Hello Everyone… I know, Sorry, it’s been forever.  I made the Crazy Ass Decision to move from Hawaii to Alaska, and I’ve pretty much just been packing boxes and growing out my beautiful beard.  Moving sucks.  It’s bad enough to go accross town, but accross the ocean with 2 screaming kids that are unpacking almost as fast as you are packing  is a F%#$ing Nightmare. 

I’m finally here, and come the first of the year you can expect to get all of the wonderful and crazy posts that you are used to getting from me on a very consistent basis. 

Come January 1st, I will be putting out the 90 Day Challenge.  One can completely transform almost any aspect of their life in 90 days.  I’m going to prove it by showing you exactly how January, February, and March of 2011 are going to impact several aspects of my life.  I love a good Challenge.

I’m also passing the mantle to all of you to see who is willing to step up and take the challenge with me.  What do you want the next 90 days to bring you?  Speak it, Live it, Do it!

For a little motivation I will share with you some of the 90 day challenge that I will be giving myself:

1. 90 days of no drinking.  If you knew me, you would know why I need to do this.  If you noticed the scab over my right eye in the video, it’s from slamming my head into the rental car door at the Honolulu airport after drinking 2 bottles of wine (don’t worry, I wasn’t driving).  My elbow still hurts from landing on it when I fell through the security checkpoint maze, they almost didn’t let me on the plane… and if you watched the video, you know why I’m borrowing my brother’s laptop right now… Yep, time for a change, I’m officially an idiot.   
2. At least one new piece of Online Marketing material 6 days a week for the 90 day stretch (Honestly, I’ll probably do this almost the whole year, with the exception of an occasional break).  The power of Online Marketing is amazing.  Honestly, I haven’t done sqat for 2 months, and I am still getting a consistent flow of leads.  The work we do now continues to bring us leads months and years later.  If you need to know where to start, put your information in the form on the right and take my free marketing bootcamp.
3. 6 days a week of intense workouts.  Health and fitness is a passion of mine, and I have been so busy over the last few months that I have let myself slide a bit.  Bodies, Minds, and Habits can be transformed in short, intense periods of time when the proper focus is applied. 
4. 90 days of Beard.  I am going to make an attempt to not trim my beard…At All (except my mustache because my girl complains that she can’t kiss me when it is hanging over my lip)… until my birthday on March 27th.  Who’s down for a race to the waist?

I’ve got some other personal goals that have to do with my family as well, but I’ll share those in my post on the 1st.  Family is more important than anything; never forget that when making your list. 

What are your goals for 2011?  Please feel free to share them in the comments below.  Let’s get out there and Kick Some Ass!

To Your Massive Empire,

Aki Wood: MLM Genius
email: aki@akiwood.com
phone: 858-345-4891

**This Post is dedicated to all of the great facial hair in the world.  I would like to personally thank Ken Wells, Chuck Norris, Andrew Gallop, and The Lightning Sasquatch that inspired me to grow my beard.**

…I’m back, so let the world know, Tweet this Share it on Facebook, or at least hit the “Like” button.  I’d love to hear your feedback, so Please Comment Below!!

There is a General Misconception that a lot of new online marketers often fall victim to.  There are several great leaders out there, like my brother David and Katie Freiling that are teaching the correct principles, but there are still those that are “Greedy” when it comes to their social media contacts.

Should you “Share The Love” via Social Media?  In other words, when you find a valuable piece of content, should you do things like share it on Facebook, hit the “Like” button, Tweet it, or post it to Digg, etc?

There is an incorrect philosophy that some fall victim to where they think they might “Lose Leads” by re-syndicating the valuable content of top leaders, or even a random post that they run into and get some value from.  Why give “Your List” a competitor’s valuable content?

Lets talk for a minute about having a poverty mindset verses having one of abundance.  There are enough people joining network marketing companies every day to give enough leads to anyone that is willing to go out there and get them.  When we share a link to valuable information, that can help people in their business, it does two things:

1. It gives you credibility for discovering the information
2. It gives the person that created the content the credit they deserve

This is having an “abundance” mindset.  When I find a piece of content that I get value out of I tweet it, or share it in some other way.  Spreading valuable knowledge to the masses is a positive thing whether it comes from me or from someone else.  If everyone has the “Abundance Mindset,” there are more leads for everyone.  Someone on my list might resonate better with you than they do with me.  That is perfectly fine because the same may be true in reverse.  This same Abundance mindset is what inspired Katie Freiling to create her “Unified Tribe…” …A truly brilliant concept.

Poverty mindset is the exact opposite… it’s kind of like the Bums Fighting in this Picture.  Someone plagued with this horrible disease will feel that they need to horde the little amount they have.  It’s kind of like that dude in the Bible that buried his talent so he wouldn’t lose it.  Here’s what his master had to say when he got back:

“You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

If you aren’t familiar with the story, do a quick google search for “Parable of the Talents.” The same concept works for lead generation.  If you are trying to “Bury Your Prospects,” and hide them from the world, you are just going to lose them to someone who is actually growing their list with an abundance mindset.

There is another concept called “The Law of Reciprocation.” When we give to others, they have the natural desire to want to give back.  When someone shares your content, doesn’t it make you want to share theirs?

There are actually a lot more benefits to re-syndicating valuable content that I could go over, but I’ll just hit on one more for today:  Back-Links! When we share content, it creates a back link for that person which can help to lower their Alexa rating, and give credibility to their site; when someone else shares your link, it does the same for you.  Doesn’t it make more sense to work together?

I don’t care what company you are marketing for, we all have the same dream… Let’s band together and get as many damned people out of the rut system that is stripping the people of their creativity and dreams!  Let us edify each other where and when it is due, and rejoice together atop the ladder of success!

It is the higher road that creates lasting and sustainable success in this industry.  Let’s come together and adopt an “Abundance Mentality,” and together, soar to new heights.

If you got some Value from this, share the love via Social Media: Tweet it, Share it on Facebook, Submit it to Digg, or all of the above!

P.S. Here’s a random nugget that is a little off the subject:  If you haven’t done it already, go to  www.Alexa.com and Install the Alexa Toolbar!  Simply having that browser add-on will lower your Alexa Rating and lend some more credibility to your site.  I’ll be covering the details of that in a future training, but for now just trust me, get it if you don’t already have it!

P.P.S. Did you also know that Leaving Comments links back to your website?  I also have the commentluv plugin, so it will also Display your Last Post when you comment below.  What can I say, I just like to Share The Love!

To The Building of Your Massive Empire,

Aki Wood: MLM Genius
Phone: 858-345-4891
Email: aki@akiwood.com

The Laws of Association are far more powerful than people give them credit for.  Do you remember when you were growing up and you did something stupid with your friends?  A common parental response would be, “Why did you do That???” The teenage reply, “All my friends were doing it, and they seemed to be fine!” To which they would retort, “If all of your friends jumped of f a Cliff, would you do that Too??”  “No,” We would mutter.

Does that sound familiar?  Is that a conversation that you remember having with your parents?  Are you a parent that has recently had a conversation like that with one of your children?  “If all of your best friends were jumping off a cliff, would you do it with them?” Are you sure the answer is “No” to that simple question?

Several Years ago, I read a book on an Amway distributor that built a distributorship to over 200,000 people  in a very short period of time in the 1970′s.  One of the random points that jumped off the page and spoke to me was, “In five Years, Your Income will be the Average of your Five Best Friends.” That simple phrase whacked me upside the head like Muhammad Ali on George Foreman.

I got to thinking about that phrase, and I started looking at everyone I knew to see if it applied.  Sure enough, I didn’t find one exception to the rule.  I’m sure there is an anomaly somewhere, as there always is, but for the most part… take a look at the evidence.  The successful people that you know, who do they hang out with?  The broke people that you know, what is their greatest circle of influence?  Drunks hang out with drunks, athletes hang out with athletes, Top Dog Network Marketers mentor and hang out with other Industry Giants, and multi-millionaires, and so on.

I even took a deeper look and quantified things that had nothing to do with money.  Do the circles of friends that you see typically talk the same?  Do they dress the same?  Do they act the same?  A portion of this is that like minded people gravitate toward one another.  The other part is that we become who we hang out with.  We pick up the expressions, mannerisms and habits of our closest cohorts! It’s the “Chameleon Effect.”

Try and spend your time hanging out with Ice-Heads for a long period of time without trying ice.  Go to the bar everyday to be the “Designated Driver.” Good luck with that one.  I’m sure most people reading this are familiar with the “Crabs in a Bucket” parable.

When catching crabs, one can fill the bucket to the top without putting a lid on it.  Whenever one of the crabs tries to escape, another crab reaches over to pull that crab back down.  Unfortunately, people are the same way.

There are a lot of people that don’t want to see you “Escape” the rut system.  Your success is a constant reminder of their failure, and it is a lot Easier to Drag You Down, than it is to suck in their gut to go and make something of themselves.  I don’t like it either, I’m just calling out the facts.

I have a few questions for you as a closing for this post today.  Are there any crabs in your life that are holding you back?  Are you making the mistake of Being a Crab to Someone Else’s Dreams?  Based on your current friends, What is Your Average Self Going to Look Like 5 Years from Now? Perhaps you are saying the same thing to yourself that I was when I first read that quote,

“Damn, I’m Going To Need Some

New Friends…”

My final question is this:  “If your best friends in the world jumped off a cliff, would you do it with them?” Seriously.

Please comment and leave your feedback and insight about the laws of association.  If you have a good story to share, feel free to tell it here.  And of course, if you got some great value from this, be sure to share the love and post this to Facebook, Digg, Tweet it, or just hit the “Like” button below.  Thank You.

To The Building of Your Massive Empire,

Aki Wood: MLM Genius
Phone: 858-345-4891
Email: aki@akiwood.com

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You should be aware by now that I openly admit that Network Marketing is clearly a “Pyramid” structure.  As I explained in “You Dig Your Grave, I’ll Build My Pyramid,” Jobs are also pyramids, they just happen to be really lame ones.  Being at the top of a pyramid is much better than being at the bottom; everyone that starts a network marketing business Builds Their Own Pyramid, from the top down.  In Jobs, you start at the bottom and work your way up.  Neither starting position yields much money, but either way you look at it I would rather start at the Top than the bottom.  I would rather have control of my life rather than have some cheesy bastard with a power trip running me.

Comparing MLM to school is just as fun.  It takes 8 years of school to become a Lawyer, it takes 7 years of school to become a doctor.  When you finally get your broke ass out of college for these prestigious careers, you are typically over $100,000 in debt with student loans, and you STILL have to start at the bottom of the Pyramid in Your field.  Does that SUCK to anyone else?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad people become doctors, I’m just saying that route isn’t for me.

With Network Marketing, it might take someone 8 years to finally figure it out.  I know Tons of leaders that struggled for that long before they finally had their “Breakthrough!” The difference is that they made money along the way, and basically everyone that I have ever seen stick it out in the industry is making a Six Figure Income today.  In fact, statistically, 95% of people that stick with a solid MLM Company, and stay active with it for 10 years, are making a Six Figure Income.  How does that Compare to most jobs?

So… I think it is safe to say that we have established the fact that jobs suck and building a pyramid with your MLM is clearly better.  I know the real question on your mind is ,”How am I Filling my Pyramid With GOLD???”

The answer is simple.  Rather than joining forces with a “Me Too” juice or Vitamin Company, I decided to join forces with a company that markets Gold and Silver as their product.  The company has the best compensation structure I have ever seen, and I don’t get stuck with a bunch of useless crap piling up in my closet.  Wow, spending money on money to make money, all combined with the Best Compenstaion Plan in the Universe! Don’t Believe me?  Click the link below, review the Compensation Plan, and contact me if you find something better.

I would sell Used Barf Bags to receive the coded matching bonuses in the Numis Network comp plan… However, instead I get to market Gold and Silver Numismatic Coins!  If you haven’t reviewed Numis yet, You NEED to at least see it for yourself so you can make a decision.  If you HAVE reviewed it… Seriously, why aren’t you in it?  LMAO; I know one company isn’t going to be the right fit for everyone.  After reviewing hundreds of different opportunities, this just happened to be the one for me.

No matter what MLM company you are in, you are a lot better off keeping to your dream so you can eventually get out of that job.  I just like having the opportunity to fill my Pyramid with Gold along the journey, rather than having memoirs of empty bottles and boxes.

If You Still Haven’t Reviewed Numis Yet… Click The Link Below:

www.GetGoldWithAki.com

Let’s Get Together and Fill our Pyramids With Gold!

To Your Success,

Aki Wood: MLM Genius
Phone: 858-345-4891
Email: aki@akiwood.com

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Learn From my Stupidity… or Do it the Hard Way

One of the main philosophies that I follow in life comes from Socrates: “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.” The more I learn about any given subject, the more ignorant I feel.  Every fact opens up a new facet of an idea that requires time and skills to learn.  Sometimes we discover things that can shake the foundation of the philosophies that drive our life.  Nobody is right about everything, not me, or any of the other gurus on the internet.

That is why the shopping cart technique is so important.  What do I mean by that?  When you are reading anyone’s advice, opinions, or research on a certain subject, you need to remember this simple fact:

“They Don’t Know Everything and

Neither Do You!”

The shopping cart technique is taking all of the good stuff from the crap on the shelves.  You don’t buy the whole grocery store, so don’t buy EVERYTHING that ANYONE says.  Some stores are better than others, but you have to learn to decipher the nuggets from the garbage.

The best of us are wrong sometimes, and it is important to admit it when we are.  I’m a pretty damned good network marketer, but I’ve made some mistakes lately, I’ve had a bit of a mindset switch, and I want to help you learn from my stupidity.  Read carefully because you might be engaging in some of the same Stupid Distractions that will kill your Business… Or at least slow it down considerably.

I’ve been writing reviews on a lot of network marketing companies lately, and I made the mistake of getting sucked into some hype, and that mistake slowed the progress of my business considerably.

There are really only 2 things that I market… or that I SHOULD be marketing:

1. My Primary Business
2. A simple system that can help anyone do online marketing

The problem with the internet is that there are massive distractions everywhere.  Every ten minutes there is a new product launch, or new company that is so enticing that we spend hours focusing on something that either doesn’t pay any money, or slows down the focus that we should have.

I’m going to mention 2 companies right now, that have the potential to become great companies, but they distracted me from my primary goals, cost me time and money, and slowed down my business:  YourNight.com and AAAchoo.com.  These are social media sites that have a compensation structure built around them.

These ideas look really good on paper.  My reason for joining them was to get access to a group of targeted leads that are active buyers in the industry.  I knew that I wouldn’t make a lot of money from the actual site, but I figured it could be a good source of leads.  The problem with both of the sites is that most of the people don’t really spend a lot of time actually networking on their profiles.  Everyone is too busy trying to recruit people from facebook to the new site of the week, that they don’t spend very much time actually looking at the site they are paying for.

If you are involved in one of these social media sites, be honest… How much time do you actually spend on your paid social media site verses facebook?  Seriously, AAAchoo doesn’t even have a fully functional product yet, and people are paying $30 a month for it.  My brother spent 2 days creating a Ning Network that has much better features that it.  YourNight is in the same boat; they have more features active than AAAchoo does, but the product is still in beta testing and people are paying money for it.

Am I trying to bash these companies?  No, I actually think they are based off of a really brilliant idea.  “Make money for something you do every day!” The main problem is that the compensation plans are represented in a completely deceiving way.  Quite frankly, there will be very few people that will make any amount of considerable money with paid social media products.  They WOULD have a BETTER chance if the product was actually great, but WHY would people pay for an unfinished product?

Would you pay $60 a month for a vitamin product that didn’t have all of the vitamins in it yet?  Come on guys, its in pre-launch, sure we don’t have an actual working vitamin yet, but its going to be the best vitamin ever!  Just Pay $60 a month right now to reserve your spot!  That’s what people are doing with the social media sites right now.

I HAD paid accounts with both companies, I have since canceled both.  The distractions that they cost me were more detrimental that the measly dollars I could have made by promoting them as a lead source.  However, paid social media sites are not the only distraction out there.  What about all the product launches?  Every week there is some “New Tool” that is going to take your business and supercharge it! Have you heard about that new MLM Builder product that has Robots that make all of your phone calls for you so you never have to talk to anyone again?  Seriously, go check out www.SuckerOfTheWeek.com and you can get all the details!

Am I saying don’t buy tools? No, absolutely not.  You need tools to build your business, what I am saying is to buy tools that enhance your business and don’t distract you from it.  Everything I have listed in the Must Haves section of my blog fall into this category.

Like I said, I’m not trying to bash AAAchoo, they are based on a really great idea.  The problem was I got excited about the potential of a Free 1,800 a month, and I spent way too much time checking my back office to look at the matrix… and for that matter, it only shows a company matrix.  If you are looking at doing this right now, know that all of the paid members it shows in your downline are not in your personal matrix.  There are a lot of deceiving videos on the internet that indicate otherwise.

As far as YourNight is concerned, I still think everyone should sign up for the free profile.  It’s a decent place to re-syndicate your blog posts.  If they make it out of beta testing, I might even upgrade my profile again.  What I won’t do with either site, is waste any more time away from my primary business.

If you are looking at getting into Network Marketing, do your research and find the company and team you want to work with.  Look for a solid company, not a fly by night distraction.  For more information on this you can read my post,“How a Professional Picks Their MLM.” There are proven tools that will help you build your business.  Don’t get caught up in the product of the week. Don’t waste money and time on distractions that take away from your focus.

Treat Your MLM like a business, focus on things that get results, and buy the tools that people are actually having success with.  I know this was a bit of a rant, but if it helped you, Tweet it, or Share it on Facebook.

To Your Success,

Aki Wood: MLM Genius
Phone: 858-345-4891
Email: aki@akiwood.com