Tuesday, March 25, 2014

I am NOT an Avon representative, but I know a good one

Everyone has heard about Avon.  They've been around since 1886 and have maintained a good reputation for quality products primarily for women.

And as the title of the release says, I am NOT an Avon representative; but, my wife is, and as a good husband and friend, I must take a few moments to help promote her endeavor.

Since I'm a student of history and I love a good story I'll share a little history about Avon that I learned recently.  

According to the company website, the founder, "David H. McConnell didn't originally intend to create a beauty company. A traveling book salesman, he founded Avon in 1886 after realizing his female customers were far more interested in the free perfume samples he offered than in his books. During his book selling days, McConnell had also noticed that many of his female customers were isolated at home while their husbands went off to work. So he purposely recruited female sales Representatives. McConnell believed they had a natural ability to network with and market to other women, and a passion for his products. At a time of limited employment options for women, the Avon earnings opportunity was a revolutionary concept. It marked the start of the company's long and rich history of empowering women around the globe."

http://www.avoncompany.com/aboutavon/history/

Now, a little history about my wife (my empowered woman) and I.  We've lived in Madisonville Kentucky for almost thirty years.  She has supported my business endeavors over the years and there have been many.  I started my first brick and mortar retail store at age 19 and she was there.  She has seen my boom and bust.  She has witnessed the good, the bad, and the ugly.  And recently, she has started her own home based business.  I am very happy for her.  

So, if you enjoy Avon products or know someone who does you can buy Avon online.  FREE standard shipping with $35 order or more.

Avon is the world leader in anti-aging skin care products, fragrance and color cosmetics. Its product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin So Soft, Avon Solutions, Advance Techniques Hair Care, Avon naturals, mark and Avon Wellness.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Happy Birthday Mr. President!

February 6th is the birthday of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the nation's 40th president.

When he became president, many said the nation's best days were behind us.  He spent much of his presidency (1981-1989) reminding Americans, again and again, that this country is still a land of boundless potential, a beacon of freedom and hope for the world.

Reagan served as Governor of California and was a former actor. He is often remembered as "The Great Communicator" for his ability to connect with the American people.  

He had a great sense of humor as evidenced in quotes like, "Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

One of my favorite Reagan quotes is, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

Reagan believed that government was NOT the answer to our problems, but was very often, THE problem.  And that the American people are the answer to every problem we face as a nation.

I think the Reagan legacy will be that Ronald Reagan helped America believe in itself again.  He showed us that we are an exceptional nation, and that brighter days were in our future.

President Reagan died on June 5th, 2004.

Rest in Peace Mr. President, you will be missed and remembered.

Click here for more American Moments

Saturday, February 1, 2014

How Lucky Am I?

One of the books that is part of my daily personal development routine is by author Mike Brescia entitled "Today is Your Day to Win."  

It's quick reading, maybe 5-10 minutes tops and this book is set up in a daily reading format so when you get to the end of the book you just start again.  I've been using the book since 2005 and I get something new and fresh from each read.

It contains great quotes from successful people as well as great questions to ask yourself about improving every area of your life.

Here are some highlights from today's reading:

Today's Empowering Quote:

"What leads to unhappiness is making pleasure the chief aim." - William Shenstone

Today's Empowering Question:

"How did I get so lucky to have the people that are in my life?"

Today's Winning Beliefs:

I get pleasure from helping others

I notice the good in other people

I'm lucky to have the people in my life

I'm learning all I can from everyone I know

Others are teaching me now

I'm enjoying myself now

If you haven't yet developed the habit, I encourage you to make a good book a part of your daily routine.  Even just 10 pages a day and you'll reap incredible benefits in your personal and business life.

Enjoy.

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*WARNING* Blatant Advertisement Follows:

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

5 ways a home business can make your life easier

Home businesses come in many different shapes, sizes and forms. These types of businesses provide individuals with an alternative to the office job setting and provide various freedoms to the business owners as well. In fact, there are five often-cited ways in which a home business can make one’s life easier overall.

Child Care Issues

Perhaps one of the most often cited features of a home business which can make one’s life easier is that by owning a home business, individuals are able to work while staying at home with their children. This makes the need for daily child care a nonexistent factor. Although some individuals who work from home still opt for putting their kids in daycare, having a home business does make doing without child care a possibility.

Transportation Issues

Another way which home businesses can make a business owner’s life that much easier relates to transportation issues. When owning a home business, one can conduct their daily business affairs from the convenience of their home office. This gets rid of the need for commuting to an office each day and putting mileage on the car, not to mention paying costly gas bills. It is also a time saver with regard to not having to commute to and from work which is also a highly regarded trait of owning a home business.

Tax Deductions

One who has a home business is also able to reap the benefits of multiple tax deductions and incentives which may be available to them. Using a home office enables a business owner to save money in the long run by seeing deductions on their annual tax returns. Although this only happens once a year, the rewards are often quite good for home business owners who operate their business out of their home office.

Being Your Own Boss

An additional incentive for home business owners is that they are their own boss. This is a wonderful thing to consider. No more bossy employers enforcing strict, unyielding schedules. Being your own boss is a sure way to make one’s life easier. One can work when they want to, take a break if they like and pursue their occupation in the manner which they see fit.

Reduce Overhead This Way

Lastly, an individual who runs a business out of their home will often find that their life is made easier by saving themselves money in the end. As opposed to those individuals who own businesses which are run out of separate offices, home business owners will see large reductions in overhead. Making use of the home as a workspace is a great way to make life easier on the individual and their wallet.

Coastal Vacations is an association of entrepreneurs, professionals and home-based business owners dedicated to providing the highest quality vacation values and travel benefits on the market today, and making them available to their clients at rock-bottom prices. This has in turn created one of the hottest and most lucrative business opportunities in the World.  I have been a member of Coastal Vacations since 2004.  This business has saved me money, allowed my family to take more and better vacations, and continues to create cash flow from the comfort of my home.  For more details about Coastal Vacations, click here

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

What Innovation Can Do to Your Life

It's a talent that everyone has, yet they think they don't. The power of innovation. If you've ever marveled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten were not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential.

You know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive or to never commit the same mistake again? It's the same with innovation. It takes a  bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function comes easily  when called. This article will teach you a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life.

Don't listen to what other people say. Follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won't. And the help you will probably get comes in the form of negative feedback. If all those geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.

Spend time on it. I cannot stress that enough, although, please do not mistake this tip to tell you to quit your day job entirely. Do not. This involves some tricky time management but with a little discipline you'll be able to squeeze both in.

Exercise. Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercising certainly clears and relaxes your mind and allows for anything to pop up.

Record your dreams. Aren't some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you've had these dreams before, and I'm sure have, this only shows you the untapped innovative power you have lying within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams may just create an innovative spark in you.

Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You'll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it is the same with you. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are.

Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don't need some expensive fountain pen and really smooth paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you've got an expensive SLR camera if you're a crappy photographer? Who cares if you've got a blinging laptop if you can't write at all? The artist actually reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't.

Nothing will work without passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the flame burning? What is the one thing that you'll die if you don't do? Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Think the hare and the tortoise. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you're not doing something that you want to do, then you don't really want to do it. And that's true. Sometimes you just want something so bad you become a virtual unstoppable. And that is passion. Passion will keep you going.

Don't worry about inspiration. You can't force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to, for those unpredictable yet inevitable moments you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid these disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm's reach at all times.

I hope this article has helped you bring more innovation into your life. Keep in mind that you're doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else's. But soon enough they will notice, and everything should snowball from there.

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