The month of May continued to fall short of my goal of $30,000. May was wrapped up with a total of $19,905. That was the profit after the wholesale amount of the travel packages was subtracted from my gross total. That brings me to a total of $63,610 after cost of goods for the year. That means I have $186,390 to go in order to reach my annual goal of $250,000 after cost of goods.
This month Ed from Florida started his Coastal business at the Platinum level. Ed, owned his own construction business but was tired and wanted to do something different for a change. Originally wanting to get started at the Premiere level, Ed shared with his wife the Coastal business model who gave her blessing for him to come in at the Platinum level. Ed has a calculated seriousness about him that will serve him well in this business. I fully expect to see him attend a First Steps to Success with Dani Johnson very soon because we will quickly realize the quickest way to success is to increase your skill. I have no doubt he will work his business diligently and consistently and that will lead to success!
Earl from Texas also started his Coastal business at the Premiere level. Earl, works at Home Depot and is determined to get out of there. He has made it clear that he understands the importance of continued education in yourself and your business, that along with his clear expectations of himself will lead him to accomplish his goals.
As previously mentioned Bob from Washington upgraded this month from the Premiere level to the Platinum level. Bob, has clear focus and truly cares about his clients. Bob works with a spirit of diligence and persistence that is what lead to his release at Level II and with out a doubt that will lead to him being a released director at Level III as well.
Creating a Dynasty took place this past weekend. We had 4 team members there including myself. Jamie from Arkansas, Jen from Pennsylvania, and Stacie from North Dakota. These ladies are with out question emerging into leadership roles on this team. They have made it a priority to invest in themselves and their business by attending a seminar with industry wide leaders who are striving to grow their skills. I truly saw these amazing women change before my eyes this weekend.
I am blessed to call myself a part of a team of such amazing people. Individuals who will stop at nothing to improve the lives of themselves and their families. People who take a step forward to start a home business but then take another step to succeed with it. God bless us all so that we may continue to bless others!
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Currently Uninsured
What a bunch of BS. When moving I contacted Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina which I had some fantastic health coverage with. Basically I had an 80/20 plan with a $250 deductible, my premium was only $120 a month. Prior to moving to Michigan, I contacted BCBS of NC and they were suppose to send some paperwork to BCBS of MI for a transfer of healthplan. The purpose is that I would maintain health coverage, although at a higher rate in Michigan, without interruption during my move.
A couple of months of moving to Michigan I still had not heard from BCBS of MI so I called them and they had yet to receive the paper work from North Carolina. When I called North Carolina they said to give BCBS of MI a little more time. The next thing I know is I get a letter from BCBS of NC stating that my health coverage has ended. I call both entities back and this is the story, BCBS of NC sent the paperwork and has no idea why BCBS of MI does not have it. BCBS of MI confirms they have no paper work on me but proceeds to tell me that they would have gave me their worst medical plan anyway since it was from a transfer and I would be better off to just reapply. Well that is lovely, they could have told me that a couple of months ago so I would have been uninsured at this time.
Everything happens for a reason and my brother Stacy has been learning about and seeking a Health Savings Account since he has left the Air Force. Now, I am looking for a good Health Savings Account as well. Health Savings accounts are amazing. To sum it up, with a HSA you can save money on premiums by paying a lower premium and by spending less money on health coverage. Also you can set money aside just like in an IRA that is 100% tax deductible and grows with interest tax free as well. You are able to use this tax free money to cover any medical expense that would not go toward your deductible such as vitamins, alternative medicine, and soon this may even include gym memberships. Stay tuned as I will discuss this further in later posts.
A couple of months of moving to Michigan I still had not heard from BCBS of MI so I called them and they had yet to receive the paper work from North Carolina. When I called North Carolina they said to give BCBS of MI a little more time. The next thing I know is I get a letter from BCBS of NC stating that my health coverage has ended. I call both entities back and this is the story, BCBS of NC sent the paperwork and has no idea why BCBS of MI does not have it. BCBS of MI confirms they have no paper work on me but proceeds to tell me that they would have gave me their worst medical plan anyway since it was from a transfer and I would be better off to just reapply. Well that is lovely, they could have told me that a couple of months ago so I would have been uninsured at this time.
Everything happens for a reason and my brother Stacy has been learning about and seeking a Health Savings Account since he has left the Air Force. Now, I am looking for a good Health Savings Account as well. Health Savings accounts are amazing. To sum it up, with a HSA you can save money on premiums by paying a lower premium and by spending less money on health coverage. Also you can set money aside just like in an IRA that is 100% tax deductible and grows with interest tax free as well. You are able to use this tax free money to cover any medical expense that would not go toward your deductible such as vitamins, alternative medicine, and soon this may even include gym memberships. Stay tuned as I will discuss this further in later posts.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
New Arrival in the Family
Sorry for not posting this yesterday but, I was in bed not feeling too well. I am doing much better today. I received a phone call from my Mom and then my brother letting me know that my new nephew Edgar Michael was born happy and healthy. All 8lbs. 9oz and 21 inches came into this world yesterday morning. I feel incredibly excited knowing that I played a small part in allowing my brother to be there at the birth of their second child. Stacy didn't have to worry about asking time off from a boss, or finding anyone to fill in for him. He just quite simply took off and went to the hospital when it was time.
He had that freedom because he owns his own homebased business.
He had that freedom because he owns his own homebased business.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
My Poker Income
"Whoever is happy will make others happy too. He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery." -Anne Frank
Ok so the title is a little misleading. I don't really have a poker income but I do have a goal of creating a fun part time income out of my poker play. I started with about $100 at my favorite online casino. I got down to about $13 and decided I needed to be serious about this game. So I moved from the $1/$2 limit table to a $.10/$.20 limit table. Since then I have been doing much better. Now I have been playing poker online for about 3 years often just losing money. I have been reading some books on poker trying to learn the best strategy for the game just like I have with most casino games that I play. However, poker is a lot different there is not set way to play poker all the time. You are not just playing against the math, you opponent is one who is logical and capable of changing his play just as you are. The good news is since you are not just playing against the mathematical calculation that says in the long run you always lose, you can be a long term winner in the game of poker.
All in all I see poker as a fun hobby that can be profitable at the same time. I don't expect to win the World Poker Tour or nothing but I look to win money playing poker in my spare time and around my business. I will continue to play at the $.10/$.20 level until my bankroll reaches $150 then I will move up to the $.25/$.50 limit tables. Everything I read says that you should have a bankroll that is 300 times larger than the BB at the table. BB standing for Big Bet so $150 would be 300 times the Big Bet at a $.25/$.50 table. Currently my bankroll is at $43.00 but I will keep you posted on my poker exploits.
Ok so the title is a little misleading. I don't really have a poker income but I do have a goal of creating a fun part time income out of my poker play. I started with about $100 at my favorite online casino. I got down to about $13 and decided I needed to be serious about this game. So I moved from the $1/$2 limit table to a $.10/$.20 limit table. Since then I have been doing much better. Now I have been playing poker online for about 3 years often just losing money. I have been reading some books on poker trying to learn the best strategy for the game just like I have with most casino games that I play. However, poker is a lot different there is not set way to play poker all the time. You are not just playing against the math, you opponent is one who is logical and capable of changing his play just as you are. The good news is since you are not just playing against the mathematical calculation that says in the long run you always lose, you can be a long term winner in the game of poker.
All in all I see poker as a fun hobby that can be profitable at the same time. I don't expect to win the World Poker Tour or nothing but I look to win money playing poker in my spare time and around my business. I will continue to play at the $.10/$.20 level until my bankroll reaches $150 then I will move up to the $.25/$.50 limit tables. Everything I read says that you should have a bankroll that is 300 times larger than the BB at the table. BB standing for Big Bet so $150 would be 300 times the Big Bet at a $.25/$.50 table. Currently my bankroll is at $43.00 but I will keep you posted on my poker exploits.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Are you willing to persevere?
"If at first you don't succeed, you're running about average." M.H. Alderson
A friend of mine Shawn Scheppele, recently shared this with me. I wanted to post this here on my blog because I feel that anyone can apply the principles demonstrated here to reach success in their lives. Thanks Shawn, I found great encouragement in this and I am sure others will too.
He Failed in Business in '31.
He was Defeated for State Legislator in '32
He tried another business in '33. It Failed.
His Fiancée died in '35
He had a nervous breakdown in '36
In '43 he ran for Congress and was defeated.
He tried again in '48 and was defeated again.
He tried running for the senate in '55. He Lost.
The next year he ran for Vice President and Lost.
In '59 he ran for the senate again and was defeated.
In 1860, the man who signed his name A. Lincoln,
Was elected the 16th President of the United States.
The difference between history's boldest accomplishments,
And its most staggering failures is often, simply,
The diligent will to persevere.
My question for you is are you willing to persevere for your goals? Or are you too afraid of failure to ever succeed?
A friend of mine Shawn Scheppele, recently shared this with me. I wanted to post this here on my blog because I feel that anyone can apply the principles demonstrated here to reach success in their lives. Thanks Shawn, I found great encouragement in this and I am sure others will too.
He Failed in Business in '31.
He was Defeated for State Legislator in '32
He tried another business in '33. It Failed.
His Fiancée died in '35
He had a nervous breakdown in '36
In '43 he ran for Congress and was defeated.
He tried again in '48 and was defeated again.
He tried running for the senate in '55. He Lost.
The next year he ran for Vice President and Lost.
In '59 he ran for the senate again and was defeated.
In 1860, the man who signed his name A. Lincoln,
Was elected the 16th President of the United States.
The difference between history's boldest accomplishments,
And its most staggering failures is often, simply,
The diligent will to persevere.
My question for you is are you willing to persevere for your goals? Or are you too afraid of failure to ever succeed?
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Donation made to www.city-ministries.com
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, 'How do we rob You?' In tithes and offerings Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." -- Malachi 3:8-10 NIV
Several weeks ago the Lord laid it on my heart to tithe to an organization called City Ministries. This organization was started by a minister named Bob Johnson and his family. This is a ministry which goes out to the streets reaching the homeless and even prostitutes by giving away hot meals, offering prayer, and having Sunday School and worship services in the streets and of course making that available to the homeless. Many churches and organizations talk about helping the homeless and less fortunate, this is one ministry that literally goes down to the street level and does just that.
Some Christiansins have a real problem making money or being prosperous I will never understand that. If Christiansins we believe God will bless us, why do we often have trouble understanding that God can and will bless us financially? Christiansins, if we prosper financially then at the very least we will tithe to God's work. If non-believers earn money, many of them will spend money on things that will not benefit the kingdom of God. It obviously goes to reason who would God rather see prosper over his people?
Several weeks ago the Lord laid it on my heart to tithe to an organization called City Ministries. This organization was started by a minister named Bob Johnson and his family. This is a ministry which goes out to the streets reaching the homeless and even prostitutes by giving away hot meals, offering prayer, and having Sunday School and worship services in the streets and of course making that available to the homeless. Many churches and organizations talk about helping the homeless and less fortunate, this is one ministry that literally goes down to the street level and does just that.
Some Christiansins have a real problem making money or being prosperous I will never understand that. If Christiansins we believe God will bless us, why do we often have trouble understanding that God can and will bless us financially? Christiansins, if we prosper financially then at the very least we will tithe to God's work. If non-believers earn money, many of them will spend money on things that will not benefit the kingdom of God. It obviously goes to reason who would God rather see prosper over his people?
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Business, Investing, Gambling, and Their Risk
"Warriors take chances. Like everyone else, they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them." Ancient Samurai saying
Three really strong interest that I have are Business, Gambling, and Investing. Three unique playing fields but they all have the same goal, to increase income. Business, is the most controllable followed by Investing and then Gambling. I find it interesting how many people use these three words interchangeably. Most people will always tell you that starting a business is a gamble thus you are gambling. Investing is risky therefore you are gambling there too. What a joke! Sure there is a level of chance that occurs in investing and business however, both can be won or earn a positive income consistently over time therefore it is not a gamble. In the following paragraphs I set the record straight regarding risk when it comes to business, investing, and gambling.
Business requires skill and building a business can be an art. As with walking across the street business can be associated with risk however, that risk is extremely controllable and can be minimized by knowledge and skill. Obviously, walking across an urban highway can be very risky and that risk can be minimal if walking across a highway in a rural town. Just like we can decide what risk we take on by deciding what type of road we want to cross on foot, we can also control risk in business by deciding what business we want to take on and in what industry. We can minimize risk and increase success by increasing our skill in building businesses. Some people with an employee mentality will feel that they have minimized their risk my not starting a business and instead they will get a job.
In actuality all they have done is put the risk in someone else's hands. They leave the risk of the business they work for in the hands of the business owner they are working for. However, they also leave the risk of their primary earned income in someone else's hands also. In this situation the employee risks losing their job, due to downsizing, bankruptcy, or any other negative consequence that could occur in business. To the employee who has a family, average household debt, other financial obligations and dependents the consequences of losing a job can be catastrophic. I find it more risky to leave my financial future in the hands of someone else versus taking control of it by starting and building my own business. Therefore, I strive to be a successful business owner and not an employee.
Investing once again does involve risk but, that risk can be minimized and sometimes eliminated by understanding your investments. Since you are normally investing in a business of another person there is still some risk associated with your investments because they are less controllable. In other words you are investing in someone else's skill of running a business and not your own. Actually this type of risk is in some ways is similar to the risk taken on by an employee. Investing can be less risky than employment for several reasons. First, if you have done your research then you have a solid understanding of your investments, the business model they are based on, and the future before them. These are all things that most employees do not research before taking on a job with a company. Also most people don't earn their primary income from one investment but the vast majority of employees do earn their primary income from their job. Investors can actually take on less risk than most employees by understanding the businesses behind their investments.
Gambling is sheer luck and therefore is the riskiest of all of my interest according to most people. However, I submit to you that even this is not completely correct. Now I will agree that gambling is definitely the riskiest but it is not all sheer luck. Gambling is a game of mathematics and understanding the mathematics behind your gambling game of choice will help you to succeed more often or at least make your bankroll last as long as possible. With the exception of Poker there are no legit professional gamblers that last very long as professionals. Poker is different because it is not a game of sheer mathematics and chance; a very large element in poker is the skill of the other players at your table. Most people are truly ignorant when it comes to gambling I often go to the casino watching people gleefully play games with a tremendous amount of odds against them and they have no idea. Just a quick about two casino controlled games that can most often be beat in the short term are Blackjack, as long as you are using basic strategy and yes there is a strategy to that game. If you playing that game just trying to get close to 21 you will lose and usually lose fast. The other game is Craps, this game has some of the best and worst bets in the casino all on one table. As long as you know what are the good bets versus the bad bets you can sometimes play for a very long time on a Craps table with a minimal bankroll. What makes gambling so enjoyable is not the risk that is associated with it but the instant gratification that is experienced when winning.
That was just a little bit about my favorite interest of Business, Investing, and Gambling and the risk associated with each. Risk can often be controlled or minimized this is most evident in business and less so with investing. Gambling is most often the riskiest but does offer the quickest gratification at times. Risk can be minimized with gambling as long as your understand the mathematics behind the casino games or you increase your skill compared to others at the Poker table. Hopefully this article help to put the concept of risk in a more proper perspective when associated with starting or building a business, choosing an investment, or walking into the casino.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Congratulations to Bob Becker
"The first requisite of success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem without growing weary." –– Thomas Edison
Bob in Washington was a Level II Director and recently decided to step and to Level III. I have a long history working with Bob and I am eager to watch his business grow. He is determined and he understand peoples and how to work with people. Bob has a strong desire see people change their lives. By stepping up to Level III Bob is setting himself up to triple his current profits. Currently Bob can profit from a Premiere membership sale giving him a profit of $3,200 once he is released as a Level III Director he will be able to profit from a Platinum membership sale giving him a profit of $9,705. Not only will he be increasing his profits but he will also be setting himself up to help more people. Those who are the most serious about starting their business often get started at the Platinum level, once he completes his qualification requirements Bob will be able to help some of the most determined people in this industry succeed. I am behind you all the way Bob and I wish you the best.
Bob in Washington was a Level II Director and recently decided to step and to Level III. I have a long history working with Bob and I am eager to watch his business grow. He is determined and he understand peoples and how to work with people. Bob has a strong desire see people change their lives. By stepping up to Level III Bob is setting himself up to triple his current profits. Currently Bob can profit from a Premiere membership sale giving him a profit of $3,200 once he is released as a Level III Director he will be able to profit from a Platinum membership sale giving him a profit of $9,705. Not only will he be increasing his profits but he will also be setting himself up to help more people. Those who are the most serious about starting their business often get started at the Platinum level, once he completes his qualification requirements Bob will be able to help some of the most determined people in this industry succeed. I am behind you all the way Bob and I wish you the best.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Back home and ready to get to work
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."- Aristotle
We returned home from Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success today. What another amazing seminar by Dani. This time Carmen and her sales manager went with me. Carmen, does not even own a home based business but she had always wanted to go to one of Dani's seminars because she could never relate to me when I talked about the techniques and strategies that I learned at these seminars. After the first half of the first day Carmen asked me, "Why in the world didn't you tell me what this was like"?
I told her I never knew how to put it into words. I asked her to tell me how I should have explained it and then she agreed it wasn't really possible to explain how effective and amazing this event is without experiencing it. This was my 5th First Steps to Success seminar and I feel it may have been more effective on me than the other seminars. I am not really sure, why? It may have had something to do with Carmen attending with me. Or maybe, it has something to do with me learning what it will take for me to break through my own glass ceiling that I am putting on myself and my business. I am excited about seeing the effects of these new strategies and techniques on my business.
As always one of my favorite parts was getting to spend time with other Coastal Wealthbuilders in person. Especially Stacy from North Dakota and Jamie from Arkansas who has only been a Level III member for 2 weeks and has already made a decision to attend Dani's advanced training seminar later in the month. This advanced training seminar which I will be attending as well is known as Creating a Dynasty. In order to attend Creating a Dynasty you must first be a graduate of First Steps to Success; this will be my first Creating a Dynasty seminar.
We returned home from Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success today. What another amazing seminar by Dani. This time Carmen and her sales manager went with me. Carmen, does not even own a home based business but she had always wanted to go to one of Dani's seminars because she could never relate to me when I talked about the techniques and strategies that I learned at these seminars. After the first half of the first day Carmen asked me, "Why in the world didn't you tell me what this was like"?
I told her I never knew how to put it into words. I asked her to tell me how I should have explained it and then she agreed it wasn't really possible to explain how effective and amazing this event is without experiencing it. This was my 5th First Steps to Success seminar and I feel it may have been more effective on me than the other seminars. I am not really sure, why? It may have had something to do with Carmen attending with me. Or maybe, it has something to do with me learning what it will take for me to break through my own glass ceiling that I am putting on myself and my business. I am excited about seeing the effects of these new strategies and techniques on my business.
As always one of my favorite parts was getting to spend time with other Coastal Wealthbuilders in person. Especially Stacy from North Dakota and Jamie from Arkansas who has only been a Level III member for 2 weeks and has already made a decision to attend Dani's advanced training seminar later in the month. This advanced training seminar which I will be attending as well is known as Creating a Dynasty. In order to attend Creating a Dynasty you must first be a graduate of First Steps to Success; this will be my first Creating a Dynasty seminar.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Dani Johnson, here we come...
"I will equip you to succeed if you let me" Dani Johnson
Just before I go to bed I figured I would make a quick post. In the morning, I will be going to Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success this weekend. I think this is my 5th First Steps to Success seminar. I continue to attend Dani Johnson's seminar because I truly feel she is probably the most successful and viable home based business coach in the industry. Her track record literally speaks for itself. Even going into my 5th seminar I still feel like I am growing and learning as I come out of each seminar. It helps that Dani often has a different emphasis in each seminar so they can all be very different depending on what part of operating a home based business she emphasizes on. Dani, determines what to cover in her seminars by taking questions when you purchase your ticket. From those questions she is able to place emphasis where the majority of the questions come from.
People still don't quite understand the need in attending "First Steps to Success" multiple times. The only way I can explain it is this. Studies show that we only retain about 5% of what we hear. So for example if you were going to have surgery would you want a surgeon who only retained 5% of what he heard in school or do you want one who dug down deep and learned all he/she could about being a surgeon before they cut on you? Of course, you would want the one that learned all they could through indepth study.
In the home based business industry "First Steps to Success" is like a university education equivalent. However, anyone can go and listen to the lesson once but those who are most successful will probably attend multiple times, dig down and really study the lessons they are taught. I also view myself similar to that surgeon, I feel that I should be as prepared as possible so that I am able to serve my clients as best I can. This will help me to be as successful as possible, in turn I can teach clients the same.
The differences between the surgeon that I mentioned and myself are that I am able to earn a larger income than he/she is, I don't have to pay nearly as much for my education, my education doesn't take as long as his, and I will likely be able to retire before the average surgeon hits their prime. Of course Dani's seminars are a pivotal part for those who are ultra successful in this industry.
Just before I go to bed I figured I would make a quick post. In the morning, I will be going to Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success this weekend. I think this is my 5th First Steps to Success seminar. I continue to attend Dani Johnson's seminar because I truly feel she is probably the most successful and viable home based business coach in the industry. Her track record literally speaks for itself. Even going into my 5th seminar I still feel like I am growing and learning as I come out of each seminar. It helps that Dani often has a different emphasis in each seminar so they can all be very different depending on what part of operating a home based business she emphasizes on. Dani, determines what to cover in her seminars by taking questions when you purchase your ticket. From those questions she is able to place emphasis where the majority of the questions come from.
People still don't quite understand the need in attending "First Steps to Success" multiple times. The only way I can explain it is this. Studies show that we only retain about 5% of what we hear. So for example if you were going to have surgery would you want a surgeon who only retained 5% of what he heard in school or do you want one who dug down deep and learned all he/she could about being a surgeon before they cut on you? Of course, you would want the one that learned all they could through indepth study.
In the home based business industry "First Steps to Success" is like a university education equivalent. However, anyone can go and listen to the lesson once but those who are most successful will probably attend multiple times, dig down and really study the lessons they are taught. I also view myself similar to that surgeon, I feel that I should be as prepared as possible so that I am able to serve my clients as best I can. This will help me to be as successful as possible, in turn I can teach clients the same.
The differences between the surgeon that I mentioned and myself are that I am able to earn a larger income than he/she is, I don't have to pay nearly as much for my education, my education doesn't take as long as his, and I will likely be able to retire before the average surgeon hits their prime. Of course Dani's seminars are a pivotal part for those who are ultra successful in this industry.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Month in Review
"Goals in writting are dreams with deadlines". Brian Tracy
What a month it has been. I have been doing plenty of thinking and reflecting on myself and my goals. There is so much that I think about and so little time to write about it. I continue to vow to put more of my thoughts and ideas down on this blog so that you can see what goes on in my mind first hand.
My goal for April was $30,000 profit, unfortunately I did not hit that. I only earned $9,705, that means that I am still behind for my annual goal of $250,000 profit. As of the end of April this year I have earned $43,705. That means over the next 8 months I will have to earn $206,295 to reach my goal for the year. Of course due to the number of level III members that are coming on to my team and quickly becoming "First Steps to Success" graduates and many will be Dynasty qualified by the end of May, I expect to see continued growth and increased momentum. I completely expect it will be possible earn as much as $50,000 in one month before the end of the year.
In order to reach my goal by the end of December I will have to average a monthly income slightly higher than $25,000 a month. With my increased advertising from last month and as I continue that into this month I expect to see a considerably higher monthly income within the next 30 to 60 days. Therefore, I will maintain my monthly goal at $30,000 going into May. It seems that by the end of this week I may very well already have about $10,000 for the month but I will keep you posted on that.
A big congratulations goes out to Jamie from Arkansas who started her Coastal business in April. When she first looked at Coastal she considered getting started at the Premiere level, however, after doing all of her research she felt that the best business decision for someone who was serious about earning as much as possible would be to get started at the Platinum level. Jamie, will be no doubt be successful as long as she consistently returns clients request within her business. Jamie owned a dog kennel business with her husband Josh; they both decided they wanted something that could allow them to earn more money but was not as time intensive. They have since sold their dog kennel and their dogs to get started with Coastal. Jamie, has a strong telephone posture that will serve her well. She seems to be the type of person that is decisive and capable of accomplishing anything she puts her mind to. With her husband's support I am certain they will be extremely successful.
What a month it has been. I have been doing plenty of thinking and reflecting on myself and my goals. There is so much that I think about and so little time to write about it. I continue to vow to put more of my thoughts and ideas down on this blog so that you can see what goes on in my mind first hand.
My goal for April was $30,000 profit, unfortunately I did not hit that. I only earned $9,705, that means that I am still behind for my annual goal of $250,000 profit. As of the end of April this year I have earned $43,705. That means over the next 8 months I will have to earn $206,295 to reach my goal for the year. Of course due to the number of level III members that are coming on to my team and quickly becoming "First Steps to Success" graduates and many will be Dynasty qualified by the end of May, I expect to see continued growth and increased momentum. I completely expect it will be possible earn as much as $50,000 in one month before the end of the year.
In order to reach my goal by the end of December I will have to average a monthly income slightly higher than $25,000 a month. With my increased advertising from last month and as I continue that into this month I expect to see a considerably higher monthly income within the next 30 to 60 days. Therefore, I will maintain my monthly goal at $30,000 going into May. It seems that by the end of this week I may very well already have about $10,000 for the month but I will keep you posted on that.
A big congratulations goes out to Jamie from Arkansas who started her Coastal business in April. When she first looked at Coastal she considered getting started at the Premiere level, however, after doing all of her research she felt that the best business decision for someone who was serious about earning as much as possible would be to get started at the Platinum level. Jamie, will be no doubt be successful as long as she consistently returns clients request within her business. Jamie owned a dog kennel business with her husband Josh; they both decided they wanted something that could allow them to earn more money but was not as time intensive. They have since sold their dog kennel and their dogs to get started with Coastal. Jamie, has a strong telephone posture that will serve her well. She seems to be the type of person that is decisive and capable of accomplishing anything she puts her mind to. With her husband's support I am certain they will be extremely successful.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Phone call from Mom
As usual, I just returning calls to clients and my phone rang. The Caller ID showed me it was my Mom's cell phone. I answered and said, "Hi Mom, what's up".
She responded, "Not much, how are you".
"Good, just working", I said.
"Well they took Mr. Bill back to the hospital from the nursing home, he has some sort of infection but he is doing O.K. right now" ( Mr. Bill, is Donnie's daddy ). She continued, "Mrs. Virgina's sick now"
"What?"
"You know she has been staying with us some since Mr. Bill has been sick".
"Yeah", I knew that.
" Well, she fell yesterday when she was at the nursing home with Mr. Bill. She hit her head but they checked her out and she seemed fine but, she was a little nauseated. Last night she started throwing up and having diarrhea. She had lots of diarrhea, I was up with her all night. This morning before I got ready for work I woke Donnie up and told him that his mama was sick and needed to watch her. Well he called me at work and said that he was taking him mama to the doctor because she wasn't doing any better. When he got to the doctor with her, he sent her to the hospital to be admitted."
I asked, "Do they know what's wrong with her"?
"No, not yet they just started her on some IV fluids". ( Obviously she is probably dehydrated )
She continued, "Anyway, after I got off of the phone with Donnie this morning. My cell phone rang, it was Mark ( her brother ) he said that Mama was going to the hospital. She has had another mini stroke". ( This makes me nervous she has had 2 or 3 mini strokes already which increases her chances of having a fatal stroke one day).
"How is she doing", I wanted to know?
"Her face is affected some this time Jackie, and her speech is affected. It is very very difficult to understand her".
My heart sank. I grew up and my Papa and Nannie were like a second set of parents for Stacy and I. During the summer staying at their house. Nannie fixed breakfast for us every morning usually 2 eggs over easy and 2 pieces of bacon with one piece of toast. Those were the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. During the day we usually helped Nannie and Papa with some sort of garden activity which usually lead to shelling butter beans, crowder peas, or shelling pecans right up until lunch. It was during these times we usually sat and talked with Nannie. She usually talked with us like we were adults even though we were only about 7 or 8 years old. Of course often times she talked to us about her growing up and how difficult life was before electricity and indoor plumbing. These were such great stories and I still remember many of them. At lunch time we usually just had a sandwich or Nannie fixed a small Mr P's brand pizza. Now that I have grown up I think these are really crappy pizzas but because of the memories that I have of them I still like them. After lunch Nannie and Papa religiously watched "The Young and The Restless" by default, so did Stacy and I. Usually while watching TV, Nannie or Papa or both would fall asleep. Then Stacy and I would also take a nap. In the afternoons Stacy spent a lot of time playing and occupying ourselves. It was during this time we played soccer, 1 on 1 using pinetrees in their yard as goal post, or made different kinds of paper airplanes while Nannie scolded us for wasting paper. We spent time making bows and arrows, slingshots, watching or helping Nannie and Papa as they did yard work, or worked on ceramics, a hobby of theirs.
Hearing about Nannies recent stroke makes me realize that the tomb on those memories is almost sealed. It's horrible realizing that such a fond part of life has almost evaporated.
She responded, "Not much, how are you".
"Good, just working", I said.
"Well they took Mr. Bill back to the hospital from the nursing home, he has some sort of infection but he is doing O.K. right now" ( Mr. Bill, is Donnie's daddy ). She continued, "Mrs. Virgina's sick now"
"What?"
"You know she has been staying with us some since Mr. Bill has been sick".
"Yeah", I knew that.
" Well, she fell yesterday when she was at the nursing home with Mr. Bill. She hit her head but they checked her out and she seemed fine but, she was a little nauseated. Last night she started throwing up and having diarrhea. She had lots of diarrhea, I was up with her all night. This morning before I got ready for work I woke Donnie up and told him that his mama was sick and needed to watch her. Well he called me at work and said that he was taking him mama to the doctor because she wasn't doing any better. When he got to the doctor with her, he sent her to the hospital to be admitted."
I asked, "Do they know what's wrong with her"?
"No, not yet they just started her on some IV fluids". ( Obviously she is probably dehydrated )
She continued, "Anyway, after I got off of the phone with Donnie this morning. My cell phone rang, it was Mark ( her brother ) he said that Mama was going to the hospital. She has had another mini stroke". ( This makes me nervous she has had 2 or 3 mini strokes already which increases her chances of having a fatal stroke one day).
"How is she doing", I wanted to know?
"Her face is affected some this time Jackie, and her speech is affected. It is very very difficult to understand her".
My heart sank. I grew up and my Papa and Nannie were like a second set of parents for Stacy and I. During the summer staying at their house. Nannie fixed breakfast for us every morning usually 2 eggs over easy and 2 pieces of bacon with one piece of toast. Those were the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. During the day we usually helped Nannie and Papa with some sort of garden activity which usually lead to shelling butter beans, crowder peas, or shelling pecans right up until lunch. It was during these times we usually sat and talked with Nannie. She usually talked with us like we were adults even though we were only about 7 or 8 years old. Of course often times she talked to us about her growing up and how difficult life was before electricity and indoor plumbing. These were such great stories and I still remember many of them. At lunch time we usually just had a sandwich or Nannie fixed a small Mr P's brand pizza. Now that I have grown up I think these are really crappy pizzas but because of the memories that I have of them I still like them. After lunch Nannie and Papa religiously watched "The Young and The Restless" by default, so did Stacy and I. Usually while watching TV, Nannie or Papa or both would fall asleep. Then Stacy and I would also take a nap. In the afternoons Stacy spent a lot of time playing and occupying ourselves. It was during this time we played soccer, 1 on 1 using pinetrees in their yard as goal post, or made different kinds of paper airplanes while Nannie scolded us for wasting paper. We spent time making bows and arrows, slingshots, watching or helping Nannie and Papa as they did yard work, or worked on ceramics, a hobby of theirs.
Hearing about Nannies recent stroke makes me realize that the tomb on those memories is almost sealed. It's horrible realizing that such a fond part of life has almost evaporated.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
What do you do with your profits?
"Your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do!" - T. Harv Eker
What do you do with your profits?
That was a question that I recently discovered on a small business message board. Below was my response.
I don't use percentage for the most part other than 10% of what I earn is tithed or goes towards charity. 30% goes to Taxes. Then I live off of $5,000 a month $2,000 for personal expenses and $3,000 for business which includes, web hosting, advertising, and personal development/growth. Everything else goes to buying assests that will create a passive income i.e. stocks, real estate, other businesses. I currently live well below my means sometimes putting as much as $15,000 to $20,000 into investing on a monthly basis but I am dead serious to reaching a point in which I will be living 100% from passive investment income. I want to make sure that I am always able to do what I enjoy and can always provide for my family. Right now I enjoy working and thank God everyday for allowing me to work for myself. However, one day I may enjoy swimming in the Caribbean at that point that is what I will do. I say this because I see that many of my business clients build successful businesses but never learn what to do with the extra income. Most businesses owners don't ever consider how to generate income outside of their primary business; therefore they remain trapped in the JOB they own. Don't put yourself in a position to work your business because you HAVE to. Use your income to buy assests so that you will not always HAVE to work your business. Most of us entrepreneurs do this because we love to, let's be sure we keep it that away. If we want to take a break or hiatus or vacation let's make sure we put ourselves in a position where we are free to make that choice.
Just my opinion,
Jackie
* some of the language was changed to fit my blog
To expand on my specific plans for my income currently. I am working on saving 1 year's worth of expenses in a money market account. So that will be a total of $60,000 ($5,000 a month for 12 months ). Currently I am using Paypal's money market account primarily because the interest is extremely competitive (4.52% as of this writing) and they do not have any restrictions on accessing my funds. Many money market accounts have restrictions such as you can only write a check from your account 3 times a year and it has to be for more than $500. Paypal's money market account doesn't have any restrictions such as that. In fact with Paypal you can get a debit card and get access to your funds whenever you want.
After one year of expenses are saved at that point. I will let my money market account just continue to grow. I will then have the security of knowing that if for any reason I am taken away from my business and can't work or am unable to work that; I have at least one year's worth of expenses I can live on. I will then use all other income above and beyond my budgeted expense to invest in more lucrative assests such as common stocks and real estate. My brother, Stacy, is far more knowledgeable about real estate investing than I am while I know more about the stock market. He has no interest in the stock market and he has a laser focus on real estate investments.
As I invest in stocks I will have a specific focus on the types of stocks I am looking for. I will not make trades often, I will have a set criteria for the investments I will be looking for. I will look for small cap. Companies with minimal debt, large amount of positive cash flow, positive earnings that are increasing at a higher rate of return than long term treasury notes, solid management track record, companies that are growing to become industry leaders, and with a stock priced at 15 percent discount to it's intrinsic value. All of my stock purchases will be made with expectation of holding on to my investments for several years to come. If that was a bit difficult for you to follow, just subscribe to my blog and you will learn more as you follow my actions.
I have a weakness when it comes to understanding real estate investing, I have a lot more to learn about real estate. I am hoping my brother guides me to the right places so I can learn as much as possible in the shortest amount of time, this will help cut down my learning curve. Real Estate, offers some of the best investing opportunities when trying to invest for income. That is what I really like about the idea of investing in Real Estate especially when considering rental income. In my opinion rental income is superior to stock investing when investing for the purpose of income. However, the advantages to long term stock investing are huge. First, you are able to grow your income completely tax deferred until you sell your investment; after all you don't pay capital gains until you sell and realize a profit. Long term stock investing can be one of the very best ways to take advantage of compounding as long as your investments continue to grow at a rate that is beating long term treasury bonds.
If you have any questions about this post feel free to ask. If I don't know the answer I will definitely look it up, your questions will just help me learn.
What do you do with your profits?
That was a question that I recently discovered on a small business message board. Below was my response.
I don't use percentage for the most part other than 10% of what I earn is tithed or goes towards charity. 30% goes to Taxes. Then I live off of $5,000 a month $2,000 for personal expenses and $3,000 for business which includes, web hosting, advertising, and personal development/growth. Everything else goes to buying assests that will create a passive income i.e. stocks, real estate, other businesses. I currently live well below my means sometimes putting as much as $15,000 to $20,000 into investing on a monthly basis but I am dead serious to reaching a point in which I will be living 100% from passive investment income. I want to make sure that I am always able to do what I enjoy and can always provide for my family. Right now I enjoy working and thank God everyday for allowing me to work for myself. However, one day I may enjoy swimming in the Caribbean at that point that is what I will do. I say this because I see that many of my business clients build successful businesses but never learn what to do with the extra income. Most businesses owners don't ever consider how to generate income outside of their primary business; therefore they remain trapped in the JOB they own. Don't put yourself in a position to work your business because you HAVE to. Use your income to buy assests so that you will not always HAVE to work your business. Most of us entrepreneurs do this because we love to, let's be sure we keep it that away. If we want to take a break or hiatus or vacation let's make sure we put ourselves in a position where we are free to make that choice.
Just my opinion,
Jackie
* some of the language was changed to fit my blog
To expand on my specific plans for my income currently. I am working on saving 1 year's worth of expenses in a money market account. So that will be a total of $60,000 ($5,000 a month for 12 months ). Currently I am using Paypal's money market account primarily because the interest is extremely competitive (4.52% as of this writing) and they do not have any restrictions on accessing my funds. Many money market accounts have restrictions such as you can only write a check from your account 3 times a year and it has to be for more than $500. Paypal's money market account doesn't have any restrictions such as that. In fact with Paypal you can get a debit card and get access to your funds whenever you want.
After one year of expenses are saved at that point. I will let my money market account just continue to grow. I will then have the security of knowing that if for any reason I am taken away from my business and can't work or am unable to work that; I have at least one year's worth of expenses I can live on. I will then use all other income above and beyond my budgeted expense to invest in more lucrative assests such as common stocks and real estate. My brother, Stacy, is far more knowledgeable about real estate investing than I am while I know more about the stock market. He has no interest in the stock market and he has a laser focus on real estate investments.
As I invest in stocks I will have a specific focus on the types of stocks I am looking for. I will not make trades often, I will have a set criteria for the investments I will be looking for. I will look for small cap. Companies with minimal debt, large amount of positive cash flow, positive earnings that are increasing at a higher rate of return than long term treasury notes, solid management track record, companies that are growing to become industry leaders, and with a stock priced at 15 percent discount to it's intrinsic value. All of my stock purchases will be made with expectation of holding on to my investments for several years to come. If that was a bit difficult for you to follow, just subscribe to my blog and you will learn more as you follow my actions.
I have a weakness when it comes to understanding real estate investing, I have a lot more to learn about real estate. I am hoping my brother guides me to the right places so I can learn as much as possible in the shortest amount of time, this will help cut down my learning curve. Real Estate, offers some of the best investing opportunities when trying to invest for income. That is what I really like about the idea of investing in Real Estate especially when considering rental income. In my opinion rental income is superior to stock investing when investing for the purpose of income. However, the advantages to long term stock investing are huge. First, you are able to grow your income completely tax deferred until you sell your investment; after all you don't pay capital gains until you sell and realize a profit. Long term stock investing can be one of the very best ways to take advantage of compounding as long as your investments continue to grow at a rate that is beating long term treasury bonds.
If you have any questions about this post feel free to ask. If I don't know the answer I will definitely look it up, your questions will just help me learn.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Pistons 92 - Bucks 74
“If anything is worth trying at all, it’s worth trying at least 10 times.” Art Linkletter
There you have it. Carmen and I got back from the game at about 11:30 last night. As you can see from the title the Pistons won their first playoff game. Way to go Pistons! The game was awesome and we had really good seats on the first level. The entrepreneur in me was awful intrigued as well. I am always watching advertisers and analyzing how effective there advertising is. In The Palace, where the Pistons play, my head was spinning thinking about how much revenue was being generated right before my eyes. A vast majority of that revenue was being generated via advertising. There was subtle and not so subtle advertising everywhere. One company in particular Rock Financial owns the place I think. They bar none have the most advertising in The Palace. As we went to the game they were giving hats away that said Playoffs 2006, but on the back it said Rock Financial. There is a remote control blimp that flys around the Palace during half time, between periods and before and after the game branded with Rock Financial. Every seat at the game had inflatable Thunderstix (used to clap together and make noise) branded with Rock Financial. The lights circling the dome and on the Jumbotron seemed to flash something about Rock Financial every few minutes.
Observing all of this made me think of several things. First of all how much monthly income does a company have to generate to buy that much advertising? How profitable can the loan industry be? I wonder how effective that advertising is. I am certain Rock Financial has plenty brand recognition but I wonder how much money that brand recognition creates for them? I wonder if they even know? Ultimately, I wonder if it is even cost effective for them. If it is cost effective, I wonder why they choose to advertise in a sporting venue and if there could be a better venue for that form of advertising?
I can not even go to a basketball game without entrepreneurial thoughts constantly running through my head. It can both be a blessing and a curse. Do you ever find yourself thinking about things like this?
There you have it. Carmen and I got back from the game at about 11:30 last night. As you can see from the title the Pistons won their first playoff game. Way to go Pistons! The game was awesome and we had really good seats on the first level. The entrepreneur in me was awful intrigued as well. I am always watching advertisers and analyzing how effective there advertising is. In The Palace, where the Pistons play, my head was spinning thinking about how much revenue was being generated right before my eyes. A vast majority of that revenue was being generated via advertising. There was subtle and not so subtle advertising everywhere. One company in particular Rock Financial owns the place I think. They bar none have the most advertising in The Palace. As we went to the game they were giving hats away that said Playoffs 2006, but on the back it said Rock Financial. There is a remote control blimp that flys around the Palace during half time, between periods and before and after the game branded with Rock Financial. Every seat at the game had inflatable Thunderstix (used to clap together and make noise) branded with Rock Financial. The lights circling the dome and on the Jumbotron seemed to flash something about Rock Financial every few minutes.
Observing all of this made me think of several things. First of all how much monthly income does a company have to generate to buy that much advertising? How profitable can the loan industry be? I wonder how effective that advertising is. I am certain Rock Financial has plenty brand recognition but I wonder how much money that brand recognition creates for them? I wonder if they even know? Ultimately, I wonder if it is even cost effective for them. If it is cost effective, I wonder why they choose to advertise in a sporting venue and if there could be a better venue for that form of advertising?
I can not even go to a basketball game without entrepreneurial thoughts constantly running through my head. It can both be a blessing and a curse. Do you ever find yourself thinking about things like this?
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Just some rambling...
"Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead." Scottish Proverb
Carmen and I just came back from the movies we went and saw the movie "The Sentinel". Great movie by the way, it's about the Secret Service and possible betrayal among the ranks. I have always liked the Secret Service and at one time gave some thought to possibly joining. Of course, that was a very long time ago even before nursing school. About that same time I had even given some serious thought to possibly joining the Peace Corp. I remembered when I was in nursing school I emailed the Peace Corp about working as a nurse with them when I got out of school. I was told that I would not be able to work as a nurse because I was only graduating with an Associate's Degree. That was pretty much the end of that. I am not sure why I even had a desire to work with the Peace Corp; I think it had something to do with the fact that I new I would spend a lifetime trying to improve my personal life so I felt that I should in some way selfishly serve the world so that I may do my part to help other's improve their lives. I considered the Peace Corp because I wanted to work to improve lives of people who can not help themselves. Not to sound cynical however, I feel very confident that the majority of Americans can choose to improve their life most of us just choose not to. In most 3rd world countries they don't have any form of decent healthcare and starvation is a constant threat to life for the majority of the population.
Tomorrow, evening we are going to another Detroit Pistons game. It is the first game of the playoffs and we are sitting on the first level this time. Carmen is very excited and I am looking forward to it as well. It will be a lot of fun there will be a lot of excitement in the air. I have to tell you Detroit has some of the best sport fans. It is just a great atmosphere to be in. To be honest, I most likely wouldn't be there if Carmen wasn't such a sports fan but I sure don't mind watching professional sports live. I will keep you posted in my next blog post. Well I am going to wrap this up and play a little online poker at www.mytruepoker.com wish me luck!
Carmen and I just came back from the movies we went and saw the movie "The Sentinel". Great movie by the way, it's about the Secret Service and possible betrayal among the ranks. I have always liked the Secret Service and at one time gave some thought to possibly joining. Of course, that was a very long time ago even before nursing school. About that same time I had even given some serious thought to possibly joining the Peace Corp. I remembered when I was in nursing school I emailed the Peace Corp about working as a nurse with them when I got out of school. I was told that I would not be able to work as a nurse because I was only graduating with an Associate's Degree. That was pretty much the end of that. I am not sure why I even had a desire to work with the Peace Corp; I think it had something to do with the fact that I new I would spend a lifetime trying to improve my personal life so I felt that I should in some way selfishly serve the world so that I may do my part to help other's improve their lives. I considered the Peace Corp because I wanted to work to improve lives of people who can not help themselves. Not to sound cynical however, I feel very confident that the majority of Americans can choose to improve their life most of us just choose not to. In most 3rd world countries they don't have any form of decent healthcare and starvation is a constant threat to life for the majority of the population.
Tomorrow, evening we are going to another Detroit Pistons game. It is the first game of the playoffs and we are sitting on the first level this time. Carmen is very excited and I am looking forward to it as well. It will be a lot of fun there will be a lot of excitement in the air. I have to tell you Detroit has some of the best sport fans. It is just a great atmosphere to be in. To be honest, I most likely wouldn't be there if Carmen wasn't such a sports fan but I sure don't mind watching professional sports live. I will keep you posted in my next blog post. Well I am going to wrap this up and play a little online poker at www.mytruepoker.com wish me luck!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
The Wealthbuilders weigh in on Dani Johnson
Dani Johnson, is by far the premiere training in my homebased business. I recently had a guy that said he had listened on her website to one of her free trainings and thought that she was a great "motivational speaker". That quickly told me either he was lying and he had not listened to anything on her website or he was talking about another Dani Johnson. Make no mistake, Dani is not a motivational speaker she is an industry wide trainer. Don't get me wrong you may leave one of Dani's seminars and be motivated by what you have learned but the difference is this. Dani Johnson, does not motivate or encourage you to succeed she actually teaches you how to succeed. Dani teaches step by step processes which are duplicatable for anyone to follow i.e. anyone can read a script.
I recently received an email annoucing that Dani Johnson was going to be hosting a conference call for the Wealthbuilders. I got very excited by that news. The Coastal Wealthbuilders are by far the best training and support network in this industry; now combine that with a training hosted by Dani, the best trainer in the industry and that sounds like it will be an extremely profitable event for any home based business entrepreneur.
Here are some recent testimonials from Coastal Wealthbuilders who are also graduates of First Steps to Success!
"Coastal Vacations is my car to success, Dani Johnson's Seminar's turned it into a Dragster!!! The only months that I've made any money in Coastal are the months that I attended a Dani event. 9 months later that equals 85,000 dollars"- Stacy, MS
"After attending my first "First Steps to Success" seminar, I was amazed at what I had learned. Dani's training was the best I had ever experienced. No garbage, just the truth about my business. Little did I know she would impact my thinking, my marriage, the way I associate with my kids, and strengthen my faith. I encourage all of my associates to attend! My husband and I will be in Minneapolis, we have no excuse not to and EVERY reason to be there!"-Renae, MN
"Since I have become a Coastal Wealthbuilder in Sept. of 2005, I have attended two "First Steps To Success" seminars and one "Creating a dynasty" seminar. I feel that having started my business fully loaded with the expert advice and training of Dani Johnson, along with fellow Wealthbuilders and team trainers, I have totally created my own "Power-house" of success! Always invest in yourself and the rest shall follow naturally! Never wait for things to happen! Go out and happen to things!" Molly, WY
"After attending my first First Steps to Success I increased my income from $3,000 dollars a month to $15,000 dollars my very first month after that seminar." -Jackie, MI
I recently received an email annoucing that Dani Johnson was going to be hosting a conference call for the Wealthbuilders. I got very excited by that news. The Coastal Wealthbuilders are by far the best training and support network in this industry; now combine that with a training hosted by Dani, the best trainer in the industry and that sounds like it will be an extremely profitable event for any home based business entrepreneur.
Here are some recent testimonials from Coastal Wealthbuilders who are also graduates of First Steps to Success!
"Coastal Vacations is my car to success, Dani Johnson's Seminar's turned it into a Dragster!!! The only months that I've made any money in Coastal are the months that I attended a Dani event. 9 months later that equals 85,000 dollars"- Stacy, MS
"After attending my first "First Steps to Success" seminar, I was amazed at what I had learned. Dani's training was the best I had ever experienced. No garbage, just the truth about my business. Little did I know she would impact my thinking, my marriage, the way I associate with my kids, and strengthen my faith. I encourage all of my associates to attend! My husband and I will be in Minneapolis, we have no excuse not to and EVERY reason to be there!"-Renae, MN
"Since I have become a Coastal Wealthbuilder in Sept. of 2005, I have attended two "First Steps To Success" seminars and one "Creating a dynasty" seminar. I feel that having started my business fully loaded with the expert advice and training of Dani Johnson, along with fellow Wealthbuilders and team trainers, I have totally created my own "Power-house" of success! Always invest in yourself and the rest shall follow naturally! Never wait for things to happen! Go out and happen to things!" Molly, WY
"After attending my first First Steps to Success I increased my income from $3,000 dollars a month to $15,000 dollars my very first month after that seminar." -Jackie, MI
Monday, April 17, 2006
Proof, that Coastal Vacations is not a scam!
"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes." Benjamin Disraeli
I often get this question from potential clients, "How do I know that Coastal Vacations is not a scam?"
I can completely understand why someone would ask this question. I even had the exact same question myself prior to getting started with Coastal Vacations. Heck I thought, " This sounds to good to be true, it must be a scam". However, I thoroughly did my research and I am glad that I did. Obviously I know Coastal is not a scam now because I have earned over $34,000 so far this year with my Coastal Vacations business; that's just working part time. There are many many more people out there succeeding with Coastal Vacations. You can read and hear about some of them here.
Before someone thinks Coastal is a scam they need to research how reputable our travel packages are . How can Coastal Vacations be a scam? We have 30 plus vendors which make up our lifetime memberships. Most of the companies that comprise our memberships are household names, that have been in business for 12 years or more, most are publicly traded and are licensed and bonded. These include such companies as, Walt Disney World, Hertz, Budget, Quest, Access, Fairfield, Marriott, and Universal Studios just to name a few. Our travel membership packages are easily worth 10 times the amount that we charge. Our Lifetime Travel Memberships will literally save you tens of thousands of dollars off of travel for the rest of your life. Here is the Proof!
Sometimes clients ask, "Are these vacations for real? How is it possible to offer such a valuable product for such a low price?" This questions is easily answered on our website under the link titled FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
Are these vacations real?
These vacations are absolutely real! Many resorts and marketing companies have been selling vacation packages that are similar in nature for nearly 25 years at much higher prices. However, the packages they offer aren't nearly as extensive. Because the cruise lines, hotels, and resorts rarely achieve 100% capacity at any given time, they find that participating in vacation package programs is an affordable way for them to advertise, enticing guests to come and stay for pennies on the dollar knowing that they will spend money in the restaurants, gift shops, casinos, night clubs, etc, while they are there.
How are you able to offer these memberships so affordably?
First, you must understand how the Vacation and Travel Industry works. The prices of Cruises, Resort Stays and Airline Tickets change daily based on their projected capacities and vacancies. Resorts rarely achieve 100% capacity and they actually lose money on those empty rooms. Therefore, resorts are more willing to reduce room rates or create special pricing packages to attract guests. Once the guests are there, they are banking on the fact that guests will spend money in their restaurants, casinos, gift shops, etc. Coastal Vacations is also in a position to purchase in mass quantities to get the best deals.
You can read the rest of the most Frequently Asked Questions yourself by going here. Obviously by looking at the receipts posted here, you can see that the savings is real.
If you are trying to determine if Coastal Vacations is a scam, after reviewing the previous information it is obvious that it is not for the following reasons. They offer a very tangible reputable product, at a very valuable price. Which is obvious from the 27 pages of receipts located here. So if Coastal Vacations offers a real product at a valuable price, and they have real people making real money, marketing that product as evident from these testimonials, how can there be a scam?
If you still feel that Coastal Vacations is a scam then it is obvious that this is not a business for you. I wish you well in your search for a home based business but I am not certain how much more transparent Coastal Vacations can be.
I often get this question from potential clients, "How do I know that Coastal Vacations is not a scam?"
I can completely understand why someone would ask this question. I even had the exact same question myself prior to getting started with Coastal Vacations. Heck I thought, " This sounds to good to be true, it must be a scam". However, I thoroughly did my research and I am glad that I did. Obviously I know Coastal is not a scam now because I have earned over $34,000 so far this year with my Coastal Vacations business; that's just working part time. There are many many more people out there succeeding with Coastal Vacations. You can read and hear about some of them here.
Before someone thinks Coastal is a scam they need to research how reputable our travel packages are . How can Coastal Vacations be a scam? We have 30 plus vendors which make up our lifetime memberships. Most of the companies that comprise our memberships are household names, that have been in business for 12 years or more, most are publicly traded and are licensed and bonded. These include such companies as, Walt Disney World, Hertz, Budget, Quest, Access, Fairfield, Marriott, and Universal Studios just to name a few. Our travel membership packages are easily worth 10 times the amount that we charge. Our Lifetime Travel Memberships will literally save you tens of thousands of dollars off of travel for the rest of your life. Here is the Proof!
Sometimes clients ask, "Are these vacations for real? How is it possible to offer such a valuable product for such a low price?" This questions is easily answered on our website under the link titled FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
Are these vacations real?
These vacations are absolutely real! Many resorts and marketing companies have been selling vacation packages that are similar in nature for nearly 25 years at much higher prices. However, the packages they offer aren't nearly as extensive. Because the cruise lines, hotels, and resorts rarely achieve 100% capacity at any given time, they find that participating in vacation package programs is an affordable way for them to advertise, enticing guests to come and stay for pennies on the dollar knowing that they will spend money in the restaurants, gift shops, casinos, night clubs, etc, while they are there.
How are you able to offer these memberships so affordably?
First, you must understand how the Vacation and Travel Industry works. The prices of Cruises, Resort Stays and Airline Tickets change daily based on their projected capacities and vacancies. Resorts rarely achieve 100% capacity and they actually lose money on those empty rooms. Therefore, resorts are more willing to reduce room rates or create special pricing packages to attract guests. Once the guests are there, they are banking on the fact that guests will spend money in their restaurants, casinos, gift shops, etc. Coastal Vacations is also in a position to purchase in mass quantities to get the best deals.
You can read the rest of the most Frequently Asked Questions yourself by going here. Obviously by looking at the receipts posted here, you can see that the savings is real.
If you are trying to determine if Coastal Vacations is a scam, after reviewing the previous information it is obvious that it is not for the following reasons. They offer a very tangible reputable product, at a very valuable price. Which is obvious from the 27 pages of receipts located here. So if Coastal Vacations offers a real product at a valuable price, and they have real people making real money, marketing that product as evident from these testimonials, how can there be a scam?
If you still feel that Coastal Vacations is a scam then it is obvious that this is not a business for you. I wish you well in your search for a home based business but I am not certain how much more transparent Coastal Vacations can be.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Investing Lessons
" Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing. " -- Warren Buffett
Sitting here on Saturday morning with my laptop and Fox News' business block on the television. I decided to make a post to my blog, specifically one sharing more with my readers about what I am learning about investing. I am a big fan of Warren Buffet ( the worlds greatest investor and the only person alive to have earned his entire wealth stictly from his own investment activity) and his style of investing. I just got done reading a book titled How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffet. It is a great read and I have probably learned more from that book than any other book on the subject of stock picking and stock valuation. Warren Buffet, has earned an annual return on his investments of about 29%. The 500 largest companies on the New York Stock Exchange often called the S&P 500 only returned about 11% during that same time period. For the life of me, I can't figure out why more people don't make this man's strategy a case study for their own investment style. Just like when I started my Coastal Vacations business, I found someone who was successful and have consistently followed their lead. I agree with Warren Buffett's style of investing because it logically makes sense and his track record speaks for itself.
Buffett's, style of investing is controversial in the mainstream of Wall Street investors. Which make no sense to me since most of the Wall Street investors don't even beat the index of the 500 largest companies on the New York Stock Exchange (S&P 500 Index). This statement can be proved by the fact that 75% of all actively managed mutual fund DON'T beat the S&P 500 index. That tells me that I will listen to Warren Buffett's advice, over the majority. Warren Buffett teaches:
- Don't Diversify, instead concentrate your entire portfolio on 15 to 20 stocks that you understand well. Conventional wisdom teaches that diversivication prevents possible losses in your portfolio. Warren Buffet, believes that diversification will dimish your gains as well. He believes that you prevent possible losses by understanding your investments. If you don't completely understand the businesses that you are investing in then don't invest in them regardless of what your broker says.
- Buy stocks you know at a great price. This goes against conventional wisdom about such tactics as Dollar Cost Averaging. If you don't think you can make an annual return on your investment dollar greater than long term treasury bonds, then you need to be investing in those bonds and not common stock.
Dollar Cost Averaging -- is a strategy where you buy a stock you feel will do well over the long run and you simply invest a set amount each and every month at the same time with the same dollar amount every month. The problem is that when the stock is over valued, as an investor investing in an over valued stock will decrease their annual returns on your money. Buffet believes when the stock is overvalued you would be better off finding a better value in the market or simply invest in long term Treasury Bonds.
- No one loses money when selling a stock for a profit. It's better to take your profits then risk taking a lose. Buy low sale high. These are all conventional wisdoms that Warren Buffet just does not practice. If he invests in a solid company with a solid track record and good management in place he will keep the stock indefinitely. If a stock price takes a dip but the previous factors remain in place for the company then Warren Buffett is not concerned about an immediate stock price dip. He knows that eventually the stock price will have to fall in step with the company's profitability.
Also Buffett does not believe in selling high only to re - enter a stock position when the price falls. There are several reasons for this. No one can time the market so theoretically it's impossible to buy at the bottom and sell at the peak. When selling a stock you have to realize the capital gains and therefore you are taxed on them. When being taxed you are unable to use that money to reinvest therefore when you do re-enter into your stock position you have to use after tax dollars. That one fact alone will diminish your portfolio returns. Not to mention by jumping in and out of a stock position you are also charged more in brokerage fees which also will add up fast depending on how often you are in and out of the market.
I am not a mathematician, but I am determined to learn how to understand financials of companies on the stock exchange and how to determine the best return on my investment dollar. I will share with you through this blog what I learn, my victories, and my set backs. It is not enough to own a great business such as Coastal Vacations, you must also know how to manage your increase in finances that come along with this business. By managing finances, I mean we should pay off all debt, save up a year's worth of finances in a money market account such as Paypal's, and start investing your money so that your money will began to work for you. Coastal Vacations will quickly lead you to financial security, but it will take your assets earning you an income while you sleep to lead to financial independence. Use income from your business to buy and own those assets. I will pass along what I learn about buying those assets as I continue to learn it.
To learn more about picking and valuing stocks like Warren Buffet. Buy Picking Stocks like Warren Buffet from Amazon.
Sitting here on Saturday morning with my laptop and Fox News' business block on the television. I decided to make a post to my blog, specifically one sharing more with my readers about what I am learning about investing. I am a big fan of Warren Buffet ( the worlds greatest investor and the only person alive to have earned his entire wealth stictly from his own investment activity) and his style of investing. I just got done reading a book titled How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffet. It is a great read and I have probably learned more from that book than any other book on the subject of stock picking and stock valuation. Warren Buffet, has earned an annual return on his investments of about 29%. The 500 largest companies on the New York Stock Exchange often called the S&P 500 only returned about 11% during that same time period. For the life of me, I can't figure out why more people don't make this man's strategy a case study for their own investment style. Just like when I started my Coastal Vacations business, I found someone who was successful and have consistently followed their lead. I agree with Warren Buffett's style of investing because it logically makes sense and his track record speaks for itself.
Buffett's, style of investing is controversial in the mainstream of Wall Street investors. Which make no sense to me since most of the Wall Street investors don't even beat the index of the 500 largest companies on the New York Stock Exchange (S&P 500 Index). This statement can be proved by the fact that 75% of all actively managed mutual fund DON'T beat the S&P 500 index. That tells me that I will listen to Warren Buffett's advice, over the majority. Warren Buffett teaches:
- Don't Diversify, instead concentrate your entire portfolio on 15 to 20 stocks that you understand well. Conventional wisdom teaches that diversivication prevents possible losses in your portfolio. Warren Buffet, believes that diversification will dimish your gains as well. He believes that you prevent possible losses by understanding your investments. If you don't completely understand the businesses that you are investing in then don't invest in them regardless of what your broker says.
- Buy stocks you know at a great price. This goes against conventional wisdom about such tactics as Dollar Cost Averaging. If you don't think you can make an annual return on your investment dollar greater than long term treasury bonds, then you need to be investing in those bonds and not common stock.
Dollar Cost Averaging -- is a strategy where you buy a stock you feel will do well over the long run and you simply invest a set amount each and every month at the same time with the same dollar amount every month. The problem is that when the stock is over valued, as an investor investing in an over valued stock will decrease their annual returns on your money. Buffet believes when the stock is overvalued you would be better off finding a better value in the market or simply invest in long term Treasury Bonds.
- No one loses money when selling a stock for a profit. It's better to take your profits then risk taking a lose. Buy low sale high. These are all conventional wisdoms that Warren Buffet just does not practice. If he invests in a solid company with a solid track record and good management in place he will keep the stock indefinitely. If a stock price takes a dip but the previous factors remain in place for the company then Warren Buffett is not concerned about an immediate stock price dip. He knows that eventually the stock price will have to fall in step with the company's profitability.
Also Buffett does not believe in selling high only to re - enter a stock position when the price falls. There are several reasons for this. No one can time the market so theoretically it's impossible to buy at the bottom and sell at the peak. When selling a stock you have to realize the capital gains and therefore you are taxed on them. When being taxed you are unable to use that money to reinvest therefore when you do re-enter into your stock position you have to use after tax dollars. That one fact alone will diminish your portfolio returns. Not to mention by jumping in and out of a stock position you are also charged more in brokerage fees which also will add up fast depending on how often you are in and out of the market.
I am not a mathematician, but I am determined to learn how to understand financials of companies on the stock exchange and how to determine the best return on my investment dollar. I will share with you through this blog what I learn, my victories, and my set backs. It is not enough to own a great business such as Coastal Vacations, you must also know how to manage your increase in finances that come along with this business. By managing finances, I mean we should pay off all debt, save up a year's worth of finances in a money market account such as Paypal's, and start investing your money so that your money will began to work for you. Coastal Vacations will quickly lead you to financial security, but it will take your assets earning you an income while you sleep to lead to financial independence. Use income from your business to buy and own those assets. I will pass along what I learn about buying those assets as I continue to learn it.
To learn more about picking and valuing stocks like Warren Buffet. Buy Picking Stocks like Warren Buffet from Amazon.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Happy Easter
"Everyone has his burden. What counts is how you carry it." ––Merle Miller
What a great week this has been so far. I am heading out of the office this evening and taking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off for Easter. Tomorrow, Carmen and I will go to her grandmother's house to help her move. On Sunday, we will be at her parents house for Easter. I thank God for the ability to own my own business and to work for myself. I can remember when I was nursing, it would have been very difficult for me to get Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. Now I simply look in the mirror and ask my boss if it's OK to take the weekend off?
Needless to say he said YES!
Happy Easter!
What a great week this has been so far. I am heading out of the office this evening and taking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off for Easter. Tomorrow, Carmen and I will go to her grandmother's house to help her move. On Sunday, we will be at her parents house for Easter. I thank God for the ability to own my own business and to work for myself. I can remember when I was nursing, it would have been very difficult for me to get Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. Now I simply look in the mirror and ask my boss if it's OK to take the weekend off?
Needless to say he said YES!
Happy Easter!
Monday, April 10, 2006
We had a blast this weekend
"Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure." Earl Nightingale
This weekend was awesome, we went to the Detroit Pistons' basketball game. They played the Indiana Pacers and won. Actually let me start from the beginning. Carmen and Jon (another distributor in Carmen's business) put up a sales contest for their offices. The winners went to eat at Genji's, a Japanese steak house here in town and went bowling afterwards. That was Friday night, on Saturday Jon and Carmen had rented a Ford Excursion stretch limo and that was our ride to the game. Since Carmen is my girlfriend, I was able to go along. It was a blast. I guess there are more perks to this relationship than I had originally thought.
Eating at Genji's was as usual, awesome. That is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the Asian culture including their food. Afterwards, when we were bowling we had a friendly competition between the offices, it was Clean Air Concepts vs. Covenant Filtration Inc. Unfortunately they won and now Carmen has to get a plaque made for them as part of the bet between her and Jon. The loser had to get a plaque made for the winning office stating they were the champions. On Saturday the limo was awesome. It was the same type of limo Carmen rented for me on Valentine's Day. An astonishing clean white 18 passenger limo with very dark tinted windows, complete with custom leather interior, flat screen TV, sun roof, custom coolers recessed in the interior, and CD player. I love riding in limos, I need to continue making money cause I plan to do that more often. The game was a lot of fun also, even though the Pistons killed the Pacers. I am not really a sports fan but I love watching professional sporting events live. It's such a rush and there is so much you miss when watching them on TV; not that I watch them very much on TV.
So what did you do this weekend?
This weekend was awesome, we went to the Detroit Pistons' basketball game. They played the Indiana Pacers and won. Actually let me start from the beginning. Carmen and Jon (another distributor in Carmen's business) put up a sales contest for their offices. The winners went to eat at Genji's, a Japanese steak house here in town and went bowling afterwards. That was Friday night, on Saturday Jon and Carmen had rented a Ford Excursion stretch limo and that was our ride to the game. Since Carmen is my girlfriend, I was able to go along. It was a blast. I guess there are more perks to this relationship than I had originally thought.
Eating at Genji's was as usual, awesome. That is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the Asian culture including their food. Afterwards, when we were bowling we had a friendly competition between the offices, it was Clean Air Concepts vs. Covenant Filtration Inc. Unfortunately they won and now Carmen has to get a plaque made for them as part of the bet between her and Jon. The loser had to get a plaque made for the winning office stating they were the champions. On Saturday the limo was awesome. It was the same type of limo Carmen rented for me on Valentine's Day. An astonishing clean white 18 passenger limo with very dark tinted windows, complete with custom leather interior, flat screen TV, sun roof, custom coolers recessed in the interior, and CD player. I love riding in limos, I need to continue making money cause I plan to do that more often. The game was a lot of fun also, even though the Pistons killed the Pacers. I am not really a sports fan but I love watching professional sporting events live. It's such a rush and there is so much you miss when watching them on TV; not that I watch them very much on TV.
So what did you do this weekend?
Friday, April 07, 2006
$1,000 to Andrea Rooke
"I will equip you for success beyond your wildest dreams, if you let me" Dani Johnson
Way to go Andrea! Andrea, earned her self $1,000 this week with her Coastal business. Andrea is a teacher and a sports coach in her home town in Texas. She only works her business part time but has a goal of being full time in May of this year. If she continues to stay focused on the activity of her business and stays plugged into Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success then I am certain she will reach her goal.
It is interesting to note the top 3 people that I have brought in my business are all 3 graduates of Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success. Two of them have attended First Steps more than once (Stacy and Jen). I can't take credit for any of their success, the credit goes to them and their continued efforts to stay plugged in to Dani Johnson's training. I am privledged to say that I am able to watch them all change their lives inside the home based business industry. You guys are amazing!
Way to go Andrea! Andrea, earned her self $1,000 this week with her Coastal business. Andrea is a teacher and a sports coach in her home town in Texas. She only works her business part time but has a goal of being full time in May of this year. If she continues to stay focused on the activity of her business and stays plugged into Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success then I am certain she will reach her goal.
It is interesting to note the top 3 people that I have brought in my business are all 3 graduates of Dani Johnson's First Steps to Success. Two of them have attended First Steps more than once (Stacy and Jen). I can't take credit for any of their success, the credit goes to them and their continued efforts to stay plugged in to Dani Johnson's training. I am privledged to say that I am able to watch them all change their lives inside the home based business industry. You guys are amazing!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Congrulations to Jen Wilson
"Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that." Norman Vincent Peale
I have to take a moment to send out a quick congratulations to Jen Wilson. Jen, made over $3,000 yesterday with her Coastal business. Jen, has kept her full time job up to this point so that $3,000 is basically like bonus money for her. Not to bad for a part time business. Jen came to me as a training sale from my brother Stacy. Coming in at the Premiere level she quickly saw the advantages to owning the Platinum package and quickly upgraded before completing her training on the Premiere package.
Jen takes her business and the opportunity to coach and train others very seriously. It has truly been an honor to work with her, her desire not only for her success but to help other's succeed is always apparent. I have met her personally on a couple of occasions at Dani Johnson events and will see her again real soon. Another reason for Jen's success is her belief that "Income follows Personal Growth". Her continued improvement not just in her skill but in herself has been inspiring to watch. I am very proud of Jen and wish her much continued success. It is both humbling and rewarding to see someone succeed in their business and to know that you played some small part in that.
I have to take a moment to send out a quick congratulations to Jen Wilson. Jen, made over $3,000 yesterday with her Coastal business. Jen, has kept her full time job up to this point so that $3,000 is basically like bonus money for her. Not to bad for a part time business. Jen came to me as a training sale from my brother Stacy. Coming in at the Premiere level she quickly saw the advantages to owning the Platinum package and quickly upgraded before completing her training on the Premiere package.
Jen takes her business and the opportunity to coach and train others very seriously. It has truly been an honor to work with her, her desire not only for her success but to help other's succeed is always apparent. I have met her personally on a couple of occasions at Dani Johnson events and will see her again real soon. Another reason for Jen's success is her belief that "Income follows Personal Growth". Her continued improvement not just in her skill but in herself has been inspiring to watch. I am very proud of Jen and wish her much continued success. It is both humbling and rewarding to see someone succeed in their business and to know that you played some small part in that.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Congratulations to Stacy O'Quinn
"Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution." Stephen Sondheim
This past month my brother Stacy O'Quinn wrapped up with $30,100. Now that is his profit after purchasing travel packages at his cost. Way to go Stacy! He deserves it, he is a hard worker and truly desires to help other people succeed.
I always share my great months with you as well. However, as you follow my success I have to be honest and share with you the weak months. Thank God, there has not been many of them. But, this month was one of them. I finished the month of March with a big fat Goose Egg. Those of you who are still wondering what a Goose Egg is, it's a Zero! I contribute this to me allowing myself to get distracted by my recent move to Michigan. I have not stayed as focused as I should have and have not spent very much time working my business at all. Now I am seeing the results of that and to be quite honest it is painful.
I have made some changes to get refocused, Dani Johnson's last First Steps to Success has really helped with that. I have doubled my advertising. I have applied principles that I have recently learned from the motion picture The Secret. I am listening to Dani Johnson on a daily basis especially anything that I have or that she has recorded on her website related to Prospecting and Closing. I have also registered for her teleseminar that is coming up related to Prospecting and Closing. I have identified some specific areas of my prospecting that I feel I can improve; such as, connecting better with clients through the FORM process.
So here is the math behind my progress for my goal of earning over $250,000 after the cost of goods in 2006. So far I have earned $34,000. $250,000 minus $34,000 equals $216,000. Divide $216K by the 9 months left in 2006 and that comes to $24,000. So I will have to average $24K a month to reach my goal. For the month of April I am going to focus on reaching $30,000. By reaching $30,000 this month that will help me to provide a cushion for future months. Thanks for following my journey, stay tuned...
This past month my brother Stacy O'Quinn wrapped up with $30,100. Now that is his profit after purchasing travel packages at his cost. Way to go Stacy! He deserves it, he is a hard worker and truly desires to help other people succeed.
I always share my great months with you as well. However, as you follow my success I have to be honest and share with you the weak months. Thank God, there has not been many of them. But, this month was one of them. I finished the month of March with a big fat Goose Egg. Those of you who are still wondering what a Goose Egg is, it's a Zero! I contribute this to me allowing myself to get distracted by my recent move to Michigan. I have not stayed as focused as I should have and have not spent very much time working my business at all. Now I am seeing the results of that and to be quite honest it is painful.
I have made some changes to get refocused, Dani Johnson's last First Steps to Success has really helped with that. I have doubled my advertising. I have applied principles that I have recently learned from the motion picture The Secret. I am listening to Dani Johnson on a daily basis especially anything that I have or that she has recorded on her website related to Prospecting and Closing. I have also registered for her teleseminar that is coming up related to Prospecting and Closing. I have identified some specific areas of my prospecting that I feel I can improve; such as, connecting better with clients through the FORM process.
So here is the math behind my progress for my goal of earning over $250,000 after the cost of goods in 2006. So far I have earned $34,000. $250,000 minus $34,000 equals $216,000. Divide $216K by the 9 months left in 2006 and that comes to $24,000. So I will have to average $24K a month to reach my goal. For the month of April I am going to focus on reaching $30,000. By reaching $30,000 this month that will help me to provide a cushion for future months. Thanks for following my journey, stay tuned...
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Things that effect me...
"You are the only one that creates your reality" Esther Hicks
I think that it is important as you follow along this path know exactly what shapes me and how I learn. This thought came to me this week as I was finishing up Robert Kiyosaki's book Cashflow Quadrant. I think it is important that when I see something or experience something that shapes me personally or in business that I let you know. Now you may not care about what effects me personally however, my personality will dictate the type of person that I am in business. Therefore, I will share with you those things that effect me personally. Getting back to Robert Kiyosaki's book Cashflow Quadrant, this book has had a profound effect on my way of thinking about myself related to the business world. In his book Cashflow Quadrant, Kiyosaki talks about the Cashflow Quadrant that his Rich Dad taught him about. We are all apart of this Cashflow Quadrant we are all just located in different places. This Quadrant is made up of the Self employed, Employees, Business owners, and Investors. Robert Kiyosaki, went into a lot of detail about each quadrant. Each quadrant can be wealthy however, wealth and time freedom simultaneously is much easier to achieve in certain quadrants. There is a mind set in each quadrant that is different than the rest. Kiyosaki helped me to identify which quadrant I am in and which quadrant I want to be in. He explained the mindset that I would have to develop in order to switch quadrants within the Cashflow Quadrant. This was a great read and it was very easy to read!
Also today I experienced something that was truly eye opening. Bob Becker, called me this morning and said, "Jackie, I want you to take a look at something."
He gave me this website http://www.thesecret.tv, he told me there is a feature film up there that last 90 minutes. It was going to cost me $4.95 to watch it but, if I didn't feel like I had gotten my money's worth he would refund my money himself. Well I have to tell you, I will not be asking for a refund. This movie reveals the secret that almost every truly successful person knows. I guess it is my duty as you read this for me to give you access to the secret as well. You can view the trailer to the movie here.
I think that it is important as you follow along this path know exactly what shapes me and how I learn. This thought came to me this week as I was finishing up Robert Kiyosaki's book Cashflow Quadrant. I think it is important that when I see something or experience something that shapes me personally or in business that I let you know. Now you may not care about what effects me personally however, my personality will dictate the type of person that I am in business. Therefore, I will share with you those things that effect me personally. Getting back to Robert Kiyosaki's book Cashflow Quadrant, this book has had a profound effect on my way of thinking about myself related to the business world. In his book Cashflow Quadrant, Kiyosaki talks about the Cashflow Quadrant that his Rich Dad taught him about. We are all apart of this Cashflow Quadrant we are all just located in different places. This Quadrant is made up of the Self employed, Employees, Business owners, and Investors. Robert Kiyosaki, went into a lot of detail about each quadrant. Each quadrant can be wealthy however, wealth and time freedom simultaneously is much easier to achieve in certain quadrants. There is a mind set in each quadrant that is different than the rest. Kiyosaki helped me to identify which quadrant I am in and which quadrant I want to be in. He explained the mindset that I would have to develop in order to switch quadrants within the Cashflow Quadrant. This was a great read and it was very easy to read!
Also today I experienced something that was truly eye opening. Bob Becker, called me this morning and said, "Jackie, I want you to take a look at something."
He gave me this website http://www.thesecret.tv, he told me there is a feature film up there that last 90 minutes. It was going to cost me $4.95 to watch it but, if I didn't feel like I had gotten my money's worth he would refund my money himself. Well I have to tell you, I will not be asking for a refund. This movie reveals the secret that almost every truly successful person knows. I guess it is my duty as you read this for me to give you access to the secret as well. You can view the trailer to the movie here.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Increased advertising...
"The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore." Dale Carnegie
I am very excited, I have increased my advertising to $2,000 a month. It was not all that long ago I was only spending $300/month in advertising. However, over time in my business I have been increasing my lead quality and quantity. This is going to be so much fun. I will keep you posted on how well this is going to work. If you remember, I have some goals that I have to catch up with because I am behind on my annual goals. So stay tuned...
I am very excited, I have increased my advertising to $2,000 a month. It was not all that long ago I was only spending $300/month in advertising. However, over time in my business I have been increasing my lead quality and quantity. This is going to be so much fun. I will keep you posted on how well this is going to work. If you remember, I have some goals that I have to catch up with because I am behind on my annual goals. So stay tuned...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Have a millionaire support your business
"Everyone who got where he is has had to begin where he was." – Robert Louis Stevenson
Have you ever wished you could add a millionaire to your circle of influence?
In your current business do you have a millionaire in your support network (In some businesses this is called an upline)? With Coastal (http://jackie.makecoastalmoney.com) I am very fortunate to have the Coastal Wealthbuilders (http://jackie.sharecoastalwealth.com). Our support group is phenomenal, on a daily basis, we get mentored each and every day by a cast of six figure income earners. If you are not fortunate enough to have the same type of support as we have. Then I am going to tell you how you increase your support network. Or maybe you already have solid support but, just like me you want to increase that support network even further. I am about to tell you about someone who has helped me to increase my income by almost $300%. You can get access to this woman for free.
This amazing woman started in the home based business industry as a young broke cocktail waitress with only $2.03 to her name. She was completely homeless and living out of the truck of her car. Not to mention she was over $35,000 in debt. Her first year in her home based business she earned over $250,000 and by her second year she earned her first $1,000,000. Since then she has made many more millions, and still earns a six figure income from a home based business that she has not worked in for over 5 years. Her strength is in her no non-sense, simple, but straightforward approach to teaching. This woman's name is Dani Johnson, and you can get access to her by visiting her website at http://www.danijohnson.com.
Dani continues to raise many leaders up today who go on to earn six and seven figure incomes. Take Tom Challen who went from getting his two cars repoed on Christmas morning while his 4 little girls watched to earning over $211,000 his first year working with Dani Johnson. Tom did the same thing Sandy did during that year. Sandy from Michigan started attending Dani's First Steps to Success Seminars. Prior to attending First Steps to Success Sandy has called over 3000 leads and signed up no one. After her first year of attending First Steps to Success she went on to earn over $300,000 in one year and ended up with a closing ratio of 9 out of 10. She even had an 80% closing ration on leads that were 3 to 6 months old.
Dani Johnson and her First Steps to Success seminars, have truly made a different in my life. If for any reason you attend her First Steps to Success seminar and you don't think you got your money's worth they will gladly give you 100% of your money back!
Have you ever wished you could add a millionaire to your circle of influence?
In your current business do you have a millionaire in your support network (In some businesses this is called an upline)? With Coastal (http://jackie.makecoastalmoney.com) I am very fortunate to have the Coastal Wealthbuilders (http://jackie.sharecoastalwealth.com). Our support group is phenomenal, on a daily basis, we get mentored each and every day by a cast of six figure income earners. If you are not fortunate enough to have the same type of support as we have. Then I am going to tell you how you increase your support network. Or maybe you already have solid support but, just like me you want to increase that support network even further. I am about to tell you about someone who has helped me to increase my income by almost $300%. You can get access to this woman for free.
This amazing woman started in the home based business industry as a young broke cocktail waitress with only $2.03 to her name. She was completely homeless and living out of the truck of her car. Not to mention she was over $35,000 in debt. Her first year in her home based business she earned over $250,000 and by her second year she earned her first $1,000,000. Since then she has made many more millions, and still earns a six figure income from a home based business that she has not worked in for over 5 years. Her strength is in her no non-sense, simple, but straightforward approach to teaching. This woman's name is Dani Johnson, and you can get access to her by visiting her website at http://www.danijohnson.com.
Dani continues to raise many leaders up today who go on to earn six and seven figure incomes. Take Tom Challen who went from getting his two cars repoed on Christmas morning while his 4 little girls watched to earning over $211,000 his first year working with Dani Johnson. Tom did the same thing Sandy did during that year. Sandy from Michigan started attending Dani's First Steps to Success Seminars. Prior to attending First Steps to Success Sandy has called over 3000 leads and signed up no one. After her first year of attending First Steps to Success she went on to earn over $300,000 in one year and ended up with a closing ratio of 9 out of 10. She even had an 80% closing ration on leads that were 3 to 6 months old.
Dani Johnson and her First Steps to Success seminars, have truly made a different in my life. If for any reason you attend her First Steps to Success seminar and you don't think you got your money's worth they will gladly give you 100% of your money back!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Advertising is the key to making money
Today, I am going to tell you what I have learned about advertising in order to be successful regardless of the business that you own. If you missed my post yesterday talking about how to choose the right business then you can read it here ( http://jackieoquinn.blogspot.com/2006/03/simple-secrets-to-success.html#links ).
When I failed at my previous six attempts at starting my own business it was most often due to the fact that I could not figure out how to advertise in a cost effective manner. I was always spending far more money to get a new client than I was earning from the client. Finally I learned how to do this cost effectively. Previously, I always had an issue in which my support network in the new business was either non existent or weak.
However, I also had an ego problem and didn't listen to advice that was given to me even though the person giving the advice was successful and I was not. My excuse for not listening was often because I felt like the person who was giving me the advice did not have a high enough level of success to be credible. I say this only because many home based businesses already have a support network in place. Often times if that support system has had any success at all they can tell you how to advertise your chosen business cost effectively. Be sure to seek their help aggressively. Most of us don't seek our support aggressively enough for various reasons. Sometimes, we actually think it is their place to track us down to make us successful. Talk about having a lack of responsibility? Yep, I have been there.
When I started my Coastal Business my Director told me how to advertise and who to advertise with, I did not listen at first. Not listening had been a pattern for me. I knew I could earn big profits but I thought it made more sense to find a cheaper way of advertising until I made that "first" profit. After spending hundreds of dollars and emptying my bank account with no results, I went back to my Director and asked her, "Why could I not succeed?"
Once again she told me how to advertise. I literally scraped up money that I had been saving in a large glass jar for four years. It was all in change, I rolled that change and counted it. It came up to $600.00, I used that money to start my advertising campaign like my Director had instructed me to with Cutting Edge Media ( http://www.coastalleads1.com/ ).
I have never looked back. Thankfully with Coastal Vacations, we can spend about $100 to $300 in leads for every $1,000 we profit. At least that is what I found out when I started following directions. If you are in a business that does not pay profits that are as high as Coastal's that is O.K. Some smaller home based businesses teach their entrepreneurs to hand out flyers, talk to family and friends, conduct home presentations, etc. I understand that can be difficult to do especially if you are like me and you told your entire group of friends and family about each of your six business ventures. Most either failed at least once with you but, all of them saw you fail each and every time. However, this form of advertising is very inexpensive and still allows you to earn a profit with your business. If you don't have the luxury of earning those large profits, it can be a great way to get your business off of the ground.
The moral of the story is to pay attention to your support network. If you don't have one, find people who are making money and ask them how they advertise. It doesn't matter how much money they are or are not making. If they are earning more money than you are, then you need to at least reach their level of success before trying to venture out on your own. Don't make the same mistake I did!
Your support network has a lot to do with how you learn to advertise successfully. After all most of us can follow explicit instructions if we so choose to. If you have a weak support network in your current business or want to increase your support network beyond what you already have. I am going to show you how I have learned to work with a multi-millionaire in the home based business industry and you can too. By growing my support network and working with this one expert; I have grown my business from earning over $6,000 a month to well over $25,000 a month. I will tell you how to do this in my next post...
When I failed at my previous six attempts at starting my own business it was most often due to the fact that I could not figure out how to advertise in a cost effective manner. I was always spending far more money to get a new client than I was earning from the client. Finally I learned how to do this cost effectively. Previously, I always had an issue in which my support network in the new business was either non existent or weak.
However, I also had an ego problem and didn't listen to advice that was given to me even though the person giving the advice was successful and I was not. My excuse for not listening was often because I felt like the person who was giving me the advice did not have a high enough level of success to be credible. I say this only because many home based businesses already have a support network in place. Often times if that support system has had any success at all they can tell you how to advertise your chosen business cost effectively. Be sure to seek their help aggressively. Most of us don't seek our support aggressively enough for various reasons. Sometimes, we actually think it is their place to track us down to make us successful. Talk about having a lack of responsibility? Yep, I have been there.
When I started my Coastal Business my Director told me how to advertise and who to advertise with, I did not listen at first. Not listening had been a pattern for me. I knew I could earn big profits but I thought it made more sense to find a cheaper way of advertising until I made that "first" profit. After spending hundreds of dollars and emptying my bank account with no results, I went back to my Director and asked her, "Why could I not succeed?"
Once again she told me how to advertise. I literally scraped up money that I had been saving in a large glass jar for four years. It was all in change, I rolled that change and counted it. It came up to $600.00, I used that money to start my advertising campaign like my Director had instructed me to with Cutting Edge Media ( http://www.coastalleads1.com/ ).
I have never looked back. Thankfully with Coastal Vacations, we can spend about $100 to $300 in leads for every $1,000 we profit. At least that is what I found out when I started following directions. If you are in a business that does not pay profits that are as high as Coastal's that is O.K. Some smaller home based businesses teach their entrepreneurs to hand out flyers, talk to family and friends, conduct home presentations, etc. I understand that can be difficult to do especially if you are like me and you told your entire group of friends and family about each of your six business ventures. Most either failed at least once with you but, all of them saw you fail each and every time. However, this form of advertising is very inexpensive and still allows you to earn a profit with your business. If you don't have the luxury of earning those large profits, it can be a great way to get your business off of the ground.
The moral of the story is to pay attention to your support network. If you don't have one, find people who are making money and ask them how they advertise. It doesn't matter how much money they are or are not making. If they are earning more money than you are, then you need to at least reach their level of success before trying to venture out on your own. Don't make the same mistake I did!
Your support network has a lot to do with how you learn to advertise successfully. After all most of us can follow explicit instructions if we so choose to. If you have a weak support network in your current business or want to increase your support network beyond what you already have. I am going to show you how I have learned to work with a multi-millionaire in the home based business industry and you can too. By growing my support network and working with this one expert; I have grown my business from earning over $6,000 a month to well over $25,000 a month. I will tell you how to do this in my next post...
Simple Secrets to Success
"You can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and still come out completely dry. Most people do." Norman Juster
I have discovered the simple secrets to success with a homebased business. I am going to tell you what they are. If you have been subscribed to this online personal journal then you know I have struggled to succeed within the small business world. I have seen many scams, researched hundreds of businesses, and failed with at least six of them. I have finally achieved a measure of success with Coastal Vacations just over $33,000 so far this year. Along my journey I have discovered some simple secrets that have lead to my success.
I am not going to tell you that Coastal Vacations is the secret. To be perfectly honest with you this business is not for everyone. Some people will choose not to succeed with Coastal. However, the simple secrets I am about to share with you will help you to succeed regardless of the business that you choose to succeed with.
The first secret that I am going to share with you has to do with finding the right business model. You have to find a business model that gives you a large enough profit margin to succeed. In other words you have to be able to earn enough profit that you can reinvest into your business to attract new clients but still have a profit left over. In a lot of homebased businesses you are paid very little up front, it is only after you have developed a large client base that you are earning enough to have profit left over after advertising. This is obviously not a concern with Coastal Vacations earning profits of $1,000 to $9,705 per sale.
However, if this is a concern with your current business model that's OK. Lots of companies have to operate in the red for a while before earning a profit. Just be sure to track your advertising dollars and revenue so that you can make sure that you are slowly earning more and more revenue without increasing your advertising budget. Make sure that you have a bankroll large enough to cover your advertising until you start earning a profit.
In my next post, I am going to talk about what I have learned regarding advertising. So that you still have profits left over at the end of the day regardless of the business that you are in.
I have discovered the simple secrets to success with a homebased business. I am going to tell you what they are. If you have been subscribed to this online personal journal then you know I have struggled to succeed within the small business world. I have seen many scams, researched hundreds of businesses, and failed with at least six of them. I have finally achieved a measure of success with Coastal Vacations just over $33,000 so far this year. Along my journey I have discovered some simple secrets that have lead to my success.
I am not going to tell you that Coastal Vacations is the secret. To be perfectly honest with you this business is not for everyone. Some people will choose not to succeed with Coastal. However, the simple secrets I am about to share with you will help you to succeed regardless of the business that you choose to succeed with.
The first secret that I am going to share with you has to do with finding the right business model. You have to find a business model that gives you a large enough profit margin to succeed. In other words you have to be able to earn enough profit that you can reinvest into your business to attract new clients but still have a profit left over. In a lot of homebased businesses you are paid very little up front, it is only after you have developed a large client base that you are earning enough to have profit left over after advertising. This is obviously not a concern with Coastal Vacations earning profits of $1,000 to $9,705 per sale.
However, if this is a concern with your current business model that's OK. Lots of companies have to operate in the red for a while before earning a profit. Just be sure to track your advertising dollars and revenue so that you can make sure that you are slowly earning more and more revenue without increasing your advertising budget. Make sure that you have a bankroll large enough to cover your advertising until you start earning a profit.
In my next post, I am going to talk about what I have learned regarding advertising. So that you still have profits left over at the end of the day regardless of the business that you are in.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Planning financial futures
Successful people save in prosperous times so they have a financial cushion in times of recession. Brian Tracy
Well the snow has melted it was actually gone by noon yesterday. Yay! I got hit with 15 leads yesterday which was great and I am waiting on my new leads today. I actually have a follow up appointment in a few minutes, but I wanted to add a quick blog post.
Carmen, is going to set up a Roth IRA today. I am not certain if that is the very best thing she can do right now. I would prefer to see her setup some sort of a self directed retirement account with greater tax advantages. Maybe something like my brother and my buddy Wayne Jones keeps telling me about. I am not quite ready yet but I need to start my research on each of those and the differences. I will likely post my finding during my research on this blog.
Anyway, Carmen asked me what she should invest in. I hate giving people specific advice about their money. It bothers me because Carmen is clueless about finances outside of her personal finances. In other words she can live on a budget from day to day and week to week. She can stay out of debt. However, she has no clue about investing and financial planning for her future outside of her immediate future. I have just enough Emerald in me and that drives me nuts. I have tired to explain to her that her business is only a vehicle and only a small part of her financial life. She is not only the President and CEO of her current business "Clean Air Concepts" but, she is also the President and CEO of her finances. Clean Air Concepts just happens to be the best investment vehicle to get immediate cash for her financial life. However, just as the CEO of a large corporation is always looking to grow and expand she is responsible for figuring out how to effectively grow and expand using the resources (money) that she gets from Clean Air Concepts.
She did ask me this morning what should she invest in and I briefly told her Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) for a very risky investment and Vanguard S&P 500 mutual fund for a much safer investment. Sirius, is a high risk investment with potential for a huge reward. I also like XM radio which is their competitor. In a few years this stock with either disappear in a paperwork of bankruptcy or it will be the one people will be wishing they would have been in now. There is no good fundamental reason to like that stock unless you are like me and you just believe the Satellite radio industry will succeed. The reason I told her about Vanguard S&P 500 index fund is because it is one of the lowest cost mutual funds you can invest in. In other words very little of your investment is given to management of the fund and you have more investment dollars working for you. It is also a very stable investment compared to Sirius it typically follows the S&P 500 which is the largest 500 companies on the stock exchange.
Well the snow has melted it was actually gone by noon yesterday. Yay! I got hit with 15 leads yesterday which was great and I am waiting on my new leads today. I actually have a follow up appointment in a few minutes, but I wanted to add a quick blog post.
Carmen, is going to set up a Roth IRA today. I am not certain if that is the very best thing she can do right now. I would prefer to see her setup some sort of a self directed retirement account with greater tax advantages. Maybe something like my brother and my buddy Wayne Jones keeps telling me about. I am not quite ready yet but I need to start my research on each of those and the differences. I will likely post my finding during my research on this blog.
Anyway, Carmen asked me what she should invest in. I hate giving people specific advice about their money. It bothers me because Carmen is clueless about finances outside of her personal finances. In other words she can live on a budget from day to day and week to week. She can stay out of debt. However, she has no clue about investing and financial planning for her future outside of her immediate future. I have just enough Emerald in me and that drives me nuts. I have tired to explain to her that her business is only a vehicle and only a small part of her financial life. She is not only the President and CEO of her current business "Clean Air Concepts" but, she is also the President and CEO of her finances. Clean Air Concepts just happens to be the best investment vehicle to get immediate cash for her financial life. However, just as the CEO of a large corporation is always looking to grow and expand she is responsible for figuring out how to effectively grow and expand using the resources (money) that she gets from Clean Air Concepts.
She did ask me this morning what should she invest in and I briefly told her Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) for a very risky investment and Vanguard S&P 500 mutual fund for a much safer investment. Sirius, is a high risk investment with potential for a huge reward. I also like XM radio which is their competitor. In a few years this stock with either disappear in a paperwork of bankruptcy or it will be the one people will be wishing they would have been in now. There is no good fundamental reason to like that stock unless you are like me and you just believe the Satellite radio industry will succeed. The reason I told her about Vanguard S&P 500 index fund is because it is one of the lowest cost mutual funds you can invest in. In other words very little of your investment is given to management of the fund and you have more investment dollars working for you. It is also a very stable investment compared to Sirius it typically follows the S&P 500 which is the largest 500 companies on the stock exchange.
Carmen, just has no interest in this stuff but I truly wish she would take an interest in it. I think the problem is that Carmen is a hardcore Ruby. She feels she has to be the best at everything she does. Since she is unknowledgeable and uncomfortable learning about investing she feels that she will make mistakes along the way and will not be as successful as she feels she should be. Therefore, I think she finds it easier to just avoid having to learn about it all together. I think it really is just a personal growth issue. If she ever takes a serious interest in her financial future then I believe she will be a really savvy investor. God, I love her.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Back to work
"Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune." Jim Rohn
I woke up this morning at about 8:30 am, looked out the window and saw snow! Boy, I have to get used to that. Looks like we have about an inch of snow on the ground. I called Cutting Edge Media and got my $2,000 worth of advertising started back. It's time to make up lost time as quickly as possible.
I am currently listening to Dani Johnson's conference call from last Monday. I have been listening to Dani Johnson everyday up until just before I moved and I am trying to get back into that habit. Listening to Dani just helps me stay focused on my goals. This call I am currently listening to is very good.
This call is for especially for brand new people and those who are bringing on new people. Learn how to become the person that others want to follow and that others recommend. This call is an essential in Dani's training vault that you should listen to over and over again!
Topics Include:
9 things to help you focus on and build your business in a dynamic way
It's not about you, it's about...,
Who you should constantly be talking to in order to see amazing growth
What is the difference between a professional and an amateur?
How do you make your new prospects experience so profound that you have other people referring people to
you?
How 37 people made 11 times more money than 1000 people!!!
What are you afraid of and how that could be hindering you from success?
How to develop skills that will help you handle objections
What do you need to do EVERY DAY to build your business?
How to get people started and make money in the first 48 hours!
Speaking of Dani Johnson, this weekend is "First Steps to Success". I am looking forward to seeing Dani again. I am looking forward to another great weekend with friends like Stacy, Geneva and Josh Compton. I am not certain but I don't believe I have any personal team members or clients attending this "First Steps to Success". That is very unfortunate because I am seeing a direct correlation between the people who are making money on my team versus those that aren't doing as well. Those who are making money, bringing me 3 way calls, and building teams are those who have been plugged into DaniJohnson and her free training on her website as well as attended "First Steps to Success".
I woke up this morning at about 8:30 am, looked out the window and saw snow! Boy, I have to get used to that. Looks like we have about an inch of snow on the ground. I called Cutting Edge Media and got my $2,000 worth of advertising started back. It's time to make up lost time as quickly as possible.
I am currently listening to Dani Johnson's conference call from last Monday. I have been listening to Dani Johnson everyday up until just before I moved and I am trying to get back into that habit. Listening to Dani just helps me stay focused on my goals. This call I am currently listening to is very good.
This call is for especially for brand new people and those who are bringing on new people. Learn how to become the person that others want to follow and that others recommend. This call is an essential in Dani's training vault that you should listen to over and over again!
Topics Include:
9 things to help you focus on and build your business in a dynamic way
It's not about you, it's about...,
Who you should constantly be talking to in order to see amazing growth
What is the difference between a professional and an amateur?
How do you make your new prospects experience so profound that you have other people referring people to
you?
How 37 people made 11 times more money than 1000 people!!!
What are you afraid of and how that could be hindering you from success?
How to develop skills that will help you handle objections
What do you need to do EVERY DAY to build your business?
How to get people started and make money in the first 48 hours!
Speaking of Dani Johnson, this weekend is "First Steps to Success". I am looking forward to seeing Dani again. I am looking forward to another great weekend with friends like Stacy, Geneva and Josh Compton. I am not certain but I don't believe I have any personal team members or clients attending this "First Steps to Success". That is very unfortunate because I am seeing a direct correlation between the people who are making money on my team versus those that aren't doing as well. Those who are making money, bringing me 3 way calls, and building teams are those who have been plugged into DaniJohnson and her free training on her website as well as attended "First Steps to Success".
Monday, March 20, 2006
At my new home
"People with goals succeed because they know where they're going." Earl Nightingale
I am currently writing this from my new neighbor's house. I tell you I must have the world's best neighbor, Carmen. It still doesn't seem real; to think that I actually live here now. I haven't really unpacked a whole lot. I have my office in a functional state and will get started back advertising tomorrow. I will be increasing my advertising budget to $2,000 a month. I can remember when I started out with only $200 a month in advertising. I am now working full time and I am behind on my goals for the year. I was spending about $1,000 a month in advertising and ordering Coastal Premium Leads. To be honest with you $1,000 a month worth of advertising, using Dani Johnson's prospecting method just is not enough to keep you very busy. I am looking to double my advertising efforts and my profits.
I am currently writing this from my new neighbor's house. I tell you I must have the world's best neighbor, Carmen. It still doesn't seem real; to think that I actually live here now. I haven't really unpacked a whole lot. I have my office in a functional state and will get started back advertising tomorrow. I will be increasing my advertising budget to $2,000 a month. I can remember when I started out with only $200 a month in advertising. I am now working full time and I am behind on my goals for the year. I was spending about $1,000 a month in advertising and ordering Coastal Premium Leads. To be honest with you $1,000 a month worth of advertising, using Dani Johnson's prospecting method just is not enough to keep you very busy. I am looking to double my advertising efforts and my profits.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Just about time to say goodbye
"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect it's successful outcome." William James
It's just about time to say goodbye. I am completely packed up, my car is loaded down and Carmen's Aztek is also. We are waiting on the movers they are suppose to be coming anytime between this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping it will be this afternoon. After I complete this blog post I will be disconnecting my internet service and returning my cable modem to the local cable company. Talk about a mix of emotions, I am excita littlettle scared, nervous, and ea littlettle sad. Tonight I will be seeing my Mama for the last time as a resident of North Carolina and tomorrow I will see my best friend Gary as well.
Wish me safe travels and I will make a blog post again as soon as I get settled in Michigan.
It's just about time to say goodbye. I am completely packed up, my car is loaded down and Carmen's Aztek is also. We are waiting on the movers they are suppose to be coming anytime between this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping it will be this afternoon. After I complete this blog post I will be disconnecting my internet service and returning my cable modem to the local cable company. Talk about a mix of emotions, I am excita littlettle scared, nervous, and ea littlettle sad. Tonight I will be seeing my Mama for the last time as a resident of North Carolina and tomorrow I will see my best friend Gary as well.
Wish me safe travels and I will make a blog post again as soon as I get settled in Michigan.
Almost all packed up
Every great leap forward in your life comes after you have made a clear decision of some kind. Brian Tracy
My house is nearly all packed up and my car is full. Carmen, is doing some last minute cleaning right now! It is late and we are tired. It is kind of sad to think in a couple of days I will leave my home of the past 4 years never to return. It's not like I am moving across the street or nothing; I am moving 900 miles away! I am going to miss being close to my family, going fishing and walking the Little River with Uncle Pat and Joe (my cousin). Obviously, if our relationship is going to last Carmen and I have to make sacrifices. This is one that I am glad to make for her. Even though, I know I will miss everyone and everything that I associate with my current home. I am excited about moving closer to Carmen. This will be the first time in our relationship that we aren't planning when we will be able to see each other again. I pray that God continues to grant us a very long life and a very long relationship together.
Moving has been hectic, I have basically stopped my advertising for this past week and I will be starting it back up when I get to Michigan. I am looking forward to getting back to business as soon as I get settled in next week. In fact, I am planning on doubling my advertising efforts. I am currently behind on my goals for the year. I have to take measures to adjust my work habits to catch up with my goals for myself. I can only thank God that I have a business such as Coastal which is mobile and flexible enough that I can operate it just about anywhere; not to mention I can work it around my schedule.
My house is nearly all packed up and my car is full. Carmen, is doing some last minute cleaning right now! It is late and we are tired. It is kind of sad to think in a couple of days I will leave my home of the past 4 years never to return. It's not like I am moving across the street or nothing; I am moving 900 miles away! I am going to miss being close to my family, going fishing and walking the Little River with Uncle Pat and Joe (my cousin). Obviously, if our relationship is going to last Carmen and I have to make sacrifices. This is one that I am glad to make for her. Even though, I know I will miss everyone and everything that I associate with my current home. I am excited about moving closer to Carmen. This will be the first time in our relationship that we aren't planning when we will be able to see each other again. I pray that God continues to grant us a very long life and a very long relationship together.
Moving has been hectic, I have basically stopped my advertising for this past week and I will be starting it back up when I get to Michigan. I am looking forward to getting back to business as soon as I get settled in next week. In fact, I am planning on doubling my advertising efforts. I am currently behind on my goals for the year. I have to take measures to adjust my work habits to catch up with my goals for myself. I can only thank God that I have a business such as Coastal which is mobile and flexible enough that I can operate it just about anywhere; not to mention I can work it around my schedule.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Week ahead
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination." Tommy Lasorda
I am sitting on my couch watching " There and Back " thinking about the week ahead. I have so many things to do in order to be ready to move this coming weekend. I have to get my taxes done tomorrow. I still have to get my health insurance changed, my car insurance changed, my mail forwarded, Cable cancelled, and my electricity turned off. Of course, the last two will be the last thing I do before leaving. Regardless, next week this time I will be completely packed up and headed to Michigan ( my new home ). I will be glad when I am finally there and moved.
My mp3 from last weeks "Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions" arrived in the mail today. For some reason it's not working correctly, so I will be sending an email or giving www.DaniJohnson.com a call to get that worked out. I have been listening to Dani a lot lately. I have heard her last call in the member's area dated March 6, 2005 at least two and a half times. That call is all about getting your team members and clients up and running as quickly as possible. In our business that is a big deal.
I love this show "There and Back". It's about Ashley Parker Angel. He is the guy from O Town the boy band that was featured in "Making the Band". Evidently O Town is no longer and he is struggling to make a name for himself as a solo artist with his own style. The show "There and Back" is a reality show that chronicles his attempts at a come back. I am not a big fan of music, but who can resist a good come back story. To make in all that much more interesting Ashley Parker Angel is struggling as a new dad, he is living with his girlfriend and her mom, and currently he is barely paying the bills. In one episode he even took a construction job to help make extra money. Talk about being on top of the world and then starting back at the bottom. That is exactly what Ashley Parker Angel is doing. I love this show mainly because I could see myself doing the exact same thing if I were to fall and my business were to fail, I would immediately start climbing the ladder of achievement to get back to were I once was. Until my next post...
I am sitting on my couch watching " There and Back " thinking about the week ahead. I have so many things to do in order to be ready to move this coming weekend. I have to get my taxes done tomorrow. I still have to get my health insurance changed, my car insurance changed, my mail forwarded, Cable cancelled, and my electricity turned off. Of course, the last two will be the last thing I do before leaving. Regardless, next week this time I will be completely packed up and headed to Michigan ( my new home ). I will be glad when I am finally there and moved.
My mp3 from last weeks "Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions" arrived in the mail today. For some reason it's not working correctly, so I will be sending an email or giving www.DaniJohnson.com a call to get that worked out. I have been listening to Dani a lot lately. I have heard her last call in the member's area dated March 6, 2005 at least two and a half times. That call is all about getting your team members and clients up and running as quickly as possible. In our business that is a big deal.
I love this show "There and Back". It's about Ashley Parker Angel. He is the guy from O Town the boy band that was featured in "Making the Band". Evidently O Town is no longer and he is struggling to make a name for himself as a solo artist with his own style. The show "There and Back" is a reality show that chronicles his attempts at a come back. I am not a big fan of music, but who can resist a good come back story. To make in all that much more interesting Ashley Parker Angel is struggling as a new dad, he is living with his girlfriend and her mom, and currently he is barely paying the bills. In one episode he even took a construction job to help make extra money. Talk about being on top of the world and then starting back at the bottom. That is exactly what Ashley Parker Angel is doing. I love this show mainly because I could see myself doing the exact same thing if I were to fall and my business were to fail, I would immediately start climbing the ladder of achievement to get back to were I once was. Until my next post...
Monday, March 06, 2006
Back from Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions
What a great seminar. This was a spectacular learning experience. Dani Johnson, is a remarkable trainer. Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions, was a seminar packed with techniques to help us to grow our business when talking to clients and prospects. This seminar was the most intense and informative when it comes to increasing skill in the area of prospecting. I was unbelievably honored to be there, I am confident that I will become more effective in my business specifically due to skills that I have learned this weekend.
I spent this weekend at Dani Johnson's Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions seminar with amazing leaders from the Coastal Wealthbuilders. I was in the presence of such impressive individuals such as Stacy O'Quinn from Mississippi, EJ Callanan from Califorina, and Greg Jakoby from Colorado. There were others from Coastal as well but I didn't know everyone. Chris from Wyoming was there, but to be honest I didn't recognize her when I saw her. Stacy, pointed her out but I felt bad for not recognizing her earlier.
The irony of this Dani Johnson event was that there were not more people from Coastal, Coastal Wealthbuilders, or my own team there. Stacy, had several of his team members there and that was awesome. His team will surely see growth specifically due their attendance at Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions. I sent an email out to my team today. I was saddened by the fact that none of them attended; what a disappointment? You always want to see your team grow and learn and I wish my team could have benefited from the leverage that we learned this weekend. I am fortunate to work with an amazing group of people that I call friends and team members. I know how badly many of them want to succeed and how impatient they are working towards success. I know that skills that were learned this weekend would have helped them reach their goals quicker.
I spent this weekend at Dani Johnson's Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions seminar with amazing leaders from the Coastal Wealthbuilders. I was in the presence of such impressive individuals such as Stacy O'Quinn from Mississippi, EJ Callanan from Califorina, and Greg Jakoby from Colorado. There were others from Coastal as well but I didn't know everyone. Chris from Wyoming was there, but to be honest I didn't recognize her when I saw her. Stacy, pointed her out but I felt bad for not recognizing her earlier.
The irony of this Dani Johnson event was that there were not more people from Coastal, Coastal Wealthbuilders, or my own team there. Stacy, had several of his team members there and that was awesome. His team will surely see growth specifically due their attendance at Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions. I sent an email out to my team today. I was saddened by the fact that none of them attended; what a disappointment? You always want to see your team grow and learn and I wish my team could have benefited from the leverage that we learned this weekend. I am fortunate to work with an amazing group of people that I call friends and team members. I know how badly many of them want to succeed and how impatient they are working towards success. I know that skills that were learned this weekend would have helped them reach their goals quicker.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions
Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions, is Dani Johnson's newest training seminar. This is only her second one and it's held in Las Vegas, NV this weekend. I have made plans to go. I am very serious about taking my business to the next level. The name of the game is always leverage. The sooner I can increase my skill the quicker I can build my business. This directly affects the leverage used to big my business in the next 6 to 12 months and ultimately how much money I will earn. Attending events like Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions and increasing skill in your home based business is very similar to putting money in the bank with compound interest. If I deposit money in an interest bearing account much like Paypal's, several things will affect how much money I have in the account at the time of withdrawal. How long the money is in the account and the interest earned on the account are two of the biggest factors determining how much that money will grow.
I have started my Coastal business, so therefore that is the same as making the deposit into the account. My Coastal business is absolutely an interest bearing account. $1,295 invest just over 18 months ago has returned just over $103,000 to date. So the only way my money can grow any faster in an interest bearing account is for the interest on the account to increase. The equivalent of this in my Coastal business is to increase my skill. When I increase my skill I am more effective at talking to people and thus more effective at building a team and a client base. I will become more effective at developing leaders, all of this will have a direct impact on making my business money. Therefore, I am actively making sacrifices to attend as many of Dani Johnson's events as I can so that I can increase my skill as quickly as possible. Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions, is a 12 hour event on Sunday. I will actually spend more time traveling than actually watching and learning from Dani. The skill that I will learn is worth the trip. I will be leaving tonight at 8:45 pm and arriving in Las Vegas at 11:45 pm. The Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions seminar runs from tomorrow at 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. My flight leaves Vegas tomorrow night at 10:45 pm and I get back in at 6:45 am on Monday morning.
I will post when I get back in town. I hope you have a great weekend!
I have started my Coastal business, so therefore that is the same as making the deposit into the account. My Coastal business is absolutely an interest bearing account. $1,295 invest just over 18 months ago has returned just over $103,000 to date. So the only way my money can grow any faster in an interest bearing account is for the interest on the account to increase. The equivalent of this in my Coastal business is to increase my skill. When I increase my skill I am more effective at talking to people and thus more effective at building a team and a client base. I will become more effective at developing leaders, all of this will have a direct impact on making my business money. Therefore, I am actively making sacrifices to attend as many of Dani Johnson's events as I can so that I can increase my skill as quickly as possible. Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions, is a 12 hour event on Sunday. I will actually spend more time traveling than actually watching and learning from Dani. The skill that I will learn is worth the trip. I will be leaving tonight at 8:45 pm and arriving in Las Vegas at 11:45 pm. The Prospect and Close Your Way to Millions seminar runs from tomorrow at 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. My flight leaves Vegas tomorrow night at 10:45 pm and I get back in at 6:45 am on Monday morning.
I will post when I get back in town. I hope you have a great weekend!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Another young millionaire getting started
Geneva Compton from Louisiana, just had a great month in her business. Geneva's best month in business was the month of February. In her Coastal Vacations business Geneva earned $30,000 profit in February. A big congratulations goes out to her. She has worked consistently in her business averaging no more than about 4 hours of work per day. Geneva, says that she loves this business. At 26 years old she is a successful business woman, happy mother, and wife to her husband Josh. In what other business could Geneva enjoy the freedom to schedule her business around her life? Her and her husband Josh are just about completely debt free thanks to their Coastal Vacations business. When speaking with Geneva on the phone you will quickly notice that she is a mother first and foremost often scolding her kids or laughing with them as they play together. Thanks to her business, her children will have college paid for. Her children will get to enjoy growing up with their mother and soon their father both at home instead of spending hours away at a "job".
Way to go Geneva, for such a great month in your Coastal Vacations business. I am fortunate to call you a friend, mentor, and business associate. Geneva, we will be watching and celebrating with you and Josh at every step of your business successes. Geneva, is quick to give credit for her success to our support group the Coastal Wealthbuilders and www.DaniJohnson.com.
Way to go Geneva, for such a great month in your Coastal Vacations business. I am fortunate to call you a friend, mentor, and business associate. Geneva, we will be watching and celebrating with you and Josh at every step of your business successes. Geneva, is quick to give credit for her success to our support group the Coastal Wealthbuilders and www.DaniJohnson.com.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Month in review
This month has been slow with Coastal Vacations. I have only earned $7,000 after the cost of goods. In order to reach my goal of earning $250,000 after cost of goods in 2006. I have to average a monthly income of $20,834.00. That would be a two month total of $41,668.00. Last month was great with a total of $26,410 but this month total of $7,000 leaves me with $33,410. That is $8,258 short of where I should be. That is OK ,though Cutting Edge Media somehow got behind on my leads earlier in the month but, they are rapidly catching up so I am expecting to have a huge month in March. I am going to aim for $30,000 in the month of March. If I don't hit that goal, then I will do some serious adjusting to my current plan of action.
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