Now Appearing in an Extended Engagement! Join David Robison as he takes you into his world and his daily life of reviving a stand-up comedy career. Prepare for side trips exploring the "art" of salesmanship and business ethics and his experience with Multi-level Marketing. Enjoy some frequent detours describing his observations on life. Read the exploits of this self-proclaimed Renaissance-man and blooming blogger as you go
On The Road With Dave.
Well, my 13 year old faceless spectre is headed out the door for a pillow case full of candy. My daughter is dressed in her gothic regalia and my 20 year old is decked out in his Army uniform...that's Army of Darkness uniform a la "Ash" from S-Mart.
The two oldest are off to do their own "Halloween thing"
The small southern towns surrounding Mobile split up Halloween Trick-or-Treating between last night and tonight this year, as some towns objected to the concept of ghouls and goblins on "church night". But our town is doing the "tricks or treats" on the traditional night.
But, for those who are religiously inclined as to think All Hallow's Eve is Satanic in nature, let's stop that rumor. And to my Wiccan readers, it is my wish that your Sabbat of Samhain last night was healing and went well.
I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it. --Alexander Woollcott
"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because, man, they're gone." -- Jack Handey
People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing.
--Walter H. Judd
In the interest of stirring political activism, I have been publishing quotes I find interesting about Voting and the political process for the last several days as we lead up to the 2004 Presidential election.
Today is no different. And for those who feel that this blog is "all over the road" and does not adhere to a strictly handyman topic, Quixtar topic, or Comic topic, let me just say, "Quixtar"; "MLM"; "my handyman/home renovation business"; AND "comedy".
There...that might make everyone happy.
An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.
--T.S. Eliot
In addition to my weekly "Sunday Thoughts"; for the next six days following each blog entry will be a notable quote on the subject of Voting.
I'm still considering an On The Road With Dave election day endorsement of a presidential candidate, but most of my readers already know my political affiliation; so that might be unnecessary.
But WE all need to vote in this election. No matter your political affiliation. The polls show a tight race between the Presidential candidates and it looks like we are in for another bumpy election night.
So EVERYONE'S vote counts. So Vote Democratic; Vote Green; Vote Republican. But, take the time to visit the polls on Tuesday, November 2, 2004.
"Ask a man which way he is going to vote, and he will probably tell you. Ask him, however, why, and vagueness is all." -- Andrew Lack
This was to kick off my self-scheduled tour of comedy clubs in the US to hone my craft and become a "star", which has been a dream of mine since I was at least 10 years old and picked up my first ventriloquist dummy and began performing at the local library.
I even had a named picked out for the tour, The 2004 "get me outta the house!" Tour.
Sadly, that tour never came to fruition.
I got a job; actually a career opportunity to help someone with their business, to get out of some burdensome debt, to learn a new craft, and to begin achieving a level of financial peace that I had not had in quite some time. The partnership with my friends from Maryland proved to be the better course of action for the time.
As a matter of fact, that job was to be part of the inspiration for "On The Road with Dave." So things have worked out pretty well for me over the last year.
But once again, the feeling that I NEED to perform is very strong.
So, rather than "open my mouth" and proclaim a goal in haste, I have decided to tackle this comedy business with a little more thought.
My post on the death of Rodney Dangerfeld and a recent viewing of Dummy starring Adrien Brody has my mind filled with ideas and ways to implement them. But, I intend not to go off half-cocked, nor ill-prepared....this time.
I have opened up my case that houses my dummy, Skyler and have dusted off the daily exercises that I learned so many years ago, and I have created a file on my computer entitled "The Act". The plan so far is to get back in shape. To get serious about Comedy once again.
2005 is not so far off and there may be a chance that a "get me outta the house" tour is more imaginable in the coming year. "On the Road with Dave" still has a chance to be more than just a Blog name.
Is it propaganda?
A bashing of the GOP on celluloid?
Is it an expose'?
Is it a clever use of film editing and misdirection?
Is it staged?
Could any of it be true?
I watched it with an open-mind and with a certain insight into filmmaking after spending 6 years as an industrial video producer. Yes, I saw a certain propaganda element to the movie; and yes I saw certain scenes specifically filmed with a knowing outcome.
But, here's my recommendation; spend the 3 or 4 bucks to rent the movie. Don't rely on what you have heard about it, or what your political affiliation is, or what you may or may not think of Michael Moore.
In fact, after you watch it, then go rent FahrenHYPE 9/11, the rebuttal to the film also available on videotape. Get both sides.
With less than ten days until the Presidential election, you owe it to yourself to at least see what all the fuss was about.
On Tuesday, October 5, 2004, comedian Rodney Dangerfield passed away. He was 82.
I always liked Rodney on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He would do his schtick on stage and then when he sat down with Johnny; you couldn't help but laugh at Johnny, laughing at Rodney.
As an aspiring comedian I never looked at Rodney's style as something I would emulate, but he did make me laugh.
When Rodney was admitted to the hospital for surgery, I decided to go to his website and see what was there. His biography immediately caught my attention. Rodney began his comedy career at about the same age as I did.
And for the same reasons almost, he decided to leave comedy and raise a family. He returned to comedy in his 40s and became a hit. This gives me a lot of hope.
"Dangerfield had a strange career in show business. At 19 he started as a standup comedian. He made only a fair living, traveling a great deal and appearing in rundown joints. Married at 27, he decided he couldn't support a family on his meager earnings.
He returned to comedy at 42 and began to attract notice. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan show seven times and on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson more than 70 times.
"It was like a need. I had to work. I had to tell jokes. I had to write them and tell them. It was like a fix. I had the habit."
Despite his good reviews, Dangerfield claimed he didn't like movies or TV series: "Too much waiting around, too much memorizing; I need that immediate feedback of people laughing."
He spent his days in a business office and his nights working in New York clubs. Not satisfied, Rodney opened his own club, the now famous Dangerfield's on First Avenue in Manhattan. The club was a huge success and so was Rodney. Rodney introduced many of today's comedy stars to television for the first time on his HBO shows which emanated from Dangerfield's, such as Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Jim Carrey, Jeff Foxworthy, Sam Kinison, Bob Saget, Jerry Seinfeld, Rita Rudner, Robert Townsend, Louie Anderson and others.
Pioneering new territory in cyberspace, Rodney was the first entertainer to personally own a Website on the Internet. Launched in February 1995, his state-of-the-art site has won numerous awards and distinctions as one of the most popular destinations on the World Wide Web and can be found at http://www.rodney.com/.
Rodney's famous trademark white shirt and red tie are on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C......Aaahhh....respect at last.
For those that miss Rodney, Here are what one person considers Rodney's 20 best one-liners. You don't have to laugh at all of them, but just for today; show a little respect.
1. A girl phoned me the other day and said, "Come on over; nobody's home." I went over. Nobody was home.
2. During sex, my girlfriend always wants to talk to me. Just the other night she called me from a hotel.
3. One day I came home early from work ... I saw a guy jogging naked. I said to the guy, "Hey buddy, why are you doing that?" He said "Because you came home early.
4. Its been a rough day I got up this morning ... put a shirt on and a button fell off. I picked up my briefcase, and the handle came off. I'm afraid to go to the bathroom.
5. I was such an ugly kid...When I played in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up.
6. I could tell my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and radio.
7. I was such an ugly baby...My mother never breast fed me. She told me that she only liked me as a friend.
8. I'm so ugly...My father carries around a picture of the kid who came with his wallet.
9. When I was born, the doctor came into the waiting room and said to my father, "I'm sorry. We did everything we could, but he pulled through."
10. "I'm so ugly...My mother had morning sickness...AFTER I was born."
11. "I remember the time that I was kidnapped and they sent a piece of my finger to my father He said he wanted more proof."
12. "Once when I was lost, I saw a policeman, and asked him to help me find my parents. I said to him, "Do you think we'll ever find them?" He said, "I don't know kid. There's so many places they can hide."
13. "My wife made me join a bridge club. I jump off next Tuesday."
14. "I'm so ugly...I worked in a pet shop, and people kept asking how big >I'd get."
15. " I went to see my doctor. "Doctor, every morning when I get up and I look in the mirror...I feel like throwing up; What's wrong with me?" He said..."I don't know but your eyesight is perfect."
16. "I went to the doctor because I'd swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. My doctor told me to have a few drinks and get some rest."
17."With my old man I got no respect. I asked him, "How can I get my kite in the air?" He told me to run off a cliff"
18. "Some dog I got. We call him Egypt because in every room he leaves a pyramid. His favorite bone is in my arm. Last night he went on the paper four times- -three of those times I was reading it."
19."One year they wanted to make me poster boy- - for birth control."
20. "My uncle's dying wish was to have me sitting in his lap; he was in the electric chair."
In case, anybody missed it, I'm an MLM representative. (And a shocked audience goes wild)
In my case, I'm a legally defined independent contractor distributing products and services of Quixtar Corporation. In marketing-speak; I'm an Independent Business Owner powered by Quixtar.
For further clarification, I'm included in a sub-category of Quixtar IBOs. This sub-category is defined as a "non-tools" IBO.
On the Internet, a "non-tools" IBO is looked upon with a little more favor(but sometimes, not much) among those that oppose Quixtar and Quixtar IBOs. It means that I don't participate in a "second-business" of several Quixtar IBOs high up on the "recognition scale". This second business involves the higher "muckety-mucks" producing motivational tapes and books and organizing motivational rallies for sale to their downline(people they have signed up in their business, and people they have signed up and so on and so forth)
Some of the "muckety-mucks" have organizations that reached into the thousands and thus they mange to sell a lot of motivational stuff and make a lot of money apart from their actual sale of Quixtar products and services.
Is this wrong?
No.
There, I said it. It's free enterprise. Capitalism at work. What the market will bear.
What it can be is...deceptive.
New recruits see a "higher-up" who has a new car, a mansion, a boat, and naturally assume all this wealth came from the sale of Quixtar products and the ability to teach others how to recruit and get others to sell Quixtar products. The new recruit has no idea that possibly this money came from the "second business".
People that oppose this second business(me, included) point to the possibly thousands of dollars that unsuspecting IBOs spend on these motivational materials as a flaw in the second business. IBOs who get sucked in to this buying habit almost always spend more on the materials than they make in their Quixtar business. They "chase" the motivation and miss out on the real business of being a Quixtar IBO.
Also in the chase, they are subjected to the opinions and ideologies of those speaking on the tapes and at the rallies that may have nothing to do with building a Quixtar business.
Well then, you might ask, "Why doesn't Quixtar step in and stop this practice?"
I think there are two good reasons.
1) If they regulated a second business that has nothing to do with selling Quixtar products and services, then the "independent" in "Independent Contractor" goes out the window. They legally have no say in how a IBO "trains" his downline. They can impose rules about disclosure of average incomes and "buy back" policies that deal with their trademarks and copyrights, they can even terminate IBOs that do not follow other rules that may involve setting up competing compensation plans for these tools. But they can only do so much legally.
2)The higher "muckety-mucks" have at their disposal a contract with Quixtar that gives them a "lobby" with the Corporation in the form of a IBO Council. This council was originally set up by the founders of the company to make sure those reps in the field would always have a certain "say" with the Corporation. They lobby that without these tools; servicing and training such a large sales force would be impossible and would be detrimental to their "first" business and to Quixtar's bottom line.
Could the company survive a mass exodus of the 20 or so largest organizations? Remember, the organization consists of IBOs who are convinced that their leaders' methods are the only way to build a successful business. If the leaders were to leave, would these IBOs stay?
So, with these problems, the people that oppose these methods speak out on the web and elsewhere.
And IBOs like myself are questioned as to why we turn a blind eye to the problem and condone the activity by our continued participation.
But those problems are really OUR solutions.
Now if you are oppose to MLM in general and think it's a bad business model then anything except quitting won't be a solution.
But here's how I see it.
I have the same "independent' status; which means I can choose to train my organization without tapes and rallies. I can take advantage of Internet Training, websites, Interactive forums, email, and the telephone. I can offer free training. I can teach business principles, merchandising techniques, interpersonal skills, netiquette, and I can motivate my IBOs through profit that they make.
If I can get my message out there and build a large organization, then I also have the opportunity to sit on the same council as the current "muckety-mucks". I can lobby my ideas. If more organizations like mine spring up and are successful; then we begin to contribute more to the bottom line of Quixtar. Thus providing the corporation with an alternative mega income stream.
If, in fact, we are talking about "free enterprise" then encouraging IBOs to build without tools is the only way to effectively get rid of the tool system. Building organizations without tools successfully, would diminish the market for the tools and thus dry them up. So, operating a business ethically, without tools, accomplishes minimizing the evil, not turning a blind eye to it. In effect, changing the system from within.
Finally, as a consolation to those who feel MLM only makes money for those at the top, I offer this:
If one is honest and ethical presenting MLM and retailing products, AND cutting out the tools. Expenses become minimal, thus the inherent failure you see of the downline masses goes away. No, not everyone will become rich, BUT everyone could supplement their income to various degrees. But of course if you are showing the plan as a "get rich" plan then you aren't showing it ethically in the first place. Again, it depends on the independence of the MLMer AND the good judgment of the "recruit".
Do you want to be a millionaire at retirement? Or, do you just want to be comfortable? What's comfortable?
Do you want to be making the same amount of money yearly as you are now, but adjusted for inflation for 25 years down the road? Do you want more than this? Will you Retire and do nothing or "retire" and still decide to make some sort of income?
Whether you are a MLMer, a conventional business owner, an employee; are you even thinking about retirement?
Do you have a savings plan? An investment plan? A piggy bank?
If you haven't thought about it; or if you have thought about it, but dont have a clear cut plan, let me offer to put you in THE BALLPARK.
Kent Faver is a real estate appraiser from Texas and is involved in MLM, too. I found this post on an Internet Forum and asked Kent if I could republish it here for my blog readers, he graciously gave permission.
This topic is in line with my post on "Direct Questions" from a few days ago.
3 Critical MLM Questions
Hey all,
Those of us that are truthful will tell you we've felt a variety of emotions working "in" network marketing.
Many get so frustrated they go on to become anti-mlm zealots - believing that everyone should be paid something reasonable for their efforts. Actually, that's life in the corporate world - not the entrepreneurial world. Owning your own business is extremely tough- most fail, and many fail over and over again.
There are many questions one must answer to determine if it can or will work for them -- Here are three I think that should be near the top of anyone's list.
1) Does MLM work? 2) Can MLM be done the wrong way? 3) If you quit, can it work?
Let's begin with no. 2:
2) One critical element is doing things correctly. Based on my experiences, doing anything in mlm that is not in a one-on-one context is incorrect. This takes much more time, but is actually much more duplicatible than anything involving money spent for prospecting - including generic web sites, flash, autoresponders, leads, etc. Bottom line - you should be spending virtually nothing other than time in your sponsoring efforts. Most that quit an internet-based deal do so because they simply can't afford to spend $50-1,000/month any longer on all their tools. This is a really another post for another day, the key element is....
1) Does MLM work? In a nutshell - yes. It works and works amazingly well. Here are critical components in mlm - sales volume and time.
In a legitimate network - you get paid off of sales volume. If you have no sales volume - you have no income. Regardless of what they tell you many companies pay bonuses on recruiting, head count, etc. Longterm, this is a guarantee for failure.
The second critical element is time. This is really where "the rubber meets the road" in mlm. I spend about 50 hours a week analyzing real estate returns and other real estate investment issues.
Real estate investing works phenomenally well - time and again. You cannot dispute the rates of return - yet most landlords fail and many fail miserably. Why?
Because its extremely tough, there are no guarantees,and in your first 2-10 years anything bad that CAN happen likely WILL happen. Bottom line - you make little money in real estate until leverage really begins kicking in and leverage will not begin kicking in until you allow TIME to pass and build up equity in your property.
So, how much time should pass before we start making it "big time" in mlm? Well, to many; 2 months is forever starting their new mlm business, but, in reality that's no time - unless of course you're doing it, doing it every day - then it FEELS like forever. And, if you're doling out money on a product with no value and $100+/month on worthless tools - well, a few months adds up quickly to some rather sizable losses.
I always give this funny line to people - time passes much faster in pregnancy and graduate school when you're watching someone else go through it. Ask my wife how long her two pregnancies lasted and she'll roll her eyes and say forever. The first one almost killed her (literally) and the second one came pretty doggone close as well. My buddies that have gone through medical, law and graduate school fly through - I mean in no time - right? Who was going through it - me or them? Is time moving faster today than it did 10 years ago? Yes, of course - that's life.
But in "mlm time", or in any endeavor that requires tremendous sweat equity in ourselves - it drips by. We get frustrated with our results. "I've been in this deal 6 months and I'm only making $100/month! My upline's making 10 times that amount!"
Bottom line? It takes what it takes to get where you need to go. If someone assures you you can get there faster with "their deal"....I direct you back to no. 2 - if you're doing it wrong - it doesn't matter - you're eventually going to start over from scratch and have to begin the painstaking process again.
Which leads us to No. 3
3) Does it work if you quit?
I learned something a few days ago that blew me away. Someone way up in my organization is making the huge bucks and has been making this money for over a decade. I learned, however, that after three years, they were only making about $100/month!!! Would we have quit somewhere in that three years? Let's all be honest - probably.
Is the answer to go find a "hot deal" that gets you there faster based on a dynamic recruiting machine, a killer upfront bonus, or a compressed pay plan that pays out 99% on your second level? No, No, and no. The answer is to simply go and "do it" until you get there - and make sure your company is there when you get there. Let's look at one set of numbers again real quickly that exemplify leverage in mlm. Remember, mlm works and works beautifully based on sales volume and leverage. The critical element in leverage is not momentum - although that's important - and its not hype, bonuses, etc, - its time.
Assume you are only finding one person per year that will duplicate what you do and not quit. One point real quick...I know people that have personally recruited 200 people and every one of them quit inside of two years.
Problem - wrong system (another topic, another day). Is this doable? Yes, and probably wildly conservative, but stick with me.
How many people do you have at the end of year 1? 1
End of Year 3? 4
End of Year 7? 128...and,
At the end of Year 10; you have 1,024 rock-solid people in your group and your likely making $20,000+/month.
Was it worth it?
How many rational, sane people would quit after three years when they have four people to show for their efforts? My guess is well over 80%..probably closer to 95%. This is why every mega money maker in mlm can point to just a handful of leaders (usually less than 5) that got them where they are - most reasonable people will quit.
Some will even become anti-mlm zealots. And, those zealots make more sense to the average Joe than someone who says "give me 7-10 years" and I'll help you earn an unbelievable income that will last well beyond your lifetime.
But, I always get back to - is it worth it? I come away with the same answer every time.
For those who don't know; BlogShares is like a fantasy football site for Bloggers.
Bloggers and Blog Fans speculate on Blogs as if they were companies. Buying and selling stock in Blogs.
I haven't done anything as far as playing the game, but my blog is listed and I go to the site to see how my "company" is doing from time to time.
On the Road with Dave has been quite active in recent weeks and I wanted to share these two "press releases" from the site.
The reason I'm sharing them here is that I have no idea what is going on. Any Blog Share fans read my blog? Could anyone enlighten me on what happened?
07:24 14 Oct 2004
On The Road with Dave was the subject of much speculation when analysts at several firms were heard to be very positive about it's recent performance. It's share price rose from B$2,529.32 to B$3,793.98. Much of the hype was said to originate from (name deleted) whose Gag Master (artefact) was said to be involved.(name deleted) declined to comment on the recent speculation.
03:28 15 Oct 2004
On The Road with Dave suffered a huge setback with several analysts urging their clients to ditch the stock as it suffered a public relations disaster. The exact nature of customer dissatisfaction was not known but (name withheld) was rumoured to have had a hand in it. Industry insiders suspect a Gag Master (artefact) was involved. On The Road with Dave share price dropped from B$1,117.60 to B$547.36 (name withheld) declined to comment on the recent speculation.
So what disaster happened? Feel free to email me and tell me, or you could leave me a detailed comment.
I received an email last week from someone that was referred to me, because of the way I conduct business.
The person was interested in my Quixtar business, but wanted to ask me some questions before he decided if I was the right "fit" for him. His questions were typical of someone already in MLM and familiar with the "jargon" and compensation of Multi-level Marketing.
Some MLMers would be hesitant to answer these questions, because if answered "wrong" or with not enough hype, they might not be considered "perfect sponsors".
Some might be embarrassed because, if they don't appear successful, then they might not sound impressive.
I'll list the Questions and give you the Direct Answers I gave him. I omitted any reference to the person's name or his situation.
WHAT LEVEL HAVE YOU REACHED?
I have built my sales and sponsored a few people. I want to go faster, but am very content with my progress and growth. I have a growing downline and people come to me to learn more. For the past 6 months I have traveled with a job and was on the road quite a bit. I have the opportunity to work that job now closer to home and I'm actively back involved on a more day-to-day basis with working with Quixtar.
WHAT LEVEL DO YOU KNOW ANYONE HAS REACHED DOING IT THIS WAY?
We don't have a platinum in our 'system' yet. The volume in our organization is about $130,000-$160,000 annual sales. There are many things to discuss about this -- like how consistent it is, and also our attrition rates are a fraction of the Amway AMO type systems. If you want to talk more, let me know. Again, the progress of our system -- being a brand new business model -- community building on the web -- is very good. We JUST moved the organization to a Web based forum last year, I can send you an invitation to the FORUM; if you desire. As with any new business -- I can't show you rows of Diamonds -- but I can show you what we are doing and you can use your best judgment as to whether you think it will work. That's part of business, starting NEW process and new things -- and capitalizing on that momentum.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE PRODUCT MARKETING AND TEAM COMMUNICATION?
We provide online training through an internet forum/community. We communicate via the forum, email, and Instant Messaging; and of course, offline by telephone. There is virtually no overhead building the organizations with our business model. Offline Sales is also encouraged; although even that, can be taken care of via the Web.
Via the Forum, the whole TEAM interacts with one another, and contributes to the training. Making it truly an INTERACTIVE business. You could "show the Plan" offline if you desire, or merely let Q's site presentation handle it for you. We don't "show the plan" in living rooms, a simple download of the SA-4400 is sufficient.
DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOURSELF FINANCIALLY IN THE FUTURE THROUGH QUIXTAR?
My goals are a bit more complex than merely supporting myself through Quixtar, but I absolutely think Quixtar will be a major part of that goal, and may very well provide what most people would consider ample support for myself.
Building organizations--online and from home; and creating sales locally through Quixtar is something I truly believe is viable. I am totally convinced that building a business online is a BETTER system with Quixtar than building the old AMO/Amway style.
I hope this adequately answers your questions. Remember, above all, the Quixtar Opportunity is first and foremost YOUR business...You can freely run your individual business without any interaction...If you so desire. You may not want to learn a "new" untried system as it were. I can only say that within my life, I am a much happier IBO, and sometimes more profitable, with my small efforts thus far.
I want to say thanks once again to Ty Tribble at MLM Blog for running the three-part interview with Fred Johnston. Fred is my upline in Quixtar and is the founder of Making The Run . MTR is an online community devoted to the concept of "community building on the web," as it relates to building an online business.
MTR is for anyone interested in community building, business, and networking. It is not a Quixtar-related site, and is used as a means for serious moderated discussion on a wide variety of topics; including branding, marketing, and client service.
Mainly, it's a way to bring people together to say "hi", offer advice, and network in a warm corner of the cold Internet Universe.
Kinda like all the neat people( yeah I said, "neat"; so what. big deal) in the blogging community.
I was all set to post about Ty Tribble at MLMBlog interviewing my upline for his blog; I was gonna say great job, Ty; Thanks for your sincerity. But, that'll have to wait. ; )
If my regular readers will remember this post about me "faking it", they'll understand why I must offer a rebuttal, once again; to the misplaced assumptions of Blogger Qrush.
For those not "in the know"; Qrush is a blogger that purports to be a supporter of Quixtar and has taken aim at several other bloggers that run "anti" Quixtar sites.
His blog, in my opinion, stands for nothing any self-respecting Quixtar IBO would participate in. It encourages the same kind of venom it seems to be against. It's not the course any MLM rep should participate in. Our purpose is business, not innuendo.
Well today, Qrush mentions my little blog AGAIN as he analyzes his favorite "anti" site. The reference is in regards to, "Why" On The Road With Dave is linked at the site.
Qrush takes aim at my blog when he says...
"On the Road with Dave" This is an alleged Quixtar site that is probably more like a Passport site run by a guy that still renews his Quixtar number to appear neutral. Dave emailed Qrush upset that I was picking on the Gang of Passport Misfits. Qrush's question to Dave is why would you defend a group of people that have done nothing but disparage Quixtar and their leaders for three years? Does the name Vidkund Quisling mean anything to you Dave? If you are a Quixtar IBO then stop associating with these miscreants.
Qrush misses the target on all points and actually outright lies about one.
Let me explain.
I still renew my Quixtar number, because I AM AN ACTIVE IBO IN QUIXTAR. That's never been a secret. I'm not in the Passport business, and although I know and respect some Passport Reps, I personally prefer Quixtar and the way I conduct business without the use of a "tool system" over the Passport opportunity.
It's also a violation of Quixtar rules to be involved in a competing company.
Next;
"Dave" did, indeed, email Qrush when Qrush first started his crusade. The email asked "Who was the 'Gang of Ten' and why is it now the 'Gang of 8'?" This question was sparked by Qrush's attack of 10, (now 8, possibly 5) Passport Reps. I just wanted to know who was in the Gang of Ten. He just always mentions one guy in particular, for the most part.
I never ever said I was upset about it, I just stated I was curious as to who they were.
Qrush never responded. Maybe he doesn't even know who they are. Does anybody know?
In answer to Qrush's question to me on why I defend a "group of people"; I say, "Qrush, I defended your right to speak your mind to several in "the group" and I defend "the group" for the same reason.
Free thinking people are the cornerstone to making changes where changes need to be made.
Mr. Quisling was not a free thinker, he was an egoist and sought a tyrannical rule, my "association" with this "group" does not border on "betrayal", but rather it epitomizes the fact that I shall not be ruled by any "group", be it pro-Quixtar or anti-Quixtar. That makes me "my own man", not a puppet. Try it sometimes Qrush, it's quite invigorating.
ANYWAY!
My fellow blog readers, I apologize for the rant. Go out tomorrow and whatever you do, whether it's in MLM or otherwise, do it with sincerity and don't "fake it.
I've noticed recently that those that oppose MLMs, are asking MLMers for proof of their success. Sounds logical?
Here's a hypothetical example. Imagine that you are at the popular, yet fictitious, internet forum; "Multi-Level Mentors"
DashRiprock posts:
Hey, I just got involved in Magic Mustard and I'm making $1000 dollars a week, email me for info!
Colonel Mustard responds:
Hey you stupid spammer, go peddle your wares elsewhere. You know full well you can't make income claims like that.
BushUSA replies:
I sell Magic Mustard too. It's a good company, but like any company, it's gonna have people that do things wrong. I emailed Dash to let him know that making income claims was wrong, and that any income claim he made would not be indicative of what another Magic rep might make.
RatherBeTrekkin replies:
Hey BushNut!
Stay outta this! You got no right claiming all this success! I think Magic Mustard is a scam, cuz I like Ketchup on MY hot dogs! If you're so high and mighty, where's your Schedule C!!!!!
This is where it gets illogical, and somebody almost always claims the original poster may or may not have known who his father was.
My confusion is this; Why does someone want to see a Schedule C?
If "BushNut", I mean BushUSA, is correct and an income claim is not indicative of what another MLM rep would make, then why would a Schedule C be any more proof?
If you are researching an MLM company and you have been given the company prospectus that details the compensation plan, the products, the percentage of active distributors, and a median and/or average income of distributors; then what does a Schedule C do; except shut the person up making ridiculous income claims?
And if he is the type making ridiculous income claims, then chances are you won't be attracted to joining him in the first place. And if he isn't making income claims; then attacking him and asking to see private tax information couldn't possibly help you, either.
Does his Schedule C's profit or loss determine what yours will be, any more than the disclosure info presented?
When do you take your potential, experience, life habits into the equation?
Feel free to tell me what I'm missing.
But the "But I'm investing in your business, let me see the books" doesn't work either. You won't be investing in HIS business, nor will you make an income based on HIS business.
The floor's open, but you won't be seeing my Schedule C.
I used to consider myself an "expert" in Multi-Level Marketing. I could discuss compensation plans within other companies. I could discuss and cite legal codes dealing with MLM, and I could argue points that defended the entire concept of Multi-Level Marketing.
Today, I'm not so sure.
I've looked and read about 25 different blogs today that deal with MLM; plus the message boards and forums I usually read. (Yes, I'm still sick and had nothing else better to do)
It seems the entire MLM world is under attack. And the attacks come from within.
Granted, there have always been heated discussions on Internet forums about someone leaving their original company for another company, or personal attacks against someone that constantly "jumped" from company to company.
There were compensation plan attacks, and attacks against "lead systems" or mailing lists; but somewhere in the arguments buried deep, you could usually find a bit of advice on how to effectively build an MLM business from the ground up. There was always some advice to follow or a technique to modify for your own use.
These days, it seems it has all boiled down to "my company is better than yours" "Your company sucks" and You are a "deleted expletive".
And the Blogging world is little different. The "Anti-Company" blogs are multiplying. Some merely more than entry after entry of obscenities and insults aimed at another blogger involved in another company, or reams and reams of biased info against another company in hopes of discrediting that company.
And some of the comments at these blogs show more paranoia and conspiracy theorists than an episode of the X-Files.
Call me cliche', but a southern colloquiallism comes to mind, "When ever you start throwing dirt, that just leads to losing ground"
It occurs to me that if these blogs and message board entries and their authors are posting with the intent of attracting prospects, or changing their company's image then surely they can't possibly believe that such tactics currently being used would ever garner them anyone more respectable than themselves.
But maybe that's not their purpose.
Like I said at the beginning, if this is what MLM is all about now, then I'm far from an expert. And come to think of it, I wouldn't want to be an "expert" in that kind of setting.
Maybe, I'm not even really in an MLM company. Maybe I just happen to sell a few products and show a few others how to do the same. And for that I make a small profit and a commission. No that can't be it, another company ALREADY uses that strategy, and claims not to be an MLM; and of course; I think that Company Sucks!
I have to admit, I hate work and I love money. But you normally have to do one to get the other.
And occasionally something comes along, that changes that.
The Gulf Coast is still reeling from Hurricane Ivan; clean up and restoring the infrastructure is still ongoing in some areas hardest hit.
Two weeks ago I learned via a local news station that there were people due to no fault of their own, still trying to get food following the storm.
A man, wheelchair bound, and his wife failed to meet requirements that would have allowed them food subsidies, and yet could not garner any food following the storm. To make matters worse, the man was totally housebound, in case of fire or sickness, he would have to depend on neighbors to carry him off the deck of his mobile home.
And for those who have cared for the disabled, you already know that lifting "dead weight" and carrying someone down stairs three feet off the ground can be a chore.
Well, my partner and I saw the story on the local news and decided to do something about it.
Last Wednesday we constructed a wheelchair ramp for this gentleman.
My partner donated half the materials, my wife's boss donated the other half of the materials and my partner and I donated all our time, to construct the ramp.
In the private sector, a ramp such as this would have billed in the neighborhood of $2500.
Like I said, (and my partner will back me up on this) I hate working. If I can find something else to do, I'll gladly do it.
But on Wednesday, I worked about 10 hours in a hot, Alabama sun, digging holes, sawing lumber, nailing, carrying, and constructing.
I loved every minute of it! I returned home; hot, sweaty and sore and smiling ear to ear. The looks on the face of the recipient, and the
well-wishers who drove by shouting "Good Job!" was worth; (WELL WORTH) a day without pay.
The local news station that aired the original story, even came out and did a "follow-up" based on our efforts.
As a MLM representative, I hear a lot about MLMs providing "financial Independence" to the average guy. And that's good in the grand scheme of things. But to know that I had a hand in directly providing someone with a degree of physical independence that did not exist for him before, kinda puts "financial independence" into perspective. Sometimes, it just can't be about the money, or easy work.
In my Quixtar business, we train strictly online. There are no tapes to buy, or seminars to attend. We don't "show the plan".
So, when someone registers with Quixtar and affiliates with my method of training they have access to an online forum, where they can learn techniques, share ideas, and ask questions. The whole forum interacts with each other.
Today I logged on to see what was going on and found this post by one of our members.
A Quote: Treat every person as if he or she were the
most important person in the word.
THE VALUE OF LISTENING:
1. LISTENING SHOWS RESPECT
2. LISTENING BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS
3. LISTENING INCREASES KNOWLEDGE
4. LISTENING GENERATES IDEAS
5. LISTENING BUILDS LOYALTY
6. LISTENING IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP OTHERS AND YOURSELF
HOW TO DEVELOP LISTENING SKILLS
To become a good listener, you have to want to hear. But you also
need some skills to help you.
1. LOOK AT THE SPEAKER
The whole listening process begins with giving the other
person your undivided attention.
2. DON'T INTERRUPT
Most people react badly to being interrupted. It makes them feel disrespected.People who tend to interrupt others generally do so for one of these reasons:
They don't place enough value on what the other person has to say.
They want to impress others by showing how smart and intuitive they are.
They're too excited by the conversation to let the other person finish talking.
3. FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING
One way to combat that tendency is to aim for understanding rather than just remembering the facts.
4. DETERMINE THE NEED AT THE MOMENT
Anytime you can determine the current need of the people you're communicating with, you can put whatever they say into the appropriate context. And you will be better able to understand them.
5. CHECK YOUR EMOTIONS
Most people carry around emotional baggage that causes them to react to certain people or situations.
6. SUSPEND YOUR JUDGEMENT
As you talk to others, wait to hear the whole story before you respond. If you don't, you may miss the most important thing they intend to say.
7. SUM UP AT MAJOR INTERVALS
As the speaker finishes one subject, paraphrase his or her main points or ideas before going on to the next one, and verify that you have gotten the right message. Doing that reassures the person and helps you stay focused on what he or she is trying to communicate.
8. ASK QUESTIONS FOR CLARITY
Look at the speaker, focus on understanding, suspends judgment, and sums up what the person has to say.
9. ALWAYS MAKE LISTENING YOUR PRIORITY
The last thing to remember when developing your listening skills is to make listening a priority, no matter how busy you become or how far you rise in your organization.
What I have learned from this short book by John C. Maxwell called Relationships 101 WHAT EVERY LEADER NEEDS TO KNOW is by being a better listener and treating each person like they are the most important in the world, we will have lots of friends and people will have a lot of respect for us. And practicing good listening skills draws people to you.
(name deleted)
I responded with this advice in addition to the already excellent wisdom contained in the original post:
If I may, I'd like to re-write your post just slightly. After participating on this forum and many others over the last several years, I think a majority of Internet Forum users fail to "listen" when reading a message board; before they respond.
Keeping that in mind...
1. Don't Multi-Task while reading. If you are at a forum reading a post; give the post the attention the writer gave it.
2. Read it twice and make sure you are reading the writer's thoughts, not projecting your own thoughts into what he is saying. Don't start writing your response at the first sentence the writer expresses.
3. Focus On Understanding. Don't just start "cutting and pasting' the writer's thoughts out of context. Don't find just one sentence in the post to veer of on a tangent topic unrelated to the original thought. Start a new topic on your own subject, if you wish; based on the inspiration of the original post; but don't make it seem like you are replying to the writer, when in fact; you aren't.
4. Determine the Need at the Moment. Anytime you can determine the current need of the people you're communicating with, you can put whatever they say into the appropriate context. And you will be better able to understand them. What they write is "their need". Address that need, not your desire to "jump on the soapbox of your choice".
5. CHECK YOUR EMOTIONS
Most people carry around emotional baggage that causes them to react to certain people or situations. Ditto for Forum postings. Address issues, facts, and topics. Don't insult the writer.
6. SUSPEND YOUR JUDGEMENT
As you talk to others, wait to hear the whole story before you respond. If you don't, you may miss the most important thing they intend to say. Again, read the whole post. or even the entire thread. Respond to the post in context.
7. SUM UP AT MAJOR INTERVALS
As the writerr finishes one subject, paraphrase his or her main points or ideas before going on to the next one, and verify that you have gotten the right message. Doing that reassures the person and helps you stay focused on what he or she is trying to communicate.
8. ASK QUESTIONS FOR CLARITY
Look at the speaker, focus on understanding, suspends judgment, and sums up what the person has to say. It's okay to ask questions in the thread, and state your need to ask the questions before you offer a further response.
9. ALWAYS MAKE UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRIORITY.
Its easy to post a quick pithy response, trying to insert your own message or thoughts instead of offering the writer a true response and a chance to further communication. Refrain from that.
Everything else you said (name), is Dead On for forum posting as well as communicating offline.
Thanks.
You could even apply this to Blogging Comments, if you were inclined. ;)
Hey all you more advanced users of Blogger software!
I need some template help.
My template has some code in it, for the footer of this blog to include a copyright notice and any other statement...I notice on some blogs, a disclaimer noting that blog content is merely opinions and is protected by the first admendment is often used.
I'm not sure I'll include that statement, but I'd sure like to add a copyright notice and some line about sources I use.
Anybody know what I'm suppose to do to have this code activate?
Yes, it's true; I'm still alive and well; even though activity on this blog may point to the contrary.
It was an extremely busy week for me and my daytime job has been strenuous and for the most part, after arriving home after a hard day's work, I wanted to do little else other than shower, eat, and go to bed.
My online time was mainly to retrieve important emails and check a few message boards and blogs for comments.
I'll try to get a few more updates published over the weekend, in hopes of capturing your interests again for reading my little blog.
I know it's a pain to click on the link to your favorite blog and not see an update from yours truly, and I hope all will recover from the trauma of the past week.
Call your psychiatrist, take a valium, and you'll get through it.
