Truth in advertising is one of the most important rules in business. It’s what drives the ridiculously long disclaimers in automotive advertising and the list of discouraging side effects when the pharmaceutical companies hock their latest medical miracles. I don’t know about you, but every time I hear the side effects of some of these meds, I wonder if the ailment isn’t better than the cure.
So, I enter my favorite fast food restaurant and order that perfect cheeseburger pictured so deliciously over the counter. I take my treasure to the table and unwrap my sandwich to find a squashed bun, most of the melted cheese sticking to the wrapper, catsup all over the place and a pickle stuck to the underside.
A lifestyle of the rich and famous is a common image projected by many network marketing leaders. It is extolled in video presentations. It is acted out at “major events” held in exotic resorts. It is seductive…a heady experience. We attend in droves, in hopes of an epiphany on the road to riches. We listen to the dream, with hopes the dream now includes us.
These sessions do inspire and encourage…but, if what follows is financial and relationship stress arising out of unreasonable business expectations and overextended expenditures, the inspiration backfires. A promise of vast, easily-acquired wealth, is seductive and destructive; both for the new person, and for the leaders who are under pressure to uphold the persona.
For many people who are exploring the achievement of their dreams or goals through the Law of Attraction, one of the biggest struggles seems to arise from, “do I SET time frames” OR “do I ALLOW things to happen?”
Our traditional planning processes are quite explicit about setting a date and time for what we want to see happen, and that, we should also, set dates and times for the steps that will be milestones along the way.
BUT IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE ALL OUR DREAMS?
This “Monday” blog is written to honor what we believe are enlightened organizations and communities, and is normally posted on Monday, but our Monday posting has been delayed in hopes of results on a great story coming out of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Unfortunately, the City Council will not vote until tonight on a resolution that will determine what you, if you live in Vancouver, can have clucking in your back yard. So I felt I could be late no longer. Lets talk about it and on Wednesday, I will give you the results of their vote.
IN A NATION OF FOOD BANKS – WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO GET IT…
IS THE WORD -VALUES-AN OXYMORON IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY?
VANCITY IS PROOF POSITIVE -IT IS NOT
VanCity, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is in its sixth decade of operation, offering a form of social and spiritual capitalism that proves doing business in alignment with high values and integrity can also be profitable.
This unique blend of more than-a-credit-union and more than-a-bank, is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the tornadeo of devastation wrecked by banking institutions whose operating philosophies are more of a testament to the capitalistic prophecies born out of the ancient Greek myth of Erisychthon.
This most be the oldest “Pick Up” line in the network marketing book. It is the subject today of our 7th post in a 10 part series on network marketing No-No’s. This list of behaviours that I wish network marketers would immediately stop using, grew out of a post I wrote titled, People Don’t Dislike Network Marketing, They Dislike Network Marketers.”
That seemingly constant, gusting wind I cursed when I lived in Grande Prairie, Alberta, had a different look and feel for Drennen and Jamie Hallett. It was the whiff of opportunity.
The Hallett’s, owners of Golden Sheep Power, officially opened their doors for business in Grande Prairie on February 1, 2009. They will be the first company in Alberta to offer home-owners a chance to get off the grid by using home-based wind turbines and solar panels.
A NEW WIND IS BLOWING
Their timing could not be better. The provincial government just passed regulations to allow for micro-generation in Alberta. And the City of Grande Prairie, a city that has seen explosive growth in the past 5 years due to oil and gas exploration, has shown its openness to explore other sources of energy by allowing the Halletts to set up a pilot project to demonstrate and test the home-based units.
THE COMP PLAN IS SO GOOD – I CAN’T LEAVE IT WITH YOU!
Today I want to talk about network marketing pay plans, what works, what does not, what is legal, what is not; and how you can save yourself a lot of grief by telling the difference.
This is the 6th post in a series of articles on behaviours in network marketing I think need to stop immediately for the industry to attain the level of professionalism it deserves. This series of articles began with a post titled “People Don’t Dislike Network Marketing, They Dislike Network Marketers.”
Baby boomers are quaking over the 30 – 50% erosion of their retirements funds, while the biggest threat facing the status of their long-term financial well-being may be closer to home, and within their control.
The winning secret of hockey’s all-time great, Wayne Gretsky, has been much quoted and has relevance in being on top of your financial-future game. Gretsky said the key to his success was simply, “I don’t go to where the puck is…I go to where the puck will be.”
Today we have a lot of pre-retirees, baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, now ranging in age from 45-63, anxiously looking over the shoulders of their financial planners, wondering how to recover the retirement loses they have seen in the past year.
In the debt-free province of Alberta, where the black gold that first gushed from the ground in the 1950’s, has resulted in a Heritage Trust fund worth of billions of dollars being set aside for a “rainy day” – getting anyone to think about alternative energy sources is not an easy sell. But two framers from the tiny farming community of Vegreville have risen to the challenge.
Their innovation to create Biogas from cattle manure seems a perfect fit for a province that has ranching as it second largest industry. It is also timely for a province aware of the implications of the depleting sources of non-renewable oil and gas, and the challenges of a reliance on an industry with a Boom/Bust economic cycle.
“Inventing a new technology is a pure Alberta story… a great example that building a knowledge economy can happen on the farm, not just in ivory towers” – Evan Chapko, CEO, Highmark Renewables (Edmonton Journal, 02/08/09)
Introducing Kiva.org, a Web 2.0 company focused on connecting generous contribution with the creative potential of those living in poverty. Kiva’s mission is simple: “to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.” I had the pleasure of listening to Co-Founder Jessica Flannery speak this past weekend at Jubilee in Pittsburgh. Her speech offered two valuable insights:
1) A glimpse of hope -the poor of the world have the talent and creativity to become self sustaining…all they need is a boost in the form of capital
2) Advice – on how to realize the dream of any company, Kiva’s Story has something to offer to all of us.
This is the fifth post in a series of articles that began with a post titled,“People Don’t Dislike Network Marketing,They Dislike Network Marketers” in which I sent out a plea for more professionalism in the industry, followed by 10 behaviours that we would be well-advised to stop as quickly as possible.
These 10 No-No behaviours have been the the subject of each weekly post since that first article.
Today’s rant, and 5th behaviour is the “claim of a cure”.
Some lady in Kansas had cancer and now she walks on water or (variation on the theme) my doctor does not know anything about this but it is an amazing cure.
A 15+% return on
investment – for real!
click for details
enlightened orgs: inspiration
ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS WILL BE FOUND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
Michael Kalmanovich, owner of a unique, organic food supermarket in Edmonton, Alberta, does not lack for inspired, innovative ideas to fulfill his passion to sell locally grown organic food, socially conscious products, and a free dose of education in the process. He took his first step of faith in 1991 by opening a store with $20,000 invested, $167.00 in his bank account and a huge abundance of dreams.
Earth’s General Store was opened in a small location on the fringe of the university in the capital city of the province. It is also smack dab in the heart of a ranching and oil-based economy. It was in this province that KD Lang, a home-town celebrity, riled local extremist ranchers who defaced community signs outside her home town of Consort, Alberta, after her public service announcement in which she spoke out in favor of vegetarianism.
If opening an organic food store in a business culture like that sounds like it takes guts and a leap of faith, that pales by comparison when you hear Michael’s latest dream!
Today, we are celebrating the significant acts of two groups of people who are making a difference – first, a group of Canadians doing, 1 million right things...and secondly, 2500 Australians, who peacefully stood up for their beliefs.
My usual approach to this Friday post on Consciousness, is to recognize the inspiring efforts of an individual who is committed to doing something special to make a difference on the planet. We call this person an enlightenor. They are, typically, someone who is quietly going about doing the right things, for the right reasons.
It is exciting to see groups of people coming together – one dream – one team! On Wednesday, February 4th,2009, a Canadian team reached its goal!
Am I the only person who wants to run when a network marketer starts their presentation by telling me, “this product, service, or whatever has been developed, endorsed by, and is recommended by…(drum roll)… a DOCTOR in our business?”
IT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IT IS SO CLICHE!
It doesn’t matter whether it is true or not, the point is, this “endorsement” has been so overused it no longer has impact, at least not with “thinking people“…and surely, it is thinking, honest people, you want to have participate in promoting and building a business in your company.
As difficult as it may be to grasp, solutions to business and personal issues will come from places you least expect…when you are in the right mindset.
In our current global economic reality, things can seem overwhelming. Are there really any new ways to resolve seemingly complex issues?
“How will I keep my company afloat when it seems the problems are of such a magnitude that I cannot even relate to them.”
“How will I keep my job when the solutions seem to be so out of my control?”
I discovered our Enlightened Corporation for this week while watching a segment of the Oprah show in which she interviewed young, self-made millionaires.
Tony Hsieh,CEO of Zappos.com, was one of the guests. He is a great inspiration, a model CEO of a model corporation, for our Enlightened Orgs directory.
His business achievements are certainly significant for such a young man. While still in his twenties, Hsieh (SHAY), a computer undergraduate from Harvard, co-founded an internet advertising agency called LinkExchange, which was sold to Microsoft for $265 million in 1998. But it was actually his business philosophy or mindset, that really caught my attention.
“I AM NOT NECESSARILY PASSIONATE ABOUT SHOES…WHAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IS…
Will we sleep better knowing we have made a few million dollars on a “paper” or “security” that is not tied to something tangible and could collapse at any minute? … or will we leave this world pleased we have restored the planet to the beauty and abundance it once held for all?
We had the Slow Food industry, as a backlash to unhealthy eating, now Woody Tasch has initiated his Slow Money movement to offset the lust for speedy profits, at any cost. Tasch is our honored CEO of Enlightened Orgs for the work he is doing to bring sensibility to a world made giddy by financial greed.
THE MOST POWERFUL SOLUTIONS ARE OFTEN THE SIMPLEST…
music & arts: understand what you are working with
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING THESE DAYS?
When you go to a concert whether it be jazz, acoustic, rock n roll, orchestral, Broadway, or whatever strikes your sonic fancy, what do you hear?
Do you hear the actual voices and instruments being played on stage? Think about it… In the instances of true musicians (no lip-syncers here), of course they are playing actual instruments and singing with natural voices. However it is up to the sound engineer(s) mixing the performance to make the musicians sound as good as possible.
Entries
Ending the culture of financial PRETENSE
It will happen by …when???
When Health Erodes Wealth
“Inventing a new technology is a pure Alberta story… a great example that building a knowledge economy can happen on the farm, not just in ivory towers” – Evan Chapko, CEO, Highmark Renewables (Edmonton Journal, 02/08/09) 
Are you sure the doctor recommended this?
Jasper, Alberta
Honest, open communication is best
