The Disappearance of the Shopping Mall

As my husband and I were taking our regular walk through our local mall, we discovered that overnight, another store had closed.  We “walk the mall” five days a week.  You never need to worry about weather, the walking surface is level, and there is no traffic nearby about which we need to be concerned.

We live in a city of only about 40,000 people, so our mall is pretty small, but vacancies are high.  There are two anchor stores and about 25 other businesses.  Of those, six are now vacant.  This is not unique to our local mall, and malls nationwide are struggling to fill their spaces and increase the number of shoppers.

When thinking about why there are so many vacancies, of course, the poor economy and high unemployment are the first reasons that come to mind.  However, there are other reasons that likely will not change as the economy improves.  There are far more “big box” stores, with stores like Walmart and Target becoming one-stop-shopping stores.  Consumers can buy nearly everything they need from clothing to electronics to groceries without going from store to store.

Online shopping has increased dramatically, taking a big slice of business from shopping malls.  The majority of big chains have now opened their own online stores to regain some of the business they lost at their retail stores.

I’ve noticed a large increase in vacancies in strip malls as well.  Just yesterday, I was going to purchase something from a local flooring store, only to discover the store is no longer there.  That strip mall had one open store out of six that were available.  We noticed two other strip malls in town with only a couple stores occupied, with the remainder empty.

At the beginning of 2012, for the first time in four years, there was a slight decrease in the number of mall vacancies.  That small improvement may be due to the fact that new mall construction has decreased because of the economy.  In fact fewer new malls were built in 2011 than at any time in the past 30 years.  Each time a newer, nicer mall opened, it hurt the existing malls. 

A lot of the major department stores, like Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, J.C. Penney's, did major renovations and held very attractive sales, which likely contributed to the slight improvement.  

As we became more observant about strip malls and our local mall vacancies, we realized that we had previously given no thought to this part of the economy and how it has suffered over the past several years.

I am not a “shopper” and won’t particularly miss shopping at malls.  However, Sears and J.C. Penney’s have always “been there,” and it is just a bit sad to think that sometime in the near future, they may exist only online - or not at all.

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Amazing New Tool for Physicians, the Stethescope

I am constantly amazed at the new technologies that appear seemingly every day.  IPods, I pads, computers and smart phones.  I can’t keep up with all the new and remarkable tools and forms of entertainment that have been introduced.

Although fabulous inventions have arisen during our lifetime, before the late 20^th and 21^st centuries, there were incredible inventions that changed the world.  Inventions 50, 100, 200 years ago made life easier, helped us to live longer lives, nearly wiped out some diseases and more.

In the 1600’s, the first barometer was introduced.  Anton Van Leeuwenhoek was the first to see and describe bacteria with a microscope during this time period as well. These events eventually led to the ability to predict changes in the weather and gave physicians a better way to diagnose and treat diseases.  

C. Hopffer patented the first fire extinguisher in 1722, and two years later the first mercury thermometer was invented by Gabriel Fahrenheit.  I’m sure the people back then considered these to be pretty amazing.

We are practically addicted to our cell phones today, but when the first patent for an electric telegraph was filed in 1774, how important do you think that was in history?  I personally am grateful that Ben Franklin invented bi-focal eyeglasses in 1780.

Smallpox was a huge problem worldwide before 1796 when Edward Jenner created a vaccine for it.  Many of today’s high-tech “toys” are available, because the battery was invented in the late 1700’s.

When we watch programs on our HD TV’s and send pictures with our phones, we should all be grateful to Joseph Nicéphore Niépce for being the first person to take a photograph (It took eight hours).

How did doctors even practice before the stethoscope was invented in 1819?  Between 1827 and 1830, the first typewriter was created and the sewing machine a short time later.

Can you imagine working in an office without the stapler that was invented in 1841?  And how “fun” it must have been to have a tooth pulled before Dr. William Morton began using anesthesia in the middle of the 19^th century.  Fortunately, that was closely followed by the creation of antiseptics.

Our cell phones may be amazing, but would they have even existed had Alexander Graham Bell not invented the phone to begin with?  The first moving pictures arrived on the scene in 1877, the same year Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.

I don’t even want to think what it was like before the first form of toilet paper was invented.  And how many other incredible inventions came to be because Heinrich Hertz invented radar in 1887?

Science, technology and inventions progressed at an accelerated rate during the 20th century, more so than any other century.  During the first decades of that century, airplanes, automobiles and the radio dazzled the population with wonder.

Of course, I’ve barely touched on the thousands of other inventions throughout history without which our lives might be very different today.  The next time you are in awe of all the electronics we use today, think what life would have been like without the many scientific discoveries and inventions that came about long before anyone coined the words “high-tech.”

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My husband, retired for a few years now, has decided he wants to have a home business.  He only wants to work around 10 hours a week, and he is not a “high tech” type of guy.  He can do searches on the Internet and send and receive emails.  He does not know “computereze.”

Anyway, since he is asking me to review everything he finds, I have been thrown back into the search for a home business.  I am once again reminded how difficult it is to find a business that fits specific criteria.

There are hundreds, probably thousands of good businesses from which to choose online, but there is not a single one that is right for everyone.  There are a few important things I consider when searching for a business opportunity.

1)     Is the business a reputable, legitimate company?

2)     What costs are involved – upfront, monthly or at a later date?

3)     Is it a good fit?  Will I be able to be passionate about the product or service the company offers?

It can be very time consuming and challenging to find a business that is a good match, but I know it is necessary to spend that time and effort.   Just because I have heard of a company does not necessarily mean it is reputable. On the other hand, just because I have never heard of them, it doesn’t mean it is not a great company.

I always check on third party sites about any company I am considering, not only on the company site or those of their distributors.  What do those OUTSIDE the company say about them?

I do not rely too heavily on the Better Business Bureau.  Some businesses simply choose not to pay for BBB membership.  In addition, while many very good organizations are accredited and highly rated by the BBB, a while back, there were questions about the validity of the BBB grading. The situation may have been rectified.  Watch this video of a 20/20 Investigation into the BBB to learn more.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo8kfV9kONw

If a company or one of its distributors promises or guarantees a huge income, I will run the other way!  In the network marketing industry in particular, some people will never apply themselves.  Some don’t have the right skills for the business.  Therefore, there is no way EVERYONE can be successful, let alone earn a huge income, with any company. That old line, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” definitely applies when researching business opportunities. 

Many excellent companies have complaints filed against them for various reasons, so a few complaints against a company do not necessarily mean the company is disreputable.  However, if I find many complaints about a company, I will not consider them.

I carefully research the product or service being offered.  Would I buy it?  No matter how great the product, if it is too expensive, I not likely make many sales. 

I do my best to learn the TRUE cost of operating any business.  Most business opportunities have a fee involved at some point, whether it is an up-front cost or a monthly fee.  When a company claims it is totally free to start and operate the business, I am skeptical.  There are companies that tell you there is no start-up cost, but then they charge hundreds of dollars for training.  OR, after joining, you discover that there is a required upgrade to be able to earn money.

It is important to me to “feel a connection” with the company rep with whom I speak.  If I believe they are evading my questions or are not being totally honest, red flags go up!   

I like a simple-to-understand comp plan. I am not seeking “multiple streams of income.”  I must be able to explain it to prospects myself.  I know there are many who want a binary, matrix or other types of (to me) complicated comp plans.  I do not.

When it comes to a business for my husband, it must be simple, simple, simple.  He must be able to do it himself, without much help from me.  We have looked at several businesses already, none of which fit his criteria.

And so, we continue our search…

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Attention Hypochondriacs!

As those of you who have read my blogs before, you know I write about a wide array of topics.   I sometimes mention my home business, but I rarely write a blog about it.  There have been so many amazing things happening with Xpress Healthcare this year that I decided it is time to update anyone who cares to read this.

Although our name includes the word “healthcare,” we offer far more.  We began as a Discount Healthcare plan, NOT insurance.  Soon after launching, Dental Discounts were added.

I sometimes refer to Xpress as a Discount Savings Program, because our plans now include a variety of discounts, saving our members money on both medical and non-medical services.

We now offer LifeLock® ID Theft Protection.  With Xpress Healthcare, our members can enroll their FAMILY in LifeLock® for the price LifeLock® charges at their own site for only two people.  PLUS, the same plan, “Lifestyle Select,” includes discounts on Pet Care, Roadside Assistance, Cash Back Rewards mall and Legal Services at no additional cost.  The “Lifestyle Select” plan is only $19.95 per month, per family.

I mentioned Pet Care Discounts above, because our members save 25% on veterinary services when using one of our network providers, and they save on many pet products and services.

Our Roadside Assistance program is available 24/7/365.  Xpress members can have their vehicle towed up to 15 miles at no charge, and receive flat tire/battery assistance, lock-out assistance and more.

Our Legal Services plan offers nine of the most commonly-used services to our members at no cost and reduced rates on most other legal services.

Of course, our health and dental plans provide discounts on Physicians and Aetna® Dental Services.  They also offer savings on Vision, Hearing, Prescriptions, Medical and Diabetic Supplies, Chiropractor, Nurseline, Lab Work, Imaging and Hospital Stays.

Each plan includes your immediate family members living with you.  They are only $19.95/month to $49.95/month, depending on the plan selected.  We are NOT insurance.  Our plans can be used to supplement insurance or alone for those who cannot afford or qualify for insurance.  Everyone is accepted!

Our plans help people save money every day in many ways.  I would be grateful to you if you spread the word to anyone you know who might benefit from our savings plans.

If you’d like more information about our discount benefit plans, please visit http://julie.joinxpress.com/product.html.  If you are interested in learning about the Xpress Healthcare business opportunity, visit http://julie.joinxpress.com/xhc1.html.

The Future Me

I read a question on a website asking about the future me.  In a perfect world, what will my life be like in the future?

The question got me thinking.  I am a “mature” woman.  Both my parents lived well into their 80’s, and my grandmother lived to 93.  So, with longevity on my side, I may still be around in 20 years.  So, let me tell you what the “future me” will be doing – assuming that “perfect world.”

My husband and I have had our house up for sale for nearly a year.  This is not a good time to try to sell a house.  The “future me” will have our house sold, and we will be living in California, close to our children and grandchildren.  We will be living in a nice, safe and quiet neighborhood with a lovely home.

My “future me’s” health is of great importance.  I have health issues now, which my parents did not have at my age. I have taken care of myself my entire life, always staying active and exercising, keeping my weight pretty much under control and eating fairly well – if not quite as healthfully as I should.  I never smoked, used drugs or overindulged in adult beverages. 

Therefore, there was not too much I could have done differently to prevent my health problems.  However, if the conditions do not worsen, I may live well into old age.  The “future me” will be in decent, though not excellent health, mobile, self-sufficient and able to enjoy the pleasures in life.

Throughout my life I saved money, building an income for our retirement.  With the global recession, my investments took a heavy hit – just at the time when I would like to have been able to begin to live on them.  The “future me” will live in a greatly improved economy, increasing my investments dramatically.

This leads to another thing the “future me” will be enjoying - a great income from my Xpress Healthcare business.  Unlike many in network marketing, I am earning a decent income from my home business.  Decent, but not the six-figure income everyone talks about.  I am fortunate that my business continues to grow, but the “future me” will have that six-figure income, enabling me to enjoy my “senior” years traveling and doing whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it.

It is fortunate that I work in the business I do, because it provides me with supplemental health, dental and other great discounts to save me money in various areas of my life.  As long as I am able to sit at a desk and use my computer, I can continue to work if I choose to do so well into old age.

Hopefully this blog will encourage you to think about the future you, where you will be and what you will be doing.  I hope we can all be there together!

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Chase Your Passion

Passion:  “intense emotion: intense or overpowering emotion such as love, joy, hatred, or anger; intense enthusiasm: a strong liking or enthusiasm for a subject or activity”

I do not believe that children feel or understand passion, not to be confused with love for any person or thing.  When we hit our teens, I think we begin to feel passion.  When I was in my teens, I began to have “crushes” on boys.  At the time, I remember thinking that I loved one guy or another, but in reality, I think it was actually passion beginning to bloom.

Also, in our teens, the most important thing in the world to us is our friends.  We are passionate about our friendships as we begin to mature we pull away from our families.  Most of us return to the strong family fold later, but during our teens, they are not as important to us as our friends.

As we continue to grow into adults, many of us develop hobbies or get involved with sports about which we become passionate.  My late husband was passionate about fishing and hunting.  My current husband is a “car nut,” building and looking at classic cars at every opportunity.  Some people cannot get enough of watching football. 

In my late 20’s, I became involved with genealogy.  To this day, many years later, I am passionate about my family history.  I research my family whenever I have time to do so.  This passion is only for my own family.  I want to learn everything I possibly can about them, how each person was related to each other person and how far back in history can I trace them.

When my husband and I were married (20 years this coming New Years Day), I introduced him to genealogy.  He loves it nearly as much as I do, and together we have traced one branch of his family back to the year 636.  Yes indeed, he is now passionate about genealogy too.

I worked a variety of jobs throughout my life, but I never became passionate about my career.  It was simply a way to earn money and support my family.

In February, 2011, however, I joined a network marketing company called Xpress Healthcare, and for the first time, I am passionate about my work.  I often spend 10-12 hours a day working on my business, but the time just passes, because I love what I am doing. 

I am passionate about helping people save money with our discount savings plans, and using the plans, I personally save an enormous amount of money each year.  Even more than Xpress Healthcare’s products, I am passionate about growing a team of affiliates who are also passionate about the company.  It is a thrill for me to watch them build a business and an income and to watch them grow themselves, learning new skills and stepping out of their comfort zones to try new and different methods of marketing the business.

Looking back over my life, I can see how passion can be many different things, as the definition at the top of this page indicates.  It can be nearly any strong emotion, both positive and negative.  However, the emotions evoked by passion keep us alive, striving to always do more, have more, see more and feel more. 

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My Dog Ate My Homework

Like teachers who receive excuses like, “My dog at my homework,” those of us in network marketing hear some pretty crazy reasons as to why people on our teams quit.

With my company, because we offer a 14-day trial, the majority of those who quit do so during the trial.  It makes it easier.  I never have charge backs.  But periodically some do quit at a later date.

I am extremely honest with prospective team members.  I make it very clear that they likely will not be making money for possibly the first few weeks, but the potential to earn a great deal is great if they work hard and persevere.  I also explain that a home business is work, real work.  I want people to understand exactly what to expect, so I explain it all very thoroughly before they join.

That said, even after years in network marketing, I am still amused when I see the silly excuses people give for why they are quitting.  

Recently I had a young lady quit, because she didn’t want to “work so hard.” 

Some people have worked with several different companies and they quit saying they could not earn enough money right away.  With each company they join, they expect too much too soon.

Of course, although each new team member knows before they join exactly how much their monthly fee will be after their trial period ends, and yet, there are still those who quit due to financial reasons.  Did they really not know before they joined that they wouldn’t be able to afford it?  So they waste their own time and mine in training.

A couple times I’ve had people tell me that they were offered a j-o-b they “couldn’t refuse.”  Both told me they weren’t even looking for a job, but the company approached them and begged them to work for them.  Of course, neither of them had done one bit of work with their business during their time with my company.

I know that life sometimes “gets in the way,” but many have quit my team saying there was just too much going on in their lives to work the business.  All of a sudden, during that brief 2 week trial, their entire life went into turmoil?  Hmm.

I cannot begin to count the number of people who have called me saying that, due to health issues, they cannot work a normal job outside their home.  So, they decided they want a home business.  During the “interview” process I always ask whether, with their health problems, they are certain they can handle work at home.  Of course, they answer “yes” and then days or weeks later, they quit because of health issues.

I have gotten much better at determining whether someone will be an asset to my team or not.  More often than not, I am right.  However, there are always those who deserve an Academy Award for their performance prior to joining.  They are enthusiastic and excited to get started, and they appear to have the experience and background it takes to be successful. 

One thing I have definitely learned is not to get too excited about anyone joining my team.  I no longer feel “sure” that anyone is going to be great.  It is unfortunate, but there is no crystal ball, so we can never be sure until they come on board and prove themselves.