In looking for a new business opportunity, what is the single most important factor on which to base what will hopefully prove to be a life changing decision?
The answer to this ultimate question may be different for each of us. Maybe it boils down to money, “What’s in it for me financially?”
A lot of “experts” talk about passion. Of course passion is extremely important. Without passion, we are not as likely to have complete commitment, develop the necessary discipline, or to be able to do whatever it takes, particularly when we don’t feel like it.
Is there a particular product or industry you’re excited about?
Of course, marketing is essential to any business.
Most businesses involve more than one person, so finding and developing a good team is certainly relevant.
Just what is the foremost factor to look for in your search for the opportunity that really can change your life, one that will absolutely increase your chances for success?
INTEGRITY!
On the other end of the spectrum, what one thing raises the biggest red flag, yet isn’t always discernible at the outset?
GREED!
One of my most favorite sayings (I’m not sure where it comes from….) is:
“Money makes good people better and bad people worse.”
Does this ring true from your life's experiences and observations? Have you even been (sorry for the language in advance…) “screwed over” by someone because of money? Did this person ever apologize and make things right? I’d be willing to bet your response is an “Are you kidding?” or “No way!”
Integrity or Greed. How do you know?
Reflect on this for a minute.
Have you ever asked yourself, “Where does integrity come from?”
Integrity comes from within. In looking for integrity, the only way for us to find it in another person is to have it ourselves. It must emanate from our very core. The values of truth, honesty, morality and ethics all wrapped into one word, “Integrity”.
The challenge is to be able to discern whether someone is interacting with us out of integrity or out of greed.
Integrity is a core value that has to be proven over time. Even our closest friends, in whom we have trusted for a long time, can turn out to be unethical schmucks. When it comes to money, this can often be the case. I have lived this experience more than once. How about you?
About two and a half weeks ago, a side ad on FaceBook caught my eye. This was quite a rare event as I find most of these to be obnoxious, non-realistic and misleading. This ad displayed a brief and seemingly straightforward note about internet marketing and opportunity. I’d had two business concepts on my mind for a while and I began thinking “What if this ad is real?”
I filled out the email request, completed an application and a day later found myself talking with Juan. I asked all sorts of questions. I even asked if he was trying to convince me to join his business so he could make money from my signing up! He was direct and did not pressure me. He asked me some pointed questions in return such as: “How serious are you?”; “Are you ready to get started right away?”; and “How many hours per week are you willing to work to make this happen?”
In performing subsequent due diligence, I could not find anything blatantly negative. I called Juan again to ask a few more questions. He shared his personal story of success and let me know it would take a lot of work for me to be successful and pointedly stated there was nothing easy about the internet marketing opportunity in question. All the components for success were in place, a community of individuals such as myself, a complete system with every aspect needed for internet marketing already in place, regular recorded and live training, and a support team. These were all accessible through my back-office. The only missing link had to do with me as far as my commitment, focus, discipline and the determination to follow through consistently.
Going into more detail, Juan explained the system the company had designed. An existing product line existed to help newcomers learn directly through hands on experience. Once learned, this marketing system could be used for any product. We talked about the economy, timing and the potential for growth, both personal and financial. He shared his opinion regarding the management team having the highest values and truly wanting to help other people change their lives. Without going into detail, he went over a few aspects of the compensation components. On top of all this, he shared that the company for the present product being marketed had several causes to which it contributed.
After hanging up from this conversation, I went over my notes on prerequisites to finding and qualifying a truly worthwhile business to analyze the opportunity at hand. The basic prerequisites consist of the following:
· An excellent product - Check!
· Management with Integrity – Sounds like a Check!
· Timing – Check!
· Compensation – Sounds like a Check!
· Cause – Check! (I realized that as my income would grow, I could choose my own causes).
Now I needed to know without any doubt that Juan was operating and interacting with me from the point of utmost integrity. In a sudden “A-ha!” moment I realized the only way to find out was to move forward, to take a risk.
It has now been eight days since I officially started. Juan has followed through on everything he said he would. He consistently gets back to me. He has been forthright and straightforward. Everything to this point has seemingly been filled with integrity. He helped me to be up and marketing on the internet within the first four days!
I have made the commitment. I am off and running. I am putting into place the daily components needed to build the proper discipline. There are even guidelines provided to help me with this! I am extremely excited.
Thank you Juan. Thank you for your sincere interest in helping people like me who want to change their lives. Thank you for having integrity. Thank you for being my mentor in my new business and the value you have provided. I look forward to proving to others this opportunity is real, and more importantly, that it ultimately stems from integrity. I am excited to build relationships built on integrity.
Now, it’s my turn to help others. One of the coolest parts is that Juan is here for me to help others change their lives, one person at a time. He is here to help me help you and to help you directly until I have the experience necessary myself.
Are you happy with how things are in your life? What are your dreams?
Now, are you willing to make the commitment, to work on your discipline, to do what it takes?
Find the opportunity that meets your specific criteria, then before making your decision pointedly determine if the people you are going to be working with are operating from and with integrity.
Integrity will lift you up, add to your life in every way and attract more integrity right back on a daily basis. This begins with truly wanting to help others change their lives.
Greed will eventually bring you down, sap you of your energy and money, and simply attract more greedy people who will take advantage of you, ensuring that your dreams do not come true.
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