This week we morn the loss – and celebrate the life of J. Kim Sorensen.

Mere words are difficult to express how stunned we all are over Kim’s sudden passing on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. He was 62 years old.

By all accounts, Kim was well on his way to a full recovery after having a double lung transplant less than a year ago. During last years Convention in St. Louis, Kim let us all know about his condition and how grateful he was to have been given a second chance. While still very weak at Convention time and considered critical in regard to fending off infections – we all admired his strength, his gratitude, and his faith.

Within time, Kim was well enough to return to the Home Office as his familiar “Buddy Boy” rang throughout the office. He was at work as late as this past Monday. A routine Doctors visit was scheduled for Wednesday morning for a checkup and breathing treatment.

It was during this breathing treatment that Kim passed on.

It’s difficult to understand at this point just why someone like Kim had been chosen to leave us so soon. For so many of us, Kim was more than just a Founder and figure head. He was a mentor, a friend, and brother in Christ.

It was Kim who found a bankrupt travel agent call center over a decade ago and the one who born the idea of YTB. (He also found Beryl Martin out of bankruptcy, the company that prints our marketing material and built our staging like the Statue of Liberty.) A very bright and savvy business mind who knew how to diversify and create true financial freedom.

Kim leaves a remarkable legacy in YTB. Personally, I can’t help but think about our new partnership with First Travel Alliance (more news about that later this week) and what Kim set up for all of us late last year. While Kim’s passing is a tragic loss to all of us – YTB Travel Network is stronger than ever.

If we could have only known back then how fortunate we all are today because of this merger. (Don’t think for a second that “Someone” didn’t already know.)

The YTB Home Office will close at 12:00 pm Central Time on Monday, February 6, 2012 in honor of our Founder Kim Sorensen and to allow the YTB Home Team to attend the afternoon Memorial Celebration. Regular office hours will resume Tuesday, February 7.

A public celebration of Kim’s life will be held on Monday, February 6, 2012 at 3:00 pm Central at Enjoy Church in Alton, Illinois. Many of you may know Pastor Daren Carstens from past years Conventions and his Enjoy Church. One HUGE benefit of his church is their Audio/Video ministry which I realized can provide all of us a fitting remembrance and memorial for Kim.

At our suggestion and request – this service will be available to view online live from this link. This will provide all of us an opportunity to participate in this memorial – even if we can’t be there in person.

The Home Office has also created loving a tribute and fond memories of our dear friend available here.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been set up at:

Mid America Transplant Services
1110 Highland Plaza Drive East, Suite 100
St. Louis MO 63110

Or donations may be made to:

Enjoy Church
3303 Homer Adams Parkway
Alton, IL 62002

In closing, and a fitting tribute for us – Kim’s favorite quote that we’re sure you’ve heard if you spent any time with him is “I need everyone to get in the game.”

What better way to honor the life and memory of Kim than that? What better way to appreciate this wonderful opportunity and sell even just one travel booking or vacation in Kim’s honor?! It’s up to us to keep his dream alive and personally, I can’t think of a better product or industry to do it with.

Thank you Kim. For your love, your inspiration, your leadership and your faith in us to make all that we have possible in the world of travel.

You may be gone for now, but never forgotten.

With love and our deepest respect,

Your YTB Family

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Update: I have been flooded with questions regarding the cause of Kim Sorensen’s sudden passing. From what I have been able to gather thus far, Kim was doing very well in his recovery regarding his double lung transplant last year. He was at work in the Home Office on Monday and by all accounts – doing very well.  Kim had a regularly scheduled doctors appointment Wednesday morning where he was to undertake a very common breathing treatment.

It was during this breathing treatment that he passed on.

Details are still coming in along with other arrangements.

We’ll keep you posted as we all morn this sudden loss. 

~~~

I was in a meeting this afternoon and my phone started to ring off the hook. A bunch of YTB names I knew too.

After my meeting, I picked up the voice mail – but could only get through the first message.

YTB Founder, Kim Sorensen has passed away.

I guess the best word I can come up with right now is “stunned”.

Many of us knew from this past years Convention that Kim was given a double lung transplant. A shock to most because Kim was a very private man, and we had no idea that he was even sick. We admired his strength and courage – and most like myself felt he was well on his way to a full recovery.

You may also know that YTB was the brain child of Kim all those years ago. Using travel as a vehicle for a dynamite network marketing model. I had the honor of speaking with Kim one on one several time both in person and over the phone. He was genuine, sincere, and while he didn’t talk about his faith all that much – he certainly walked the walk.

Because of Kim’s leadership YTB climbed Travel Weekly’s Power List since 2006, as well as Travel Weekly naming Kim one of the most influential people in travel directly. He most certainly made an impact in the travel industry – using average every day people to impact the industry.

Here is the notice I received from the Home Office – and really can’t express this loss in any other way. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Today we say goodbye to more than a great man.

It is with great sadness that we announce J. Kim Sorensen took his last breath on Wednesday morning, February 1, 2012. While he will forever be remembered as our fearless Founder, the man who had the vision to see beyond a failed venture and turn it in to one of the greatest stories ever told, we all know that he is much more than that. A great man to say the least, Kim was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and dear friend to so many of us.

Please join us in remembering Kim’s extraordinary life and passion for helping individuals write their own success story. As he always said, “I need everyone to get in the game.” Let’s join together to honor his memory and celebrate a life well-lived.

Please share your favorite Kim moments by clicking here.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been determined. More details will be released soon.

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Sorry I haven’t been around the last week. We’ve been working on a kitchen and bath makeover here at the house that was behind schedule and over budget. The project is now complete and turned out better than either of us had envisioned.

Just before the project got started, I received an unexpected call from Jeff Scott of First Alliance Travel and a request to hook up while he was here in Atlanta.

Our hour long meeting was very informal, and quite candid. I can’t get into everything, and I don’t want to overstep my boundaries or speak for Mr. Scott in regard to the company’s direction and plans – but there were two main topics I came away from this meeting that I wanted to share.

First and foremost – “he gets us”.

I would venture to guess that we all at one point or another fall victim to the bizarre myths and perceptions associated with MLM. (Jeff was no exception.) We’ve seen time and time again that those who take the time to truly study our model and get to know our Founders and our people don’t just change their perception- they’re blown away.

Instead of cult like – he found genuine.

Instead of greedy – he found caring and compassionate.

Instead of lazy – he found driven.

Instead of dumb – he found business and marketing savvy.

Second – this was absolutely the best move for our company and those of us who are passionate about travel. We both laughed at how the travel bug never leaves you. It’s by far the most romantic, sexiest product on the planet. First travel Alliance has the ways and the means to offer more product and the best possible prices.

We couldn’t go over all of the upgrades and changes in a single hour – and there’s no telling when this transformation as a true powerhouse Host Agency will be complete. When it’s all said and done however, not only will YTB Travel Network have the best product offering, but we’ll have most competitive pricing the industry (and your clients) have ever seen.

This can and will be a reality.

Furthermore, there were real issues with really dumb people who could never grasp the concept that YTB Marketing and YTB Travel Network are two separate companies. That myth or idea is going to be a lot harder to pitch now that we have a veteran core consisting of true Travel Professionals running the Travel Department. (Under a completely separate roof I might add.)

New training – the likes the industry has never seen will also compliment our opportunity to attract a new breed of Travel Agent. The Travel Agent industry is not only aging – how travel is sold changing at a rapid pace. Gone are the glory days of “order taking” and making money despite any lack of business smarts or sales ability. (A big reason why so many Agencies went belly up over the last decade and why those who are left don’t want us around.) Not only is YTB a new bread of Travel Agent – we’ve proven we can change and adapt to the current economic and technological times. We don’t fight it – we embrace it.

And that’s what this industry truly needs.

Not everyone currently involved in our company will take advantage of the new features and benefits associated with travel. However, if you’re like us, and have a real passion for travel and a sincere desire to excel – this is it. I firmly believe Jeff Scott and this new partnership with First Alliance Travel has all the makings of lighting striking twice for another history making run.

In closing – I can’t tell you how impressed I am after meeting Jeff face to face. His willingness and desire to find out more about who we are and what makes us tick is stimulating. He also strikes me a one of us – and someone we can trust.

Hold on to your hats folks – while these upgrades and benefits will take some time to launch and implement, it’s going to be one fun (and extremely rewarding) ride!

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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Over the years, we’ve been told by some very irate and irrational “travel agents” that travel vendors despise our company. It’s part of a ploy in an attempt to rid the industry of a business model they don’t understand and actually fear because they can’t wrap their small minds around a very basic and simple business concept.

Because they feel this way – everyone feels this way. It ties into their self worth and identity as a “travel professional”.

I hate to break it to these clowns, but I really don’t have to ask. I’ve seen and heard enough from vendors themselves to know that they not only “get” our company and our model – they’re actually very impressed with what we do and how we do it. You need to realize that these vendors are far more business minded than any of these independent critics that you’ll see floating around slamming our company in order to save their own independent business.

I’ve also been told countless times that our company would never make it in it’s current form. This mantra ties right into the many myths and legends that have choked logical thinking for decades when it comes to Network Marketing. Funny thing is – at this time of year (when another year is almost over) these same critics who have been spewing that we’d never make it past 2008 – then 2009 – and then 2010 – they all lay pretty low right about now.

Reality hit these guys pretty hard recently when they finally figured out after a couple of weeks what Sixth Scott, LLC actually was and what it meant for YTB Travel Network. Not only was this a big blow to their spin pointing at this notion that YTB Travel Network isn’t a legitimate travel business, it also threatens to overturn the one company that went out on a limb for these guys back in 2007.

Fast forward to the end of 2011 and we find ourselves with a brand new booking engine thanks to our new partnership with Sixth Scott – but we find yet another travel vendor who has recognized YTB Travel Network as a top producer in the travel industry.

For those of you who appreciate YTB the way I do – please enjoy the following press release.

For those who don’t – it’s yet another example of how you just can’t admit that you don’t have a clue about who we are and what we actually do.

And to Travel Impressions – Please remember that any backlash you may get from recognizing a solid, viable, and legitimate Travel Host is indicative of how badly we not only need new blood in this industry but updated minds in business in order to thrive in these changing times.

YTB TRAVEL NETWORK RECOGNIZED AS A TRAVEL IMPRESSIONS’ ‘BEST OF THE BEST’ TRAVEL AGENCY

FARMINGDALE, NY (Dec. 8, 2011) – YTB Travel Network was recognized recently by Travel Impressions (http://www.TravelImpressions.com), one of the country’s largest tour operators selling destinations worldwide, as a “Best of the Best” travel agency which is given to top performing agencies and consortia partners. YTB Travel Network was invited to attend Travel Impressions 16th annual “Best of the Best” gala event, held Nov. 30 – Dec. 3, 2011 at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach in Cancún, Mexico.

“Best of the Best” honors are bestowed on a limited number of agencies that are top producers for Travel Impressions, and that are considered to be its best partners.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of Travel Impressions’ Best of the Best travel agency partners,” said Shelly Coppersmith. “We are committed to providing our clients with the very best vacation experience and working with Travel Impressions ensures a high level of customer satisfaction.”

In attendance at the Best of the Best four-day event from YTB Travel Network was VP Shelly Coppersmith. She was able to hear an industry update from Travel Impressions’ President and CEO Steve Gorga as well as participate in round table networking sessions with attending suppliers. A golf tournament and spa pampering at the Coral Beach Gem Spa were also offered.

There were many sponsored events and activities including a welcome dinner hosted by the Cancún Convention & Visitors Bureau and The Riviera Maya Destination Marketing Office, a dinner reception on the second evening sponsored by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, and the gala cocktail reception hosted by Mexican Tourism Board.

A performance by The Village People, best known for the disco hits YMCA, Macho Man and In the Navy, was a highlight of the “Best of the Best” gala celebration.

In the spirit of holiday giving, YTB Travel Network participated in Travel Impressions charity program by donating a variety of school supplies to the Palace Resorts Foundation’s Education Committee for distribution to school children in Cancún.

Travel Impressions
Founded in 1974, Travel Impressions is one of the nation’s largest leisure tour operators and a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express. The company offers FIT vacations to over 200 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, Dubai, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Islands of Tahiti, Canada, Hawaii and the Continental U.S., and features more than 2,800 resorts, hotels and luxury villas. Travel Impressions has received multiple industry awards for outstanding customer service, best overall operations, best technology, most knowledgeable reservations staff and leading marketing materials – all dedicated to better serving travel agents and their clients.

For more information about Travel Impressions, call 1-800-284-0044 / 631-845-8000, or visit the website: http://www.TravelImpressions.com. Find the tour operator on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/travelimpressionsvacations and follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/travelimp.

YTB TRAVEL NETWORK
YTB International, Inc.’s travel subsidiary, YTB Travel Network, Inc. was recognized as the 34th largest seller of travel in the U.S. in Travel Weekly’s 2011 Power List, based on 2010 annual retail value of travel services booked.

YTB, based in Wood River, IL, provides e-commerce business solutions for individual consumers and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Canada. The Company operates through two subsidiaries: YTB, Inc. (formerly ZamZuu, Inc., YTB Marketing, Inc. and YourTravelBiz.com, Inc.) and YTB Travel Network, Inc.

Learn more about YTB at http://www.ytb.com or http://www.ytbi.com.

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I’ve said for years that travel isn’t rocket science. If the average person can book their own airline ticket, hotel room, car rental or cruise – there’s really not much to being a travel agent. The most difficult part about the entire process is driving potential clients to YOUR agency instead of someone else’s.

It’s by far the easiest “sale” anyone can make if you can get a potential client to at least look at you instead of someone else.

That’s where YTB Travel Network as a whole really excels – and why our model works better than any other out there. Every single “Agent” YTB has reaches out to family – neighbors – and co-workers who would at least consider looking at us when it comes to booking travel. If the price is comparable, which it always is – who are they going to book with? You or some Roaming Gnome?

Because YTB not only figured this out, but executed this philosophy – it sent shock waves throughout the industry. For an MLM, you can’t find a better, more romantic and sexy product than travel.

It’s really pretty simple.

The problem that I’ve seen over the years when it comes to YTB and travel isn’t really the process or the model. The real issue here are those in this industry who attempt to complicate this very basic model. I’ve never seen an industry get so side tracked in an attempt to justify what they do.

Case in point – YTB’s new partnership with Sixth Scott.

Last month, YTB issued a press release that in part stated the following:

According to the Agreement, Sixth Scott agrees to assume contracts, agreements and licenses previously held by the Company’s subsidiary, YTB Travel Network of Illinois, Inc. Sixth Scott will independently manage all travel content and provide the customer support function as well as handle all group travel booking.

Pretty basic when you read it right?

Sigh…Not for the travel industry. Some were certain – emphatic as a matter of fact – that the “Scott” in Sixth Scott has some tie to the last name Tomer. This was one of those “bait and switch” tactics they dreamed up because nothing an MLM ever says or does is this straight forward. There’s always got to be something fishy about anything that involves MLM. As I assured you back then – and true to form, these crazed lunatics had the spare time and did in fact spend the energy and resources to get to the bottom of who Sixth Scott really was.

In addition, YTB International also filed this Definitive Agreement and Financial Statement with the SEC that in part stated the following:

 On October 25, 2011, YTB International, Inc. (“YTB”), YTB Travel, Inc. (“YTB Travel”), YTB Travel Network of Illinois, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of YTB Travel (“Seller”), and ZamZuu, Inc. (collectively with YTB, YTB Travel and the Seller, the “YTB Parties”), entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “Agreement”), with Sixth Scott, LLC (“Sixth Scott”), a non-affiliated third party, and First Travel Alliance, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sixth Scott (“FTA” and together with Sixth Scott, the “Purchaser”). The YTB Parties are currently in the business of creating, selling and supporting online travel booking websites to subscribers through websites and otherwise selling travel through various means (the “Business”). Pursuant to and accordance with terms of the Agreement, the Seller agreed to sell, assign, transfer and convey to Sixth Scott the contracts, agreements and licenses held by the Seller in relation to the Business (the “Assets”), and Sixth Business agreed to assume the debts, obligations and liabilities related to the Assets.

While this is worded more like a legal document, the premise is still very basic. Sixth Scott will now handle the travel portion of the YTB Travel business.

As a matter of fact, this whole thing is about the travel side of our business. Nothing more – nothing less.

But as we’ve learned over the years – because the travel industry has this phobia and fear surrounding MLM and the word “recruiting” this whole partnership became an MLM issue. Once again something that appears to be crystal clear was muddied and misconstrued into Sixth Scott now owns YTB.

But why?

Because some in this industry either simply can’t read at an elementary level – don’t have a firm grasp how business actually works – or more importantly simply want to spin this to justify what they do as a “travel agent”.

Here’s a classic example of what I mean. Take the following comment in Travel Weekly from one of the minions who thinks he has it all figured out:

Interesting. So bottom line is – if you read between the lines – “our model simply does not work for travel” AND “it certainly was never going to work being run by people who knew nothing about selling travel” AND “we really screwed up early on by not training agents and not demanding any sort of professional behavior from them” AND “now we’re going to focus on selling the kind of products MLM really works with – things people don’t really need but perceive that they want”.

Read between the lines? Why on earth does someone need to read between the lines here? What’s the matter with what’s actually written?

I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. What’s actually written either contradicts – or simply doesn’t support the fantasy of the reader.

That my friend is called “spin”.

Now here’s what I find fascinating. Take a look once again at the YTB press release and the SEC filing. Read what YTB stated about this new agreement weeks ago.

Then go out and read how the travel industry made a complete mockery of the press release and the SEC filing over the last two weeks. Inserting speculation here, how they tied the MLM side of our business into this mix to muddy the water, and their overbearing fear and ridiculous perceptions of who we are and what we do.

It’s a complete JOKE!!

And the best part? YTB provided the following clarification for the travel agents sales force to get everyone back on track and separate the facts from all the fiction that the industry has created. And because these Anti-MLM Zealots are never wrong – THEY have it all figured out – YTB is now “backpedaling”.

I swear – these pompous, arrogant pin heads will never realize that the one finger they have pointing at YTB actually provides three fingers that point directly to the source that created this monstrous mess.

And they can’t admit or let it all go.

These people aren’t Rocket Scientist – they’re not even smart business minds.

They’re morons.

Tell you what…instead of reading all the spin and hype about this deal we have – why don’t you get the information from the best source around? Direct from the guys who struck this deal. No hype, no spin, no smoke and no mirrors.

There’s more than enough of that going on right now in this industry – which is exactly why the travel industry “experts” haven’t been able to figure us out.

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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I’ve become accustomed to others sharing our blog and newsletter when it comes to YTB. The vast majority of people who use our articles respect us enough not only to ask if they can use what we’ve written, but link to the original source and use our entire article.

It’s unfortunate that not everyone carries that same type of character and moral fiber. Zealots who hide behind an alias in order to gain access to our communication is something I’ve accepted as being completely powerless over. There’s really nothing I can do to control that type of activity – no matter how wrong or unethical it appears to be.

Last week, one of the children in the industry who continues to have issues with YTB and MLM’s took part of last weeks newsletter and posted it on his blog. I’m not terribly upset about this finding because is was the first time I can recall he actually comprehended what was written.

I do however take issue with two points. One, he’s not an RTA or a Rep with the company, and our rules have clearly stated for years that our subscription requires a valid website and Rep number. I’ve been required to do this because overzealous Attorney Generals seem to think that this communication is a “recruiting tool” and existing websites and Rep numbers put the kibosh on that idea. (Kinda hard to recruit existing members – you know what I mean?)

Two, the piece didn’t use or link to the entire article. (Which truthfully, is understandable, because the part that was omitted hinted to his years of bizarre and dysfunctional behavior and outlandish speculation.)

With all the attention and news surrounding YTB Travel the past two weeks, we’ve seen a considerable amount of deflecting, spin and justification from the other side of the fence in an effort to save face. Our featured article in this weeks newsletter covers part of that activity – but also points to how the rest of the travel industry is looking at YTB. This news stings for the other side – and I have a sneaky suspicion that what we’ve written will be twisted and taken out of context out of desperation to keep opposing views and perceptions in line.

Therefore, we have taken our entire article and posted it for your review.

We simply want to provide the entire article – and allow you the reader to formulate your own opinion and view. You have a mind and can think on your own if our view is valid. You don’t need someone else telling you how to perceive what we’ve written.

That’s called “brain washing”. ;-P

Enjoy…

~~~

We gotta admit…we’re absolutely LOVIN’ all the attention over YTB the last two weeks.

What better way to show the nay-sayers, cynics, and anti-MLM zealots that any speculation pointing to YTB getting out of the travel business, or that the company would just whither away to nothin’ is -

Well…

Wrong – AGAIN!

When news broke week before last and we saw how vague the Press Release and the SEC filing was – we were giddy in knowing that the travel industry simply wouldn’t rest until it figured out the mystery of Sixth Scott, and just who was behind a potentially $7.5 million deal.

Read this industry and these zealots like a book. ;-p

While some remain “stuck on stupid” – grasping at any excuse they can come up with or attempt to deflect attention to something they think could possibly disrupt this wave of positive news – YTB continues to show this industry how significant and valuable we are.

We have to give a shout out to George Dooley of Travel Agent Central. Those who were with us at the 2009 Convention, may remember that name. George interviewed us and posted an amazing article on YTB a year after the California Attorney General set his sights on shutting down the company.

While Sixth Scott was still a mystery to the industry at the beginning of the week, George was kind enough to print our side of the story once again to help educate the industry that what was happening to YTB would benefit everyone.

The most amusing part of the week was how some were certain that the “Scott” in Sixth Scott had some connection to the last name Tomer. Typical of how lazy, and sloppy they are – not knowing who to ask, or where to look – this new deal ended up looking really fishy to the usual cast of characters who ended up looking more like clowns when the real “Scott” turned up.

This news does after all involve an MLM. Therefore, a cynic automatically assumes that it can’t be a legitimate business deal. MLM and business after all, are a bad mix.

Finally, Travel Weekly set the record straight, and let everyone know that “Scott” wasn’t a first name – but a last name. Jeff Scott turned out to be exactly what we said he was. A long time veteran and top executive in the travel industry.

More amusingly, “unrelated third party” actually meant “unrelated”. (Imagine that??!!)

Here’s the thing…And we’ve seen this time and time again. Take a look at Jeff Scott’s comments about the Founders – and about YTB.

“Being a consultant in the industry, I’ve watched as YTB developed over the years and I’ve always been impressed by how they’ve taken all this controversy and changed things and made it effective,” Scott said. “Once you meet the founders and the people running this business, they are very impressive. We thought there was a huge opportunity with the numbers and a distribution channel like no other out there.”

Every single industry veteran who took the time to sit down and get to know our Founders and our people were not only impressed with what we have, they were blown away at what our model could do.

Those who incessantly slam our company and hang their hats on dwindling threads of justification and outlandish speculation have never taken that step. Frankly, they’re either too lazy, too scared – or more importantly, any real and open look at our company (instead of some fantasy swirling around inside their head) would change their perspective and therefore, destroy their identity.

We’ve said it time and time again. Time always has a way of shedding light on the truth. Predictions and speculation to the contrary are always ego driven. (And the travel industry appears to have it’s fair share of overly inflated and arrogant ego’s.)

If you’re smart enough – diligent enough – and have any true business sense (or even common sense) about you – you’ll always come out the other side victorious.

YTB continues to capture the spotlight – even today. But, you may be giving all the credit to YTB – which is only partly true.

Part of this spotlight goes to all the overly emotional and arrogant cynics, anti-MLM zealots, and nay sayers who speculated and predicted a totally different outcome. They picked this fight – we didn’t. A fight based on perception, myths, false claims, and rumors they have mistaken as reality instead of pure fantasy.

Frankly, we can’t think of a better way to say (or better yet – show) “I disagree” than someone like Jeff Scott who just put his money were his mouth is.

Please know those who wish to continue fighting don’t have to agree with it themselves.

They don’t even have to like it.

They do however, have to continue to deal with a travel MLM as part of this industry. It’s not only a very viable – but a very legitimate model that when run the properly and correctly, works in any industry it chooses.

With the news and attention YTB has received the last two weeks, it’s become quite obvious -

YTB chooses travel.

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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I gotta tell ya, for a company that some proclaimed as dead (or at least out of the travel business) it sure looks like YTB can still raise the hair on the back of some necks in the always opinionated – yet very amusing travel industry.

Everything from Attorney Generals who would finally shut YTB down to ZamZuu as a clear sign that YTB was getting out of the travel industry has been fired at this company. Frankly, I quit counting over two years ago how many times I was told that YTB was getting out or that they would be filing for bankruptcy any day. Basically, I chalked it up to the boy who cried wolf and wishful thinking with wild eyed speculation that would justify all the attention this little ol’ MLM has gotten over the years.

There have been a lot of words posted since Wednesday afternoon when YTB let the industry know via a press release that our travel division had been purchased. For me – and I’ll explain how and why here in just a bit – the words over the last week are pretty much meaningless. What I’ve been looking at a lot closer are the actions of the travel industry surrounding this news. Every major travel publication (even minor publications) has announced this transaction of YTB Travel Network.

Let’s face it – YTB still makes top billing for travel news.

Speaking of news and travel publications, I need to give a shout out to George Dooley and Travel Agent Central. I was checking my stats and traffic last night and found a number of hits and links from George who posted an article yesterday in Travel Agent Central. George was nice enough not only to link to this blog, but also quoted our YTB newsletter that we’ve been publishing for RTA’s and Reps for the last four years. George and I do know each other. He not only interviewed me but was kind enough to print my side of the story several years ago in this same publication during the 2009 Convention.

If you’re wondering, George isn’t a member of YTB. Nor did I forward him the article for his review. I’m still having issues with pin heads who don’t follow directions or think rules apply to them. Fears and phobias override ethics or boundaries where YTB is concerned. You delete or kick them out the ones who don’t belong or break the rules, and they find a way to show back up under another assumed name and e-mail address in order to get their fix on YTB.

Speaking of the hideous – and always opinionated anti-MLM zealots – they took to the blogs and message boards in a hurry. That cult was on this press release like white on rice – which tells me they’re still sleeping with one eye open at night knowing that YTB is still around. Most, as usual, react with the same old rhetoric and anti-MLM pile of horse dung. All the basic myths and legends surrounding MLM I’ve heard about since before I ever got involved in the business. Very little original thinking or logic is ever associated with this overly emotional group.

There was one however that reacted in his usual sloppy way last week – but then made an abrupt about face over the weekend to respond to the same message. For me, this illustrates perfectly what I’ve been saying for years about the anti-MLM crowd. Most of what you read is pure emotion and fear right out of the gate. You have to look deeper than just the words – but look at the activity or actions of the individual. They just blurt out whatever they’re feeling at the time without taking the time to think about what they’re saying or doing. Emotional charges appear to cancel out logic and rational thinking.

Ironically it points right back to last week’s newsletter we sent out and the very same communication from an unknown Director in YTB.

I’d link to the articles directly, but unlike George Dooley who believes this blog is “influential” – I beg to differ and have come to the conclusion this guy is a complete basket case. For the sake of documentation however, we’ve created two PDF’s for your review to point out how someone “reacts” and how they “respond”.

Last Thursday, when news broke surrounding the sale, here is the emotional reaction. Please pay particular attention to the bottom half of the copy and paste, which was forwarded from a Director to their team. The actual communication was sent from the YTB Home Office, and the unnamed Director simply passed the information along.

What’s so amusing to me (and trust me, it was a good hardy laugh) is that because this came from a Director, the overwhelming emotional reaction from the author of the blog was “OMG! They’re selling IATAN cards again!!”

Now, take a look at the response posted on Monday on the same blog, by the same author with another copy and paste of our weekly newsletter. This time however, the response is HUGE and welcomed sight that could possibly gain an opportunity that YTB could become a legitimate seller of travel.

The problem I have with these two posts is that the author is reacting and then responding to the same communication on two separate days. The only difference is that one came from a Director, and one came from our Newsletter. It’s the same message forwarded by the YTB Home Office.

Thing is – guys like John Frenaye are so emotionally charged and sloppy in their research and documentation that I don’t think he realizes that he’s provided two different perspectives to the same communication. (That is until he reads this.) Directors in YTB equate to “recruiting” – and that’s points to the core of all the issues YTB has had over the years in the travel industry. That single word makes their head swim and their stomach turn.

They just can’t handle that word for some unknown reason.

All I did was put the emphasis where I thought it should be – on travel. All this news is about YTB Travel after all, not the marketing side of our business. Yet there will always be those who can’t separate the two. Maybe they’ve never seen the two 1099′s we’ve always received. Some however, like John have signed up for the opportunity to recruit others and make money without spending a dime. Nobody that I know of however on that side of the fence has taken a real good look at the travel side of the business.

The reality is this separation takes all their justification and bizarre behavior away. It also puts them face to face with the reality that YTB isn’t dead – but a model that smart business minds see value in and are willing to pay top dollar for. (To the tune of $7.5 million.)

In the meantime – they’ll continue to dig, poke and pry into this deal. Spending an enormous amount of energy and time to figure out how they can spin this into something they can either justify or handle. We are after all talking about a bunch of MLM recruiters here. ;-P

Fun to watch and a pleasure to see that YTB isn’t dead after all.

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