Can you believe this past weekend? One of the most memorable weekends I’ve experienced in a long, long time. It’s hard to think of another time I’ve been more pumped.

The anticipation started weeks ago, as it usually does this time of year. Even with the uncertainty of what lay ahead. As each day passed, I knew the long wait was almost over. By the time Friday rolled around I was making calls and surfing the internet trying to find any information I could, reading both the pros and the cons. Sure there are critics (aren’t there always?) making all kinds of predictions, but what do they know? By this time you should know that I’m a believer, have been for years. There’s very little (if anything) anyone could do to sway me away from what I love and what know to be true.

When Saturday arrived I was thought I was ready, but the incredible bombshells that came that day had me thinking about both the possibilities and how it could help us advance. While I knew we would be prepared, I didn’t know exactly what plays were going to be called. By this time, I had very little concern for what the oppositions was going to do. While my mind wondered what was ahead of us coming from California, I still felt confident and honestly didn’t have any doubt.

What transpired was nothing short of spectacular. It had me on my feet, giving out high fives, and bringing the passion back to the surface, pumped and ready to take on anyone who opposed us. (That includes any trash talkers from Baltimore!)

Things really didn’t settle down for me until Sunday night and I had a chance to let it all sink in.

Pittsburgh’s one step closer to it’s 6th Super Bowl ring, hosting yet another AFC Championship game at home!

What did you think I was talking about, YTB’s World’s Largest Tailgate Party?

That was good too, and honestly can’t get past the irony of the two events. How this weekend upset a lot of people both in the field of sports, and in the travel industry. While there were some that have been speculating who would come out victorious, and who would be a cake walk, (Arizona anyone?) it looks as if nobody really knows what’s going to transpire, or could posibly predict what’s going to happen.

That’s why they play the game.

I honestly have not had much of a chance to surf around and see what “critics” are talking about, (been enjoying my weekend watching football instead of wallowing in mud) but from what I’m gathering right now, some may be missing a couple of key points. (Like that’s anything new.)

One, our Convergentware upgrade back in December plays a big role now with the Trip of A Lifetime Sweepstakes that’s been launched. As entries are populated and clients fill in their information, we’ll be able to see likes, dislikes and market far more effectively. I realize there are those that want YTB to get out of the Travel Industry, but with the $30 Million YTB has invested in infrastructure to be a dominant player in industry…well, one can always, hope, pray, or more like plead.

Two, it looks as if YTB has reached a point that we can in fact strike our own deals for FAM’s and discounted travel. To have a company roll out their own FAM’s with suppliers and vendors should tell you something. Volume creates deals, not some card you hold up on a pedestal. There are very few Agencies in this industry that can strike this type of agreement with any supplier let alone several, because most don’t have the sales to back it up. The Great Escapes should be a very clear message to you that suppliers do understand the power of numbers, and they do “get YTB”.

Working with YTB makes much better business sense, now more than ever with the economy the way it is. Suppliers and vendors only pay for what YTB is able to produce. This notion that YTB costs suppliers money in reality is the complete opposite. (Thus why you’ve only seen three out of literally hundreds drop any Travel MLM.) While Royal Caribbean is spending money with Agencies to help advertise (Co-op dollars) attempting to bring in much needed revenue, Carnival brings in the local Business Development Manager, and one sidekick from Miami who brings up some banners and conducts a Sail-A-Thon via streaming video to market cruises in one night to tens of thousands of potential customers. Far better bang for your buck, and Gerry Cahill being a “finance guy” (critics call him a “bean counter”) most certainly knows this.

Three, some can’t grasp what diversification and multiple streams of income in business is all about. Because YTB has a Network Marketing division, I’m sure you realize that most view the model from a completely different perspective than “traditional business”. You’ll notice that everyone considers American Express and Carlson Wagonlit as “traditional travel agencies”, as they should, they are number one and number two. Please note that no one has a problem with American Express also being a bank, and Carlson Wagonlit also owning restaurants. That type of diversification is completly acceptable, but if YTB decides they want to diversify, creating an opportunity to capture another income stream, just like AMX and CW, it’s blasphemy.

To be fair, it is a bit different. You need to go back to “The Long Tail” example I posted about last week. In traditional business, when CW wants to open up a TGI Friday’s for example, there is a cost or investment in opening up that restaurant. Just when CW will recover that investment is unknown and irrelevant at this point. YTB on the other hand just partnered with a company called Aisle 19 this past weekend. Aisle 19 is free to join as an Representative, free to join as a customer, and provides the ability to shop at stores you already do for the exact same products, at the exact same price you would without the program. Difference is, Representatives get a commission and customers get cash back through the program.

Because YTB and Aisle 19 involves Network Marketing, a model with a severe phobia for some, it’s going to be labeled as a “scam” or an “illegal pyramid” even though nobody invested a single dime in the program. (Just like YTB’s MLM, or Rep Opportunity by the way.)

While I’m sure there will be more written about this in the coming days, I think we’ve already his the nail on the head as to why there’s a problem for some. While critics make it appear that they have “you’re best interest” at heart, the truth of the matter is, it’s nothing more than “wealth envey” which can best be expressed by this one post from a this one critic.

I just thought of something……If YTB is now using Aisle 19 (instead of it’s own product or business or company or it’s own mall stores etc.,) then YTB itself (The Old Fart) has just become a great big distributor for Aisle 19 and all of the YTB members and all the people that the YTB members bring into Aisle 19 will be HIS/YTB’s own downline and YTB will be making money off of all of that multi-level of downline- YTB members and whoever they bring on to Aisle 19 (their customers) and whatever YTB members buy and whatever the member’s customers buy. Yikes. Is this right? This is jacked up. Have I missed something?

For the record, no, this sharp tool didn’t miss anything. He’s pretty much figured it out, although it looks like it created some smoke as the wheels began to turn. We just tapped into NFLshop.com (along with some 600 other retailers) to capture a piece of the pie, and it didn’t cost any of us a dime to do so. But because this critics believes the rich get richer instead of actually doing what the rich do to become rich, it creates fear, anger and resentment.

Oh well…

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