Earth Day 2010

With Earth Day here upon us, I went back and re-read a post I did November 2009. The title: “Green Radar” It was an article speaking of all the things Watkins does to be environmentally green. As I was reading it I couldn’t help but think how Watkins has always been the pioneer in so many aspects of being green. While “Earth Day” is not about celebrating the “Green” impact companies have on the world, I think it is an important part. Because of the things Watkins does to be “Green”, they have given me inspiration to work harder in my business and personal life to understand the impact we all have when we make “Green” decisions (wrote about that here). For one thing, since they now have Plant-Based Natural cleaners; our home is clean and healthy for our family and our Yellow Lab. The old chemical cleaners we used to use wreaked havoc on my wife’s asthma; not so with Watkins Plant-Based Natural cleaners.

I thought I would share some the things we have done in our household in the past year (not just on Earth Day) to be more green.

• We are only buying Energy Efficient Fluorescent lighting
• I have switched from using paper towels to cloth towels
• I use a filtered water pitcher instead of bottled water
• We recycle at our local recycling center
• I use a re-usable water glass and coffee cup at work instead of Styrofoam
• I carry a thermos of coffee to work instead of buying Starbucks (no paper cup)
• I use a digital camera (no film or processing chemicals needed)
• I use rechargeable batteries
• I try to consolidate trips out (ie: pick up groceries on the way home from work instead of extra trip)
• Use NPA certified Watkins Natural Personal Care Products
• Use Watkins Natural Plant-Based Products to clean our home

There may be other things, this is just what I came up with off the top of my head!

To order Watkins online click here.

David Blalock Jr.
Bronze Trailblazer Consultant #386886
E-mail me

“Is a Watkins Home Based Business Right For You?” Click Below to find out

Home Based Business

DIY: Home Based Business

What is meant by a “DIY: Home Based Business”? The DIY stands for Do It Yourself, a Home Based Business is typically one that can be comfortably run from home (duh!) without having employees or a typical “brick & mortar” shop.The options for having a home business are virtually unlimited. The real key is to find something you enjoy, can work part-time from home & not have to invest a lot of capital. Because of these variables the “Answer” to which home business is right for you is going to vary by individual.

Choosing a Home Business Opportunity

Of course this will also vary by individual, but here is a list of some of the things I was looking for in my own home based business:

• Inexpensive to start
• Flexible
• Rewards in proportion to effort
• Easy
• Fun
• Free business building tools
• Ability to build business online
• Honest
• Legal
• Environmentally conscious natural products
• Potential to replace full-time income working part-time
• NOT fly-by-night

The Home Based Business Opportunity I Chose

While I had looked for years & tried a few things, the home business opportunity I finally decided on was a Summit Group/Watkins business. The fact that Watkins has been in business 141 years put my mind at ease about dealing with a fly-by-night scam. If I was going to invest my time in a home business, I wanted to ensure the company would still be around for the long haul. There are so many facets on how you can build your own home based business, I can’t go into all the details of the opportunity here. The complete full disclosure is available for free here: DIY: Home Based Business. But, I will tell you this, it has been by far the best use of $39.95 I have EVER spent in my life. The website above (the one with the free details) is provided to me by the Summit Group free of charge. Why, simply because this business is about helping others achieve their goals; I don’t make a dime in this business until you make a dollar. Is your future worth $39.95? Mine was.

David Blalock
Watkins Bronze Trailblazer Consultant #386886
Order Watkins Products
E-mail me

“Is a Watkins Home Based Business Right For You?” Click Below to find out

Home Based Business

No Selling Required Home Based Business

How to make money without selling in a Summit Group/Watkins business.

One of the first questions most people ask when first hearing about a Watkins home based business is “Do I have to sell?” Translation: “The only way to make money in a home business is selling, right?” The answer is actually no. The preferred method taught by the Summit Group to build your Watkins home business is not based upon the traditional sales model.

This is a hard concept for a lot of people to swallow. Especially anyone that knows anything about Watkins. Over 140 years ago Watkins pioneered the Direct Selling & Network Marketing industry. But, most people assume because of the World Famous Watkins products and catalogs that the only way to have a significant income is to sell. The side of Watkins that is often overlooked is the power of the Network Marketing. If you enjoy selling, you certainly can, bear in mind however that the EVERY SINGLE ONE of the top earners in Watkins have focused their time and energy on Network Marketing, NOT Direct Selling. As a matter of fact, the leader of the Summit Group makes over $20,000 a month, and has since 1997. It is his method that shows the true power of Network Marketing in Watkins.

My goal is in just the little space I have available here is to show you how Network Marketing can allow you to build a team that generates a monthly bonus income without anyone having to sell retail. I can tell you from personal experience that even when you concentrate only on Network Marketing, some retail sales will still occur. This is because of the quality products that have been offered by Watkins for over a century. When people that have used Watkins products before find out your a “Watkins Man or Woman” they will insist on making purchases! As a consequence your business will end up being a mix of retail and Network Marketing.

Why Isn’t Everyone Doing It?

Simply put, most people don’t understand how network marketing works. People that are introduced to Watkins automatically assume it’s like Avon. Most all of us has known someone who sells Avon products. We see them with their catalogs talking to friends and co-workers, or possibly seen Tupperware, Pampered Chef or some other similar company and figured it’s just the same. You may have actually met someone at a county fair or craft show with a Watkins booth selling products, it is just the most common way most of us have been exposed to the business. Another reason it’s not as noticeable in the mainstream is because of the inherent nature of how Network Marketing works. You typically won’t see a BIG network marketing recruiting booth set up at the county fair. Marketing is usually done below most peoples radar.

The Nuts & Bolts of Network Marketing

If your unfamiliar with Network Marketing, read on for the details in a nutshell. The concept is actually quite simple: A lot of people doing a little can be more productive than just one person doing a lot. Let me explain.

O.K. Remember the Avon and Tupperware Direct Selling example from earlier? Here’s how to relate it to Network Marketing in a way more of us are familiar with.

Imagine there was a company that opened large warehouse stores all around the U.S. And let’s further imagine that for a $45 annual “club fee” these stores would allow you to buy products from their store at a significant discount. The savings from just a few visits would quickly make up the annual “club fee”.

There is actually a company that has done just that. They have opened over 470 warehouses and sold 46 million people a “club fee” membership. These members spend 52 billion dollars in their stores. You know them as Costco, and millions have paid them $45 to join and buy at a discount.

Watkins vs. Costco

Let’s compare. For $39.95 you can start buying Watkins products at a discount of 25% or more. Pretty much same concept so far, pay a “club fee” to join and buy products at a discount.

Have you ever found a really good deal on something and then told your friends about it? Let’s say you tell your friends about Costco, and your friends buy a membership and start buying products at a discount. Will Costco send you a bonus check for 5%-10% of whatever your friends buy? Of course not. But get this; Watkins does! And if your friend tell others about Watkins, they can earn a bonus, and you can too.

Now you see how the concept of Network Marketing works. It works like this: you establish a group of people who join Watkins by paying their $39.95 “club fee”. These people are just like you, they’re not interested in selling products; just like the Costco analogy they join to buy products for their family with the associates discount. Seems simple doesn’t it? And it doesn’t take many  people doing that before your group can be using more Watkins products than the largest retail person in Watkins.

As I mentioned before, there’s a selling & a buying side to the Summit Group/Watkins business opportunity. Should you choose, you can retail products to friends, family, co-workers or customers. The buying side is the Network Marketing. Associates (like yourself) buy products for their own use. In the long run though, there is a LOT more power from the Network Marketing side than the retail side.

The core principal concept of Network Marketing is people helping people learn how to buy award winning natural products at a discount. Repeat after me: “It’s NOT about selling!”

Making Money in Network Marketing

Let’s get all hypothetical shall we. It all starts with you, let’s say you decide to join Watkins so you can save money buying stuff at a discount from Watkins instead of your local grocery or dollar store. And for the sake of this scenario you commit to transferring purchases to your own Watkins store at the tune of $100 a month.

Once you start saving money buying quality natural and organic products for Watkins, what do you do next? Just like in our Costco analogy; you tell others. Now suppose that you find 10 others who decide they want to have their own “buy & word of mouth” business to save & make money. And, like you they commit to “transfer buying” $100 (remember, these are products we’re already buying like: shampoo, deodorant, spices, lotion, vitamins etc.) per month. *FYI, there are no “monthly minimums” in Watkins. We’re using the hypothetical $100 per month as an examply of what a typical average monthly average may be. As always in life, some will do more, and some will do less.

In the scenario at this point, at the end of the month Watkins would calculate how much in products had been purchased from your team of 10, and then send you a bonus check of about $70. All you did to “earn” this was to tell others (word of mouth) and in the process you earned $70 + the discount of your own purchases.

But wait, there’s more. The next logical thing to do now is to help your team of 10 find their “10 team”. Reminder, nobody is looking for salespeople-what they’re actually looking for is “clones”. Clones of themselves, to do what they have done: buy/save, share/earn.

Looking forward; your 10 now have their 10. The group is now 110 strong, earning you not $70 monthly but $700! Wow, we don’t need no stinkin’ sales! Simply a process of people transfer buying products they’re already buying & telling others. Remember when we talked about how we would let folks no what a cool deal Costco was? How much is Costco going to send you monthly for your “word of mouth” efforts? Zilch, zero, nada, nein, NOTHING! Stop working for nothing, you deserve more for your efforts.

So taking it one step further: These 100 people find their “10 team” who want to buy/save, share/earn. Now we’re looking at 1,110 people in your organization. How does $5,000 per month sound? Pretty cool huh? But don’t miss the big picture; this is not a “work for” door-to-door like Avon income. Where each month you have to go out to your “customers” and get more orders. This is different, and the difference is the key. These people are just transferring the dollars they were already spending at their grocery and dollar stores to Watkins. They’re saving money in that process. As a consequence the $5,000 is a monthly income without going out and doing the work all over again.

Obviously your team wont grow exactly as our scenario above; and it doesn’t need to because you can still have a large thriving team. As your team grows, some groups will grow slower than expected and conversely, some faster. But seriously, what could be easier? Buying stuff at a discount (stuff your already buying elsewhere) & telling others how they can do the same.

What’s Your Plan B?

This is the real question you need to consider. What else out there can you do part-time from home, without selling or buying inventory that in a 3-5 year period with consistent and daily focused effort will allow you to be earning a significant RESIDUAL monthly income. Oh yeah, and for the measly sum of $39.95? And should you think this is just some fly-by-night get rich quick scam: consider this. Number 1, 3-5 years is not necessarily quick, and number 2-Watkins has been in business for over 140 years. What about where your working now? What if you get outsourced, or downsized, laid off, fired or the company relocates? What’s your Plan B?

Thanks for your indulgence, I know I was long winded with this one. My sincere wish is for your success in whatever endeavor you decide to choose. If for whatever reason this one does not appeal to you, I encourage you to seriously have a Plan B. I know all too well from personal experience that it’s significantly better to have your plan in place before you need it.

David Blalock
Bronze Trailblazer Consultant #386886
E-mail me

Serenity Beach

Benefits of a Home Based Business

This is not a “definitive list” by any means. Just a few of the reasons I chose to start a home based business. Also keep in mind that this list of benefits applies to my Summit Group/Watkins home based business; while there are many benefits to working part-time from home, not all opportunities have the same benefits. That being said, understand this; there are many ways to success, be it personal, professional or spiritual.

Home Based Business Secret

The “secret” is finding the one that works for you. Consider for a moment “Weight Loss” diets or programs. You have Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc. Do they work? Yes & No. Just look at the testimonials, you see people that made it work. But, if you stop using the system (Kirstie Alley) then the answer is no. Watch the asterisk *Results not typical. Why are the results not typical? Because most people “typically” don’t work the system. IF you work the system, the system will work. The common denominator in ass success scenarios is YOU. You have to find the system that works for you, then throw cauti0n to the wind and “Work the System.” It really is that simple. With that disclaimer out of the way, here we go:

• Part-time: Most of us don’t have the luxury of being able to walk away from our full-time job. As a result for us to build a successful home based business requires the ability to work it part-time. While working a business opportunity part-time is a benefit, there is a danger. It is important to spend time EVERY day on your business. Even if only for ten minutes. If you say “tomorrow I’ll do it”, to often tomorrow never comes.

• Residual Income: Probably easiest the least understood concept about having a home based business, and conversely the most important. Simply put, in the traditional job market, you go to work and you get paid. Stop working and so does the pay. In a business that allows for a residual income you will continue to earn money in the future for work that you do now. If for example  you get sick or take time off for a vacation, you continue to receive income. Actors, writers & musicians all belong in the category of residual income. There are many home based businesses that allow you to tap into the residual income benefit.

• Work from home: I know, it’s redundant: working a home based business from home, but I want to emphasize what a HUGE benefit that is. The flexibility to earn an income from the convenience of your own home is fantastic. No commute, traffic or grid lock. And depending on the business, no inventory, billing, shipping, employees or co-workers. Need to take the kids to the Dr.? Done, It’s your business and your decision.

• Online business: What’s better than having a home base business? One that you can build online! While building your business online is not the most common way most home entrepreneurs work, it is one that is gaining popularity. Not too many years ago door-to-door and person-to-person were the only options. With the advent of the internet, the ability to reach more people quicker became available.

• Free online training: Obviously this is not a benefit for every business opportunity you look at, but it should be one you highly consider. The reason being it offers you total flexibility to build your business at your pace. You don’t have to wait for when your mentor is available to show you “the ropes.” By the same token as your working towards building a residual income, you are able to point others to the online training, freeing you to expose more people to the opportunity.

• Free Marketing Website: This is another category that not every home based business opportunity you look at will offer. I can tell you from personal experience that it is quite nice! For the curious you can check my marketing website I received for free here: DB46.com. The main purpose for this site is to sift the wheat from the chaff. Because I’m primarily building my business online, it’s important for me to know which people are actually serious about building a home based business and the ones that are just “tire kickers”. My free website offers all the details of the business for free online, to those that are serious about a business, and the ones that find it is the right fit for them at this time are the ones I work with.

• Support from successful mentors: This one is kinda a no brainer. To have a successful business it’s important to work with people that have a successful track record. You need an opportunity that is tried and true along with people that can offer you the support you need because they’ve “been there & done that.”

• Spending time with family: While money is a benefit from working from home in building your business, being able to spend time with your family is another. It is often the key ingredient to having success. The desire to be with your family more, and there support in that endeavor are paramount in your success.

• Flexible: The flexibility to work your home based business part-time while still taking care of the other priorities in your life are key. This key will allow you to unlock the full potential of the opportunity you have chosen.

• Cash Now option: Typically building a residual income is a long term proposition. That being said, it is nice if you have the option to also earn some “Now Money” as you build the residual side of the business.

• No selling required: Some people love to sell. It’s in there blood, they can’t help it. Most of us though don’t fall into that category. Having a home based business you can build without having to sell is a HUGE benefit to a lot of us.

• Multiple methods to market: Not being tied down to just one way to reach people is another benefit of building your business. Be it classified ads, online ads, blogs, banner ads, door-to-door, catalog, business cards, mailers or whatever, it’s nice to have options.

• Tax advantages: This is one area that I do NOT recommend DIY. When it comes to taking advantage of the tax benefits of having your own home based business, it is best to have a qualified professional on your side. As you research this particular benefit, you will see that is well worth your while to have a professional on your side.

• Personal Growth: I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results”. In a nutshell this is saying that when you look at the things that you’ve tried in the past that didn’t work, be open minded. Most of us will find that the common denominator in these sceanarios is us. Take the Nutrisystem analogy above. All of those systems will work, but if you’ve tried them all and they didn’t, you probably need to look in the mirror. If you continue to do what you’ve done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve gotten, are you happy with “what you got?” If not, consider working on yourself while your working on your business.

• Free Audio training: Another one of those benefits that is not offered by all opportunities you may look at. But,I can tell you from personal experience it’s an awesome one to have. I am able to learn techniques for building my home based business in time that usually would have gone to waste. While driving to and from my day job, I have the ability to learn from mentors who have built there successful businesses over the years. Valuable training that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

• Trusted time-tested business model: Most people look in the wrong places when trying to find a business opportunity. Most are looking for the newest most hyped visible thing out there. Be cautious though, here are some sobering statistics: 80% of all businesses fail within the first five years. To ensure the greatest success in any endeavor you look at, consider if they have the track record to back it up.

• Turnkey paint-by-numbers system: Having the “perfect” business opportunity is useless if you don’t have a simple step-by-step turnkey system you can follow. Want to know the real reason McDonald’s is #1 in their industry? How are they able to have minimum wage teens running their million dollar businesses. Simple, they have a step-by-step turnkey proven system for doing everything they do. From making the fries to mopping the floors, every McDonald’s does it the same way.

• Ultra-low start up: While having a proven system that can earn you money is important, it’s also important for it to be within your means. If you want a successful business you can always start a McDonald’s, the franchises are still available. Most of us probably don’t have a Million or so dollars that we can part with though. Along with the potential in your home based business, the ability to start it with minimum up-front investment is crucial.

So there you have it, a few of the benefits of having your own home based business. Now all you have to do is take the next step. I wish you the best in whatever opportunity you find to further your goals for yourself and your family.

David Blalock
Bronze Trailblazer Consultant #386886
E-mail me