Whatever You Are, Be a Good One

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”  This is a quote from Abraham Lincoln, and it is still valid today.  In fact, perhaps it is even a more important statement today than it was in Lincoln’s day.

Some people believe it is “below them” to work at McDonald’s, as a custodian or an office clerk, especially if they went to school to be an attorney, financial advisor or engineer.    

But where would we all be if there were no custodians or office clerks?  With the right attitude, any job can be one about which we can be proud as long as we put our best effort into performing it.  Perhaps the unemployment rate would be just a bit better if everyone accepted that fact.  

Restaurant servers represent an industry where we see the best and the worst.   We can easily tell which servers enjoy their jobs and which do not.  Some are cheerful and efficient, while others are rude and incompetent and can spoil your dining experience.

Similarly, those working at a retail store – or McDonald’s – clearly demonstrate whether or not they enjoy their job by the service they offer.

I was in the administrative end of law enforcement for most of my life.  I made a decent living and was happy being the one who kept offices running smoothly.  Because I liked most jobs I held, I was determined to perform them to the best of my ability.  On one job, I was promoted step-by-step until I was vice president of the company.

My son, at age 20, started out delivering furniture for a store.  He worked hard and performed his job cheerfully and well, standing out from those who hated their jobs and their conduct reflected it.  My son is now the top manager of the company, the one who trains all the other managers. 

With my Xpress Healthcare network marketing business, I started out like everyone else – at the bottom.  I loved working at home and worked consistently to grow my business to one of the top teams in the company.

I am certainly not suggesting that no one should strive to become a doctor, lawyer or engineer.   However, if you must choose between unemployment and whatever job you can find, accept that job and perform it as though it was your dream job.  You will be happier because of your positive attitude, and who knows where your enthusiasm and job performance may direct you?

If you wish to own a home business, choose wisely, and do your research.  Be sure you like the products, the management and the compensation plan.  Then, if everything indicates it is a good company, ignore all the negative talk about the industry.  Instead, put all your effort into your network marketing business and you will build it and grow to love it.

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”  Amen.

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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. 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

With the launch of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), I have heard “chatter” about the damage it will do to the Discount Benefit Industry. Au contraire mon ami. Not only will Obamacare not harm the industry, it will be needed more than ever!

I want to make it clear that discount plans are NOT insurance and do not pay anything toward its members’ expenses. I will not discuss my personal opinion of the ACA in this post, and I ask that readers not express their opinions here either.  Instead, I would like to talk about how Xpress Healthcare’s® discount plans are a perfect supplement to Obamacare.

The ACA requires that all insurance policies include 10 essential elements. Those elements do not include adult dental, vision or hearing services, so the majority of the insurance companies are not including them. This is where my favorite (and least expensive) Xpress Healthcare® benefit plan comes in. Our Premium Plan offers discounts (from 10-85%) on dental, vision, hearing, prescriptions, vitamins/diabetic supplies and medical supplies.  As a member myself, I saved over $1000 in 2013 on my family’s dental and prescription costs. I have health insurance, but my discounts saved me far more than my insurance on my prescriptions, which can vary depending on geographical location. Our Premium Plan* is only $19.95 and that includes all of your immediate family members! Our dental provider network is Aetna Dental Access™, and our discounts are great!

Xpress HealthCare® can be a great compliment to those who participate in Obamacare.

Xpress Healthcare® offers four benefit packages:

Xclusive - $49.90/month/family – Offers discounts on physician’s care, hospitalization, Aetna® Dental Access, vision, hearing, Rx, LifeLock® ID Theft Protection, labs/imaging, pet care and supplies, chiropractic, legal services, a nurse line, roadside assistance, medical supplies, vitamins/diabetic supplies, medical bill saver (negotiation service) and a cash back rewards website.

Premium Plus - $29.95/month/family – Offers discounts on Aetna® Dental Access, vision, hearing, Rx, doctor’s-by-phone (Telahealth), chiropractic, labs/imaging, medical supplies and medical bill saver.

Premium * (see above for details)

Lifestyle Select - $19.95/month/family – Offers savings on LifeLock® ID Theft Protection, pet care and supplies, legal services, roadside assistance, and a cash back rewards website.

So, as you see, the Discount Plan Industry may well flourish as a result of Obamacare. My company, Xpress

Healthcare® is prepared to offer our members great savings on their dental, medical and lifestyle expenses.

For additional information about Xpress Healthcare®, please visit http://2YourHealth2.INFO.

We look forward to helping you and your family save money this year.

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Xpress Healthcare® is only available in the United States (except, WA, KS, VT, UT, and AK).

Disclosures:

Discount Medical Plan Organization:

New Benefits, Ltd.

Attn: Compliance Department

PO Box 671309

Dallas, TX 75367-1309

800-800-7616

Coast to Coast Vision™ and UHS Chiropractic™ are owned and operated by New Benefits, Ltd.

This plan is NOT insurance. This plan does not make payments directly to the providers of medical services. The plan member is obligated to pay for all healthcare services but will receive a discount from those healthcare providers who have contracted with the discount plan organization. This plan provides discounts at certain healthcare providers for medical services. The range of discounts for medical or ancillary services provided under the plan will vary depending on the type of provider and medical or ancillary service received. Pharmacy discounts range from 10% to 85% on most medications.

New Benefits will receive and retain a fee from network providers for eligible prescription, hearing, lab, and imaging purchases. The discount medical card program makes available, before purchase and upon request, a list of program providers, including the name, city, state, and specialty of each program provider located in the cardholder's service area.

This discount card program contains a 30 day cancellation period.

FL, LA, MS, ND, OK, RI, SC, SD and TX residents: Member shall receive a full refund of membership fees, excluding registration fee, if membership is cancelled within the first 30 days after the effective date. AR and TN residents: A refund of all fees will be issued if membership is cancelled within the first 30 days. MD Residents: The membership fee and one-time registration fee (minus $5.00) will be refunded if cancelled within the first 30 days and upon return of the discount card. The plan is not insurance coverage and does not meet the minimum creditable coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act or Massachusetts M.G.L. c. 111M and 956 CMR 5.00.

Regulated discount benefits are not available in the state of Washington, at this time.

WA residents: If a member cancels his or her membership in the discount plan organization within the first thirty days after the date of receipt of the written documents for the discount plan, the member must receive a reimbursement of all periodic charges upon return of the discount plan card to the discount plan organization.

1. (A) Cancellation occurs when notice of cancellation is given to the discount plan organization. (B) Notice of cancellation is given when delivered by hand or deposited in a mailbox, properly addressed and postage prepaid to the mailing address of the discount plan organization, or e-mailed to the e-mail address of the discount plan organization.

2. (A) Discount plan organization shall return in full any periodic charge charged or collected after the member has given the discount plan organization notice of cancellation. (B) If the discount plan organization cancels a membership for any reason other than nonpayment of charges by the member, the discount plan organization shall make a pro rata reimbursement of all periodic charges to the member.

If a resident of the state of Washington remains dissatisfied after completing the organization's complaint process, the plan member may contact the office of the insurance commissioner at: Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, P.O. Box 40256, Olympia, WA 98504-0256 - 800-562-6900 - www.insurance.wa.gov

Internet website address to obtain participating providers is MyMemberPortal.com.

For Terms and Conditions, click here.

Don't Mess with the IRS

It is that time of year again to get organized to prepare our taxes.  Most of us know that home businesses offer many tax benefits.  If you’re just starting out, however, you may be unaware of a few of the great deductions most of us can take.

I am not an accountant or CPA.  My suggestions may not be applicable to you. They may well be, but be sure to speak with a tax advisor prior to taking home business tax deductions.

Here are just a few of the deductions that can save us much more money than we would have if we worked a j-o-b.

The home office deduction is not limited to a full room. Your home office can be part of a room. Measure the area where you conduct your business and divide that by the square footage of your entire home. That percentage is the fraction of your home-related business expenses (rent, mortgage, insurance, electricity, etc.) that you can generally claim on your taxes.

To qualify as a “deductible home office,” the following criteria must be met.

·        Your home must be your principal place of business (or a place where you do administrative chores, such as scheduling and recordkeeping, and you have no other fixed business location); or a place to meet or deal with customers or clients face-to-face on regularly.

·        You must use the space you claim regularly and exclusively for business (with a couple special exceptions I will not address here). So, you cannot claim your kitchen table as your office desk if you feed your family at that table.

You can deduct the business and office supplies you buy. Maintain receipts for these expenses, and they may offset your taxable business income.  Office supplies include pens and paper; however, they can also include office-furniture, computers, scanners, etc. You can take these large deductions all at once in the year of purchase, or you can deduct a percentage of the cost spread over seven years.  Consult a tax advisor before claiming these deductions to be certain you do so correctly and legally.

Business mileage may be deductible.  Miles driven to and from your office (a job or your small business office) are NOT tax deductible, however, miles driven exclusively for your business, along with tolls and parking costs may be.  Keep a log to record these expenses and the purpose of each trip in your vehicle to document the expenses.  There are two different ways to claim these deductions, so again, ask your tax advisor.

Small-business travelers can deduct the entire cost of a hotel, transportation – air, auto or rail, and even costs incurred during the trip such as car rental and tipping a bellhop.  A portion of the meals you eat during business travel is deductible.  Save documentation for all travel expenses.

Self-employed health and long-term care insurance premiums may be 100% deductible, but there are limitations to which you must adhere.  Business and industry-related magazine subscriptions can be claimed as well.

One tax DISadvantage for self-employed or small business owners is that you must pay double the Social Security contributions. Federal law requires employers to pay half and employees to pay the other half. As a home business owner, you are both.

There are many more home business deductions than I can include here.  Take advantage of all legal deductions available to you, and your cost of doing business may be greatly reduced.

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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.

Bill Gates Said What?

Bill Gates is a pretty amazing guy.  We could all learn a lot from him.  Here are some quotes from Gates that I found online on life, investing and the future of technology and business.  Some of them have powerful messages.

1.  
2. 1.     "Patience is a key element of success."
3. 2.     "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."
4. 3.     "It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
5. 4.     “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”
6. 5.     "Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out; we'd want to get involved."
7. 6.     "Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important."
8. 7.     "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."
9. 8.     "Until we're educating every kid in a fantastic way, until every inner city is cleaned up, there is no shortage of things to do."
10. 9.     "There is a certain responsibility that accrued to me when I got to this unexpected position."
11. 10.  "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
12. 11.  "Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana."
13. 12.         "If you show people problems and you show people the solutions, they will be moved to act."
14. 13.  "The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency."
15. 14.  "At Microsoft there are lots of brilliant ideas, but the image is that they all come from the top... I'm afraid that's not quite right."
16. 15.  "When the PC was launched, people knew it was important."
17. 16.  "The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life."
18. 17.  "I'm a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they're interested in."
19. 18.  "The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow."

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Dental and health care 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 Got a Lead! Now What?

I am frequently asked this question by new team members.  Whether they are acquired on or off-line, contacting your leads in a timely manner is vital to the growth and survival of your business.  We all use different methods, but here I will be share the process I use when I receive leads.  My methods are effective for me, but they may not be the best for everyone. 

If you’ve been building your online presence through your website, ads, social media and blogs, you are generating leads from them.  When those leads arrive, what should you do next?

Even if you only have a name and email address for the prospect, don’t wait to let them call you.  Also don’t start sending out dozens of emails to them.  Using autoresponders, you can send out several spread out over a month or so. 

It is important to qualify your leads.   There is a big difference between having a lot of leads and having a few who are well-qualified.  My personal qualifying criteria may be different from those other people have, and I have only a few.

·        Have they visited and reviewed at least one of my websites?

·        Can and do they follow instructions?

·        When you speak to them on the phone, are they pleasant?  If they are rude or negative, I don’t want them on my team!

·        I am seeking people with a positive attitude who have a vision of the future and know they can succeed with the business.

We can receive leads by email, via opt-ins from our websites, by phone, through a social media site or face to face. 

When I receive a lead through an opt-in with no phone number, I don’t just let them receive autoresponders and wait.  Autoresponders are great, but I don’t want to rely on them alone.  Our prospects need to know that we are real people.

I allow prospects to receive 1 or 2 of the autoresponders.  Then I look in my back office to see if they opened the autoresponders.  How much time did they spend on my website?  Once I’ve done that, I am armed with the information I need to write a PERSONAL email to let them know I’d be happy to answer their questions. 

If someone opted-in from my website and left a phone number, I allow the prospect to receive one or two autoresponders before phoning them.  I wait no longer than a couple days.

Before calling, I check my back office to look at the prospect’s activity.  This knowledge helps me know what to say in the conversation with the lead.   When I call, I identify myself and my company and tell them I received their inquiry about my business. Then I’ll say something like, “I wanted to follow up with you to see if you have any specific questions I can answer for you.”  If they have questions, I simply answer them.

I’ll ask if they had an opportunity to explore my website.  If not, I’ll tell them that nearly everything they want to know is addressed at my website. I’ll say lightheartedly, “My website explains it better than I can!  So, why don’t you go to my site http://mywebsite, and give me a call afterward so we can go over questions you have then.  Here’s my phone number….”

By sending them to the website, I am testing to see if the prospect follows instructions.  If they don’t call me back, I may send them a follow-up email after a few days, but I do not call them again.

Since many leads phone us, we must be sure to answer the phone professionally at all times.  Your two-year-old on your voice mail saying, “My mommy will call you back” is not professional.

No matter how you contact your prospect, be professional, but friendly, helpful, genuine, and reliable. Even if your lead never becomes a customer, they may recommend or refer you to others. 

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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. 

An optimist stays up till midnight to greet the New Year.

A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

Now it's your choice whether you are an optimist or a pessimist.

Here we are at the end of another year.  Whether 2013 was a happy year, a prosperous year or one of sadness and defeat, 2014 offer us a chance for a new beginning.  Let's not dwell on our past mistakes or failures.  By doing so, we are simply reliving those unfortunate experiences.

Let's all start fresh and leave the past behind.  Join me in looking toward the future with renewed excitement and optimism.  I have set new goals for my Xpress Healthcare business, and I am eager to begin my journey to achieve them.

“Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.”  Michael Josephson 

Was 2013 a wonderful year for me?  In some ways it was not.  Did I experience sadness or blunder in one way or another during the year just ending?  You bet I did!   Will it help me in any way to review the things I did incorrectly or analyze them?  Not likely.  At the time I experienced them, I did all that, so there is no benefit in repeatedly evaluating them or "beating myself up" about them.

No, I am moving forward and looking to make wonderful new memories; experience bigger and better successes in both my personal and professional life; and I shall renew and improve upon relationships with family, friends and my Xpress Healthcare partners and associates.

 “For a New Year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move!”  Unknown

Use the upcoming New Year to grow your business.  If I can help you in any way, please contact me.  If you are seeking a home business, I'll be glad to answer any questions you have about mine.  Find new friends during 2014 and continue to appreciate those you already have; make more personal and professional connections; accept changes that may come your way with good cheer; and work toward creating an even better “you.”  

“Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.” Michael Josephson 

As we move through this last week of 2013, I wish us all a healthy, safe, prosperous and very happy 2014!

 “This bright New Year is given me
To live each day with zest
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!”

William Arthur Ward

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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 

Not Your Normal Christmas Traditions

In celebration of Christmas, I thought it would be fun to see how Christmas is celebrated outside the United States and Canada.   I found the following information at http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm.  There are far more countries’ traditions listed on that page if you want to read about them.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Australia:

Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat.

The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which commenced in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant which has little red flowered leaves.

Egypt:

On the Eve of Christmas everyone goes to church wearing a completely new outfit. The Christmas service ends at midnight with the ringing of church bells, and then people go home to eat a special Christmas meal known as fata, which consists of bread, rice, garlic and boiled meat.

On Christmas morning people in Egypt visit friends and neighbors. They take with them kaik which is a type of shortbread, which they take with them to give to the people they visit and eaten with a drink known as shortbat. Christmas Day is a public holiday for Christians.

Japan:

Only 1 per cent of Japanese people believe in Christ. Even so, most Japanese people decorate their stores and homes with evergreens during Christmas.

They enjoy giving each other gifts, and this is the part they celebrate.  A Buddhist monk called Hotei-osho acts like Santa Claus and brings presents to each house for the children. Some think he has eyes in the back of his head, so children try to behave like he is nearby.

Among the Japanese Christians, Christmas is not a day for the family. They do not have turkey or plum pudding.  Instead  the day is spent doing nice things for others especially those who are sick in hospitals.

Wales:

The Welsh are great lovers of music and so every year at Christmas, carol singing is the most enjoyed activity. In the churches, they are sung to the harp. They are sung in people's homes around the Christmas tree and at the doors and windows of the houses.

Taffy making is one of the most important of the Welsh Christmas traditions, which is a special kind of chewy toffee from brown sugar and butter.  The Christmas goose is also essential.

Liberia:

Most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree, which is decorated with bells. On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap, sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged.  A church service is held in the morning during which the Christmas scene is enacted and hymns and carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting in a circle to share the meal of rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the afternoon, and at night fireworks light up the sky.

I want to take this opportunity to wish all my IBO friends and associates (and everyone who may read this post) a wonderful Christmas - and a great holiday season!  Whatever you are celebrating during the winter season, I hope it is your best ever!

May we all enjoy a healthy, safe, happy and prosperous 2014!