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Category: Management

Success Factors your home-based business needs to succeed and grow

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Do you want to create additional income?  You’re probably well aware that there are others like yourself who are seeking the same thing.  There are so many options available, but basically only four different kinds of business models, each having its own set of pros and cons. 
 
Conventional employers offer commissions or wages and small private businesses typically are all based on exchanging your time for ‘transactional’ revenue.  Neither of those allows much of a chance for you to ‘leverage’ or ‘scale’ your business. 
 
Franchise ownership typically requires substantial cash investments and expertise that most people do not have. 
 
That leaves a host of business opportunities that are very popular offering independent status as a ‘representative’ or ‘agent’ under the broad category of ‘marketing’ and requiring some degree of team building and leadership.

There are many questionable and unrealistic opportunities being pitched these days.  One of your first priorities should be to work with a team that has carefully investigated many of the various business models that are out there.  You should have a clear ‘roadmap’ to find and work with a successful business that brings proven value to the marketplace, fits one of your areas of interest and has developed a proven program for on-the-job training so you can earn income while you learn the strategies for succeeding at your business.

You’ll need to learn how to increase the number of people who say yes to becoming a life-long customer and/or decide to work with you as a business partner. That means you also need to find the ingredients necessary to have a sustainable product line that will generate passive income for a life-long business. Then there’s the most important question: What role does value play in a product line with a business attached to it and how do you spot it?

When it’s appropriate to talk with a business person about the search that many people are doing right now to find a reliable business opportunity, they will appreciate having this list of Success Factors. The logical question to ask next, after a thoughtful review of these 12 points, is my question at the end.

1. Company track record.  How long has the company been in business? What are the company’s annual sales statistics each year since they began their business? Does the company print average income statistics for business builders? It should and you should ask for them. Proof of long term sales, success and growth is critical in choosing any business.

2. Financially sound. Does the company have outstanding debt? Joining a company that is debt free is highly recommend to lessen any risk.

3. Strong management team. What are the backgrounds and credentials of the management team? Look to join a company run with integrity and strong leadership.

4. Unique consumable products. Are the company’s products products that people actually need, use, run out of and repurchase month after month? Do the products have any trademarks or patents allowing for exclusive rights (meaning no other company can copy them)? If the products are not consumable, meaning something that a person would only buy once, then that is a business that will not be viable long term. If the products are consumable but not necessarily a genuine need, that will reduce your chance for long term success. Products that are truly needed and consumed monthly make for a solid business model.

5. Wide market appeal. Are the products something everyone needs and uses? If the products are specific for a certain gender, age group or body size for example, you reduce your market potential.  It’s not something for everyone.  If you choose a narrow niche product, you must ask yourself if you are comfortable excluding customers that are not attracted to that niche.

6. Competitive prices. Are the products comparable in price or less expensive than the competition? If they are too expensive, this is not a business that will produce ongoing great results.  What will you do when you find competitors with equally high quality products that are reputably offered for a lot less cost?  You may be loyal out of sheer stubbornness but your customers will run to the competitors.

7. High customer reorder rate. Does the company share its reorder rate? This means one thing. How many customers that purchased from the company last month, reorder again the following month? If the re-order rate is low, the business will not be viable as new customers simply replace your old customers producing no real growth or a secure, residual income. Know that it will be difficult to find this information from most companies directly.  Don’t make a decision until you know this important piece of the business model you are considering joining.

8. Low initial investment. If the cost to join or start your business is too high it makes for more risk and difficulty in attracting customers and business partners.  If a start up fee is high and a ‘customer acquisition bonus’ is also high, beware of what might be a “Ponzi scheme.”  Many so-called ‘ground-floor opportunities’ have attracted many hopeful participants, only to tragically end in the loss of much time and money for the vast majority of eager business partners.

9. Low monthly requirement. If there is a high monthly requirement, customers and business builders may end up storing an inventory of products they do not need. If there is a low monthly product purchase requirement, then customers are getting what they need for personal use each month.  From a business standpoint, you know customers are purchasing each month.  That creates the freedom of true residual income.

10. Rewards for leadership development. Does the company reward you for helping others in your business succeed? If there is any way the company could remove business building partners from your business because of their success, be very careful about joining. There should never be potential for you to lose great partners.  Also, be sure that you receive a reward for the business created by all of the customers that you personally bring to the company.  There are many companies that cleverly take away productive customers and business partners from hard working people just like you.

11. Risk-free – Is everything 100% guaranteed? If not, could you seriously advise someone to join you?  Be sure the guarantee is long enough to adequately test-drive the product. Check to see how the company handles returns and refunds. You will be so much more satisfied with your company when you can confidently tell your prospective customers that you know from personal experience about their excellent customer service and refund policy.

12. Anyone can be successful.Is the business plan set up for anyone to be successful at any time? If it’s a company that says Ground floor opportunity, or Get in Now, be wary. If only the people who join at the beginning can be successful, then eventually people will get hurt.

The only real question after considering this list is this:
“which one of these factors would you take off the list if you were going to seriously consider working with the company?”
If anyone seeing this list knows someone they care about is considering working with a company as an independent representative, they might be wise to consider: “how does that company measure up?”  If we are honest with ourselves, nothing can match the conviction of ‘certainty’ that is backed up by verifiable data and experience.  All the above points are relevant particularly to the one who has a long term commitment in mind.  That’s why we should be just as eager to ‘prove all things’ in this part of life as we should be in any other.

If you are serious about researching further on this topic in preparation for making a decision about where to invest your valuable time, be sure to contact me at barbara@hayseedscreative.com or visit   for more information.

Thinking About the Freedom of a Home Based Business?

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THINK, THEN DO.
The recent demise of several companies that used network marketing (or a facsimile) to sell their products to consumers, led me to reflect on the reasons that these, and many other companies, like them, fail.

Having been associated with a Consumer Direct Marketing business (a successful one) myself for more than 10 years makes me, at least somewhat, qualified to share some of my observations. I became an independent marketing executive with my company after being introduced by my enroller to the 12 success factors that portend a successful company and personal career with that company. My company possessed them all, so I was encouraged.

But in reflecting on the companies that have failed in the past, both long ago and recently, I came to a conclusion that, if there were success factors, there must be failure factors, as well. Some of these are simply reciprocals of the success factors, which would make it easy. As you and I both know, nothing comes easy, so I’m sharing a few of “think out loud” thoughts here. 

First, if the company you are considering is a pyramid business model—where only a few early “fortunates” will prosper—it is, first of all, illegal and finally, destined to fail, just because of the structure. It’s not the shape, because most direct marketing businesses have the “shape” of a pyramid. The downfall of the pyramid model is that the preponderance of compensation is not based on product sales, but on signing up others at a significant fee or large unsold product commitments. Don’t go there.

Another failure factor: a company that offers one or two products (even if size and applications vary). A company with a large variety of products and product categories that embrace duplicated, family spending; budget allocations that are already being made; offer an opportunity to expand your approach market exponentially, and your potential for success, greatly. However, a wide variety of products aren’t enough—the products must be higher in quality or unique in valuable ways and they MUST be competitively priced with their alternatives. Unique, superior, competitively priced products are what make the Consumer Direct Marketing model work.

A start-up company is sometimes a good bet in the technology/software business, but is almost never a good bet when it comes to consumer goods. A company with no history is using YOU to test every idea. Unless you enjoy being a lab rat, avoid this environment.

Another factor to examine is the company’s balance sheet (you will have to source that for yourself since that likely will not be shared).
Next, is the company you are considering partnering with carrying bundles of unexplainable debt? If so, their future may be in doubt, and therefore, so is yours.

So a definite failure factor is unfunded spending in a business, as it is in our personal lives.

I’m happy to say the company I represent has absolutely no debt—as in zero—even in capital investments. So a definite “failure factor” is unfunded spending in a business, as it is in our personal lives.

Now let’s talk about the effort you invest in creating a consumer, it is considerable, particularly if you do a more than adequate job explaining your products and your business. If the association you are considering allows you to continue benefiting from those efforts in the form of continuing residual income, those efforts are (or eventually will be) worth it. But, there are many direct marketing models that provide breakaways, which simply means the money your consumer is still spending, is not enriching you any longer. Call me crazy, but that’s not a good deal, and certainly, qualifies as a failure factor.

So as you choose a business model to represent, use the above-mentioned success factors as a benchmark. For my choice, I was able to avoid all of the failure factors. The fact is that my choice was so sound that the only failure factor I had to overcome was myself!
Yep, I was the only variable. Was I going to try this business or was I going to do this business? In the direct marketing arena, once you have sorted the successes from the failures, it always comes down to that choice…TRY or DO. I am not going to attempt to influence your ultimate choice, but when you have made yours, commit yourself to the do and not the try or don’t make the choice at all.

Stay where you are, it may work out. Really… REALLY?

Luck of the Irish…or is it?

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I know a number of people who seem to have more than their fair share of good luck. Winning laptops, cars and innumerable trips, auction gift baskets, 50/50s, you name it, they seem to be lucky more than others.

Are they born under a lucky star and the rest of us simply not?
Do the gods smile on only a few favorites?
No. According to science, we make our own luck.

The matter was studied by psychologist Richard Wiseman, professor in the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. In his book The Luck Factor: Changing Your Luck, Changing Your Life Wiseman explains what makes some people lucky and others not. Just so you know, it’s not the good fairy, or providence.

We have the power to bring good luck into our own lives
After years of intensive interviews, experiments and a scientific investigation with more than 400 volunteers, Wiseman concluded that we make our own luck. He also discovered the underlying principles of luck and how we can apply it to our lives so we can all experience more good fortune in our lives.

He placed advertisements to find people who consider themselves exceptionally lucky or unlucky. He then analyzed their minds and their lives through interviews, their diaries, questionnaires, intelligence tests and laboratory experiments to find out what distinguishes the lucky from the unfortunate. His findings revealed that luck is not a magical ability or the result of random chance. Nor are people born lucky or unlucky.

“Instead, although lucky and unlucky people have almost no insight into the real causes of their good and bad luck, their thoughts and behavior are responsible for much of their fortune,” says Wiseman.

His research revealed that lucky people generate their own good fortune via four basic principles:

  1. They are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities.
  2. They make lucky decisions by listening to their intuition.
  3. They create self-fulfilling prophesies via positive expectations.
  4. They adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good.

His groundbreaking work puts good fortune in our hands if we are prepared to pay attention to these four principles.

Lucky people expose themselves to chance opportunities
They are not afraid to meet new people. Because they meet new people they expose themselves to more opportunities. Lucky people tend to be extroverted and enjoy connecting and relating to other people. In social situations they don’t stick to the people they know. They are keen to speak to anyone.

Wiseman relates the case of one volunteer who decided he must change his habit of always speaking to the same people at social events. So he chose a color before the event and made up his mind that he would only speak to people wearing that color!

Lucky people see opportunities that others might miss

Wiseman conducted a fun and simple experiment to uncover this quality in lucky people. He asked volunteers to flip through a newspaper to find out how many photographs it contained. That was that, just a simple, boring counting exercise that ostensibly had nothing to do with luck.The group of unlucky people took about two minutes to count all the photographs; the lucky people took just two seconds.

Why was that?

“Because the second page of the newspaper contained the message: “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper.” This message took up half of the page and was written in type that was over two inches high. It was staring everyone straight in the face, but the unlucky people tended to miss it and the lucky people tended to spot it,” says Wiseman.

It gets more unbelievable. Just for fun, a second large message was placed halfway through the newspaper. This one announced: “Stop counting, tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $250.” Again, the unlucky people missed the opportunity because they were still too busy looking for photographs.

Lucky people practice “counterfactual thinking”

Counterfactual thinking is thinking that goes against the facts. Psychologists use it to refer to our ability to imagine what might have happened, rather than what actually did happen, as “counterfactual.” In many a case, when it concerns lucky people, it means that in the face of something bad happening, lucky people interpret the event as lucky.

In one of Wiseman’s experiments, he presented volunteers with some unlucky scenarios and looked at how they reacted.
One such scenario was to imagine being shot in a bank robbery.

How would lucky or unlucky people interpret such an event?

“Unlucky people tended to say that this would be enormously unlucky and it would be just their bad luck to be in the bank during the robbery. In contrast, lucky people viewed the scenario as being far luckier, and often spontaneously commented on how the situation could have been far worse. As one lucky participant commented, “It’s lucky because you could have been shot in the head – also, you could sell your story to the newspapers and make some money.”

It all goes back to attitude and your perception. It’s all based on what you perceive and believe.

So how lucky are you?

Challenges to Millennials

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Millennials are facing significant and unique challenges as they enter the workforce, the housing market and attempt to construct their futures. An article in the Detroit Free Press illustrates the realities and the obstacles they face.

Many millennials have accumulated thousands in education debt. These 25-34 year-olds now average over $33,000 in education debt. Nearly 50% of families with the head of household under 40 years of age owe money for student-related loans.

Although the recent economic recovery, has helped, there are still challenges to finding decent jobs in this demographic. Many drop out of college because of anxiety regarding growing their debt—and indicators are that even those who have not accumulated debt by choosing higher education are facing the same challenges to their financial futures.

Millennials are bringing home significantly smaller paychecks, making it less likely for them to be able to own a home or save anything for their retirement. In essence, millennials are accumulating assets at a much lower rate than those only 25 years ago.

Many are seeking alternative careers. Some becoming entrepreneurs and experimenting in businesses of their own—searching for answers. But new businesses contain risks of their own, including significant up-front investments, which can begin the debt cycle all over again.

The company with which I am associated offers millennials alternatives that can help turn their frustrations into opportunities. It eliminates risk and is virtually at no investment. It gives millennials the opportunity to begin wealth creation and much brighter futures. There is hope, young people. 

www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2018/04/25/student-loans-millennials-generation/537227002/

Giving & receiving leadership

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Good leadership is complex. At the same time, it’s simple. The “flow” of effective leadership is both up AND down. Mentoring your team is your responsibility as a leader. You are the leader because you have unique knowledge and skills, so you must share them.

In addition, there is another dimension to leadership, accepting feedback gratefully and willingly—the most difficult part for most leaders. A good leader recognizes all group members have valuable experiences and respects valid feedback from the group.

Saying you are open to feedback and really BEING open to that same feedback are two different things. Employees and team members can sense when you are genuinely listening and absorbing their input. The best leaders don’t just listen to feedback; they solicit it.

To get the feedback you want, you must build trust amongst your team. They must feel safe in giving it to you and that there will be no negative consequences. If you act defensively, constructive feedback will surely diminish. Remember, you and they are sharing wisdom and all will benefit from it. Balance your leadership with positive (when it is deserved; no fake stuff) and with constructive interaction.

This dialogue will enrich the culture of your business and it will gain momentum, so it will occur more and more often. After your interchange has concluded, be sure and thank the person for taking the time to provide this information. Sometimes it is an advantage to repeat what it was that you have counseled about so both parties are on the same page. Good leadership will pay considerable dividends to your business. The best news is that it becomes easier and easier as you practice it.

Fore some valuable perspective, check out this article inForbes magazine.

www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/01/16/being-a-great-leader-means-giving-and-receiving-feedback/#6a42c223ebc9

5 Critical Roles In Your Business

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As you begin to establish your new business, there are critical roles that must be fulfilled in order to assure or at least give you a bigger chance of success. If you have the luxury of a large, quality pool of team members from which to choose, you may have these resources on your existing team.

Most new businesses do not have the advantage of having existing team members that can accomplish these tasks, so the alternative is that you must fill these roles yourself with an eye to recruit with these necessary roles in mind. The attached Forbes article tells us that these roles must be filled and identifies what they are and why they are indispensable.

You are the de-facto leader as a founder of your business. As its primary coach, you must lead in a way that creates love and respect for the way that you lead. Your first task is to find an expert who knows the industry, the market, and the products and is able to communicate those to the rest of the team.

The financial guru who keeps track of the income matrices and expenses that the team deems worthy of taking on. This person may be domestic to the team or be an external resource. Most entrepreneurs are busy with the everyday tasks of being leaders, so there is a need for a strategist who is skilled at navigating the future and guiding the enterprise into a profitable and fulfilling enterprise.

Finally, there is a need for the executer that takes ownership of the company’s plans and monitors their progress in the day-to-day operation. The executer understands, fully, the company’s expectations and how they are performing from one day, one week, one month and one year to the next. The executer knows what needs to be done, when and how.

As we have said, earlier, sometimes in start-up and new business endeavors these roles must be filled by the founder with an eye to the future as you recruit for your team. A lot of work in the beginning and the use of some outside resources that are available to you can fill those roles in the short or even the long-term and can lead to great things in your business.

Forbes Article

Maintaining Your Personal Energy

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No matter who you are or what you do; your energy levels (and motivation) will hit flat spots. This article from Whole Life Challenge will give you some insight and tips on dealing with these energy flat spots and reenergize yourself when they “rear” their ugly heads.

The energy we refer to is not just physical. It is a combination of physical, mental, emotional and professional phenomena. Physically the signs can be fairly obvious; fatigue, headaches, slowing of reflexes and even blurred vision. Mentally and emotionally, it can produce moodiness, irritability, and lack of focus and concentration.

All in all, these symptoms can dramatically affect your personal and professional lives. It can even make you more susceptible to illness and disease. It is easy to see why guarding against these energy “valleys” is to your advantage. But, how do you do it?

Physically: Eat well, move well, and sleep well. Manage your ultradyne rhythms (our energy cycle repeats every 90-120 minutes). Take regular breaks; a 5-minute walk, stretching, and deep breathing can all help. Avoid distractions; believe it or not, multitasking is a myth. It is not efficient or productive.

Emotionally: Emotional and mental levels can be restored, by feeding your mind. Stop negative self-talk. Be conscious and aware of the things that drain you. Make a list of the things that uplift you and do them often. There are people who drain your energy, avoid them and connect with the ones that make you feel happy. Finally, set some time aside to decompress.

Professionally: Manage the physical mental, and emotional challenges you face daily and it will manifest solutions to your professional energy problems. My company has a coaching construct, which allows me to turn to others whom I respect for advice and support. But remember, these flat spots are, for the most part, temporary so do not let them defeat you. Victory is around the corner. 

www.wholelifechallenge.com/your-personal-energy-plan-how-to-protect-manage-and-boost-it/

Can The Fear Of Success Cause Me To Fail?

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The fear of failure is easy to understand. We all experience it, even if it
is only from time to time (but it is likely more often). Fear of failure is
right there “in your face”. It presents itself right up front and is obvious.
As I said, fear of failure is easy to understand.

But it may be that the fear of success is your biggest obstacle. It is much more insidious and more difficult to identify. The linked article below Lifehack can be very helpful in identifying that you fear success.

Try saying it to yourself, “I am afraid of being successful”, it doesn’t sound right. It sounds counter-intuitive. Check the behaviors, which indicate that you may, indeed, fear success. The article explains some things that you can do. You probably have heard that your subconscious mind is in charge much more than your conscious mind is.

Don’t be afraid of being extraordinary. Having a strong why can help you overcome the fear of success. Revisit your why often or, more importantly, write it down and keep it in front of you where you will see it often. You and what you can do for you is powerful beyond measure.

If you work hard doing results producing activities, becoming successful is inevitable. You will have your share of failures. It is just part of life. Believing that you deserve or even are entitled to success can make it all happen. It all begins with you. Don’t fear to become rich, standing out or change. Don’t avoid doing two things every day that will lead you to become the awesome you that is within you.

Lifehack article:  Can the fear of success cause me to fail?/


Something to ponder:

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In the Spring of 2000, Netflix’s CEO tried to form an alliance with Blockbuster Video (remember them?) Netflix offered 49% of their company to Blockbuster and the two companies would become one. Blockbuster would still have the brick and mortar buildings to rent out DVD’s and Netflix would be used to send out DVD’s though the mail.

Blockbuster basically laughed Netflix out of the meeting and passed on the offer because they didn’t understand the business model.

Are you being left behind on an opportunity because you don’t understand it?

Things are changing faster than ever before. Old ways of doing business are dying daily. Don’t be left behind! Just because you haven’t shopped or don’t shop online for your household items YET doesn’t mean it won’t be EXACTLY what your busy life is looking for!

❤ #whyilovewellness

Creating A Team Culture

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Constructing a team is a good thing. Creating a “culture” of teamwork is much better. The attached post from “The Balance” can give you important input about creating a culture for your team. These can make a difference in your team’s success.

Teams with a team culture are aware that every success of every individual is the success of the entire team, not just that individual. Share this philosophy with new team members right up front. Knowing that this is a team and collaboration is expected of them will speed their individual accomplishments.

Don’t be shy about reminding them of the value of the culture that drives their successes. Reward and celebrate teamwork and recognize it often. Emphasize that the amounts of their bonuses will depend on how effectively they operate within the team culture.

This post also offers some great tips for team building, itself. Team building is something you do every day. Together you can solve each other’s “real” work issues and problems. Build celebrations around successes and make team collaborations fun and make FUN part of every agenda.

The team concept has quickly become a popular tool for businesses everywhere. That suggests that more and more companies understand that “none of us is as good as all of us”. Make that your belief system and create an environment that has a “system” and allows that system to duplicate. Duplication provides a fast track to success.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-build-a-teamwork-culture-1918509

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