When's the last time you got a 50% raise at your job?

When’s the last time you heard of anyone getting a 50% raise, in 6 months no less, at their job? I'm going to go out on a limb and say NEVER. In fact most folks these days are lucky to get the annual 3% cost of living raise, all while working harder as layoffs are forcing those left behind to carry a larger load.

That's why you need your own business. And a traditional business will not create numbers like this. A network marketing business CAN. Our coaching business has increased 50% since January, and in just 6 months of 2014, we’ve already made more than all of 2013.

What has that meant for us? I was able to leave my full time job. I can take my kids to school and pick them up every day. We are taking our very first family vacation to Hawaii this summer. But best of all, it’s FREEDOM to do what we want and go where we want without asking anyone’s permission. It’s the ability to DESIGN our lives how we want them.

So get out there are find an opportunity that is right for you. Google is your friend. Search for network marketing companies that do or sell something you LOVE.
PS. And if any of this is at all appealing to you:

• Fitness
• Getting paid to lose weight (be your own success story!)
• Helping others
• Increased energy
• Setting a good example for your family
• Putting yourself on the path to financial freedom

Then we want you to join our team and we will show you how step by step, what you need to do each day to have the same success or BETTER. If are you interested in more information, use the CONTACT form to the right of this article and we’ll send you details on what we do. Or you can visit this SITE to learn more about what we do. It’s NOT for everyone, but why not see if it’s for you?

Consistency...how the Compound Effect works

I had the great opportunity to listen to Darren Hardy, CEO of Success Magazine and the author of The Compound Effect, speak at our yearly coach summit this past week.  I really connect to what Darren teaches - read the book if you haven't!  He is 100% right that the small daily things that are easy to do but easy not to do, can add up to be more than the sum of their parts.  Sometimes you don't see the results for months or years then BAM...HUGE SUCCESS!! So many quit because they don't see results, and they never get there because they weren't consistent and patient.

What does this mean for you and your business?

• Do the daily activities (for us Beachbody coaches that's using the workouts and eating healthy, inviting new people to join our challenge groups or our coaching teams, and doing daily personal development). Do them every day. That's what DAILY means, right? :)
• Keep moving forward - keep the ball rolling. It's much harder to get things going if you take a week or longer off and try to jump back into things. Momentum will grow and it will become easier but you have to keep going.
• Always be talking to new people whether it be face to face or on social media. Consistently post on your Facebook page or Instagram or blog. (this is how the search engines find you too!)

These don't have to be HUGE things or take a lot of time as long as you do them every day.  Darren tells a great story of 3 friends - two who each made slight adjustments (good and bad) and one who stayed the same and tracked them over 27 months. You will be shocked at their results - you can read chapter 1 of the Compound Effect and this story HERE.

And guess what - there is no magic opportunity or get rich quick scheme.  While I do believe that positive thinking has an effect on your life, you can't just think or hope. You have to take steps towards your goals. And work HARD at it if you want true SUCCESS.

P.S. You can learn more about joining my team of highly successful online fitness coaches HERE.

Why Network Marketing?

I used to think network marketing was super shady, the people who did it were "icky" and frankly that it was not a legitimate business. Yes I was one of those "is that a pyramid scheme?" people before I learned more about it, educated myself and realized that it's completely different. Not only is network marketing legal, it's the best way out there to create a six figure income and beyond in the shortest amount of time.  If you are wondering why I recommend network marketing instead of a tradition business, there are a ton of reasons why, but here are the top 5:

1. Initial investment is pennies compared to opening your own store/restaurant, creating a product etc. Where else can you start a business for in some cases under $200? Most business require tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands and you are paying that debt back for years. 
2. They say traditional business take 3-5 years to make a profit. You can make a profit month 1 with network marketing
3. You can work a network marketing business "on the side" while you still have a full time job and paycheck.
4. Where else can you compress a 30-50 year career into 3-5 years? (Great tip from Sarah Robbins)
5. The time is going to pass anyway. Why not create and design your life how you want it??

Eric Worre wrote a great book called "Go Pro" and he says what we have isn't perfect, it's just better. (Highly recommend you read it!)

So why wouldn't you choose the BEST option that's out there?

How to take NO for an Answer

When you own your own business, you have to put yourself out there - to prospective customers, business partners, and colleagues. Not everyone is going to be ready to buy your product or join your team. You are going to get more "No's" than "Yes's" - it's just how it goes.  That's why it's really important to realize a few things so on those days where all you hear is NO that you don't give up:

1. No doesn't mean no forever, it means not right now. Everyone comes to a decision when the timing works for them.   That's one big reason follow-up skills are important. Ask the person, can I follow up with you next month? And make a note in your calendar to do so.
2. It's not personal. They aren't saying no to you. They are saying no to the product or opportunity.
3. Remember a time in your life when you told a person no, it may be in this very business you are working on now. It probably took a couple times of really thinking about it to decide to purchase or join. See things from the other side.
4. Remind yourself that every NO brings you closer to the next YES.
5. Don't STOP inviting and talking to people. It's a numbers game. If anything, the more NO's you get, the more people you should talk to.

Timing is Everything

As moms, we are BUSY.  Not just our own personal "to do's" but our work responsibilities, household and automotive maintenance, cooking, things we do with and for our spouse, and especially all the things we do for our kids - everything from clothing them, bathing them, taking them to their activities, some days you just feel like you don't have a second for yourself. 

So why, you ask, am I recommending that you start your own business on top of everything? Because it's my opinion that it's the only way you will get yourself out of this vicious cycle of never having time to do anything. If you are reliant on someone else who tells you your work hours, work location, salary etc, then you don't have true life freedom.

There is probably never a good time in life to make a big change. You always have too much to do.  How can you squeeze in one more thing?  (more tips on finding time HERE)  A few exceptions when you should not consider this may be during times of extreme stress or life changes (then again it may be just what you need - a fresh start, something new to believe in).  But the kids starting summer break or the holidays, that's not an excuse. That's life. If you let things like that stop you, you are doing a disservice to yourself and your goals.

But there is also something to be said for being mentally ready. You may not be "there" yet.  You have to ask yourself what you really want in life and if you would be happy if nothing about your current work situation ever changed.  But I'm guessing if you are reading this, you aren't!

Bottom line...timing is everything...but sometimes you just have to take the LEAP. This is an investment in your future. This is a long term plan to design your own life. If you don't start, you won't ever get there.

Self-Discipline

The hardest thing I've found about running my own business at home is self-discipline.  Unlike your traditional "job", you don't have a boss telling you what to do and setting deadlines, or telling you that you did a good job. You are the BOSS. You set the meetings, the deadlines, and there is no "annual review".  

At I first when I left the corporate world several months ago, it was easy to keep busy. And the busier I was, the more I seemed to get done.  Then after about a month I had caught up on backlogged projects and household things that needed my attention, and I hit a mental wall. I struggled for over a month and got really lazy with my time, even taking TV breaks during the day because I was mentally wandering and not sure what to focus on. I also struggled a little bit with losing my identity.  I was previously Heather the corporate executive and I took a lot of pride in my work and in the company I worked for. I was proud of my teammates and colleagues. And even though it was my choice, suddenly that role was gone! I then posted a video on my Facebook page and asked for friends to give me their best tips and got the swift kick in the pants I was looking for! This are the key things that they shared, which truth be told I of course already knew:

• Make a plan. You can't "wing it" or chances are you will fail. This includes making a TO DO LIST (more on this in a future post) and SCHEDULING everything that needs to get done. 
• Keep "business hours". Whether you are still working full time and doing your business on the side, or doing your business full time. Set hours which you will be working and people can contact you about your business.
• Ask for help. If you are struggling with motivation, talk to a friend, ask friends on social media for their best tips.  Sometimes talking to someone else can be a huge inspiration boost!
• Set small goals and big goals, and revisit them on a regular basis (once a week).
• Remind yourself of your WHY: why are you doing this? Connect to that why emotionally. Visualize the life that you want and go for it.
• Give yourself some "Me" time everyone once in a while - to watch TV, take a bath, do something mindless and unproductive. Everyone deserves a break but it should be once a week not every day.
• Realize that you are human. Everyone slips up sometimes. But it shows your true character when yourself back on track.

What is your Passion?

So you have worked hard your whole life to get where you are in your career right?  Some of you are probably doing something you love, but chances are most of you are not.  I chose the entertainment industry because I love movies and I figured if I'm going to work at something, at least the field should be interesting. I wasn't excited about finance or business or insurance.  I sort of fell into my niche in the industry, creating special feature content for Blu-ray and DVD.  It was the best of many worlds - I got to meet and interview famous stars and directors, but I didn't have to work irregular production hours. I got the stability and regular paycheck of a movie studio.  And before I started climbing the corporate ladder, I got to be involved in less of the creative "fun" stuff. As my title and salary went up, it started to shift more to things like staff management, the politics of dealing with higher up executives, and lots of spreadsheets (I mean I like a good spreadsheet but some of these were crazy!) And then once I had children, the work/life balance definitely became an issue for me. My passion was for my family more than my job, which I think is pretty normal.  Some people can find a happy place with that. But I began to see that I could not.  So while I still adore movies and think the movie industry is a really cool place to work, it no longer fit my lifestyle and I wasn't passionate about it.

Me and Will Ferrell

So what are you passionate about? If you were to write down your top 10 hobbies and pastimes - what would they be? Take out a piece of paper and write them down.  It could be sports, travel, cooking, arts and crafts, music, fashion....what makes you happiest? What are things you spend time on that you currently aren't getting paid to do?

Then RESEARCH what is out there in these 10 areas. Are there home based business or products? Franchise opportunities? Companies that offer telecommuting?

For my money, nothing beats a home based network marketing business. You can start it "on the side" and work on it while you still have your full time job, until you build it up to replace your income. There is usually a very small up front investment.  Most companies offer free training. The "team" that you join has a vested interest in you succeeding so you will find that many companies have a family like atmosphere (or maybe I just got lucky!)

The internet is amazing! You can live in a podunk town in mid-America and reach millions of people from your computer. Do not think that you have to hit up your friends and family or "I don't know anyone". #1 you know tons of people and #2 there are tons more out there looking for what you have to offer.

For me, one really big thing was always fitness. Growing up overweight, I tried every diet or workout plan out there. I never stuck to anything. I wanted to be an actress as a kid but I was chubby and self-conscious, and hated rejection, so that didn't last long.  I used to joke about actors and actresses, well they basically get paid to stay in shape.  Hey I want a job like that, where I get paid to get and be fit.  It's ironic that years later, I found an opportunity that fits that description.  I had bought Slim in 6 and P90X years before there was a coaching arm of Beachbody, and they gathered dust in my garage.  But I never thought for one second at that time, that you could have a career based around fitness that could match my six figure movie business job. It wasn't until I saw a friend having great success with it, that I realized it was possible.

What is that "THING" for you??