Credibility is at stake everywhere. The financial crisis is hitting hard because there is a serious lack of confidence and trust in the system. What is a capital guarantee for if the guarantor could be bankrupt? Which corporation can we trust if even the big names like Lehman Brothers and Citibank can turn out to be so vulnerable? What about the likes of Bernard Madoff who could turn out to be a bag of lies? Or that letter of credit that cannot be honored? Or that milk powder which turned out to contain melamine?
When the pendulum is tilted too much to the one side, people will favor things that bring back the equilibrium. When credibility is at stake, you will see more things to restore credibility, and that in itself is an opportunity.
The core value of Network Marketing (or MLM) is credibility. It is through word-of-mouth or referrals. Why should I believe in what you say? ….because I know you, and I take you as one that I can trust. This connection is important.
Besides, network marketers are themselves “product of the product”. In other words, they are users of the products they promote. This adds credibility.
There is also an element of knowledge transfer in the process, or “intellectual distribution” as Paul Zane Pilzer put it. For instance, if you are looking for a multivitamin, you would likely get more relevant and in-depth information from the network marketing (MLM) connection than the salesperson over the selling counter. The value of enhanced knowledge means that the average consumers are better able to select the choice of product that fits their needs.
When a consumer is so happy about the product that he/she doesn’t mind spreading the words around, it could mean the start of a lucrative passive income business. But, that is another story.
Live Life, Junius.
p.s. With Christmas and the New Year just round the corner, my best wishes go to everyone of you and your family for a joyous and safe festive season, and a solid progress in 2009.
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The internet is such a wonderful place. You only need to start with a word and it could take you to places that you couldn’t even dream of.
I don’t know how I started it but I ended up tumbling across this piece of inspirational story earlier today. I would like to share it with you in case you haven’t seen it. It reads:
When the late Nadine Stair of Louisville, Kentucky, was 85 years old, she was asked what she would do if she had her life to live over again.
“I’d make more mistakes next time,” she said. “I’d relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been on this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.
“You see, I’m one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I’ve had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, and a raincoat. If I had to do it over again, I would travel lighter than I have.
“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds and I would pick more daisies.”
It is such an uplifting piece. I think we need more of this more often. Let’s talk up the economy. Let’s open up, loosen up, and look up to the brighter side of life. The world is only as beautiful as we can imagine it.
Besides, as the old saying goes: at time of adversity, there is always good opportunity.
Live Life, Junius.
p.s. the reference to Nadine Stair is found on the
Great Inspirational Quotes
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Video: Virgin Galactic First Space Tourists — Let the Journey Begin.
America has made history by having their first ever African American president. Not too long ago, China has their first astronauts walking in space. And, towards the end of the decade, we might be witnessing the first commercially run space flight for a journey of 2 and a half hours to the edge of space.
On the gloomy side of things, the world is overshadowed by the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression in 1929. A lot is still in the unknown.
This is the era we live, a time of creation, greatness, volatility, and uncertainties.
Nobody doubts the world is changing. However, as much as we acknowledge that change is a constant, we still find ourselves at times caught off guarded by the speed that changes happened, and the magnitude that happened. Not too long ago, we have seen the big jump in petrol prices and the chained effects on the daily food and commodities. If you are traveling using A$, what would you feel finding that the dollar shed 20% so suddenly out of nowhere?
As much as we acknowledge the presence of a bigger “uncertainty” factor, we never seem to have aptly prepared ourselves for the natural disaster or man-made crises (or are they synonymous?) like the SARS epidemic in 2003, Sichuan Earthquake in China, and the Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar earlier this year.
In a sea of change, if we are not changing, we will be left behind.
I think the best policy is to embrace change, be part of the change, and even get ahead of it. Nevertheless, I think we should engage in better knowledge and awareness. Through learning, we can enhance our alertness to the changing environment and be more at ease with circumstances.
Live Life, Junius.
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The answer might be a yes or no. For countries like Singapore where the superannuation contribution every year is as high as 40%., the answer is a likely yes. However, for countries on the other end of the scale, like Australia and New Zealand, where the contribution is below 10%, the answer is most obviously a no.
As we know, the snowball effect of superannuation depends on a combination of factors, namely,
1/ start contributing at early age, and
2/ size of your contribution every year, and
3/ years that you consistently contributing to your superannuation, and
4/ performance of your superannuation fund / portfolio, and
5/ how safe is your investment vehicle(s).
Read more on Is Superannuation Enough to Sustain Your Retirement?…
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