MLM Business Opportunities Blog
MLM Blog:
When carpenter and sawmill operator James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California on January 24th 1848, he set into motion a series of events that would change the economy of that state forever. Almost overnight, 300,000 people descended upon California from the rest of the United States and beyond in order to try their chances at mining for gold. San Francisco went from a sleepy coastal town of less than 500 residents to a booming bay-side metropolis with a population of 36,000 as a result of this mass migration. Ever since, California has been the “Golden” state most associated with new-found wealth and prosperity.
But it’s quite the misnomer to believe that California gold made thousands upon thousands of Americans wealthy. The truth is that by the time that hundreds of thousands of individuals had emigrated out west in search of gold, the majority of the precious metal had already been mined from the Earth. News traveled much slower in those days and those closer to the action had a clear advantage. Several hundred people did indeed make it rich through the discovery of California gold, but this small number is nominal compared to the hundreds of thousands who never saw one spec of gold in their pans.
Lessons in entrepreneurship, it would therefore seem, cannot be directly mined from the success stories of the gold miners themselves. Luck had an almost overpowering influence in their fortunes, and the ingenuity and economical expertise most associated with entrepreneurs was not entirely demonstrated. Instead, attention should be paid to the individuals who saw opportunity not in the gold, but the gold rush itself.
Many men came to California looking for gold, but saw thousands upon thousands of people instead. One such individual was a fellow who went by the name of Levi Strauss, a German-Jewish immigrant living in San Francisco who saw opportunity in the durable denim pants designed by Nevada tailor Jacob Davis. Together they made a fortune selling jeans to gold prospectors throughout California.
Countless goods sellers made their profits in similar ways. One such merchant was Samuel Brannan, a New York City native and practicing Mormon who initially sailed to the western coast in hopes of finding a safe place to practice his faith. Instead he and his family realized that San Francisco was a store owner’s dream due to the gold seekers in town, and quickly set up shop. Over the course of the gold rush his business would make profits in excess of $5,000 – over $120,000 in today’s dollars.
Modern entrepreneurs couldn’t get a clearer message: it’s smart to sell pick axes during a gold rush. Instead of starting a risky online enterprise like so many people are these days, build a web hosting reviews website for such people to consult. Don’t just brainstorm for green business ideas, but instead start a business that focuses on helping entrepreneurs achieve such a goal.
American entrepreneurship calls for seeing the opportunities that are abundant when lots of people gather together all at once. If you find yourself drowning amidst fierce competition, then figure out a way to turn them into a market.
Bangor Daily News:
“Being the only one in Maine has its advantages and disadvantages,” said Gormely, who has been with Tomboy almost 11 months. “Disadvantages in that I’m it and I have to do all, but I also have all the potential sales and if they (Tomboy) get any leads on, I’m it as far as contacts.”
Tomboy Tools was started as an online store in 2000 by three women – Sue Wilson, Janet Rickstrew and Mary Tatum – and became a Web-based direct-selling business in 2004.
“The first time I heard of it was a couple years ago through a friend of mine, who heard about it on the Today Show,” recalled Gormely, whose day job is as an administrative assistant at Tyler Technologies. “This is right up my alley because I was looking for a part-time job and this is perfect because I can make my own hours and be my own boss. Plus I’m a single homeowner and do a lot of fix-up and maintenance things around my house all the time.”
Tomboy Tools specializes in hand and power tools designed exclusively for use by women.
“They’re lighter weight and also ergonomically designed for a woman’s smaller hand,” said Kelly Bell, Tomboy’s director of marketing and consumer relations. “They’re also about being convenient and utilizing a smart approach.”
Logo from Tomboy Tools
MLM Blog:
Before I dig into my comparison of MLM Blog Theme vs. Empower Network, I want to make sure something is very clear:
I love David Wood and I love the concept behind Empower Network. In fact, I am a big fan of just about everything “David Wood”, including his hippie hair. = )
For those if you who are wondering, Empower Network offers a blogging platform built on WordPress Multi-User (MU). With Empower Network, you get your own blog address on the Empower Network. This blog is branded to David Wood and Empower Network and for many people this is a great way to get started blogging!
The idea of using Dave’s brand as a way to reach out to people and create leads is a good one. I used this very same strategy with Ann Sieg and Mike Dillard when they launched their attraction marketing systems a few years ago.
The Empower Network system runs $25 per month, a fair price for the attraction marketing system and blogging platform.
How is Empower Network’s blogging platform different than MLM Blog Theme?
MLM Blog Theme is not a platform, it is a theme or “design” that is built for the WordPress platform.
Let me explain…think about WordPress as if it was a house. So WordPress MU (the platform for Empower Network) would be like a community of houses all with the same design.
A WordPress Theme could be described as your home decor. The colors, design and decorations that you put up in your house to make to your own.
MLM Blog Theme is a design that is meant for you to customize (in a very simple, fill in the blank for dummies sort of way) so that the blog is your own “online home”, your own piece of real estate online that you actually own.
Pricing:
Empower Network Blog Platform – $25 per month
MLM Blog Theme – One time $97 for unlimited personal blogs and you will need to get your own hosting for about $5 per month. MLM Blog Theme’s one time license fee comes with all future updates included in the price.
Here is a video that will give you a tour inside of MLM Blog Theme:
http://www.MLMBlogTheme.com
If the purpose of your blog is to “brand you” and carve out your own piece of real estate on the Internet, then MLM Blog Theme is probably the best option for you.
If you already have a good following and you don’t mind branding Empower Network and David in order to create leads, then Empower Network is probably a good option for you.
Option 3 which is the one I would suggest is to build out your own blog with MLM Blog Theme and then offer the Empower Network as a promo through your site. The great thing about having your own blog is that you can promote whatever you like and you are not tied in to any one system.
Empower Network is certainly hot right now, but these systems tend to have a lifespan. Promoting yourself will last a lifetime. Although I believe that David Wood is smart enough to keep things fresh and change when needed.
MLM Blog:
In order to evolve as a business professional, you have to see yourself as a student of innovation. This means steeling yourself to the reality that you have to be on top of all the latest technological trends. Otherwise you risk falling behind and missing important signals. The lay of the land right now with regard to entrepreneurship is heavily geared towards online visibility. There is incredible movement right now in the worlds of e-commerce, search engine optimization, and Internet marketing. Any business plan with a strong foundation will be heavily invested in all three of these.
A business that is not online is no longer a business in today’s world, it’s a ghost. And a business that is online but lacking robust tools for optimization flirts dangerously with a phantom existence. Think about it logically. If you’re looking for a business contact with the white pages and you don’t find it, you’re probably going to assume it’s gone out of business, or is so behind the times that it’s not worth the effort. A business that doesn’t have a great online presence isn’t going to show up in search engines and consumers won’t be able to find it.
Once consumers find you, now what? Whatever service or product you’re offering doesn’t have to be ground-breaking in order to present it and market it in ground-breaking ways. You know the saying, “we don’t sell the steak, we sell the sizzle.” That’s how you have to think nowadays. On the Internet, you have to sell the sizzle, figuratively speaking. When people find your product or service, the manner in which they have come across you will impact how they view you. For example, if tech-savvy consumers find you as the result of a clever Internet marketing campaign, they’re going to feel like they’re in good hands. Products and services are now subject to the laws of innovation. The manner with which they are presented should be just as innovative as the thing itself. You wouldn’t advertise a cloud service with a newspaper ad, would you? No, you’d launch a viral Internet campaign using Twitter, YouTube videos and email marketing.
A business entrepreneur should think of himself/herself as a spider, a reverse spider. You’re spinning a web that will draw in as many clients, investors, customers and innovators as possible. And once you’ve got them in your web you don’t want to drain their lifeblood, you want to provide them with the energy they will need to make your business grow. Using SEO, Internet marketing and industry innovations, you want to provide continual upgrades and consistently retool your ideas, your resources, and your areas of expertise.
Wharton Today:
slowing sales, Avon is shaking up its executive suite. Andrea Jung, who had headed the direct sales giant since 1999, will remain executive chairman, but the company will name someone to take over her role as CEO.
The longest-tenured woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Jung is credited with modernizing the 125-year old brand from its “Ding-Dong, Avon calling!” days in the 1950s by revamping its product line and expanding the company globally. But the company’s stock value has dropped 44% this year, and Avon’s profits have missed analysts’ projections for four of the last five quarters.
“Avon hasn’t been performing well,” Wharton management professor Lawrence Hrebiniak says. “It’s not doing well in emerging markets, such as China and Brazil, although the potential upside in these growing markets is strong.” The company has also drawn the scrutiny of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is internally investigating possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act over charges of bribes to officials in China that led to the firing of four executives.
Avon’s current challenges point to a need to shake up an entrenched culture and operations, Hrebiniak notes. “Andrea Jung has been strong over the years in marketing, but the company needs someone to take the reins and focus on execution and operations. A new CEO — really more of a COO — will provide this operational focus.”
Logo from Avon
Guest Post by Karen Cavagnuolo
Pink Zebra, a new multi level marketing joins the in home party fragrance industry, opening its doors this September. Although Pink Zebra is new to the direct selling industry it’s not to the candle industy. Founders Tom and Kelly Gaines have been in the candle and fragrance business for over 15 years.
Tom and Kelly’s goals for Pink Zebra are to create unique and high quality products that consultants can deliver in a fun in home party environment. Through hard work and determination they were able to purchase one of the largest candle manufacturers in the US, ranking among the highest in the home fragrance market. One of their most innovative patent pending products Sprinkles are made from their premium Soft Soy® from soy bean grown right here in the United States. Soy wax is a favorite of environmentally conscious consumers. Pink Zebra’s soy candles and sprinkles are biodegradable, and a renewable resource. From a global point of view, Pink Zebra helps support the US economy.
Pink Zebra’s Sprinkles are not only environmentally friendly they are also fun. Adults and children enjoy “mixing” their own scents with just a few sprinkles either over existing candles, creating new candles or burning them in one of their beautiful simmer pots. Hostesses enjoy holding “mixers” with their friends and family, while earning great hostess rewards and free products.
One of Pink Zebra’s finest products is its business opportunity. They offer new consultants a generous pay structure with a one of the highest compensation plans in the direct sales candle industry. Consultants also have the opportunity to earn other incentives through their Quick Start Program.
In business for just a few short months this company has representatives currently in 23 states, leaving significant room for growth. For those interested in a true ground floor opportunity consider Pink Zebra.
For information about joining the Pink Zebra team, hosting a Pink Zebra candle party or buying their quality products, go to http://www.yourcandleconsultant.com or call 877-466-8449. Right now the company is running a special on their starter kits. The $99 starter kit is now $25 off with an online coupon code making it only $74 .The kit is a great value with over $375 in products and materials to start your own candle business.
BONUS TO OUR READERS: Mention this article and receive an additional $25 off your starter kit, info@yourcandleconsultant.com or call 877-466-8449 for details.
SentinelSource.com:
Albee House Coffee Roasters is named in honor of the Winchester home that was once the residence of Persis Albee — the first “Avon lady” — who invented the marketing strategy used by Avon Cosmetics.
The first goal is to raise money to help Holmes’s friend and the current owner of Albee’s house, Harry Bickford, save the building from foreclosure, Holmes said.
But if the company is successful its charitable resources could move on to another project, such as a scholarship fund to help women in business, he said.
Logo from Avon
PR Web:
Holiday Sets 2011
Ultra thoughtful … truly luxe … and oh-so French. C’est vous, when you give a holiday set by Votre Vu! Choose from among Vu’s quintessential quartet offered at delicious discounts:
Cocktails and Mocktails — This year, give the nouvelle holiday beverage, SnapDragon. Packed with powerful anti-aging superfruits like acai berry and pomegranate as well as collagen, and beneficial botanicals like aloe vera and gingko biloba, Votre Vu’s exclusive, all-natural beauty beverage is sure to spread delicious cheer. This flavorful four-pack and snappy drink recipes is available for: $29 (Retail $42)
Snap Dew It — Drench yourself inside and out in decadent delight! Votre Vu’s new antioxidant-rich citrus body crème, SnapDragon Crème Pour Le Corps, satiates skin in nourishing hydration spiked with anti-aging mixers and Vu’s top-selling all-natural SnapDragon Beauty Beverage, a Redbook Magazine MVP, is included to celebrate your interior! $39 (Retail $55)
Winter Wonderhands — Be one of the first to savor Vu’s recently launched bebe Duettes in this specialty set of six posh-and-protective hand crèmes with an aromatic veil of almond pastries. Tucked away in the cap of each crème is Vu’s luxe lip balm in either clear (3 each) or Vu’s new framboise hue (3 each). Both balms and hand crème protect with UV filters. $69 (Retail $118.50)
The “It Kit” — Relish being in the know with Vu’s top-selling trio of editorially acclaimed products nestled in an exclusive insider-only train case. Be the talk of the town with Vu’s delicious and nutritious all-natural antioxidant-packed beauty beverage SnapDragon, Duette’s divinely decadent duo of luxe hand crème with luscious lip balm nestled in the cap; and Vu’s coveted cool blue eye gel, Tout Le Monde link, to tone and hydrate. $86 (Retail $143)
Wrap Him Up — Add a bow and this travel-sized trio of French-crafted men’s daily face crème, organic shave balm, and head-to-toe cleanser is ready to go! Lush botanicals and essential oils leave his skin refreshingly hydrated and aromatically alluring. $39 (Retail $75.50)
Votre Vu ships via FedEx direct to customers’ homes … or to those of gift recipients, along with personalized gift enclosures and optional holiday packaging. Shop stress-free and greet the season with time to spare and a spirit to share!
Logo from Votre Vu
Cleveland.com:
As an independent senior sales director with Mary Kay, Debbie Barnes of Bay Village says she is thankful for 23 years of pink dreams coming true. She drives a pink Cadillac. Barnes is married with three grown children and says she has always felt like a stay-at-home mom with executive-level earnings. She spoke recently with PDQ’s Michael Heaton
Did you ever meet the late Mary Kay Ash?
I have had the privilege to meet and be trained by Mary Kay Ash . . . several times, as well as top directors and national sales directors that have become my mentors and special friends. I am so grateful for the gift of those friendships.
What keeps the brand strong over so many years?
My customers love Mary Kay and are very loyal. They often refer me to their friends (a true friend always shares her beauty secrets). We had the original “face book” . . . we see a face and we book an appointment.
Logo from Mary Kay
The Salt Lake Tribune:
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff walked onto the stage at the 2004 annual Usana Health Sciences convention in Salt Lake City.
“Good morning, Usana,” he shouted. “And I have some news for you. Last night I talked to Governor Huntsman, and he agreed with me that it is now time to change the name of our state.
“From now on we will be known as Utana.”
Shurtleff’s jest was met with enthusiastic applause. His long-ago joke, though, still illustrates a basic truth about the state. Because it is home to dozens of companies that sell billions of dollars worth of skin lotions, herbs, vitamin pills and exotic fruit potions to hundreds of thousands of distributors, the companies have scores of supporters, from lawmakers to those who promote economic development in Utah.
And even critics, who say the distribution networks are nothing more than product-based pyramid schemes and that the supplements industry buys “regulatory insurance” by giving lots of money to worthy causes, see their influence at work.
Logo from USANA
