Creating Freedom With Candles

Vote for America's Next TOP SCENT!

2008-07-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

With all of the great (or not so great!) reality TV shows out there that are looking for the "next TOP" thing... I had to chuckle to myself.

With a panel of a few judges, and an audience "call in" to elect who/what is the "next top" thing - is that REALLY a fair way to judge what, exactly, is TOP in the competition? Do you ever just want to jump through your TV screen and tell them that they got it WRONG?

(don't get me started on this last season of American Idol! Sure - I love David Cook, but there were eliminations that just didn't make sense to me AT ALL! LOL).

Now - you're wondering - how am I going to tie this ranting to my candles?

Easy!

We track the sales of our candles and put together a TOP SELLING FRAGRANCE list by season. Now, these scents aren't placed on stage in front of a 3 panel judge.... and there are no 888 or 866 numbers to call to "vote" for them.

How we determine our TOP SELLERS is by repeat sales. This is our iron-clad guarantee that the fragrances that we deem "tops" are the ones that America is requesting over and over and over and over and over and over again. These are fragrances that people across America FALL in LOVE with (often on the first "show!").

You can access this list here:

http://www. infullbloom. scent-team. com/candles_topsellers. php

And you can "vote" for YOUR favorite by ordering directly off of our online retail website here:

http://www. infullbloom. scent-team. com/shop/home. php

And, remember - only YOU can decide America's NEXT TOP SCENT!

**Dream BIG**

Jennifer Burnham

800.584.
5208

Cruising with Royal Caribean??

2008-07-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

Well - we're booked on our first Royal Caribbean cruise for next summer.... going to go up and down the Norwegian Fjords!

Well, I'm the typical "type A" planner, and love lists! So I've recently stumbled upon a great website (www.cruisecritic.com) that caters to us Type A's! There are lists and lists and opinions upon opinions expressed on this website relating to all thing cruising.

Among the myriad of posts, I've come upon this jewel - and thought it was too good (and too funny!) not to post.

Enjoy!!

Yes, you can wear jeans (or shorts) in the dining room, but preferably not on formal nights.
Yes, you can smuggle alcohol on board.
No, it is not necessary to pre-tip the cabin attendant.
The aft balcony will fit lounge chairs. Regular balconies will not.
Yes, aft cabins are great. Yes it’s a long walk. No, you can’t hear noise from the club/Windjammer below/above. (ok maybe a little) It is not necessarily better or worse for movement. It’s all about the view.
Yes, hump cabins are great. No, you don’t hear noise from the elevators. Yes, some balconies are (slightly) bigger.
If you reserve pool lounge chairs, people will be upset with you and might move your stuff.
Yes, the ship may rock. The ocean is not under RCI’s control. Some people get seasick…most don’t.
Fly in a day early just in case. Don’t book a return flight too soon after disembarkation.
Yes, you can board earlier than the “scheduled” time.
Sometimes you can get a bathrobe if you ask.
The weather in the Caribbean in winter is good (despite forecasts of rain). That’s why we go there.
Choose the early seating if you have children. Stay home if they are under 2.
Read the Ports of Call board if you have excursion questions.
Yes, you can book excursions outside RCI. Most people do, for less money.
Yes, most ships have smoking areas. No, it won’t bother you unless you sit there.
No, you cannot remove balcony dividers.
No, you can’t skip the muster.
Yes, all the rooms have ice buckets, hair dryers, soap, coat hangers and safes.
Yes, Royal Caribbean customer service is a nightmare.
Bring duct tape, bungee cords, Ziploc bags, magnets, less clothes, more money.
Buy the drink of the day to save money.
There is a (slim) chance of being upgraded at the pier.
Yes, Chops and Portofino’s are worth the extra $20.
Buy lanyards and disposable cameras at Walmart/Target/Kmart, not onboard or in port.
Yes, people disappear from cruise ships, some on purpose I suspect.
You can’t take a cruise and not have a good time.
NOT ALL CABINS have a safe.
And I think that you forgot that Johnny Rocket's charges $3.95 per head, but C&A members get a coupon for one free visit, and the soda card doesn't work in there.
OH, you forgot the long, boring, detailed description of soda cards/stickers/cups AND the fact that it's stealing to share.
THERE ARE NO IRONS ON ANY RCCL SHIP
Bring a pen and some Post-It notes (for leaving notes)
RCI does not owe you a refund of your cruise fare if a port is missed for reasons beyond their control....
The cabins have shampoo.
Your baby/toddler/elderly parent cannot go in the pool even with swimmy diapers.
The Solariums are not for children except during certain hours during inclement weather.
RCI does not have a topless/nude sunbathing deck.
You can have "nookie" on your balcony, but sometimes other people can see you.
Sodas/bottled water/alcoholic beverages are not included in the cruise fare.
RCI does not have self-serve laundry or ironing facilities.
You can smuggle an iron onboard in you really want one.
The hair driers do not have much power.
Children under 3, even if potty-trained, are not allowed in Adventure Ocean.
RCI coffee does not taste like Starbuck's (or anything else drinkable!).
RCI does not serve lobster during formal night on 3 or 4 night cruises.
Quest is fun, but it's a secret why.
You can order more than one entree, dessert, soup, etc. during dinner.
You can get a price reduction on your cruise if the price drops and isn't a happy hour special.
Book your own air if you are concerned about stops, flying day of departure, certain airlines, etc.
The ship does not wait for you if you are late boarding unless you are on an RC excursion.
You can get cash from the casino using your Sea Pass.
The internet is not free onboard.
Passports are the recommended form of ID.
If you are a woman using your married name, sometimes they ask for your marriage certificate with your birth certificate, sometimes they don't. No one knows why. See above.
Sometimes the itineraries change without notice. Again, no one knows why.
Travel during hurricane season at your own risk. RC cannot control forces of nature (yet).
Buy insurance.
Not all ships have safes, and on some ships you have to have a card that has a magnetic strip. Bring an expired gift card that can be left in the room.
No candles
Yes, you can hear noise from your neighbors.
no, four adults cannot fit comfortably in an inside cabin
no, elevators do not get you from aft to forward
yes, RCI excursion have first tender priority
yes, carlos n charlies has reopened in Cozumel
cozumel, costa maya and grand cayman ports of call are often cancelled due to rough tendering conditions
tip your servers even if you eat in the Windjammer every day
keep your butt in your poolside lounger or let someone else use it
if you think no one's watching...there's probably a camera
yes, take your mints out of the bed before going to sleep
yes, check your account daily (especially if you have teens or a gambling spouse!)
no, sea lice, bed bugs, jellyfish, botfly, mosquitoes & sand fleas are probably not going to affect you
yes, tip your friendly bartender a little extra
no, the production shows are not Broadway quality
no, the food is not worthy of any Michelin stars, but you're not gonna starve
no, you're not going to find an authentic Picasso for $10 at the art auction
people can be rude...ignore them and focus on your own fun
if you sign up for your M&M, go to it!
no, you cannot fish from or barbeque on your balcony
if you get too drunk or spend too much money it is not the cruise line's fault
last but not least, remember the golden rule.
Only a Wonka-vator (Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory) can get you between fore & aft or between port & starboard. I don't think this cruise line has installed them yet on their ships
No jr. suites do not get perks....just two cruise credits
No you cannot bring friends or relatives into the concierge lounge if they haven't booked a suite.
The concierge may or may not email or call you prior to the cruise to set up spa appointments etc - and no one knows why some get a call and some don't.
The pina coladas they "serve" in the windjammer on sail-a-way day are not free.
You can request a small table for your family or party....but there is no guarantee.
No the elevators DO NOT go from bow to stern (front and back) of the ship
Yes there is dry cleaning services
Yes there are ATM's BUT a very high sur-charge applies
Think twice about blowing into that Whistle on your Life Preserver
Yes they do connect beds to make a queen size bed
No you will not FALL through the cracks in between the 2 beds
Yes you can fall overboard (voluntarily or if you p...off someone maybe pushed)
Yes if you are Scottish or want to be it's ok to wear Kilts to the dining room (going commando is your choice)
And last but not least HAVE FUN!!!
Yes there is a Doctor and a Nurse on board
Yes you can order room service (Full Menu)
Depending where the ship is and who your carrier is, you might be able to use your cell phone.
You can use your laptop in your cabin, but it costs extra.
No you can't "Drive" the ship
Yes the ship has Auto-Pilot
Those funny things that help keep the boat stable, well they are called Stabilizers
Yes there are lots of Photographers on the Ship
Left Side of Ship is called PORT
Right Side of Ship is called STARBOARD
Rear of Ship is called AFT
Front of Ship is called BOW

...and this list is ever growing.

***

See you at sea!!!

Sharing an email from a friend

2008-06-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hello! Today I got a great email from my friend and team member - Jackie Ulmer. Jackie has been in MLM a long time and has learned many lessons. I am proud to be a student of hers in this business.

The email says so wonderfully what I have been ranting about for the past few months. Here it is:

A financial guy on the news yesterday was comparing the cost of gas to the cost of your favorite Latte or coffee drink. His analogy is that it's still around $56 a gallon for coffee at your favorite coffee place. Gas where I live is about $4.60 a gallon, average and won’t take me very far. That latte costs around $4.00 and gives me a caffeine buzz and then nothing.

My business, however, at about $4.00 a day creates an asset that I can support my entire family on over time. In other words, that $4.00 investment builds and doesn't stop a short time later (unless I stop.) I use $4.00 to include marketing and business costs beyond the COTM.

If you could look into a crystal ball and know that you could be earning a significant, full time income your Network Marketing business, what steps would you take to get there?

If you had the guarantee that if you followed the "roadmap" you would arrive at your goal, would you commit to the process?

The biggest challenge most network marketers make is that we come into this with an "employee mindset." We are used to putting in XX amount of time and getting XX dollars at the end of the pay period.

When you are a business owner, you are not an employee with a guaranteed salary; you are now building an asset that can/will generate income for you for years to come. And, if done right, and income that will grow steadily with no more work involved than what you start with, and in most cases, less.

The secret is in knowing this; committing it to your brain and putting on your blinders to just see the job through. Our company provides the products and a great pay model; your upline leaders who have already traveled the road provide you with a roadmap. Now, it's up to you to provide the daily motivation; thinking power; and dedication to carry on your end of the bargain.

When I started in my first network marketing business, I forgot that "work" was part of the formula. Actually, it was more about taking action and doing SOMETHING to promote my business. I didn't get very far. And, I didn’t give up. That was the one key thing that brought me to where I am today.

Too many people want to get their initial order; read and study the manual; maybe talk to a couple of people and say "Show me the money!" Remember, you are creating an asset and the investment of time that you make in promoting your business will increase the return on investment of your asset.

Shift your thinking to that of business owner and leave behind the employee gig! That doesn't get many of us where we want to be in life. It doesn't give us freedom or control; and certainly not financial security.

Read books by successful business owners or all types. From Robert Kiyosaki to Donald Trump; to Warren Buffet and others. The message is pretty much the same although the method for getting there can vary.

You hold an amazing tool in your hands with our chosen M.L.M. Invest yourself in these tools and assets. Decide what your daily investment of promotion of your business is going to look like.

And, if you must choose between the Latte and your business…well, need I go there?

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

Taking responsibility

2008-06-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

I belong to a group of cruise enthusiasts and we talk on a message board about everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) cruise related (and then some).

Recently, a lot of talk has been from people who are having to cut back on their cruising and vacationing due to the economy. There has been a lot of "poor me" and blaming and pointing fingers for the way that THEIR life currently is.

I get so heartbroken when I read those posts because it occurs to me that they don't know something that I do.

I UNDERSTAND that ONLY I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR ME and MY FUTURE.

Once I learned that, I took it upon myself to learn how to create the life that I wanted. I did most of this through reading what others have done - and following their footsteps.

One book that I got early on is "How to get rich without winning the lottery". It's a quick (and I mean QUICK) read on some of the most BASIC strategies out there for increasing your net worth.

For the past 3 years I've been building a "side business" from home and that income is allowing us to vacation when and where we want. I do not think that ALL home business operators or those that work for themselves work MORE than anyone else -- we just work FOR ourselves and that can seem really hard at times. What I always try to remember though, is that I am working hard for ME and not for some BOSS. That alone makes it all worthwhile.

ALL THINGS are possible - - they are just not always EASY.

There comes a point when you have to decide what means more to you - set your priorities and then work your hiney off to achieve your goals associated with them.

Another great book that I highly recommend is "GOALS!" by Brian Tracy. If people just took the time to read that book and then IMPLEMENT it - - the world would be a FAR better place.

In general, I believe that if people just took responsibility and action to change their lives (no matter their age or current situation) -- instead of waiting on the government or some agency to do it - - then we wouldn't be in this financial mess of an economy and such.

You Decide

You Take Action

You Achieve

It's the only way!

Plans for Summer 08!

2008-06-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

I am too excited now that school is out (well - out tomorrow!). I've been playing travel agent and designing our family outings and vacations for the rest of 2008. It's important to me that our family spends as much time together seeing, doing, and experiencing all that life and this Earth have to offer. I don't ever want to look back and WISH that I had done something!

Anyway, the first thing I booked as our "Winter Break" cruise. The winter here is really dark and just icky. We survived last winter fine... but now I know how it was and my choice is to get a week or two of SUN in! So - for two weeks in December we will be in the sunny (and warm!) Mediterranean. We will fly in to Barcelona, Spain and spend a few days exploring the likes of Las Ramblas, Gaudi's works, and of the other sights that we can pack in to two days. Then we leave on a 9 day cruise that visits several of the Canary Islands and also has two stops in Morocco. We've booked an "aft balcony" - which means that our cabin has a private balcony that is on the back end of the ship. We will get the most spectacular "sail away" views, no wind, and a lot of privacy! I am just beside myself with anticipation!

(I expect views like this:)

To tide ourselves over before our "big cruise" in December, we are taking a family vacation up to Oslo, Norway (the capital) this week. It's a rather impromptu trip that hubby and I decided we needed to go on. LOL. Looking forward to spending 4 days in a great hotel and touring around this gorgeous city (we leave Friday and are back Monday... so if I'm quiet - thats why!).

When we get back from Oslo, we are going to start doing our weekly "explore our back yard" trips with the kids. Since they have almost a full 2 months of school vacation - we are going to plan on taking two "long weekend" trips each month and four additional "day trips" each month. Our goal is to uncover every nook and cranny of this great area!

Also, I bit the bullet and planned another cruise for NEXT summer (yes, it's a long way out, but this is a tour that I really want to go on.... so we booked it and now will just have to plan the rest of our summer '09 around it!). It's a short 5 day cruise that goes up and down the Norwegian Fjords. I've wanted to see Bergen, Norway for years now - - and was adamant that the only way that I wanted to go was via a cruise. So - while searching for our winter break cruise, I found an itinerary that fits us perfectly and just had to have it. We're booked for our same lovely "aft balcony" for that cruise too!

Whew! It doesn't seem so big when I think about it - - but after writing and reading this - I have to admit that I'm just grinning from ear to ear!

Imagine - this "little candle business" is what is allowing me to do this with my family! I could never in a million years do this if I was tied to a desk and had to get "vacation approval" or the like! I still like to give hubby those "SEE - I TOLD YOU I could do this!!" looks whenever I book a new vacation or what not. As you know, he was not a huge supporter or believer that this business would amount to anything early on. But now - - he is truly enjoying the benefits of my "I don't care what you say - I'm doing it anyway!" attitude! LOL.

Take care - and ENJOY your summer! It's the only Summer of '08 that you'll have!

Never Stop Growing

2008-06-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Never Stop Growing

When you think you know it all, then you deny yourself the opportunity to learn anything new. When you decide that you've seen it all, you cut yourself off from new and enlightening experiences. Every day is an opportunity to grow. Always take advantage of that opportunity, for it is a big part of what makes you alive.

No matter how much you've already accomplished, you can still receive great benefit from new challenges. No matter what your level of learning and experience, you can always raise that level even higher.

When you think you have all the answers, get busy and find some more questions. View each new discovery as a starting point, and not as a final destination.

The joy of life is in the journey. The fulfillment of life is in the growing.

Keep that growing going, and never let it stop.

**Dream BIG**

Today's Rant - - EASY

2008-05-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

I am SICK AND TIRED of the word EASY being used in this business.

Honestly.

I field calls DAILY with people who are upset because they are having to actually fire up some brain cells in order to make their business work.

I field calls daily with people looking at starting their own home based business that ask me how EASY it will be to make a million dollars. When I ask them if they've ever made a million dollars before - they of course say "no" - when I ask why not - they tell me because they can't think of anything easy to do to make that kind of money.

Ummm... hello!

LOL

I'm literally almost going to jump through the phone and ask them WHAT - - seriously -- WHAT in their life that they have RIGHT NOW was easy to get?

And - if there IS anything - - is it anything of value?

I mean - my two kids are amazing... but they sure weren't EASY.

The relationship I have with my husband is wonderful - but it sure wasn't EASY all the time

I could go on and on.

The point that I am trying to convey to whoever is still with me thus far ... is that this is a BUSINESS.

It will take work.

Often HARD work.

It is NOT always rosey and clear sailing.

It is not always - ahem - EASY.

HOWEVER - it is always WORTH IT.

It is always AMAZING what you can achieve when you stop looking for EASY and roll your sleeves up and do what it takes.

Will this scare some people -- sure! But I'd much rather have a team full of people with their eyes wide open and expecting some hills and valleys than people who are thinking that this is a cake walk and expecting that they'll be super galatic diamond battlestar director and making the big bucks in no time flat.

I am so ready to cut out the hype.

Cut out the lies.

And CUT out the word EASY from "easy home business" - - because anyone looking seriously at a home business needs to understand that they won't be able to turn on their computer and eat bon bons all day and watch the money roll in.

Ok. Man. That felt good.

--
** Be nice **
Do what you love
** Have fun **

Jennifer Burnham
800-584-5208

http://www. FreedomWithCandles. com

Proud Member Of the Free To Relax Team!

Interview for the Free To Relax Team

2008-05-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

Today I was intereviewed as a part of the $10K leadership group for my team within my home business company.

I apologize in advance for my voice -- I've been fighting a head cold for a week now and I'm still stuffed up. But - at least my voice didn't give out like I feared it may.

This interview was primarily about how I created a thriving home business while dealing with: two small children, a constantly deployed Navy spouse, frequent moves, and all the other fun stuff that comes with being a WAHM.

Enjoy! And - I'd love your comments!

Click HERE to play interview (60 mins long)

The Mindfulness of Marketing: How to Focus on the Customer

2008-04-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

The Mindfulness of Marketing: How to Focus on the Customer
By Bob Martel, of JMB Marketing Group

If marketing is, indeed, a mind game – and it is – then doesn’t it make sense to study the mind and be ever aware of what is going on inside your customer’s head? After all, your company is only a collection of thoughts in the gray matter of everyone you serve, agree? How can you maximize your overt and covert marketing efforts to ensure compliance to your purchase suggestions without first knowing what really makes your customer tick? In other words, how can you consistently persuade and influence the buying behavior of your customer if you are not truly focused on their wants and desires? As that cognitive IBM commercial reveals, your company must collectively “ideate” on the needs and wants of the customer.

Be honest. As a marketer, have you ever really stopped to think about what is going on in the minds of your best customers, those who have left you, or those who are simply waiting for you to educate them about all that you can do for them? Chances are you have not really paused long enough to realize that your customers are people, too, with the same hopes, dreams, aspirations, and desires that you hold dear. Chances are you haven’t really paused to reflect on the lives of your employees either, right? Your customers, your employees, your vendors each depend on your smart, ethical marketing because it enriches their lives. Think about that one!

Imagine how powerfully effective your marketing can become when the wholeness of your message resonates with your customers. Imagine further how your company will run like a well-oiled machine with every employee fully embracing the present needs of your customers as they serve them on a daily basis. The key to fully leveraging the potential lifetime value of a customer lies in managing and building upon the perceived value in the minds of your customers each and every time you serve them, and in influencing human behavior (future purchases, referrals) by connecting with that human being you call “your customer.” Make sense?

The mindfulness of marketing is a process, an endless journey and a conscious determination to truly connect with the subconscious mind of your customer and prospect. Unlike the mind control methods pioneered by Ed Bernays, the mindfulness of marketing will enable you to more easily achieve your influence goals through the conscious effort not to influence but, rather, to understand, to relate, and to serve. Influence and persuasion skills are critically important in marketing – as you seek to cause compliance – yet the mindfulness of marketing will help your company to positively impact the lives of your customers, not simply manipulate someone to make a purchase decision.

To grasp the very notion of the mindfulness of marketing means to first understand and embrace the concept of mindfulness itself. Mindfulness, or the act of being mindful, is defined as being aware of – and living in your present moment. Understanding the basic tenets of mindful living is both intellectual exercise and a lifelong journey. Becoming mindful, or practicing mindfulness on a daily basis is another thing altogether. You’ll understand this as you begin to explore and study mindfulness. This may be new territory for you, so here are seven steps to quick start yourself and your organization on becoming more mindful of your customer:

• Get real clear on the true benefits of your products and services and how these benefits positively impact the lives of your customer.

• Understand what “owning these benefits” enable for your customers. How does having these benefits help the customer to get what they want out of life? Hint: Google ‘16 Core Desires.’

• While you are studying ‘mindfulness’ and learning to practice it yourself, get your organization to start “ideating” – as the IBM commercial illustrates. Hint: Get mindful about your marketing ROI, your marketing strategy, your unique selling proposition, and the marketing metrics you know you should monitor better.

• This one may be a stretch. Meditate. Clear your mind. Take time to reflect on your customers and the quality of their experience in doing business with your company. Is it consistent? Is it pleasant and valuable and hassle-free? Where can you make improvements?

• Educate your customer. Help them know your company better and the range of products and services you offer. Overcome the “I didn’t know you do that” syndrome. Help them make smart purchase decisions.

• Buddhists speak of obstacles to overcome for mediation to be successful. One is ‘mental scattering’ or distraction. What is distracting you or your employees from delivering an exceptional experience for your customers?

• Understand how to apply the psychology of marketing to your business. Get Robert Cialdini’s book on the subject, for starters.

The (mind) game of marketing requires smart decisions. Your marketing strategy and the underlying programs that you launch should recognize the fact that you seek to influence human behavior and cause compliance. You are, in essence, covertly and ethically hypnotizing your customers through the wholeness of their experience in doing business with you. Remember, the best marketer wins – and the ethical marketer sleeps well each night.

---Source: Bob Matel is the principal consultant at JMB Marketing Group. View his Web site at www.jmbmarketing.com. Email him at bobmartel@jmbmarketing.com with your comments about this article.

Fundraising with Candles

2008-03-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone is tired of the typical fundraising products such as candy,
wrapping paper & cookie dough! Most people cringe when they see young
children out selling these fattening, overpriced, and over-hyped products. In
fact, most states have now BANNED the selling of any products
containing sugar and fats in public school fundraisers due to the
national obesity epidemic.

The alternative that we offer you is:

Fat Free
Appealing to 99% of the population
Already in demand by your customers
Offered at a fair price to your customers
Of absolute GOURMET quality - so you can be PROUD of the products

What are they?

Gourmet, Cleaner Burning, Natural Wax Candles of course!

Why Choose www.MiaBellaCandleFundraiser.com for your next
Fundraiser?

We take the work out of raising money! Our goal is to provide you with a first
class fundraiser that is fun, easy to do, and very profitable.

What type of groups do we work with?

ALL of them!

Church Groups, 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Animal Rescue Groups,
Cheerleading Squads, Gymnastic Teams, Sports Teams, Competitive Dance
Teams, Pre-Schools, Day Care Centers, Nursing Homes, School and
Marching Bands, Booster Clubs, Drill Teams and many other clubs, schools,
community groups and organizations.

A Mia Bella candle fundraiser is perfect for all groups regardless of size,
location, and profit goals!

We have helped numerous groups reach their fundraising goals with
our unique cleaner burning, gourmet candles!

Read some of our recent testimonials:

"It was a great fundraiser. Thanks for your help! Selling these gourmet candles
was such a great fundraiser for our volleyball program! We have done many other
fundraisers such as car washes, selling raffle tickets, etc. which takes so much time,
energy, organizing, along with minimal profits. I would recommend this fundraiser
to anyone interested in saving time, selling a high quality candle, and
making a great profit." Heidi V., MN

"These gourmet candles were sold for $18 each donating all profits to the troop's
homecoming funds. As of July 31st, we have raised $1000 dollars including a few
monetary donations. Everyone was very excited about being able to give and receive
at the same time. We had several of the family members of the soldiers pushing this
fundraiser and it was very successful and exciting. We used the slogan "Every
time you light your candle, you will be reminded of your contribution to our U.S.
Troops homecoming celebration"." Marlene L., LA

"I cannot thank you enough for all of the hard work you put into this candle
fundraiser. I feel extra lucky to have this support around me, and these candles are
a constant reminder that we will reach our goal. We were able to raise over $1,300
in 2 weeks with just over 20 kids participating and now we have some great new
sound equipment for the studio. The kids love it and I hope you take special pride in
the fact that you made it all happen. Thank you so much!" Donna B., CA

Let us help your group too!

Just request more information on doing a candle fundraiser here:

http://www.MiaBellaCandleFundraiser.com

Where o where was this website 3 years ago???

2008-03-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of my absolute FAVORITE MLM industry trainers is Tim Sales. His no-nonsense style and complete "tell it to you straight" ways really jives with me and my style (maybe it's because Tim is ex-Navy and my hubby is active duty Navy... ???).

Anyway - Tim has a TON of absolutely brilliant trainings, materials, and tools to help those that are currently IN MLM.

However - he has recently published a fantastic website that is specifically geared towards those who are LOOKING at getting in to MLM and have questions.

I highly encourage you - whether you're just starting your search - or are already in a company - - to take a look at this spectacular site!

http://www.firstclassmlm.com/

Enjoy!

SAHM = can mean MLM Success! (even with little ones!)

2008-03-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you are a SAHM (stay at home mom) (or even a dad!) who is considering building an MLM business and wondering how to keep balance and sanity in your life, then you are who I'm writing this article for.

First, let me share a little of my story so you'll know that I've "been there, done that" and am not talking some MLM theory. I've built my business with two toddlers in tow (they were 1 and 3 when I began) AND I had the added fun of being a single mom for the most part since my husband is active duty Navy.... meaning he's gone ... a LOT.

Was it simple? No! Did it grow fast? Nope! Worth it? You bet!! Absolutely every second!

Here are some ideas and tips that I hope will help you as you consider the transition from SAHM (or dad) to WAHM (or dad!).

You CAN build strong kids and a strong business - - let me show you how:

1. Get very clear on your "why". This is the reason why you want to own your own business. Beyond just saying "money - silly!". Thing of what you will DO with the money... is it for a new home, new cars, braces for the kids, college funds, that vacation home... Whatever YOUR why is -- you need to have it clearly defined.

This will sustain you when someone tells you "no", or things start to slow down. Make sure your why is very powerful to you and that it means more to you than what anyone else might say or think.

2. Realize that as a mom (or dad) with small children, you will have to balance, schedule and prioritize in a different way. Communicate with your sponsor and your team about your commitment, your priorities and how you will balance your new business and your home life. Never feel the need to compromise your values in building your MLM business - - after all, it's YOUR life, design it the way that works best for YOU.

3. Get organized. And, I mean in every area of your life. I am a huge fan of what are called "utopian calendars". These are calendars that you create if the world worked in perfect clockwork harmony. I schedule my day in 15 minute increments... does it always work? No! But it sure does give me something to strive for.

To get started on your calendar, set up one calendar with everything about your daily home and family routine. Mark out times that are strictly family, and every other non-negotiable time in your life. Then, (and this is important) find times each day that you will work your business. Commit to these times, no matter how small the time frame. Be consistent and don't procrastinate.

4. Ask for help in anyway that you can. Talk to your spouse about taking the kids for an hour so you can make calls. Talk about splitting up household duties differently. Invest in help as your budget allows.

If you can't hire out the chores, look for ways to speed them up. A great source that I've come to know and love is www.FlyLady.com She's a bit nuts, but man! She sure can whip up a great routine for house cleaning!

5. Form a babysitting coop with other moms in your area. Then, use it and reciprocate. I used the times I babysat other kids as playtime for my kids, and then used the times when my kids were at a friend's to work my business. This was an amazing resource for me as my kids never felt like they were at a babysitters. They just saw it as a play date with someone from the play group.

6. Set clear goals and intentions for your business. Believe that your success is non-negotiable. Building a business is like a marathon - - not a sprint. So what if it takes you seven years to become a top income earner, or hit your income goal. Will it be any less worth it? Of course not!

And really - the time is going to pass ANYWAY - - you may as well be building a bigger business ... and not just sitting on your duff hoping to win the lotto!

7. Work on Self Development -- this is the "you". Who you are right now is not who you have to be ever again. Success in this business requires YOU to be the best YOU that you can be. So making time for self development tapes, books, etc. is essential.

For me - I have a cd player in my bathroom. Every morning as I am in there doing my morning routine, I have a self development/coaching CD playing. That is a good solid 30 minutes of me absorbing and learning... not just mindlessly brushing my teeth.

Again - the time is going to pass anyway - may as well "multi-task" and learn while showering!

8. Use technology - the internet, autoreponders, and even voice mail have made our lives SO MUCH easier! My team and I have created a "system" that you can literally plug in to on day one and be "on line" and ready for business within hours.

Best of all - it requires NO working knowledge of the internet, search engines, blogging, article writing, or any other highly skilled ability to use! With our system, EVERYONE is able to use the power of technology to build their business in record time.

9. Get your kids involved - From the time kids are two, and maybe even younger, you can find helpful, fun and even educational ways to get them to take a part in your business. My little ones are responsible for putting stickers on the products & catalogs, they help me sort the candles by fragrance type, and even help me alphabetize my sampler bag.

I have even gone in to my daughter's Kindergarten class and done special "show and smell" times for her classmates. She is PROUD that 'she and mommy' sell candles!

10. Reward yourself. Set goals and reward yourself when you accomplish them. In the beginning - focusing on "action oriented" goals is key... things like "how many business cards you pass out" and "how many initial lead calls" are actions that YOU can control. Set the bar high - and really reward yourself when you clear it.

So - - there you go. Ten tips to transition from a SAHM (or dad!) to a WAHM (or dad!).

It's not easy - but it IS worth it! In every single respect.

Mom's Meeting By Candlelight!

2008-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

I belong to a Mom's club and once a month we meet at one anothers house for a Mom's only event. Most of these Moms have multiple preschoolers. Many of them have babies and haven't had a good night sleep in years. Needless to say, these aren't women who have a lot of time to pamper themselves.

Recently, it was my turn to host the event. Being a frazzled Mom myself, I initially grimaced thinking of all of the deep cleaning and preparation I would need to do to get my house ready for fifteen to twenty ladies that I was sure were better housekeepers than I.

I started worrying about it, and decided to my morning candlelight meditation to calm myself and get ready for the chores ahead. As I sat breathing the scent of my Chili Vanilli candle and staring at the soft flicker, it suddenly came to me.

What these women need is not a perfectly scrubbed house and for me to be in the kitchen all day, greeting them at the door with a stressed out smile and a cloud of nervous energy. What all of us Moms need is an evening to really bathe our souls in relaxation and to have a wonderful supportive evening with friends. I needed it too. That's why we started the Mom's club in the first place. So, I asked myself, how can I best make my party about giving the gift of rejuvenation to my friends, rather than a frenetic show of competitive housework? I looked down at my candle and smelled its sweet scent.

When I stood up to prepare for my party, I first went online and emailed everyone, requesting that everybody bring just one appetizer - not too much work for anyone. Then I stopped scrubbing the baseboards.

The evening of the party, my guests filed in and immediately they started in on soft, appreciative gasping. All of the lights in my house were off. In each room I had placed inexpensive white twinkle lights up high - along the curtain rods, up and down the stair banisters, and so on. But that was just the accent. The focal point of everyone's awe was how on every surface in each room I had strewn a variety of our gourmet candles around. Each glowed a soft and luminous little light. The room was filled with the most relaxing aromas issuing from the fragrant candles. They were different fragrances, but they blended together perfectly.

Immediately I began to see tense shoulders relax, faces soften and breathing slow and deepen in all of my weary friends. They sat their delicious appetizers here and there amid the candles as I made wine spritzers and then we all settled down for a nice, relaxing evening of conversation. You could tell the difference in our cozy, intimate chatter. It was quiet and unhurried, not the riotous rush to share stories and nervously giggle the evening away that is typical of our parties. Maybe it was the soft light. Maybe it was the aromatherapy treatment we were all getting. Whatever it was, it was magic.

Need I say that nobody noticed that my baseboards were not newly scrubbed or that my carpets might have needed shampooing. Everyone walked away that evening just a little saner, and no one more so than the hostess herself. It is amazing how healing to the weary soul a little candlelight can be.

eBooks To Make 2008 Your Best Year Ever!

2008-01-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

I sure hope that your 2008 is off to a GREAT start!!

Have you made your resolutions yet??

I have....

Mine include:

-reading one chapter of a book each night
-walking 60 minutes each day w/ my iPod playing the most recent/important training call from my company
-learning and following The SYSTEM by Michael Clouse (http://www.nexera.com/)

I hope that reading and self development will be a BIG part of your 2008....

Remember - - life only has ONE variable - - YOU.

So doesn't it make sense to be the BEST you that YOU can be?

I'm offering up two FREE eBooks for anyone who'd like them. I honestly think should be REQUIRED reading for anyone who is looking to own their own FUTURE. Not just those who are in business with my company ... but really ANYONE who is interested in changing the life they have and CREATING a new one.

One where YOU decide what it looks like.

Simply email blog-free-ebook@aweber.com

You will get a confirmation email in your inbox. Follow the instruction to click the link - - and the two eBooks will be emailed directly to you.

Please feel free to pass this offer for the two Free eBooks along to anyone you know and care about. The more people who WAKE UP and see the big picture - - the better this world will be.

One more book that I THOROUGHLY recommend is: "Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting" by Lynn Grabhorn. LOVE her style....

2008 is going to be a BANNER year ...

I FEEEEEEEEEEEEEL it.

I KNOW it.

Why?

Because THIS YEAR - - my team and I will stop thinking it's IMPOSSIBLE and start FEELING and KNOWING that it's not only POSSIBLE - - but that it is INEVITABLE.

It IS coming.

Hang on...

Hold tight...

Don't look back!

Enjoy 2008 to the fullest!

Today’s Topic: Santa’s Six Practical Strategies for Getting Things Done

2007-12-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

This was shared with me the other day and I had to include a blog about it - especially at this time of year! The original text is in black - I've added my comments in red.

I. Build a Wonderful Workshop:·
Make the mission the main thing· Focus on your people as well as your purpose· Let values be your guide. With a home based business, we are not really "in the trenches" with others on a daily basis. This does not mean that they are not our focus though. Building a home based business takes an incredible amount of teamwork, dedication, and sense of purpose. Creating team goals, personal goals, and even missions statements for your team are all things that I know Santa would approve of!

II. Choose Your Reindeer Wisely:·
Hire tough so you can manage easy· Promote the right ones…for the right reasons· Go for the diversity advantage. I love this one! While some think that MLM is about "taking" as many people as you can - - I firmly believe that you should only PARTNER with those that you will truly enjoy working with. While I am not able to "promote" my reindeer -- I am able to be there to coach them, guide them, and develop them into strong business owners. Working with the "right ones" over the "wrong ones" makes my business such a JOY!

III. Make a List and Check It Twice:·
Plan your work· Work your plan· Make the most of what you have. Things will never be PERFECT. However, this is not a valid excuse to not make the most of what you currently have to work with. Pick up the tools that you DO have and get to work building your business. As your business grows - you will gain access to more and more tools. Always be adjusting and modifying your plan to accomodate your growing dreams and goals.

IV. Listen to the Elves:·
Open your ears to participation· Pay attention to how you’re perceived· Walk awhile in their shoes. When people reach a certain level of success in MLM - they are viewed as always having had success, or fortune, etc. People forget that you came up through the ranks just as they did... so when you're trying to motivate, inspire, or otherwise engage someone who is just starting out in this industry - remember to dig wayyyy back in your closet and find your "newbie" shoes. Put them back on and remember what YOU needed to hear when you first got started.

V. Get Beyond the Red Wagons:·
Help everyone accept the reality of change· Remember: the customer is really in charge· Teach “the business” of the business. Whether it's a brick and mortar business or a home based business - your customers are your lifeblood. Pay attention to their comments and suggestions - and even their criticisims. You never know when you'll get that "lightning bolt" of inspiration that will push your business to the next level. Always be open to change and growth.

VI. Share the Milk and Cookies:·
Help your people see the difference they make· Do right by those who do right· Expand your recognition and positive reinforcement activities. As a MLM team leader - your team members are your foundation. Always recgonize that without THEIR success - you would have none. Be generous with your praise and recgonition. Always be your team's biggest fan.

10 Reasons Never to get a JOB

2007-11-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

I recently received this article - titled 10 Reasons You Should Never Get A Job (by Steve Pavlina).

The title alone made me smile because I have had SO many jobs in my life - some fun, some really icky, and ALL of them stressful and just plain draining. It wasn't until my husband and I began our family that we sat down and really "did the math". In addition to not having enough vacation time, not being paid what I knew I was worth, and not having flex time to work on personal issues when they arised - what I was making hourly after paying for full time child care was NOT worth the time or stress on our family.

That said, the article struck a chord with me for another reason. Pavlina realtes how when people reach a certain age, such as after graduating college, they assume it's time to go out and get a job. But like many things the masses do, just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's a good idea. In fact, if you're reasonably intelligent, getting a job is one of the worst things you can do to support yourself. There are far better ways to make a living than selling yourself into indentured servitude.

Here are the (paraphrased)reasons that Pavlina cites that youshould do everything in your power to avoid getting a job - and I've added my thoughts to the bottom:

1. Income is for dummies.
Getting a job and trading your time for money may seem like a good idea. There's only one problem with it. It's stupid! It's the stupidest way you can possibly generate income! This is truly income for dummies.

Why is getting a job so dumb? Because you only get paid whenyou're working. Don't you see a problem with that, or have you been so thoroughly brainwashed into thinking it's reasonable and intelligent to only earn income when you're working? Have younever considered that it might be better to be paid even whenyou're not working? Who taught you that you could only earn incomewhile working? Some other brainwashed employee perhaps?

Don't you think your life would be much easier if you got paid while you were eating, sleeping, and playing with the kids too? Why not get paid 24/7? Get paid whether you work or not. Don't your plants grow even when you aren't tending to them? Why not your bank account?
Who cares how many hours you work? Only a handful of people onthis entire planet care how much time you spend at the office.

Most of us won't even notice whether you work 6 hours a week or 60. But if you have something of value to provide that matters to us, a number of us will be happy to pull out our wallets and pay you for it. We don't care about your time -- we only care enough to pay for the value we receive. Do you really care how long it took meto write this article? Would you pay me twice as much if it took me 6 hours vs. only 3?

Non-dummies often start out on the traditional income for dummies path. So don't feel bad if you're just now realizing you've been suckered. Non-dummies eventually realize that trading time for money is indeed extremely dumb and that there must be a better way. And of course there is a better way. The key is to de-couple your value from your time.

Smart people build systems that generate income 24/7, especially passive income. This can include starting a business, building a web site, becoming an investor, or generating royalty income from creative work. The system delivers the ongoing value to people and generates income from it, and once it's in motion, it runs continuously whether you tend to it or not. From that moment on,the bulk of your time can be invested in increasing your income (by refining your system or spawning new ones) instead of merely maintaining your income.

Sure it takes some upfront time and effort to design and implement your own income-generating systems. But you don't have to reinvent the wheel -- feel free to use existing systems like networks and affiliate programs. Once you get going, you won't have to work so many hours to support yourself. Wouldn't it be nice to be out having dinner with your spouse, knowing that while you're eating, you're earning money?

If you want to keep working long hours because you enjoy it, go right ahead. If you want to sit around doing nothing, feel free. As long as your system continues delivering value to others, you'll keep getting paid whether you're working or not.

Nobody is born knowing how to start a business or generate investment income, but you can easily learn it. How long it takes you to figure it out is irrelevant because the time is going to pass anyway. You might as well emerge at some future point as the owner of income-generating systems as opposed to a lifelong wage slave. This isn't all or nothing. If your system only generates a few hundred dollars a month, that's a significant step in the right direction.

2. Limited experience.
You might think it's important to get a job to gain experience. But that's like saying you should play golf to get experience playing golf. You gain experience from living, regardless of whether you have a job or not. A job only gives you experience at that job, but you gain "experience" doing just about anything, so that's no real benefit at all. Sit around doing nothing for a couple years, and you can call yourself an experienced meditator, philosopher, or politician.

The problem with getting experience from a job is that you usually just repeat the same limited experience over and over. You learn alot in the beginning and then stagnate. This forces you to miss other experiences that would be much more valuable. And if your limited skill set ever becomes obsolete, then your experience won't be worth squat.

In fact, ask yourself what the experience you're gaining right now will be worth in 20-30 years. Will your job evenexist then?

Consider this. Which experience would you rather gain? The knowledge of how to do a specific job really well -- one that you can only monetize by trading your time for money - or the knowledge of how to enjoy financial abundance for the rest of your life without ever needing a job again? Now I don't know about you, but I'd rather have the latter experience. That seems a lot more useful in the real world, wouldn't you say?

3. Lifelong domestication.
Getting a job is like enrolling in a human domestication program. You learn how to be a good pet.
Look around you. Really look. What do you see? Are these the surroundings of a free human being? Or are you living in a cagefor unconscious animals? Have you fallen in love with the color beige?

How's your obedience training coming along? Does your master reward your good behavior? Do you get disciplined if you fail to obey your master's commands?

Is there any spark of free will left inside you? Or has yourconditioning made you a pet for life?
Humans are not meant to be raised in cages. You poor thing...

4. Too many mouths to feed.
Employee income is the most heavily taxed there is. In the USA you can expect that about half your salary will go to taxes. The tax system is designed to disguise how much you're really giving up because some of those taxes are paid by your employer, and some are deducted from your paycheck.

But you can bet that from your employer's perspective, all of those taxes are considered part of your pay, as well as any other compensation you receive such as benefits. Even the rent for the office space you consume is considered, so you must generate that much more value to cover it. You might feel supported by your corporate environment, but keep inmind that you're the one paying for it.

Another chunk of your income goes to owners and investors. That's a lot of mouths to feed.
It isn't hard to understand why employees pay the most in taxes relative to their income. After all, who has more control over the tax system? Business owners and investors or employees?

You only get paid a fraction of the real value you generate. Your real salary may be more than triple what you're paid, but most of that money you'll never see. It goes straight into other people'spockets.

What a generous person you are!

5. Way too risky.
Many employees believe getting a job is the safest and most secure way to support themselves.

Morons.

Social conditioning is amazing. It's so good it can even make people believe the exact opposite of the truth.

Does putting yourself in a position where someone else can turn off all your income just by saying two words ("You're fired") sound like a safe and secure situation to you? Does having only one income stream honestly sound more secure than having 10?

The idea that a job is the most secure way to generate income is just silly. You can't have security if you don't have control, and employees have the least control of anyone. If you're an employee, then your real job title should be professional gambler.

6. Having an evil bovine master.
When you run into an idiot in the entrepreneurial world, you can turn around and head the other way. When you run into an idiot inthe corporate world, you have to turn around and say, "Sorry, boss."

Did you know that the word boss comes from the Dutch word baas,which historically means master? Another meaning of the word bossis "a cow or bovine." And in many video games, the boss is the evil dude that you have to kill at the end of a level.

So if your boss is really your evil bovine master, then what does that make you?

7. Begging for money.
When you want to increase your income, do you have to sit up and beg your master for more money? Does it feel good to be thrown some extra Scooby Snacks now and then?

Or are you free to decide how much you get paid without needinganyone's permission but your own?

If you have a business and one customer says "no" to you, you simply say "next."

8. An inbred social life.
Many people treat their jobs as their primary social outlet. They hang out with the same people working in the same field. Such incestuous relations are social dead ends. An exciting day includes deep conversations about the company's switch from Sparkletts to Arrowhead, the delay of Microsoft's latest operating system, and the unexpected delivery of more Bic pens.

Considerwhat it would be like to go outside and talk to strangers. Ooooh...scary! Better stay inside where it's safe.

If one of your co-slaves gets sold to another master, do you lose a friend? If you work in a male-dominated field, does that mean you never get to talk to women above the rank of receptionist? Why not decide for yourself whom to socialize with instead of letting your master decide for you? Believe it or not, there are locations on this planet where free people congregate. Just be wary of those jobless folk -- they're a crazy bunch!

9. Loss of freedom.
It takes a lot of effort to tame a human being into an employee. The first thing you have to do is break the human's independentwill. A good way to do this is to give them a weighty policy manual filled with nonsensical rules and regulations. This leads the new employee to become more obedient, fearing that s/he couldbe disciplined at any minute for something incomprehensible. Thus,the employee will likely conclude it's safest to simply obey the master's commands without question. Stir in some office politicsfor good measure, and we've got a freshly minted mind slave.

As part of their obedience training, employees must be taught how to dress, talk, move, and so on. We can't very well have employees thinking for themselves, now can we? That would ruin everything.

God forbid you should put a plant on your desk when it's against the company policy. Oh no, it's the end of the world! Cindy has aplant on her desk! Summon the enforcers! Send Cindy back for another round of sterility training!

Free human beings think such rules and regulations are silly of course. The only policy they need is: "Be smart. Be nice. Dowhat you love. Have fun."

10. Becoming a coward.
Have you noticed that employed people have an almost endless capacity to whine about problems at their companies? But theydon't really want solutions - they just want to vent and make excuses why it's all someone else's fault.

It's as if getting a job somehow drains all the free will out of people and turns them into spineless cowards. If you can't call your boss a jerk now andthen without fear of getting fired, you're no longer free. You've become your master's property.

When you work around cowards all day long, don't you think it's going to rub off on you? Of course it will. It's only a matter of time before you sacrifice the noblest parts of your humanity on the altar of fear: first courage... then honesty... then honor and integrity... and finally your independent will. You sold your humanity for nothing but an illusion. And now your greatest fear is discovering the truth of what you've become.

I don't care how badly you've been beaten down. It is never toolate to regain your courage.

Never!

Still want a job?

If you're currently a well-conditioned, well-behaved employee, your most likely reaction to the above will be defensiveness. It's all part of the conditioning. But consider that if the above didn't have a grain of truth to it, you wouldn't have an emotional reaction at all. This is only a reminder of what you already know. You can deny your cage all you want, but the cage is still there. Perhaps this all happened so gradually that you never noticed it until now... like a lobster enjoying a nice warm bath.

If any of this makes you mad, that's a step in the right direction. Anger is a higher level of consciousness than apathy, so it's alot better than being numb all the time. Any emotion -- even confusion -- is better than apathy.

If you work through your feelings instead of repressing them, you'll soon emerge on the doorstep of courage. And when that happens, you'll have the will to actually do something about your situation and start living likethe powerful human being you were meant to be instead of the domesticated pet you've been trained to be.

Happily jobless

What's the alternative to getting a job? The alternative is to remain happily jobless for life and to generate income through other means.

All you really need is the courage to be yourself. Your real valueis rooted in who you are, not what you do. The only thing you need actually do is express your real self to the world. You've been told all sort of lies as to why you can't do that. But you'll never know true happiness and fulfillment until you summon the courage to do it anyway.

The next time someone says to you, "Get a job," I suggest you replyas Curly did: "No, please... not that! Anything but that!" Then poke him right in the eyes.

You already know deep down that getting a job isn't what you want. So don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Learn to trust yourinner wisdom, even if the whole world says you're wrong and foolish for doing so. Years from now you'll look back and realize it wasone of the best decisions you ever made.

***Now my Thoughts: **
So, how are you feeling about now? Did any ofwhat Steve had to say resonate with you at all?

I've been BLISSFULLY jobless for 1.5 years now and my life has never been better.
I am home with the kids, we go out to fun and interesting places (aquariunms, zoos, museums, and all the fun places our State has to offer!). I get to travel "back home" whenever the whim strikes me, and I get to spend all day in my pajamas if I choose to (I'm in them now - bunny slippers and all!).

The only stress that I have is what to make the kids for lunch.

Why? Because my time is leveraged. I plugged into the a wonderful system and am now generating income 24/7. While I'm sleeping, while I'm dancing, while I'm grocery shopping.
How cool is that?

The best part is - that I am a REGULAR person. I've never been in sales or marketing, I've never run a business before, and I'm certainly not gifted with the talents that I thought you MUST havein order to make the big money.

I now realize that ANYONE can do this - honestly! I have a blind woman on my team, I have grandmothers and grandfathers, I have college students and high school drop outs on the team. I have deaf distributors, and team members with all sorts of other "issues".

There are moms, dads, professionals, and ex-hippies. I think that I've heard every single "well, my story is SOOOO bad" that I can't imagine finding anyone who has it worse off than some of my current team members did before they joined the team.

This was a long email - but I hope that it made you laugh a bit, and I certainly hope that it made you think a bit.

What is it that YOU want out of life? How much overtime would ittake to get it? And, would you have the TIME to do it if you did get that raise?

As he said - the time is going to pass ANYWAY - why not come out at some point with an extra few bucks. It's not like you have to up and quit what you're doing now.

Would you be willing to skip two or three sitcoms a week and focus on building a business that would generate income for you each and every day?

Would you be willing to let the highest paid team in the company show you exactly how to do it - around your schedule and your current lifestyle and circumstances?

Would you be willing to dream a little and rediscover all those"to do before I die" items that you haven't done yet?

Work smarter - not harder. Plug in, learn, then take action.

It's as simple as that.

Build Your Business Foundation

2007-06-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote today and it immediately got me thinking about owning my home based candle business (heck - I could be ordering waffles and it would make me think of our business... but I digress!)

I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

The reason that this quote hit me today is because I've been working with a LOT of leads and a LOT of new team members recently. A very common question to me is "How long, really, before I make $x per month?"

While it is a valid question - I have to answer the same way every time - "It depends on how fast you build your foundation and how big you build it."

I know that this is not the answer that they are looking for - as they want an actual concrete number. Trying to help them understand that there is no such magical/concrete number and getting them to see that it is SOLELY by their actions that their business will grow becomes a daily activity.

Building foundations is SO important - and the bigger "tower" you want to build, the stronger that foundation better be.

The next question that I get a lot is "well, what do you mean by a foundation for the business - and how do I build one?"

Again, my answer is pretty much the same to everyone I speak with: "It depends on WHAT you are trying to build."

Here is an overly simplified building list that I bring new team members and prospects through to help them understand what they need to do in order to build their foundation.

First, you need to know exactly what it is that you are looking to build - a retail, fundraising, or team building business. Most people want to do all three - and not focus just on one aspect of the business. While I definately encourage everyone to learn aboout all three aspects, I strongly feel that you need to focus on one MAIN aspect of the business and build that foundation quickly and strongly. Along the way, opportunities will arise to dabble in another aspect of the business - take them. But the bottom line is that by focusing on one aspect and building that ONE foundation first is going to go a lot quicker than trying to build THREE foundations at the same time.

Next, you need to get your tools in place. Your tools will depend on which type of business you are looking to build. For a mostly retail business - the sample bag, catalogs, and inventory is crucial. For a fundraising business, the sample bag, order forms, and a tax ID number are crucial. For team building, a personal website, an autoresponder, scent samples, and literature are crucial.

Finally, building something by yourself is always slower than building something with a team of people. So be sure to join a team of people who are working at building their foundations too. The amount of support avaialble to each and every distributor in the company is mind boggling.

From team yahoo groups, to the company message board - you will find teams of people ready to help you build your foundation. They are there to bounce ideas off of, ask advice from, and help you locate additional tools that will help you build bigger and faster.

So get out there and build that foundation - and keep building it until you look up one day and see the tower of a business that you've just created!

**Dream BIG!**

Jen Burnham

To the man who wanted to sell junk....

2007-06-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

A man wrote me a pretty good email about why he doesn't think that candles (especially ours) would be a wise business to get in to since he lived in an area that specialized in "junk fairs". He thought our candles were overpriced based on comparisons in his "market".

LOL

you just don't say that 1) to ME and 2) certainly not to me AFTER FLING! LOL

******

Thank you so much for your input. This is an argument that I've gotten hundreds of times in my year with this Gourmet Candle company.

Have you actually BURNED one of our candles yet?

I can honestly say that your concerns about the public differentiating between candles is far far far off.

The candle business is a $3Billion market. The GOURMET candle business is a full $1.75 Billion of that. The gourmet market basically includes brands that sell for over $18 retail - and there are a good number of them.

Our company, in it's infancy, just did $12 Million this year. We're well on track to doing $24 Million next year. And, if the trend continues, and we have no reason to think that it won't - we'll be a $50 Million company in under 6 years.

People everywhere (across the USA and Canada) are calling our candles the best performing candle they have ever burned.

I have done HUGE expos (over 30,000 in attendance) and there have been MULTIPLE candle vendors there. MY booth was always PACKED while theirs was not. I've even had people buy the other candles there, then find MY booth, and promptly go back to the other guy and return HIS candles so they could buy MORE of mine.

Now, to be honest, our candles do not do very well at junk fairs. They are just not junk and the junk buying public doesn't UNDERSTAND value. They would rather pay $5 for 3 hours of crappy "scent" than $20 for 120 hours of PHENOMENAL scent. They just don't see it.... and it is OK because that is not our market anyway. :-)

So, if you're truly looking for a product that will sell across the USA then you seriously have to at least BURN one. :-)

Take a listen to some of our company leaders - most are very wealthy business men that NEVER saw the potential of CANDLES as being Big Business. You can find their audios here:
http://www.infullbloom.scent-team.com/leaders.php

I would be more than happy to get you on the phone with ANY of these people and they can certainly attest that these candles do sell well - in all areas - in all economic conditions - simply because there are people across the country who "get it" - who understand value vs. junk. :-)

***

The end to that story is that he is now a happy distributor who is introducing GOURMET candles to his "market of junk-aholics".

Where there are people with noses - there will be successful Gourmet Candle reps!

Viva Las Vegas!

2007-04-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

I just got back from my first trip out to Las Vegas. What a great city!!!

I was there for a company convention and was able to take a few extra days to see the sights. It was one of the BEST times that I've spent this year! We had such a BLAST - and it wasn't just because of the gorgeous hotels and casinos... Or the waiters on stilts... Or listening to "YMCA" 8 million times...

It was because of the absolute FUN I had while "walking and talking" my business with my good friends and team members.

It all started because one of them didn't think that she had it in her to just open a conversation with "So, do you know anyone who likes scented candles?".

It was up to me to prove to her how EASY and NON offensive it was!

I explained to her that it's not like you're going up to someone and saying "Hi! I couldn't help but notice you need to loose some extra weight. Can I give you a sample of this magic potion?"

or

"Hi! I couldn't help but notice that you are in serious need of some new skin care. Can I give you a sample of this magic potion?"

or

"Hi! I was wondering if you have any trouble with dirrehea, migranes, shingles, or any other malady that this magic potion of mine can fix?"

Yes - I'm being goofy - but seriously - how else would you introduce skin care, juice products, etc. ON THE STREET? You can't!!!

With ours - everyone (yes! EVERYONE) you come in contact with is a potential candle buyer or team member.

"do you like scented candles" is non-offensive, non-obtrusive, and just a great conversation starter. It's takes all of 3 seconds and you can do this ALL DAY LONG and hand out biz cards and samples - which is EXACTLY what we did on the strip of Las Vegas!

So - does this cost money to start?

2007-03-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

Here is an email that I sent to a woman who asked me "before I look at your site - does this cost anything?"

I about died laughing when I read her email.

Then I felt sorry for her. Really, I did.

Here is the email that I sent back to her - I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

------
I have to admit that I always chuckle when I get asked "Does it cost money to start". Reason being - this is an actual business. You can work it from home, from a store, or from a beach chair in the bahamas. But, it's a real business. So yes, there will be start up costs.

RUN - screaming like you were on fire - from ANY opportunity that says that you can create a business without spending a dime. Those are scams and just give me the creepy crawlies. You don't get anything of value in this world for free. It's just a fact of life. LOL

So, the question now becomes - are you REALLY looking for a legitimate, fun, and lucrative home based business that has the potential to out earn your hubby in just a few years? If so - what would you be willing to invest in creating that type of lifestyle? Most serious people answer "whatever it takes."

Now - I'm a military wife and I know that we don't make a lot of money. So I know that "whatever it takes" is kinda scary. The bottom line is that I built this business on a shoe string budget (under $100) - and continually teach other military wives (and others) to do it too. It doesn't have to break the bank - and it doesn't have to be scary.

So - honestly. If you're looking for a get rich quick scheme - don't bother going to the website. :-) You won't find one there.

If you ARE looking for a stable, fun, interesting, and profitable home business with loads of potential - then please do check it out.

I'll be out-earning my E7 hubby next year - and I've only been doing this for 1 and a half years!

No hype. No gimmicks. No fluff. Just real info, a real opportunity, and a real way to dramatically change your current situation so that you'll never have to ask about money again.

How fun is that?

What do MP3 Players and My Gourmet Candles Have in Common?

2007-02-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

Recently, I decided that I was going to join the digital age and purchase an MP3 player. I went online and searched out different reviews on various brands, makes, and models of MP3 players.

After trying to figure out what was what, I decided that they must all be roughly the same and went to my favorite online retailer and purchased a model that was well below the others in terms of price for (what seemed to be) the same bells and whistles and doo-dads.

I thought I had really been so smart in choosing the cheaper one when it appeared to be just as good as the other, more expensive ones.

It came the next day and within HOURS I was cursing the blasted thing to high heaven. I couldn’t get my cd’s to download correctly, it took 3 different applications to download our training calls from the back office, and – the piece de resistance – when I DID get a recording on the darn thing – it was scratchy and sounded like everyone was speaking to me from the far end of the Lincoln Tunnel.

I was NOT happy.

So – I did what I SHOULD have done in the first place – ask for help! I emailed my friends that WERE happy MP3 player owners and asked what THEY had and what THEY recommended! I emailed back and forth with 3 people (thanks Cathy, Meg & Jackie!) and they each gave me the same advice – go with XXX brand.

To make a long story short, the old one went back to the online retailer, and the new one is sitting here on my desk loaded up with cd’s, training calls, and more!

Now – I know you’re asking – “WHAT does that have to do with your Gourmet candles?”

PLENTY!

1)Cheap is not a virtue.
Don’t we ALL know that person that says “why would I pay $20 for your candle when I can get a bigger candle for $3 at that discount store?”. Well, all I can say that if you've ever burned one of my gourmet candles then you KNOW why they are worth $20 (and more!). They burn clean, evenly, and the scent is out of this world. No other candle that I've ever burned has performed so well!

They can take that $3 and get maybe 3 hours of decent smelling wax. After that, it’s pretty much just a black, ugly, unscented container of wax and wick. They spent $1 per HOUR on this thing.

Now, had they purchased one of my Gourmet Candles – they would have enjoyed over 100 hours of scented bliss for roughly $0.20 per hour. There would be no black mess, no uneven burning, and no nasty toxins filling their home.

$1 per hour for a mess vs. $0.20 per hour for bliss…. Hmmmm… now which one is the better value? I’ll take our clean burning Gourmet Candle every time!

2)Word of mouth is the BEST advertising!
Hopefully I’m the only person who has made the mistake of NOT asking my friends and family for their recommendation first when making a purchase. I could have saved myself a ton of headache by just asking for a recommendation PRIOR to impulse buying.

Translate this into your candle business. You know people that are currently burning crappy candles. Why not enlighten them and RECOMMEND our wonderful candles to them? They honestly may not know about our candles or why they are so much better than XXX brand. You do. Be a good friend and tell them.

This is as easy as “Hey Jen. I noticed that you have a candle burning over there. I also noticed that it’s all black and that you can’t really smell it anymore. I know of this great candle that doesn’t burn black and smells just as strong down to the bottom as it did when you first lit it. Which scent would you like?”

3) Get paid for your recommendation.
After getting 3 great recommendations from my friends Cathy, Meg and Jackie – I went out and bought the product. The company that I bought the mp3 player from is not going to be sending a check out to Cathy, Meg or Jackie for their referral. How fair is that?

THEY were the ones that did the work – yet they’re not getting paid.
The company spends millions on TV commercials, radio ads, and print ads trying to get me to buy their product. Yet it was the word of 3 friends that convinced me to spend my money on it.

My MLM Candle Company understands how POWERFUL word of mouth advertising is and would rather pay US to promote and “advertise” the product than spend the same money on TV commercials, radio and print ads. This is why millions of companies world wide are turning to network marketing to move their products. It just makes sense.
So there you have it. You can now sleep well knowing what MP3 players and my Gourmet Candles have in common.

:-)

Oh, and if you’re in the market for a good MP3 player – just ask!

Law of Attraction at Work!

2007-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

Wow.

So I have to tell you all this one. I'm kinda grinning from ear to ear right now.

As you probably know, we're moving to Denmark soon. We currently drive 2 HUGE minivans. Minivans and Denmark don't really mix - so we were pretty concerned as to WHAT on earth we were going to do.

One option was to not bring a car and see if they were really necessary over there

A second option was to bring a minivan and see how bad it was to try to park it somewhere - and ditch it if it got too crazy

The third option was to put the Law of Attraction to work and manifest a European car (we're desiring a Volvo).

After mulling it over, I opted for the third option and focused my energy on attracting a Volvo.

Now - mind you - my minivans are OLD and BEAT UP pretty badly. They are worth SQUAT for trade ins (certainly not anywhere near enough to get a new Volvo). And selling to a private party wouldn't get us much $$ either.

But, the Law only says that you have to have faith - so I did. I didn't know HOW (really - had NO idea) I was going to get my hands on a Volvo - I just trusted that it would work itself out.

Well - an idea (a crazy one) came to me a few weeks ago. I posted an ad on Craigs List basically saying what I desired - To "swap" my minivan for a smaller family car that would fit better in Denmark. No cash exchanging hands - just title for title.

Hubby thought I was NUTS - but I posted the ad anyway.

Right away we got about 5 ppl that wanted to take us up on the offer. One was a Saab that we went and looked at. That particular vehicle didn't work for us - and hubby got a pretty good "see, I told you this was nuts" look on his face.

The next day we contacted a couple who had a 2003 Mazda 6 with only 37,000 miles on it who emailed me interested in the trade.

WHY on EARTH they would want to trade a $13K car for a $4K minivan was BEYOND me - but really - I just tried to keep my vibrations as positive as I could and gave them a call.

Well - we met tonight and I drove home in the great little Mazda.

The story doesn't stop there. Rember, what we focused on was a Volvo. Not a Mazda....

The final piece of the puzzle happens tomorrow when we go to the dealer and trade the Mazda in for a Volvo we had our eye on at the dealership!

Man - the universe works in STRANGE ways - but needless to say I will have my desired "new" Volvo soon - when just two weeks ago I honestly thought that there would be NO way to make it happen.

The universe knows better!

So, needless to say, I'm tingling all over and just pleased as punch right now!

How cool is that?

My "top 10 Sponsor Monster" recorded interview

2007-02-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

On this call Iwas asked to talk about my story. Who I am, how I came to find this company, and the steps that I took to reach the #10 Sponsor Monster in 2006.

There was about 1/2 an hour of Q&A at the end and there were some very good questions asked.

Listen online:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/W4dNvjMQ

Download:
http://kariandersen.audioacrobat.com/download/619284f0-1244-7ed9-3325-6342e3704260.mp3

How I Made "Top 10" My First Year in NWM

2007-02-12T09:46:00.001-08:00

How I Made "Top 10" My First Year in my MLM Candle Company

Here it is:
Most of my team members come from one of 3 categories:

1) - they were purchased candle specific leads. I consider this a GREAT investment and a wonderful program to find qualified, interested team members.

2) - customers from fundraisers and retail customers that finally saw the light and decided to MAKE money instead of SPEND money. Most bought several candles, burned them and called for more. They visited my website and saw that they could get them WHOLESALE and even MAKE money - so they did what smart people do - they joined the COTM Club.

3) family and friends that have seen what I do and thought that it looked good. They KNOW me - and know that if I (of all people) can do it - then they certainly can too!

I've never actually approached anyone "cold". And I don't do any paid advertising at all. I will post free ads here and there, and I do hand out drop cards and biz cards with scents samples on them.

My SECRET though - is that It's honestly not about WHERE you find the people - it's more about being able to speak with honesty, conviction, and passion. When you are 100% secure in what you are saying - then that translates and the person you are talking to feels secure.

I spent a LOT of time working on MYSELF and learning about this industry, the company, and the opportunity. I wanted to know it inside and out and be able to speak with conviction and passion to everyone. I also listened to industry trainers such as Tim Sales, Dani Johnson, Brian Tracey, and Kim Klaver.

I was CONSTANTLY on the phone or emailing with my sponsor and upline and even crossline team members who "had what I wanted." I asked lots of questions, kept them abreast of what I was doing, and asked for LOTS of help. Staying "plugged" in to my team yahoo group(s) was VITAL for me. The more I plugged in and PARTICIPATED - the more my business took off.

Finally - I learned to focus on the FUN and really enjoyed the ride so to say. I made sure that everything I did was FUN for me - not that awful four letter word (w.o.r.k.). I truly belive that if it's not fun - then why do it?

I firmly, honestly, and forcefully think that ANYONE can do this business - if they are willing to "go to school" and LEARN how to do it.

This gourmet candle company, this team, and this industry is CHOCK full of (mostly) FREE training! There are people out there that will literally teach you to make millions - FOR FREE. All you have to do is show up, take notes, and DO what they tell you to do.

Most people PAY to go to college. We spend THOUSANDS of dollars for people to educate us. There is never any guarantee that ANYTHING will come of it... having that diploma does not GUARANTEE you anything. It just proves that you showed up and paid the money. (I have a college degree, and graduated with honors... am I using it? NO! Am I still paying college loans? YES! And that drives me NUTS! But... I digress....)

If you pay (more in time than in money) to LEARN how to work THIS business and this industry - then you can pretty much GUARANTEE your success in it. (and make money WHILE you are learning..!!!)

Most people don't think that learning about the industry or working on themselves is important... That is where the "do-ers" are separated from those that merely "try".

As we say with the COTM - "would you be willing to trade $40/month for financial freedom?" so can you say with learning about the industry and working on yourself : "Would you trade 3 hours a week for financial freedom?"

Most would SAY yes - but most won't do it. It's too easy NOT to. That fun TV show is on, or you have to do your nails, or the dog has to be walked.

But - none of that will make you financially free.

It's easy to read or listen to training instead of watching TV.
It's easy to read or listen to training while commuting to work.
It's easy to read or listen to training while doing dishes or the laundry.

But - it's also easy NOT to do it.

I guess it's just a choice and a determination of HOW much you want that financial freedom.
Enough to put down the remote and pick up a book?
Enough to turn off the radio and pop in a training CD?
Enough to set aside 1 hour each week and tune in live to your favorite trainer's conference call?

Anyone CAN do it...
But everyone won't...

And it all comes down to personal choice.

:-)

So there you have it. The secret to being a sponsor monster from a brand new person in this industry - who hit the top 10 list of sponsoring in the first year.

If I can do it - SO CAN YOU.

Who I Am - Meet Jennifer Burnham

2006-03-27T04:51:00.000-08:00

Hello!

My name is Jennifer Burnham and this is how I started my journey as a successful WAHM.

I have always been a "people person" and took jobs that put me face to face with a LOT of people daily - waitress, secretary, front desk person, restaurant manager, bartender, Chiropractic Assistant, and the list goes on and on. I bounced from job to job (sometimes with the help of the Navy moving us out of state for our next assignment, and sometimes because the job got stale and boring) looking for the "perfect" company, the "perfect boss" and the "perfect salary". HA! I may as well been looking for Atlantis!

We eventually decided to have a family and mutually agreed that I would stay home with the children. That was all well and fine until I saw my millionth episode of Wiggles and found myself humming the Barney theme song to myself! ACK! I knew I had to find some adults to converse with SOON!

So, I got a part time job, put the baby in day care, and re-entered the adult world. I hated it. Oh, I liked the job, my boss was great, and it was nice to be around adults again - but I missed being home and witnessing all those "firsts"! After doing that for a few months or so, I quit and stayed home again.

And, thus, the cycle formed. Home, long for the adult world, work/daycare, quit, home again. And so on and so forth! It was like having a perpetual case of "the grass is greener on the other side". I knew I had to find MY grass and MAKE it green - something that would keep me sane, my husband happy, and contribute to the bottom line of our family budget. Wow. Tall order!

So, I started doing my research (mostly on the internet) and interviewed several home based business opportunities. A LOT really. I never knew there were so MANY! After 2 months of solid research and interviews - I found one that made the little hairs on my arm stand up. Something just struck a chord with me and I dove in head first.

Now, I am the proud owner of a thriving Fundraising Company, I retail my products to friends and anyone that asks, and, best of all, I help others create their FREEDOM with Candles too!PEOPLE! All around me! Fun, positive, visionary, charming, intelligent, successful, motivated, and energetic people! What a BLAST I am having! I can't imagine doing anything else - ever again! I am my own boss. I work when I want to and HOW I want to. I create my paycheck.

My kids are my business partners, and I am making a positive impact in my community! How much better can it get?!?! My little arm hairs were definitely right - and I'm happy that I trusted them enough to make that jump.

How are your arm hairs doing these days? Laying flat there - dying a slow and boring death? Waiting for you to stumble across IT and get them all riled up and excited again? Then what are you waiting for? Go out and FIND your IT. If you research my company and they stand straight up - WONDERFUL! I'll be more than happy to coach you along and map out your road to financial and lifestyle freedom.

If they don't, then keep looking until you do find what does make them stand up. Or, come back and re-read this opportunity in a few days, weeks, months or even years. Maybe your little arms hairs are just too bored with life to realize that you're ready to make a change.

**CREATE YOUR FREEDOM!**

-Jennifer Burnham