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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Have you even seen a bucket of crabs at the beach? Ever notice that you don’t need a lid once you have more than one? If there was only one crab in the bucket it would certainly escape. However, when there is more than one crab in the bucket, if one tries to crawl out, the other crabs would grab hold and pull it back down so that it would share the same fate as the rest of them.

And I’ve seen my share of humans who are no different.

It’s such a strange phenomenon and I haven’t quite figured out why people feel the need to do something so selfish and stupid.

And nobody who attempts to better themselves is immune.

It’s during these times that you have to make some tough choices between your own goals and dreams and the company you keep.

Here’s the thing: THEY don’t have to live with your decision – YOU do.

The first time I felt stuck inside a bucket was when I was trying to break into radio right out of college. The school told me that it wasn’t a viable career. Friends told me I wasn’t good enough. I remember my own father asking me how long I was going to chase my fantasy of a full time gig in radio.

At the time, I was doing whatever I could to keep my head above water doing odd jobs while doing part time gigs in radio. It was about two years after dropping out of college. I had a full time job as a janitor at the time – mopping floors and cleaning bathrooms during the week, then driving to Youngstown, Ohio for the weekend to do overnights at a top 40 radio station.

It was so long ago, I can’t remember how much longer it took (but it was only a matter of weeks maybe months) after that I got my first full time gig that launched my full time radio career.

I never let go of that dream. I guess because if I did – I’d be thinking to this day “What if”.

I’ve run into the same type of crabs in Network Marketing with these illusions that it’s not a viable career. That’s it’s something less than “worthy”. (As if they have a right to make that call. LOL!) They’ll do whatever they can to chastise and condemn the industry in an attempt to make it so unattractive that you’ll stay right inside the bucket.

Like my radio career however, I found a number of successful marketers who were willing to support me and help pull me out of the bucket and get me away from the crabs who wanted me to share in their misery.

That’s the difference between humans and crabs. You can always find another human who’s willing to mentor you and support you – especially in the network marketing industry.

Truth is – I’ve never been involved in a more supportive industry in my life. The industry is overloaded with mentors and support. Nor have I been surrounded by more gratitude and love.

If you spend enough time and get yourself plugged in – you’ll find them too. Good natured people willing to feed your body and soul with healthy food and nourishment. Before long, you’ll realize that it’s not only much more attractive outside the bucket – but there’s a lot more room.

Given enough time, you’ll find yourself on the outside looking in. Looking inside the bucket today – all I see are a bunch of crabby people who are just too stupid and selfish to figure out that supporting one another would save the entire bucket.

Don’t let the crabs in your life keep you from your goals and dreams. Stay focused and determined and you’ll find the right type of humans that will help pull you out of the bucket.

Trust me, there’s a lot more room and support outside than in. ;-P

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Before YTB, I was living the American Dream – or so I thought. The “reality” was I had been bumbling through a number of companies that left me high and dry. Any illusions I had about the corporate world were quickly being shatter. Family Golf ran out of money and was bought out by an Asian group who promptly fired everyone. Anicom got caught cooking their books – was shut down by the FTC and the founders imprisoned. ISP lost its manufacturing contracts to the internet for the territories I covered. iAutomate never reached the internet dominance it aimed to achieve and was downsized. And my last stint with Hi-Fi Buys eventually ended in bankruptcy court.

The American Dream of getting a good education and finding a J.O.B. was a carrot I wasn’t willing to chase any longer. My discontent over the lie about working for someone else had me frustrated and looking for options when YTB came knocking.

Three guys – Coach, Scott and Kim turned me onto the idea of being in business for myself. They offered my first products I could offer and sell as an “independent representative”. Harv Ecker and Bob Proctor soon followed in my journey who showed me other income streams. All of the streams they create are “passive” – meaning I don’t have to be there to generate income. Guys like Mike Dillard taught me the value of branding myself. If you’re a newsletter subscriber, you’ve heard that name before – and many have bought Mike’s Magnetic Sponsoring courses. Mike’s primary business teaches the value of something called a “funded proposal”.

Coach, Scott and Kim taught the value of building a business within the YTB business, but I also like what Mike calls it.

“You, Inc.”

I became a student of “You, Inc.”. While everyone knows I’m tied to YTB, now ZamZuu – my brand is “Just Picture It Now”. With this brand, I now own a well visited blog with various tools and affiliate products that create income. I also own a list of subscribers that now reach thousands each and every week. Auto-responders within our newsletter create a steady stream of income that work on auto-pilot. Articles on this blog also create a steady stream of income with well ranked organic links. Articles I’ve written years ago continue to produce income almost every month. Those are the passive income streams that Ecker and Proctor taught me.

“You Inc.” provides me the option to pursue opportunities that interest me such as writing, up-in-coming technology, and pay-per-click income that keeps my brand diversified, fresh and profitable. I pick and choose who and what I promote with incredible flexibility and versatility. This diversity has enabled me to stay with YTB far longer without any worry of the outside forces attempting to tear it down. The economic meltdown of late 2008 and 2009 and the hit the travel industry took forced many to make changes. The needless “YTB bashing” that goes on about their “model” being something other than viable or legitimate has forced others to make changes as well.

Me? I was diversified enough that income actually increased while millions all over the country were being laid off, downsized or scrambling to find other sources of income which had dried up.

I’ve always been an independent thinker. I never would have gotten involved with YTB in the first place if I wasn’t. I saw right through the hype and trash talk about pyramid schemes that we often see from those who haven’t any experience to speak of. I’ve heard it said that if somebody tells you what they think – take it with a grain of salt. If someone tells you what they’ve experienced however – you better listen.

What I’m about to tell you may sound shocking to some – controversial to others – but it rings true for me. Based on my experience in the corporate world, the bickering and fighting going on by traditional travel agents who have seen commissions either diminish or completely vanish and the Directors in YTB who built large organizations who are now with different companies – I’ve come to this conclusion.

True independence and success comes from multiple opportunities and various streams of passive income.

Last week YTB announced its new Director level and enhanced compensation starting at 250 active IBC’s. The new level also provides additional guaranteed income with fully paid medical and life insurance paid for by the company. I didn’t write about it here, but I did put it in last weekend’s newsletter – because it’s news. Honestly, when I heard about the new level, I was surprised at me first initial thought’s. When I did put it out on my newsletter to my subscribers, it was uncomfortable.

Then, earlier this week I was asked to pick either YTB or my other “ventures” and my gut reaction was shocking – even to me.

As good as the Directors program is and as much as it provides to individuals and their families – it’s not the right goal or option for me.

I’m an “Independent Representative” not a “Director”.

How do you like them apples?

I got into YTB to create my own independence. Over the last 6 years I’ve built and now utilize several profitable income streams. It’s enabled me to survive the chaos and the slandering where others haven’t because they were counting on a single source. Directors who built large organizations are now gone because they relied on one company. Travel Agents have been bickering for years, or are out of business doing something else because they rely on one stream. Even I was forced to jump from company to company for years because I relied on a single revenue streams before I found YTB.

The true value for me in YTB are all the income streams – not the Directors program. The position lands me right back where I was 6 years ago and doesn’t provide the current options and streams I’ve been able to create and build on my own.

It’s not that I’m upset or angry with YTB. To the contrary – I couldn’t have dreamed of a better vehicle to start my journey. YTB has been a wonderful experience for me and was the first company to provide multiple streams. I had never been with a company with so many possibilities prior. Likewise, the Director program is a first of its kind. The medical, life and guaranteed income benefits not only rival but are the envy of the corporate world. With benefits like these – the company has every right to attach reasonable conditions for that privilege.

It’s their company and they make the rules.

But as good as it is and as much as I wanted it – along the way I found my own true independence and own income streams where I make the rules.

The world has changed. Likewise, the internet and technology continues to evolve and change at a rapid pace. It’s exciting – it’s fresh. The internet offers up endless possibilities and an abundance of opportunities to market and promote whatever I want. It didn’t really occur to me until I was asked to make a choice between my own business here on the internet and the one I run with YTB. Without realizing it until this week – I’ve successfully generated a brand that’s more valuable and meaningful on my own.

I don’t know what’s going to happen over the next couple of days guys. While my gut reaction was instant and sure – I told YTB that I had to think about it. But my gut has never been wrong. It’s a message from the Divine. There may be an applicable resolution to all this that I can do both – and I’d like to do both. I love YTB – and I especially love the people I’ve been able to help. Thousands rely and count on me each and every week to inform and mentor them. I’m not looking to steal anyone or trash YTB in any way. That’s selfish and unprofessional.

Overall, YTB has been far too good to me and I’m incredibly grateful to them for showing me the path to my own independence and freedom.

But I also own this blog and my list of subscribers which provided me the freedom and flexibility to speak my own mind and provide my own path.

I’m at complete peace with anything that may come my way. If I can survive horrendous economic conditions and needless trashing of a company I promoted wholeheartedly – I can survive anything.

That my friends is real – true independence.

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One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from two of my favorite people I truly admire and respect. One is Neal Boortz and the other is Harv Ecker. Both men are incredibly intelligent and extremely successful. The quote I’m talking about, you’ve read here before.

“Don’t believe a word I say – unless you can verify it on your own to be true.”

That lesson is one that has proven to help me uncover the pure crap I see and read on the internet. Admittedly, I’ve had great fun over the years with screen names over on scam.com and anti-mlm zealots like John Frenaye as I’ve exposed their bizarre behavior, twisted perceptions, and limiting beliefs. Because I’m successful in doing so, I get to live “rent free” inside their heads day after day as they attempt to poke and pry at me in frustration.

Admittedly, I still enjoy it when something they’ve said or done comes my way – and is just too good to pass up. It just sits there on a silver platter waiting for me expose just how desperate, sloppy, and dysfunctional their brainwashed minds really are.

Case in point: John asked one of the commenters to contact me the day before yesterday – and someone actually did.

John – bless his heart – attempted to warn everyone that they can get a better “cash back” deal from Bing.com over ZamZuu. This stems from years of ranting and illusions that YTB Travel is more expensive for consumers than any other Travel Agency. Yet, I routinely beat out all of my competitors with our group cruise bookings time and time again.

Sorry…I’ve got ample bookings with several groups that prove this to be true, and they can blather till the cows come home – it’s not going to change my superior pricing.

Now John’s banking on perceptions about Bing.com and the power that name appears to wield. Their cash back program would sound like a formidable foe for anyone who doesn’t know how these types of programs actually work – nor takes the time to verify pricing for themselves. While John actually talks a good game about “savvy shoppers” he’s banking on “low life’s” that read his dribble in an attempt to change their perceptions. For example, while the comments section went on and on about Wal-Mart and Best Buy – none of them actually took the time – or even considered that neither Wal-Mart or Best Buy were even offered as a “cash back” store through Bing.com.

Yet both are offered through ZamZuu for cash back. Why?

Wal-Mart has a contract with a company called LinkShare and Best Buy has a contract with another affiliate company called Commission Junction. As big and bad as Bing is (say THAT ten times fast -”Big Bad Bing”) they can’t rip that contract out of the hands of either network because each “network” is both bigger and better than Bing could ever hope to be. To show you the power of these affiliate networks I found a couple stores that are offered on both ZamZuu and Bing.com.

Old Navy for example offers 7.5% cash back with ZamZuu – but only 4% through Bing.com. Banana Republic is exactly the same with 7.5% through ZamZuu and only 4% from Bing.com.

Then there’s Ghiada. John, once again clueless – proclaims the customer earns nothing back, but the percentage to share with the pyramid is greater through ZamZuu. That’s the lie that’s been embedded into his brain – reading crap from others who make this kind of stuff up to cover their own failures and insecurities about MLM. We’re greedy “middlemen” who are out to pick his pocket.

The goof never even took the time to check – did he?

Because of John’s fascination with girdles, he must be in dire need of one of those Slimvest’s for guys to turn that beached whale look into something more slimming. I did a price comparison for him on the Slimvest and look what he would have found if he stop “talking” and started actually “doing” for a change. He could buy it direct through Ghiada.com for $89.95 – or – he could save himself $20 instantly with ZamZuu with the “pyramid” price of $69.95.

Those greedy pyramids! What a rip! Instead of getting “cash back” in the form of a check – he gets an instant 23% savings with ZamZuu. The HORROR!

And because he’s too brainwashed and stupid to even check – he doesn’t have enough cash on hand to buy a company like Jerome Hughes did with Ghiada – which in turn makes him even more angry and bitter. Furthermore, who would you use for his spokes model? Ainsworth?!

To be fair, and all poking at John’s expense aside – ZamZuu isn’t the be all and end all for everything “cash back”. Bing.com and others will beat out ZamZuu on several stores, just as ZamZuu does with Bing.com. Neither company can be the best for everyone on everything. (So you can save your next blathering rant on your blog with a list of stores Bing.com beats out ZamZuu there Johnny.)

How did I spot John’s obvious mistep so easily? A large portion of the ads on this blog are offered through Commission Junction. Each time someone clicks one of those ads and purchases one of the 30 or so banners that rotate here, I get paid. I also have accounts with LinkShare, ShareaSale, and Google Affiliate Network. I’ve tapped into a very successful affiliate network over the years, and have been a student of this type of marketing for years. John? Not so much. It’s obvious that once again he’s playing the part of “expert” on yet another subject that he knows nothing about.

I understand the power and leverage “networks” like these bring to the table. Most people do and the flock to them trying to get in front of the money shift that’s going on here on the Internet. But for some bizarre reason when you add “marketing” and it becomes “network marketing” – all of the sudden it turns into a scam. For people like John, it suddenly becomes dirty and sleazy. So much so, that John would rather pay full price at Wal-Mart rather than get a couple of bucks back through a free program like ZamZuu at Wal-Mart because he’s angry, bitter, and frustrated over what he thinks MLM has done to HIS industry.

Truth be told – he can’t get past the few pennies that will trickle up to Coach. Instead, he’ll give it to a guy like Bill Gates because Bill’s company isn’t tied to MLM – even if it costs him more money to do so. That’s the real issue here folks. In John’s little world MLM is dirty – it’s cheap – and it’s sleazy. There’s no reasoning, there’s no middle ground, there’s nothing but bitterness, anger, and resentment over a company and model he can’t control or eradicate.

Oh he’ll give you plenty of lip service to the contrary. All you’ll get is more deflecting in an attempt to cover up his obvious lack of understanding and sloppy articles riddled with holes.

And to think I once considered this guy intelligent. It’s the only reason I picked him out of a crowd of no name cowards to debate. How sad to see “debate” turn to “desperation” by misleading people with lies and bizarre reasoning in an lame attempt to cast a shadow of doubt and fear in others. Relegated to blogging about a company and a model he knows nothing about even after the intense obsession the last three years.

He never considered it would last this long. YTB should have been long gone based on the limiting beliefs that crowd and block logical – rational thinking. The longer YTB lasts – the deeper the frustration and feelings of being a victim penetrate.

YTB and ZamZuu just keeps going. That my friend is the best revenge and the best way to make guys like John look like the goof he really is. The louder the mouth, the easier it is to do.

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Here we are again – yet another upgrade and more product enhancements for the YTB and ZamZuu Representative. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I absolutely love how this company listens and responds to the needs and desires of the field. Most companies that I’ve worked for in the past – and you’ve probably experienced it too – make changes and decisions without any care or concern to what YOU actually need or want to make your job easier or more attractive.

Most companies act more like a Dictatorship that strike down new initiatives and changes without any concern or care for field input. It’s refreshing to see a company that actually sends out surveys asking for input. Based on a majority rule – changes are then made and implemented that benefit the majority who voted for the change.

They call that a Democracy.

One other aspect that I’ve come to appreciate over the years is how our Founders and Executives aren’t “know-it-alls”. You know the type I’m talking about – the ones who have an answer for everything under the sun. They’re experts in every area you can imagine. Heaven forbid if you don’t agree with their perspective or decision. You’ll be condemned in an attempt to make you feel stupid and insignificant. Let’s face it, our Founders are incredible marketers and recruiters – but they never had any illusions that they possess a better skill set or temperament than someone like Robert Van Patten when it comes to the day to day operations of a publicly traded company.

As I write this piece, I’ve yet to see the working model of our new sites and enhancements that should be up and running later today. I did get an advanced copy of what I can expect when the upgrade is complete. Some of the upgrades are minor changes and tweaks that have been missing since the initial launch of ZamZuu back in January, while others streamline both the free shopping experience for customers and the sign-up process for those that want to capture the growing trend of online shopping as a business owner.

It’s a whole new look for the ZamZuu Marketing sites, the new media center that includes the ZamZuu Revolution webcasts that are readily available and on demand right from the new homepage. There’s also a private media center in the Rep Back Office containing important information and presentations for the marketing business.

The company has also made the recruiting process better, with a sign-up process that’s a bit more familiar to what they experience in a retail environment. The information form is all in one step as many retail stores are doing these days. The prospect’s email address will also be their user name, making it more convenient and a quicker process. The process will auto-populate their marketing site URL. After finding an available domain name they’d like to purchase from a register like GoDaddy, the user ID can be changed at any time from their Business Center or by calling into ZamZuu Support.

Demographic information will also be asked during the process (which is completely optional) and by doing so, it will provide a better experience for the Representative with targeted campaigns such as local events and trainings that are happening in their particular neck of the woods.

The Associate Registration process is exactly the same, minus the payment information. For those in California, the sign-up process also works the same, minus any place for payment information until after the 14 day waiting period has expired. Instead, California prospects will see a confirmation message explaining the next 14 days.

Speaking of California, unfortunately I have to cut ALL of our enhancement short here and save it for another day. It’s not that I don’t want to or don’t have the time. The problem resides with a small group of individuals who must have struck a deal with California called “Narc That Blogger”. You see both these individuals and California don’t believe you have the capability or the intelligence of understanding that there are two separate income opportunities. They believe that explaining both at the same time will not only confuse you but it’s somehow unfair to provide another income stream with products that are attached to the business you’re actually selling.

Truth is – our model not only confused the snot out of them, but makes them extremely uncomfortable. And because of the fear and discomfort it produces, they become childish tattle tails who want to see me punished for speaking my mind with views and a position that does not match their limiting beliefs.

It’s not that they come after me personally – they go after the Home Office with some letter or call about a rouge blogger who’s trying to recruit the world into a gigantic pyramid scheme.

However, if you’ve already figured out that this is a viable business and happen to own a site that’s been enhanced, feel free to sign up for our free newsletter. There I can explain both sides to you this weekend, not because you’ve proven to be more intelligent, but because there’s no chance of me “recruiting” you.

Dumb and cumbersome I know. But like you, I’ve come to enjoy my business and don’t want to put our company in jeopardy regardless of how ignorant and childish others can be.

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.

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Do You ZamZuu?

Remember those goals we wrote about at the beginning of the year? Just wanted to do a little check up with you on how they’re going.

As January comes to a close next week we’re coming up on the time of year when the fitness clubs start to thin out, McD0nald’s and other fast food service restaurants begin to see an increase in profits, and sales for Nicorette gums and patches drop way down. It’s much more noticeable this time of year because everyone comes into the new year with a bang, only to fade off weeks later and go back to a comfort zone they’re familiar with.

If you’re in the Network Marketing or Direct Sales industry, you see this kind of thing all year long. That’s why I never get too disappointed when someone tells me no, nor do I get too excited when they say yes and sign up. You learn very quickly that talk is cheap.

Those who have a big enough “why” however, have a much better chance to achieve the goals they’ve set out before them. My grandfather for example had two heart attacks and a mild stroke when I was young. After his second heart attack, the doctor told him he’d never be able to more than walk the dog around the block for the rest of his life. He was in his 40′s at the time, and that’s all he needed to hear in order to quit smoking cold turkey and start exercising.

When I was 16, the two of us rode together on a 50 mile bike ride. (And I was the one who struggled.)

He’s 90 this year, and still walks to the grocery store, the doctor – dentist – and various other locations to keep him active.

He had a big why.

I got into this industry for a pretty big why too.

Security.

See, both Ronda and I had been burned far too many times in the corporate world. Four months after our son Brian was born, Ronda was laid off at Bellsouth after 6 years of service. I had been in the golf industry with a very large company who filed bankruptcy. I then moved to wire and cable with a company who was shut down by the Securities and Exchange Commission for fraud. (Cooking the books.) I worked for Gateway for a short time in their stores before they closed them and went into the big box stores. And my last stint in traditional business was a company called Hi-Fi Buys which I got out of when rumors started to surface about bankruptcy. (Which they eventually did.)

I’ve been with YTB for 5 years now – which is longer than all those other companies combined.

What YTB did for me was teach me how to be self sufficient. It’s also given me an incredible amount of self confidence. One of the reasons I’ve stuck with the company even with all the doom and gloom I use to hear about – I have the tools, mindset, and skills today to not only survive – but thrive on my own.

I never would have learned all that if I didn’t have a big enough why.

My peers at the time, the companies I worked for, nor did any schools teach me anything about being in business for myself. It wasn’t until I got around others like Coach, my Directors, and other Network Marketers that I needed to think about a company called “You, Inc.”

“You, Inc.”, has taught me how to look at a problem and come up with a solution to solve that problem. Look at my newsletter – now with thousands of subscribers. All started because I was smart enough to see a solution to a communication problem. I look at the market, realize what it needs, and offer services and products that cater to that market. It’s built trust and stability for me that I just couldn’t get in the corporate world.

All because I had a big enough why.

Even with all the ups and downs that YTB has had over the years – it’s a far better alternative and much more rewarding than working in the corporate rat race.

Find your why and you’ll have the same passion and stability. It won’t necessarily make the road less difficult, but it will give you the extra burst to break through to the other side to realize the rewards of the goals you’ve set.

Opportunity will knock for those who are ready, willing, and have a big enough why.

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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.

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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