Avon has been around for 120 years, Tupperware started its Direct Sales program more than 50 years ago, and dozens of other companies like Mary Kay and Amway have been able to not only survive but thrive in the Direct Sales model call MLM for multiple decades – why even entertain the ignorant dolts who claim that MLM is a house of cards that can’t be sustained?

True the theory of exceeding the world’s population they all point to looks logical – but when has it EVER happened? This theory they all yammer about is nothing more than myth in an attempt to evoke fear into the one reading it. The hope is the reader just might think they’d be the one person left on this earth without anyone to recruit into their business of choice.

I use to enjoy going round and round with Zealots who use examples like the one found on SEC website to prove their point. It was great fun asking for a real life example. Quite often the silence was defining. Other times they just dug themselves deeper when they brought up examples that didn’t even come close with less than one hundred thousand participants. Even better – I’d bring up examples like Avon and Mary Kay that cater to a particular demographic – and ask how two similar companies couldn’t even capture half of the world’s population.

Ultimately frustrated and completely void of options – I’d end up being called every name in the book and chastised for being stupid.

Sucks being right. ;-P

Being a member of the DSA doesn’t protect you from being spit at as one of these “gigantic pyramid schemes”. Ironically, another government entity, Jerry Brown, the California Attorney General spit at YTB the day before our 2008 National Convention with those exact words. Concerned about YTB’s dramatic growth and rise, like all the others who buy into myths and theories, slapped a $25 million lawsuit on the company to protect consumers from the evils of fraudulent pyramid schemes.

As it turned out, the $25 million was settled out of court for a mere $1 million and while there was plenty of fanfare a year ago about putting an end to our company, I’m reminded of his words to this day every time commissions are loaded onto my YTB pay card. Hard to believe that it’s been a year since we “lost” that argument. (That’s the claim anyway.)

And yes, May 15th marks the one year anniversary since he spouted off that he ended everything. Gone but not forgotten, I just look at the commissions I continue to produce and earn, think about Jerry’s rhetoric and self-absorbed hype and say “Thanks for sharing”.

California is happy too. Of the $1 million YTB paid – $875 thousand went directly to California – not the “victims” they were intending to “protect”.

I know I really don’t have much of a voice with the DSA, as I’m only one person. But if there was anything I could ask them to help us out with over the next 100 years it’s this:

Could you make a push to help inform the general public between fact and what’s pure myth and hype? It’s not that hard to do. Ask the SEC to either produce an example of a company exceeding the world’s population or request that this bogus theory is taken down – never to implant false and misleading beliefs about Network Marketing and MLM’s again.

Help educate the general public that if you join a company like YTB for free as a Rep – there is no payment required for the opportunity to recruit others. Sounds painfully obvious I know – but there are plenty of examples I can provide where some simply don’t use their thinking caps – but instead wear dunce caps.

Bottom line is that there is still plenty of ignorance and false beliefs out there surrounding a very legitimate, viable, and profitable business model we call Direct Sales.

As an Association that has reached its centennial anniversary and provide tools and boundaries for those of us who uphold your ethics and standards, it’s time to expand our message to the general public and educate them on the difference between fact and fiction.

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Do You ZamZuu?

You best stay out of the kitchen.

Being one of the more visible YTB blogs on the internet, I have my share of readership. Most readers are supporters and enjoy my insight and information about our company.

I also have my share of detractors. Some I would safely say detest my existence for one reason or another. If you’re in the public eye, you can’t be everything to everybody and there will always be those who don’t agree with you. What makes my sort of activity and exposure dangerous is when emotions enter into the mix.

Emotions have too many variables. You can’t expect emotions to remain constant over time or from one person to another. Each individual perceives and reacts to each situation differently. Logic and facts however always have a base or a core that remain constant. One of the things we’re finding through our journey together with YTB is that the facts of our business model are able to withstand the misconception, half-truths, and lies that we see from those who use perceptions and opinions as their core defense.

As expected, John Frenaye took exception to my article on Friday and boldly laid claim that I’m the one who “spins”. He added that his blog was more “legitimate” and his was the only viable option where people had to ability to “judge for themselves”.

He’s also a tad upset at what he’s deemed a “personal attack” and eventually, “my lies” will catch up with me.

My – my – my. How easy it is to dish it out.

It’s interesting to me how quickly this group pulls the “personal attack” card when challenged. I’m not sure if they think they’re too pure, or we’re to take pity and look the other way when their blatant misrepresentations about our people, our Founders and our company are created by their hands. I hate to break it to this group – but they leave some enormous “stinkers” out there on the web. Their activities have left some laughing, and others appalled. We DO know right from wrong, ethical from unethical, what is morally right and what’s morally bankrupt.

To illustrate how bold and brazen John has become over the years, we’ll reference one of the most legitimate and honorable sources I know – our court system. What was forwarded to me last week clearly illustrates why our Home Office made the decision to turn down his requested interviews and why others have come to the conclusion that John can’t be trusted to “report” anything concerning YTB in an unbiased or accurate manor.

Case in point: This was written by John last week on his blog:

Of course, back in August of 2009, we reported on the story where Coach had a ramshackle home and was able to convince a church to make the repairs in return for a lease. But Coach reneged on the lease and got his home fixed for free.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t call his post entitled “Once Upon a Time” an actual “report” but ironically – a “Fairy Tale”. If you strip away John’s “report” and look at the court documents which are linked in the word “TRUTH” it reveals John’s elaborate web of deception – not Coach’s.

Yes – John’s the one deceiving the flock – pouring Kool-Aid if you will. The “truth” shows that Coach and Chris “donated” the parcel in question to the church for a Minister and his family use as a parsonage. More troublesome; the word “lease” never even appears in the actual court documents, although conveniently inserted by John in his – “report”.

True, the home needed electrical upgrades to meet code, and a gas furnace needed to be converted to propane. There was never any lease however, and Coach and Chris never received a penny for their generous donation to the Church and its family. Consequently, the court concluded:

“the parcel here in issue and the house thereon qualified for exemption during all of the 1998-assessment year either because it was in the process of adaptation for exempt use or because it was actually used by the Church as a parsonage for Rev. Casey.”

I know I’m going out on a limb, but you be the judge here. Which do you find more “legitimate”? John’s “Once Upon A Time” fairy tale – or – documentation from “The State of Illinois“?

What’s so astounding to me, is the man doesn’t appear to understand how anyone could possibly question his “reporting” as wrong or even inappropriate. To question anything he says or does is challenged with a very coy rebuttal and continued claims that HE is the most fair and unbiased source concerning YTB in the land. According to John, he’s proven how Coach has a long history of deception and he’s proud that his flock agrees that Coach should be thrown in jail for doing what he did to this church.

And yes, that type of arrogance is frustrating – even for me.

We can’t forget another court ruling regarding YTB’s business model and claims of an elaborate pyramid scheme that wasn’t just dismissed but tossed out as “redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter“. Again we find John and others on the wrong end of an argument calling the absurd complaint “powerful”.

Here’s how the Honorable Judge Murphy described the complaint:

“The First Amended Consolidated Complaint, filed July 15, 2009, is an ungainly monster of 39 pages containing 133 paragraphs (many of which have subparagraphs) that likely does not pass muster under the familiar federal “notice pleading” standard.”

True to form, John “disagrees” with the court’s ruling, and makes no apologies for his position or opinions. John falls right in line with the type of hideous and outrageous accusations Counsel tried to pull in its second go around, after the first complaint was dismissed. Their answer to the problem – a bolder, more brazen attack.

So which do you find more legitimate? John’s statement, or Judge Murphy?

From John’s point of view, it’s YTB that is “crafty” and “sly”. The only reason why YTB is still around is due to changing our model or living on the very edge of the law. Regardless how much change or how close we “appear” to be, it’s still the right side of the law. YTB’s model has never required “payment for the opportunity to recruit others” from day one. You may not agree with that – you may not understand that – and you may never accept that. But because yours is only “opinion” and not “fact” – you do have to continue to deal with YTB.

Finally, John recently found out that the law is the law, and everyone (including him) must abide regardless of opinions or perceptions. The creation of a fake Zam Zuu fan page to mock and poke fun at our company violated ZamZuu’s trademark causing a confusing similarity. His defense – a space between “Zam” and “Zuu”. (And no, I’m not kidding.)

John, you don’t just stink – you absolutely reek of lies, deceit and a perception that the laws of this land simply don’t apply to you. It’s a double standard that I will not turn away from and I will not make any apologies for in calling you out. We all make mistakes (even me) but there comes a time when you have to stop blaming others or being a victim and take personal responsibility for your own actions.

You are in the public eye and there will be those who will disagree and oppose you. There will also be those who will hold you accountable for your actions. If you don’t like it, either toughen up or stop what you’re doing and go back into hiding.

As it stands right now – you have proven to me, our company, and several outsiders who have no beef one way or another with YTB that you should not be trusted due to your attitude and your actions documented above.

For every action, there is a reaction. So if you don’t like my reaction, stop acting the way you are!

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Do You ZamZuu?

I received my ASTA SmartBrief this week and was floored at one of the columns highlighted in this week’s mailing.

Before I move forward, I need to put out some sort of warning here that readers should not be drinking any type of liquid at this point in time. (All the sugar in your Kool-Aid will ruin the monitor and cause the keyboard to stick.) When you find out who the author is, you’ll be just as surprised as I was. (As others have asked if this is the same now famous critic of YTB we’ve all come to know – but not actually love.)

Truth is, if there’s anything going on about YTB, you’ve got to know at this point in time that John Frenaye isn’t far behind. He’s pretty famous in our company for trolling the internet on anything YTB. It makes no difference if it’s one of his peers in the industry, a District Judge, an industry Power List, or an articulate member of YTB – John has an uncanny way of coming up with a “Yeah-But” or a “Look over here” piece to take the focus off the main subject and point you down a road that conforms to his own perceptions and beliefs.

Although this article is riddled with some pretty absurd perceptions of how MLM takes things to the extreme, you can judge from you own actions and experience if it has any value. Personally, I’ve never lost a friendship over YTB and nobody’s ever vowed to never speak to me again. Furthermore, I’ve never been approached by anyone about any opportunity while standing in line at that grocery store.

We can simply kick those perceptions to the curb for the time being.

I do however, have to give John some credit for pointing out some very basic and solid business skills that MLM does in fact excel at. Based on my own experience with YTB, my business looks very much like his “traditional business” in every aspect. Based on those of you I personally know in this company, I think you’ll agree that yours does too.

All the snide and exaggerated comments and perceptions aside – there is something for the new recruit here to learn about why MLM works.

Referrals are as simple as John says they are. Do you know anyone who might be interested in selling travel, or picking up some extra income on a part time basis? The beauty of MLM is that you work when you have time. It’s not like a regular part time job that you have set hours, and quotas that you need to meet. Which can also be a problem for some. It’s far too easy to think that you don’t have the time. The vast majority of our company work YTB on a part time basis with regular jobs and families to tend to.

Think about it…doesn’t asking for referrals sound much more attractive than hounding someone in line at the grocery store? (Who’s really tried that anyway?)

When it comes to follow-up, the company has a very cool system in place called the YTB System. I’ve used something similar to this my entire carrier with YTB. Not only does it capture qualified leads for you, but also notifies you when a prospect has looked at the program. Notifications are also sent when they’ve returned and what they’re looking at while on the site. Using a system like this allows you to sort, not chase. For those who work YTB part time, this puppy is a real time saver. You’ll find yourself working with and talking to qualified prospects who are truly interested in what you have.

It’s all about working smarter not harder. However, the entire system is wasted if you don’t follow-up. It doesn’t have to be nearly the nine times John talks about. (I personally only spend half that much time before moving on.) But the money truly is in the follow-up.

Lastly, I’ve never seen a company with more products, or more streams of income than YTB. All I bought 5 years ago was a booking engine to sell travel. I was also given the opportunity (meaning it was a free opportunity) to sell booking engines as an added stream of income. Today, I’ve got something for hunters, golfers, newlyweds, and with the addition of shopYTB, just about any other product under the sun. If it’s available online, I probably have it. Heck, I’ve even got beef jerky if that’s what you’re into. (Or in John’s case – girdles!)

Yes, I know there some ribbing going on about that sort of thing. Honestly, neither the jerky nor the girdles get me all that excited. But I’m certainly not going to knock the women of YTB for going nuts about girdles. (I know better – and if John was still married, he probably would too.)

These skills, principles, and the model really DO work. It’s why Avon is still around after more than 120 years. It’s the same reason Earl Tupper pulled Tupperware off store shelves in 1951 and has been sold via the MLM and the Direct Sales model for almost 60 years. After a decade of selling Nutrilite Products via MLM, two guys founded the American Way Association in 1959, which we know today as Amway. (Amway now owns Nutrilite Products Corporation.) In 1963 Mary Kay Ash started with 9 “beauty consultants” which today has expanded to 32 countries. In 1977 a good ol’ southern boy for Georgia founded A.L. Williams and just two years later, J. Lloyd Tomer joined the group just before the company outsold the entire insurance industry for 7 straight years in a row during the mid to late 1980′s.

And today you have a little company based in Wood River, Illinois who has been able to sell $424 million in travel in its 8th year in business.

There are hundreds of companies who sell via this model because MLM does have it right. (Take a look at the DSA list for more than 200 of them.)

True, it’s sad that John and others can’t seem to get out of their own way at times when it comes to some of the ridiculous and outlandish beliefs. Just remember, don’t take it personally. (Unless you’re the one person who pestered him in the grocery line. ;-P)

Truth is, MLM is more like their traditional business than they’ll ever know.

The only difference is some get that, and some don’t.

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Do You ZamZuu?

I had something else ready to post this morning, but found a fairy tale that was just WAY to funny that I needed to share with you. It never ceases to amaze me how low some people will go to bend and twist documentation in an effort to pitch their own perceptions and limiting beliefs.

It’s no secret that there is a segment of our society that think rich people are greedy. Because this segment of society has never actually known anyone that thinks in terms of “net worth” instead of some “hourly wage”, this same segment also assumes that rich people got their money through unethical and dirty business practices. It’s one of those social memes I wrote about some time ago.

Now, take the myths and social memes surrounding rich people and combine it with Network Marketing and you’ve got yourself one heck of a double whammy when it comes to anger, bitterness, and resentment.

Case in point, our very own J. Lloyd Tomer.

While Coach is certainly loved and admired through the ranks of YTB members, there is a segment of society who spend an exorbitant amount of time attempting to knock this man off his perch because he’s obtained his wealth through Direct Sales or Network Marketing. For those of you who don’t know his story, you can Google “J. Lloyd Tomer, AL Williams” to find his bio. Here is one on the first pages that I found on Portfolio.com. (emphasis mine)

J. Lloyd Tomer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, has been a Director of YTB since December 2004. He is the father of our Chief Executive Officer, J. Scott Tomer, and is a seasoned veteran of direct sales and marketing. After spending thirteen years in the ministry, he became an agent of the A. L. Williams Company (now known as Primerica Financial Services (“Primerica”) in January 1981. He achieved the level of Senior National Sales Director in 1985 and maintained that position through 2001. While at A. L. Williams he built a successful sales organization numbering in the thousands, whose combined life insurance sales was measured in the billions, with assets under management of $750 million. He sold his agency in Primerica in January 2002. Thereafter, Mr. Lloyd J. Tomer devoted his marketing expertise to YourTravelBiz.com, Inc. He attended Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana.

Here’s a guy who build an immensely successful organization with sales in the billions and assets in the millions through Direct Sales from 1981 through 2002 thanks to capturing the dream of Art Williams back in the early 80′s. Even after the sale of the business to his son Frank in 2002, the assets and money generated from this organization were used to help fund the start of YTB in the early years.

Fast forward to today, and we find a select few are upset with Coach, an outsider, for infiltrating their business segment with a bunch of Travel Agent wannabes’. (Or so they claim.) What we end up with are obscure twists on how this man attained his wealth, lived his life, and given back to the community.

I learned a long time ago from Harv Ecker that part of the rewards of being rich is the ability to donate money or assets to organizations and associations that are important to you. When you think about it, what makes a bigger impact – $10 in the offering plate or $10 million in stock options to pay off a mortgage? Obviously creating wealth can and does have a bigger impact for those who desire to make a difference in people’s lives.

Those of you who have met Coach, spent time with him, or listened to his leadership call’s: Would it surprise you that new documentation has come to light of Coach’s generosity?

In a link provided just this morning to a court document, it has been revealed that Coach and his wife Chris donated a parcel of property to Midwest Community Church in 1998 so that the Pastor and his family could have a parsonage (a home) in which the Rev. Casey, his wife, his son age 16, and daughter age 13 could live. The property was bought by Coach in 1995, and when Coach was elected as Trustee of the Church in 1997 he donated 100% of the use of this parcel to the church.

According to the document revealed we also found the condition of the property.

Initially the yard needed to be cleaned up. All of the lights outside the house had been broken. Inside the house there were numerous electrical problems that violated the electrical code and which needed to be corrected. The house had two furnaces. One furnace to heat each side of the house. A new natural gas furnace had been brought in to heat one side of the house. It was anticipated that natural gas would soon become available in this neighborhood. However, that did not happen.

The document also reveals that at the time the land was donated, Coach’s desire was to assist in the development and growth of Church’s religious organization. Pursuant to the agreement, this parcel could be used for any purpose the Church deemed appropriate, including but not limited to a parsonage, youth retreats, church administration, or marital retreats. In return, the Church was responsible for all expenses, repairs and maintenance costs, and was to maintain adequate insurance on this property, naming the Tomer’s as a loss payee.

Because I can actually read and comprehend the documentation provided, I can deduct that Coach was enjoying a tremendous amount of success and creating substantial wealth which enabled him to purchase the property in the first place. I can also conclude that the church obviously respected his financial position by appointing him as trustee to the church. I can also assume that Coach believes in sharing his wealth and supports religious organization with very generous donations to a number of church organizations.

Not a bad way to live your life if you ask me.

Now I know this is going to upset some of you, but I need to remind you that we’re not dealing with individuals who are playing with a full deck here. (Not the sharpest tools in the shed, if you know what I mean.) I do however think it’s important to reveal how desperate and delusional some people are when it comes to mud slinging and slandering individuals who they’re obviously jealous of. They need to peck and poke in an attempt to bring others down with an obvious twist on what actually happened.

I’d advise you that you put down any drinks or food at this point because it may end up on your computer screen. Here’s the introduction of the post I found this morning concerning what happened:

Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived a man in a ramshackle house. The house was in such bad condition, that the local authorities would not issue occupancy permits. When the time came to pay the tax man, the man in the ramshackle house could not afford to pay the property taxes.

Destitute and without too many options at his disposal, he turned to God and the Church. Knowing that Church property was exempt from taxes, he “donated” this ramshackle property to his Church for only a year who decided to worship on the property and to fix up the house for their minister and his family to occupy as a parsonage.

While I can’t disagree that this donation was a “tax deduction” for Coach and Chris, (donated in December of 1997) but to claim that Coach was destitute at this time with an AL Williams business generating millions, and an elected Trustee of the church is a pile of manure that only critics can step in. What makes it comical for me is the way this guy capitalizes “TRUTH” at the end of the post which links and documents what we’ve uncovered here.

The truth is, this “expert” doesn’t expect people to actually read the document he’s provided because he’s bend out of shape as the “be-all-and-end-all” when it comes to YTB. (Arrogant and cocky I know, but that’s what he thinks of himself.) What it turns out to be is yet another documented example of the lies, deceit, and misrepresentations that are plastered all over the internet to pitch Coach as some sort of scammer. If you look at the URL that links to the court document that clearly recommend that Madison County Parcel be exempt from real estate taxation in 1998 it’s linked by hims as http://www.singleparenttravel.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Tomer-Church-Scam.pdf.

I might not be the best speller in the world and I’ve been known to make a mistake or two over the years. But at least I can read and comprehend what’s truth and what’s pure spin. And how are the critics going to answer to this blatant attempt to spin and slander? My guess is that what we’re going to find as a rebuttal is a dog’s tail isn’t spelled “tale” in an attempt to take the focus off them and back on our Founder in YTB and me.

Think it’s gonna work?

Me neither, but the faceless, nameless cowards who support this jerk as some type of crusader against the evil YTB will be jumping for joy that they’ve found more documentation and truth, when it’s obvious to me, their simply chasing their own “tales”.

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A four year old class action lawsuit looks as if it will finally close pending court approval in December to the tune of $123.4 million to be paid by Expedia, and another $5.5 million to be paid by Hotwire. The suit filed back in 2005 came to a head back in June when a Superior Court ruled that Expedia collected a total of $184.4 million in service fees which the company pocketed as “pure profit” from consumers who purchased hotel stays and other travel packages between 2003 and 2006. The judgment is currently the largest award in Washington state history for a consumer class action.

When the ruling was handed down back in June, Expedia was quoted that it would “vigorously pursue our rights on appeal“, but changed it’s mind due to the high cost of the litigation and the additional time it would take to appeal. Instead, Expedia was able to deny any wrongdoing in the settlement, and has set aside $19 million for the class action settlement, a low end estimate of the cost associated with the settlement.

The class action case was based on unfair business practices and breach of contract in the way the online travel company paid taxes. Not only did Expedia bundled the service-fee charges with taxes into a single line item, but collected taxes based a higher retail price, when they paid wholesale, thus pocketing the difference.

Expedia’s second quarter profit fell to $41 million, down from $96 million a year ago – a 57% drop.

Although we don’t see much about the hotel tax issue at all on message boards and blogs due to over aggressive concerns concerning Travel MLM’s being “flawed”, the battle over traditional online travel companies has been a heated debate in courts all across the continent.

In June, a Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that Expedia and Hotwire had to pay $35.6 million to the city of San Francisco. A Georgia Supreme Court has also required Expedia to pay the city of Columbus, Ga. a 7% tax on the retail rate of hotel rooms, which forced Expedia and other online agencies to cease doing business completely in the city. New York adopted a new hotel-occupancy tax ordinance requiring that OTA’s remit taxes to hotels based on the net rate, then pay the city an additional taxes for service fees or margins. Also in Canada, an Ontario Superior Court is seeking $47.5 million in damages for violating Canada’s Competition Act and Consumer Protection Act for disguising taxes and service fees.

In all, some 46 city and county taxing districts have filed lawsuits due to this issue.

But what will critics in the travel industry be talking about today? An overly aggressive and unfounded theory about how YTB will run out of people to recruit in some “pay to play” pyramid scheme suit up in Illinois. (An issue that has already been thrown out in a District Court there for being redundant, immaterial, impertinent, and scandalous.)

For those that desire to reside in reality, or have been “taken” by the concealment of service fees by Expedia over the years now have several options according to the Expedia Litigation Settlement Website.

1. Tell them you want a cash settlement (Send me a check)
2. Tell them you would like a credit (To be used on a future Expedia purchase)
3. Object to the settlement (It was all some big “misunderstanding” and it’s YTB’s fault.)
4. Opt out (You don’t care to receive cash or credit now due.)

Here’s what you need to be considered and qualify as part of the settlement:

You need to have “made a “standalone” hotel reservation through Expedia between January 10, 2001 and June 11, 2008 and paid a bundled “Tax Recovery Charge” and “Service Fee” in connection with that booking…

and/or

…you made any hotel reservation (either “standalone,” or as part of a “package” including airfare and/or car rental) through Expedia between February 18, 2003 and December 11, 2006 and paid a “Tax Recovery Charge” and “Service Fee” charge in connection with that booking”

A Final Approval hearing will be held on December 1, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. to determine if the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate – whether the Named Plaintiffs will receive incentive awards in an amount not to exceed $7,500 each – decide if counsel should receive an award of attorneys’ fees and costs – or Order of Final Judgment and Dismissal should be entered.

While the final chapter certainly hasn’t closed on the subject of unfair and deceptive trade practices, it is however apparent at this point that many have taken issue and given notice over the Expedia issue. We’ll see what comes in the future for YTB concerning the claims surrounding YTB and this nonsense about misleading and deceiving people. While it has returned $125K to consumers in California, it’s a small pittance compared to the $129 MILLION settlement with Expedia.

But as we’ve seen for the past few years, YTB is apparently a bigger threat and far more dominant in the minds of a select few who want to wallow in thier own illusions that YTB is the real problem in the travel industry.

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!

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