Melaleuca

I did it again, we signed up with another Direct Selling company. The income and and quality products we have enjoyed being involved with Arbonne made it much less stressful this time around.

I view this network marketing thing as the wave of the future. It cuts out huge marketing expenses for the companies involved. Tide spends $1,000,000 a day on advertising. Direct selling companies spend the money other places, quality of ingredients being the place that most of those freed up dollars go.

Direct selling allows the companies involved to skip another step that most consumable goods producers have to plan, pay and formulate for. Warehousing, products need to remain effective for longer periods of time due to the fact that they sit in warehouses. Preservatives are good for the bottom line, but in most cases are not so good for you. The time in the warehouse also costs money, remove that step and pay me or you or whomever passes it on.

Being in the Pest Control Industry I am acutely aware of the toxins surrounding us. I know that every time we do a load of laundry our clothes are being cleaned with poisons. Chlorine and formaldehyde are bad for you, worse than the pesticides I use to solve your ant problem. Plus the exposure is much greater, every time you wash your dishes you are leaving deposits of corrosive chemical's on the utensils you use to feed yourself and your family. If you could save money , cut out your exposure to poisons and potentially earn a couple bucks would you do it?

I did.

Frump

I am in the middle of a blogging frump.

I do not have any particular insight or thoughts of interest to pass along.

If any of you want to know what a man thinks about a certain moisturizer you can read his thoughts here. If you want to try that product let me know. If you want to get started on the road to financial independence, network marketing and direct selling maybe an option. Shoot me an e-mail.

We are all just a bit sick at The Old Blue House. Lots of snot in the morning but as the day proceeds we all begin to feel better. Makes for a tricky morning, the children being grumpy makes the parents feel grumpy. Tough way to start the day but we work through it.

The Tutu Boutique is experiencing its first growth spurt, it is humming along at such a pace that Heidi has started to make some structural changes to the way the business operates. Heidi has three children, young children, she has an Arbonne downline that needs attention and lots of customer service questions to attend to at the Tutu Boutique. It is exciting and scary at the same time. I hope when the dust settles that maybe we can get some part time help. Either with the children or the business or even better with both.

Many evenings when I get home from work I find Heidi at her computer with Thomas on her lap, typing an email response while talking on the phone. There does not seem to be enough time in the day for her to accomplish all of the tasks that she wishes to accomplish. I want her to know that I really appreciate her effort and hard work. I want her to know that I love her and that I am thankful that she is my kids mom.

A Review

I sent a sample of our Arbonne Nutri MenC line to a guy who knows the differences between men's products. Head over and check out his review.

Happy New Year

2006 for us at the Old Blue House was spent trying to catch up with all of the exciting things that happened in 2005.

In 2007 I will work hard at General Environmental Services, I want the business to continue to provide for all of the families associated with it and I think with proper management and direction 2007 has potential to be big.

I will work at growing the Tutu Boutique and providing Heidi with the support she needs for this on line venture to continue to grow.

I will continue to introduce people to the opportunity of Arbonne, I believe in the business model and feel that with persistence this work will pay large dividends for my family and those who choose to get involved.

My New Years resolution is to attend Mass more regularly. This was my resolution last year and lasted until April. After Easter I went to the beach and painted the Old Blue House. I will try for June or July before I worship at the beach in 2007. I also resolve to continue to jog and work toward those sub 8:00 minute miles.

I hope you have a terrific 2007.

Here We Go Again.

I spend a lot of time thinking about my families future. I worry about being able to get away from this desk and traveling, I worry about making enough money to live a lifestyle, that at this point in time, I can not afford.

I would love to know that I had the money to pay for whatever education my children aspired to. On the selfish side, with the snow falling outside my office window, I would love to have the means to provide season passes to a New England ski area for my children. A place to sleep, close to the mountain, would be good too.

Instead of simply wishing, Heidi and I are working towards these dreams. Everyday I work hard at my family business to make it better. Currently we are under going structural change. To handle the increasing work and in hopes of making the men more productive, we are changing the structure of the business. This new system will provide the leadership and direction, the individuals involved, need to reach their goals.

Heidi has the The Tutu Boutique rolling along. The more time the site is up the stronger its presence becomes in the search engines. Traffic at the site today is five times what it was a year ago and sales have tripled. This trend will continue. In the future I see another venture along the same business model.

Then there is Heidi's baby, the business she loves the most because she sees it as having the most potential to earn our family money. It is more than the money for Heidi, the relationships she is building, the products she represents and the opportunity to change people's lives make Arbonne a very fulfilling part of her life.

The most enticing part of Direct Selling is time leveraging. Time leveraging is earning money while other people work. I get a piece of my service technicians efforts in my business. I have the the search engines and tutu makers time working for me in the e-business. With Arbonne, as long as someone that works for you is working, then you are working too.

Yesterday was very hectic for Heidi, she did not get a chance to work her Arbonne business, however members of her down line approached three people about the opportunity, hence, Heidi got some Arbonne work done.

Do not be fooled, it is work. There needs to be a plan and a tried system in place for success to happen. There are no magic wands or fairy God Mothers in this world, "Hope is not a method".

I have witnessed Heidi's success and enthusiasm towards her Arbonne business and I have decided that it would be crazy not get involved. Say hello to the newest Business Builder in Heidi's down line.

I may have contacted you already, I may not have. The first step is to try the products and determine if you like them. There is no obligation, I will send you the products and the postage to return them after a week. If you like it and are interested in altering your future we can talk more. If not, that is fine, I am not interested in being pushy or leading a person down a path they are not interested in traveling.

I plan on showing the path to as many people as I can, if you are interested? Let me know.

You Better Be Good

The Holiday season has officially begun at The Old Blue House. The Christmas trees are up, that is right, plural, we got a Charlie Brown tree for the kids and another for the Mom. The kids have taken over Mom's tree too.

All of the boxes were dragged from their resting place in the attic, their contents are displayed around the home and it is good. I love to bitch and moan but the finished product is great. The Carollers, Santa's and Angel's are all happy to be back on display.

I got the fireplace set up for another season of fires, and I started splitting and stacking the wood. Even had a fire, the first of the season. Burning firewood heats you up three times. First, when you split it, second, when you stack and third, when you burn it.

I jogged Sunday morning further than I have jogged in 15 years. I went all of four miles, 25% further than I have been jogging. It just about killed me, that one extra mile felt like ten.

The Patriots beat Detroit by the hair on their chiny, chin, chins. Heidi brought the Tutus to a home show in town. Merry, David and I watched Micheal Baryshnikov(?) dance the Nutcracker on PBS. Merry loved it and David was entertained watching Merry copy the dancers moves. Bedtime was a breeze.

Then sitting in my chair, watching Sunday night Football on NBC, in front of a blazing fire, I was overtaken by a terrible chill. It rocked me right to my core, the kind of chill that has terrible illness associated with it.

I staggered upstairs, put on my sweats, brushed my teeth and along with my daily vitamins took a "Get Well Soon" pill. I was under the covers by 8:30 pm. It was an uncomfortable night, alternating between sweats and chills. When the alarm went off this morning I felt fine, catastrophe avoided. Thank you, Arbonne. I sort of wonder what is in those pills, sort of.

Humming Along

Life is humming along at a very rapid pace. Sometimes it feels as though it is spinning out of control.
You know what?
I always liked feeling a little bit dizzy.

There is so much going on with the Tutu business, the Arbonne business, and the Bug business, that I think we need a professional organizer. I get all frazzled in the head and put all kinds of pressure on my wonderful wife, who not only handles the details but keeps the three children heading in the same direction.

Today, I feel as though I want to take my foot of the accelerator and just coast.

Decision

People make decisions in their life everyday, some recognize opportunity, other see only risk. The folks that wrestle opportunity from that risk are the people that make it big.

I attended one of Heidi's world domination meetings on Friday night. The couple responsible for our line here on the North Shore made the trip up from Kentucky to talk up the Arbonne experience. Turns out Mike took his risk back in 1991 when he bought his first restaurant franchise. I Googled him and it turns out he has ten or so businesses registered with the state of Kentucky and who knows how many more outside of his home state. He is under forty and has assumed enough risk to become a millionaire, the bio sent out on him reports that his businesses did fifty million dollars last year.

Why is he bothering with Arbonne? because he did the research, met with the equity group that owns the company, Harvest Partners, and his wife loves the products and wants out of her job. Nicole started with Arbonne six months ago and is on the fast track. I get the impression that she does not need to work, but with no kids why not work. Soon she will leave her job, maybe start a family and still have Arbonne working for her. This couple makes good decisions.

My Mom always told me it is harder to be good than bad. It is easier to make the bad decision than it is to make the good. A good decision often requires risk, without risk there is no reward. Signing on with Arbonne required minimal risk, Arbonne is a "no brainer" if you do the work the reward will come. Doing the work is another decision that needs to be made, some will work at it, some will not, those that do will reap the reward.

I consider the people in my life that are willing to put it on the line and I see dynamic individuals whose attitudes and experiences I want to learn from. The truth is that I am afraid of risk, I do not want to put my family in jeopardy for the chance of making it big. I am content taking small risks that when teamed up with persistence and hard work pay back. I can also absorb the fall out if they do not payback. Some day I will have the courage to make the big move, I am going to keep my eyes open for that opportunity, see it for that and decide to take the risk.

If there is a decision or opportunity out there that you have been considering I say go for it. If you don't you will never know what could have been and if you do, you may be amazed at what is.

Whew!

Didn't Think I Would Turn Out This Way spun me off on quite a tangent, with her talk of God or a lack of God and now that I have put my thoughts out there I feel better and able to move on with stories of family life.

Heidi's Arbonne experience is starting to take on some momentum, she has recruited two bright, capable women who are starting to sign up their own prospects. While she helps them she continues to work to fill the remaining spots below her. The game is to get four directly below you and then help each of those four find four and so on and so on. At the third level there should be 64 people working towards your financial freedom. It is a numbers game backed up by a quality product and a well thought business plan, when you add some hard work to this formula it will bear fruit.

Heidi was out with the girls putting Arbonne in motion, Merry, David, Thomas and I headed to Grampy and May May's for swimming and dinner. Merry had plans for her first sleep over and was very excited. Along with swim suits and pajamas we brought her pillow, the Dora sleeping bag and a story. Little David had expectations that he was going to be sleeping over as well. I avoided directly crushing his hopes until it was time to go, then the cruel reality set in that he was not staying.

When I say the weather has been a bit uncomfortable I am not telling you that it is 106 degrees, it is 90 degrees with 50% humidity. You sweat sitting, The Old Blue House is not equipped with central air, when home, we retreat to the upstairs bedrooms with their window A/C units. This hot, sticky weather combined with a day of speaking to people who want something but won't come out and say it makes for a fairly irritated Daddy.

When I got home Heidi was working on a presentation for her meeting and I was responsible for getting us together, out the door and off to the Grandparents. I was not aware when I walked in that I would have this responsibility and was a bit peeved. I channeled my frustration into the job at hand and we were out the door. Once we got there, I started to relax, a swim, a couple glasses of wine, some good food and fun kids released all of the tension. Until it was time to go.

David wanted to stay and he made everyone present very aware of his displeasure at leaving. I carried him like a suitcase to the car, strapped him in and the boys headed home sans Merry. Leaving Merry behind did not phase me, David's hollering took all of my attention. Once home up the stairs we went. Thomas was pooped and went straight to sleep. David wasn't having it, he cried and hollered and yelled.

I went into his room and asked if he wanted to sleep with me. This perked up his spirits he jumped in the big bed and fell right to sleep. It was 8:30 pm and we were both out. Heidi got home late put him in his bed and that was the end. Suprisingly we never heard from Merry. The last two times she tried to sleep at Grampy's the call came in around 11:30 pm to come and save her, not this time.

Fired Up!

I am feeling all fired up. Heidi and I hosted an Arbonne information meeting last night. The purpose is not to sell the product but to introduce select individuals to the Arbonne business model. I love taking chances and seeing Heidi get excited. The team Heidi is working with have a strategy and their success will come.

This morning my BNI group had a visitors day at a local conference center and it was very well attended. Being a part of this group is great, there are some high energy go getters in that room every Tuesday morning and it was nice to see our efforts pay off. I feed off the energy and the entrepreneurial spirit. This morning I was approached with one opportunity that I am having a very hard time passing up. MonaVie is another Direct Selling proposition that is brand new. If I were to get involved now I would be at the top of the "line", I have to keep reminding myself "one at a time" we will see where we and MonaVie are in six months and maybe give it a try.

The Tutu Boutique is nearly paid for and we are finally starting to see the balance sheet climb. Instead of sending all of the extra money to the credit card we are getting to keep it. It feels really good. I know that if Heidi puts the same energy into the Arbonne thing, that she put into the Tutu Boutique, she will hit a home run. The girl is Amazing, with two dogs, three children, two businesses and a serial blogging, risk junky for a husband, it has to be tough keeping it all together and she does. Look out world here we come!

Questions Answered

Last night Heidi and I attended our first orientation meeting formally introducing us to Arbonne

On the home front, Thomas has learned a new trick. He screeches, blood curdling screeches that make your eardrums bleed. Short high decibel outbursts that get the attention of everyone within a five mile radius. In the beginning I thought his brother was lighting him on fire or the dog was eating his feet. Now, I know it is just an attention grab, the child screeches and when you make eye contact he smiles at you. and its business model. The presentation was very well done and the people in attendance made me feel comfortable. There are systems in place that if followed have proven to be very successful. I can follow directions and I am a fast learner, last night shed light on the future. Coming out of the dark and seeing the path before me makes sleep much easier. Now it is just a matter of getting down to "bidness". This is going to change, the behavior modification started last night at dinner. The screech is not met with concern anymore, the screech is met with a reprimand and an angry face. I hope it works because this screeching rubs nerves raw, I don't think Heidi can take much more of it.

That Funny Feeling

I haven't had this funny feeling since Heidi and I signed on with Prosper to start The Tutu Boutique. There is a pit in my stomach that won't go away and I am sure it is not associated with something I ate. The cause of this pit is the unknown, there is an adventure ahead and its outcome is yet to be decided. Something like the feeling I experience when the Red Sox play the yankees or the Patriots are in the play-offs.

The difference is that the outcome relies on our effort. I know there will be set backs, but as Edison said "I know a million ways not to make a light bulb" or something like that. The people who told me I was foolish for making the investment in The Tutu Boutique are now asking me to show them how they can do it. There are people telling me that this is a bad idea as well, I can't wait to sign them on down the road. Heidi and I will blaze the path, we will take the risk and reap the rewards.

Could you use a little extra money every month? Are you outgoing and personable? Do people respect you and your opinions? I did not ask if they agree with your opinions, I asked if they respect them. Do you enjoy a challenge with a large potential pay-off? Do you feel as though you are in a rut? Most importantly, do you believe in yourself?

If the answer to these questions is yes, lets work together and develop a team to be reckoned with. We are involved with some very smart women who are working very hard to make our Arbonne business a success. Heidi and I would like to help you develop your Arbonne business.

Contact Heidi at heidiATtutuboutiqueDOTcom if you want to learn more.

I wish I had this blog when we started the The Tutu Boutique. It would have been a lot of fun to have those memories available. I will be chronicling this new adventure here, hang on for a ride. This is the thing that is keeping me up at night, my new baby. Merry, David and now Thomas sleep through the night, it has been four years since Heidi and I have been able to get this much rest. We could not allow that to happen, I need a notebook next to the bed, if I do not write down the thoughts racing through my head they repeat over and over. I woke up to pee last night around 4am and did not settle back down. I think I finally drifted off about two minutes before the alarm sounded at 06:00.

Pay Back

It is pay back time at General Environmental Services, Inc. after months of blogging and surfing the web it is reckoning time. Winter is done, the torrential rains of spring have subsided and the bugs have come out to play. I arrive at the office shortly after 7am and talk bugs straight through until quitting time, as close to 4pm as I can get out the door, today it was 4:25pm.

I am complaining but I can not say that I did not expect it. I have been hearing stories about the beginning of June and how crazy it was and will be, since I returned from knee surgery about this time last year. I had never been exposed to the June rush from the office perspective. In the past I was in the field, hunting ants, chasing squirrels, trapping mice, sniffing termites, tracking rats, stomping cockroaches, swatting flies, stinging wasps and generally tormenting Gods little creatures. Now the biggest pests of all torment me. When a conversation starts with the phrase "You People" it can not be good and I have another opportunity to exercise my self control.

Things at home have been moving just as fast, Heidi is in full Arbonne mode talking on the phone, optimizing the web site, and organizing meetings. I had the chance when I got home tonight to read through a bunch of the propaganda and it makes sense. Of course it makes sense, but the fact is people are living longer and looking to maintain their well being long into their Seventies. The economic model referred as Direct Selling has been maturing over the last thirty years and multi-level-marketing is not a pyramid scheme. Success relies on your ability to educate your consumer to the benefits of your products and your consumers ability to pass that information on to the next consumer.

Anything worthwhile is hard, there is no magic wealth wand. Persistence and a determination for success is what pays in the end. Multiple streams of income are what my generation is going to need to get to and through retirement. To get through retirement we have to survive college and weddings and I don't see how those amounts of money can be accumulated with out taking risks and starting money streams. The greatest rivers start with a drop. DRIP!