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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.

Are You Cultivating Your Millionaire Mindset?

October 26, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

I watched a video from Eric Worre the other day, and there was one thing he said that really hit me… “Mowing the lawn myself means losing $100 or even $500.00 an hour.”

What does that mean?

Well, while he’s outside mowing the lawn, he is trading his time for a $15.00/hour task… time that could be spent nurturing high-value offerings, growing his business, and contributing to his long-term financial, personal, and professional success.

The lesson? To uplevel and truly cultivate a millionaire mindset, we must weed out non-essential tasks, and make sure we’re spending the majority of our time where it counts. For many of us, this means we can hire someone to do the things we don’t like to do anyway! I just treated us to our first housekeeper at our BC home. It felt great!

Let me be clear about one thing – the millionaire mindset applies to financial goals, of course, but it encompasses far more than that. It means defining what wealth is in all areas of our lives – personal, professional, and spiritual. How do I want to spend my days now and in the future? I love to cook so I will never hire someone to do that for me, but lots of people don’t love to cook and there are services that deliver almost prepared meals to your door now. My niece loves that!

You should KNOW what your time is worth, and be focused on high-level activities that truly move your life and business forward. Don’t be worried about life becoming all work and no play – when you’re tapped into your true power there is a certain sweetness and enjoyment to life that is worth the sacrifice! When we are lucky, work doesn’t actually feel like work. That is the goal for me!

What kinds of activities help us to cultivate a millionaire mindset?

Here are 4 categories you should be aware of…

What You Read:

Reading should be #1 on your list if you plan to develop a millionaire mindset. When we read, we expand what is possible – literally allowing ourselves to picture futures we didn’t even know were available. That’s a gift we don’t want to waste. I keep a basket of books in my living room that inspire me and any given day, I can pick one of them up and even spending 10 minutes reading makes a difference. I feel calmer, balanced and inspired all at the same time.

So, when was the last time you picked up a book and finished it? If you feel strapped for time, commit to reading 1 book a month. This can be accomplished in just 10 minutes a day!

Here are some of my personal favorites to get you started:

Money – Master The Game – By Tony Robbins

Start With Why – Simon Sinek

The Four Hour Workweek – Tim Ferris

Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

Go Pro – Seven Steps To Becoming a Network Marketing Professional – Eric Worre

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Who We Spend Time With:

We are the sum total of the 5 people we spend our time with – who are your 5?

I encourage you to actually write this down. Consciously acknowledge who you allow to have the most influence over your life. Sometimes we need to think more about who we are spending all our time with. Are they inspiring and going somewhere in their life? If not, it doesn’t mean you don’t still love them but maybe you need to add someone that is. Our friends are the family we choose.

We need positive, growth-oriented, loving, and constantly-evolving relationships in our lives, and we need people who will challenge us to be our best. That doesn’t mean you cut good friends and family out, it just may mean it’s time to widen your circle of influence.

Choose Daily Affirmations:

Our thoughts can be our biggest influencer. Using daily affirmations will help to align your heart and mind with your most important goals. It will give you laser-sharp focus. I say mine out loud in the shower. (multi-tasker that I am…)

What affirmations would you like to use on a daily basis? Write them down now.
If you can’t think of any, just spend a few minutes searching “affirmations” on Pinterest or Google. You’ll find plenty of gold. You can also purchase affirmation decks, and simply consider a positive thought every morning during breakfast.

Click here for a page of my favorite affirmations.

Invest In Ongoing Education:

Growth is challenging, and we all need good teachers. I recommend making educational goals for your year, just like you do for your financial goals. Set aside time and money to invest into yourself. Plan to attend conferences, speaking events, author events… anything that is high-value and aligned with your ultimate financial, spiritual and life goal.

The more you learn, the more effective you will be at capturing dreams in the real world.

For instance, there is still time to get a ticket to the Go Pro event next month. If you want the chance to learn from the likes of Tony Robbins and Eric Worre, and many, many more, there’s still time. Click here for more info.

Remember, your mindset is like a muscle – if you develop it, it expands. If you don’t, it weakens. Affirmations, reading and listening, learning, who we spend time with – all these things help us develop an authentic millionaire mindset.

When our mindset is aligned with our goals, and our goals are aligned with high-impact activities, then MASSIVE achievement is RIGHT around the corner. That’s a promise ;). I know from first-hand experience. Never EVER underestimate the power of your mind.

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Cultivating Your Millionaire Mindset. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Avoiding 4th Quarter Overwhelm.

How To Avoid 4th Quarter Overwhelm And Finish Your Year Strong

September 27, 2017/0 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

The calendar year is coming to a close in less than 4 short months (September is almost done!), and with that, so is the final quarter of 2017 for our businesses. I don’t know about you, but with the launch of Jeunesse in India, my final quarter for 2017 is adventurous and packed FULL of travel. In other words, crazy busy. Despite that, I really believe that a last-minute wrapping job on an otherwise fantastic gift of year can ruin your outlook on your achievements and leave you scrambling to get it all done before the holidays.

That’s not how I want to feel, and that’s not how I want anyone else to feel either!

I’ve found that 4 simple, yet powerful steps help me walk through my last quarter in a positive state of mind, full of gratitude for what’s happened, and excitement for what’s next. Forget empty new year’s resolutions – let’s get a concrete hold on our future successes.

Create An Accomplishments List. This is something that spills over from the professional realm and into the personal. You probably already know that I love the physical act of writing down my wins from the year in all areas of life.

This is something that you can include the entire family in too! Everyone can add to the “Wins List”. Keep it on the refrigerator for the remainder of the year, and add to it as you think of additional awesome things you and your loved ones were able to conquer together.

It keeps spirits so HIGH throughout the year-end bustle.

Organize Your Physical Environment. This doesn’t have to be a chore. This can be a joy. Especially when I consider all the hours that I spend in my workspace. A clean, inspiring, and functional home office is a gift that just keeps on giving. When I’m able to work un-interrupted with water and snacks nearby, it changes everything! Maybe organizing your space includes a fresh coat of paint on the walls? Investing in that standing desk? The possibilities are endless.

Set Up New Systems & Replace Outdated Organizational Tactics. There are lots of things in our lives that sit around, neglected and under-utilized. But it really doesn’t take much to clear the deck, and create systems that work for you, not against you.

Is your bookkeeping software still working for you?

Do you have an inbox that makes you slightly nauseous?

How long has it been since you had a look at your finances?

Do you still have a filing cabinet (physically or virtually) full of who-knows-what?

These tasks probably fall under the “swallowing a frog” category, but if you block off time to accomplish them before beginning the new year, the mental and emotional burden is lifted, and your self-confidence will be too.

Define Your Forward Momentum. Defining your unique vision is the key to all accomplishment, in my opinion. And by define – I don’t mean loosely color in – I want you to set SMART goals for 2018, and spend the time to chunk those goals down and divvy them up over the next 4 quarters of the year. Doing this early, (and then reviewing quarterly) is the absolute best way I know of to keep my productivity soaring, and to avoid busy-work.

This is also where you can ask and answer some FUN and CRUCIAL questions. Things like…Is it time to uplevel? Can I afford to hire some help come the new year? Am I at the point in my business where a virtual assistant makes sense? What new money goal do I want to set for myself? If you’re clear that these things are apart of your vision for 2018, you can wrap up your last quarter proactively.

This grab bag of practical end-of-year tips ensures that I have the help/systems/headspace needed to lead myself, my team, and my family into the new year happily, and highly motivated. I hope it does the same for you!

P.S. I hope you found my article helpful on Avoiding 4th Quarter Overwhelm. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Getting Back Into a Routine After Vacation.

How to Successfully Work With Long Distance Team Members

June 17, 2016/2 Comments/in Business, Health & Nutrition, In the Spotlight, Uncategorized, Wealth Building /by Kathleen Deggelman

If you want to build a BIG business in the network marketing world, you need to have a huge team. That means building teams all over the country and all over the world. There is truly only so many people we can bring on board in our immediate markets, so mastering the art of long distance team management is one sure fire way to accelerate your mlm business. However, working with people from every corner of the world has its challenges. Here are my best tips for successfully working with long distance team members.

Set Up Regular Check Ins

Setting up regular check ins with my team has been extremely helpful. A lack of communication in your business is going to cause major problems and will not make you more money. I like to give my regular check ins a set structure. We make a list of tasks, goals and objectives that we discuss during our phone calls. Then the following week, we go over that list and make new tasks and goals. This prevents things from falling through the cracks and gives your team the moral support and guidance they needs as they build their network marketing business.

Provide the Right Tools

Since you cannot be there in person to physically provide materials or advice, build a digital library of tools that can be easily shared. This will make your job SO MUCH EASIER. The more replication you can produce the better. That is key to building quickly. Your team is going to do what you do, not what you say. However you share the products and opportunity, always remember your prospect is thinking “So this is what I need to do.” The easier and quicker you make it the more people will also think “I can do this!”. That is why a digital library of tools for easy reference is so important! If every time you reach out to a prospect you have to search on what to send and where is that link, etc… Well, you can see how that would break down pretty quickly. Very important to remember you are just the messenger of the tools, not the message itself. Think about what this means – you are delivering the message meaning the tool, not the actual message. For example, your prospect wants to know about the comp plan. You deliver the tool – a quick overview of your company’s compensation plan and then answer questions after they have watched. Think about how much faster that is that you being the one to share over and over again what the actual compensation plan is. You have to think speed and efficiency.

Video Chat Regularly

It’s 2016, time to get hip with technology! I love using Google Hangouts and Skype to meet with my long distance team members. I am also checking out Zoom now. It’s so much more personal than a phone call and you can learn a lot more about their personality by seeing their expressions. What’s app is a great app that works really for long distance communications too. You can also record your video chats with your team and share them with teams in other locations. Again, regular communication is key. We are building relationships and even though we can’t see our long distance friends and teammates all the time in person, these tools will help them feel like you have seen them!

Encourage Your Team to Attend Events

The phrase in our business we say over and over again is that “We build our business from event to event.” Events are the BEST way to build belief in yourself, your business opportunity and the profession. And they are also great for team building and building rapport with each other. Events are a great opportunity to spend time with your long distance team. Going to your company and team events is one of the single best investments you can make! You need to become an incredible promoter of the events. Events build the community, culture and passion for your company. Events are the best way to be sure your team is constantly learning.

See you at the next event! Have fun with building your business all over the world. There is nothing like travel to broaden your broaden your perspective and to feed your soul! One of my favorite things about our profession is the places I have been to and the friendships I have met! Here is to your world travels and world teammates!

P.S. I hope my tips on successfully working with a long distance team are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.

The Prosperity Game: Make Your Money Work For You

June 5, 2016/0 Comments/in Business, In the Spotlight, Success, Wealth Building /by Kathleen Deggelman

Many of us have been told to save money ever since we were young children. I am here to remind you of just how important that is! For some of us who struggle living paycheck to paycheck, saving and investing may seem impossible, but even putting aside a small amount each month is worth it in the long run. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you continue to save and work hard, your financial situation is bound to improve! Saving money, investing and living within our means is crucial for a variety of important reasons. In this post I will share some of my best financial advice and tools like the Prosperity Game. I have been playing this “game” for 10 years and I can tell you it is amazing, fun and fulfilling!

It’s Time To Save and Invest!

Having a savings gives you peace of mind. Think of it as a “uh-oh!” fund. By having savings, you will be covered if your car breaks down, your cat or dog needs an emergency surgery, or something else comes up. As you accumulate savings, you will find that your financial worries diminish. That will allow you to sleep better at night, and who does not want that?

Savings also gives you options. The more money you have saved, the more you can control your own destiny. If you diligently work and save, you can invest more into your own business, or make the down payment on a house. Knowing that you have options because of money you have saved and invested will give you even more peace of mind.

The more you save, the easier it becomes to accumulate additional savings. That is because you can start to invest some of those savings into places that will work for you, like a tax-advantaged retirement account, such as a 401(k). The earlier you start, the more time a small amount of money has to grow large through the miracle of compounding. Over time, you will need to work less and your money will work for you more and more. Eventually we all want to retire want? If you play the money game well, the game of investing and saving and living within your means, you will be able to retire well!

The Prosperity Game

Therefore I propose that we play a game to help you get into a great place of abundance about money. Most of us live in scarcity about money even when we have some or enough, most of us live in fear or lack about money. This game will help you change that. It has worked for me in so many ways! I call it The Prosperity Game! Every day you must “imagine” that you have just deposited the day’s amount (start with $10,000 and add $10,000 every day) and now you get to (have to) spend or withdraw all of it. Do this for 30 days and see what a difference it makes to your money mindset! Record what you are spending the money on in a journal. This becomes fun and it is a challenge too. Very quickly, you will be taking care of , guiding and spending great deals of money. For example, on Day 1 you deposit $10,000, while on Day 2 you deposit $20,000 which results in a cumulative total of $30,000. By Day 30 you will have saved, invested, or spent $4,650,000! You could choose to spend the money all at once on one thing or on many things. You could pay off your credit card debt or to pay a down mortgage, or something as fun as new clothes, or a trip of a lifetime or you could continue to save that money. Every day you start over in your journal with the new amount.

I have been playing this game for TEN YEARS. I am up to spending and guiding and investing over $9 million dollars now every time I play the game. Imagine what that would do for your money mindset and to help move you to a place of abundance. Have fun playing the game and take on getting smarter about your money: how you can earn more and invest more are two keys that will change your life!

Share this free tool with your team!

P.S. I hope my tips on making your money work for you are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.

5 Pin Worthy Home Offices

May 28, 2016/2 Comments/in Business, In the Spotlight, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

The weather is heating up and summer is almost here! When it’s nice out and the beach is calling it makes it harder to work from home. To hunker down and get the work done before we run off to the beach, the cafe, outdoors…Concentration levels start to weaken and all you want to do is put your toes in the sand. Setting up the ultimate dream office definitely helps to motivate you as you build your network marketing business from home. It is very easy to go into “Summer Mode” and not work your business very hard or very consistently. I can tell you one thing: those of us that plant the seeds in the summer will reap a greater harvest in the fall. Don’t fall into the “everyone is away” trap. They aren’t but if they are, they are in a lot of ways more likely to have time to be open and listen to what you have to say. Back to the home offices: here are 5 pin worthy home offices I love!

1. The artist retreat.

I love this home office because it inspires creativity. It’s always good to take breaks throughout the day when working at your computer. Any artists out there? Why not paint or draw for 15 minutes? The new adult coloring books seem to be taking the world by storm. I know some people that love them and some that can’t stand them. The idea though is to take a break and do something that feeds your creative soul.

Image: Ikea

2. The center of attention.

Working from home has a lot of great perks and one if them is that I get to spend more time with my family. I wouldn’t suggest putting your main desk in a communal area, but it is nice to be able to sit and work in the same room with your family. Good one to watch though – when the kids start saying things like “you are always working”, then best to put work away and just be present with them. Who doesn’t watch The Voice with their laptop going at the same time?

Image: Crate and Barrel

3. The ultimate view.

I travel a lot and I love when I get lucky and get a great balcony with a view. I love the idea of outdoor home offices. Constant fresh air and great lighting. I am working on this one for our San Francisco home! Just need to get a heat lamp too. Fresh air breaks are good just remember to focus and be consistent.

Image: Flexjoy

Home offices for the dream board!

4. The space saver.

If you are just starting your network marketing business, you may want to start out with a desk that doesn’t take up too much space. I love this folding desk. Very economical for space and money. And it doesn’t require an entire room. Just be sure you explain to the lovelies you live with that when you are working, you are working. Our kids don’t understand how I can be on the phone so much….

5. The shed office.

Need your own personal hideaway? I love this idea! Get away from all the distractions of the house with a cool shed office. We actually looked at real estate this week on Vancouver Island and one of the features of the house I loved was a boat house. It had great office written all over it. Alas, it is too big of a project for us right now but love the idea of an office outside of the house but real close to it. Good way to separate home and work too.

Image: Flexjoy

I hope these fun home offices inspire you to create your own dream space. Having your own personal work sanctuary will really help when you are antsy to get out side and play. I redecorated my home office a couple of months ago. Painted the desk a cool blue gray, got a comfy chair just for conference calls and webinars, some new art work and voila – love this space even more. Even a little something can lift your spirits in your home office. Just remember…work hard, then play hard. Enjoy the upcoming days of sun and vacation and it is always a great time to share what you do and love.

P.S. I hope my tips on working from home are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.

Is Your Kindness Your Weakness?

April 26, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, In the Spotlight, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Recently, I have had a few teammates ask me about this. Is it possible you can be too nice or too kind when it comes to the business world? Some people may think that kindness is actually a weakness in the business world. It is true that kindness may cause some people to enter a less than positive business relationship and to be too trusting, which can cause them to be taken advantage of. I have certainly experienced this a time or two! However, if being kind, optimistic and warm-hearted is just who you are, then be ALL of that! In the right context, these traits can be excellent superpowers. Want to know if your kindness is hurting your business? Check out what I have learned along the way.

Kindness is definitely not a weakness! And you cannot pretend to be something that you are not. That will not give you strength or make you successful. Don’t suppress any part of who you are (well, let’s say don’t suppress any “positive” parts of who you are….) I see the future of our network marketing business as being more connected to humanity than less so. In such a business scenario, kindness and enthusiasm is definitely not considered a weakness. You just have to put yourself in the right environment that will give you a chance to thrive. Embrace your kindness and enthusiasm because they are both incredible strengths!

Of course, it is important to learn to set boundaries. No one enjoys being treated like a doormat. There is a difference between being kind and letting others walk all over you. Some people just give so much that others take advantage of them. In that case, then kindness IS a weakness. However, it is possible to be generous with your time and resources while also setting healthy boundaries. I know I had to learn how to do this. The bigger your team gets and the higher up you go, the bigger the need to set those boundaries for you, your health and your work/life balance. Another thing we need to learn is that there is a big difference between giving to give and giving to get. When we aren’t attached to the outcomes and give generously, better things happen for us than when we have that underlying criteria going on where it is really more about what we are going to get back. This is usually followed by an attitude of resentment –where we think something like this: “I don’t know. I always give and get nothing in return. I guess I just expect too much of people.”

If you give too much and don’t set boundaries, you may end up feeling like you are a victim and being taken advantage of. On the other hand, people who give to give, do so because they just want to. They want to help others and offer their resources, time, heart and love with little expectation of getting anything in return. That may sound like an ideal but we can strive for it right? What if you tried to do something purely out of the desire to connect with another human being? Celebrate your kindness and generosity but if you don’t want your kindness to get you into trouble, then you will want to practice being deeply generous with your time and resources while ALSO learning to set boundaries and sometimes say no. It really helped me to ONLY say yes to the things that I was really happy to do. Don’t say yes because you want something in return, even gratitude. Say yes because you actually want to help and express love and caring for another human being. The more of this you can do, the happier you will be and like attracts like. You will be blessed for those acts of kindness!

One last note on this: once you say yes to something, don’t feel upon when it comes time to do it. You said yes. If you focus on what you can give rather than what you can get, you will be happier and more successful. Just remember, you can’t do this as a manipulation – you really have to give from a genuine place.

So embrace your kindness! Cheers to your success!

P.S. I hope my tips on kindness in the business world are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Deal With Negative People! You also may enjoy this additional training about Success Secrets From Top Team Builders from Ray Higdon.

How to Build Your Prospect List Like a Rockstar!

April 24, 2016/2 Comments/in Business, In the Spotlight /by Kathleen Deggelman

Want your network marketing business to be super successful? Then you need to do whatever it takes to to build a solid prospect list. This is the backbone of mlm – without a solid team and a new stream of prospects, your business can stall before it gets off the ground. You can definitely find prospects online, but why would you leave out actually meeting people too? We are in the relationship business and connecting with people in person can change your business fast! Here are nine simple steps to focus on what will help build your prospect list like a rockstar.

1. First, understand that you can’t just sit there and wait for prospects to come to you. If you want to make more money, you are going to have to work smart to find and attract prospects.

2. To start, figure out who you want to help and how you help them. Who is your ideal customer? What solution do you provide for their issues? Then think about where those people hang out (both online and offline).

3. Next, go out and find them. Reach out to them and let them know that you are there to meet their needs! Perhaps your prospects are more likely to go to a certain event, conference, meetup group or class. Do not be afraid to go to those places, meet people and tell them about yourself. Network, network, network! As daunting as it can be to put yourself out there sometimes, we always feel better when we do. Step over those fears and go meet people. I love online too AND I love meeting people and connecting best.

4. To help you network, set a goal for yourself, such as talking to three new people every day about your business and what you do.

5. Keep in mind that when telling people about your business you want to hold their attention and not drive them away. Be able to tell your elevator synopsis about your business in 30 seconds or less in a way that makes sense. (Elevator meaning that if you were in an elevator and only had a few seconds what would you say?)

6. Social media is a great marketing tool. It just has a long lead generation cycle and some people may follow you on Twitter or be friends with you on Facebook for months or even years before they decide to buy something from you. Therefore, you need to be present on social networking sites. Be sure to always be available to answer questions, engage with people in your network and consistently share great, valuable and helpful content. It is still about connecting with people. Just because it’s online, that doesn’t change.

7. As you meet more people, really listen to them. It is the client who is the best source of information about how you can improve your business and share the products or services you offer. Naturally, it is the client who can really help you find more prospects and make more money. So get out there, listen to what they want from you and sell it to them! You can then use that information to show prospects that you have the solution to their problem and that you offer multiple choices for them to engage with.

8. Always follow up! The fortune is in the follow up. Failing to follow up is one of the most common ways that business owners fail to close the deal and get another client. If you want to make more money and get more prospects, be sure to follow up. Statistics show that we typically say no five times before we say yes. How many times are you asking? Do you hear one no and that is it? Sometimes No means No but often it means not right now. Circle back with people and have fun with it. Set a recurring event to follow up with your prospect that you know would be great at this and ask with a smile on your face: “Is now a better time to take a look at this? You know I am going to keep asking every month until you say yes.”

9. Finally figure out what tools and technology you need to get your new customers or distributors set up. Many of us don’t actually enroll new people because we don’t know what to do with them once we have them. If you don’t have a system in place (either yours, your uplines or your company’s system), then you will fall into that trap of not knowing what to do next and you will get overwhelmed. Figure out how you will get a new person started so you will be ready.

If you are just getting into the MLM industry, print this list out and keep it by your computer. When times get tough, don’t give up. Just keep following these 9 steps. You’ve got this! All the best, Kathleen

P.S. I hope my tips on building your prospect list are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.