Cory J. Westerbeck, Author at Truly Live Today

MLM:How It Works & Why it Doesn’t (for most)

Cory J. Westerbeck on August 7, 2015August 7, 2015

Why the bad rep?

Network marketing, Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), or directs sales is by far one of the most popular home business models available today. You can start your own business for a nominal start up investment of anywhere from $29 to $2900. You can choose your own hours and the income potential is seemingly unlimited. This is why it is laden with amateur, wannabe millionaires that may have good intentions but have no idea what they’re doing – and the entire industry has suffered greatly as a result.

The concept is sound, however many years of dishonest people and companies have repeatedly taken advantage of people just trying to find a way to honestly make a few extra bucks a month. They buy into the American dream and are just SURE all their friends and entire family will see the “opportunity” just like they do and jump right in. Sure, some will, but most won’t. Now their friends screen their phone calls and avoid them in social gatherings.

Waste of time and money…

Most people have either attempted, or know someone that has attempted the business so they’re already tainted or they’ve heard the horror stories and it prevents them from even taking a serious look into the business model to begin with. If you’ve spent any time online researching the subject you’ve more than likely already read several very negative articles. If you’re here reading this now, there is a reason. The universe has a funny way of bringing people and information into our lives in one way or another when the timing is just right.

If you haven’t spent any time researching online yet, wait until you finish this short book before doing so. The reason I say this is because you will find countless articles and websites bashing the industry and explaining why it’s a waste of time and money. Unfortunately, this is in fact what the business is for MOST people that attempt it – a waste of time and money. I’m here to say that it doesn’t have to be that way. The problem is that many are lured into the business with hopes of making it big – with little or no effort. And although I’ve heard stories of people recruiting just a few and making a six figure income – this is rare – kind of like winning the lottery. This doesn’t mean the business doesn’t work though.

But only if you know the secrets…

The business can be easy and enjoyable – but only if you know the secrets. Once you find them out you’ll wonder why more people don’t know them because they’re so simple. I continue to wonder why more people don’t teach these simple tactics. Because so few really know the secrets, so few ever receive the knowledge necessary to weather the (perceived) storms and ever make any real money. Maybe you’re just looking to make an extra $500 or $1000 per month and that’s fine, but once you know how to really work the business effectively why would you stop there? Why not REALLY become free and make $5,000, $10,000 per month – or more?

One of the big reasons the industry has taken a beating over the years is because people believe that they can make this kind of money without any real training and coaching. It takes several months to really learn the trade and years to build up that kind of income – but what else do you have planned for the next 3 to 5 years? There are people in this business that just “get it”. They are the rich ones. They typically make $100,000 to $300,000 per MONTH! Are you able to wrap your mind around numbers like that? What about the rest of us though? What about those of us who tend to see the negative side of things and really struggle with rejection? What if we don’t really know how to approach our friends and family members – let alone total strangers? What if we don’t know the secrets of the trade?

You get what you pay for…

I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “You get what you pay for” but I promise that you’ll receive WAY more value for your money than the tiny price tag on this book as I’ve spent hundreds of hours and dollars learning the tips, tricks, and secrets contained within. These are the same techniques and mindsets the professionals use to literally make millions of dollars in the network marketing industry.

This book is completely unbiased when it comes to the company you decide to partner with. When using the techniques you’ll read about shortly, you can make network marketing work for you with any reputable company. I will still provide you with some basic guidelines that you should follow when considering different companies to partner with. I’ll also hold nothing back on the typical pitfalls that most new distributors and associates encounter and how to avoid them.

Light at the end of the tunnel…

I wrote this book in a condensed and easy to read format so that you could absorb the information quickly and make your decision. I’m assuming that you’re considering the business and would like to make your decision and either look at some other type of business model OR start moving towards some goals in network marketing with the company of your choosing.

I guarantee that if you have any questions as to whether the business of network marketing is for you or not, you’ll have a MUCH better understanding of the industry and will be able to make a much more educated decision after this short read. If you’ve already decided that it IS for you but you’re just about fed up with it and you’re desperately seeking answers to the seemingly impossible questions – you have just found the light at the end of the tunnel.

You’ve just read the Introduction to my book Network Marketing: How It Works And Why It Doesn’t (for most)

For more tips, tricks, and revealed secrets watch this short video: http://www.trulylivetoday.com/blueprint

If you’re interested in downloading entire book plus some bonuses click here.

Make Good Grades

Cory J. Westerbeck on August 1, 2015August 7, 2015

It’s madness

We live in a society that expects us to get good grades in school, go to college, get married at 23, get a job, have two or three kids, and work 40-60 hours per week until we can’t mentally or physically take it anymore. And then we’re supposed to “retire” on what little of our 401k funds we haven’t borrowed from (if any), what little equity we have in our homes (if any), and a tiny Social Security check (if it even still exists by then).

The lifestyle I’ve just described is a very traditional one. Sure, there are plenty that go a different route – some by choice, others by circumstance. Had I not gotten married at the young age of 20 and divorced less than seven years later, my life would be a lot different right now. If I would have found a “replacement” wife when I wanted to, my life would be a lot different right now. Whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs are it doesn’t matter, but most believe in some sort of higher power. I like to call it “The Universe”. Well The Universe had other plans for me. Ever thank God for unanswered prayers?

Life is SUPPOSED to be full of love, peace, excitement

Even sadness, disappointment, and grief. What we do with these and what kind of meaning we attach to them is completely up to us. It’s difficult to see the big picture with so many distractions in our life. So many. I would not be where I am today if I had been living the traditional lifestyle for the last 15 years. Yes, that’s how long it has taken me to grow up and realize what I REALLY want out of the remaining 40 or 50 years of my life.
Yesterday I touched upon what I think it means to truly live. Everyone’s path is a little different though. It saddens me that most people are so incredibly quick to judge one another. The easiest way for me to test my stress threshold is to read comments on news articles on just about anything really – but political and racial articles usually invoke the most hate and anger in people. There are plenty of people that share a given belief or perspective on any given subject and there are sure to be several angles and perspectives. As a HUMAN race, why are we so quick to hate on someone because they happen to see things from a different perspective or they are simply on a different path at the moment? If shared with respect, one’s perspective actually has a chance of influencing another’s – but most insist on anger, disrespect, and hate and this only encourages a similar response in return.

I believe that finances is one of the most common causes of unhappiness…

This bleeds over into other parts of people’s lives. Last year Americans spent over 70 billion dollars on lottery tickets. This surpassed the total for all other types of leisure and entertainment activities combined (http://money.cnn.com). People are desperate for a break. What most players don’t realize is that the majority of winners are broke again within a few years depending how much they win. If someone isn’t that well versed at finances while making an annual income of 20k/year, they are more than likely going to be just as inept at managing millions. After the dust settles and the money is gone, a lot of winners even state that they wished that they had never won in the first place.

What are your choices if you want to make some extra cash?

Some people are naturally adept at taking their hobbies and monetizing them but what if your hobby is fishing or cooking or playing video games and how much money could you really make even if you COULD monetize them? The most popular way to make extra cash is to start your own home business. What if you don’t have a product to sell? What if you’re not good at managing ALL the aspects of a business? What if you don’t even know where to begin? Most people in this category try their luck at network marketing (MLM). So does network marketing work? If you do a little research you’ll probably be scared away immediately. Have you ever heard someone’s bad experience with MLM? There are a LOT more bad experiences than good out there but there is a very logical reason why. Take ANY profession and pretend that you can own your business in this profession by investing a few hundred dollars and a few hours of training. How prepared will you be to truly give value to someone and how much money can your realistically expect to make?

Most people treat network marketing like a lottery ticket…

…a $300 lottery ticket (or whatever the startup investment happens to be). They mentally go through their list of contacts and think of 4 or 5 people that they’re just sure will see the big picture like they do. If none of those 4 or 5 join their cause, they give up because “it doesn’t work”. This is part of the reason the industry gets such a bad reputation and such skewed success/failure rates. It’s true that most people that are exposed to the industry are lured in with incomplete, inaccurate, or downright false information. The truth is that the only way to fail in network marketing is to give up. Some people are naturals. It fits their personality. They’re outgoing, they’re energetic and optimistic and have a large network of people that respect and respond to them with little effort. Sure, network marketing initially is much easier for someone like this, however it’s not the only type of person that can be wildly successful. It’s true – anyone CAN be successful in network marketing – some just require a little more time and training than others.

Let’s talk about that tomorrow.

Face your fears and stay connected!

What does it mean to truly live?

Cory J. Westerbeck on July 31, 2015August 7, 2015

This is completely up to you!

It’s different for every person, yet there are some fundamentally SAME things for everyone as well. One of the most important human needs is to feel loved. There are many ways to experience what one calls love yet many are artificial, counterfeit substitutions. Because the need to feel loved is so strong, many relationships are based on fear of loss and a constant battle of give and take. Couples are willing to stay in relationships and endure their perceived shortcomings because they can’t bear the thought of being alone and they don’t trust their own worth enough to know that they’ll find another. Many of these issues can be worked out between couples but it’s not always easy to get both parties to agree that they themselves may be part of the problem.

One must feel safe and secure in order to feel that they are truly living

If you are the type that likes to live on the edge and likes the uncertainty of things more than the certainty then you probably feel secure in yourself knowing that you can control your environment or move on to the next one if you so choose.

It is of my opinion that you must be confident in your choice of religion or spirituality if you are going to live in peace. I don’t believe it matters what your specific beliefs are as long as you treat everyone with love and respect no matter what THEIR beliefs are.

What about money?

Some people are content with struggling to pay their rent or mortgage. They’re quite accustomed to saying “we can’t afford that”. They don’t seem to mind that they can’t ever take a REAL vacation – one where they don’t have to constantly worry about every dollar they’re having to spend on food and entertainment. Some people prefer the simple life and don’t need a large house and fancy car to feel content.

What about time?

I’m completely spoiled with the amount of free time that I have. I don’t know how most other people function with the constant grind between family and career. If you’re someone that lacks in all of these areas then you’re probably shortening your life from all the stress. I don’t claim to be an expert in any of these areas, but I do know that excessive stress can cause health issues.

What’s the answer?

Where is your greatest source of stress? Finances continue to be the number one reason for couples to argue. But if some rules and boundaries are not set, it won’t matter how much money you make, your lifestyle will eventually catch up to your income and you’ll be back in the same situation. The key is to resist the temptation to immediately improve your lifestyle and pay off debt. This is where true freedom exists – zero debt (or near it anyway).

So what can the average person do to make extra income? Coming up with a solution can be a very daunting and intimidating task. That’s why most don’t even attempt it. They continue down the same path and decide to just accept things the way they are. Part of me wants to say that your options are limitless but they are severely limited depending on what you’re willing to do and how much money you expect to make. Most people want EASY money (who wouldn’t?) and aren’t willing to put in the time and effort necessary to really make a difference. Something also to consider – are you looking for a temporary gig or do you want to start a business that will grow and eventually replace your current source of income?

Studies show that 95% of people looking for additional income are only looking to supplement their current income by $500 to $1000 per month. This may not seem like a lot of money to some but consider how quickly you could turn your financial situation around if 100% of the additional income could be applied to your outstanding debt?
Obviously I’m making some assumptions here – somewhat safe ones I’d say though. Recent statistics show that the average household credit card debt is over $15,000. The average student loan debt is over $30,000. Unfortunately we live in a society that is accustomed to debt. Personally, I’m all about instant gratification and I think most others are too. Why wait until you can pay cash for something when you can flash a piece of plastic and get it immediately? I’m guilty. Of course I always say “Eh, no worries. I’ll just pay extra on the card and pay it off quickly” but of course that never happens.

We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world – land of opportunity.

We each have the ability to better our financial situation with a little determination and perseverance. I believe that this is what sets the truly successful people apart from the masses though – lack of determination and perseverance. For most people it’s just too much discomfort (notice I didn’t say “pain”). Most of us live like kings and queens compared to a LOT of other people in the world and if you’re reading this on a mobile or other electronic device, you’re better off than a lot of people in our own country. We don’t like to be uncomfortable and we love our entertainment – and an endless flow of it.

Tomorrow I’ll be exploring one of the most popular ways to make extra money from home. The startup cost is usually reasonable and anyone can do it if they’re willing to slowly push the boundaries of their comfort zone and flirt with their fears a little.

Face your fears and join my cause!