How Well Do You Know Your Business?

For my team call last night, I prepared a series of 30+ questions.   The questions asked about our products, prices, and commission we were paid.  I also asked several questions about network marketing in general.  Some of these would apply to other companies besides my own Xpress Healthcare business.

First, I must say that we had a very small group on the call.  Due to the horrible weather in places, power outages in a variety of places and the Olympics being televised, there were only three team members in attendance.

I began with a few questions that had no right or wrong answers. 

• ·        I asked team members to share something they did during this past week for which they were proud of themselves.  No one had an accomplishment to report.
• ·        I asked when they forced themselves to step out of their comfort zone to perform a task, how did they congratulate themselves for their success?  One team member shared a good story.
• ·        I asked if anyone had accomplished a goal they had set for themselves during the past month, and if so, what was it.  No responses.

We market discount plans, and each plan contains several benefits.  Some of the questions were about which benefits were included in a particular plan.  The responses were mixed.  The team members knew some, but no one knew them all.

My questions included how much we are paid in residual commission on specific plans.  Again mixed answers.  No one person knew them all.

When I asked about limitations to particular plans, they knew the answers to two of the five questions.

Here’s a question for all of you reading this… What is the average amount of time it takes a rep to learn everything there is to know about your company’s products, business opportunity and the business itself?  If you answered with any number, you are wrong!  It is impossible for anyone to learn everything there is to know about their business.  The most important thing is if you cannot answer a prospect’s question, do you know exactly where to find the correct answer?

For this reason, I recommend to my team members that they review their own marketing websites to see what their prospects see, and research their “back office” to learn how to navigate it and where they will find information they need when they need it.

I was surprised to learn that no one on the call knew where our company operates.  We are a US-only company, but we do not promote our products in five states due to laws in those states.  I believe this is a very important fact to know, and I suggested that those on the call learn them – memorize them!

I also asked for the advantages of network marketing over a traditional business.  They came up with several good answers.

I sent out the list of questions to team members.  I plan to repeat this call in the future to see whether team members studied and learned the information about which they were not knowledgeable. 

So, how about you and your team members?  Do they know all the basics?  Do you?  Do you and they know where to go for answers besides their sponsor?

I learned a lot from the call last night, and it told me the areas in which I must do more training.  So while it was a little disappointing, it was a great lesson for me to have learned.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

The Unknown Geniuses Behind ... the Most Useful Inventions Ever – Part 3

I ran across a fascinating website a couple days ago regarding ten people who invented everyday items, about whom most of us are unaware.  (http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-inventions-you-never-knew-had-inventors-2011-3?op=1#ixzz2sIWwSubl)  The article is too long for one PR, so I’ll share it in parts.  I have already posted Parts 1 and 2.

The Unknown Geniuses Behind 10 of the Most Useful Inventions Ever – Part 3

ALANA HOROWITZ  - MAR. 3, 2011, 10:56 AM

1912: Candy maker Sam Born invents a machine that inserts sticks into lollipops and receives a key to San Francisco 

Whose idea: Sam Born

The inspiration: A Russian immigrant, Born was already trained in the art of candy making by the time he came to the United States in 1910. A frugal man, Born wanted to make every part of the candy making process as efficient as possible. In 1912, he introduced the Born Sucker Machine, which quickly and mechanically inserts sticks into lollipops.

What came of it: The automatic lollipop maker helped make the candy, and Born's company, into a huge success. He was awarded the key to San Fransisco in 1916. Today, Just Born serves 35 countries and is known worldwide for being the makers of Peeps.

1858: Hymen Lipman creates the modern pencil by attaching an eraser at the end of it

Whose idea: Hymen Lipman

The inspiration: In 1858, there were lead pencils and there were erasers. But until Lipman, no one had ever combined the two. Lipman received his patent on May 30th, and even thought to make it so that the eraser, not just the lead, could be sharpened.

What came of it: Lipman sold his patent for $100,000, which was a fortune in the mid-19th century. Today, you'd be hard pressed to find a pencil in a classroom without an eraser on the end of it. 

1986: Twenty-something’s Scott Jones and Greg Carr bring voicemail to people everywhere

Whose idea: Scott Jones and Greg Carr

The inspiration: In 1986, Jones, an MIT researcher and Greg Carr, a Harvard grad student, decided to enter the telecommunications business together. They started their own company, Boston Technologies, and began working. Their first project was a system where you could dial a number and find out stock information, but Jones, the techie of the two, realized they had a much bigger idea in their hands.

The pair sensed that this was the opportunity to provide people everywhere with voicemail, but until 1988, all phone companies besides AT&T were legally banned from the service. When the ruling was finally reversed, the pair approached several telecom companies and got financial backing. Within 3 months, their ideas were realized.

What came of it: Voicemail, although dwindling in popularity with the advent of text messaging, is a staple of the telecommunications industry. As for Jones and Carr, they're both multi-millionaires. 

1985: Jack Clements designs a spill-free way to drink coffee on the go

Whose idea: Jack Clements

The inspiration: The Solo Cup Company tasked Clements to design a better way to drink coffee on the go. Clements drew up a domed lid, the first of its kind that would rest comfortably between the mouth and the nose during sips. The dome helped prevent spilling and, by chance, accommodated the foam on lattes and cappuccinos.

What came of it: The Solo Traveler Lid quickly became an industry standard and has helped the company rake in $2 billion of annual revenue. 

1858: Margaret Knight fought a sexist employee to claim her rightful title as the inventor of the flat-bottomed paper bag

Whose idea: Margaret Knight

The inspiration: Knight was working in paper bag factory when she noticed how difficult it was to pack things into the flimsy, shapeless sacks. So, she decided to invent a machine that folded and glued paper to make a flat-bottomed bag.

What came of it: Knight spent late nights drawing up plans before creating a wooden prototype. She couldn't, however, obtain a patent until she made one out of iron.

While it was being produced at machine shop, an employee named Charles Annan copied her idea and got a patent for it. Knight sued Annan for copyright infringement. Annan argued that, because she was a woman, she couldn't have been the true inventor.  Still, Knight's sketches and detailed plans won her the case. She ended up establishing her own paper bag company and received large sums of royalties for her invention.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

The Unknown Geniuses Behind ...the Most Useful Inventions Ever – Part 2

I ran across a fascinating website yesterday regarding ten people who invented everyday items, about whom most of us are unaware.  (http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-inventions-you-never-knew-had-inventors-2011-3?op=1#ixzz2sIWwSubl) 

The article is too long for one PR, so I’m breaking it up into parts.  Yesterday I posted Part 1.  Here is Part 2. 

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The Unknown Geniuses Behind 10 of the Most Useful Inventions Ever – Part 2

 ALANA HOROWITZ  - MAR. 3, 2011

1925: Charlie Brannock creates the first accurate way to measure shoe size using toys.

http://www.ibotube.com/contents/member/julieklein/photos/Brannock shoe device-dc31aa.jpg

Whose idea: Charlie Brannock

The inspiration: The son of a shoemaker, Brannock grew up thinking about feet. As a young man, he became obsessed with figuring out the best way to measure one. The only way to figure out your size at the time was with a wooden block, a method that didn't work very well.

While attending Syracuse University, he set out to solve the problem once and for all. Using a toy construction set, Brannock built a prototype of a device that accurately measured foot sizes.

What came of it: With sales in the millions, the Brannock device has become a staple for shoe stores all over the world. And even though the product is about 85 years old, it remains more or less true to the original model.

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1966: James Goodfellow creates ATM pin numbers so people can take money out of the bank after hours.

http://www.ibotube.com/contents/member/julieklein/photos/ATM-714943.jpg

Whose idea: James Goodfellow

The inspiration: The Scottish engineer was tasked with figuring out a way for people to take out money from their banks after hours and on weekends. Eventually, the idea for the ATM was born, and some credit Goodfellow as its inventor. But what Goodfellow undoubtedly created was the Personal Identification Number (PIN).

Goodfellow knew there needed to be a way to confirm the customer's identity at an ATM, but fingerprint scans or voice recognition devices seemed a little too complicated. Then he realized he could link a set of numbers, known only to the account owner, to an encoded card. If the two numbers matched, the person would receive their money.

What came of it: Goodfellow patented the pin number in 1966, and 40 years later received royal honors for his invention. Today, his system can be found in ATMs worldwide, not to mention anywhere debit cards are accepted.

*****

1967: Robert Kearns invents windshield wiper speeds and wins a $30 million lawsuit against auto companies that steal his idea

Whose idea: Robert Kearns

The inspiration: Kearns, an engineer, grew up right near a Ford plant and believed the auto industry was a beacon for innovation. Then, while driving his Ford Galaxie one rainy night, he came up with an idea of how he could contribute to it. In the 1960s, windshield wipers typically had two settings, high and low. So if rain wasn't steady, driving could be extremely difficult. Kearns, who had a bad eye, began to squint to try and see more clearly. Then he wondered, why couldn't windshield wipers blink too? (Note: there is an excellent documentary on Kearns called "Flash of Brilliance").

What came of it: Kearns patented his idea in 1967 and sent it around to the major American car companies, but none bit. However, they eventually all began using his intermittent wipers in their cars. Kearns spent most of the rest of his life battling Ford, Chrysler and other car companies. He eventually won over $30 million, but he lost his wife and his mind in the process. Kearns died in 2005 of complications to brain cancer caused by Alzheimer's disease, shortly after winning the legal battle. 

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

The Unknown Geniuses Behind ... the Most Useful Inventions Ever - Part 1

I ran across a fascinating website today egarding ten people who invented everyday items, about whom most of us are unaware.  The article is too long for one PR, so I’ll share it in parts 1, 2, and 3.(http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-inventions-you-never-knew-had-inventors-2011-3?op=1#ixzz2sIWwSubl) r

The Unknown Geniuses Behind 10 of the Most Useful Inventions Ever

ALANA HOROWITZ  - MAR. 3, 2011, 10:56 AM

When we hear the word "inventor," we think of people like Thomas Edison or the Wright Brothers.

Some of the coolest inventors, though, are people you probably don't know.  They didn't invent planes or light bulbs; these people created products used so often, you probably didn't even realize they were inventions.

For instance, have you ever wondered how a lollipop ended up on its stick? Or how the straw became bendable? These seemingly simple ideas took a lot of creativity and technological prowess.

1959: A picnic lunch inspired Ernie Fraze to invent the pop top found on soda cans.

Whose idea: Ernie Fraze

The inspiration: Fraze, the owner of a successful engineering company, was attending a picnic when he realized he'd forgotten to bring a can opener for the drinks. He ended up prying them open using a car bumper! A few months later, he was having trouble sleeping and thought of the can dilemma. While waiting to get tired, he decided to solve it.

What came of it: Fraze designed a new kind of can, often referred to as a pop top, that could be easily opened with a removable tab. Eventually, his company began manufacturing a system of mass producing these cans to be used by soft drink and brewing companies everywhere. By 1980, Fraze's company was pulling in over $500 million dollars of annual revenue from his brilliant invention. Anytime you open a can of beer or a soft drink, you can thank Ernie Fraze for how easy it is to do.

1937: Joseph Friedman invents the bendable straw so his daughter can more easily drink a milkshake

Whose idea: Joseph Friedman

The inspiration: Friedman was sitting at his brother's soda shop, watching his daughter drink a milkshake. The young girl was struggling to enjoy her beverage through a straight paper straw, whose end she could barely reach. Her father, an inventor, thought of a way to help her out.

What came of it: Friedman inserted a screw into the straw, and wrapped floss around it to create a ribbed texture. When he took the screw out, the straw naturally bent over the rim of the glass and his daughter was able to drink her milkshake with ease. He patented his idea in 1937 and started his own company to produce the straw. The rights to the flexible straw were eventually sold to the Maryland Cup Corporation, which now sells about 500 million of them every year.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

Weird February Holidays

Periodically I like to share some crazy, fun holidays that people recognize and/or celebrate.  Since today is the first of February, I thought I’d share some for this month.  I gathered these from various sites, and there are far more unique days than I can list here. 

·        February is Great American Pie Month and National Grapefruit Month.  Hmm.  Shall we stay healthy with grapefruit or pig out on pie?

·        February is also International Boost Self-Esteem month.  Remember to praise those around you.

Feb. 1                    Give Kids a Smile Day
Feb. 2                    Sled Dog Day
Feb. 3                    The Day the Music Died

Feb. 4                    Thank a Mailman Day
Feb. 5                    Wear Red Day
Feb. 6                    Lame Duck Day
Feb. 7                    Charles Dickens Day
Feb. 8                    Kite Flying Day
Feb. 9                    Read in the Bathtub Day
Feb. 10                  Umbrella Day
Feb. 11                  National Shut-in Visitation Day
Feb. 12                  National Plum Pudding Day
Feb. 13                  Get a Different Name Day
Feb. 14                  Ferris Wheel Day
Feb. 15                  National Gum Drop Day
Feb. 16                  Do a Grouch a Favor Day
Feb. 17                  Champion Crab Races Day
Feb. 18                  Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Feb. 19                  National Chocolate Mint Day
Feb. 20                  Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Day
Feb. 21                  Card Reading Day
Feb. 22                  Be Humble Day
Feb. 23                  Curling is Cool Day
Feb. 24                  National Tortilla Chip Day
Feb. 25                  National Chili Day
Feb. 26                  Tell a Fairy Tale Day
Feb. 27                  International Polar Bear Day
Feb. 28                  National Tooth Fairy Day

I find these fun to read, but really, who thinks up these things?

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

A Huge and Growing Problem

I believe that everyone today is aware of identity theft.  It is unfortunate, but many people assume that since they do not use credit or debit cards, they are safe from ID theft.  There are myriad ways that thieves can gain access to your checking or savings account records and your social security number.

One of the more recent areas where thieves are targeting identities is in medical records.  Let’s say you order a copy of your credit file.   When it arrives, you are surprised to discover that there are collection notices against you for several emergency hospital visits, with thousands of dollars unpaid.  Once you begin investigating this entry in your credit report, you find the report states that you were involved in a serious car accident and had your leg amputated after you were air lifted to a hospital for treatment.

Since you have both your legs, and you have not been involved in a traffic accident or been admitted to a hospital, you assume it was a simple error on your report. This is a typical and all-too-common example of medical identity theft.  You may make the discovery from that credit report, or a hospital may start sending you bills for treatment you never had.  You may be contacted by the hospital or police who tell you that they believe you are a potential victim of a fraud they are investigation.   

Medical records are exposed to theft via the internet in ever increasing numbers; therefore, medical fraud is quite simple for a thief to commit.  The fraud may go undetected for months or even years.  More medical records are also being digitalized and shared with health care providers, health insurance companies and consumers, making them more vulnerable to theft.  How about your medical chart? Are the charts in the receptionist’s office within easy reach of anyone?

It’s not just about the health insurance and health service options, but it’s also about ensuring patient medical records are accurate and shared only with authorized people, and that health services and charges are applied to the rightful account owner.

Prescribing the wrong medication to a patient based on fraudulent medical records can cause death in which case the impact of medical identity theft is irreversible.  How can doctors and hospitals reconcile a patient’s past and recorded information with the identity thief’s medical information acquired with a recent blood analysis even after a case of medical identity theft is detected?  As you can see, the impact of the health identity theft is huge to the victim’s life, privacy and financial losses.

In general, consumers have more protection against credit identity theft than medical identity fraud. If a consumer discovers credit identity theft promptly after it is committed, they can notify their banks, credit card companies, the FCC and the police. The victims seldom are responsible to pay more than $50 no matter how much was actually stolen. 

With medical identity theft, the identity theft victim whose social security number appears on the record is responsible for paying the fraud charges.  Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Medical privacy laws in place to protect consumers, there is only limited protection against medical fraud.  Unfortunately, HIPAA also equally protects the identity thief when the personal information of both the thief and the victim are combined.  When the thief receives medical care using your name and medical records, your records are then updated with the thief’s medical information. So, not only can this commingling be detrimental to your life during your future doctor visits, you also may be prohibited from separating your records from those of the thief, because the thief is also protected by HIPAA. 

Medical identity theft is more difficult to track, because only a name and social security is necessary to receive medical care in most cases. It is, therefore, critical for you to monitor your credit report.  If you detect possible medical identity fraud, immediately contact your health insurance company, the health service provider and the credit reporting agencies. In addition, file a police report to document your case, and inform all parties that you are a victim of identity theft. 

With all this information, I hope all readers can now recognize the importance of having an Identity Theft Protection Plan in place to monitor your records for you.  They will detect fraudulent activity before you do.

Do you still believe having no credit or debit cards protects you from ID Theft?  I personally recommend that you join the LifeLock® Identity Theft Protection Plan through Xpress Healthcare® for two reasons: 

     1)     LifeLock®  has years of proven excellent service, and it provides the best monitoring services; and

     2)     Joining LifeLock®  through Xpress Healthcare® costs you less ($20 per month, per FAMILY), and along with LifeLock®  services, at no extra charge, you will also receive a Roadside Assistance program, discounted pet care services and products and discounted legal services (9 of the most common services are free!)      

     3)     To join LifeLock®  through Xpress Healthcare, visit http://ibourl.net/EverydaySavings                                                                                                                                                           

Whether you join LifeLock® through Xpress Healthcare® or join another ID Theft Protection company, don’t wait!  Get the protection you need today!

Who Was Percy Shaw?

During our walk today, my husband and I were talking about the “light dots” in the road.  We wondered who invented them and when.  I decided to research it. It is amazing how easily we can find answers to virtually every question on the internet.

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A portion of this post was taken from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_invented_cats'_eyes_road_reflectors   and

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-497407/Cats-eyes-driven-70-years-solar-studs-light-road.html

The cat's eye is a retro-reflective safety device used in road marking and was the first of a range of raised pavement markers. It originated from the UK in 1933 and is used all over the world.

It consists (in its original form) of two pairs of reflective glass spheres set into a white rubber dome, mounted in a cast iron housing. This is the kind that marks the center of the road, with one pair of cat's eye showing in each direction. A single-ended form has become widely used in other colors at road margins and as lane dividers. Cat's eyes are particularly valuable in fog and are largely resistant to damage from snow ploughs.

A key feature of the cat's eye is the flexible rubber dome which is occasionally deformed by the passage of traffic. A fixed rubber wiper cleans the surface of the reflectors as they sink below the surface of the road (the base tends to hold water after a shower of rain, making this process even more efficient). The rubber dome is protected from impact damage by metal 'kerbs' - which also give tactile and audible feedback for wandering drivers.

The inventor of cat's eyes was Percy Shaw of Boothtown, Halifax, West Yorkshire.

The reflective road stud or "cat's eyes" was invented in 1933 by Percy Shaw.

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About 70 years later, the familiar reflectors are to be replaced by a brighter, safer and cheaper alternative - solar-powered studs designed by a former London fireman.

The Transport Research Laboratory says roads with the Solarlite system have a 70 per cent reduction in accidents.

Drivers are less likely to cross the white line in the middle of the road when following the studs than using previous methods.

The latest version of the studs also allows them to be set into the road without sticking up above the surface - avoiding the bumpy feeling of running over cat's eyes.  They can be seen for up to 2,950ft (900 meters) - around ten times as far as the old cat's eyes.

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I am certain that there are statistics available that provide the exact number of people’s lives that have been saved because of these reflectors.  As long as we follow the path laid out before us by the cat’s eyes or Solarlites, we will most likely reach our destination safely.

How about in your home business?  Do you have a path laid out directing you how to grow your business?  Do you have a great leader and/or mentor who act as the “cat’s eyes” to let you know when you’re following the wrong path? 

If you have a mentor or leader to help you, do you take advantage of the support and training they offer?  With my Xpress Healthcare business, I host two team training calls each week.  Only a fraction of my team members attend.  I also offer one-on-one training, and not all team members take advantage of the training session I offer.

Those who are successful with your particular business or other network marketing companies have created the “road reflectors” that remind you of the right direction to go and what works with your particular company.  Do you follow the path they created for you, or have you decided that, with your intelligence and experience, you don’t need anyone’s help.

We ALL need help.  Those new to their business should take advantage of ALL training made available to them.  In addition, those of us with years of experience are always striving to learn more and better ways to work their businesses, new paths to follow.

Of course, it is always your choice.  Follow the leaders along the path with the Solarlites to achieve success; or create your own path, and take a chance that you MAY reach your goals.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).  

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle