“The thing about trains…  it doesn’t matter where they’re going.
What matters is deciding to get on.”
- Conductor; The Polar Express

Each year, my family celebrates the beginning of the Christmas season by snuggling together and watching one of our favorite movies, The Polar Express. As we settle into the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to the main characters; an eccentric conductor and four very different children who choose to board The Polar Express in hopes of discovering the spirit of Christmas.

As the children board, the conductor gives them each a special ticket for their magical journey to the North Pole. While he hands them their golden paper, he artfully dances his hole punch around their ticket and creates two letters into its middle. The children are baffled by the actions of the conductor and the meaning of the letters.

Throughout the movie, we witness dazzling adventures and life-changing moments as the children face personal journeys of challenges, self doubt, courage, and triumph. The significance of each child’s ticket is finally revealed at the end of the story as the conductor swirls his hole punch once again to complete the letters into a word. He inscribes words such as “Believe”, “Lead”, and “Learn” – themes that embrace personal growth for each child.

As we “board” a new year, we are given a ticket – a choice. If the conductor were to give you a golden ticket for your new 365 day journey, what one word would he need to design into its fabric to guide you throughout the year?

I encourage you to choose a “one-word theme” for the New Year and allow it to become your mantra. A word so powerful to your personal growth that its very impact would be breathtaking.

A word that would empower you to live the best year of your life in relationships, health, and business.

Which one-word theme will you embrace in the New Year? Perhaps…

Focus
Action
Gratitude
Passion
Bold
Courage
Team
Parent
Commitment
Abundance
Confidence
Health
Love
Clarity
Decision
Relationships
Authenticity
Attitude

Once you select your word, something exquisite begins to happen. You wake each day with direction, a joyous and purposeful attitude, and the universe conspires with your new-found confidence. You begin to recognize opportunities to be, do, and have more in your life.

Design your ticket, and get on board for a dazzling new year!

Debra

As I was replying to a potential team partner’s email yesterday, my son jumped onto my lap with his big black “Oliver’s Art” notebook.   He had just added a new masterpiece to the three ring binder that holds his collection.   Without hesitation, he opened the book to reveal his work of art.   Pride, and expectation of my comments, were evident in his words and smile as he described his coloring strategy and design.

At that moment, nothing else in the world existed for my son.   He was on my lap excited to be seen, to be heard and to be acknowledged.   In other words, he was excited to be validated.

That little exchange with my son reminded me of Oprah Winfrey’s farewell show a few weeks ago.   Though I admire Oprah tremendously, I admit, I never watched one episode of her show, “Oprah”, until that final airing.  I’m so glad I didn’t miss.  Oprah spoke so eloquently about the need and power of validating another human being.

In case you missed it, here is an excerpt from her farewell address:

“I’ve talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common: They all wanted validation.

If I could reach through this television and sit on your sofa or sit on a stool in your kitchen right now, I would tell you that every single person you will ever meet shares that common desire. They want to know: ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?”

“Understanding that one principle has allowed me to hold the microphone for you all these years with the least amount of judgment.  Now I can’t say I wasn’t judging some days.  Some days, I had to judge just a little bit.  But it’s helped me to stand and to try to do that with an open mind and to do it with an open heart.  It has worked for this platform, and I guarantee you it will work for yours.

Try it with your children, your husband, your wife, your boss, and your friends. Validate them. ‘I see you. I hear you. And what you say matters to me.”

Are you sponsoring with validation?

All of us were born with the innate desire and need for validation.    As direct sales leaders, we are charged with the mission of validating the discontents, desires, and dreams of our potential business partners.  How else can we authentically guide them through the journey of understanding their “Why” and determining their direction?

Let’s follow Oprah’s advice.   When you’re in a conversation with a potential partner, let nothing else exist in the world except seeing, hearing, and acknowledging the essence of that person.  Embrace them in the power of validation.

♥  I see you:  Ask engaging questions to discover their why.

♥  I hear you:  Actively listen to their discontents, desires and dreams.

♥  What you say matters to me:  Acknowledge and reinforce that you understand.

If you have not had the life changing pleasure of watching Kurt Kuenne’s awarding winning best short film, “Validation”, drop everything for 16 minutes and be in the moment.

Your life will be uplifted, you will be empowered, and you will forever be changed in how you approach another human being.   Just click on the picture to view.

Go out, sponsor with validation, and change the world!

Debra

It’s summertime!

Skateboards are rolling down neighborhood streets, surfboards are riding the waves, and dream boards are motivating young minds!

As empowering parents, one of our roles is to teach the art and skill of goal setting.  We want our children to know they live in a world bursting with possibilities. We want them to be visionaries with passionate dreams and an unwavering “can do” attitude. 

One of the best tools to wrap your children into the process of goal setting is creating a Dream Board together.  A Dream Board is a collage of inspiring images and words representing our dreams of what we’d like to be, do, and have in our lives.  It’s a way to visualize our goals and share them openly with our families.

“Dream Boarding” with our children helps them to think positively, and to be focused.  It begins the process of connecting the dots between goals, actions, and achievement, and sets forth the character of expectation, accountability, and gratitude.

Imagine your children growing up happy, purposeful, and fulfilled; knowing who they are… and loving who they are becoming. Visualize your children following their dreams, fearless, free of doubt, inspired from within by excitement and self confidence.  That’s the power of a Dream Board and being an “empowered child”!

Designing a Dream Board with Your Kids!

Choose your display medium.   A Dream Board can be created on a large poster board, designated bulletin board, artist’s canvas, cork board, or even in a journal.  Together, decide if your child will make an individual board for personal goals, or contribute to a family Dream Board.

Help your child select the focus of his or her Dream Board.  Depending on their age, a Dream Board can represent goals for every facet of life, or it can concentrate on a specific area such as school achievement goals, travel, or advancing in a sport or talent.

Open your child’s mind for possibilities by asking a few questions that would support the type of Dream Board they’re creating;

• Whom do you love, admire, and want to have around you?

• What would you like to be really good at? 

• How would you like to feel?

• What would be your best day ever?

• Where would you like to visit?

• What would you really like to have or do?

Begin collecting lots of images; Google image searches, travel brochures, magazines, catalogs and advertising brochures often have great images or motivational phrases that may fit your child’s dreams. It’s always fun to search for these images together with your child. Their enthusiasm is priceless!  If your child is very young, you may want to search for images to avoid overwhelming him or her.  Then, present a few that you found and let him or her make the final selections. They’ll be eager to get onto the gluing stage!

Trust the process. Your child may find and add images that “speak to them” but you aren’t sure why because they don’t “speak to you”. Children tend to be very creative in this way. Goal setting is a process, and a journey in learning who we are and what we want to become.

Let the gluing begin!  It’s time to add the images “collage style” to a poster board, bulletin board, journal, or whatever “canvas” your child has selected to “frame” their dreams. 

Display the new Dream Board in a prominent area where your child will see it daily. Encourage him or her to reflect upon their dream board often and modify it whenever inspired to do so, as dreams are always a work in progress.

Create conversations with your child about the dreams and goals expressed on their board.  Begin modeling how to plan action steps to achieve specific goals on the board.  Talk about how they will feel while working toward the goal, and then achieving it.  Celebrate the journey!

Be EmPowerful!

Deb

“The Fortune is in the Follow Up” is a mantra that we hear over and over again.  As direct sales entrepreneurs, it’s true that the more consistently we follow up with clients, possibility thinkers, and team partners, the more sales, bonuses, and organizational growth we’ll experience. 

However, if we only focus on the monetary outcome of our follow up, we are limiting ourselves and others from the true fortunes; the personal growth and enriching rewards of touching lives.  These overlooked or “forgotten fortunes” are priceless.

It’s time to start a revolution to redefine, reshape, and embrace a broader mindset of fortunes!

The True Fortune in the Follow Up is…

 

…Connecting, growing, and deepening relationships

…Empowering or reigniting another’s dream

 …Sharing a gift of hope, solution, and new direction

…Celebrating another’s courage to break away from the status quo of life

…Building self-confidence and self-accountability through your consistency

…Listening and wanting to hear another’s “why”

…Respecting another’s decision-making process

…Modeling leadership and authentic sponsoring

…Believing a life changing experience is possible for everyone

…Making a difference in someone’s day

…Placing another person’s interests first

…Servicing clients with personal care

…Giving value by giving of yourself

…Inspiring another to move beyond their comfort zone

…Learning that you are a success simply because you are moving forward

…Elevating our profession through courage, kindness, and integrity 

Today, as you follow up, appreciate the abundant fortunes of your actions!

Deb

“Oh, the thinks we can think!”

Whether you remember his books from your childhood, or are embracing them now as a parent, Dr. Seuss brings a fresh message of inspiration when reading his work through the eyes of an entrepreneur.

Writing as Dr. Seuss, Theodore Geisel takes our breath way with his outrageous characters living life with wild abandon and spontaneity. He pulls us in so deeply with his lyrical language and rhythmic style of writing that we find ourselves bouncing along with the words and story line wishing we could jump into the pages and personally experience the bigger than life adventures.

Though Geisel made a point of not beginning his stories with a moral in mind, stating that “kids can see a moral coming a mile off,” he was a genius at sprinkling in messages of kindness to mankind, celebrating uniquenesses, playing full out, and rethinking the impossible.

While my family and I were enjoying a few Dr. Seuss books this week, I gathered a collection of quotes and phrases that enlightened my spirit as an entrepreneur. My wish is that they will bring a smile to your heart and champion your soul!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep
because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel
because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”  

“You have brains in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.  And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

“Think left and think right and think low and think high.
Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”  

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” 

“Think and wonder, wonder and think.” 

“Be awesome!  Be a book nut!” 

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

“Oh, the things you can find if you don’t stay behind!”

“You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.”

“Oh, the thinks you can think!”

“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”

Make it a Seuss-tastic Day!

Deb

Are your ready to make a shift in your sponsoring?  When you measure the success of your sponsoring efforts, it’s not how many people you enroll; it’s about how many people you empower, how many lives you enlarge, and how many families you help to live a better life. 

Sponsoring people into your direct sales business is about helping people reach a different level in their life.  You’re offering hope, a solution of how to get from where they are to where their dreams are telling them to be.  

These are the experiences results that make your work truly rewarding and are achieved through Random Acts of S.E.R.V.I.C.E – a process for Authentic Sponsoring.

S – Set the Stage with the Right Intentions

As you enter each conversation with your potential partner, ask yourself, “Am I coming to the conversation with the right intentions? Am I committed to making a difference in this person’s life?”  When you set this stage, you will create an environment for your “possibility thinker” to feel your authenticity and feel open to sharing their “why”.

E – Engage in Conversation with Empowering Questions

To improve your sponsoring experience, you must make the mindset shift that your conversations should be focused on your possibility thinker, not you.  By asking “Empowerful” questions, you shift from telling about your business opportunity to learning about how your opportunity might serve your potential partner.

Asking empowering questions demonstrates your respect towards your possibility thinker.  You trust this person is the expert in their own life, and your questions will ultimately lead them to the right decision about your business and partnership.

R – Reaffirm and Reinforce

People love to be recognized and heard! It gives them a sense of value and understanding that their best interests are at the heart of your conversations.

Reaffirming and reinforcing what you’ve heard them express is the most significant part of being of service to others.   It brings depth to your new relationship and an intimate interaction in the sponsoring process. 

V – Validate the Possibilities and Create the Vision

Make the connection between your potential partners “why” and goals to the possibilities of your business.  Validate how your business and team may improve their life.   Share stories and experiences from members on your team.  This creates a vision.  People need to see themselves having fun and finding success in your business.

I – Invite to Action

There will be a time in your conversations when you will invite your possibility thinker to the next step.  The next step may be more information, a sample of your product, a local or online presentation, or a date to get started with your team.  I encourage you to provide “next step” options and let your new friend choose the direction.  Your options will always move your new friend towards a decision, but you’re asking, “What feels better for you?”, or “What works best for you?”

By being a giver of options, you are empowering others to direct the next step which leads to a personal decision.  And, that’s the way authentic sponsoring should be!

C – Commit to Go the Distance with Consistent Follow Up

Value the time line and decision making process of your possibility thinker.  Establish a personal as well as an automated system to follow up during the course of days, months, and years.  I have sponsored the most amazing people onto my team years after our first connection.  You never know when the time will be right for someone, so be there when it is.

E – Enjoy the Journey

The number one reason most people fear their ability to talk to people, sponsor, and build a team is they worry about the outcome and focus on the results. The more tightly you hold onto the idea that you need to have this person interested in your business, the less likely you are to have fun, experience success, and attract  super stars.

Release yourself from the outcome.  Focus on the process.  Sponsoring is an act of empowerment and enhancing the life of another.  When you make that shift, your experience will be joyful, inspiring, and beyond your wildest dreams!

Deb

Maximize your Facebook Wall
as your Virtual Bulletin Board

When I was growing up, I purchased my first bulletin board with S & H Green stamps.  This bulletin board became a focal point on my bedroom wall.  It graciously displayed my favorite pictures of family trips, ribbons I had won for sports, poems I’d written, report cards, Girl Scouts badges of achievement, and posters of “puppy love”.  I was proud of my bulletin board.  It was a colorful representation of my “personal artistry” at that moment!

As a first grade teacher, my classroom walls were wrapped with giant bulletin boards.  These became a platform for me to motivate, inspire, and educate my students.  Most importantly, they were a canvas to highlight the work of growing children. 

Imagine having a “virtual” bulletin board to market and broadcast your personal artistry… a place to share your personal photos and achievements, as well as your message of value and your usable content.  Your Facebook Wall is your virtual, and interactive, bulletin board to do just that!

Each activity in which you engage on Facebook is placed on your wall for others to see and interact with in some way.

This creates visibility and awareness of who you are and the content you’re contributing to your network on a consistent basis.

Your wall is a vehicle to market your message using a variety of media to embrace every learning style and the “social media senses”.  Your network can read your beautifully written content, see your presence in videos and photos, hear your authentic voice within your videos, mp3s or podcast links, and feel your passion and enthusiasm for what you do.

Your messages on your wall engage others in conversation as they are able to comment on the posts.  They encourage others to take action towards you.

Lastly, your wall provides a backdrop for the brand-building pattern:  Giving » Receiving » Sharing

You give your content to your network, your network receives your content, and then your network shares your content with others.

Your wall is constructed and decorated message by message, post by post, through:

Writing authentic and engaging status updates

 Highlighting your “Recent Activities” such as accepting friends, commenting on posts, and contributing content

 Importing your blog posts, and publishing links to your notes or outside resources giving your network a pathway to read more

 Displaying recently added personal Videos and Photos

 Showing your network’s interaction with you through their comments or any tags in their notes, photos, or videos

Embrace your Facebook wall as you would a childhood bulletin board.  Have a brand-building strategy for constructing your wall. It’s a representation of your personal artistry in the moment, and a platform to highlight the extraordinary you!

Be EmPowerful!

Debra Warren

English 101…Social Media Marketing 101

You probably didn’t realize it at the time, but your English teacher of many years ago was really teaching you everything you need to know about designing your social media marketing strategy on Facebook.  Wow, talk about a teacher ahead of the times! 

In case you can’t think back that far, or you were too busy passing notes, staring out the window, or sharpening your pencil, let’s review this quick marketing lesson disguised as English 101. 

The educational term for this lesson is “interrogative pronouns”, however you may remember it as the Five W’s (and one H); the Who(m), What, When, Where, Why, and How of developing a full story. 

Whether you’re just getting started on Facebook, or are enhancing your marketing efforts, ask yourself these 6 questions.  They will help you shape and define your social marketing strategy and create a focus for your daily and weekly action plans.

“What do I want to accomplish on Facebook?”  Knowing exactly what your goals are with social media is essential to bringing clarity to your activities and time on Facebook.  Whether it’s to gather new local customers and more bookings, sponsor global business partners, support your team, educate others on the benefits of your product field, or establish your name recognition as a leader in your industry, select at least two goals around which you can begin developing an action strategy.

 “Whom do I wish to reach on Facebook to accomplish my goals?”  Knowing your target market will guide your strategy in building and contributing to your network. Who will appreciate your personal brand, product line benefits, career opportunity, or the value in your content?

“Where will I find my target market on Facebook?”  Once your target market is defined, where will you find them on Facebook?  What local, global, or theme-based groups might they join?  Brainstorm keywords around your product line, business benefits, content theme, local area, and ideal client or business partner.  These are the terms to drop into your search box.  They will uncover a path to new like-minded friends.

“How will I connect, contribute, and share relevant content to my target market and network?” 
Providing  relevant and usable content that engages your network is the key piece in attracting people to you,  and setting yourself apart beautifully from the pack.   Your content is your “online voice” and can be in the form of your status update, Facebook notes, importing a blog post, tips on Facebook Fan Page, comments within Facebook groups, sharing pictures and videos, or sharing links of other relevant sources.

“When do I have time to commit to Facebook?”  You can achieve high visibility and a dynamic presence on Facebook within any lifestyle schedule.  The key is to get creative with “Facebook Flexibility”.  It’s available 24 hours a day, so use it wisely.  Phone calls, follow-ups, parties and presentations have non-negotiable time, Facebook has flexible time.

“Why will others want to know and take action towards me?”  Along with your content, your personal artistry is the most important and influential factor in designing your social media marketing presence. Each day, you express to your network exactly:

• Who you are
• How you approach life and business
• Why their lives will be enhanced through your connection
• What knowledge and value you’ll share that no one else can, because “you are you”.

When you educate, elevate, empower, and engage with your Facebook network, you will create a sense of urgency to know more about you, and explore what you do.

You are the value in any type of business partnership.  Create an amazing experience for your network!

Ok, now go thank a teacher!

Debra Warren

“While we try to teach our children all about life,
our children teach us what life is all about.”
- Angela Schwindt

It happens every holiday season.  Parents spend days shopping for the perfect gift for their child.  With care, the present is beautifully wrapped and waiting under the tree for that magical Christmas morning.

As the moment arrives, the exuberant child tears into the package and squeals with delight as the parents smile with satisfaction.

Within minutes, however, the parental self-congratulations are replaced with shock and dismay as the child pushes the expensive toy aside and  begins to PLAY WITH THE BOX!

Like most adults, perhaps parents have forgotten to see the world through the eyes of a child.  You see, any toy, no matter how pricey, novel, or complex, has limitations.  There is a right way to play with the toy.  It’s designed with a specified and predetermined purpose.

The box is limitless.  It represents infinite possibilities ever-changing in the child’s imagination.  It has the capacity to shift from camping tent, to space ship, to under-water restaurant in a matter of minutes…pretty cool toy!

Deciding to start your own direct sales business is a lot like tossing aside the expected toy and playing with the box.  You are no longer bound by the expectations and limitations of working for someone else.  Your business can be whatever you want it to be.  You can shift from hobby, to supplemental income, to lifestyle by unleashing your own vision, energy, and expectations.

On the afternoon of December 25th, I encourage you to join your child on the floor and cultivate the spirit vision and believing there is always more to experience.  Set the toys aside, and set your imagination free.  Dream a bigger dream than the night before.  

Play with the box and build an empire!

Debra Warren

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.”
~ Norman Vincent Peale

The holiday season is magical.  It carries an essence of togetherness, giving, and stories of childhood.  Many people reflect upon family memories, others about special gifts, and some about gratefulness.   My husband, Brad, shares a collection of all three in his story of Christmas Magic…

When I was a young boy of 8 years old, I witnessed a professional magician perform miracles before my very eyes.  I enjoyed the show so much my parents bought me an Authentic Magic Set for Christmas that year.  That very afternoon, I hurriedly learned my first trick.  It was the amazing feat of having small authentic felt balls pass through solid authentic plastic cups…just like on TV.

I raced downstairs to the kitchen to perform my first miracle for my family.  My brother and sister were too busy with their own toys, and my father was next door helping the neighbors with an electrical problem, but my mother happily stopped doing the dishes and became my authentic audience of one.

I remembered the instructions perfectly, and when the felt ball magically appeared under the cup, my mother rose to her feet in astonishment and applause!  Before booking my flight to Vegas, I thought I’d do one more free show for my father and our neighbors.

Through the freshly fallen snow, I ran without a coat or even a magic cape, from our back door to theirs.  I found the two frustrated fathers in the family room surrounded by wires and bulbs.  They obviously needed a diversion…magic.  I called them over to the center of the room, and told them to, “Prepare to be amazed!”

While setting up my cups and balls on the coffee table, I explained, using the authentic banter from my direction booklet, how I was about to mesmerize them by making the felt balls pass directly through the sturdy plastic cups.  With a professional flourish, I scooped up the first cup and ball, and they stopped me. “What about the ball you hid under the 3rd cup?” they said.

I was stunned.  My powers of prestidigitation were gone.  I was more than embarrassed… I was crushed.

They quickly got back to work on the pressing problem of malfunctioning Christmas lights.  I gathered my authentic supplies and left.

As I slowly trudged back home replaying everything in mind, I couldn’t figure out what had gone so wrong.  I mean, I performed this trick flawlessly just minutes earlier.  My mother had no idea how the ball… then it hit me.  I did the exact same trick, with exact same lack of skill for my mother.  She HAD to see the same mistake.  She KNEW the ball was under that cup all along.  But, like she always did, she cared enough to make that moment about me instead of her.

I was stunned.  The power of love welled inside me.  I was more than happy… I was grateful.

The circle of life continues to roll on.  This Christmas, my son will receive his first magic set.  And while I know there will be lights that won’t work and dishes to clean, I’m prepared to be amazed!

Thanks Mom.

Brad

As a parent and direct sales professional, you share the magic of the holidays all year round.  Each time you reach out to your child, a customer, a possibility thinker, and team member, make the moment about them.  You are a champion of the human spirit!

Wishing you and your family a magical holiday season!

Debra