It’s the new year and this is when 95% of the population decide to make an effort on being healthier.  But the sad part of the story, is that by Jan 20th…they often give up.

When it comes to your busy schedule, how often do you find yourself forgetting to eat or to even drink water?  And do you feel like exercise never really gets on the agenda?  Do you ever find yourself tired in the middle of the afternoon or falling asleep at your desk?

Instead of making a resolution for your health this year…what about making it a revolution!    For me, eating healthy and working out regularly 4-5 times per week is part of my weekly routine.  Even when I travel, I make sure to switch to my ‘health and wellness on the go’!  Here’s the thing…it’s not as much work as most people think, it’s really just a mindset.  It’s a matter of making small habit changes over time…and sticking with it.

When you stay healthy physically and mentally, your business will be healthier too!  What do I mean by that?  It’s about balance…your body, mind and spirit need to be rejuvenated on a regular basis.  Without regular attention to your health, your business can suffer.  Here are a few tips to keep you healthy and positively impact your business building at the same time.

1.  eat healthy as much as possible…even if it means small snacks through the day…sorry guys…this does not mean…drive thrus!  Prepare on Sunday for the week ahead.  And for quick meals, most grocery stores carry healthy food to go.

2.  go to bed at a reasonable time…quality sleep ensures you keep up with the demands of both, your personal life and your daily business activities.

3. get moving…find a regular exercise routine that works for you!  It might be going to the gym, yoga class, team sports, running or walking…but it’s gotta be right for you.  I have a home gym, so I can choose when I work out!

4.  try meditation…even a 5 -10 minute time-out can do wonders for your energy level and bring you fresh ideas to your business building.  Guided meditation really works best for me!

5.  get social…make a point of getting to know people…it does not have to be all work related…a friend’s nite out or social event can do wonders!

6.  don’t forget to tap into your sense of humor…getting work done is serious business, but it does not mean you cannot have fun in your business environment.

I hope these few tips help you get going for 2012.  Think revolution and involve others! Feel free to check out an easy and simple health challenge that includes nutrition, exercise and coaching all in one, called the e84 Challenge.  Who knows, it may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Go for it…make this an amazing new year of 2012!  Wishing you all the best personally and professionally!  

You Can Have More (Much More!) Money in Your Pocket

Here’s today’s number one  strategy for tax reduction:  Take advantage of the deductions that you are legally allowed to claim as the owner of a home-based network marketing business.  In the normal operation of your business, you use your home and car and are required to travel and entertain. That entitles you to deduct a portion of those expenses:

• Home costs, including maintenance, utilities, and insurance
• Vehicle costs, including gas and repairs
• Entertainment costs, including dining with clients and attending meetings
• Travel costs, including trips to conferences and trade shows

Use my tax estimator tool to figure how much money you can save.  See how you can actually cut your tax bill in half!  Now all you need is the business of your dreams.

Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think

Like starting any business, starting a home-based business takes some time and risk.   But because of the support mechanisms that are available to help network marketers, it’s far easier to start a network marketing business than to start a traditional bricks-and-mortar business.  And you can keep your regular job in the process.

In addition, you don’t need a big investment.  In fact, the money you save from the tax deductions alone will more than cover your start-up costs.  To learn more, read my article  “The Real Secret of the Rich.”

Count the Benefits (Then Start Counting Your Blessings)

Once your business is up and running, you not only qualify for some great tax deductions, but you can also reap many more benefits:

• More money in your pocket
• More time to do the things you love to do
• Increased self-confidence and sense of self-worth

But putting more money in your pocket through tax deductions and earnings from your home-based business are just the beginning (link to website).

Let Me Take You to the Next Step

You Can Become Financially Free in Five Years

Yes, I can show you how to be financially free in just five years.  I did it, and you can too.

Well, I just got back from my primary company’s quarterly event in Tulsa, Oklahoma and what an amazing event!  If you don’t get out to business building events, you could be missing out!       

Here’s the thing.  It’s easy to fall into a slump in your self-employed/ home business.  It requires lots of self-motivation to keep your business active, energized and profitable on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.  I have found there to be incredible power in business building events.  They are designed to get you moving and turbocharge you into more action.

So here is why I believe they work and why you need to get plugged in:  

1.  You get to experience the big picture!  In your own hometown, its a local view rather than a global view.

2.  You will tap into remarkable leadership training!  And get motivated by the amazing success stories.

3.  You get to network with like-minded people!  And some will even become life long friends.

4.  And of course, you’ll absolutely have no choice, but to have some fun!

5. And depending on the location, you get to travel to cool places (as a business expense)! 

So plan NOW and invest in yourself by attending a big event at least once or twice a year.  I have made a commitment to attend quarterly events so my thriving business grows well beyond my wildest dreams!

My next big event is Feb 16-18, 2012 in Dallas, Texas.   How about you – when is your next big event?

There is an easy formula called F.O.R.M. that I love to use.  It can be used when you meet someone for the first time, or when you meet someone you have known for awhile.  Show genuine interest and ask them specific questions, like the ones I have shared below.  Think of this as the #1 key differentiating factor in your success formula for a healthy profitable business.

Family – ask about their family.  Most people love to talk about this part of their life.  Maybe, it’s where they grew up, or their kids, or their significant other or their family pets.

Occupation – ask what they like about what they are doing.  Don’t forget to ask what they don’t like about their job.

Recreation – ask what they do for fun?  What are their favorite activities?

Message -  once you know the above, bring in your message and invite them to learn about what you have to offer.

It’s a natural progression – find out about them, what they are all about and how you can help them get to where they want to go.  And, believe me, this can be done in just a few minutes.  This formula works.  Try it…practice it…and you will see amazing results.

Let me know your thoughts and how I can help you develop the skill of building relationships and using FORM to get results quickly.  Contact me today!  I would love to help you achieve the level of success you are seeking!

The bottom line is, people do business with people they know, like and trust.   But, how can you build those relationships quickly in this age where we are bombarded with sales & marketing overload. And when we build those relationships, how can we leverage them?

Picture this.  You meet someone at a networking event and before you know it, they are starting to pitch their business to you.  You begin to feel negative towards them and totally resist their offer. If, on the other hand, they would have taken the time to get to know you, it would start to cultivate the relationship.  Here are a few ideas to get the KLT Factor working for you.

Get Them to KNOW You

It starts with being visible. Don’t be the best kept secret. You need to be in front of people. So, start with your community.  Attend networking events targeted to your business.  Start conversations on line – get to know them first and do not pitch them.  Start to make positive comments on blog posts that are complementary to your business. Use a ‘stay in touch’ tool for email marketing.  Start speaking at local events and get the word out that you are in business.

Get Them to LIKE You

First thing to know is that not everyone will like you.  The key thing here is that you are not trying to market to everyone. You need to know who you are marketing to so that people will start to like you because of what you are communicating.  First impressions happen here, so a pleasant personality will make a big difference.  You want them to become your biggest fans who will promote you and refer you to their network and beyond.  To get them to like you, the most important thing you need to do is – be your authentic self.

Get Them to TRUST You

We know that people buy from people they trust.  This part of the KLT factor means that you have to be consistent in what you do and your prospects should understand what you do and what your business is all about.  If you miss this step, you may lose a potential customer.  Talk about your business to at least 2-3 people/ day and make sure you are communicating your message in a compelling way to evoke interest.  Stay in touch with your prospects and customers, always providing value in your communication.

Remember, developing your Know Like Trust Factor starts prior to the selling process.  If you take these ideas, I guarantee you will build lasting relationships that will improve your bottom line and create long term sustainable growth for your business.

I would love to hear from you, so make sure to add your comments below!  And if you need some help with this, take advantage of my 30 minute complimentary consultation by sending me a quick email.

Network marketing is a people business.  It’s all about building a team and keeping them plugged in to the company’s systems, training calls and events.  To keep a team motivated, it has to start with you and there must be belief in these 4 areas to create the success you desire.

1. The Product              2.  The Company              3.  The Industry                4.  You

The first two are pretty straight forward.  You test out the product and you check out the company.  That’s easy enough to evaluate on-line or from the person who invited you in.  You can build your personal story around the product and the company and easily share with your prospects.

Number three gets interesting!  Believing in the industry comes from learning the network marketing distribution model, what it entails and understanding how it works.  It doesn’t  take long to learn, but it does require on-going exposure  to see the value and benefits it brings to your customers and team members.

Number four, is where the rubber meets the road!  Believing in yourself, is the one area that most people struggle with.  It’s easy to get discouraged especially if you are not coachable and teachable.  The key point here, is to plug into the system.  This is the secret to a growing a profitable sustainable business.  However, a word of warning, you have to be committed to making a go of it.  This is much like a team sport based on a win-win strategy.  As in sports, the more you believe that you can do it, then you will.  As in goal setting, the more you believe that it will happen, then it will.  This is merely a vehicle to get you to where YOU want to go!

Network marketing companies offer some of the best training in the world.  You’ve got to tap into the support network to raise your belief level and keep your excitement high.  Get on the training calls, follow your leader, then start to lead yourself.  You’ll be amazed at what you can do.  Building a network marketing business is not difficult, but it does require that you get ‘off your butt’ and get to work.  As one of trainers mentioned on our training call, we are not here to sell, we are merely info tour guides!  We facilitate information and the prospects are either interested in our offering, or they are not.

Check in with your belief level often – rate it from 1-5 with 5 being the highest level.  Monitor this closely.  Check in as to WHY you are doing it.  This is the main driver to building your belief level.  Set your goals high and get together with your team and make it happen!

I challenge you to make building belief a part of your everyday habits!  Please share your thoughts with me.  I would love to hear from you!

In fact, Les Brown, a well-known motivational speaker says, ” network marketing has produced more millionaires than any other industry in the history of the world”.  It’s not to say, this industry is for everyone, however, I can tell you, it certainly has its rewards!

I discovered network marketing just over 10 years ago.  I was very familiar with the franchising model, so before jumping into this industry, I committed to learning and following the system they provided, so I could truly be successful.  I discovered a whole new way to automate my income!  I did exactly the same thing  in my real estate investing business and success followed – learn, earn and plug into the system.  My point here, is that whatever business you go into, it requires you to be diligent in using the system and to learn quickly so your business is profitable right out of the gate.

If you treat it like a profession it will pay like a profession.  I have surrounded myself by top leaders in the industry and in this video, my good friend Pierre Gaudet, with a background in Exercise Physiology and a top income earner in the industry, is being interviewed by Richard Bourque, Marketing Network Pro.  Pierre gives his viewpoint on this vehicle as a means to creating your desired income and desired lifestyle.  (Note:  video has a 20 second intro:)

I look forward to your feedback and if you get a chance, take in part 2 and 3 of this interview series at my You Tube channel under favorites.  I can tell you, it will be well worth your time.

Word of mouth is the most effective marketing tool there is, so feel free to share this important info with others!  Thanks for tuning in!

If you are so inclined to learn more about the company I have aligned with, please go to www.evolv-4u.com

Can we actually measure success? It’s not that easy, when success means different things to each of us.  How many people are actually achieving real success in a well-rounded way?   What I mean, is not only in their financial, but in their personal relationships – marital, children, friends, business partners.  What about success spiritually, emotionally and most importantly, in our health?  It’s hard to put a number to it, but if you listen closely to your friends, family and business colleagues, you will find the number to be astoundingly low on the success scale.   In fact, in the research I have done, statistics show approximately 5% of the population reach success in all areas of their life.

So, what is it that successful people do?  I am sure, when you hear what it is, you will go ‘of course’!  Recently, I was reminded of this by one of my mentors, Trey White,  who reached ultimate success early on in his late 20′s.  Although, he is worth millions and millions of dollars, his belief is that we can all have real success if we do the simple things.  In his newest company, EvolvHealth, he has carved a niche and success path with his vision and mission to positively impact 8.4 million people in their health and in their wealth.   He reminded his team of field leaders, that creating success in business and in life is, just merely doing the SIMPLE things that are EASY to do, but most importantly doing them consistently.  What?  Yes, it’s that simple and that easy!

But if it’s that simple and that easy, then why are there not more successful people?  Good question and guess what – easy to do, EVEN easier NOT to do!  Yes, simple disciplines done daily will add up over time to bring you well-rounded success!  They may seem insignificant and not always very exciting, in fact boring at times…but it’s the absolute difference between achieving success and not achieving it.  Take a look at high level athletes like Kevin Frost, World Record Holder, Blind & Deaf Canadian Speedskater!  Each and every day, he does the same thing over and over again, year after year and in his case, with a disability.  So I ask you, what can you do differently?

1.  Start by understanding your goals and why you are striving for them.

2.  Become aware of the simple, easy things that you could do daily.

3.  Starting doing them consistently and with discipline.

4.  Go out and be part of a challenge to get motivated by others, like the e84 challenge for example.

5.  Make it fun and don’t wait!  Start RIGHT NOW!

Keep me posted on your progress – I would love to hear from you!

Kevin's Grad

What about you?  Are you also ready to experience something new and exciting?  Do you want your life to just ‘slide by’ or do you want to live ‘joyously and with passion’?  I truly believe, no matter what your age is or what things are going on in your life,  you can still have The World is at Your Feet!  

Lara Fabian is one of my favorite artists, who sings in Italian, Spanish and English.  Born in Brussels, Belgium, and now a Canadian citizen, she has an amazing biography.  The lyrics from her song, The World at Your Feet, caught my attention when thinking about my kids going off to live their new lives.  She sang this piece at the 2002 FIFA world soccer cup and totally moved the audience.

Stacey's Grad

I hope it will give you inspiration and a time to reflect on your desires and your dreams, now and in the future!

Listen here to her remarkable voice:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgOA1kI6JO4 and enjoy her lyrics transcribed below.

Oh yeah
We can leave the dream this time
We’ve had a chance to stand so tall
Everything we want our lives would be
We can make our mark in history

Right at your feet

Gotta reach from your heart
And believe from the start
Can’t you see there’s a world at your feet
Gotta fight so much more
Than what you had before
Just believe that the world’s at your feet

I know we shouldn’t hesitate
And resume any time to think of the next step we’d take
Gotta seize the chance before your eyes
Gotta reach your goal to take the prize

Don’t you realize?

Gotta reach from your heart
And believe from the start
Can’t you see there’s a world at your feet
Gotta fight so much more
Than what you had before
Just believe that the world’s at your feet

Have a mountain to climb
Everyday of your life
Have a heart as wide as the ocean
Million eyes are watching you
Wonderin’
Wonderin’ what you’re gonna do
Right here, right now
You’re everything to prove
Oh, yeah

Can’t you see there’s a world at your feet?

(Gotta reach from your heart) From your heart
(And believe from the start) From the start
(Can’t you see there’s a world, there’s a world at your feet, yeah) Your feet
(Just believe that the world)
(The world’s at your feet) The world at your feet
The world at your feet

I decided to start my own e84 challenge on April 18th and my goal was to get into top shape for my daughter’s wedding on May 14th and then to keep it going.  Well, it’s working!  I was thrilled to measure my waist on May 13th and discovered I had already lost an inch!

As I write today, it’s week 9 of the 12 week (84 day) program.  Since the wedding, I have travelled back to Kansas for the 2nd wedding party held at AJ’s parents place, eating out more than planned and dealing with a hectic work schedule.  Even though I am on track with my program, I have to tell you, there are times I find it really tough to stick with it!

Since I am very visual person, I realized I needed to write out my routine which instantly gave me the power to stick to it.  So I thought I would share it with you in hope that it will inspire you when the going gets tough.  Here’s my routine!

1.  Have a delicious & nutritious Evolv Shake for breakfast

2.  Mid morning, take out 5 minutes to listen to my Evolv Mindset program

3.  Mid morning, take a shot of my liquid Evolv Ultimate (vitamins, veggies & fruits all in one superfood)

4.  Have a light lunch (protein & salad greens)

5.  Drink Evolv Energy for mid afternoon pick me up

6.  Work out 4-5 times per week with my personalized Evolv Exersciz Program – at home w/ weights & floor exercises – hotel – fitness room or use resistance bands in my room (they pack well!)

7.  Have a nice, healthy, balanced dinner (portion controlled)

8.  I make sure to get my protein to help build & maintain muscle mass

9.  I make sure to drink lots of water  (Evolv water is one of my faves!)

10. Enjoy a glass of wine once during the week

Here’s how e84 is different – easy to use, on-line tools and nutritional products that are healthy ‘quick foods’!   This movement is designed to self-empower and help you reach your health goals without complication.   The e84 challenge parties give you the support network to encourage you along the way.  Most people don’t need drastic change.  Making small changes daily and sticking to it are the secret!  So, this is how I guide my customers and team members to keep on going – its absolutely worth it!

Lately, I have had a lot of people comment on how much energy I have.  What if you could  feel 20 years younger than your actual age?  It’s absolutely possible!   That’s me now at 55…feeling like I am 35!  And, guess what?  Wedding party #3 is happening at our house this Saturday!  Don’t worry, I plan to have a blast and still stick to my e84 challenge!

Did you know 70 percent of health problems reported could have been avoided, simply by making better lifestyle choices.  So, why not become part of a meaningful movement – it is a heck of a lot of fun and everyone gets something out it.  Always remember the wise words of Jim Rohn, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. “