Past RY Vibes

Market America & SHOP.COM Named 18th Fastest-Growing Mobile Retailer in 2015.

September 8th, 2014, 5:30pm

(Source: Internet Retailer Mobile 500 and beingjrridinger.com)

Mobile sales have grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years, and the Market America Mobile Team has been hard at work to help us stay ahead of the curve so we can leverage this booming platform. If the latest Internet Retailer Mobile 500 results are any indication, it would seem our efforts have really paid off! According to the 2015 Internet Retailer Mobile 500, Market America | SHOP.COM ranked as the 18th fastest-growing Mobile Retailer in the world!

This is due to the dedication and innovation of our Mobile Team led by Steve Ashley, as well as to our incredible UnFranchise Owners and loyal customers around the world! Since 2013 mobile sales on SHOP.COM have double thanks to you! This is great news for our company and is an honor we all share together. I look forward to what Steve and our brilliant Mobile Team have in store for the coming year to help us continue to build on our tremendous success!

JR Ridinger
CEO/Founder
Market America/Shop.com

Pre-qualified & Pre-close equals Done Deal...

July 3rd, 2014, 11:30am

You've probably seen similar articles, or have read similar views from "experts" when it comes to closing techniques. So I say, "what's one more opinion"? Especially based on experience not only as an Entrepreneur, but previously as a successful Executive Recruiter. We've heard it before, "the battle is won long before it's ever fought."

If you don't buy into this philosophy, you might be struggling with your close. Whether it's the first call, second call, or actual face-face appointment, if you're pre-qualifying the prospect or potential client with honesty and candor, you're chances of a done deal will dramatically increase. You need to ask the most important questions... It could be questions about timing, budget, or are they really serious about this particular need in general.

When you ask these questions a head of time, your prospect will appreciate the honesty and maybe even more importantly, they know you're not desperate! They need to think and understand that the value of what you're bringing to the table is a scenario of "them needing you more than you needing them". Prior to any appointment, I always ask my prospects, "are you serious about adding this to your company, whether it's from me, or another provider?"

Their response should be a telling sign if they're serious. You should follow that question up with "B/c if you know that the timing (or even money) isn't right currently, I'd rather set up the appointment (or demonstration) at the time when you know you're going to make a decision regardless of who earns your business. This is not pressure selling, it's called "smart selling".

Confidence, posture, poise and control are always noticed by serious and experienced buyers. So next time you're in a hurry to close the deal, make sure you've taken the time to listen to your prospect, but have also made sure they are right for you as well.

Desperation is smelled a mile away...

Thanks for checking in and have a great Summer!
Ray

Small Business Facts...

June 6, 2014, 2:30pm

I know its been a while since my last post and update. No excuses, but business has been BOOMING, so I can' apologize for that. BUT! I can give you some recent statistics that should be very interesting to all you small business owners and entrepreneurs...

Let's talk about a Website's "Sweet Spot". Do you know what part of a website is viewed the most? If you answered the top, you have a lot in common with people who are asked this very important question. But the truth is the most-viewed section of a website is actually the part of the page that is just above the fold. The bottom of the site... That's according to the Charbeat Company, which analyzed 25 million user sessions on the Internet.

Users who read for 15 seconds on a simplified Website were 25% more likely to remember a Brand than those who read 10 seconds or fewer. Users who read an advertisement on a more complicated site for 10 seconds were 30% more likely to remember the Brand than a user who had the advertisement in view for 5 seconds.

This is what our team does. So if you think growing your business through online methods and technology is important, then contact us today. We'll educate you how to leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Ecommerce to increase the effectiveness of your website.

Thanks for checking in as always, and for continuing to stay informed!
Ray

Work Hard like Old School, but Work Smart with New School...

March 17, 2014, 6:00pm

I was brought up in a "blue collar" family and environment. Everyone worked hard, some harder than others, and I wouldn't change learning that mentality at such a young age for anything. However times have changed. So unless you've been locked in a closet somewhere for the past 20 years, or even more importantly, the past 5 or 6, you need to adopt and adapt the New School work ethic.

Now don't misunderstand what I'm saying... I'm not saying don't work hard. What I mean by working with a "New School" mentality is utilizing technology and incorporating into your routine for success. A good friend of mine, and very successful Entrepreneur, Don Martin said it best... "What use to take me 30days to accomplish regarding prospecting, building the pipeline, etc, I can now get done in almost 30mins." Reason, the internet. Even better, Social Media.

If you haven't embraced this thinking or philosophy, boy are you missing the boat big time! Social Media is the best form of "free advertising" period! Go ahead, try and debate that. Let's look at one statistic so I don't bore you with numbers... There are approximately 7 Billion people on planet earth, and more than 1 Billion of them have a Facebook account!

You getting this??? This goes well beyond just Social Media, trust me. But if you aren't keeping up with your online presence for your business, or taking advantage of all that technology has to offer (most of which can be free) then trust me when I tell you, your competitors will thank you!

Get with the program Old Schoolers. If you can learn to combine your work ethic with New School methods and resources, trust me, your competition will fear you instead of thanking you...

Thanks for checking in as always.
Ray

Fear Costs You Income...

February 20, 2014, 2:45pm

Article Source - www.grantcardone.com

Has fear ever gotten the best of you? Has it kept you from calling on a client, investing money in your company, spending money on your branding and expansion? Has fear ever kept you from taking some risk and getting to the NEXT level?

In my 20's I was broke and busted, had little direction, and had no idea what I was going to do with my life. Worst of all, I was afraid… and this fear was consuming me. Even into my 30's after I had started to find my way, fear continued to torture me in business and in life.

This thing called fear causes millions of people to end up stuck in their lives, not fulfilling their potential. During the lowest times of my life, most people I consulted with or confided in about my situation wanted me to take medications to get myself better and handle my fears and insecurities. I didn’t like this option for me. It just didn’t feel right.

I had used drugs and they never seemed to make me more secure, certain, or confident.

The only thing that I have found to truly handle my fears has been action. Doing the very things I was scared of made me stronger and more confident. Without exception, not one thing I have been scared of was as threatening as I had imagined it to be. I was being faked out by fear and I’ll bet you are too. Look, your success or lack thereof is all tied up in how you handle fear.

Do you learn of an opportunity and then list reasons why you can’t pursue it? Do you look to other outside obligations and people to blame for keeping you stuck? I guarantee you, you’re afraid. I know fear very well. I still get afraid but these days, I WANT to get a jolt of fear. When you use fear as fuel, you become strong, clear and driven. You start to look for things that make you scared.

So here’s how to start facing your fears and grasp the effect they have on your success.
1. Write a list of your goals.
2. Then write a list of what you fear.

You’ll then see on paper, right there in your handwriting, how your fears are the walls between you and accomplishment. Assume all responsibility for why you are not moving forward. It’s fear! You’re being faked out by it. You want more money, more freedom, and more goodness in your life? Face your fear! Get the sledgehammer and start hammering at them one at a time. It’s rough. I went through it. You’ll get your fears handled one by one.

Trust me on that. When you do what you fear, you’ll notice opportunity coming your way and why? Because, when you can handle the fear, you can handle success. More wins start to come for every brave step forward you take. C’mon, you got this. Use fear as a great motivator!

Today, I know so much about fear that fear is scared of me.

Be great! Nothing else pays.

Thanks for reading as always,
Ray

**FYI** If you haven't subscribed to Grant Cardone, you should.

Reflect on past decisions...

January 27, 2014, 6:45pm

If you've been reading and following me or my articles the past year or so, you can hopefully see I truly do care about you and your success. So while I've written about staying positive, having the right posture, or making sure you're surrounding yourself with the right people, etc. I wanted to take a moment and reflect on some of the decisions I made the past year that have made the biggest impact on me and my business.

As much as we all think (or at least most of us men do) that we know it all, we don't. So just when I thought I was doing the right things to create more revenue and success, boy was I wrong. It took someone not only smarter than me, but far more successful to kick me in my A$$ and make me realize I needed to go back to basics. That meant even making cold calls when I didn't want to, and going back to the "Sales 101 playbook" to remind me of what makes the successful producer. So I did, and boy did it change the course of my year.

One phone call lead to me getting "networked" into an environment that generated more leads and closed sales, than ever before during my Entrepreneurial career. I decided to spend money when things were tight ( as they are for most business owners) and invest in me and my Brand. This has now turned into the best decision I could have ever imagined, as it has also spun off consulting projects which of course, means additional income and revenue.

My point? When you feel it in your gut, and you know it seems like the right move, do it! Even when it may go against "conventional wisdom", screw that! That's the difference! You have to do what the other guy isn't willing to do, period! Don't listen to someone that hasn't taken risks or been in the "game". They don't have a clue as they sit there and complain about how business is slow, the economy sucks, or they blame something else other than the fact that they are closed-minded and stuck in their ways. That is NOT the type of relationship you want or need when it comes to building and expanding business.

Now, as we continue to establish "new footprints" and relationships with the right people, I can only imagine what 2014 will hold for continued success...

Thanks for checking in, and I wish YOU a Banner year in 2014!

Cheers!
Ray

Just be thankful...

December 31, 2013, 12:30pm

Well, here we are. Getting ready to celebrate another year to come, and we say goodbye to the one about to pass. As I look back on 2013 the biggest thing that comes to mind as I reflect is being thankful. I am thankful for the ups and downs. Thankful for the experiences and lessons I've learned, successes and failures. Thankful for new friendships, business partners, alliances, and most importantly, my family. They have been the driving force that has pushed me to have such an amazing year.

Of course it wasn't all gravy, but for the most part it was so successful on so many different levels. It's so rewarding to know that the work you have put in, especially in the past and how frustrating it can be b/c there's never immediate results when it comes to "sweat equity" and your efforts, but now everything is really coming to fruition.

It has given me an even better outlook and attitude as 2014 rapidly approaches. I sincerely thank my clients for their confidence in me, my partners for continued effort even when disappointment reared its ugly head, and the true friends who stuck by me. But most of all my fiance', Heather, for being my biggest fan, supporter, cheerleader, and for "kicking and kissing" me when I needed it the most. Without her, I'd be nothing, and 2013 would have been a disaster.

So as I write my last post for 2013 I encourage all of you to reflect on this year. Learn from your success, but more importantly your failures. I'm so thankful for the right people in my life and look forward to the best year to come on as many levels.

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year, and thank you sincerely for checking in all year.

Don't "bunt", swing for the fences!

Cheers!
Ray

All It Takes is 12 Good Phone Calls A Year...

December 2, 2013, 8:00pm

Two weeks ago I quit the business for the eighteenth time. I quit it again this past Thursday afternoon for the nineteenth time but got back into it around 3:30 when I had three ‘yeses’ in a row with prospects regarding appointments. It was incredible! Each prospect that I talked to, one after another, three in a row, said yes, they were interested in expanding their business with me. The "sales gods" were indeed smiling on me and I was on fire! I didn’t want to stop and was disappointed that the day was ending.

Entrepreneurism is pure madness most of the time, with minor glimpses of sanity and pleasure, just enough to suck you back into it. But that’s what makes it so much fun. It’s a game of probabilities, and if you learn how to master what is in your control, and influence what isn’t, coupled with a consistent habit of intense focus in the right areas with the right intention, then you’ll be successful. Remember it was the tortoise who won the race, not the hare.

So if you are on the edge of quitting the game, losing your mind, or both, then consider this perspective. If we can boil success down to the lowest common denominator in our world, it would look like this... if your goal is to land one account per month, then you only need to have twelve good phone calls a year, that’s it. All you need is one good phone call a month with a prospect who subsequently turns into a client! If only we could get rid of everything else. All you are looking for is that one good call a month. That’s it.

People always ask me the secret of staying motivated when you work for yourself. I think it is determined by what you’re looking at. If you are looking at all of the negative aspects of being an Entrepreneur, then you’ll think this business is negative. Slow-paying clients, slow-moving prospects, prospects no-showing for appointments, prospects agreeing that your company is a fit for them, and then you get to the "sign here" appointment and they change their tune!

You get the picture! Things can get really weird and if you are starting to see weird things happen then that means you are "working your business". If things aren’t getting weird and frustrating for you then you’re not doing enough. It’s always a good sign when bad things happen to you because you have enough activity to see bad things happen, right? And when we focus on what we want and not on what we don’t want, then we attract those successes to us.

Think of yourself falling off the bike. You just pick yourself up, acknowledge the sting of pain, and get back on the bike and start peddling so hard that you don’t feel how painful things are. When you’ve got enough good activity then you don’t seem to have time to notice those little setbacks.

Staying motivated is all about focus. Focus on that next good call, and the next good call... Whenever one of my partners or colleagues ask me about dealing with a problem or crisis in their business, I always ask them this question: "If you had three new clients coming on board this week, and six appointments scheduled for next week, would this really be much of a problem?" I rest my case...

All of our problems go away when we have activity, and activity starts with our focus. If you are having trouble getting motivated and staying motivated, just look for one good call this month, and one good call next month, etc. And hopefully when you do quit the business, you’ll jump right back into it thirty minutes later...

Thanks for checking in as always and close the year out strong!
Ray

Don't Be Deceived by The Media Hype on the Economy

Oct. 7, 2013, 12:00pm

Article Source: www.grantcardone.com

The same week the US Government shuts down, the Wall Street Journal and Federal Reserve report a rise in US household net worth fueled by gains in home and stock values.

The media says the economy is improving so you feel better and then go spend money that you don’t really have. Stop this! To understand how to build wealth you must understand principles and terminology. Then, when you hear, read, and watch news, you’re not hoodwinked.

When the Wall Street Journal reported this week that “U.S. Household net worth jumped $1.3 trillion in the spring fueled by gains in home and stock values,” and the Federal Reserve says “net worth rose to $74.8 trillion in the April-June quarter, up 1.8% from the first quarter,” you must dig deeper and know these facts. First, a home is never never never part of your net worth calculation. Net worth is not what you buy your groceries with and the Fed’s figures aren’t adjusted to factor in inflation or population growth. It’s hype. Don’t believe it.

Instead, I urge you to focus not on feeling good but, on building your own economy. Focus on wealth and don’t let the media machine sway you. The people who want to get wealthy do two things. They commit to getting wealthy and they take the time to study and understand wealth.

Want to start creating some wealth for you and your family?

Do this:
Focus on increasing income every chance you get. Cash flow is more important than net worth. Don’t spend money; save to invest. Create multiple flows of income through investments (real estate, multi-level marketing are two examples).
Use debt to make more money, not to buy “comfort.” The wealthy aren’t using credit cards for movie tickets.

Make wealth a priority.
2008 seems like a long time ago but those wounds are fresh and a crash like that will happen again. This is why you can’t get angry at “the economy.” Instead focus on “your economy” and build something that will care for you and your family for many years to come.

Be great, nothing else pays.

(I highly recommend subscribing to www.grantcardone.com as well as purchasing any of his books or audio series. They've changed the way I conduct business and the results have been incredible!)

Trust your gut, and don't listen to the crabs...

Oct. 4, 2013, 2:45pm

It's funny how when you look back you sometimes second guess yourself at the decisions you made, especially when it comes to your career... What's worse is finding yourself possibly listening to the people that couldn't care less about you, but yet are "steering" you in one direction or another. More than 13 years ago, I made a decision to leave the only thing I'd known for 7 years up until that point. I left for a shot at bettering myself, yes for more money, personal growth & development, and to achieve new goals.

I just learned yesterday that the company I left, and would have been employed by for more than 17 years is closing. I would have been working on my 18th year there and just like that, gone. Really makes you stop and think about the people that told you that the decision I was about to make completely shifting gears and careers, would be a bad move...

B/c I didn't listen and decided to go "against the grain" it allowed me to have a very successful and fulfilling career in Executive Search & Staffing, with a parlay into Entrepreneurship. One thing I learned a long time ago, but didn't realize it until after I "made it" was most people are like "crabs in a basket"... When one tries to climb out the others pull him back in... Well I'm glad I made it out and now the crabs can be miserable with each other.

Keep growing, listen to your gut, and stay away from the crabs!

Thanks for reading as always.
Ray

Market America Named Fastest Growing Mobile Commerce Retailer in the 2014 Mobile 500

September 25, 2013

Mobile commerce is one of the fastest growing and most important aspects of the retail industry – and it’s only getting more important as mobile devices continue to evolve and transform our daily lives. Mobile sales are a critical aspect of our industry, and fortunately for us we’ve assembled a team of the best and brightest people to help us leverage the power of Market America and SHOP.COM on mobile platforms.

Led by our Vice President of Mobile and Social Products, Steve Ashley, our mobile team has been leading the parade and helping our company fully capitalize on mobile commerce. In fact, our mobile team has done such an incredible job that we’ve recently been named the fastest growing mobile commerce retailer in the Internet Retailer 2014 Mobile 500! That growth is absolutely astounding, and is a real testament to our people power.

Between our ever-expanding product line and the amazing work Steve’s team has done with our mobile app, we’ve been able to skyrocket to the top of the list this year. This is just one more way we are leading the parade and staying ahead of the curve! As a company, we are committed to leveraging the power of mobile commerce – and with Steve Ashley leading our brilliant mobile team I know the best is yet to come!

Congratulations!

Word to the Wise, Free has no value...

8/29/13, 2:15pm

You’ve probably seen signs and advertisements on the street and on the Internet that scream “Free Web sites!!!” You might have even talked to prospects who’ve asked why they should consider our solution for their small business, instead of a company that offers free sites.

Here’s why we are far, far superior than free Web site companies:

• In the end, the customer of a free Web site is responsible for doing the bulk of the work building the pages. Busy small and medium-size business owners and managers don’t usually have hours to spend on this task. Our solution allows the owner or manager to focus on their business.
• Free Web site companies do a lousy job taking care of the domain registration process. We make domain registration fast and easy.
• Hiring a free Web site company puts the content and images of a business at risk. Who owns the content? The free Web site, or the business? With us, the client always owns the content.
• Free Web site companies offer little or no help setting up email functions. This can be a tricky proposition for a busy small business owner. Our solution offers unlimited email addresses of 1 gigabyte each that are easy to set up.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) services are almost never offered by free Web site companies. We offer extensive SEO services, and customer support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by phone.
• Free Web site companies expect their customers to supply their own images. We have access to extensive image libraries and can assist clients with establishing the right look for their new site.
• Free Web sites likely will require the hiring of a Web developer for thousands of dollars to maintain the site in the future. We offer easy to use editing tools for regular updates or even an entire redesign of the site.

Lots of companies offering free Web sites claim they are smart, successful, and easy to deal with. But a closer look finds the truth is very different...

Thanks for checking in and continued success!
Ray

Posture up!

7/19/13, 11am

Do you believe in your product or service? Better question, do you believe in your company, or most important, yourself? In almost 20 years in the workforce and as an Entrepreneur there's one thing I've learned early on, and that is you can't put a price on confidence. Now I know for some of you, you think this is elementary... Well if that's true than why are so many of you not executing or producing like you should be? Why are sales down, why are you stressed?

In my staffing career I met and worked with tens of thousands of people... Candidates, clients, etc... When I'm interviewing a candidate or even a client, to this day one of the first things I observe is how they're postured. Meaning, they could look awesome on "paper", but when face-face, there's no hiding. I will see right through that person and I know immediately if they're feeding me lipservice, or if they exude the confidence it takes to be successful?

Doesn't matter what your product, service or company model is... Doesn't matter if you're interviewing for a job, or if you're the hiring manager! If you aren't speaking, presenting or more importantly CLOSING with passion, believe and conviction, you'll go hungry! Tell me I'm wrong??? I do this even when I'm meeting with a prospective client. I may want to sell him a product or website, but if I'm smelling BS and it's clear they aren't behind their own company, product, service or again, have HUGE belief in themselves... I say NEXT! And for the record, I would expect any potential client or candidate to do the same to me if they felt that way.

So think about this next time you're looking to close your next client, or even close that next hiring manager b/c you're interviewing for what could be the most important job in your career to date! Posture, Belief, Passion and Conviction will almost always win out over skill, experience, knowledge, etc.... It always does in my book. These are the characteristics that I can work with. Show me someone that just goes through the motions and I'll show them the door...

Thanks for checking in and have a great weekend!
Ray

Don't get the "Summertime Business Blues!"

7/8/13, 2pm

I have been in business for myself for more than 10 years. For more than 15 I've been either building my brand, or someone else's. So whether you're in a Sales position, or even day to day operations, don't get stuck into this "easy way out" thinking that Summer means slow business...

The problem is that most people buy into this STUPID concept that since it's summer, business just automatically slows down. Now, if you're in a seasonal industry and summer is your busy time, awesome! We all know certain companies will be very busy during the next 90 plus days or so. You know who you are... But for the rest of us, don't buy into that BS! If you are consistently consistent at marketing your brand or company and go the extra mile it simply comes down to doing what the "other guy" isn't!

You need to take advantage of the seasons and how it effects certain companies. When I was in Executive Search & Staffing, most would say summer wasn't the best time to be bringing on clients or recruiting candidates... Vacations, temp replacements, hiring managers not available, all made for a tough climate in staffing. Let me tell you something, I've had some of my best months in Staffing during the summer. Again, what are you doing differently to prevent slow times? Are you staying ahead of the game and planning for what is considered your slow time of the year?

Lastly I'm forever hearing excuses about the economy, no one is buying, poor me, etc... Again, I ask you, what are you doing differently so you stay profitable? That extra phone call or the meeting you don't think the other guy will take b/c it's summer... I guarantee you there's probably at least one or even more than one of your competitors that are thriving right now... If you do nothing, then you get the same result, or even worse, profits turn to loses. Don't let that happen! Be proactive! Set a blistering pace so even you have a tough time keeping up. Trust me, you'll thank yourself.

So when the "Summertime Blues" got you down, look back, audit your business, more importantly audit yourself and see if effort was increased or not, as your supposedly "slow time of the year" approached.

Thanks for reading as always. Keep on keeping on!
Ray

Spend the Money even in tough times...

6/21/13, 3:00pm

Whether your business is thriving, stalled, or just steady... Always look for ways to invest to increase revenue or contribute to expansion. It might be that networking group you've been meaning to join, a certain ad you wanted to run, or that event/expo putting your company on display. Either way when done properly, it can and will pay huge returns.

Now some are stuck in that old school/stubborn mindset that it's a waste of money these days. I respectfully disagree. Reason... B/c it only takes that one potential customer/client that you meet, speak to, or get referred to and all of a sudden your business is thrusted into High Gear. Now I know this doesn't happen overnight, but I'm assuming if you own a business and you're reading this it means you plan on being around for now and the future?

Nothing happens overnight, but by the same token one or two new contacts generated from your spending efforts may turn into sales and your month looks much better than it did prior to taking the plunge, right? Remember boys and girls, growing your business and staying profitable is a process, not an event. We must change with the times, adapt and even overcome when necessary.

Don't get sucked in to that "census" thinking that spending money when business is slow isn't smart business. If you wait until money is better to spend, you could potentially be losing out on HUGE opportunities. Chances are it may never be the "perfect time" to invest or spend. Remember this, the successful person does what the unsuccessful person doesn't do, or isn't willing to do, period!

Keep growing, stay with the times and good things will happen. Thanks for checking in and we'll talk to you soon!

Ray

Gearing up for Ocean City, MD - Regional Conference

5/1/13, 3:45pm

Okay, so I know I've been away for a while and I apologize. Things have been crazy busy around here and that's a good thing. It cracks me up when someone complains about how busy they are regarding business... Really? Would you prefer the alternative???

That said I am really excited about this up coming weekend in Ocean City, MD. Shop.com will be holding it's annual Regional Convention and Conference Friday night through Sunday afternoon. We will be recapping some of the new and exciting tools, resources, coaching and technology that was unvailed during our World Conference in Miami back in Jan of this year.

I am also excited about all of the new and fun things happening as well as what the future holds for this record breaking company. We just climbed 13 spots on Internet Retailer's 500 list to hold strong at #57. Not too bad for a company that wasn't even on the radar screen in the online shopping and internet world less than 4 years ago...

I am also extremely amped about our Web Solution division of Ray Yedman & Associates. Create Your Site Now is doing very well and we're expanding our Sales force. Hiring at least 2-3 Sales Professionals during May and who knows how many beyond that!

So make sure you stay tuned throughout the remainder of Spring and check in with us during the Summer to see what other new and exciting events are going on in the world of Internet Franchising, Online Shopping and Custom Web Design!

Thanks for reading as always!
Ray

Goals - Set ridiculous goals!

3/20/13, 1:30am

I've been doing a lot of reading recently b/c that's what I like to do. I usually try to get in at least 2 books per month to keep me focused, learn new techniques and basically to just continue to grow personally. One of the books I just finished is The 10X Rule, The Only Difference Between Success And Failure by Grant Cardone. Grant Cardone is in my opinion the best Sales trainer and growth coach going strong today.

He talks about setting crazy, ridiculous goals that for the average person seem very unobtainable. But here's the point and personally, for me, I don't think you can argue with this type of thinking and logic. Would you rather fall short of a "Million Dollar" goal, or a "Hundred Thousand Dollar" goal???

We're all going to fail at some point. Hopefully sooner than later so we can get on with our life and career and now success is a foregone conclusion. So remember, shoot for the stars and maybe you just might hit the moon! Stop selling yourself short thinking you're only capable of small! Think Big and big things happen.

Thanks for checking in as usual and go set your goals!
Ray

Just Do It!

3/6/13, 11:45pm

Some people might want to brace themselves before reading... I'm probably going to "bitchslap" a few of you, at least verbally. If you ever get the chance, look up Art Williams's "Do it" speech from 1987. For those of you who don't know who he is he was the Founder of A.L. Williams which later became known as Primerca Financial Services.

He talks about what separates the contenders from the pretenders. Successful from the unsuccessful. Winners from the losers in "these here United States", to quote him. The difference is successful people "JUST DO IT". No excuses, no complaints, no whining, bitching moaning, etc... Just do it!

So I'd like to add my own thoughts on this and I'll keep it short. Basically it's about "failing your way to success"... Meaning stop talking about it, thinking about it, pontificating about it and jump in! You can't win if you're not in the game, right??? While you're sitting on the sideline "beta-testing" to see if you're comfortable with your product, service or whatever... Meanwhile your competition just blew right by you and is driving revenue from day 1!

Business is a contact sport ladies & gentlemen, get out there and "hit somebody"! It's like my main man Grant Cardone says... If you believe in your product or service you have to push it into space and DOMINATE! Apple, Microsoft, Coke... These companies don't sit around and wait to see what happens with a new product. They get it out there in a hurry and sell the sh!t out of it! There isn't any competition with this companies. They don't believe in the old adage "competition is healthy". The get after it, and get after it fast and hard.

DRIVE REVENUE PEOPLE!

Okay, hopefully that bitchslap didn't hurt too bad and now you're ready to get in the game and kick some A$$! Thanks for reading as always and visit us again!

Ray

The Mind needs nourishment too, not just the body...

2/25/13, 1:00am

Most of us know, or we at least should know the good and bad when it comes to food that we are putting in our bodies. For years, and I'm sure for years to come we will have the ongoing debate about what is actually healthy and what we think is healthy as we continue to feed ourselves nutritiously. What I would like to talk about is just as important, if not even more, and that's what we're "feeding our minds"...

Negativity and the "unpositive" have been surrounding us for years. Especially now. Technology pretty much makes it so we can't avoid hearing or seeing what's going on in today's society. Couple that with our dysfunctional families (if yours is like mine) and the way they view us, or even treat us b/c we decided to go against the status quo and actually do something different, we're condemned for it!

I decided a long time ago that I was going to make it a daily habit of putting positive, healthy "things" into my mind. Make it a habit to read whether it be a good book, article, post or even listen to audios that put you in the right frame of positive mind. Completely "drown out" anything or anybody that isn't a positive force in your life and career. I know it can be difficult to get away from family and friends that just aren't helping the cause. But trust me when I tell you, it's imperative that you at least take a "mental vacation" from them!

You'll thank yourself you did. Keep forging ahead, don't get derailed b/c someone in your life didn't have the guts to step out and stake their own claim! You obviously did so keep them at bay and keep your eyes on the prize, whatever that may be for you. I know I am!

Thanks for reading as always, keep growing!
Ray

Tie a knot and hang on!

2/8/13, 10:30am

So things aren't going as expected thus far in the new year... So what? It happens, that's the nature of the beast and business. During an earlier article I wrote about having a solid game plan and sticking to it. If you believe your playbook is on point but things just aren't happening fast enough then "change the plays", not the entire playbook. You can always measure and even "audit" your business, more importantly yourself, by irons in the fire, activity, etc...

If you're selling, don't hide behind email, social media, etc... You need to pick up the phone! Trust me it still works! I'm not saying that should be the only thing and place heavy or all emphasis on the phone, but nothing beats a live conversation.

Regardless of your status, timing, even revenue situation, if you believe your game plan is solid, then work that playbook until you cross the goaline! It's only a matter of time before you score and big things happen. So tie a knot at the end of the rope and hang on! The breakthrough is within striking distance, trust me.

Thanks for checking in as always and we'll talk to you soon!
Ray

Customer Service is King...

1/23/13, 4:00pm

Recent research by Bloomberg Businessweek found that 80 percent of businesses want to get closer to their customers, and have identified enhanced customer service as one of the top ways to achieve this goal. But only 20 percent of businesses reported they think they are doing an acceptable job of providing great customer service. And only 8 percent of their customers believe businesses are doing a good job. It’s food for thought, and a great topic of discussion when targeting potential clients and customers.

Words to live by...
Famous salesman and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar died Nov. 28 at age 86. He will be missed. Over the course of his life, Ziglar gained millions of fans with his lessons of success in books and speeches. Here are a few of his more notable quotes:
“You can have everything in life you want, if you help enough people get what they want.”
“People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”
“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
“Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”
“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

Over the oceans...
Think all businesses that complete transactions outside of the United States are massive, international conglomerates? Think again! The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that 97 percent of exporters are small businesses. More and more small businesses are seeking growing markets amid the turbulent world economy, and they’re not afraid to look far away to do it. Internet communication and expanding global shipping options are a big help.

So the next time you hear of a company expanding into Asia, Europe or Latin America, don’t misunderstand, it might be a small business, and you can service them regardless of their International presence.

Cyber Monday surprises...
Consumers spent more than $1 billion each day on Monday, Nov. 26, Tuesday, Nov. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 28, according to the comScore research firm. Nov. 26 and 27 were the two top online spending days in history. More was spent on Tuesday, Nov. 27 than Cyber Monday in 2011. More than $20 billion was spent on the Internet in the time period since the holiday season started to Dec. 2, an increase of 15 percent from a year earlier.

Shipping Stats...
More online merchants are offering free shipping as a way to drive sales, and consumers seem to like it. ComScore reports that more than half of Internet merchandise sales during the first three weeks of the 2012 holiday season featured free shipping. A whopping 57 percent of online transactions during the week ending Sunday, Nov. 25 were shipped for free. Customers spent about 42 percent more on orders that were shipped for free. They spent 51 percent more on free shipping orders the week ending Nov. 25. Researchers said consumers might be adding items to meet minimum order thresholds for free shipping, or adding extra items and justifying it because they saved on shipping.

Word of the week...
T-Commerce
T-commerce stands for tablet commerce and refers to a strategy of developing a Web site that is specially tuned for the rapidly rising number of tablet users. Tablets offer features and experiences that are not available on smartphones, laptops and PCs. By developing a T-commerce site, an online retailer can provide an intimate shopping experience to a customer who is more likely to be home relaxing, bored at the airport, or on the go.

Most importantly, T-commerce leverages a tablet’s touchscreen capabilities. The site can include compelling buttons like “Learn More,” or “Why (insert product name)?” and, best of all, “Buy Now !” These buttons can be tapped very quickly and easily by customers, and have been known to increase sales dramatically. Tablets have larger screens, they are more interactive and fun to use, and are used by a demographic that tends to have a higher income.

A recent study by Forrester Research found that tablet users spend more and purchase more often than smartphone users. Our Point??? Make sure your company has a tablet friendly site especially if you're a product driven business!

Thanks for checking in as always and come back next week!
Ray

2013, Get your gameplan together and stick to it...

1/14/13, 2:00pm

So here we are, 2013 and counting... Already two weeks in and things are moving & shaking in the right direction. I'm hoping like most organized and driven Business Owners and Entrepreneurs that your Goals, Action Plan, etc was long set in motion before 2012 ended??? This is the year to make it happen, period! With all of the things going on in the economy, your industry, or what have you, just stick to your gameplan and don't waiver. You're still in business for a reason. You can't worry about the competition, that's old thinking. Merge the old with the new...

Meaning, keeping your existing customers happy and make sure they're telling everyone they know that your place of business is where consumers or clients need to go if they want service or products (if you're product based) and customer service is at the highest level.

Now, having made that statement about not worrying about the competition, don't get me wrong. Keep your hand on the pulse of your industry and keep what's working, if possible make it even better or more efficient. Most important, if it's not working, or hasn't in the past it's most likely for a good reason! Don't be stubborn! Change and focus or your customers and potential customers will go elsewhere, trust me!

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox... I just hope you take business building as seriously as I am for 2013 and beyond... Be well, make it a great year and thanks for tuning in as always!

Ray

Final Thoughts for 2012...

12/31/12, 12:00pm

So here we are on the final day of 2012, and what a year it's been. I'm sure most of us would agree it's probably been an up & down year, some good, some bad, but then again you could say that about most years I guess, right? For me, it's been an especially difficult year. We've had to deal with so many obstacles business wise and of course always on the personal side. When I look back at 2012 it's really a year I would soon forget. We lost multiple family members, friends, Cancer reared it's ugly head in a loved one, and of course how could we ever forget the National Tragedies that stunned the country just a few short months, even weeks ago.

But with all that said and with all the heartache and pain that came from 2012, it also brought the birth of child number 3, my daughter. I have two boys and now I guess you can say the "clan" is complete. I can sit here as I write this and honestly tell you that I'm also thankful for 2012. Yes, that's right I said thankful. Why do you ask? Well it's not that hard to understand... I know this is going to sound so cliche, but when I think about all of the painful things that happened this past year I know it's positioned us for a monumental 2013!

Getting through what seems to be the darkest hours has made me so much stronger and even smarter (if you can believe that) as a Business Man and more importantly, a human being. 2012 taught me to be thankful and grateful for the close family and friends that are in my life and the huge impact they've had on me as a person this year.

It taught me to be prepared for the "uppercuts" life likes to throw at you. Even if you're not so prepared I believe b/c we've been through such a crazy year, that there will never be a time when hit with those punches, that I wouldn't get up, dust myself off and get back in the ring. We've all heard it before it's not how many times you get hit but how many times you get up after you've been hit. Again, sorry for the cliche but isn't it really true? I mean think about the worst thing/s that has happened in your life... If you're reading this then you're still breathing and hopefully you've decided that it wasn't enough to keep you down and quit.

Not only did I not quit, but b/c I decided I wasn't going to let life "win" I know I have the better gameplan heading into 2013. I truly believe with everything I have that 2013 is going to be our year. Yes, "our" year for me, my family and many others who I get to interact with on a regular basis. From a business standpoint, this will also be my best year ever. How you ask... B/c 2012 kicked my A$$ on so many levels that now there's nothing I'm not prepared for or ready for to attack and kick it's A$$! Don't get me wrong, I have no dilusions about being immortal for next year. I'm simply talking about having the ability to handle anything life may throw at me next year. After losing loved ones, huge amounts of money, illness and all of the other crap that happened in 2012, there's no way I will let anything get in my way of achieving my goals for 2013.

To bring this in for a landing and if you're still reading I applaud and thank you, I will say this... 2013 will be the year. What will it be the year of? Well, I can't answer that for you, that's 100% your call, isn't it? For me, it's about the right strategy, the right mindset, the right action and most important, the right people. If I stay consistent with these components 2013 will be set on fire. Question is... will it be your year for total success as well?

Thanks as always for reading, and especially thanks for joining me these past 5 months or so. I really do hope you continue to check back in and join us in 2013, and I wish you nothing but health, wealth, happiness and success!

Respectfully,
Ray

Merry mobile Ecommerce!

12/13/12, 3:00pm

A recent Online Retail Index survey by IBM found that online shopping via mobile devices will play an important role this holiday season. About 500 online retailers were surveyed. IBM predicted that sales from mobile devices will constitute 20 percent of online transactions during the holidays. That’s a surprisingly high number, considering online sales are forecast to rise only 3.1 percent.

Mobile device sales have doubled the past two years, reaching 5.5 percent in 2010 and 11 percent in 2011. The survey also said online sales of home goods will be a top performer. Companies selling home furnishings and decorations are expected to see a growth of 8.9 percent in sales.

Web sales are expected to increase 12 percent this holiday season and reach $96 billion, according to Shop.org, a branch of the National Retail Foundation.

Internet spending increasing...
A survey of 300 small and medium-size businesses by the BIA/Kelsey media and advertising firm found that 40 percent of respondents said they would increase their digital spending budget in the next 12 months. Fewer than 4 percent of businesses said they would spend less on digital marketing.

More than half of the businesses said they would use Facebook to reach customers. About 25 percent said they would engage customers with email marketing. About 17 percent planned to add video to their Web sites or launch a new site with video. And 14 percent of businesses planned to use online banners.

Video gains popularity...
As the Internet grows and changes, there’s evidence that video is becoming more and more popular with consumers, according to research by Internet Retailer.More than 88 million people watch a video on the Internet on any given day. Web-based videos now represent 40 percent of consumer Internet traffic. Video is also an important part of business, as 75 percent of top managers watch work-related videos weekly.

The good news is sites like YouTube have made posting video accessible to almost any Internet user. Our Web Solutions Division, Create Your Site Now is positioned perfectly to teach business owners how we can help them take advantage of trends in online video.

Did you know?
The Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reports that in terms of numbers, about 97 percent of all U.S. businesses are considered “small.” Interesting....

Thanks for reading as always and be sure to check back in for our final post of 2012!
Ray

Getting back to basics...

11/29/12, 10:00pm

Sometimes it's easy to lose track of what got you here in the first place, you know? I mean when I look back on my successes and failures not only in 2012 but in years past the one common thread was business fundementals. For example, networking... Treating people the way you want to be treated. Yes, I know that's so cliche, but isn't it true? I've learned over the years that you really have to show people WHY you can help them or WHY you want to do business with them vs. WHAT you can do for them, right?

When you really "audit" yourself and what's working and not working in your business life, usually the common denominator is people! Meeting and networking with the right people, building solid relationships even partnerships. This week alone and starting with just 2 appointments on the same day, 2 days later those 2 individuals lead me to at least 7 or 8 new Professionals to eventually meet and network with as well. And why did this happen??? Because I conveyed to these two contacts WHY I wanted to work with them and discovered how I can help them first.

Now, will it always happen this way? I believe the answer is YES! It will happen if you take the focus off you, put the Ego aside and really find out what makes them tick and HOW & WHY you can help them! Yes, it works that way 100% of the time. If you're all about you and aren't listening to them and taking it all in, then you're lucky if they'll even remember your name... If they do, it won't be in such a positve light either. So let's get back to the basics of "people building", listening, collaborating and discovering how and WHY the syneriges can work. Do this and you'll see your business, whatever that business may be, take off in a hurry. I know it's happening for me. I hope you do the same.

Thanks as always for reading and finish the week strong!
Ray

Staying focused...

11/11/12, 9:30pm

Well here I am, back after more than two weeks of craziness and chaos due to Hurricane Sandy. In addition to losing more than a week's worth of work, time, money, etc... I also lost two weeks at the gym to continue my quest for victory in the weight loss challenge. That said I am very thankful and grateful that a tree didn't fall on my house or one fall on my car during the storm. Yes, it was almost a week without power but we muscled through it.

So now we need to stay focused. I am on a mission to not only finish these last 4 weeks of the challenge strong, but more importanly finish off 2012 very strong! This has been such an up & down year not only business wise but personally. We've had heartache and stress beyond belief, but the compass is set, faith in tact and on course to cross the finish line fighting and scratching!

I've learned so much about myself this year and others around me that I truly believe 2013 will be the year it all comes together for me and my family. It will continue to get harder before it gets easier, but that's what separates the winners from the losers.

It's GO TIME and the game face is on... The question is, is yours???

Thanks as always for checking in. Stay tuned!
Ray

Getting back to the Challenge...

10/25/12, 11:30am

Well it's been 5 1/2 weeks since the TLS Find Your Fit 12 week challenge began. I know I promised I'd keep you posted with my progress and my apologies for taking this long. There were just so many other things going on to write about. I can't help it if I get to have a lot of fun while I work... Ok, down to business. I won't give specific numbers b/c there may be "other" peeps reading this that I am competing against so forgive me for being generic.

I am down double digits in Lbs, I've lost a considerable amount of inches (which is HUGE) around my waist. Inches off my chest, arms (but not too much b/c hitting the gym and building muscle there) and most importantly a VERY nice percentage of body fat. I am very happy after speaking with my TLS coach and hearing what he thinks of the progress at this point in the challenge. I believe I am just hitting my stride and with consistant effort at the gym I know I will be shredding more fat and even LBS as we head into the home stretch in a few more weeks. So while I'm happy, certainly no where near content.

This program is so easy and I never thought it could be for a big guy like me who flat out LOVES LOVES to eat! I'm not starving myself, it's not restrictive and I'm not worrying about counting calories, carbs, etc... My workouts are awesome and b/c I work from home I get to go to the gym late at night and I'm sleeping well to boot!

Stay tuned as I will continue to keep everyone posted as we head into the last "leg" of this challenge and thanks as always for reading!

Be good!
Ray

The ecommerce engine...

10/16/12, 9:30am

Online buying continues to be a bright spot in the United States economy, according to new research by digital business analyst comScore.

The U.S. recently achieved a seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in online sales. Consumers bought more than $43.2 billion worth of goods on the Internet in the second quarter, a 15 percent improvement over the same time period in 2011.

Online retail growth is now outperforming traditional retail sales growth by four to one.

Top performing categories were digital content and subscriptions, consumer electronics, flowers, gifts, computer hardware, apparel and accessories.

Holidays are on the way

More than 75 percent of big retailers expect 2012 holiday sales to increase over last year, according to a Hal Group survey.

That’s good news for small and medium-size businesses … if they make the same preparations as large stores.

The Street Web site’s small business blog recommends that owners make sure their Web site and mobile device site are in good shape, fulfillment systems are working, and the retail location is listed on local search directories for customers who prefer a brick and mortar experience.

Also if a business is planning a Web-based promotion, they should test it now, before the rush of holiday shoppers exposes a possible problem.

You can take advantage of the coming holiday shopping season by talking to your prospects about all of the new capabilities available from Create Your Site Now.

Social media in business
Ninety percent of small business owners believe social media Web sites help them reach customers, according to the Manta online business site.

About 35 percent of the small businesses responding to a survey reported that customers found them via their social media presence.

Did you know?
There are 328 million mobile phone users in the United States, but only 3 to 4 percent of businesses market to them daily, a recent report released by the major cell service providers in the United States said.

Big boxes set to shrink
Sales at big box retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Target and others will fall to 12.7 percent of total sales, a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Kantar Retail said. For comparison, large stores that sold general merchandise and groceries had a 14.4 percent share in 2010.

The report said the reason for the drop is consumer habits are changing, and there is growing pressure on retailers to justify expenses associated with operating and maintaining large buildings.

The report also said online shopping with mobile devices and tablets will more than double from 5.5 percent in 2010 to 12.3 percent in 2020.

Did you know?

• YouTube reports its users watch more than 3 billion hours of video per month.
• More than 90 percent of online adults use social media regularly, according to Experian.
• Seventy-three percent of smartphone users access social networks through mobile applications at least once per day, according to Lightspeed Research.

Word of the week
Searchandising...

A business term for using Web searches and other user-input information to enhance online merchandising and product marketing.

The scary thing is, we're just getting started...

10/9/12, 3:00pm

Well I'm sure you've guessed by now, and if you've been reading the past week or so... You know I was going to comment on how AWESOME the 3rd Annual TNT Fast Track Conference & Awards Ceremony was this past weekend. Starting Friday night and continuing until Sunday afternoon. The entire event was jam packed with Leadership Training, Coaching, Mentoring and just overall a big "buffet" of Meat & Potatos on taking advantage of Online Shopping, Internet Trends, Cash Back and most important, how to bring it all together as an Entrepreneur and Business Owner with Market America/Shop.com.

I was extremely honored and privileged not only to be a part of it, but to be one of the key note & featured speakers. I was tasked with 2 segments explaining why our Fast Track System works, the tools provided and all of the communication tools, groups and so forth to take advantage of. Our TNT System is the sole purpose of why our Team is one of the fastest growing organization of Unfranchise Owners in the entire company.

I am already looking forward to next year's event, the 4th Annual Conference and we're barely 3 days removed. Just goes to show you what working with an amazing group of like-minded people and Entrepreneurs can accomplish with this incredible company, Shop.com powered by Market America.

The scary thing is, we're just getting started...

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!
Ray

Here we go! This Friday Night kicks off the 3rd Annual TNT Conference!

10/1/12, 1:30pm

I know I've been talking about it for a while now, but now it's time to really promote this event this coming weekend. I still can't believe we are going to allow any guest that wants to attend this year's 3rd Annual TNT Conference this coming Friday night in for free! Yes, that's right, for any aspiring Entrepreneur or any individual who is really looking for that something, or that necessary change in their life at this moment, really needs to come to the Bucks County Sheraton Hotel this Friday night Oct 5th, 7:30pm-9:30pm. You will be able to attend for free! Trust me, you won't be disappointed. You will see why The Unfranchise System with Market America & Shop.com is the perfect way to leverage your spending dollars into a real true business opportunity. We will explain the differences between our system and why other companies, deals, or whatever, fail for most people. There are so many pitfalls that the average person has to overcome with other opportunities that simply just don't exist with our system.

Now don't misunderstand me, what we do is not easy and it's certainly not for everyone. However if you're the type of person that would rather try and fail then to never try at all, please join us for a phenomenal weekend of education, information and flat out fun! I've said this many times before, we work hard, but we definitely play hard too! What's the point of making money if you can't enjoy it, right??? Come on out and hang with us this weekend, trust me you'll be glad you did.

As always, thanks for reading!
Ray

Less than 2 weeks until the 3rd Annual TNT National Conference & Awards Ceremony!

9/25/12, 10:00am

I am so excited for this year's training with our team of Entrepreneurs to spend the weekend educating other potential Entrepreneurs and guests on how to take advantage of Market America's Unfranchise System through Shop.com. This year's event will top the first two by far! There are going to be so many talented speakers who have been in the "trenches" all year to teach us how to become a "hopeless success" with Shop.com. The event is going to be held at the Bucks County Sheraton in Langhorne, Pa which is about 30 mins north of Center City Philadelphia. The Conference will kick off Friday night Oct. 5th and conclude Sunday Oct. 7th. Friday night will only be for 2 hours, 7:30 - 9:30pm and guests can attend for free that night! Saturday will run from 10am-5:30pm, cocktail hour 6-7pm, then the awards ceremony from 7-??? (We like to have some fun during and afterward...) Sunday will be from 10am-4pm. What a great opportunity for any aspiring Entrepreneur, Business Owner or just any individual who has a desire to make money in many different ways utilizing the internet while recycling your "anyway" dollars. This is a CAN'T MISS for the serious person who really wants to take control of their financial future. Yes, we make money, but we also have a lot of fun doing it year in and year out! For more information or for tickets please contact me directly at ray@rayyedman.com or by phone, 267-528-6671. You can attend the event for $30 without the awards ceremony & dinner. Full event tickets are $60. Again I hope you'll join us and see what all the fuss is about. I would love to have you as my guest!

Thanks for tuning in as always!
Ray

The Quest Continues...

9/19/12, 2:30pm

So we're on day 3 of my 7 day detox and cleanse to begin the TLS weight loss challenge. I have to be honest, day one totally sucked! Usually by day 3 or 4 I'm very irritable, intolerable, etc... But by mid day on day one, Monday, I was hating the world! So far so good today, but the next 4 1/2 days won't be easy, but we're muscling through it. I know in the end it will all be worth it.

I'm not going to report any new "measurements" yet, b/c the first week of a detox can be very deceiving with loss of water weight, limited food, etc. However I will begin within the next week or two as my body really starts to transform. I'm so focused not only to change my health and more importantly my life, but we're going to WIN THE $25,000 too!!!!

Stay tuned for more updates not just on my journey with the challenge, but for industry updates, tools and advice to help you in any way we can. Thanks for reading!

Ray

The Journey to Transform my Health starts today!

9/14/12, 9:00am

As we close out this crazy, awesome and productive business week, I can' help but be very excited to begin the Find Your Fit Challenge and start on the road to better health and even wealth! This will be an amazing journey for me as I prove to myself and maybe even others that I can do this. I know I have doubters, naysayers and flat out haters. But that's okay, b/c they will all be shocked when Dec 11th of this year rolls around and I have lost at least 60Lbs, inches galore, ton of body fat, all while maintaining my lean muscle mass. I have never been so focused on achieving maybe anything in my life. I say this b/c win or lose the challenge (and collect $25k in the process) doesn't matter... What does matter is transforming my life, health and hopefully moving others with similar challenges to do the same. As mentioned I will continue to keep everyone posted during my Journey and I thank you in advance for joining me!

On this day 11 years ago, 9/11/01. To the victims, their families and to the Bravest & the Finest, always remembered, never forgotten...

9/11/12, 1:45pm

Hard to believe it's been 11 years...
What else can be said as we recall the tragic events that changed the landscape of this country, and many people's lives forever on this day 11 years ago. I remember sitting in my office in Lawrenceville, NJ and being very angry due to a client issue we were dealing with in addition to having a 9am meeting be canceled that was to take place in NY downtown in the financial district just a block or two away from the WTC. At first I was under the impression maybe like most people that the plane that hit the first tower may have been a small plane and maybe just clipped the large antenna on top of one of the towers.

I still sat in my office not really caring upon hearing that initial news b/c I didn't think it was a big deal. Unbeknownst to me the magnitude and shear urgency that was yet to come as we continued to be informed of the second plane, the Pentegon and Flight 93 that crashed in Pa.

The events of this day 11 years ago completely changed my life, my career as I'm sure it did for many or most of us. This much I know this present day, September 11, 2012....

I will never forget.

Thoughts for you, the small Business Owner...

9/10/12, 12:10pm

Focus on small business

It’s an election year in America, and oddly enough, everyone is talking about small businesses.

President Barack Obama raised eyebrows during a speech when he appeared to tell small business owners, “You didn’t build that.” The president said he was referring to infrastructure like roads and ports, and was also trying to make the point that success of small businesses is a collaborative effort.

But his opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, forcefully disagreed, and said small business owners deserve more credit for their risk-taking and success.

Along the way, we learned that the nation’s 27.5 million small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs.

Who’s right? Voters will decide in November. But one thing is certain: Small and medium-sized business combine to make BIG business all over the world.

As corporations downsize, many people are starting their own businesses. That means more prospects for you and your maWebCenters© business.

Knowledge is power

Consumer finance expert Clark Howard points out that most marketing is geared toward women. Experts agree that women make most of the average household's purchasing decisions. But there are some changing trends related to the way men shop online.

Consider these sometimes surprising facts:

• Men have begun to shop online more than women, with men outspending women by 20 to 30 percent per transaction, according to CNBC.
• The average mass-affluent man, meaning one with a household income of more than $100,000 per year, spends more than $4,000 each year online, according to a recent iProspect study.
• Rolex, BMW and Louis Vuitton report increased traffic by men to their Web sites.

Did you know?
In the state of California, arguably one of the most technologically advanced regions in the world, 62 percent of small businesses do NOT have a Web site, according to Google.

In the United States in 2010, there was more than $142 billion in ecommerce retail sales, according to data provider comScore. Forrester Research predicts online sales will top $279 billion by 2015.

The Motley Fool Web site notes that many analysts are recommending FedEx and UPS stock due to the expected growth in U.S. and international ecommerce.

Mobile is on the move
A recent study by the technology research firm Gartner found that mobile devices are used for 20 percent of Internet traffic in the United States, and the number is rising.

Only about 26 percent of small businesses operate their own mobile Web site, Web.com reports.

Experts predict an increase in companies using mobile Web sites, and developing trends such as consumers using devices to make payments.

Time To Find Your Fit!

9/5/12, 9:45pm

I just finished a webinar and conference call regarding a fitness challenge that is being offered through our Brokerage Company. This challenge will consist of either an individual or a team of 2-10 people that can win up to $30,000! The team prize is $25,000 and the individual prize is $5,000. This will not be based on lbs alone! This will have a multi-part criteria that is judged.

• 25% - Essay - 500 words explaining how this challenge, more importantly this system has changed their life
• 25% - Progress tracking on tlsSlim.com site. This will consist of reporting weight, food, journaling & compliance
• 50% - Before and After photos - 6 Before and 6 after photos.
• We all know pictures don't lie and nothing is better than before and after when someone has completely transformed their body.

Anyone can participate in this challenge. You don't have to be a Business Owner with the company or even a customer. You will become a Preferred Customer to a Shop Consultant once you've registered, but again, it's open to ANYONE!

I will be posting some results and other goodies that are going on during this challenge. It starts on 9/14/12 and finishes on 12/11/12. 12 week challenge!

Thanks as always for checking in and we look forward to keeping you informed!
Ray

Fresh off of the Convention!

8/30/12, 9:00pm

I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks since the 20th Annual International Convention for Market America & Shop.com. This company has been providing the greatest Entrepreneurial endeavor for the average person for over 20 years! The technology involved alone is enough to make even the most experienced IT person scratch their head... We are taking online shopping to new levels that not even the mighty Amazon could comprehend.

The cash back program contines to impress even the most avid online shopper. Paying REAL CASH back, 2%-50% on all of their qualified purchases. Not only that, but any preferred customer who also refers a new customer to a Shop Consultant with Shop.com, that person will receive .5% cash back on all of the referral's purchases for life! No strings, no BS, no catch, real cash.

These are just some of the fun and money making opportunities Shop.com & Market America.com are providing for us the consumers, as well as us the Entrepreneurs to create additional income avenues! It really is like a "shopping annuity".

Please check back with us next week to see what new and exciting things are happeing in the world of online shopping and Internet Entrepreneurism.

Thanks for reading!