Razflections » Opportunity

Winning Big in a Down Economy

Raz — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:32:11 +0000

It’s tough to win big in business even in a good economy. It’s competitive and challenging, but it sure is easier in a boom marketplace than in a down economy. There’s never been a more difficult business environment in most our lifetimes than what we’ve experienced this past year.

But what IF, in a down economy, you could win?

And win big?

Take a look at the Univera plan we put forth on January 1st ’09, our collective approach towards “Playing to Win 2009″ delivered first half results that any Executive would be thrilled to see even during good times. Considering the challenges of the past year, we’ve got a lot to both celebrate and for which we should also give thanks and gratitude.

Yet, the game’s not over! And we need to place into high gear a new level of hustle and humility so that we can accomplish the objectives we set forth nearly ten months ago. If you’re new to Univera, never heard of Univera, or are a longtime associate, you’ll love the difference–the renewal–that you can achieve through Univera.

We’ve put together a few key components to drive the second half to even greater heights. In fourteen minutes, you’ll see what we’ve done and how we’re going to finish the second half of this year in a VERY big way. Take a look, get engaged, and let’s finish the second half of this game playing all out!

Do what you Love, Love what you Do

Raz — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:55:00 +0000

I get inspired watching someone who is an expert at whatever they do, doing it and doing it well. And it is simply icing on the cake when it is clear that they also love their jobs.

Jack Borden is a 101-year-old attorney. He clearly doesn’t need to continue practicing law at his age, but he views his work as energizing and rewarding.

“I have to use a walker because of old age, so there’s not much else I could do except sit in my house. Why do that when I can not only enjoy life, but help some people?”

He’s what grabbed my attention in this story I saw recently about working seniors, as he reminded me of so many Univera Associates who — at various stages in their lives — have found fulfillment in sharing our opportunities for financial and physical renewal with others.

It was just another reminder of how important it is to have passion and a sense of purpose in what you do.

I am heartened, but hardly surprised, whenever I hear of someone who has experienced something life-changing with Univera. Our passion, like Jack’s, is to help people.

Including those not as fortunate as Jack to have a life-long career. Their stories of financial struggles are also told in the article below.

Speaking for the Univera community, isn’t it great to know that you have something you can share with people like these, to help them find not only a viable way to support their livelihoods but also a way to apply purpose to their lives?

Jack Borden would like you to consider working well past retirement age. As a 101-year-old attorney, he has the credibility to encourage it.

Borden, who has been practicing law for the better part of 70 years, still spends about 40 hours a week at his office in Weatherford, Texas, handling estate planning, probate and real estate matters.

Retire? Not while he’s able to help folks.

Click here to read the full story.

XYB: Meanwhile, the Team here in the Office is getting excited for the SOLD-OUT Xpand Your Business seminar this weekend at Alderbrook here in beautiful Washington state. Between hearing from industry expert Tim Sales, learning about our new Myunivera.com marketing tools, and getting to enjoy each other’s company, out Gold and Platinum Associates will surely have an experience of a lifetime! And get all the tools and support they need to head into the holiday season and beyond.

Diversification

Raz — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:18:36 +0000

Here’s a great article about diversification…But not the traditional kind. It’s not like buying small, mid, and large cap stocks and seeing them all decline. Or Int’l and domestic funds and seeing them tank too. Or even diversifying into Real Estate and watching that crater.

Side note: don’t sweat too much those who have been diversified but are “down”, it’ll come back up and it doesn’t negate the critical diversification and dollar-cost averaging principles that ultimately work best over the long haul.

Anyways, this is a VERY different kind of diversification. It’s income diversification, and it’s pretty darned difficult to do in a traditional business. Expert trainer Tim Sales says that poor people buy “stuff”", middle class people buy “liabilities”, and rich people buy “assets”, though he uses a bit of a different definition than the traditional accounting ones (“stuff” is the junk you keep around your house, “liabilities” are things that cost you money, and “assets” are things that make you money.).

Below, you’ll read about how rich people all across North America are investing in assets that are available to millions of people across North America, regardless of income, background, or experience. Pretty amazing.

Not long ago, Craig Lapp made his living driving a truck that helped carve Southern California’s soil into new developments. But then housing sales slumped, and in November 2007 Lapp’s construction company let him go.While he searched for another job, Lapp began working alongside his wife, Lynne, in a business based in their Temecula home, selling nutritional supplements made by the direct-sales company Isagenix. Nearly two years later and with no construction job in sight, Lapp says a one-time sideline has become the couple’s bread and butter.

“It’s paying our mortgage, our car payments … putting food on the table,” says Lapp, 55, who adds that he and his wife are earning a six-figure income. “It was our ‘Plan B’ that turned into our ‘Plan A.’ “

Click here to read the entire story.

What’s the definition of a “Depression”?

Raz — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:59:00 +0000

This graph hits hard visually. Very hard. It’s a sobering reminder of the mess we’re in, and what won’t leave us soon. It’s not hopeless, at all, but it’s a reality of the challenges we’re facing in the United States, in Canada, and ultimately the effect being felt around the world. And next door.

Today I was speaking with a good friend. A really successful and exceptionally intelligent person, who is sideways financially. Very sideways, in a scary way. It was a painful story to hear; and it’s not that we don’t hear about these every day or read about them on the front page of every paper or website. It’s just that, well, when it touches someone you care about…it’s just a different level of emotion.

Perhaps President Truman said it best: “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job. And it’s a depression when you lose yours.”

I could feel the pain in the voice and experience of my friend, yet it’s not without great hope that I have for people just like him as a result of this industry.

My blog is a muse of leadership, culture, and business. A large part of my business writings, though not all, are about Relationship Marketing and specifically Univera. I can’t help it–I love this industry, it’s a powerhouse of opportunity.

Which is why the recession data isn’t all bad news.

There is, within this calamity, an opportunity.

Amidst the turmoil, some people–perhaps you–will become millionaires. Others will simply find a way to keep the mortgage paid off, or pay for college, or put food on the table. Some will find freedom. Others will regain the passion they have for life. And others still will reunite themselves with a purpose within business they didn’t know existed.

The reasons I love Relationship Marketing are simple: you can take control, rather than having control taken of you.

Look at the hundreds of thousands of people laid off every month, few of these people had control. In fact, ironically, 95% of the layoffs happen to the people that have the least control over their own destiny within their companies.

So, ultimately, part of this is about freedom. And I want you to have it too.

The reasons I love Univera as a business are simple as well.

1. Patented products that work. Over 150 patents are put to work over a multitude of products that change the way people live, look, and feel. We’ve got the best of a “single product lead” with Xtra, yet with a multitude of breakthrough products that are simply untouchable that add diversity and strength. Nobody in the industry matches these resources.

2. Resources. It’s easy to talk about joint ventures, co-licensing arrangements, partnerships, and collaborative or exclusive resources. But it’s totally different to talk about an integrated set of businesses; at Univera we often forget the power of the “Farm to Family” concept (for our core ingredients). A Company that has resources across all of the world touching a multitude of Continents–particularly great resources right here in North America in Lacey headquarters, which also houses some of the most talented and passionate people in Corporate America, that are working for you. And with you.

3. Compensation. There simply is not a better plan in this industry, that’s more balanced or more aggressive at all the key touchpoints in an Associates business. Our 2009 Plan, available at www.univera.com, highlights the major components that we’ve ADDED to the compensation plan to make it among the most competitive plans on the front and back end. Which means, ultimately, if you work you’ll get success early on. But, equally importantly, you’ll develop a powerful back end residual that builds for you the freedom you desire.

4. Culture, Heart, and Purpose. To a degree, the words could be synonyms. But we each have a definition of what that means.

Here, Culture is about integrity, respect, and listening. It’s about acts of service, it’s about teamwork and collaboration, and it’s about developing a set of relationships and an environment that’s unlike anything else. And it’s about changing the health and wellness of the World, or as we say “Bringing the Best of Nature to Humankind.”

If you’re all about money, you’ll not likely be a perfect fit here. You can do amazing things with the money from Univera for your family and humankind. But let’s all acknowledge that our life, including the time we spend during the day, can be so much more meaningful if done in conjunction with purpose and people with whom we care about–and care about us.

I see the decline in the graph, and on one hand it’s just another number and statistic. It could be sterilized and desensitized to be meaningless as we get calloused to the bad news. But, we can’t let it. It’s our society, it’s our friends, family, and neighbors that this all affects. It’s causing a transformational change that could lead to the biggest transformational change in our industry, and for our Company.

Margaret Meade said it best: “Never doubt that a small and committed group of people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

I’m ready to change the world.

And that starts by simply taking the step to help change the life of those we come across every day.

Why You’ll Work Through Retirement

Raz — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:17:00 +0000

For some, this is a pretty somber reality they are now facing. And the fact is that that more and more people working through retirements will trickle down to the generations below. In the traditional sector, it means fewer jobs, less opportunity for advancement, and it will clearly affect other industries such as travel, hospitality, and particularly “retirement” states.

Yet, it’s not all bad news.

It depends on what you decide to do to work through retirement. In every challenge exists opportunity. Most people I know who are already retired are aghast at the idea of going back — and many who are looking forward are spooked at the idea of having to slug away for many more years.

But what if you could intersect a way to make money — significant money — and feel better, and do good for humankind?

There’s a rapidly growing interest in this opportunity for people at the early and middle stages of life — and there are many reasons why (probably fodder for another posting). While I expect to see great growth in this younger demographic, I’m not sure that it will outpace growth for the “retirement class.”

All across North America, I see and hear sad stories of a dwindled 401k, or a completely erased pension, or dramatically fallen equity in their home. Yet, I also get to experience some amazing stories of success in Univera. Some of these people would NEVER have been prompted to find a secondary or primary income if it weren’t for a challenge brought forth to their lives. It’s often these challenges that bring people to Univera. So, it’s not all bad.

In fact, it can be very, very good. So if you have to work through retirement, why not find something you love?

Why You’ll Work Through Your Retirement

There is a major social and cultural message in the current economic collapse for the future retirees of America: Forget retirement.

That’s right. The recession is making clear what we’ve suspected for a long time. The concept of not working and embracing leisure for the last third of one’s life isn’t practical for most people.

Put it this way: Survey after survey has shown that a majority of aging baby boomers plan on working in retirement. Well, that plan is coming true.

Click here to read the entire BusinessWeek story.