No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
The Cowboys vs. the Longhorns
Oklahoma City had a great meeting last spring with over 200 people at a luncheon event.
This week’s event was a little trickier: a Friday night at 7 p.m. during high school football season. And the Oklahoma State Cowboys were set to play the Texas Longhorns the following day. About 125 people still showed up to our room. Along with FOUR GIANT PILLARS that decided to plant themselves evenly spaced at the very front of the room, serving as a beautiful blockade between the stage and the audience. Actually, it was quite hilarious.
So the energy wasn’t exactly buzzing with any of us in the room that night; it was both fun but a little flatter than the prior event. Joel Canon made up for it though; that guy is pretty excitable. A few days earlier, a maintenance person started messing with the stage, and Michael Jr. incorporated him into the comedy.
Well this night, we decided to add a twist and had a maintenance person come in the middle of Michael’s gig and move the podium — though this time, he only moved it like ten feet. Michael thought it was hilarious, and that served to open his Q&A time with the audience, which some of you will still see in our few coming events.
Afterwards, Michael, Regan, and I ate some local food at a nearby restaurant; and from our waitress (not sure, but I think her name was Madison), we heard another story thatâs becoming all too familiar in our country today. A hard-working woman who had a few unexpected expenses (some large car repair bills) among other things caused her to get behind on rent payments and was just evicted that week from her apartment. The news and the stories weâre hearing are a little sobering, but at the same time, it makes for all the better news in sharing the freedom of the business opportunity.
From there, we headed south to Austin on game day. The place was packed with energy, and this is one cool city to begin with.
Prior to the event, we started the evening at the Club Lounge (Regan and Stephen had access; mysteriously, neither Michael nor I were on the Club-level floor). Traveling with a comedian is pretty hilarious, but itâs taken a while to figure out whatâs a joke and whatâs a serious question or statement coming from Michael.
Or Regan for that matter.
You put a yellow personality along with a comedian, and youâre asking for some trouble and a lot of one liners. And when it really gets raucous, thereâs a few of us who will start laughing like Michael Jr. (he has this âHeeeeHAAAAAâ way of laughing during his show, followed often by a statement: âMan, that was hysterical⌠And I just make that up on the spot⌠I am hilarious.â) So I think weâre doing a decent job of dishing it out as well as taking it so far.
At the Club level, we met a few other people who almost became enticed enough through our good times to come to the Univera event, but we couldnât quite convince them to cancel their plans and join.
So we showed up to the event, and about a hundred people were there -â which really, I have to say, impressed all of us given that it was BOTH a Saturday night AND right after the Longhorns won the game a few hours earlier.
Those who attended were in great spirits -â at tie for the energy level at Denver. Michael Jr. was absolutely hilarious this night; and Regan and Stephen as usual were great.
Gerald King gave this great testimonial, telling the story of his own personal experience of taking Xtra among other products and seeing his own personal interest and performance in triathlons increase so significantly, which sparked again his participation in these types of events.
At the end we had some great dialogue with the local leadership as well as new Associates. I met a few new people who had just enrolled that week who were so excited about the opportunity and the prospect. Stephen always has a swarm of people around him after each event; this one was no different.
What I realized between San Antonio and Austin is that as Americans, and citizens of this world, we have three choices as we face the economic calamity before us, which is unprecedented in so many ways.
1. Panic. This, clearly, isnât helpful or constructive. Good decisions are not often made during a period of panic.
2. Paralysis. This, also, isnât useful. If youâre in a storm, you HAVE to seek shelter, but must be wise in doing so.
3. Proactivity. This, clearly, is the course to take, using the information we have to take control of your financial future.
But, more on this at either a Road Tour event or another blog. For now, weâre signing off and headed off to the Knoxville event for a Monday morning breakfast.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
From the Desert to the Rockies
I love the desert and the deep brown earthy soil of the Arizona landscape â perhaps odd to those who long for a bit more green, which is particularly abundant in the Northwest. So landing in Phoenix started my heart thumping a bit more vigorously. And walking off the airplane and feeling the dry warmth of the sun was a welcome experience after landing.
Thereâs some great youthful energy that exists in Phoenix. The market is in such infancy, but it has the support of both exceptionally strong leaders from across the country, as well as some emerging leaders local to this region.
Upon landing, I went for a run, I think Michael did a workout, Stephen did yoga, and Reganâs not telling what he did (naptime?). Whenever I travel to sunny cities, I just tend to go outside. Itâs like the walkways are calling me to go exercise.
So we expected the Mesa event to be a really strong meeting, with an enthusiastic Associate audience as well as a good number of guests. John Ryan again hosted this meeting, and it was supplemented with some great testimonials by Peter Wright, Ron Fauntz, and Kenny Rossi towards the end.
Before the event started, I got to catch up with friends Gale George, Saul (without a known last name!), and Diane Tucker (Mrs. America and Mrs. World), who traveled down from Tucson to attend the event.
During the evening, Michael Jr. continued with a new twist to his routine on the Road Tour by engaging the audience with an open invitation for questions through which he creates impromptu comedy. It actually started by accident in Sacramento and worked well to open the audience up that he continued this into Mesa; weâll see how much further it goes.
The Phoenix area, especially smarting from the decline in housing prices along with the tightening of the credit markets, had a new burst of both energy and urgency in the air — not unlike whatâs felt across the U.S. I ended up talking to a good number of people who were so thankful for the timing of Univera and their involvement.
In fact, one amazing couple (out of many that I met) — the wife a teacher and the husband an owner of a collision repair facility — expressed what a âGodsendâ (their words) Univera has been. In down economic times evidently (and logically), people will more often collect their insurance premium and not get the vehicle fixed on more cosmetic-oriented repairs. They expressed with both excitement and optimism the freedom theyâre finding in Univera, as well as the fun and energy that it brings to their life and other people.
One night quickly ended, and it seemed my head just hit the pillow before the morning sun arose and we were off to Denver.
Sometimes, there are cities or geographies that are either so gorgeous or relaxing that I get chills. It doesn’t happen often (Sydney is an example), but for me, going to Denver (and the Colorado area in general) is incredibly therapeutic — between the mountains and air, the place is simply magical.
Stephen, again in an effort to save time (MJ, Regan, and I didn’t know we were in a hurry), rushed to the rental counter offsite while we got the bags, which, by the way, I think Regan and I can pretty much confirm after having watched this process for three cities that it really doesn’t save much time in the process, though it usually results in a little live comedy.
Speaking of, traveling with Michael Jr. is starting to get really fun. The first few days were a little awkward at times. Nothing big, but you know you’re spending a lot of time with a new person that you don’t really know. And, he’s a comedian. So every time he says something, you automatically assume it’s a joke. So it takes a while to learn the temp of the group. We really settled in at Denver, and I think Regan (who I’m convinced secretly wishes he pursued a career in comedy as well) is having about as much fun as he ever has had on a road trip.
There are more leaders concentrated in Denver than any other city in North America, and many readers probably don’t realize that Broomfield, Colo., served as home to Univera nearly 10 years ago. As a result, there’s a solid concentration of quite a few Diamonds and several Blue Diamonds among many other Univera Associates, which is another reason I always love to visit; I love spending time with the leadership here.
I’ve got to give good credit to the organizers and leaders of this event; many were involved in all the behind-the-scenes logistics, and it was extremely well run.
And there’s something about leadership in each event that lends itself to either great energy upon entering a room, or to be gentle about it, ânot great energy.â Tonight’s meeting simply had great energy, buzz, and excitement — before anyone even picked up a microphone.
I attribute so much of this to the mood, energy, and excitement of the leadership’s example that day; it’s something each of us noticed visibly this evening, so a lot of props go out to all those local leaders who contributed their part to bring a high energy level to the room.
John Rogers really did an exceptional job hosting the event from both a flow and content perspective; it also didn’t hurt that he has an FM-quality radio voice.
Often, we spend time talking with Associates and guests at the end of the evening at Road Tours in the past, but what we’re loving about this event is that while we’re still spending time saying hello to the new and old, there’s a lot of time being spent among guests and hosts. And a lot of new signups.
Tonight was an example in spades; over 230 attendees (felt like more) and well over 100 new guests were at the event. As always, it was fantastic to say hello to both old and new friends in the area, and I wish we’d had more time to spend with more people.
But the best conversations of the night didn’t occur between any of us and the Field.
They occurred between the inviting Associate, the guest, and if available, the local Diamond or Blue Diamond for that organization.
Thanks, Denver, for an outstanding event with such great energy.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Sacramento to Orange County
Tuesday, we hit up both Sacramento and Orange County, Calif. — a luncheon and evening meeting, respectively.
For some reason, visiting two cities in one day and giving two presentations leads to a very different flavor and level of emotional investment than if we had just one city per day. I like two-a-days, but they’re just, well, different. While on the road and speaking in various cities at different times, you can begin to just barely appreciate the level of intensity and exhaustion the two presidential candidates must feel after having campaigned for so many months.
Public speaking also gives an appreciation for grace towards silly statements made while in front of other people. So while I’ve had a good laugh at some of the Saturday Night Live skits of the candidates, as well as a few recent flubs during presentations, it’s with more comedic understanding rather than critical thought that I give both candidates a little slack. It ain’t easy, and I admire the vigor and perseverance of both candidates.
But, a blog about politics this is not, so we’ll dig back into the events.
We awoke in Reno at a casino hotel and hit the road shortly after 7 a.m.; we, being the foursome of Regan (aka Rengen), Stephen (aka CherNINske), Michael Junior, and me.
Gorgeous drive through the mountains from Reno to Sacramento, including thru the Lake Tahoe region; a place I’ve not been before but would someday like to go.
Pulling into the hotel for the event, we saw a few Bimmers sitting in front of the hotel. Immediately, I wondered if it really was a creative promotion of the Univera BMW car program; and, it was. Brilliant. The Sacramento guys had a BMW dealer drop a few off and highlight some of their special Univera deals, particularly relevant to those who are eligible (or soon to be) for the Bimmer program.
We didn’t have much time pre-meeting in Sacramento due to the longer-than-expected drive from Reno, but I had the chance to meet both some existing Associates and new prospects. I was thrilled to see some old friends there and had the chance to sit next to Peter and Tahra Dergee, as well as briefly re-engage with many others.
John Ryan, a man with such a good heart and sincere intention, did a great job opening and hosting the event. Michael Jr. was the first speaker, and he was actually (as if this were a surprise) quite hilarious. But what was hilarious was the mic kept going in and out. So Michael did a GREAT open mic riff, first with the hotel staff trying to fix it, but then he went into a little audience participation which went over really well. I can’t say any more, lest I ruin it for the rest of you who are heading to an upcoming event.
Unfortunately, due to airline schedules, we had to leave before the end of the meeting to catch our flight to Orange County for a two-hour drive during rush hour. Stephen insisted on saving time by getting the car immediately while we pulled the bags, but somehow on each of these endeavors, it seems we burn more time than we save. But, he’s such a nice guy we can hardly stand to tell him that some of these time-saving mechanisms are hardly that. And since he only reads the blog sporadically, by the time he reads this, it’ll be old news.
Orange County was also a really solid event. I’d probably put it on par with the Sacramento luncheon, though it wasn’t nearly as rushed since we didn’t have the travel restrictions so in all reality it probably was a tad bit better.
Peter Wright hosted the event and did a fantastic job of really putting into perspective the reality of today’s economy. He’s a very articulate, intentional, and credible person–and speaks in the manner of who he is. One of his expressions (whether it’s original or not I don’t know, but either way I liked it) that he used was this: “Do you know how to tell the difference between a recession and a depression? A recession is when your neighbor loses his job, and a depression is when you lose yours.”
Clearly, not the economic definition but probably much closer to home and quite emotional. What I really liked about the LA event, and what we’ve started to see more of on this Road Tour, is that while we’re mingling with people post-event we are also seeing groups of people huddle together–associates and prospects–that are working on the pathway to freedom by enrolling as an associate in Univera.
More from the road soon…
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all season. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
A Whirlwind of a Week–from Singapore to Reno
In the last week I feel I’ve been guilty of blogglect.
It’s basically the neglect of a blog.
A common condition not easily managed even with a superstar nutritional supplement like Xtra and often caused by busy schedules, lots of traveling, little sleep, much excitement, and quite a few meetings and phone calls with a few brief visits to those within the immediate family in between.
So much has happened since my first Singapore posting, of which I’ll post more (or share more via meetings) later on, but a quick update from the last ten days includes:
An incredible conclusion to the WFDSA meeting, where I left with even greater excitement about not just our international potential but also what we can do in North America. In meeting with so many different peers from around the world, what I also clearly saw were some companies I admired BUT also many companies that clearly don’t have a competitive edge on us.
Sure, there are pieces of other businesses that I admire, and there are always lessons we can learn and apply. But at the same time, there are so many companies out there that are global and successful (at least now in the short term) that have no clear business model, next-to-nothing in the way of resources or science, limited human and financial capital. So while I’m not in the slightest picking on any of my peers at any other companies — as there are some fine Direct Selling companies out there — I came back more confident than ever with our current and future potential given the resources, the science, the products, strategy, and our growth plans.
Then, on the way home, I stopped by Sydney, Australia to do some due diligence on that market as we’re going through the preparation process for international expansion. Corporately, there will be an EVP international position that heads up this international work, but as an organization there is already a group working under Regan’s direction to lay some of the initial groundwork and preparations.
In Sydney, I met with the executive director of the DSAA (Australian DSA), the former executive director who has spent nearly 40 years in this industry, predominantly in Australia, along with several other executives from companies within industry.
There’s so much that I learned and am excited about with this market that it’s really fodder for another blog posting. It’s a market that is similar in size to Canada, yet can also serve as a fantastic springboard to other international markets — particularly in SE Asia. Generally speaking, the feedback I heard from those on the ground in Australia is that they loved our model and could see great potential for us “down under.” Not only is the market potential great, but the city of Sydney is absolutely fantastic; if it’s not the best city I’ve ever traveled to, it’s certainly in the top three. And the people are an absolute hoot — friendly and enthusiastic. Great engaging personalities. A little bit feisty. For some of you this will represent a chance to go and work and enjoy a country that, perhaps, you would never have the opportunity to visit otherwise.
From there I flew home, cleaned out one bag and packed another to attend a portion of ECONET CEO meetings in Seattle. Of particular note, half the day on one of the meetings was dedicated to touring and learning about sustainable environmental practices at a retreat on Bainbridge Island. Islandwood is basically a teaching center for organizations and individuals and even serves as a summer camp for kids, dedicated towards building awareness and practical application of sustainable living and environmentally friendly practices.
Organizationally, our commitment from Bill on down runs deep in the integration of sustainable business practices, and the love of nature and the earth was rooted in him from an early age by the vision from his father — Yunho Lee. Beyond this anchor that serves throughout our Company, the Islandwood tour also served as a practical workshop for the things that we can consider and incorporate as a Company and individuals moving forward.
And, upon returning from the retreat, I unpacked that bag and immediately packed another for a trip to Alderbrook Resort where we held the Gold/Platinum Xpand your Business Seminar. Lots of excitement, it was a gorgeous weekend bookended with great training as well as some exceptional networking opportunities for those in attendance. Of course, for me it’s always fun to hear the stories of success — both from people within this industry who are familiar with its virtues, but also from many others who swore they would never get involved in Direct Selling…But became captivated by both the physical and financial freedom that’s available in Univera.
The part I enjoyed seeing most was the connection of relationships and people who, outside of this, would likely have never connected in quite the same way as they do now.
After this event it, too, led to another bag-change (this is like changing dresses for a beauty pagent, only I’m not a woman nor is this a pagent and neither am I wearing a dress — other than that, though, it’s identical).
So I came home, repacked as quickly as I unpacked, and hit the road on Monday morning to remarkable Reno. There is some outstanding leadership in Reno, anchored by Glen and Reagan Hubbard. This team engaged about 400 people (and I would guess nearly 200 guests) to our very first Road Tour city, a remarkable accomplishment in any city but particularly one that’s so new.
Glen and Reagan did a fantastic job opening the meeting, and Kenny Rossi (our most recent new Diamond) closed the event. At events where there are a lot of guests, the tone is often a bit different in that people are a bit more reserved; they’re coming in with questions rather than a full-on commitment. So while the meetings are more energetic and exciting when it’s 100% Associates, that’s not the market for the Road Tour. The objective is to have as many new people involved as possible so they can clearly hear about the vision, products, and business of Univera — while having a bit of fun.
So while I think we had a good solid event, the first one is always a little rusty (I’m speaking from the Corporate side) and it takes a while to work into it.
This is a unique event at a unique time in our history. As most already know, we have Michael Jr. joining us, which will be a one-time event for the Road Tour (no, he’s not becoming part of the Corporate team, we’re including him for this Road Tour only). What MJ provides is the opportunity for our presentations to more tightly hit the mark, to more seriously broach the very topics that people are dealing with most harshly right now — their health, and their finances.
The humor is intended to not only serve as a draw to the event and make it enjoyable throughout, but it also enables the Corporate team to get really engaged into the heart of the matter and what matters most to people in North America today.
So in Reno, after the event, which only lasted about one hour and 40 minutes (almost a good hour shorter than the last tour, to allow for plenty of dialogue time with guests/sponsors post event), we were thrilled to see so many tables of engaged people having great dialogue.
My sincere congratulations to Kenny, Glen, Reagan, Jordan, and many other leads in the Reno area for such an outstanding event, their outstanding performance and leadership, and I offer my congratulations to each of those guests in Reno who decided to take the important step of bringing financial freedom into their own control, destiny into their own hands in as much as that is possible, by engaging in the opportunity within Univera.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
What CEOs (leaders) can learn from Paul Newman
I just returned from the Gold/Platinum Xpand your Business seminar up at Alderbrook this past weekend where my wife and I attended the concluding dinner and had a fantastic time with all those present.
While reading various emails this afternoon, I ran across a Wall Street Journal article sent to me a few weeks ago, which I’m posting below. In the spirit of the weekend of learning and leadership, and of our quest for each of us to build upon our talents and contributions as leaders, I wanted to share the article below about — of all people — Paul Newman.
It’s entitled “What CEOs Can Learn…” but I think we can all agree that it would easily extend beyond CEOs — though in these times, it’s particularly poignant for those at the top.
What CEOs Can Learn From Paul Newman
History will certainly remember Paul Newman as an icon of modern cinema. But he was far more than just an actor. Paul was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word who embodied the American ideals of extraordinary integrity, a tireless work ethic, a commitment to family, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people who made his success possible.
Paul used to joke that he had to keep making movies to support all of his philanthropic projects — and that wasn’t too far from the truth. To millions he’s perhaps better known as the face of Newman’s Own food products than he is for his superb performances in “The Hustler,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “The Verdict” and scores of other films.
Click here to read the full article.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all day. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
The Road Tour–Coming Soon!
980 emails, 17 Wall Street Journals, three Business Weeks, one movie, a few chapters of “In Defense of Food” and 24 hours later…
…I landed in Singapore, Malaysia.
Here, I will be spending the next four days at the International Direct Selling Association to network and spend time with other Direct Selling colleagues while also getting a “State of the Business” perspective at this event.
Landing last night around midnight, I forced myself to sleep — despite being antsy — so that I could quickly condition myself to the local time zone. Today’s the check-in day and gave me a morning of free time before some of the Council meetings this afternoon.
I awoke early to hit a few local attractions, which included a Mosque, Buddhist Temple, a visit in Chinatown, a contemplative and relaxing demonstration on the proper presentation and enjoyment of fine teas, and the consumption of some “street meat”: a 5″ x 5″ slab of pounded and flattened pork that’s grilled and is both disturbing and delicious (definitely not on the South Beach diet). Self portrait below.
It used to be that I didn’t allow time for any exploration on travels, but now when I hit the road I make sure — if in a unique city — to spend a little bit of time learning something new or enjoying the culture. It not only makes the trip more worthwhile, but I always find I learn something or meet someone new that adds to my experience and perspectives in life, personally and professionally.
For example…
As I was walking back from Chinatown to my hotel, I came upon a gorgeous old wooden building, probably hundreds of years old, that had “Forever Living” written on the side of it.
Intrigued, I stopped by and perused their lobby (more like a courtyard with flowing bamboo lining the open ceilings) and checked out their Company store. After a few more minutes, I decided to try to meet — unannounced — with the GM of Singapore if he/she happened to be in the office.
So I approached the man at the front desk, flashing a business card and a 30-second bio and explanation of my visit, and ten minutes later I was wisked off to a delightful meeting with the General Manager of the Singapore market for Forever Living. Worldwide, Forever Living is a pretty big MLM; they must be in 25-35 countries, and most of their products are aloe-based. They’ve had a good run but have likely hit their peak by now given their product mix and market penetration. But I still admire the Company, and they have done a nice job of building a business.
I asked my new friend Jeffrey his top priorities on succeeding in Malaysia. His response was simple: 1. Good products. 2. Good business/comp plan. 3. Sustainability.
I was a little surprised to hear him reference the sustainability piece, but in his words “people in every market, even in Asia, are a little skeptical at first about MLM; so they need to know the Company is going to be around and is sustainable”.
Really, it’s not that much different than in our market.
The photo below is of me and Jeffrey. I am extremely glad the photographer made careful effort to include both the full length of our legs and shoes, in order to eliminate the portion above which consisted of ancient and intricate woodcarvings that go back centuries from mainland China that canvass the background. I know, maybe I should give the guy a break as he was doing me a favor…but c’mon, how hard is it? We’re creating a society of poor-picture-takers. đ
Clearly, there are some marked differences in Asia vs. North America, both in business practices as well as culture, but as we spoke we laughed about the fact that many more similarities exist than differences. We spent a good amount of time together, and it’s one of the cool highlights from exploring (and knocking on a few doors), as I just happened to meet him as a result of walking by their offices after a morning stroll.
In my prior post I mention intentionally not blogging about the financial markets and the negativity of the news in the States. I partly expected to be removed from this, apart from my monitoring of domestic online news sources. Yet, five hours after my head hit the pillow, I awoke with sleepy eyes and pulled the paper out from under my front door with the glaring headline here that was screaming louder than the an alarm clock — and the news was every bit as sobering as it is back home.
Financial turmoil in the world markets.
But with so much chaos going on the financial markets, it gives me even greater confidence in this industry, but particularly in our Company.
I don’t know what the future holds. Most reports expect that this is going to be pretty ugly for quite a while. And as I have said for months, it’s not just North America that’s going to feel the brunt since the world economies are so intertwined. As you see from my local newspaper headlines, it demonstrates significant destruction in the financial markets in MANY countries.
So if I were a normal consumer (which I generally am) what would I do with all this information?
These are the five things I would do immediately:
1. I wouldn’t panic and needlessly stress. HOWEVER, I WOULD take some proactive action to proactive (or responsively) manage in this new financial order. Fear that leads to paralysis is bad. Fear that leads to panic is bad. Fear that drives proactive solutions and improvements can be really constructive and beneficial.
2. I would reassess my portfolio, but I wouldn’t make any significant moves if you’re in it for the long haul. Study after study proves you can’t time the market. Just ask some of those hot shots from Wall Street how brilliant they are at market timing right now.
3. If you have a long time horizon, I would continue to invest in the market — particularly by buying no load index funds (or something along those lines with your broker) and follow the principle called “Dollar Cost Averaging”, which increases your opportunity for upside and buying discounted stocks while also reducing your risk.
4. I would reassess and eliminate unnecessary spending. Yet I’d also invest the same OR EVEN MORE resources towards healthcare and wellness.
This whole scenario becomes a heck of a lot more challenging if you can’t work due to illness, or if you’re not performing at your peak potential. The money spent to keep you performing at your best is nothing compared to the alternative.
5. Finally, I would, without question, develop an alternative and secondary (or replace a primary if that’s your core need) income stream in the direct selling industry.
As an Executive in Univera, I can’t personally reach out and engage in Direct Selling as an Associate for obvious reasons. So I’ve put my full confidence, time, and energy towards this industry and our Company so that I can do my part working on the inside. Ultimately, millions of others will have the privilege, the opportunity, and the freedom of building a Univera business.
I think there’s been a bit of a delayed reaction for people getting to step number five within North America. Across the entire Direct Selling industry, current trends show recruiting is flat for the year (though in Univera, our recruiting is up for the year).
Given the speed and devastation of the markets, home equities, employment, and even politics, I think people are shocked. Disappointed. Frustrated. And Jaded. So much so that they’re a little paralyzed.
But, soon, people will need to take some immediate action.
Like I said, if they don’t do it as a result of desire, they’ll do it out of need.
Which, of course, brings us back to Univera. The privilege and opportunity we have is sacred, which is to utilize the greatness of this industry — yet to do it in an “Un-MLM” way, in a way that has not exactly been done before while still not reinventing the wheel. It’s a delicate balance.
Challenges happen to any company and any industry. And seeing the absolute devastation and the INABILITY for some of the worlds best financial firms to recover has given me even greater confidence in Univera.
We will go through challenges, yet we’ll survive and win as a team. And we can do this as a result of commitment, resources, talent, and a legitimate business structure with resources that run quite deep from the ECONET and Bill Lee.
So was it sobering to read the news this morning, halfway across the world, and hear of the same chaos brewing this side of the Earth? Yeah, it was. But imagine if you heard this news and you didn’t know of an outlet or solution? Imagine if you COULDN’T imagine how to take that next step, make the payment, keep the house, feed the kids, pay for school, continue the mortgage.
Which is why I feel such a strong responsibility to share Univera with others across North America — someday the world — and to do it in a way that doesn’t just bring physical and financial success, but does it in a way that’s relevant and sustainable to business. And to do it while creating a culture of respect, integrity, and listening — the foundational principles of Servant Leadership, graciously initiated by our late Founder Yun Ho Lee, and carried forward by Bill himself and countless thousands of ECONETIANS — employees and Associates — across the world.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all day. What is the most significant data you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
M—– J-.’s Kickin’ it with us on the Road Tour!
By intention, I’ve not blogged about the financial markets this week.
Maybe next week, but the news is evident enough. Once you incorporate partisan politics and media sensationalization, it gets a bit overdrawn despite it being among the most critical issues on the mind of not just America but most countries across the World.
So while I love my Wall Street Journal, this week I took a day off and stuck just to ABCNews.com highlights. And, today, I’m blogging about something I’m REALLY excited about.
What we do know about the financial news is that MORE THAN EVER people are seeking an opportunity. Falling equity on homes, difficulty in obtaining credit, increasing inflation, an unemployment number of 6% and expected to rise, among other factors all contributes to more people looking for more opportunities to make a secondary (or replace a primary) income. But, I promised myself I wouldn’t talk about the financial news today.
We KNOW these Univera products change peoples lives. I couldn’t live without my Xtra, Aloe Gold, RegeniFREE, among others. And, we have seen firsthand the business opportunity change lives as well, including those who at one point said “I would NEVER get involved in the direct selling environment!”. It’s incredible to share the opportunity with others and to see the transformation. Which is why Regan, Stephen, and I are so excited to go on the upcoming Road Tour across North America the last half of October.
And as if there weren’t enough reasons to bring a lot of guests to one of the cities we’re visiting across North America, we just announced one more. It’s a special guest, and you’ll have to watch the below video to find out exactly who it is. There are also a few links below the video that you’ll probably want to check out as well.
What we know about people who check out Univera is this: they want compelling information and experiences they can act upon, they want to get engaged, they seek purpose and meaning, they desire physical and financial renewal–freedom–and if we can deliver in that experience some fun and humor along the way it simply makes it all the more worthwhile and engaging.
Enjoy, and I’ll see you on the road!
You can check out the latest schedule with city locations by clicking here
And you can check out some clips of our special guests prior performances by clicking here
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Hola Amigos, from Puerto Vallarta
On Thursday afternoon I arrived in GORGEOUS Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to meet all the winners of our latest promotion. Most of the attendees were Silvers and Golds, with a few exceptional Platinums and a new Diamond also winning the promotion. (Updated with photos Friday, September 26)
The event was simply fantastic, words don’t fairly describe the positive energy, the enthusiasm, the commitment, and the heart that we experienced. But even though words don’t describe it, I’ll still try below. đ
Photos are forthcoming, but a seven minute highlights video is available below. A FEW CAVEATS about this video. First, it was filmed by hand using a “Flip” camcorder. Second, it wasn’t really edited–a bunch of scenes were just spliced together and sometimes with some missing gaps. So enjoy the very authentic and choppy footage.
Was the event fun? Yes, without question it was the best incentive trip we’ve ever had.
And it wasn’t just the beautiful beaches, the charm of Vallarta with it’s cobblestone streets and cultured stores and local people, the pool volleyball, the endless choices of fantastic foods (including that Sunday morning brunch–incredible!). All those were great, but it really was the people that made this event so special.
My best memories from the weekend were from hanging out poolside, just talking, and getting to know people. Hearing about their dreams and desires. Learning more about them as individuals–who they are and who they want to become. Listening to past experience, some of great success and others of failed endeavors. All of which led them to being the people that they are today and the success of their accomplishments. Though, beyond this, I have a couple other memories that were good 2nd and 3rd place finishers, but those stories are for another time.
I learned a lot in the short time we had, including:
Regan’s primary, secondary, and tertiary colors on vacation are bright yellow, brighter yellow, and brightest yellow. In exactly that order. He loves to have fun, including playing pool volleyball among other endeavors. I also learned that he’s fundamentally opposed to wearing sunscreen in order that he could really demonstrate to the people in Mexico the power of our products (Aloe in the Raw) after getting a rosy red burn–about the color of a stop sign.
I learned that Meredith doesn’t love the stage or the microphone. At all. đ
Yes, I’m teasing, being a little facetious. But she’s great on stage, and she really gets into doing the introductions with the booming voice routine while calling out award winners names. We are very fortunate to have her on the team, she’s not just great on stage but she’s great behind the scenes as well.
I saw firsthand what I had previously experienced in small doses. Kenny Rossi has nicknames for nearly everybody. And they’re all endearing. My favorite nickname was Pork Rind, who I also really enjoyed as a person. We had a few great conversations on different nights, though it took me a while to remember correctly his nickname–I kept butchering it (no pun intended) and creating different pork-related-nickname derivatives. Come to think of it, I don’t even know the guys real name. But I will forever remember Pork Rind.
I learned Glen, aka “Big Daddy” worked for about ten years at another Relationship Marketing company, a successful and established billion dollar company. And after that time had a total of 88 people in his organization. In LESS THAN SIX MONTHS at Univera he has over 400 in his organization. If this isn’t a testament to people winning and succeeding in Univera with our strategy, products, and team I don’t know what is.
We celebrated, including with and for Matt St. John as he had a birthday while we were there, which I was thrilled to acknowledge with him, his fantastic wife, and a bunch of other Univera associates one very fun evening.
I laughed endlessly in talking to Jordan and Genie about Florida, including the tropical smells of fruits and flowers in the summer and telling her about the magic of boiled peanuts which I think you can only get in that state–maybe the outskirts of Georgia. Yes, Jordan, those are totally an acquired taste.
I reminisced back to a prior life when sitting next to Jason, sharing a few knife selling stories from our Vector Marketing days–and hearing about his experiences in Univera, how he positions the opportunity, and about the team he is building.
Returning home, I enjoyed speaking with Jenn and Matt Wilson at the airport, along with a few others. Sharing transparent stories and concerns about Wall Street, the utter dismay at such a massive financial crash and not just for a few but for millions upon millions who are affected, yet while also discussing the feeling of opportunity and comfort in an industry and company that can provide SO MUCH good to SO MANY people, who have been so hurt or pinched by the current conditions. Which will only continue to magnify for the coming months and years.
I’m literally smiling as I write (except for that last part about the current financial situation, of course), going through the memories. There are so many other AMAZING people I met which I wish I could write about but can’t because I don’t have the time.
My biggest regret is that I felt like I ran out of time, and wish I could’ve spoken and spent time with more of those in attendance. There just wasn’t enough time in the day.
My other regret is that I wish I’d said a few other things during my talk that last night of our event. In fact, I wish I’d said both less and more.
Less, in that I wish I simply spoke less, and gave some of your guys sweat glands a bit more of a break (PV was both HOT and HUMID, but still gorgeous).
More, in that I wish I could have shared with each of you a better perspective of why I’m so excited about our future while also better thanking and recognizing you for your contributions you’ve made to the Company.
My enthusiasm and confidence exists because of people in the Corporate office, those like Regan, Stephen, Teri, Nash, Meredith, Ralph, Rebecca, Jessica, Lynn, Julie, Rachel, Bob and many many others in all departments who have your best interests at heart and are committed to seeing and helping you succeed.
It’s because of the ECONET, all these worldwide resources that we can sometimes take for granted, our innovation, our stability, and our ability to deliver the promise of a sustainable long-term business that will reward your commitment and trust for decades to come.
It’s because of Bill Lee, among the most gracious, patient, and visionary leaders within this industry–an individual I have been privileged to get to know and work with over the past nearly three years.
And, finally, it’s because of each of you. At times I think this message either gets too repetitive or diluted. So let me clarify. When I say it’s “because of each of you”, today, I don’t mean this in just a loose sense of the word, as in, you whoever so has a heartbeat and an associate ID. I mean this as in people who are truly and in a heartfelt way committed to our great Company and our cause.
Not just those on the trip (though, in this posting, particularly those), but each of you who share this commitment.
It really is because of each of you, and the decisions that you make daily that drive us to our objectives. It’s truly among the most symbiotic business relationships that I can think of, our success and yours are so closely intertwined.
Which is why we work so hard, yet we can only go so far on our own efforts. At which point we rely on you, each individual engaged in Univera, to deliver the greatness that we have to to those throughout North America–and soon the world–so that we can win as a team.
So since I wasn’t able to say it verbally, I’ve said it here. I’m committed to each and every one of you, equally fueled by your passion and inspiration to greatness as I hope you can at times share and be fueled by mine and those that work within Univera headquarters.
The secret to our success is no secret.
It’s simply in our heart, head, and hand.
Heart, in that it’s about our enthusiasm and passion to each other, ourselves, and families that is needed in order that we succeed. There’s a part of “falling in love” with our passions and ensuring these intertwine with our skills, desires, and needs that instills the jet fuel within each of us.
Head, in that it’s our responsibility to develop the competencies and skills needed to succeed. Beyond that, to also use our logic and rationale of commitment to carry us through challenging times while keeping us grounded and humble during great times.
Hand, in that at the end of the day we simply must transact the passion and the intellect into meaningful and committed (and hard) work. To move forward, to keep gifting, to build the team, to not stop, to not quit, to take the extra steps. Daily. Without the daily, or at least weekly commitment, it is tough to make progress in anything.
My sincere congratulations and appreciation to the team who compiled all three characteristics that enabled you to achieve your personal and team success, which led to our phenomenal Puerto Vallarta event.
It was among the most memorable events of the year.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all day. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Seven years ago today…
It’s taken me five days to finish this post that I started on 9/11.
I remember so vividly the crisp fall morning, awakening early to what literally started as a most idyllic day–and quickly morphed into something quite different–from the freshness of having just learned that Erica was pregnant two days before, to enjoying a cup of morning coffee while overlooking the morning sun and blue skies as well as the Manhattan skyline from our apartment a few blocks South of the WTC (pictured above).
And I remember the walk into the office, arriving first to the office at 8am–abnormally early by Manhattan start-up company standards–while feeling a strength of excitement to my event-filled day with Exec’s from planned meetings throughout the day.
And then I got the call from my friend commuting into the City, whose frantic plight was among the earliest acknowledgments that something was terribly wrong.
And the day, as everybody knows, turned horrific from that moment on. Each of us has a story of where we were, the people we knew affected, and the resulting impact from this day many years ago.
And for six years I awakened on this memorial day with an almost methodical remembrance of the anniversary of this days events, with a customary moment of silence during each of the major attacks, along with numerous phone calls to those with whom I shared the day from years back.
Perhaps this year it was a culmination of being on the West Coast, where I expect there exists some direct relationship to distance and discussion, though perhaps it was also the factor of time that had passed as well as a harried and busy calendar for the day.
Yet on 9/11 I felt like something was missing from the day, an intangible that I couldn’t–and still can’t–quite express.
Now today, five days later, when I read a touching 9/11 remembrance article from the Wall Street Journal that my dad emailed onto me, copied and pasted below, it struck the chord that I seemed to miss from this past Thursday.
Wall Street Journal
September 13, 2009
‘They Are All Better Than Me’
By AMY FINNERTY
By AMY FINNERTY
The taxi driver did not want to take me to Brooklyn. Stephen, a very tired-looking man from Ghana, muttered under his breath when I got into his cab on West 11th Street in Greenwich Village and asked for Montague Street — just over the bridge.
He was just starting his night shift. The ride downtown was one of those passive-aggressive, stop-and-start affairs that cabbies use to punish inconvenient fares. But the driver’s mood softened when we reached the site of the World Trade Center.
On the eve of the seventh anniversary of 9/11, the lights — two soaring, vertical columns of blue-grey mist representing the Twin Towers — were projected heavenward, as they are each year. We had just passed the stretch between the Village and Tribeca when the two of us were caught off guard south of Chambers Street. We were directly under the light beams, at the base of operations, as it were, near the construction site that is still a mess. The annual civic display was both less romantic and more impressive up close. Bugs swarmed in the electrical glow of Big Machinery. The wattage was alarming.
We lingered in the phosphorescence, stuck in traffic, mesmerized by the shockingly muscular beams. He stopped the car. This, we agreed, was a big deal, and must have cost the city a lot.
“Where were you when it happened?” I asked, glad that he was no longer mad at me for dragging him to Brooklyn. “Don’t ask me, please,” he responded. “I’m getting tears in my eyes.” The New Yorker in me suspected this intimacy might be a bit of theatrical tip-seeking. But I soon felt terrible for thinking so.
“The night before it happened, I dropped a fare right here at a hotel under the Twin Towers. I don’t know what happened to them.” Back then, Stephen had just recently left his day job . . . at the Twin Towers. “I worked for a freight forwarding company,” he said, and I thought that the very African way he pronounced “freight forwarding” made it sound as vital and noble as it actually is.
“Two people I knew died,” he continued. “I had recently quit working there in the day, because of my kids, to work nights driving a taxi, to make sure my kids were OK, to get them off to school. We had problems with babysitters.” He seemed energized when I asked what he thought about Osama Bin Laden. “Those people!! So wicked! So smart! So Samaarrrt!”
Moments later, he handed me a color photo as he turned on to the Brooklyn Bridge. A lineup of dark-faced, pastel-clad kids, several girls and a boy, all gorgeous, strapping and smiling broadly. “The oldest girl is so pretty,” I said, stupidly. “That’s my wife,” he confided. “She died two years ago of throat and neck cancer. I can’t believe it’s two years.” I asked him for a pen.
“You’re doing an incredible job of raising these happy kids,” I told him, wanting to write down his words and make him feel better. “What do your kids do?”
“See that one in the green shirt?” He asked the question without turning around. “Master’s in psychology.” He slowed down in the bridge traffic. “The one on the end? She’s the oldest, a teacher.” There was a boy in his second year at college, and yet another accomplished girl. “They’re all better than me” he boasted. “Psychologist . . . cab driver!” I told him he was wrong — he gets credit for raising them. “Teacher . . . cab driver!” he boomed. “They are better!” Tears welled in his eyes as he added that he missed his wife terribly.
We arrived at my home. Stephen politely accepted my tip and I got out of the cab. Then he headed back over the river toward the lights that had, at least momentarily, bridged the differences between us.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Encouragement from the Producer of???
You know the previous blog entry about pursuing my cultural dream? How giddy I was feeling? The whole freedom thing?
Yeah, I’ve continued pursuing it and, well, funnily enough, today I feel lousy.
And have for about two days as a result of it. I expect tomorrow I’ll be better and Monday will be fine so I’m not really whining about it, but it’s a funny contrast between how I am feeling at this very moment versus a few weeks back.
My whole cultural dream process has required some effort and commitment in the last few days and physically I’m now sick directly as a result of it.
Perhaps you’re wondering, “what in the world kind of cultural dream is this?”
But, really, it doesn’t matter.
The point in my bringing it up is that if we were to simply do what we wanted to do based on how we felt at any given moment, we either wouldn’t be doing much or we’d be doing a little bit of everything. Most likely, we’d be doing nothing of excellence and significant worth.
Which is why getting to a decision point is so important and then remembering that commitment.
Because, today, I truly am feeling quite awful. To the point that I am just ready to scrap to heck my whole South Beach diet phase 2, reach in for some comfort food — perhaps just start drinking that amazing and authentic-from-Maine maple syrup in my fridge — and derail my physical goal while I’m in miserable pursuit of my cultural one. Actually, that would be kind of funny. And, yes, I would drink straight maple sugar at this moment.
But, I’m going to refuse the temptation of insulin-taunting sugar and, instead, am going to comfort myself with a sugar-free Fudgsicle (only 40 calories–incredible) and a little reminder from George Lucas.
Before I get to George, I’ve needed to remind myself over the past few days why I’m pursuing this cultural dream, and it was borne of a commitment to myself and some others that I pursue it — not based on how I’m feeling at this moment.
Because, if it were predicated on how I feel at this moment, I’d quit. đ
This afternoon I was reading a bit about George Lucas, who is arguably, one of the best Directors/Producers of all time…who also has an unwieldy amount of hair which seems to constantly need a cut and a wicked dose of hairspray at any given moment.
It was funny to stumble upon some of his bio and a few quotes today for a few reasons.
One, my kids are in the midst of watching Star Wars — we started with the most recent “prequel” series and are working our way through the 3rd episode tonight (this brings back MANY memories as a kid). They love it, and I love watching them love it, though if I’m being truthful in that it’s also getting slightly annoying hearing the kids awake imitating R2D2 and C3PO in between battling each other with lightsabers — which continues throughout much of the day and evening as well. I am quite certain I never did this as a child.
Regardless…Reason number two why this is interesting is that this afternoon I read a few great quotes of his. The most striking to me as follows:
“My first six years in the business were hopeless. There are a lot of times when you sit and say ‘Why am I doing this? I’ll never make it. It’s not going to happen. I should go out and get a real job, and try to survive…If you want to be successful in a particular field of endeavor, I think perseverance is one of the key qualities.”
A great testimony, and so true. Given that he’s now a multi-Billionaire, it’s a bit hard to imagine George Lucas struggling in cinematography or feeling hopeless about his talents and endeavors now that he’s among the best that ever lived.
And so maybe the expression ‘misery loves company’ is true — to a degree. At least it is for me at this very moment the expression is more akin to “Misery loves to know someone else has been miserable before and made it through.”
So with that in mind, it’s off to grab a box of Fudgsicles, my two kiddos while they taunt me with their little pint-sized treats of Ben and Jerry’s, and the third episode of Star Wars for a little bit of comfort while I plow through the trudgery of commitment. đ
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all season. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
I finally took the next step…
At Convention, I passed out these little “Dream Cubes” that had four quadrants represented by a distinct category for each one, such as: professional, personal, cultural, and physical.
And I challenged people to write down on each of the four sides their dreams for each component of life, and then on the flip side — also listed by quadrant — action items needed to get going. Basically, what are a few things you need to be doing next to get going and accomplish the dream?
It was an easy exercise to do flippantly — or to flippantly avoid. It has actually been more difficult than would seem on the surface to do this with some thought and soul searching. In fact, it took me about two months from end-to-end to finally identify and settle on the four dreams.
Each dream/goal (I am using the terms interchangeably for this exercise) could be something with a five-year horizon or a one-year, or an even greater time frame than that. Why use the terms “dream” and “goal” in an interrelated way? I would expect if you have a really big dream that someday you’d like to have happen professionally — perhaps ten years from now — it would be made up of smaller dreams. And for this to not simply be a pipe dream akin to winning the lottery (an understandable but somewhat irrational dream), each dream ties to a degree with goals, though perhaps the former are more heartfelt and symbolic than the latter, which are typically more rote and quantified.
So I’m taking the 1-2 year focused approach for me personally.
At our meeting in Seattle I used my personal one-year dream in the physical category of trying to quantify a really big goal for me: 15% bodyfat (I wouldn’t argue with less) within the next year. So when I turn my dream cube over the next action items for me included changing my eating habits. In fact, it laid out this simply:
Dream: 15% bodyfat
Actions: 1) Start the South Beach Diet, 2) Walk a MINIMUM of 5,000 steps total a day (about a half hour of walking), 3) Resistance training at least 1x/week.
That’s it. And a few months from now maybe I’ll have to change some of my action steps depending upon my progress, but for now that’s what I KNOW I need to be doing.
As an aside, the South Beach Diet has always worked well for me, and I think it is among the healthiest and most sustainable options. I like it for the following reasons: 1) It’s balanced with protein/carbs/fats and lots of whole grains and fresh fruits/vegetables. 2) It’s delicious. 3) It will help you break a sugar addiction, which you probably don’t even realize you have. 4) It works and you can see significant results even within the first two-week induction phase. I would highly recommend it. Dr. Agatston just wrote a new book called “The South Beach Diet Supercharged” that’s worth the $30.
And I still haven’t even gotten to the point of my blog entry for today.
As I got going in one dream quadrant, the cultural one, I soon realized the challenge — and conscientious thought and commitment — required to get going on the other areas.
And I’ve been wrestling with the other quadrants because I really put some of the dreams that were desires of my heart on this piece of paper — and I’m committed to it but there’s a tough bridge between desire and action.
Here’s what hit me today: On the cultural quadrant I made a decision to move forward with a really important personal activity, something that I’ve been thinking about for many years. Probably five or more, and I hoped that SOMEDAY, even decades from now, I would take this initiative on and accomplish it. And when I was creating the Dream Cube, I figured “might as well try to add it to the list now and see what happens.”
It doesn’t really matter what my cultural dream is; in fact I’m not going to share this one (at least not now) because I don’t want it to cloud the lesson I learned.
Which is that it’s easy to talk about dreams but difficult to take action.
And exceptionally hard to accomplish them.
Which is why it’s important to list some of the “next action” steps to keep it front and center.
With my Cultural dream, I had a bunch of great reasons not to pursue it. In fact, I’ve been using them for years so that I wouldn’t have to take action — but I also never killed the idea of the dream from my mind either, because that also would have been depressing and destroyed some of my hope. Of course, at the rate I was going nothing was ever going to come of it anyways, so for a while it wasn’t theoretically hopeless. Just practically hopeless.
But I wrote down this cultural dream (defined in ONE simple word), and then on the reverse side listed some next steps — the action items required just to start making progress on the dream. And I started going down the list of steps. Before I knew it, I’m into the throes of planning for this initiative, and today it came time to make a critical decision in preparation for this event.
When I was driving down I-5 thinking this through I was at a crossroads, where for me to go to my next action step I would have to make a really big commitment with action step number one. And it was then that I realized that I was spending more time thinking about the reasons that I should stop pursuit of this (too much money, risky, difficult, etc.) than I was towards moving it forward. The thoughts were rationalizations — some legitimate and some not — to postpone this accomplishment. And during the drive down I-5, I finally got sick of finding reasons to hold back.
So I pulled the trigger and made a big commitment towards the next step.
And after committing how do I feel? Amazing.
Freedom. Excitement. Liberation. Purpose. Alive.
It’s like I got an IV injection of power, and not in an egotistical sense, but rather a centered/fulfilled/confident sense. It’s like one of those feelings that you get when you give something your total commitment — and to a degree, the end result doesn’t even matter, because you gave it all.
Today was one of those simple magical moments. And it came from a combination of silent thought as well as a simple but logical process that was fueled by both inspiration to be better and a dismissal of excuses that each of us experiences at various times.
I really felt a reinforced lesson of the importance of having a dream or passion, that to move it meaningfully forward it must be accomplished by some action steps, and that all throughout this process each of us will find opportunity to move it forward or backward.
Today, I didn’t need advice. Didn’t need support, mentorship, enthusiasm, motivational tapes, GANTT charts, spreadsheets, proformas, or visualization.
Instead, today all I needed was to be by myself and make it happen. And regardless of how this dream pans out, I’ll remember today for quite a while — because of the lessons I learned, and the feelings throughout this process.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good heartiness, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Hilarious. Just hilarious.
This will be among my shortest blog postings yet, because Michael Jr.’s done all the work for me. For those who attended our annual Convention, you saw the brilliant humor that comedian Michael Jr. injected into our Thursday night Platinum/Diamond reception as well as General Session on Friday night. It was fantastic.
Spontaneity and humor can be a great–but also risky–combination. When Michael Jr. showed up to Saturday’s General Session unannounced, he was there to say goodbye to me back stage in between my hosting the session. Right before I took the stage someone back stage mentioned he was looking for me and was making one final round before departing. So, as you’ll see, I took a chance to see if he’d do one more impromptu set in the midst of recognizing him for the great show he performed the night before. The video below basically says it all and shows what ensued.
Thanks, Michael Jr. and also Andrew (Univera associate) for providing us some great entertainment. As Michael Jr. would say “That was hilarious man…just hilarious”.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all day. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
One of the Greatest Things…
About the Direct Selling industry is the ability to offer opportunity and development to those who might never experience the chance otherwise.
Growing up in the Raz family wasn’t likely a totally normal experience; I think we were a family of restless overachievers yet at the same time each of us were and are, in my opinion, fairly normalized people.
For example, at the Raz household for Christmas, one of the annual gifts was ALWAYS ALWAYS a Day-Timer calendar for each person (seven in total) — this is pre ’95, which was the introduction of the Palmpilot which quickly replaced the Day Timer in our family of early adopters, so late 80’s and early 90’s it was Day-Timers all the way around. Even though, in the picture above, the decor actually looks a little late 70’s or early 80’s (so we kept it going about a decade longer). And, odd as it might seem, all of us were quite excited for our annual supply of Day Timers — my younger sisters included, despite the fact that friends of ours were singing Christmas Caroles, dreaming about Santa (which never really existed in our house past the age of four), and opening up gifts of Tony Hawk Skateboards and Atari game systems we somehow settled into a sense of satisfactory existence with the practical and probably peculiar annual family gift. Okay, so some of the kids (see tears below) weren’t always enthusiastic about the Day Timers…but those also weren’t the only gifts mom and dad gave us.
So fast forward a few years, though throughout all these years we received the annual supply of Day Timers, when I was in high school and most of my buddies were out mowing yards for summer jobs and drinking kool aid in the evenings, I yearned for something else — a job or activity that might put to good use my unlimited supply for Day Timers and penchant for calendaring and scheduling and deal-making, a desire to just do something unique…Different. I was seeking adventure, financial opportunity without limits, teamwork, personal development. I wanted to be stretched. I wanted to wear a shirt and tie to work even though I was in high school (though, based on the picture below, I am now cringing at several things about the wardrobe — including the tie clip and too short tie among other things!).
And, alas, I found the opportunity in October of ’91. I was 17, Senior in High School, and saw a sign that said “Part Time Jobs: $9/hour”. So I called, went to the meeting and learned it was for Vector Marketing — a job selling Cutco! And, it was the most influential job of my life. It taught me about leadership, people, personalities, listening, tenacity and perseverance…
As I write about it a flood of memories come back to me, because it wasn’t just a three month gig for me. It actually put me through College where I worked as a Sales Rep for a year, an Assistant Manager for a year, and then led my own office as a Branch Manager when I was 20, and moved up to Sandusky, Ohio (by myself) to do it as my college job.
The point isn’t really what I did or didn’t do with Vector, it was that it served as the PERFECT vehicle to fulfill some of my needs — which weren’t just income (I could have cut lawns too, in fact I did the years before — I just got bored with it more quickly than my buddies) but also personal development, a sense of satisfaction in what I did, a purposeful mission coupled with self development.
What made me think of all this today?
The Wall Street Journal.
Yes, I know, many think it’s all just boring financial blah blah in the Great Grey Lady (WSJ), but it really is a wealth of recycled papers wrapped full of compassionate and compelling stories of human interest and human spirit, in addition to a bunch of boring financial blah blah.
And today the WSJ ran a great article on a young man who is a Vector Marketing (Cutco) sales representative that reminded me of what makes this Direct Selling industry, and also Univera, so outstanding.
We have the opportunity of not just financial success, but also personal development. To develop the skills of time management. Perseverance. Teamwork. Enthusiasm and optimism. Where else can you learn such life-changing and beneficial skills than in this environment?
What I loved about Vector, in looking back, was specifically the personal development and how I was stretched, molded, and developed by the experiences and the people. Sure, I made quite a bit of money, but I could have done that anywhere. Truly, knowing what I know now, I would have done the whole Vector/Cutco thing for FREE just for the experience. It affected and changed me that profoundly. And, so too I think it is with Univera (but you don’t have to do it for free!).
Beyond just the benefits, what I also love is that there’s no filter in our industry. There’s no “ivory tower” or pedigree that’s required to engage or be considered for the role. No matter your situation, your background, your skills, your history, this is the land of alternative opportunity. Just a spirit of willingness and zeal is all that’s required, and sometimes not even in large doses – -for some it’s simply the willingness to “try it out”, though like with anything try should be accompanied with some type of sustained commitment to yield the best benefit.
Our industry is unlike that at any other business environment. For example, when I worked at Johnson and Johnson they required a huge number of hurdles to get in the door and to become hired was a fairly Herculean task. Consequently there’s also a bit of a “mold” that they look for as parameters. If you walked the halls of J&J, I’ll bet I could pretty simply categorize people according to background, MBA, sales/marketing expertise, and the like. Certainly, there’s good reason for this in that environment, but the beauty of the direct selling model is that there is no bias. There is no filter, and there are no prerequisites. Nor is there prior judgment. It’s an open door. It’s so…American…and Canadian…
Are you a doctor? Great, come join us. Dropped out of high school? Fantastic, we’ll see you at Diamond Club in Hawaii. Love a challenge but hate your current job? Start today! What, don’t have a job? Beautiful, we’ve got one for you! Love your job but need a secondary income? Order the 100340 and get your gifting pack, 10, 30, or 60 gifts, and let’s get gifting.
Really, it’s a beautifully unique and compelling model.
I’m not trying to overly simplify this, but rather point out what struck me today as a few of the amazing aspects of our business. Specifically, that anybody can join and do this. And, importantly, that it provides something more than just income. It provides a rich set of experiences with personal and physical transformation, self development, teamwork, patience, and developing skills to work with other people that will help to transform your life — and those of others.
It’s the amazing thing about this industy, and it’s the luster of Univera.
And the WSJ article that prompted all these thoughts is accessible via the link below.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121788532632911239.html
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all date. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Celebrating Success
(more pictures coming soon in next day, check back)
In the color code world, I’m a red.
57% red, to be exact. And, that’s a good amount of red. My wife can vouch for it.
And, by nature — probably nurture to some degree — SOME (not all) of us reds have a hard time taking time off, or celebrating success and simply having fun. We’d rather work, or do something productive, or move onto the next project and task list and get going. Unless, of course, you are a red with a strong secondary yellow. But, alas, I have 1% yellow. Or so that’s what the test says. Which, honestly, I find hard to believe. Truly, I do. It must be at least 2%.
If, so far, none of this makes sense you can learn the color code language by a quick review of Taylor Hartman’s classification system of personalities and behavioral traits by visiting: www.thecolorcode.com. If, however, you’re nodding your head then forge on!
But if my yellow truly is 1% then I think I used most of it up at Convention as well as the Company celebratory event we hosted last night for all employees — inclusive of individuals all across the ECONET. So to celebrate the success we had at Convention we decided to have fun with some Go-Karting (the place Julie selected I understand favored low emission engines) at a nearby recreation center in Tumwater that just opened six months ago.
And we had a blast. Sure, there were other activities, like golfing and batting cages, and various other games and activities. But Go Karting really won the heart and soul of the group. And it brought forth a pretty competitive spirit.
So peer was pitted against peer, senior against junior, male vs. female, skilled driver vs. unskilled, there was no mercy for individuals. We were at random placed into racing crews where we tested our skill — or lack of skill — with timed laps and a scored rating system based upon expertise.
It was a blast to pull together with fellow ECONETIANS to spend a few hours celebrating success. I also really enjoyed beating the tar out of Regan’s lap times. But I did it with such repetition it just became old after a while. Almost boring, like child’s play. Finally, I got to the point where I felt guilty I was beating him so badly. It just felt so “unservant leadership-like” to continue to lap the poor guy. So finally I slowed down. đ
Well, total truth be told, Regan was pretty darned good and he was/is currently the overall points winner. However, the real skill and admiration rested in the person who could accomplish the fastest lap for the entire set of races against all ECONETIANS. And that person was not Regan. It was someone else. Who is quite competitive. And enjoys writing blogs. Is kinda tall. Uses his hands a lot when he speaks. Really, it doesn’t matter who the fastest fastest racer was. In the scheme of things.
Anyways…
It was great fun to watch the other people become so competitive with each other, in a playful way (Sarah Shaw effectively smoked one of our ECONET attorneys, Edwin K, who is a good/conservative lawyer and drives very much the same way–like Mr. Magoo–though he got more and more aggressive as time went on). And we had quite a few adventurers from Customer Care, as well as many other departments within the Company that came together.
But the most fun part for me?
It was simply watching other people have fun. And celebrating, together as a team.
It’s a good reminder that all of us need to inject celebration and fun into our hard work.
There were two thoughts I had as a result of our celebration event.
I am convinced one of the reasons we had so much fun is that the team worked so exceptionally hard in preparation and commitment going into — and during — Convention. Any type of celebration, whether it be a weekend away, vacation, fun activity is so much sweeter if you’ve given your all and worked exceptionally hard to get there.
Perhaps at times the fun of celebrating is a matter of discipline or planning since it’s not as natural for some of us non-yellows. But adding some celebration along the way of hard work sure makes it more fun — and it acts as emotional glue for those involved.
And did I mention I had a blast lapping Regan?
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all season. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Loving Left Foot
Post Convention is a little bit like a sugar crash.
Most of us went through the week with a combination of post-event elation and a little bit of fog. So while a somewhat low key week, it was also a bit of a decompression week that was filled with moments of laughter and peaks of enthusiasm when reliving the events of Convention. Again, a great event and thanks to every single person — inside and outside the Company — who helped to make it happen.
So the best way to get out of a sugar crash is to either, a) avoid it in the first place, or b) eat some more sugar. đ
Which led us to another back-to-back weekend activity. Yes, the weekend RIGHT AFTER Convention led to our Sunday activity which served as our annual “Serve First” work project!
Every July represents a service month for Univera; it’s really more a symbolic month in that what we hope and aspire to accomplish are works of service throughout the year, both to each other as well as within our community. And I know of many people who are involved in various volunteer capacities on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the year — which is fantastic.
What I love about Serve First is that numerous wonderful contributions to communities throughout North America spring up every year and every month. In fact, I’d love to hear what some of you are doing across Canada and the U.S. during the month or July.
So our (reminder: when I say “our” it is the collective field/company = together/team use of the word) annual Serve First project is with a local non-profit called “Left Foot Organics.” You can get more info about their mission on their Web site: www.leftfootorganics.com.
The day was an absolute blast, beautiful and sunny day with clear skies and a near-perfect temperature coupled with some fantastic company for about four hours. We really did have a great time working in the fields, gardening, pulling garlic, weeding, water fights (these were sporadic and largely initiated by Meredith Berkich’s son, though he then also recruited kids–including my own — to join in the mischievous fun) and various other activities which both served to help the Left Foot group catch up on some of their projects and gave each of us some great enjoyment. I was thrilled and honored that so many people came to this project from up in Seattle and down in the Portland area. Thanks to each of you who came and spent the day helping a local community project, as well as enjoying people on the team.
Next year’s event will be posted to a calendar or the NYCU sometime soon, but we expect it will be the third weekend in July. Finally, yes, of course I was joking about the best way to get over a sugar crash is to eat more sugar…not that I haven’t tried that in the past, though.
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good heartiness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
WOOOO HOOO, DREAM, ACHIEVE, LIVE!!!
Greetings Univerians, the following blog posting was first written on Saturday afternoon, July 12th, but I’ve updated since then (which is why the time/context might be off). I’ll probably update it with more videos and photos this week, I only have a limited selection right now, and then start introducing new blog postings this week. Please add your comments to this blog posting (or any others).
One of the more comical moments from the event below, Regan (aka “Beeker”, from the Muppets…For some reason I thought the name was “Meeper”, perhaps that’s because of the sounds the character makes) on stage with the rappers Eric Miller from Customer Care and “Breathe Eazy.”
I can’t express my most sincere gratitude for EVERY SINGLE PERSON who attended, and to all the corporate employees that made this a great event (special thanks: Julie Darby, Rachel Wisby, Meredith Berkich…but there are just so many others that I can’t thank them all in this email–you know who you are!).
Here we are on Saturday afternoon in gorgeous Seattle, a PERFECT day with a dry 80 degrees and streaming sunshine coupled with incredible energy at our Annual Event with thousands of Associates. Truly, we are having a BLAST at Convention.
Here I sit on Saturday afternoon, just after 4pm, and it’s about the first five minutes I’ve had free since arriving here in Seattle on Wednesday afternoon but I wanted to take a moment to blog a quick entry to share some of my fervor for the past few days we’ve shared together.
A few highlights so far, but there will be many more shared either on this blog or in discussion following this event. Keep in mind, this is a partial list compiled only over a period of about 20 minutes, as I’m limited by time–but not energy. đ
AND, for those who attended please submit a comment with your favorite moments or stories.
Some of the best experiences so far:
-Dinner at Bill’s home on Wednesday night with the Blue Diamonds, and the ticket promotion winners, followed by a Seaplane ride out to the San Juan Islands for a wine tasting and lunch with all the Blues. Picture below, right as we’re about to depart for the flight back to Seattle.
-The comedian Michael Jr. HILARIOUS. This guy, really, is one of the most funny guys I’ve ever met. You can find some of his comedy riffs on YouTube (just search by his name), but let me tell you he’s the real deal. Amazing human being, a quality guy and he’s also talented with humor beyond belief. He did a session Thursday night with the Platinums/Diamonds, then Friday night at General Session, and then TODAY we did an impromptu bit as I pulled him up on stage to do one more session of “Break Time” with the audience. Though, this time he was truly on break as the second day riff was gratis rather than paid, though by the looks of all of you in the lines to purchase his books and CDs I think he did okay. I’m not sure if I’ve ever laughed so much in one sitting, or weekend. And, I am sure the R-DAWG will never be the same (you’ll have to ask around to learn the story of the amazing transformation of Richard Ross!)
-Jim MacLaren. Wow, talk about a guy with perspective. For the rest of my life I will clearly remember his presentation and story on Friday morning. The perspective he brings gives me hope, and adds to my persevering inspiration. You can check out his Web site for more information in case you missed him. www.JimMacLaren.com. He concluded to a standing ovation, throughout his presentation in the audience I saw looks of both laughter as well as tears as he shared with us his journey throughout life. The comments I have received about his presentation have been nothing less than glowing.
-Taylor Hartman. Brilliant, as usual. Presentation of the Color Code, with a little comedy in between. Smashing success. He’ll be at next year’s Convention I expect, and probably at a few events in between. This year we brought him in on Thursday to do a two-hour session with all Platinums and above, a real perk and incentive for getting to Platinum or above next year! đ But you can also catch Taylor online, through additional Univera resources we’ll bring to you, or at various events he might attend between now and next year.
-Some great video clips, stories, and anecdotes…Below you’ll see one I added of Al talking to the larger-than-life poster of Bill Lee when we were in Hainan Island, China. It was going to be played right after the Univera Korea Convention video but we were running tight on time. Loved the stories from the FLC about our trip to China, and I also love that I have Al on video talking to a poster. đ
-RAPID RANK BONUS, as well as the continuation of the $35 Fast Start bonus. We unveiled the BEST compensation plan in the industry this weekend. Details available on the back office, but truly we just went from being among the best to the very best. Together, now, we have the best products and compensation in the industry, and as a team we’re going to be unstoppable. And, in the process of this rollout, I will forever remember Dave Nash’s response when he saw his shiny head on the big screens (Dave, don’t feel bad–nobody looked great on the screens, I think the lighting was off a bit).
-Leadership and training. Really, we have the best leaders in the INDUSTRY. And, on top of that, we had the best of the best running workshops yesterday and today. I think it was, quite possibly, the most spectacular set of concurrent training workshops that have been done in the industry. Rave reviews all the way around. No pictures yet
Saturday night served as the capstone, with some outstanding awards, including seven very well deserving recipients of the Rob Kalnitsky award, as well as Associate of the Year (Angelyn Toth). All of this was followed by the customary close by Bill Lee, which was outstanding as usual.
This entire event has been a total team effort, I want to extend my complete gratitude to all the Univera employees and Associates responsible for making this the event that is has been–and, to each of you that attended, you inspire me. My commitment and passion for this business, and for our cause, I am convinced, is equally matched by each of you as well as that of the Corporate team.
July 10-12th will serve as among the best weekends I’ve had in my life. Thanks for the adventure, the energy, the commitment, and the future we’re creating. I look forward to seeing each of you next year as well–already we’ve sold a few thousand Convention tickets for the event right back here in Seattle in June. If you didn’t do it this time, consider making it part of a family vacation. The Northwest, and Seattle in particular, is one of the world’s best family vacation destinations.
Last picture before signing out…The below is of my beautiful wife, Erica, at Etta’s where we had breakfast on Sunday morning — down by the market. The restaurant gets pretty rave reviews, though I thought the food was just “good.” Though, my company was excellent. đ
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all date. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Products Oh Sweet Products
Counting down…a few more days, or hours, depending on who you are and how you’re counting.
Tonight I’m eagerly restless (2am posting should give a hint!) about all that’s to come this weekend at our Annual Convention.
Another great experience that’s in store for you this week?
CherNINske.
Yes, Stephen Cherniske. Brilliant Biochemist, acclaimed author, part-time Comedian, could-be-GQ-model with his sophisticated and soothing FM-voice, man of many talents but hyper-passionate about one in particular: your health–and how you can achieve your potential.
And, he’s going to be presenting a lot this weekend at the Convention. For those that can’t get enough of Stephen, he’s going to be leading Yoga on Friday and Saturday morning and will continue with a “Wellness Workshop”, hosted by him but joined by some other great speakers, on Sunday morning. During Convention he’ll be talking about current products, new scientific developments, providing hints of products to come, and sharing ways you can be a better physical you.
Beyond this, we’re also extending his reach and most importantly the impactful and life-changing impact of our products by posting some of the great information available on YouTube. Here’s the link for just an early sampling of what’s to come.
www.youtube.com/experiencerenewal
See you in a few days…
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good heartiness, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.
Happy Fourth of July (and a belated Happy Canada Day)
I hope that everybody enjoys their holiday weekend, and to our friends in Canada a belated Happy Canada Day on July 1st (signifies Canada’s birthday).
Below is a letter that’s been circulated internally, written by one of our colleagues in Unigen Pharmaceuticals. It’s a really touching perspective on life in America and the reminder of how precious our freedom is. Carmen, thanks for taking the time to share your personal story and some wisdom along with it.
The letter, in full form, is below.
Hello. My name is Carmen Hertel. I am currently working as a Research Associate with Unigen Pharmaceuticals in Lacey, WA.
Did you grow up in this area? I didnât. If you did, I am guessing that there may be a smaller number of people in this category compared to the group of people who grew up elsewhere. All of this is based on my own observations gathered from coming in to our building almost every day for the past year-and-a-half.
As you know, July 4th is Independence Day here in the USA. To me, one of the top on the list of âreasons for celebrationâ is that of Freedom. This word is not the easiest to define as it can cover a rather broad spectrum and also can be interpreted as the person wants. Nevertheless, for me to attempt to define a word that encompasses so much, it seems easier to for me to share a small excerpt of life without freedom.
Allow me to take you to my home many years ago in the Philippines:
There were several demonstrations recently. Students and police clashes were everywhere. It was tear gas and bullets versus Molotov bombs. Students and other demonstrators were shot—one right outside our house gate. That night, in the middle of the newscast, the TV screen display became all static. My parents were over at the farm âon an island southwest of Manila. Lola (a term for grandmother) put all the kids to bed. I was in the same room as she was and I couldnât sleep. The gun fire and screams were too disturbing. By midnight, everything turned silent. But I could hear something so I snuck out to the gate. Peeking between the slots of the hinges, I could see military tanks moving along the road and then one stopped right about my house. In my pajamas, covered by the dark of night, I hid behind the garden wall. Then I heard people banging on my next-door neighborâs gate yelling âOpen Up!â I could hear the maid running down the foyer and the Chinese master and his wife talking in rapid Cantonese. There was a 12 ft tall wall between our garden patio and the neighborâs area and I climbed the wall to watch. The military men said they needed to look inside the house and do an inspection. Quickly but quietly, I went to wake my siblings. My oldest brother was in college, so he would take charge if the men came to our place. Sure enough, our house was searched next – more like ransacked. All of our belongings were thrown and scattered to the floor. Various items were taken. By the time they left, our house was in total chaos—furniture, clothes and personal items were strewn all around. The next day, radios were all static and so were the TVs. There was no newspaper. That day, Martial law was declared. My Uncle, a University professor and an advocate of democracy was taken to prison. A friend of the family was imprisoned in a small square of a cell, so small that she could not even stand. A lot of secret meetings happened with the knowledge that we had to run for our very lives should the military come to disperse the gathering. No person could openly criticize the government.
Though times have changed and freedom is now again enjoyed in my home country, the time that it was curtailed haunts my memory.
This being said, I imagine there may be other people here within our family of companies who have gone through more difficult times than my story above depicts. Although I am humbled at this prospect, for me to even narrate this story for you does not minimize the fear I had as my family and I were subjected to this lack of freedom. Subsequent to this, I have become so âAmericanâ â I know that I have the freedom that I can complain if I believe something is not right. I also believe that this freedom to complain can be taken too far at times. If we stop and think about it, some of the things we complain about are trivial in comparison to things that really matter.
So I ask you – do you appreciate the freedom we enjoy here in the USA? I think almost everybody does. I would encourage everyone that you donât stop at just enjoying or appreciating your freedom. Be an advocate for freedomâhelp those that are helpless and cannot or have a hard time fighting for their own freedom – the poor; the elderly; the homeless; the infirm. Live by the golden rule and encourage others to do the same. Be compassionate and teach compassion to your family and friends. I believe we should fight to protect others while we are strong and when we weaken, someone else will fight to protect us. Most of us are aware that we are being protected right now by our own soldiers. In return, I pray for these brave men and women; I pray for ourselves; and I encourage everyone to do the same.
Have a wonderful 4th! God Bless America!
No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.