The IBO Chronicles

Be Willing To Go Through The Numbers

2006-11-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

This has just been on my head lately. We just experienced another burst of growth that we had a personal hand in (in other words, it wasn't sparked in depth.) To an outside observer or a naysayer, the growth came out of luck or being "in the right place" at "the right time." If you consider being outside of my home offering the opportunity with people being in the right place at the right time, then yes, I was in the right place at the right time.

It doesn't take a magical or extraordinary level of determination to keep going through the mechanics of the business as you search for people that truly have an interest in building it. The importance of what you're trying to accomplish or fear of not accomplishing always gives the determination necessary if you're serious about what you want to accomplish. Since I've been involved in this business and have literally and with my own eyes watched men and women retire from their day jobs, the concept of working any longer than I have to turns my stomach. I know the successes in my upline had to go through numbers to find the real people. I've watched some of it happen with their businesses, yet they've always continued to meet people, continued to offer this opportunity to new people.

I personally showed the plan a good number of times before finding the person that has been the basis for our current growth spurt. Not only has he had special growth in his business, but to make sure I set an example, I have fought to add additional people in my width. He knows I can work anywhere I want, and therefore he and his new people respect my time much better. When I met him, I wasn't even planning on doing much contacting, but I hadn't hit my personal conversations goal for the day, so I stayed out and about on a rainy day when most people were trying to go home. He saw the plan, got excited and is currently on pace to hit 7500 pts in the next 3-4 months.

Your growth is out there for you too. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." When it's not working - when people aren't getting excited, or you're getting some "no's" - that't the time to turn it up! If you slow down during this period, you'll feel even further in the dumps. Baseball players don't stop swinging the bat because they're in a slump. Basketball players with good jump shots keep shooting, even if their shot is a little off. Your next yes is just around the corner. Stick out your hand.

OneIBO

Simple Equation

2006-10-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Action Cures Fear. It's a pretty simple equation, although I don't think I can find the appropriate symbols on a calculator. It truly is a tremendous truth. If you've been around the business for more than a week, you probably understand that the list of people that you know to talk to about this business is going to run out at some point. When that happens, unless you've got a stable business sponsored and your goal is identified and already in, you're probably going to have to make some new friends.

Some people look at this like the biggest problem with the business. I look at it like the biggest opportunity. Why? Because I look at this opportunity as a gift. Just me saying that I was interested when my sponsor asked me has had not only a positive effect on my income, but on my personal growth, my friendships and my relationship with my spouse. For me not to share that with someone else just seems wrong and selfish. Of course, I won't pretend to be the contacting master, but I've contacted my way to the growth I've had and contacting is at some point necessary for nearly any IBO that wants to go Platinum or beyond.

That freaks a lot of people out. Many of us are not used to just meeting people out and about. The very idea of it scares people. Here's what scares me more: working for the next 40 years. Telling my wife she's got to ask for a raise to help make ends meet. Waving goodbye to my kids for the next umpteen years until they move out. That scares me a lot more than whatever some guy in a shirt and tie looking at movies in Best Buy thinks. Besides, the worst thing that has ever come of sparking up a conversation with a stranger, is them saying they aren't interested. No one, in two years, has ever laughed at me, yelled at me, called me a name or anything like that. People are often very polite, even when they aren't interested.

Regardless, many people still have an instant of doubt before they open their mouth. If I could offer up one thing: Action cures fear. Just say anything. Even if you screw it up, you can recover if you're honest about what you're asking. "Hey man, I'm sorry about mumbling there, but I'm just excited about this business team I'm working with and you seem like a sharp guy and a good fit for what we do. We're expanding and so I thought it would be crazy not to at least see if you ever keep your eyes open for other ways of making money." That recovers just about any flub. Usually, you end up flubbing when you try and say the perfect thing. The perfect line is always whatever falls out of your mouth. Action cures fear.

Here's the other side, lack of action increases fear. Think of the first time you tried to dive off a diving board. Regardless of the height, the longer you stand on the end looking over, the tougher it becomes. Once you dive off, hit the water and climb out, you realize, there was nothing to be afraid about. Action cures fear.

It's A Better Opportunity

2006-10-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing that when you talk to a friend about this business, show the plan or do a follow-up, you sometimes here the same excuses that I sometimes hear. "Man, you had to get in that business a long time ago to be successful." "You can't make money in that anymore - it's saturated." I love it when I hear those excuses because it gives me a chance to at least inform, if not educate someone about the truth.

I was not in the business in the pre-internet days so I have no first-hand experience, however, did recently get some time around a guy at the Diamond-and-above level who was(for sake of anonymity, I'll leave his qualifications at that.) It is amazing how simple it is to build this business today vs. how it had to be built back then. Even something as simple as having a cell phone totally changes the business. It doesn't seem hard to wonder why some people who had experiences in with the old business might want to try to find fault, albeit grossly in error to do so. Today, I am constantly on the phone coaching and training new guys, while driving from place to place. How confused would they be if I wasn't readily available by phone? How inattentative can someone seem to be to their downline in a business like this when they don't have a way to be reached?

For those of you that don't understand (and there are still some of you out there,) this business used to be all paperwork and call-ins. Product pick-up and order forms. Here's how it was explained to me from the pre-internet mentor I got some time with: Say you're 5 in depth from the upline Platinum. You would put your order together and call that in to your direct upline, who would compile your order in with their other legs orders and call that in to their upline, who would do the same, on up to the Platinum in the group. That Platinum would then compile the orders of every person in their group and call it in to the corporation. Then, all the products would be delivered to the Platinum's house, and they would have to separate the products for each person in their group before having a "product pick up" day where you would have to go get your order (hence the term 'Direct Distributor' for Platinums and above.) Then the same thing would happen with ordering tools on the education side. He said that his wife spent anywhere from 30-40 hours a week on paperwork and product separation. And people went Emerald, Diamond, Double and so on in that system! It also makes it easy to see how too many cooks in the kitchen can spoil the recipe and why there were so many issues with the old business. Not every person is upstanding and when you put that much in individuals hands, you're relying very heavily on accountability every step of the way.

Today, not only is the whole product ordering part online with the direct fulfillment system, but many organizations now have their tool ordering online as well. I don't know about you, but to me that makes this a better business opportunity. It even makes it a different business opportunity. Same parent company, sure, but so is Chipotle and McDonalds and for some reason their output is different. From 30 hours of paperwork to a couple minutes online clicking a mouse. How long does it take to register someone? 15 minutes? How long does it take to do a little overview at a coffee shop? 15-20 minutes? How long does it take to place an order for CD's online? 5 minutes? This is literally a business that you can spend 10-15 hours a week on and be very successful at. The open meeting system available across many organizations is incredibly powerful. It allows interested people to see that the business works. You can actually sponsor people in other states and be sure that they're getting the same access to support and supply as you are.

I'm sorry, but if people can succeed in a dinosaur paperwork and phone call business, people can succeed in the business the way it is now, and should do so faster. There is a guy in Illinois who is in Diamond qualification right now and has been in business just over 5 years. Due to the structure of his business, he could easily start EDC qualification while still in Founders Diamond Qualification and when he is recognized as a brand new Diamond, get recognized as a brand new EDC. Just taking an extra 10-15 hours a week to create an extra $50,000 a year is something you won't accomplish with a second job. Any way you cut it, today's opportunity is better than the old one by leaps and bounds.

A Key Ingredient

2006-10-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

When people see this business and are trying to determine whether it's the right opportunity for them, there are usually two categories of questions that arise. One stream is generally about the validity of the opportunity: Is the opportunity real? Are the people involved real? Will they really try to help me? These are generally questions that fall into the "does the business/training system really work?" side. The other stream is just as important a line of questioning, and some would say more so because it is the prospective new business owner questioning their own ability and is usually summed up in one question: Am I the kind of person who can build this business? That is what this entry focuses on - a key ingredient to either being the person who is prepared to start building this business, or becoming that person. That key ingredient is self-image.

Self-image is vital to success in anything, and contrary to what some people think, is not determined by what other people think of you. There are people, that when they see this business, either don't have or falsely believe they do have a good self-image. It will take a willingness to improve your self-image to move on in this (or any other) business. Generally, people cover up a poor self-image by bullying others, being obnoxious or by acting snobbish. People that are very self-effacing also are usually playfully pointing out flaws they are very overly concerned about.

Ultimately, our choices in life determine our self-image. Yes, many people's self-image is originally determined by their upbringing, both in school and at home. However, maintaining a poor self-image once you're old enough to strengthen it is a decision. Sadly enough, the simplest things can hammer a decent self-image into submission.

College goers have all had the discussion with ourselves at some point when it came to a new semester at school: "I'm going to be the most prepared student ever! I'm going to read the syllabus on day one. I'm going to read ahead and outline important teaching points. I'm going to study for two hours every night - even on Saturday and Sunday." And we did - for about 2 weeks. Then all of a sudden we get invited to "the party of the year" and we think to ourselves, "it's just one night - I'll get back on the horse tomorrow." Of course, tomorrow comes and you're so blown out from the night before that you can barely sit up the next day, better yet study. BOOM: your self-image just took a hit.

Two nights later, the person you've been dying to ask out on campus just asked you to get some coffee with them, and it turns into a date that gets you back to the dorm so late you are too tired to pick up a book. BOOM: you just took another hit. The next day you start playing a pick up game of basketball and you get so into it that you play till about 10:30, roll into your room and crash on the bed. BOOM: your self-image just took another hit.

And before you know it, you've fallen behind. When you realize it, you want to catch up, but you also start beating yourself up inside. A lot of students don't ever recover when they fall of track like that.

The same thing exists in this business. You've set up 5-7 as your time to go out and make new friends, but when you go home, the couch and the remote keep sucking you in. BOOM: your self-image on being able to build this business takes a hit.

You mean to go to the Saturday afternoon training session, but you promised your buddies you'd go to the game with them. BOOM: your self-image on being able to build this business takes another hit.

You were going to go to the open meeting, but you were so worried about what your cross-line buddy was going to think since you missed the mechanics session, you skip the open meeting. BOOM: your self-image takes another hit.

It goes on and on and before you know it, you've been sucked out of the opportunity that at one point you planned on using to change your financial future. What improves a self-image? Action. Staying true to your word. Being accountable to yourself. How do you learn to start doing that? The books on the book list. If you can get committed to reading the books that have helped others become successful, there is a good chance the books will help you the same way.

Commit yourself, raise your self-image and change your financial future.

OneIBO

Sit tight all...

2006-10-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've got updates coming. As previously stated, the business is growing and my time has pulled me away from posting as I'd like to. I'm going to try and revamp a little bit for the interests of posting more often. So, expect some shorter entries, but more frequent. If time goes right, I'll be back on tonight with a new post on one of the things that is most required for a business to move forward. See ya' later, gotta go STP!

OneIBO

Still alive - if you're still checking this out!

2006-07-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. Thank goodness we live in a Country where we have the freedom to believe what we choose, chase our own dreams and succeed at the level we desire.

I've somewhat obstained from posting a bit because I for some reason, had it set in my head that every post had to be this multiple paragraph, super-informational diatribe, but on further thought, I think a simple consistent reminder that I continue to build my business powered by Quixtar along with updates of growth, etc. is enough.

For the record, the business is still growing. What I've had to learn to move towards success in this opportunity is what anyone would have to learn to obtain success in any industry: discipline and a work ethic. I don't know about you, but I'm not one of those people that can watch 10 minutes of TV and then turn it off and get the job done. Once it's on, I'm frozen for a half-hour. I can't just jump online and "check one thing." It's at least a four to five site journey every time I'm on. One of the things I've learned is that for me, I have to really delay some of the little things for the greater future.

In learning to understand this, the business moving forward PV wise. At last check in I was a 1500 pv'er. Well, we will finish July over 2500 and I'll have Eagle wrapped up before the end of the month. With the fast growth we've been putting into practice, we can actually go over in time to begin Q12 qualification for the next fiscal year if we do things right. Of course, that's a beneficial accomplishment and it will draw attention, but it's the team that is being put together under our umbrella that is starting Q12 qualification. I'll just be playing quarterback. In my eyes, entering Q12 qualification just proves my upline right, allows me to have a little more credibility when I'm helping people in my group and creates a pull for my frontline guys to want to move forward. Hitting 7500 pv doesn't retire me from my job, which is the long term goal, so to me it's a stepping stone. I'm trying to help some people hit that 7500 pv mark so they can fulfill their dreams. Mine will just be a by-product of their success and I'm excited about that.

Keep the posts and e-mails coming and stay strong! More to come...

OneIBO

Time And Money

2006-04-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Because I haven't been given permission to use the names of the people affiliated with this story, I'm going to just tell the story and substitute some names instead. What I can tell you is that this is not a fourth-party story. I know the gentlemen involved personally and it wasn't a "brother's-cousin's-sister's-friend's-dog's-old Aunt Nancy" thing.

John and Ed are both involved in the opportunity and ended up awake late one night, talking to John's uncle. John's Uncle, who was 57, was already a successful businessman, owning boat companies and such, consistently keeping his nose to the grindstone. He related his story to John and Ed, telling them about the fact that he loved his wife so much that his plan had been to work 12 hour days, six and sometimes seven days a week so that he could amass enough of a nest egg, so that at 55 he and his bride could live out the next 25-30 years in style. Going where they want, doing what they want with no financial worries.

Then the Uncle paused and said, "the only problem is that she passed when I was 54." He followed by saying, "there are only two words to describe all the effort I put out - wasted time." He told Ed that if he had an opportunity to create time and money for himself, that he needed to take advantage of it now and as quickly as possible.

I don't know what most of you do for a living, but if there is any worthwhile advice that can be given, it's to find something that will help you create more passive income. Money isn't everything, but neither is being broke. The income is necessary to be able to live the way you want to live, but if you're just trying to accomplish it working 40 hours plus overtime for another person - it isn't going to happen.

Empty Shoebox Mentality

2006-03-22T07:45:00.000-08:00

So let's say that we were standing outside of a stockroom that had a few hundred thousand shoeboxes inside. As we stand there, I inform you that somewhere in the multiple hundred thousand shoeboxes are six boxes that each contain a million dollars in them. I also tell you that you have as long as you like to look through the shoeboxes.

Would you get serious about looking for the six? If after five minutes you hadn't found the six, would you turn to me and tell me that they must not be in there? After ten minutes would you sit there holding an empty box trying to wish it was the right box? Or would you go at it, non-stop, until you found each of the six boxes? Would you even care if you went through the first fifty-thousand and found nothing? Would you stop looking if your friends came up to you and said you were crazy for working so hard to find the right shoeboxes? If you found one of the six boxes, would you stop looking for the other six if you were allowed to continue searching with no penalty? Do you get the point?

The people are out there. There are people right now that are out there hoping for an opportunity, hoping for a shot. I know, the naysayers will tell you that only certain people make it in "that thing" and whatnot, but where are there shoeboxes? If you saw the plan and it made sense to you, doesn't it seem realistic that it will probably make sense to someone else? Don't you think there are some people that you know or could meet that might be like-minded? When guys can get into the business six months ago and go Silver, I would have to say not only is the market NOT saturated, but that there are definitely other people out there that feel the way you do.

~"Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9)

Look, I'm definitely no Christian scholar, nor am I trying to pawn a belief off on anyone else, but take away the fact that it's a Bible reference. Doesn't it still make good sense? It doesn't just mean, "stick it out through the tough times," it means to reach success, you must remain cheerful and vigilant about the task at hand. Can you gain success if you lose focus on it? No way. Success does not just sneak up on people. The one thread connecting nearly all successful people is commitment. Commitment is best exampled by a consistent and persistent effort. If you do not grow weary in trying to succeed (in other words, if you maintain a consistent and persistent effort, equaling commitment,) success will come at some point.

Wishing the best in your businesses
OneIBO

Showing The Plan Ahead Of Posting In The Blog

2006-02-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Thank goodness I didn't guarantee this would be a daily updated blog. Honestly, the daily ins and outs of an IBO are simple - I'm pretty much involved in the 9 steps, 4 basics and 4 habits 5-6 days a week. Because things are cranking with the return of the QI system, I have been busy as a bee. Attending everything from Winter Conference to Team Meetings to even the training sessions after the Open Meetings have given me nugget after nugget after nugget. Sharp people are everywhere and people are looking for more. There are new products with great PV/BV ratio like the Zsenso Tea and Spring Leadership is just around the corner.

This entry is going to be kept short, but I'll be back soon with some more general info.

See you on the road

OneIBO

You Are Not A Loser

2006-01-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

It is simple to understand that this is a volume based business, but what drives the volume? People, right? Being able to find and involve people that want to do volume and be a part of the business team is what helps a business grow. Hence, someone is going to have to talk to people to let them know a) what you're doing, and b) find out if they would like to do it as well. Here's the thing (and hopefully your upline has already told you this,) you are not looking for any one individual person. Therefore, someone deciding not to get involved with your business is not a "loser." Hopefully as you share this business with people, you do just that - share it. For those that understand and succeed in this enterprise, this business is the shortcut. To try and circumvent it even more by pushing people or trying to sell the business will usually result in you feeling like that person that just said "no thanks" is a loser.

The honest truth is that I don't want everyone to say "yes" and want to be a part of my business team. We need people that choose different paths in life so that all of society's needs/wants can be met. If everyone "got in" and got free, who would make cars? Who would deliver the babies? Who would manufacture products? I contact, invite, and show the plan with one focus: to check the person's temperature. In essence, I'm sticking a thermometer in their mouth saying "are you interested in more income?" "Are you interested in this opportunity?" "Do you want to do what you're doing for the rest of your life?" Etc. I am actually relieved when someone tells me "no thanks." It keeps me from being strung along by someone who really isn't interested and I can move forward. Building this business is more than just helping 6 groups maintain 7500pv for 6 months in a fiscal year. It, like anything worthwhile, takes a commitment to achieve success and is not a walk in the park. It's easier to build than trying to become a neurosurgeon, but it's not necessarily data entry, either.

People say "no" for a number of reasons, but the main two are timing and relatability. What about those two reasons would make someone a loser for declining the opportunity? Neither one. Had I been offered this business when I was 20 or 21, I probably would have turned it down - the timing wasn't right. Had I been offered the business by someone other than I was, I may have turned it down - the relatablity wouldn't have been there. Would it have made me a loser? Not a chance. The business in itself is simple and makes sense - buy from yourself, tell other people about it, learn how to build this type of business from the available mentorship program. It's whether you're at a point in your life that you want to commit to doing what it takes or whether the people offering the opportunity are people you see yourself wanting to work with. (I'll get into the difference between individuals who are in the business and the business itself another time.) What IBO's hopefully understand is that person that tells you "no" today, may be approached by either another IBO or you again in a year when timing is right. It's vital that you respect people's choices so that they have the right impression.

I don't think people would dwell so much on the person who said "no" if they were willing to talk to as many people as it takes to accomplish what they want. I've got my whole life to find 6 people that want to be business owners with this opportunity. There are now two gentlemen in the Winters organization that took 20 years to accomplish that. One worked for UPS and the other was a car salesman. I have no idea what they made in those jobs, or what they'll make as Diamonds, but I know neither of them goes to a day job anymore and they haven't for a long time. I would suspect that they'll make more as Diamonds then they did in their day jobs. Do the next hundred "no's" even matter? I've gone through a few hundred so far, what's a few more going to do? And if I see you and contact you and your response is "no thanks," I'll tell you I wish you all the best, I'll really mean it, and I'll move on.

OneIBO

Why Should I Listen To You?

2006-01-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

I would rather not have the biggest portion of what ends up happening at The IBO Chronicles to be math, but I know that you may have been introduced to this business by someone that you met at a gas station or in a store, or maybe by someone that you were friends with 5 or 10 years ago that called you out of the blue. Forming or rekindling a friendship that involves leadership that begins in this manner can lead you to wonder why you should listen to what they have to say. The biggest question that a lot of new people usually have is, "what are you going to get out of me (doing Eagle volume, attending this event, being on standing order, etc.?) " I know it was my biggest question. I knew my sponsor briefly (about a month) before I approached him about the business. That's right, he didn't contact me, I contacted him. Even though I felt that because of the nature of our daytime relationship (our positions on the org chart at work) he would be pretty daring to suggest I do anything that would harm me financially, I still questioned. It's a good, legitimate question, albeit the wrong one. When I started thinking about the 4% checks and running some numbers I understood that the right question was/is, "what am I going to get out of me (doing Eagle volume, attending this event, being on standing order, etc.?") No tirades about being a selfish society folks, lets just be practical - if you're going to commit to someone, why should you? Why should what they tell you be ironclad and in your best interest and not just theirs?

Before I get into this, let me say that I don't know everyone's upline and maybe your upline is hoping that you are their financial link and not the other way around. If your upline is trying to keep you from going 4000pv because they aren't 6000's yet and they're afraid of losing that 3% bonus from your volume, I would hope you at least consider finding your next highest GROWING upline and getting their help. I believe that the Quixtar guidelines have some wording about the necessity of integrity from your sponsor and upline. At the same time, I hope that you are wise enough to understand that the opportunity is good enough that even if you're having trouble getting help, you can still get the job done. Let me also say that I am not a math guru or a financial specialist, so I may forget to carry the two, but I'll double check my math to be sure.

What's the concept? Create a consistent 7500pv producing pipeline of business and teach others that want to create a consistent 7500pv business to do the same, right? The intention is to create a win-win situation for you and your sponsor because you will make between $2-3K/month according to the plan and your upline will get a 4% cut of your volume, paid by the corporation, for helping you. "But isn't 22 a bigger number than 4? If my sponsor is already at 25% and I'm just at 3%, doesn't the percentage difference drop if my business grows?" Here's a bare-bones example: you're at 25% return on your purchases and your downline is at 3%. You do get a 22% cut off of that business, but it's 22% of approximately $250 - which is a whopping $55.

You're at 25% return, your sponsored IBO is at:
3%(100pv) Your return is 22% of approx. $250 = $55
6%(300pv) Your return is 19% of approx. $750 = $142.50
9%(600pv) Your return is 16% of apporx. $1500 = $240
12%(1000pv) Your return is 13% of approx. $2500 = $325
15%(1500pv) Your return is 10% of approx. $3750 = $375
18%(2500pv) Your return is 7% of approx. $6250 = $437.50
21%(4000pv) Your return is 4% of approx. $10,000 = $400
23%(6000pv) Your return is 2% of approx. $15,000 = $300

The next step is achieving the 25% level in which the corporation will then pay you a 4% check on the sponsored groups volume. If the group did 7500 points on the nose at the $2.50/pv approximation, your 4% check is about $750. So the 4% check you would be paid for helping someone else reach the 7500 point level is better than any of the checks along the way. Note to remember: if you haven't created at least 2,500 pv outside of that group, don't go looking for the 4% check. In other words, there's no welfare here. You'll need to help more than just one person. That should be a positive.

With that break down explained, why on Earth would you do anything to "trick" someone in your group? Why would you lie to them about anything? Why would you ask someone to do something today that will only come back to haunt you? If you lie to someone who is at 600pv in your group and they find out about it, why would or should they trust you enough to follow your instruction about anything? Why would you give your downline any advice that would put them in a financial position to not be able to handle the basics of the business?

Retention is a humongous goal in this business and we talk about it all the time. Open meeting leaders are concerned about who is staying for training and who is back for second looks. The goal is to not have to continually sponsor in width ("revolving door business.") If you help peoople get started and you're dishonest, cheat them or give them horrendous financial advice, and they stuck at 1000pv forever, they aren't going to stay in. That's why your upline's goal is to give you the advice that is in the best interest of your long term success.

So How Much Does It Really Cost?

2006-01-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

I know that there are some prospective IBO's that will find this blog someday, and there are probably some current IBO's that don't know how much it really costs them and finally, there are some "former" IBO's that stopped building the business because they thought the investment into building a business was to great for the return. Well, I'm just going to break it down so that we're all together on this.

First is the issue of getting started properly. To me, a proper start is registering with Quixtar (about $50,) getting the publications (about $20,) getting on CommuniKate (about $31) and placing your first order (varies.) If your team provides any type of educational starter pack (CD's, list builders, books,) I would suggest getting that also (probably between $45 and $75.) Why would you want to start behind the eight ball? The typical start-up cost, not counting placing your first order will run somewhere between $100 to $175 depending on whether there is an educational starter pack purchased or not. Look at the cost to start any other business on the planet. What would it cost to even build your own website with sales and tracking capabilities? This opportunity gives you access to create income right off the bat. I have had IBO's create the Member/Client volume in their first two weeks to reimburse themselves for the investment they made to get started plus extra. Registering with Quixtar is an annual cost and CommuniKate is monthly. I'll save why CommuniKate is so vital for another day, but it ties into the post on the system that I made earlier.

Here's the breakdown of other expected first year expenses an IBO is likely to incur depending on how their education system handles functions, etc.:
Open meetings - $5 X 52 weeks = $260
Major Functions - $100 X 4 major functions = $400
Bus Charter Contribution - $100 X 4 trips = $400
Fall Leadership - $30
Team Meetings - $10 X 4 = $40
Seminar/Rallys - $10 X 2 = $20
Various Other Events (Christmas parties, spa days, etc.) - $50
Standing Order - $7.50 X 7 = $52.50/week or $2,730/year but I'll make it an even $3,000 to account for taxes, double CD's (once a month) and the book of the month
Gas is really a subjective and I say this because unless you were a total homebody before the business, you were driving somewhere on those nights that you are now using to build the business. The driving that I used to do from bar to bar and from friends house to friends house has been traded for driving to open meetings. Not everyone has to "drive the miles" right off the bat. For arguement's sake I'll add in another $30/week in gas for a total of $1,560/year.

That total is $5,760 for the entire year. Plus your start-up cost. All of which are tax deductions in some way or another. I won't count what you order because you have to buy stuff anyway. What business do you know of that you can run on less than $6,000 per year? Not $6,000 all at once. Not one lump sum here and one lump sum there. Less than $6,000 TOTAL. That's less than $500/month. If you didn't recieve one check until you went Q12, you would still be in the black as soon as the first year of Q12 income came in as long as it happened within your first 9 years. More clearly:

Q12 total income as shown in the plan = approximately $50,500
$50,500 divided by $6,000/year = 8.4

That doesn't count the fact that you will make money along the way and because you were accountable to your upline when it came to standing order, as a platinum you are probably receiving a tool break so your income is even better. Yes, I said it. A tool break.

I guess it's time to eliminate another weak internet argument. The supply side of the franchise system is one that you can profit off of and so is the education side. Again, thinking of McDonalds, you do understand that part of your $1.25 million goes to your education, right? You understand that the people teaching you at Hamburger U. aren't there pro bono, right? All the materials you use to teach and train your staff at your McDonald's are not given to you, they have to be paid for. Well, the same is true here. "Foul" some may call (and put up sites ad nauseum to complain.) "But the IBO has no end user to market to outside of the business when it comes to CD's and tapes." That's a true statement, but I don't want to buy your college calculus book either and I don't see anyone crying foul over the $150 they drop on those things. And they make it through whole semesters without even breaking the binding.

Here's the best part though: by participating in the educational side, by being on standing order and staying accountable to your upline, when you go platinum you actually qualify to receive a break on the cost you have to pay. At this point in your business, you probably have enough people in your group that you may need to hire an assistant to separate the educational material or you are at least deserving of being compensated for your time. None of my line of sponsorship has ever charged me for their help with showing a plan for me, never sent me a bill for counseling on how to run my business and never will. The least I can do is be responsible enough to want to learn some things on my own time and attempt to create a thirst for knowledge in the business owners I'm looking to work with. I'm excited about the income I'll see from tool flow and speaking engagements when the time comes. This is free enterprise, not socialism; the qualified are asked to speak. Spots are earned but they're open to anyone who wants to put in the work. That's not fru-fru, nicey-nice talk. I've heard as much in qualified meetings that I've snuck into with big pins.

Just remember - if you want this to be a hobby, it can be a very expensive one. If you are in this thing because you really need the extra income, do more than just order the CD's and books. If you read them, you will act. If you're not successful in year one, you've got a ways to go before you've proven this "thing doesn't work."

One IBO

Why Tools? aka The Reason For A "System"

2006-01-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

There's a definite philosophy that goes into showing the plan. Why things are done in the order they are, why the person seeing the plan is asked what they would do with extra income, why disintermediation is explained and why the McDonald's example is given. It seems to be that some people believe that having a philosophy and vision behind how a plan is shown is because the attempt it to attempt, trick or deceive the potential IBO into "buying in" to what the speaker is saying. All I can say to that is this: have you ever interviewed for a job? Is it off base to think that the interviewer had a reason, maybe a vision behind asking the questions they asked? Are you aware of the interview process for prospective NFL pros coming out of college? Teams are looking for athletes that will fit in with the vision they have for the organization. If you never played a Cover 2 defense in college and all Tampa plays is a cover 2, they're probably going to discuss the philosophy of the Cover 2 and ask you questions to gauge your ability to catch on or your desire to want to catch on. The process is no different when you're being shown the plan.

I tell you that to tell you this: There is a reason that Hamburger University is emphasized as an integral part of the McDonald's franchise system. Go to the business section of any bookstore and look for books on franchising. Seek out any entrepreneurial magazine with franchising information on it. The story is the same - you have to be educated on the franchise system you are getting involved in, regardless of what you've done before buying the business. If you don't want to go to Hamburger University, you don't get to own a McDonalds. Period. Now, getting involved with Quixtar will not require spending between one and four months training before you can begin your business. The training is on-going and allows you to be up-and-running on day one. However, without it, you have about as much a chance of success as buying a McDonalds and skipping Hamburger U. You'll figure some of it out, but you'll have no idea what it takes to properly run it so that it is continually successful. Besides, why would you want to figure it out all on your own? The whole point of getting involved with a franchise is the fact that all it takes is duplicating the successful techniques of those that came before you.

It can be understandable that after years of seeing business being defined as involving a brick and mortar building, employees and stocked shelves, grasping the concept that this opportunity is a legitimate business takes some personal evolvement. That is the realism of s-curve economics. The way business is done is continually changing. More and more people telecommute to work than ever before. There are more home-based business than ever before. This is a real life business people. As such, there are going to be expenses, and your education is one of them. Considering the fact that by taking advantage of the education system can make you a multimillionaire, I would call it an investment over an expense, though. College is an investment. B-school is an investment. Listening to a CD buy an Emerald or Diamond in the business is an investment. Reading from a "personal growth" book is an investment. I just assumed that unless I did what was asked of me by my sponsor, unless I followed the Eagle steps, I had only myself to blame for a lack of success. I can't count the number of times that I stuck around a night owl just a little longer, or stayed up chasing bigger pins around at a function and heard something said that made me thankful I was there. Heard something that I was able to take and implement in my own business. If I'm not there, I don't hear it and I miss out. Quixtar didn't put on that event. BWW did.

The biggest question I get asked when I show the plan is, "what do I do now?" People want to see how the business works. They want to know who is on the business team they are on. They want to know who they are getting involved with. Quixtar provides the best, easiest to use online shopping site I've ever seen. The Ditto program is outstanding and their customer service is exemplary. But they don't provide anything to answer the "wants" expressed by most new people. Yes, everyone wants to see the site, but the next question is always, "now what?" Without BWW, the Tuesday meetings don't exist. The credible upline doesn't exist. The thought process behind how to actually build this business doesn't exist.

One IBO

Blog Guidelines and Intro

2006-01-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time. As the title suggests, I am an Independent Business Owner who is affiliated with the Quixtar business opportunity and the Britt World Wide education system. Before the blog gets fired up and running too far, I have to lay down some basic guidelines and expectations so that you know what to expect when you come here. The goal of this blog is to simply share my experiences, growth and what I am learning through this tremendous business opportunity and be another positive voice backing the business online. I will be sharing some stories, some of the advice I am given and the progress being made. In no way is this meant to be an advice column for any current IBO's. Please seek your upline for advice on how to grow your business. They have your best interests at heart. If you've found this blog and you're contemplating whether or not you want to qualify for the team, I'm biased, but hopefully you can read this and feel safe knowing that the Quixtar/BWW opportunity is business ownership/mentorship and should be treated with the appropriate respect.

First and foremost, I am not here to pander for prospects, future business owners, or whatever term you want to use, be they strangers, friends or family. In an effort to avoid any controversy I will not be revealing my name, my line of sponsorship or anything else that will give away my identity. I'll refer to my sponsor as "SP," my upline (his sponsor) as "UP" and my mentor as "MR." My sponsor is a Silver in the business, my upline is a platinum and my mentor is a qualified Emerald. Each of them has a booming, growing busines that isn't built solely on the back of their downline. They have tremendous structure and are examples of how to build this business properly. I also will not be sharing what city or state I live in. I will however say that I am currently at 1500 pv and growing. I've been in business for a little over a year and I'm married, however since I will be the sole contributor on here, expect a mixture of "I's" and "we's" from time to time.

I want to get this straight also, I am not here to debate whether this business works or not. I am in and have been around long enough to know that it is as real as any other business out there. If you have attempted to build this business and quit, I wish you the best with whatever it is you're doing with your life, however my blog is not the place for you to come and trash me, the business, or anyone who is here with good intentions. I will not necessarily delete any negative posts because I think honest discussion is good, but I do reserve the right to delete anything that in my best opinion, goes to far. If that's too vague for you, start your own blog or go post with the other complainers somewhere else. This business equals an opportunity. There is nothing that the people that have succeeded before me have that I do not or cannot learn. I also don't compare my path to success to anyone elses. Some forthcoming posts will attempt to delineate the reasoning behind this thought process.

I think that's it. I may add some more additional "blog guidelines" as I go, but for now, I think that covers it. I just love what I'm involved in, as well as the people I'm involved with and since I do spend downtime at the j.o.b., I don't see too much issue with sharing. The blog may not go on forever, but I am building this business to Crown Ambassador, and hope that you come along every step of the way. When I break a new pin, either personally or in depth, you'll know about it. When I speak from a stage, you'll know about it. When my wife and I retire, you'll know about it. Enjoy the ride and I wish you the best with your businesses.

One IBO