I remember sitting in a hotel meeting room listening to a presenter tell the audience how his opportunity was going to make them rich. He proceeded to show pictures of all these successful people posing in front of their big boat, big houses, and fancy cars. Then he said, “As the old say goes, He who dies with the most toys wins!”

 

My stomach churned. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against people owning any of that stuff. It’s the idea that the stuff will somehow elevate your status in the world. I sat there in silent protest and said to myself, “No, he who dies with the most toys… Is just plain dead!” And if I can add… and soon forgotten.

I’ve made money in my home-based business… some would say a lot of money. There are many others that made a lot more than me. I could care less. When I die, my desire is to be remembered for having made a positive difference in people’s lives. And, when I looked deeply into the opportunity I eventually pursued, I saw a way to finally break the "golden handcuffs" and start making a difference AND still maintain a lifestyle that gave me choices in who I worked with, when I worked, and how I lived my life.

So, when people ask me who are the heroes in my business, I don’t tell the stories of the top money earners. They are usually surprised when I tell the stories of my heroes. Let me share a few of them…

When Jen started her business, she had just given birth to her second child. She and her husband were facing a financial crisis. While they were dependent upon the income from her job, the additional daycare expenses for the second child didn’t make sense for her to return to work. However, that would mean that her husband would have to leave his job as high school teacher and basketball coach… a job he loved, and his Jen fully supported. This wasn’t just a job… it was a mission as he was making a huge difference I at risk youth as a coach.

Jen asked us if she could make $600 a week in this business. After showing her a plan for how to achieve that, she went to work. With both kids in tow… she was a maniac on a mission. It didn’t take long for her to hit a consistent $600 per week. Then… she backed off.

No matter how much prodding and cajoling we would do she would just say… “I told you… I only need to make $600 a week. I did that, now I want to raise my boys and support my husband and his mission in working his kids.” Boom! She won. She was living a life of purpose, and she and her family were happy.

Joseph’s Story…

Joseph teamed up with us when he was just 18 years old. He was full of raw enthusiasm and determination but hadn’t quite mastered the skills to become successful. He challenged my skills as a mentor. As time went on, I got tougher and tougher with him. I was hesitant to do so, but I realized that he needed the tough love. We would either learn or quit.

But he didn’t quit. He kept going and going. He started making a little money… nothing to get really excited about, but no matter what life through at him, he just wouldn’t quit. He finished college with a business degree and moved to NY City.

Today, he leads his own sales force in commercial real estate. He would be the first to tell you it was the skills he learned through the training he received in his own home-based business that resulted in his current success. And… he’s still making money in his home-based business. He just won’t quit.

Even though Margo was not part of my team, I still include her. I met Margo at company sponsored event in Canada. One of the speakers had a special evening break out session in the evening. We were warned that this could be very emotionally intense, and don’t come if you’re not prepared.

The speaker explained that what is holding us back from achieving success is usually nothing related to our business, but something from our past. He had us divide into small groups, and then write down the “thing” that was holding us back onto a board. We were to then explain the “thing” to the rest of the group (which was very intimating because it meant we had to get vulnerable to total strangers) and then do a karate chop and break the board… symbolically achieving the break through.

As each person in the group was telling their story and breaking a lot of lumber… I noticed Margo getting more and more agitated as her turn neared. Finally, it was her turn. She proceeded to tell us:

 “When I was 18 years old, I got pregnant. Back in those days it just wasn’t socially acceptable to have a child out of wedlock like it is today. So, I told my family I was going to school out west for a year, but I really was going to an unwed mothers’ home to have my baby. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and returned home. My family never knew…

I was stunned. I kept thinking about her story and wondering what happened. Months later I was going through my notes and handouts from that event and I came across a list of attendees and their contact information. I called Margo. She remembered me, and I asked, “I don’t want to pry, but may I ask what happened? Did you tell your family?”

She replied, “Yes, I told my husband first… and he totally forgave me. We are closer than ever. I told my girls, and they not only forgave me… they were so excited to learn they had a brother. They encouraged me to find my baby boy. I got in touch with adoption agency and he agreed to meet me. We had a wonderful reunion. He was raised by loving parents and grew into a remarkable young man. I explained why I gave him up to adoption and asked for his forgiveness. He said he understood and forgave me. Since then he has visited my family and met his little sisters…”

I asked her, “How are you doing in your business?” She told me that her business really took off, but something amazing happened. She said she discovered a new-found love for the students she was teaching and realized that she LOVED teaching and can’t see ever giving it up.

I love Margo’s story… she started a home-based business and found healing… healing for her, her family, and her son. She was free from the guilt that cast a dark shadow on her entire life, and now was making a difference in young children’s lives. I wish I could take some credit for Margo’s break through, but I can’t. Her courage will forever make her one of my all-time heroes.

When I met Matt, he was in his 20’s, newly married and had already built a thriving landscape company. On the surface, Matt had it all and the future looked bright. There was one thing missing… time freedom. He was working a ton of hours and his biggest complaint was that he was wasting too much time dealing with employee nonsense and not enough time with his new wife.

I had the pleasure of mentoring Matt as he started his journey into building his home-based business. I say “pleasure” because Matt was the most teachable guy I ever met. When he got started, I told him that if he did everything I told him to do, by the time he was 30 years old, he could retire.

About a year into building his business he called me and flatly stated that his landscaping business was holding him back and asked me to help him sell the business. (Which I was more than happy to oblige!) After he sold his landscaping business, his home-based business really took off. So much so that, when I had to “take my foot off the accelerator pedal”, his income surpassed mine. I didn’t mind, in fact it made me even prouder to have him on my team.  

One day I got a phone call.  He said, "Remember when you told me that if I did what you told me to do, I could retire at 30?  Well, today is my 30th birthday, and I wanted you to know that I can retire if I wanted to... but I am not cuz I'm way to much fun!" 

 A couple of years later, Matt was the proud father of two children, living in a new home in a very nice community. He had a part time gig as a Director of Outreach in his church, of which he donated the salary he was paid back to the church.  During his tenure the church membership doubled.  What was the most significant thing about Matt’s lifestyle was that his children had a stay at mom AND a stay at home dad. His kids are amazing. 

Over time it became obvious that Matt’s skills in business & investment strategies were unique. When he spoke at our live events, his presentations were always enthusiastically received. He loved showing people to not only how to make money, but how to make money work for them, and achieve true financial independence. I learned a lot from him.

Today Matt is still enjoying the benefit of residual income from his home-based business and has now expanded into a consulting business. He mentors individuals and small businesses in financial wealth building strategies. His success stories are amazing. He is truly changing lives with his mentorship. Go check him out: http://www.fiscallyfitsolutions.com/

When I was evaluating the business opportunity I eventually pursed, my criteria for a compensation plan was this: Is it lucrative enough to be worth my time, AND… could my mother do this business and she make money?

My mom was the first person to join me in my business. After seeing what the products did for my wife’s health, I knew I had to share them with my mom and dad. They got amazing results, which was very gratifying since my dad was struggling with heart disease. They went CRAZY… telling everyone about the products. It was a blast watching them…

We had three really good years, and then my Dad started losing his battle with heart disease. Over the Christmas holidays in 1998, things got very bad, and Dad was dying. He had to have surgery to save his life. However, the surgeon was pretty blunt when he said it may not work. All he could do was best work and put the rest in God’s Hands.

Dad hung on for a week, and when it became obvious that even if he survived, he would spend the rest of his life in a nursing home. I promised my dad on his death bed I would take care of Mom. Through the heavy sedation, he acknowledged me… it was a pretty intense time, and he knew I would keep my word. He died the next morning.

After Dad died, my mom’s home-based income became her primary source of income. She lived another 20 years after Dad passed. But she lived with dignity… not having to be dependent upon her children for financial support.

So… I hope you can see that this business is not just about the big boat, big house, fancy cars… it’s about empowering young mothers tend to the most important job in their lives, helping young men develop life skills that will propel them to success in whatever they pursue, helping people of all generations achieve break-trough's in their lives… and 90 year old great grandmothers live with dignity and leave a legacy.

So, when I die I hope people don’t remember me as the guy hit the Million Dollar Club… I hope they remember me for having made a difference.

Mike