Success Archives - Kathleen Deggelman | Network Marketing Leader

10 Game Changers – Managing Money for Network Marketers

May 10, 2018/0 Comments/in Business, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Want to make a huge difference in your life? Learning to live your life like a business and taking good care of the money you work so hard to earn will do just that! We all worry so much about how much money is coming in and that is important but taking care of the money coming in is just as important. Taking care of the money you make is the difference between living comfortably or living with a monkey on your back, and the latter is not a comfortable way to exist. The stress alone can create so much mental, emotional and physical damage. You could be making six figures and still be broke. If the monkey of bad habits and negative psychology continues, more money is not the best answer. I think this is the definition of the rat race!

A change in perspective and positive action IS the answer!

Think about this: What is your relationship with money? Do you view it as a friend or an enemy? Is it the good guy or the bad guy?

Raising your awareness about the negative thoughts you have concerning money is half the battle…the rest of the battle is in deciding to make positive changes and TAKING ACTION. You have read this far, so you are likely considering making those changes. Let me share with you my best tips on how.

Below are my top 10 Money Game Changers that you can implement RIGHT NOW.

1) Understand Your Mindset – What Are You Carrying Around With You?

Growing up, how did your well-intentioned family set you up in terms of your money wiring? What was the money language?

Was there always a conversation about how tight money was? Or were there periods of free-spending, followed by bouts of deprivation?

What you are carrying with you from the past may be the reason that you are making challenging money choices… like going deep into debt, not paying your bills on time, or dipping into your retirement savings. The good news is that you can change all of that negative wiring. You really can! But first you need to understand where you currently sit with your mindset.

2) Make the Decision to Change Your Financial Blueprint!

You can live free of financial stress. Yes, it takes work, but you can do it and it is so worth it!

You see, how you feel about money will dictate whether you attract wealth or repel it. Do you feel that money is not good, or that you are not deserving of it? This thought pattern will prevent you from getting more of it. Some people believe money to be the root of all evil, but remember that money is neither good nor bad, it is just a tool, a tool that creates choice, and for most of us money is used for good things. I prefer Mark Twain’s perspective that “the lack of money is the root of all evil.”

3) Alter Your Intentions For Your Business.

A good intention for your business involves more than the desire to earn more money – it’s about saving it, investing, and putting it to work for you. Your network marketing business is about creating wealth, but you want to get smart about how you use the money that you make. Ask yourself what you want the money that your network marketing business provides to do for you.

Is it more stuff that you desire? Or do you want to change the lives of future generations? The goals you set will determine the outcome!

4) Expand Your Knowledge About Finances.

You have heard the saying that knowledge is power. When it comes to finances, that is most definitely the case. My life has changed because of the books I have read and of course, the people I have met along the way.

Are you afraid that it’ll be to complicated? Or do you hope that by ignoring the problem, it will all just go away? You no doubt already realize it doesn’t go away. Most financial solutions are not all that complex, and really provide you with loads of freedom when you are empowered and fully understand the issues..

Reading books by financially savvy people has been vitally important for me in increasing my financial I.Q.

Here are a few of my favorite go-to books:

Money master the game, by Tony Robbins; God wants you to be rich, by Paul Zane Pilzer; Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill.

Pick one up this month and make it a goal to finish it. The knowledge within these pages will empower your future financial decision making.

5) Making The Money Is Only ONE Piece Of The Puzzle.

Can you increase your network marketing income if you really set your mind to it?

Are you able to devote an additional 4-5 hours per week to network marketing? If you are, then big things can happen FAST.

Review your cash in and cash out, and this will give you the insight, and knowledge that you can use to take control. You need to identify where your money is going, and where you can make small changes. Remember it’s the small, daily decisions that will empower you!

6) Create a Debt Snowball!

This is a fun way to think about your debt-freeing project. Imagine a snowball, that’s rolling down a hill and gathering momentum with each small amount paid off. Before you know it you’re at the bottom of the hill and you’ve CRUSHED your debt. I did this with an investment property mortgage recently. It is so fun to see the number go down!

Pay off the small ones first, and then strategically work your way through all of the larger debts. Imagine how free you will feel when you have NO MORE payments. It’s possible, and sooner than you think.

7) Hire an Accountant!

A good accountant will educate you about all the advantages of a home based business, and they will help you live your life like a business – strategically.

Ask your local financial institution for recommendations, and keep in mind that an investment made in an accountant is an investment made in the growth of your bottom line. In my experience, it pays off BIG TIME. Chances are good that you are not a financial expert or tax expert. Make sure you get good advice from a professional.

8) Create a Net Worth Statement.

Write down everything you own. Your assets go on one side of the page and everything you owe ( your debts) go on the other side. Then you subtract the difference. This will give you your current net worth.

Why do this exercise? It may well surprise you to see those numbers, but remember, what we track and measure can change because we are aware of it. And it’s fun to watch this change over time! I do a net worth statement twice a year and have been doing so for the past 15 years.

9) Play The Prosperity Game.

I learned this game from The Law of Attraction book I read a number of years ago. I started with $10,000.00 and each time I played, I added $10,000.00 and I would write down exactly what I would do with the money. Exactly – line by line.

Fast forward to 2 years later and I realized that I was playing with the exact amount of money in my prosperity game journal that the average top earner in network marketing was earning annually. It was one of those aha moments where I realized how powerful our mindsets are!

The way this works is that this game puts you in an abundance mindset. You will start to take action to create what your mind is imagining.You can play this game too.

Start with a journal and write down $10,000.00. Record how you will spend that money, and continue weekly or daily. You will be surprised to see how that will change your mindset and your reality.

10) Teach Your Kids the Game of Making Money.

Most of us have wiring about money that isn’t fun. How do you want your children to think and feel about money?

See if you can stop saying we can’t afford that, and instead start asking how could we afford that. This is a creative approach and will move your family forward. You can change your kids paradigm about money by changing your own first! After all, you are grooming the next generation in your family.

Let’s think long term! Let’s make a difference in our financial lives for good.

The only thing holding you back is you! Follow these 10 steps to increase your financial literacy, and start living your life to the fullest. Money is just a tool and you can do a lot of good and have a lot of fun with it. There is plenty of time left this year to step up to the financial plate and knock your debt out of the park!

Let me know in the comments which of these 10 game changers is your favorite, I’d love to discuss your progress.

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on 10 Game Changers – Managing Money for Network Marketers, If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on New Year / New Goals / New You.

NEW YEAR / NEW GOALS / NEW YOU

January 12, 2018/0 Comments/in Business, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Well, 2017 is two week’s behind us now! I hear over and over again how fast time is flying by and I feel the same way! There are reminders everywhere to slow down and enjoy the moments. Definitely a 2018 new year’s resolution for me is to slow down and play hooky more! Last year was a great year for us. We launched our business in India, we spent almost 3 weeks in Tahiti with family and my company and we purchased what is becoming our dream home! Those are probably what I would call the “biggest wins”.

A learning moment would come from saying goodbye to a dear friend of many years. My friend Carol passed away a couple weeks ago and I will very much miss her. I want to learn from her and remember how much joy she found in small things and how much she laughed. I think I will miss her laugh the most!

My best personal memory for the year would have to be when Mark and I walked into the home we now own for the first time. We have been looking at homes for a couple of years and about 10 minutes after we were walking through this one for the first time, we turned to each other and said “This is it. We are going to write an offer.” Also a lesson in moving fast when you know you have to/want to do something. If we had waited one more day, I don’t think we would have gotten the house and land that is perfect for us!

With all that said, I think it would be helpful to explore ways to make OUR 2018 powerful, meaningful, and full of personal and business success. My wish for each and every one of you is that you have a great 2018! Here are 7 Ways to ring in the new-year with bells on!

Set 5 Big Audacious Goals for Your New Year.

5 big goals may seem overwhelming, but there are usually at least 5 major areas of importance in our lives, things we want and need to give our attention to. For instance, yours could include Business / Financials / Spirituality / Family / Health & Nutrition / Creativity & Travel.

Setting goals for some, or all of these areas makes it possible to maintain some sense of balance in an ever-changing world. When you know your priorities, it makes it so much easier to accomplish your goals on a micro level – day by day.

Bonus points if you share these goals with your community, a close friend, or your partner. Accountability breeds legitimacy! I share my yearly goals, dreams and resolutions with a close group of girlfriends. In fact, we have been meeting twice a month on calls for 10 years! Today as I write this, it is our 10 year anniversary!

Pick a Guiding Word for Your Year.

This is one of my FAVORITE activities. It’s such a gorgeous practice to sit down with a dictionary and a hot cup of tea to pick a word that rings true. This word is powerful. It is THE word that you want to describe your year. In one word. So you have to be laser focused and really think about what is the MOST important feeling for you to have this year! The word you pick will bring a central focus to your life, and can be applied to all of your goals.

My word for 2017 was Joy and for 2016 my word was Healthy. I will be figuring out 2018’s word this week but I know it is going to have to do with play, creativity, fun and health. It will be a trick to find the one word that best describes that!

Spend An Hour Reflecting on the Best Moments of 2017.

Self reflection is crucial to personal growth. But reflecting on the happiest days of your life from the previous year is crucial for your own inner sense of wellbeing. Beautiful things happen all the time. We often overlook them though, instead focusing on the painful events in life.

What was the best family moment of 2017?

What was an awesome business achievement of 2017?

What made you laugh the hardest in 2017?

Who made you smile the most in 2017?

My answers in that order: Christmas Day with my Mom and 35 family members. Opening India with my business. My girlfriends. My Husband.

I say, allow the joyful moments to shape you just as much as the painful ones. Our health, vibrancy, and ability to get back up after a fall, will all be greatly increased when we do!

Call 5 Friends Who Mean the World to You and Thank Them.

Who are the people that make your life worth living? Who do you consider a part of your inner circle? When was the last time you let them know how important they are to you?

Take out a piece of paper and write down 5 names. Whether they live close or far away, make it a priority to call them or write to them (yes, write an actual letter!) before the new year.

After all, these are YOUR people, the people who make life so much better. They are your tribe and will be there for you no matter what. Don’t they deserve a little love in return? I LOVE getting an old-fashioned letter and can’t wait to write my 5 letters this week!

Complete 1 Random Act of Kindness.

This is such a fun one, and there are a million ways to make it happen.

Maybe anonymously donate to a charity that you love, but don’t often support. Maybe next time you’re in line at the coffee shop, pay for the person behind you. Maybe bake some cookies, and gift them to an elderly neighbour. The world is a mirror and these random acts of kindness one act at a time makes our world and our lives a better place to be! The other day when I left the bank, there was a homeless mom outside and I slipped her a $20 – the gift for me was seeing her smile.

Look for opportunities in your day to day routine. There is always a way to give back, no matter how small!

Celebrate Anything That Slipped Through the Cracks.

Life gets busy. Kids and work and groceries and family obligations and, and, and…

There’s a good chance that something awesome happened this year that you really didn’t take the time to savour. Was it a successful business project that you never properly celebrated? Was it a family member’s achievement that went unnoticed? Was it a teammate’s success, that maybe got brushed under the rug during a busy time of year?

Look back in your calendar for missed opportunities to celebrate, and then have a little joy fest. Make sure you tell people how proud you are of them. We took our oldest daughter to the airport the other day to start her last semester of college and as I kissed her goodbye, I told her how proud I was of her. I remember when my Dad used to say that to me how much it meant to me!

Buy a few cupcakes to share and celebrate, take a long walk with your friend, or write a celebratory card to your colleague.

Let Go of Your Losses , and Allow Gratitude to Shape Your Life Moving Forward.

If there was a lot of rough patches for you in 2017, take the time you need to let go of that pain/anxiety/disappointment. But do let go of what you can. Make a list of your losses, and then make a new list of reasons to be grateful for them – or reasons to feel grateful for what they taught you. I love what Tony Robbins teaches that if you are going to “blame” someone or something for all the bad things then you have to remember to “credit” them or it for the good things too. Another way of looking at it!

This one isn’t easy but I am going to do this too: Set the intention to feel grateful every single day 2018. Frame your life with gratitude as your guiding principal, and 2018 will shape up just fine. At the end of the day, that cliche saying about how gratitude affects everything is TRUE! I hope this list is helpful to you. You don’t have to do them all, but even picking just one of these things and actually doing it this January, is sure to have a major impact on your overall happiness. A

All the best to a great New Year in 2018!!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on New Year / New Goals / New You, If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How To Use Doubt As Rocket Fuel For Your Next Success.

How to Use Doubts as ROCKET FUEL for Your Next Business Success

November 30, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

It is a fact of life – there are many people who will doubt you. I hate to say it, but it is true. This isn’t necessarily unfortunate though! I actually believe that people expressing doubt in your abilities could be a gift. Let me explain.

I came across this Taraji P. Henson quote the other day in an article I was reading: “If you…allow people to project their fears onto you, you won’t live.” Pretty strong statement. Pretty serious consequences.

There are countless entrepreneurial examples of people who have used the words of doubters as fuel to expand, grow, and accomplish bigger things. I think we can all learn from this, no matter the stage we are at in our businesses. When I first started my business 11 years ago, I had my share of doubters and some of them were immediate family and very close friends. I couldn’t let it stop me so instead I used that as pure motivation to succeed.

But who are YOUR doubters, and how can you deal with them successfully?

Friends and Family:

Sometimes your doubters come in the form of loving friends and family.

Who here has heard the following:

“You want to start your own business? Selling what?”

“That’s going to be a ton of work, Can you really afford to spend time on it, and still be a good mom to the kids?”

“Nobody makes any money in those things.”

“Shouldn’t you get a real job?”

“You’ll never really be able to make a full time living from this.”

“Working for yourself is so hard. What about dental?”

These questions often come from a well-meaning, but fearful place. Fear is not a place that we, as entrepreneurs, can afford to run our lives from. So, take these questions for what they are – loving, and yes misdirected statements from people who are used to playing it safe— or at best just don’t understand what you are about.

Instead of letting these doubts stop us in our tracks, how about we use them as evidence that we’re doing something really exciting and innovative with our time? We are choosing to take a risk, but we’re smart, driven, and itching to try something new in life.

One reply that I like to use is: “Yes, it’s scary, but I’m so much happier living up to my full potential than I ever could be playing it safe.”

Current Colleagues:

The people we work with and those who have spent their entire careers working for someone else, really are not the people we want to bring our entrepreneurial business plans to.

There is nothing wrong with working for someone else, but people without the entrepreneurial bug, are just that —people without the entrepreneurial bug. It will be hard for them to understand why you would want to take on the extra load of self-employment.

To combat these negative influences, write down your own very solid reasons for choosing to build your own business. Answer this question: Why is this path worth it for me? It was so clear to me why this was worth it – I wanted to create time freedom and financial freedom. I wanted to say when I worked, where I worked and with whom I worked. And believe me, it has been worth every step of the way!

Your answers might even inspire some of your colleagues to think outside the box and bring a little something new to their current positions!

Internet Noise:

There are so many wonderful resources online, but the internet can also be a fairly negative place. If you spend too much time reading online, or listen to the opinions of people who go online just to complain, then you are going to have a hard time finding the motivation to continue.

My advice is to find industry-specific experts and follow them. Don’t clutter your feed with too many differing opinions. Choose people who are really good at what they do, and who offer positive, constructive advice.

Also, remember that your path is unique, all the doubters in the world don’t have your combination of talents, abilities, and drive.

Pessimistic Business Owners:

Sometimes we go to entrepreneurial meetups or local small business groups, and find that the attitude is less than stellar. This is unfortunate, but don’t feel like you have to listen to a negative-nelly just because they’ve been in business for a long time.

People get stuck in unproductive patterns, and it’s not a trap you have to follow. A positive mind, set on success is something you can cultivate and keep. These “seasoned business owners” who have a negative spin on everything are people who have forgotten their own power over the years. Don’t ever let anyone take away your power or your dreams!

Instead, surround yourself with business owners who are real about their struggles, but always looking for a solution. Those are the people you can learn from.

Doubt and Fear go hand-in-hand. But the antidotes are clear and simple:

Positivity
Good company
Solution-oriented thinking
Solid personal reasons for your chosen path

I love this passage by Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

You are doing something great by moving ahead despite the fear, despite the doubters. It is worth it! It may be time to armor up. Next time a doubter comes knocking, flip it around as a powerful reason to continue building the business of your dreams. I am cheering for you!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Using Doubt As Rocket Fuel For Your Next Success. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How To Cultivate a Millionaire Mindset.

How To Achieve A Summer Time Work-Life Balance

July 7, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

For many of us, the summer months can be the busiest (and most fun) time of the year. It is certainly my favorite season! As the demand for work and personal time increases, you may be finding yourself struggling to maintain a good balance between managing your business and having time to enjoy those summer nights. (It doesn’t get dark till 10 pm where I spend most of my summer….) While being busy with work can possibly mean committing upwards of 40+ hours a week, the dedication you show to your business still warrants a few July and August weekends for yourself.

As summer has arrived with it’s long days, it’s important for all of us to find ways to manage our workload so that our work days don’t fill up all that extra sunshine. Here are a few ways that have helped me to achieve a healthier work-life balance during the summer months:

Manage Your Time

Easy to say right! Although organization is essential to time management, and I’ll touch on that later, being able to delegate responsibilities is also key to managing a healthy work-life balance. Administrative tasks, such as answering calls and emails, can typically carve out a large portion of your day. It’s important to set aside time for those administrative duties so you can focus on other aspects of your business. Set aside a 60 minute slot per day and dedicate it solely to messages and emails instead of trying to stay on top of them throughout the day. If you do it all day, guess what you have gotten done at the end of the day – email and messages and probably not the big rocks or the really important projects. If you devote 60 minutes only each day you work to email and messages, you will find yourself saving time that could be better used doing other tasks, be more productive and get to the actually more important parts of running your business. I worked at IBM years ago and I can remember management talking about how email was going to save us time. Not so much…If you still find that you need assistance in managing communications, consider hiring a seasonal employee to help you get through the summer season and give yourself a much needed break. A family friend or neighbor could be ideal. Maybe they aren’t helping you with emails, but they are helping you get to some of the other projects on your place. Sometimes we just have to get those things (like cleaning out the garage, my husband’s personal favorite) off our plate and off our list!

Plan & Prep

Being able to prepare ahead of time for the expected ebbs and flows of summer will help you settle into a better work-life balance. Review your business’s past performances so you can plan ahead and set strategies for a smoother transition and one that will free up some time for you! The ability to forecast expected performance can help your business transition from off-seasons to peak seasons. Taking into account possible contingencies like a slow season or surge in business can help you achieve that healthy work-life balance. My company is launching India right now so you can imagine how fun and exciting that is. We are taking advantage of this during the summer AND finding time to enjoy family and sun and beach too.

Organize

One of the easiest methods to free up your time and enjoy summer is by being organized. While this may seem to be the most obvious, many of us find it a struggle to manage the workload as peak seasons demand increases. To maintain a seamless operation and, even better, maximize your valuable time, be sure to update your calendar, schedule every meeting, and keep all of your paperwork in order. You may not be able to plan everything and there will be unexpected meetings or issues that will surface and demand your immediate attention; however, creating a detailed day-to-day schedule can help you remain on track and get you out of the office and out by the pool! Focus on the 3 to 5 most important things every day. I love lists but I am learning to use lists less and focus more on the big stuff. Life is too short to be tied to a list of 100 things to do everyday. Many of those things don’t really need to be done and sometimes we use those lists to get the simple stuff done and not the most important. I use a priority list: What are the 5 most important things to get done this week? And then I schedule them out during the week.

Me Time

Taking time for yourself, both physically and mentally, is important to enjoying the summer and it helps you to be happier, and more focused at work when you do work. It’s quite possible that you’re faced with new responsibilities daily. Managing your business may guarantee a certain level of stress, and it’s always important to take steps to help ease workplace stress so that you remain focused on your business. Being able to create a space away from your business is also important because reclaiming those weekends or at least part of the day, lets you recharge, reconnect with loved ones and friends, and remember your “why” for working as hard as you do. If you feel the need to check emails on a Saturday or Sunday, limit it to one or two times a day. We aren’t meant to be attached to technology and our to do’s 24/7. That isn’t how I want to live my life. Your passion for work shouldn’t come at the expense of having a personal life. Work should be used as a way to bring new vibrancy to your life and to help you grow as an individual AND allow you to create the life and lifestyle you wish with the family and friends that you adore.

Operating your own business does, however, mean that there will be some personal sacrifices. If summer is your favorite time of year, make sure you are enjoying the sunshine too. I am going kayaking later today…Growing any kind of business needs time and dedication but it’s also important to find those ways that can help you manage a healthier work-life balance. It will never be perfect and it will always be something to work on – but it is definitely worth it!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on How To Achieve A Work-Life Balance. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 5 Ways To Stay Focused During The Summer.

Inspiring Ways To Be A Great Leader

April 2, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

Leaders aren’t only found in Fortune 500 companies or (gasp) political parties, they can be found anywhere. Everyone has the capacity to show the qualities needed to make a great leader. It is just whether we develop these leadership muscles or not. Being liked is always nice but it’s certainly not a requirement to be respected. Regardless of your position or your title, leadership traits have the ability to influence others towards achieving their goals and creating a work environment where people can really enjoy working together. Becoming a leader can be difficult as there are some organic qualities you need that can take time to develop. If you really desire to step into bigger shoes and to become a leader, these recommendations will help get you on your way to being a great one.

Building Trust: Teammates and employees need to know that you will support them in the decisions they make and that you show a genuine interest in their well-being. This helps show that, not only do you care about them, but you are also willing to protect them. Building trust helps show your team that their goals will never take a back seat to your own interests or motives. What kind of methods can you use to build trust?

Take the time to learn something about them, not work related. Build rapport with your teammates.
Involve them with decisions to show that their input is valued.
Make yourself available to them. Reach out to them!
Recognize and appreciate the contributions they make.

Coach Instead of Manage: Being a great leader means you’ll need to be a great coach. Coaches can be seen as people who can provide adjustments and feedback without people feeling hostility towards them. Leaders will help present the possibility of a future that can inspire people and coaches help inspire those people to take action. Your role as a coach is to be encouraging and motivating and to build confidence in your team. Be sure to reinforce any positive behaviors that are demonstrated with recognition. It can go a long way. In our network marketing businesses, remember this is a “Volunteer Army”. We aren’t anyone’s bosses in this business and sometimes you need to let people do things their way. Remember, they are stretching their leadership muscles too.

Open Communication: As with any relationship, personal or business, a key part to building trust is through an environment that allows for open communication. Allowing your team to be able to speak honestly and candidly without repercussion can firmly establish a bond. Be sure to have your team ask questions and bring any concerns to you. If they feel they can’t, it can be detrimental to achieving success and reduces any chance of establishing trust. You will be able to increase credibility if you’re willing to accept feedback and provide solutions to any worries or concerns they may have. Listening to your teammates is key. Sometimes they just need to vent and then will be able to move on. Sometimes you have to encourage them to set a timer for how long they are going to vent before they move on. 🙂

Utilize a Mentor: It’s always helpful to have someone that YOU can go to that already possesses strong leadership skills. It won’t be too often that someone will just come out and offer to mentor you, so you will most likely need to seek one out yourself. Try to find someone that shares similar values with you and select one that you get along well with. Someone that is different than you and that has what you are looking for. Then when you are faced with those tough decisions, try to picture how your mentor would approach the scenario and arrive at a decision. This can often help put you on the right path. Act like they would and you will soon become more like what are you seeking to be!

Show Confidence & Take Responsibility: As a leader, you will need to make some big decisions and stick by them. You will need to be confident that the decisions you make are the right ones. There’s no room for you to waiver on tough calls. The decision could end up being wrong, but it needs to be decisive. The worst decision is NO decision. You can always adjust and you will know soon enough if it isn’t the right decision. Always stay ethical and honest. We only have one reputation and one bad decision can take that away from you in a heartbeat. The golden rule applies in network marketing too! If you make a mistake, ensure that you own up to that responsibility. Make sure that you are willing to discuss with your team and the decisions they make when you know something is going on that shouldn’t be. It’s important to support and assist your team but to also give them the confidence to make decisions, take risks and speak up. Encourage your teammates to create great relationships with their own teams, with their uplines, and with the corporate management. These relationships are worth their weight in gold in our business!

By helping to clear obstacles for your team, you clear a path for them towards creativity, innovation, and empowerment. You need to be sure to get their input. Make you are providing your team with what they need to achieve success. If they’re already meeting or exceeding their own expectations, make sure to encourage them and guide them as necessary, always recognizing their contributions and positive aspects!

We are all a work in progress. If you focus on the positive, so will they! Here is to your leadership style and success!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Inspiring Ways To Be A Great Leader. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Creating Personal Presence.

Taking Better Care of Yourself

February 22, 2017/2 Comments/in Business, Health & Nutrition, Personal, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

We have all been there before. That feeling of guilt when you take a day off or just take some time to disconnect from the world. After our annual convention in Las Vegas last week I was definitely tired! Don’t worry. Most people feel that way when they feel the need to make time for themselves. There’s no need to feel guilty. Guilty is rarely a useful emotion. It’s important to know how to take care of others but just as important for you to take care of yourself. If you don’t hesitate to help friends and family, you shouldn’t feel guilty when it comes to helping yourself. The idea of self-caring can sometimes have a bad stigma attached to it and it shouldn’t. There’s no need to view yourself as weak if you find yourself needing a “mental vacation” or a real vacation. Here are a few items to keep in mind if your stress levels are on the rise.

Learn to recognize the signs of distress in your mood and your behavior: It’s okay to admit that everyone has signs that tell them they’re either close to, or at, their breaking point. It could be fatigue or anxiousness. Maybe your behavior is off and you could be having mood swings or just irritable. If you feel you’re at this point, stop and take some time to regroup and look into what may be causing you to act out of character. Sometimes it is too much work and not enough fun, or a lack of exercise, or not enough sleep or even not enough of healthy food. There is a reason for that new term called “hangry”.

Try to maintain your sense of humor: Humor can often be overlooked to help ease your stress levels. It’s important for our well-being that we laugh and laugh often. I have even set it as a goal for me this year to laugh more, to be silly more. It can also have a way to help put things into perspective. Laughing at your favorite movie or TV show or even personal situations can help improve your mood and release some stress. My Mother has a very funny sense of humor and I am sure that it helped her every day with the raising of 9 children! My Dad always enjoyed my Mom’s sense of humor too. We still do. If you can lighten a mood with a smile, a giggle, a tickle, a silly moment – everyone will be better for it.

Balance your personal needs and work: It won’t do you any good if you recognize your stress but fail to do anything to remedy it. Be sure to limit your work life so it doesn’t take over with your home life. Doing so will allow you to go back to work with a clearer mind and invigorated attitude with just that small extra mental break. The key is to take this time prior to reaching your breaking point, take time to reset yourself by going for a walk or just sitting down and taking a much deserved moment with yourself. We are all addicted to too busy. I know I certainly am!

Find a workplace that encourages self-care: This may not be feasible in all cases but if your workplace environment is causing much of your stress it may be time to find one that won’t. There are some workplaces that encourage stress-free cultures. If you are an employee, try to find a place where they help employees celebrate successes, insist on a work-life balance and provide them with positive feedback. If you are building a home based business full-time, make sure that your office in your home is inviting and easier said than done, set office hours. Treat your home office like you would if you were getting paid by an employer. In our network marketing business, we are both the boss and the employee. When we like our office surroundings, we all work better and more happily!

Spend plenty of time with friends & family: Spending time away from work can be an effective way to help restore you and reestablish a sense of being yourself. Try to surround yourself with people that fill you up, that complement you, that get you and love you and that you can laugh with. The saying we are the sum total of the 5 people we spend all our time with is so true. Think about the 5 people you spend all your time with – is it moving you towards the life you dream about? Do the people you associate with help you meet the needs of others? Just being in the presence of those that you love and admire and that feel the same way about you can help take the stress off as they provide a sense of familiarity which helps most people feel more content in our lives.

Remember if you fail to take care of yourself, this may cause you to make some decisions that could put yourself and others at risk. It could be as small as an email sent to the wrong person or being distracted when your attention was needed or losing some of what makes you vital and healthy. It is actually unselfish to take the time to care for yourself. When we are at our best is when we can give our best to others too. Enjoy your well-being!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Taking Better Care of Yourself. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Managing Overwhelm and Creating Success in your Business.

Why Network Marketing Now?

February 2, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Success, Wealth Building /by Kathleen Deggelman

If you’ve ever considered joining the world of network marketing, ask yourself the question: what has prevented you from doing so? Now might be a great time to make that commitment. Starting your own network marketing business can be one of the BEST uses of your time and money. The most successful members of networking marketing are the ones that know exactly why they’ve joined. Network marketing can have rough patches (like everything else in life!) if you don’t put forth the time and energy required to really build a business. You may be content with where you currently are, so what will your “why” be? Here are 11 reasons why joining a network marketing business can be the best decision you could make. Choose a couple of them to really wonder about and ask yourself the question if I keep doing what I am doing today, how will my life be different in 5 years?

Financial Freedom: A big reason for joining network marketing is the potential for financial freedom for yourself. You have an opportunity to earn money part-time on the side of what you are already doing. And you will get paid wherever you are in the world. Sometimes that will be working your business, sometimes it will be when you are on vacation. In traditional business, once you leave the office, you don’t continue to make money. Network marketing allows you to work anywhere in the world and from home during the time you choose. And network marketing works 27/7 so you can take those vacations and still get paid.

Create Wealth for Yourself: There’s a good chance that where you’re working now, that there is a ceiling on what you can earn. And often it is the big boys making the big money. One of the things I love about network marketing is there is no glass ceiling. There may be a cap on your companies compensation plan but it is usually very, very high. As employees, we are working 40+ hours per week and really we are helping to build up someone else’s wealth. Being a part of network marketing allows you to build, and keep, the wealth for yourself. It is YOUR business.

Increase Your Income Annually: Unless you’re a pro athlete, it can be quite difficult for someone to double their income at their job. In 2016, the average pay raise in the United States was 2.9%. With network marketing, YOU own the business and it can be a lot easier for you to double your customers leading to you doubling your income. Another thing I love about our industry is no two days, weeks or years are the same. It is never boring! And there is always the excitement of who or what is going to happen next. Let’s talk about Job Security: Most people stay at their current jobs for the job security it brings but with more mergers and automations, some jobs are becoming expendable, eliminating the job security many seek. Network marketing can be that extra security you may be looking for.

Capitalize with the Internet: The internet changed the world and continues to change the world. Are you utilizing everything the internet has to offer? The internet has simplified network marketing by connecting you to a truly global audience. It has never been easier to reach so many people and you may regret not taking advantage of it. This is a great way for the “average person” to get to take advantage of what the internet has to offer. It has truly leveled the playing field for what is possible.

Population Increase = Income Increase: The world’s population is growing and it’s growing quite quickly. There are currently 7.4 billion people on the planet with project growth hitting 9.9 billion by 2050. This boom in population will create issues for traditional businesses but it’s a great opportunity for network marketing.

Recognition for Your Efforts: Unfortunately, recognition and appreciation for your efforts may pass you by at your job. Network marketing creates a community full of people that not only want you to succeed, as it benefits them, but they also encourage it. We have great cheerleading skills in this business! You will get and can expect regular appreciation for the effort you put in.

How Long Do You Want to Work?: This may seem like a simple answer. Some people will graduate from university with thousands of dollars of debt and then move towards obtaining employment, earn a living and retire in 35 to 40 years. An alternate route to take is by building your own business through network marketing and giving you the opportunity to retire much sooner. It is possible!

The Company You Keep: Like attracts like and network marketing has the ability to attract the best people they need and as you surround yourself with the best, this new work environment will influence how you operate. People love the community they find with their NM business.

A Rewarding Life: Network marketing provides the opportunity for your own personal development. This actually is the very best part of all of it. You will step into new and bigger shoes as you develop your business. Your business will grow as you do. It is that simple. To be successful, you will need to help those around you and your team be successful. It is a rewarding experience to see other people grow themselves and become better people.

Smaller Job Markets: As technology keeps making things easier for companies to downsize and e-commerce eliminating the need for things that used to be standard (ie. office space), the number of available jobs actually begins to get smaller. And with the population increases mention earlier, it won’t get any easier so why not create your job and no longer be afraid of being downsized? Network marketing makes a great plan B!

The Tax Benefits: If you have a business that you operate from your home, you can be entitled to all sorts of tax deductible expenses. Your office space, car, cell phone, and meals for business are great tax write-offs. As a network marketer, you will be able to utilize some of the same tax breaks that typically the affluent get to enjoy. (Do check with your accountant for what you can deduct and what records you need to keep. You are a business owner now so you have to follow the rules.)

These are just some of the many ways that Network Marketing can be beneficial to your career path. If you were on the fence before, hopefully, this will help you to join the networking marketing business that works for you. Best of luck to you on your new journey!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Why Network Marketing Now? If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How To Make Money With Network Marketing Companies.

Goodbye 2016, Hello 2017

January 8, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Have you noticed there are lots of recaps of 2016 going around? We can’t help but be reminded of all the major events that occurred over the past 12 months. I always enjoy these recaps but I can’t help but think about two things:

I didn’t play a factor in these events
I can’t change anything about them now

What I can do with these recaps is to learn what others went through; what they experienced and the events that occurred and to think about how those lessons could apply in my own life.

On a more personal note though, I have found that a great use of my time is to recap and review the highlights that happened in MY own life in the past year. I actually love this exercise every year. In early January I spend an hour and go through my calendar to remember all the great things that happened. I encourage you to do the same. It is a great opportunity to relive the moments of your life and remember all the great things you did and all the great things you enjoyed.

Start with Successes: Out of all the good things that occurred in your life, did you take the time to fully appreciate them? Were there any significant accomplishments that you achieved and that you were proud of? High achievers tend to miss the pleasures that come when you reflect on success. Spend a few minutes while you are remembering and celebrate the successes, the wins, and the moments.

Look at Setbacks: Look at the setbacks that may have occurred. Did you learn any lessons from them? Did you make any changes in your behavior that will lessen or reduce any future setbacks? Do you feel that there is anything you could do now that may affect the difficulties that may have occurred?

Life Relationships: Consider all of the important relationships that are in your life. Keep your focus on the truly important relationships. Recap all of the good memories you had with them.

Now that you have remembered the great things from 2016 now look into 2017 to shape your ideas, set goals and solidify plans for how you really want your life to be. Use those lessons from the past to help create your successes in the future.

Another exercise I do every January is I choose a word for the new year. One, two or three words that capture the essence of what I want the brand new squeaky clean year to be about. Last year the words for the year 2016 were Faith. Play. Laugh. I am not sure yet what the word for 2017 will be. I am thinking on it as I write this.

I’d like you to think of a word that you feel best captures what it is that you desire for 2017. Write that word down. This word will be the basis of setting yourself up with 5 big audacious goals for the new YEAR! Come from a place of being inspired. Don’t limit yourself. Think about what it is you really want and then write those down. I refer to my goals and dreams at least every month. Who do you want to become? What do you want your life to really look like? How do you want this year to be different? What do you want more in your life? What do you want less of in your life? We really do create our lives. Life happens and we certainly don’t have control over much, but we can control our thoughts and our actions.

I wish you all the best a New Year has to offer.

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on welcoming 2017. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on a Mindset for Business.

Building on Gratitude for 2017

December 22, 2016/4 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

It’s the most wonderful time of year where gratitude is on display for all to see. Why is gratitude such a GREAT thing? Gratitude above anything else puts all of us in a state of grace to feel good about what we already have in our life. The holiday season if we choose, gives us the opportunity to express gratitude in so many ways. Gratitude can be magical at this time of year. Maybe that is a big part of what makes this time of year what it is and without it we can feel lonely or lost. We all have things to be grateful for – even when we have to look for them or dig for them. At this time of year, we put ourselves in a bigger state of grace when we give gifts of appreciation and love to our family and friends, when we make more donations to people who need our help and when we take extra time to write special notes in holiday cards, just to name a couple.

Unfortunately, sometimes showing gratitude ends after Auld Lang Syne. Imagine if more of us decided to keep practicing gratitude and sharing optimism for the entire year? What kind of effect could that have, not just on others, but on yourself? The impact it has on your own well-being can be overwhelming. I know this from experience. Some of the positive effects that showing gratitude on a regular basis can have on our being include:

Increased feelings of optimism, joy and happiness. We are happiest when we are grateful!
Strengthened immune system. We are healthier when we are grateful!
Lower feeling of loneliness. We feel more connected when we are grateful!
We sleep better with less anxiety. Even our Z’s are better when we are grateful!

By practicing gratitude and thankfulness daily, even weekly, it can help better our perspective. We will attract more of what it is we want! I practice gratitude almost every day. If I think I don’t have time to write in my gratitude journal, then while I am walking or driving I will list out 10 things I am grateful for. When I go to sleep at night, I fall asleep thinking about the good things that happened that day that I am grateful for. Which means I fall asleep smiling.

Improve Your Optimism

If you are looking to improve your level of optimism and increase your overall well-being, try a few of these exercises:

Sit down and write a letter to someone (not necessarily someone you know) and thank them for something they have done. This can make quite the impact on their lives and can increase their level of happiness, and yours. Even if you don’t send it (which I hope you will), it will increase the level of grace you feel inside.
Reach out to 3 of the people you love and tell them how much you value them and what they mean to you. Too many people forget to do this and it can do wonders for the relationships you have with them, especially at this time of year. You never know how someone is really feeling until you peel back the layers and be with them.
At the end of each week, find a quiet spot and reflect on the prior week. Write down five things that happened during the week that you’re grateful for. This little exercise can increase your optimism and your happiness right away!

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

John F. Kennedy

Ways to Build Gratitude

Make a list of everything you are grateful for. Write till you exhaust the ideas that come to you.
Every morning, when you wake up, have a sentence that you say out loud. Mine is “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Keep a gratitude journal and write 10 things you love in your life every time you can.
Disrupt a stressful moment with a smile and remember what is good that is happening.
Balance out your complaints with positive thoughts. Rein the negativity back in.

I recently heard a word that I had never heard before: brutiful. The combination of life is brutal and life is beautiful. Life is truly both things and when we embrace both there is a peace within us that happens. We are living in uncertain times and now, more than ever, it’s important to be optimistic for a joyful and positive 2017.

I wish you all the happiest last days of 2016 and from my family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and the Happiest of New Years!

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on building gratitude for 2017. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How Being Grateful Leads to Success.

Top Qualities To Look For In A Prospect

December 1, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Network Marketing, Prospecting, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

As you begin to build your MLM business, you will not be able to avoid the task of recruiting new prospects. Sometimes you may want to, but it won’t work…:) So how can you best maximize your time to focus on those that have the potential to be great MLM leaders? Over the last ten years, I have figured out there are a few key traits that you should be aware of as you go through your recruiting techniques.

Previous Success: The chances of you being able to convince a fairly successful prospect to leave their current MLM network to join yours is highly unlikely. However, people who have success in another field are exactly the kind of prospect you should pursue. I was that prospect. 10 years ago I was brand new to network marketing but I brought with me my previous success in business and real estate. Any prospect who has some success in a previous field could be classified as a greater fit for MLM than someone who has dropped out of school and hasn’t had great employment history. We aren’t looking for the couch potatoes…Working hard and the desire to obtain goals are traits your MLM prospects must have.

Ambition: Successful people tend to share this common trait. We are hungry, driven, and are just plain looking for more out of life. The status quo just won’t do and we tend to be visionaries, looking for the next steps to making a better life and how to achieve it. The prospects that possess this trait are a hot commodity so try to add as many people with ambition as you can. I have always been driven to succeed whether it was UC Berkeley, IBM, cooking school or investing in real estate. Look for people who have that drive. It will be so much more fun for you to work with them. And if you aren’t that ambitious person yet, then really think about what your vision for your life is and make a decision to go for it.

Willingness to Learn: Regardless of where the prospect may be starting from, there’s a decent chance that there will be things that they’ll need to learn and be coached through so they have the tools to be successful. The prospect’s willingness to be coached and taught is a crucial element. As you discuss the opportunity with your prospect, are they cutting you off during the conversation? Do they seem to know everything there is to know about MLM? Keep in the back of your mind “Are they coachable?”. If they aren’t willing to learn anything or take your advice, then chances are they may not be the great prospect you were looking for. Keep that in mind for yourself too – none of us have all the answers and the more open we are to learning, the faster we and our businesses will grow.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: As you first begin to interact with a prospect is when you should start to assess them and figure out what their motivations are. The important part is determining their mindset about finances and money. Do they think that making money is about having a job and getting paid or is it reflected more in an investment and profits sort of way? Don’t get me wrong. Wage earners play an important role in society but the hourly earning approach may not necessarily make them into the MLM leaders of tomorrow. It might but it might not. A person who has knowledge about owning a business or investments may be more likely to possess entrepreneurial qualities and have a better understanding of the startup costs that are required to begin and know that building a business doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and the entrepreneur knows that and is willing to put the time in. If you have limited time for prospecting, then focus on small business owners. It is the best use of your time!

Upbeat Attitude: You won’t like being around or be willing to coach prospects with a negative attitude. It can be difficult to be around people that have a constant pessimistic outlook on life. Our MLM business works so much better with people that are upbeat and positive. Those negative people will need to have a huge change in their mindset in order to make it work. Make sure to pursue the prospects that possess that positive outlook already because it’s those people that will potentially have an easier time prospecting themselves and won’t be discouraged at the first signs of difficulty. And if you have a debbie downer attitude, get to work on seeing the cup is half full instead of half empty. At least half full.

Self Starter: These are the type of people who will go out there and get things done. Having people that are self-motivated as part of your team will prove to be a great asset as they are capable of identifying their own strengths and weaknesses. Self-starters aren’t waiting to be told by anyone on what their next steps should be. They recognize what paths are needed to be taken and take action. These prospects will typically show the most enthusiasm. I was a self-starter in this business 10 years ago. I didn’t know what I was doing but I didn’t wait for someone else to tell me. I figured it out. If you have a great upline and training system to tap into, then by all means that is a great place to start but don’t tell yourself you won’t make it if you don’t. It is amazing what we can achieve when we decide to. I am so glad I decided!

Communication Skills: Prospects that have the ability to communicate clearly are a bonus to any downline. Communication is more than being able to relay the messages they’re trying to convey but listening as well. We want to listen twice as much as we talk. Ask great questions. Draw people out. Show interest in what they are saying and being able to effectively express your own thoughts through verbal and non-verbal cues is a skill that can help grow any MLM business. Look for people who are good at talking to people and care about communicating in a positive way.

These are what I consider the most important traits to look for during your prospecting time. Keeping them in mind as you speak with people will steer your efforts and time towards those who can help you get where you want to go faster and with more fun!

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on the Top Qualities to Look for in a Prospect. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to be a Better Sponsor.