MySuccessGateway.com on Fox News Live @ 9:48 AM EST with Blair Singer Wed. Nov 22nd, 2006
Jim Peake and Blair Singer of SalesDogs.com are interviewed by Jon Scott on FoxNews Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6JMulTF-RI

He was just a teenager, but he was already displaying the powerful habits that would one day make him a billionaire.

I had to dart down to Atlanta on Monday for a business meeting with a partner of mine and grabbed a new book to read on the plane.

I really get supercharged for a good autobiography and I had one in my mist(you know that feeling?).

The teenager I was talking about was none other than the world’s richest man, Bill Gates.

It was 7am, we were about to depart to Atlanta, and I dove into ‘Hard Drive: Bill Gates And The Making Of The Microsoft Empire.’

I want to share with you 2 success insights and strategies that Bill Gates used to create his fortune which you can use to change your life.

You ready?

Let’s go (buckle up).

(deep breath)

1) Success Environment – Out of the many themes in Bill Gates’ life, the one success insight that always reveals itself, is that he managed to get himself around, positive, action-minded people.

The consistancy of this habit for him was incredible.

Starting when he was just a teenager, up to working with Paul Allen, who he met in college, and then Steve Ballmer, who is now CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates was also seeking out WINNERS.

Yes, winners, people that were determined to supercharge their lives and ‘crack the code’ to achieve their dreams.

How many people are in your ‘inner circle’ right now that are ‘ahead of you?’

I’m always looking for people that are doing better than I am in areas that I’m looking to improve in and there are many.

You need to do the same, hear me?

It’s so important. Join a local business group, find a coach, and there are a bunch of other ways.

One of the many reasons that I put together ‘Success Mania 2005′, this coming September in Atlanta, Georgia, is because I want to be around 400 winners and 9 speakers who I can learn from. A full weekend of breathtaking life changes, that’s what everyone there is going to experience.

Just by getting around the right people, I’ve been able to create monster increases in my in.come, just like Bill Gates has done.

Onward.

2) Wealth Confidence – Never underestimate the power of your commitments and decisions.

Let me explain.

When Bill Gates was a teenager, he told anyone who would listen that he’d be a millionaire by 25 years old.

Yes, his parents thought he was crazy, as well as many friends.

(we know how that is, right?)

But, Bill Gates had what I call ‘Wealth Confidence’.

Like Bill, you want to take the shortcut to success and that means you need to believe in yourself and your talents. The long, hard road to your dreams appears when you trap yourself by limited, “I’m no good” thinking.

I’ve been there, done that.

It’s not fun.

It’s really not fun.

Listen, there’a hidden fortune inside of you ready to be released if you will just believe in yourself enough to take the NEXT STEP.

We all live at a fraction of what’s possible for ourselves and we HAVE TO change that and never be satified on our personal development.

You in?

You ready to push yourself? (ask yourself this again)

I’m asking you, because that’s what I’m demanding of myself.

That’s what my goal is and I want to know if you’re ready to join me.

You and I can create stunning results in our lives and you can give fear and doubt the ‘one-two knockout punch’ immediately and leap to your dreams. You really can.

If you’re eager for help in developing the ‘Wealth Confidence’ because you’re commited to raising your income this year, look at the P.S below.

Listen, let’s make today ‘jaw-dropping’ through the simple steps we can take to move our lives forward. Simple steps lead to huge results.

Start putting yourself in a ’success environment’ and do whatever you can to start building your ‘wealth confidence’.

Because you’re reading this, I know you’re serious about your future and I’m excited to help you every step of the way.

Make your move.

Talk to you soon.

Book Description
In The Hands-On Guide Video Blogging and Podcasting industry experts explain these emerging media tools from a professional perspective. Quickly learn the technical aspects of video blogging and podcasting along with their business and financial ramifications.

Step-by-step instructions to quickly launch a Podcast or Video Blog
The basics of multimedia use in blogging and the most relevant text-blog technologies. Podcast and Video Blog technology uses in business/corporate, education, customer communication, and entertainment contexts.

In the book there is concise, understandable breakdowns of all relevant Video Blogging and Podcasting buzzwords, acronyms, and related multimedia technologies. In the book is discussed coverage of tools, production techniques, new technologies, multimedia Blog basics, monetization, and licensing.

In the case studies that analyze successful for-profit and not-for-profit Podcasts and video Blogs. In The Hands-On Guide Video Blogging and Podcasting industry experts explain these emerging media tools from a professional perspective. Quickly learn the technical aspects of video Blogging and Podcasting along with their business and financial ramifications.

Interview with Damien Stolarz

Damien and Jim go over what equipment and skills are required to generate Podcasts and video Blogs. We discuss the ways to increase quality with techniques like double ending on both ends of the Podcasts and separating the two different sources of audio so that there is the ability to edit and produce a high quality recording.

Damien shares that the equipment can be purchased at Target or Best Buy. Damien thinks in terms of ‘formats’ and Blogs are just one type of format, so too is the web. Damien covers the traditional TV types of formats including different talk shows and also including the History Channel in the discussion.

In this interview Damien distinguishes the differences between Podcasts and Video Blogging and that there is advantages to each and challenges with each. Some of the different ways to distribute Podcasts are RSS Feeds using services like www.feedburner.com, www.hipcast.com and www.audioblog.com.

If you are thinking about Podcasting or Video Blogging Damien suggests to just get started and do it.

5 More Ways of Escaping the Nagging Feeling of Low Self-Esteem

By Dr. Joe Rubino

Rather than getting in touch with the source of feelings of low self-esteem so as to heal the pain and reframe the circumstances that originally resulted in interpretations of being unworthy, unlovable, or deficient in some way, most people instead often resort to finding ways to distract themselves from the unpleasant sensations that accompany feeling inferior. Instead of effectively silencing the nagging voice of past hurts, they seek out distractions to help them temporarily forget about their lacking confidence and deficient self-image. Five of the more common ways to relieve the pain of low self-esteem involve excessive attention to work, food, sports, sex, or even shopping. Like all addictions, they help to distract from but do not resolve the underlying problem and so one is still plagued by feelings that will continually require greater efforts from which to hide.

Workaholism

In our culture, work is usually an acceptable means of diverting our attention. Through hard work, we busy ourselves to the extent that we lack the free time needed to brood over our sorrows. Those who work excessively are often too tired to worry about a lacking social life or the pursuit of fun pastimes that they often likewise believe they do not deserve to experience. Work provides rewards such as money, recognition, and a feeling of accomplishment, all of which help to compensate for feelings of failure in other areas of life.

It’s not that a commitment to work is bad. In fact, it is quite admirable as just one component to a well-balanced life. However, when pursued to excess, it doesn’t allow for the honoring of other equally important elements such as a commitment to family, friends, fun, recreation, personal and spiritual development, etc. An obsession with work can take its toll on health, relationships, and missed opportunities for other equally valuable pursuits.

Moreover, when work is undertaken from the perspective that one is ‘not good enough’ in one or more aspects of their being, it can’t be fully enjoyed. Feelings of low self-esteem diminish one’s energy by consuming attention that could have been spent more productively in the joyful pursuit of one’s goals, rather than as a distraction from persistent negative self-talk.

Over-Eating

Like working excessively, an obsession with food is often a common escape from feelings of unworthiness. Eating can serve both as a distraction and a way to make ourselves feel better temporarily. We often seek from food the emotional connection that we are lacking in close, intimate relationships. Frequently, food is linked in our minds to happy times with family or friends. Perhaps we experienced food rewards from our parents or authority figures for scholastic or sports accomplishments. For many, food has become synonymous with love. And so in times of stress, fear, and loneliness, many turn to food to fill a void that only love and self-fulfillment can satisfy.

Habitual overeating also results in being out of shape, overweight, and generally unattractive in the paradigm of Western modern-day culture. The more one eats as a substitute for missing self-love and intimacy with others, the more obese he or she is likely to become. This in turn reinforces the feeling that the heavier the person becomes, the less she fits in and the lower her self-esteem plummets. The greater the feelings of loneliness and not fitting in that result, the more she is likely to seek comfort in food (especially the high carbohydrate, high fat, high comfort variety). A vicious cycle is thus set in motion ensuring more weight gain and lower self-esteem.

Sports and Other Physical Outlets

Some people run to overcome feelings of loneliness, boredom, depression or lacking self-worth. Some pump iron, play golf, or work out at the gym while others find their own unique way to divert their focus through exercise, hobbies, or sports. Many would argue that such a diversion is a healthy way to funnel energy into an activity that contributes to good physical health. However, like any obsession, when taken to the extreme for the purpose of diverting attention from issues in need of resolution, it can become an unhealthy means of avoiding areas in serious need of attention.

Sex

An obsession with sex outside of a healthy, loving relationship can likewise become a means of distraction to take the focus away from self-esteem issues. Whether it’s Internet porn sites, an obsession with strip clubs, or the need for frequent casual sexual encounters, all serve as an effort to numb the pain of isolation. Ironically, the greater the obsession to connect with others through meaningless sexual experiences, the greater one’s sense of isolation will likely become.

Shopping

Another common obsession to compensate for a low self-image is shopping. While some find temporary comfort in making themselves feel more attractive by purchasing the latest, most stylish clothes, shoes, accessories, or even cars and other expensive toys if their budget allows (and many times even if it does not!), compulsive shoppers find that the comfort they seek in material items is typically short lived. They often fool themselves into thinking that next new dress, sport coat, outfit or cologne purchase will make the difference they seek in having them feel better about themselves. Sadly, it never does. However, all too often such excessive spending sprees send the shopaholic deeper into debt. This further reinforces or worsens the failure interpretation they already possessed and continues to diminish their self-esteem and confidence level.

There are countless other addictions that people resort to in an effort to find meaning in life when their own self-worth is lacking. Whether it is compulsive gambling, studying, puttering in the yard, decorating the house, or whatever other diversion, those who lack inner peace will not soon find it externally with a focus that seeks to cover up feelings of being unworthy or unlovable.

Thankfully, there IS a way to reclaim one’s self-worth and restore self-esteem to a high level providing internal comfort and fulfillment. For a complete roadmap to reclaiming self-esteem, visit www.theselfesteembook.com.

Dr. Joe Rubino is the best-selling author of TheSelfEsteemBook.com and 11 other transformational books available worldwide in 19 languages. To receive his complimentary newsletter entitled “The Power to Succeed” visit http://www.TheSelfEsteemBook.com . For more information on his books, audios, and coaching program, visit http://www.CenterForPersonalReinvention.com

3 Common Ways to Escape Feelings of Low Self-esteem
By Dr. Joe Rubino
Watch TV, open the newspaper, listen to the radio, or visit news sites on the Internet and you’ll immediately notice that the amount of human failure and disaster one is exposed to is disheartening. If you are like me, you may find yourself avoiding these sources of news and “entertainment” because you can’t stand the amount of negativity that infiltrates your mind and harmfully impacts your energy-state! Not surprisingly, much of the negativity in the world is sourced from people having an unhealthy, low level of self-esteem. Shocking, extensive research shows that over 85% of the world’s population has some type of deficiency in their level of self-esteem.
Low self-esteem causes feelings of discomfort, unhappiness, anger, fear, procrastination, frustration, shyness and incapability. This array of negative thought processes and sensations causes people to look for artificial ways to cover up their lack of confidence by taking on forced or unnatural behaviors. Three of the most common ways of covering up a negative self-image, diminished self-esteem and low confidence levels are:
1)       Forced and unhealthy communication
Forced acts of communication are ways we relate with each other in an unnatural and destructive way. Examples of unproductive communication could be uncontrolled anger, screaming or abusive language, or making unfair or unproductive remarks. All too often, when we feel uncomfortable in social situations or fear being controlled by another, we try to gain the upper hand by dominating the other person in some manner. For example, your spouse might make a remark that you allow to cause you to feel poorly about yourself or attacked in some way.  (The words of another can never negatively impact our self-esteem unless we allow them to do so.) Most of the time, we react to what someone says when they bring up something we can not be with about how we see ourselves. This reactive feeling is all too often a sign of a diminished self-esteem. As a result of feeing threatened, you might counter with an aggressive or hostile remark of your own. Before long, you have unintentionally begun a downward spiral in communication that will surely erode your relationship over time.
Lacking self-esteem likewise impacts all other areas of life. Additional examples include fear of public speaking, ineffective professional communication, pursuing a carrier that is not in alignment with one’s passions and life-purpose, dating or even marrying people that do not match up well with our most important values because we fear we may not attract our ideal partner, and bringing up children to be fear-based, reactive, or unhealthy in their perceptions of the world and in their relationships with others.
2)       Sleeping Excessively in order to Escape from Reality
Do you know anyone who “sleeps their time away?” For countless people, sleeping is a way to escape their painful feelings of incapability, fear, discomfort, unworthiness, and weakness. These feelings stem from the interpretation that one is somehow unlovable or not good enough and are ultimately the result of low self-esteem levels. They drain our energy and cause internal friction that makes us tired. They also result in having us want to escape those situations instead of coping with them in an appropriate and effective manner. For many people sleeping is the easiest escape rather than learning to face life’s challenges. Sleeping is a means of recuperation — so upon awakening, all challenges can be coped with more easily with fresh energy. However many people don’t use sleep for the purpose of regenerating energy. They numb their pain with ‘chronic sleeping’ as an escape from reality. As an escape strategy, problems remain unaddressed and unsolved and so tend to become worse with the passing of time.
3)       Use of Alcohol, Drugs, and Cigarettes
As an active observer of people’s coping strategies, notice how often so many look for ways to numb the pain rather than address the source of their challenges. Many find comfort in cigarettes as a stress reliever.  The underlying source of mental stress and bodily tension is often diminished self-esteem. So often, people condition themselves to turn to alcohol or drugs after experiencing a stressful event. Rather than deal with the causes of life’s disappointments, relationship challenges, or ineffective communication, it’s often easier to look for ways to forget about the problems by turning to alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.  Of course, these destructive forms of escaping the uncomfortable feelings that are caused by low confidence, a bad self-image and poor self-esteem often result in compounded health and social challenges of their own. In addition to their harmful physical effects, drugs and alcohol amplify negative feelings and thus result in further destructive behavior. In this way, they compound the already present challenges and result in a worsening, vicious cycle of greater proportions.
Low self-esteem is most often the cause of these destructive and escape-seeking behaviors. Rather than detach from or attempt to escape the challenges brought on by a poor self-image and low self-confidence, there is a more effective way to live a more powerful, happier and more abundant life — simply by elevating one’s level of self-esteem. After working personally with thousands of coaching clients in the past 15 years, I have uncovered an effective yet simple and easy-to-implement formula for improving one’s self-esteem. The entire process of healing one’s painful past, accurately assessing one’s current situation, and proactively designing the future in choice can be found in the step-by-step self-study program entitled, “The Self-Esteem Book: The Ultimate Guide to Boost the Most Underrated Ingredient for Success and Happiness in Life.” For more information on restoring your self-esteem and reclaiming your magnificence, visit TheSelfEsteemBook.com website.
Dr. Joe Rubino is the best-selling author of TheSelfEsteemBook.com and 11 other transformational books available worldwide in 19 languages. To receive his complimentary newsletter entitled “The Power to Succeed” visit http://www.TheSelfEsteemBook.com . For more information on his books, audios, and coaching program, visit http://www.CenterForPersonalReinvention.com

Starbucks China Blend: the Slam Dunk Grande
Ted Pratt
www.whitehat-bluecollar.com
Admittedly, there are few genuine “can’t miss” propositions. But I’ve got one for you, Starbucks in China. Giant corporations being granted carte blanche in a totalitarian environment are reminiscent of an age when kings granted exclusive licensing for fur trapping. Starbucks has the product, the relationships, and with some nimble campaigning they’ll have the ubiquitous branding in no time. It will be game, set, match – if it isn’t already.
China is the emerging powerhouse economy in the world today, but it is not a free-for-all for foreign companies. Many companies, in America and elsewhere, would maintain it to be quite the opposite. China has garnered a reputation for being rather lax in its enforcement of intellectual property laws. Tech companies in particular, such as Microsoft, have been frustrated in seeing their handiwork pirated in China. You may add golf club manufacturers, music companies, movie studios and any number of industries to the list of the aggrieved.
And then there’s Starbucks, our giant American caffeinery.  I’m looking at a mid-town Manhattan franchise as I type this. It always seems busy. Did you know that there’s a franchise at the Great Wall? Were you aware that Starbucks announced an opening of one of their stores in Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Chinese were furious? They initially resisted, but quickly got used to it? (I guess the Chinese are just like everyone else.)
What does Starbucks have that Calloway Golf doesn’t in order to do business like this? A product that you can’t reproduce, that’s what. You can’t fake coffee beans en masse. That’s the cornerstone that guarantees Starbucks’ success in mainland China. Their CEO, Howard Schultz, has declared China to be their “number one priority” in terms of growth.
Schultz and Starbucks aren’t shy about their Chinese ambitions. Currently they have more than 12,000 locations worldwide, including about 400 in China. There are 2,700 Starbucks expected to open in the fiscal year of 2004 and the number one international priority for the chain is China.  Starbucks has a long-term goal of 30,000 stores, 8,000 of which to be in China.
This is a ramp-up of truly gigantic proportions. Remember, China is, perhaps in name only, a Communist country. While some of the communist economic policies may have fallen by the wayside, the ministers in Beijing have tightly clung to their power. Starbucks has been fully waved in, green lights, red carpet, welcome wagons – the works.  This isn’t because they think the CEO is a nice guy, but because their product, its distribution channels and everything can’t be copied.
I could hem and haw all day about this, but there’s more proof that the fix is in on behalf of the Seattle based coffee chain.  In recent weeks Starbucks has won not one, but two lawsuits in China protecting its intellectual property.  Some enterprising, and certainly observant, locals decided to copy elements of Starbucks brand and serve coffee themselves to their fellow countrymen.  No dice.  Chinese courts ruled in favor of Starbucks.
I wonder if the local coffee merchant thought he had a chance?  Did the Chinese judge think long and hard about the various merits each side had?  Were economic ministers in Beijing curious as to how this case would turn?  There was no drama.  An accomplished CEO like Schultz wouldn’t publicly refer to such lofty goals to succeed in countries like China without knowing he could reach it beforehand.  Somebody in Beijing likes them, or again, likes the revenue they generate.
It reminds me of a book I recently read on the infamous pirate Captain Kidd.  In short, the English crown hired Kidd to rob pirate fleets for profit.  While he was at sea, the winds of political change shifted somewhat and he became a scapegoat – his “trial” was a farce.  The powers that be needed a quick conviction and Kidd paid with his life.  Perhaps the stakes were not as great, but the outcome was just as assured when China ruled in favor of Starbucks against local knockoffs.
Now that Starbucks has the quality coffee and international distribution channels down, they’ve gained a golden okay from Beijing, now all they have to do is convince a country with 5,000 years of tea drinking experience that there’s something new, something different – called coffee.  This calls for branding.
China is moving towards Westernization, or a more capitalist economy.  The growing appetites and expectations of a consumer driven society make the task of Starbucks easier, especially since their competition is negligible.  With the appropriate deals struck in Beijing, it’s now time for Starbucks to sell themselves to the Chinese people.   Here’s how they’ll win:

• They are aiming at the young urban Chinese demographic, and store locations are comfortable and offer a social setting – a welcome break from cramped apartments.
• Starbucks locations will serve as Internet user hubs, where socializing and downloading music will be central to the Starbucks Experience.  Advertising agencies, like ICMediaDirect.com, will be running seasonal online campaigns (similar to this past Christmas season’s Red Cup campaign in the US) for Starbucks in order to associate the chain with what’s hip.  Crossing Medias like music downloads and entertainment websites will be crucial.   
• There is a consumer consciousness that’s new to capitalist cultures (never leaves, actually) emerging in China that’s similar to Russia.  Coffee will be the drink of change and through multimedia branding with governmental support; this idea will be solidly reinforced.

I don’t push stocks.  I don’t preach politics.  I’m not searching for justice or defending oppressors.  But there is one thing I know – Starbucks can’t miss.

http://www.technorati.com/claim/2gtpcnjwma” rel=”me”>Technorati Profile

One of the greatest “secrets” (although it’s not really a secret) of being taken seriously in any profession is to simply write a book.

And so if you are in MLM and sell health products, for example, and want your friends and family to take you seriously (instead of running away from you), tell them you are an author of a book about nutrition, first. Then try to sell them a product or whatever.

Why?

Because people have an automatic respect for published authors. That’s just the way people are. You’re like that, I’m like that, everybody is like that.

And when we read books on a subject, we automatically assume the author is an expert on the subject of his or her book. Even on subjects that have nothing to do with your expertise.

I know it is strange, but for whatever reason, we are conditioned from a very early age to think anyone who writes a book is an expert.

And that’s what’s so great about being published if you are selling something most people tend to shy away from hearing about. Because that title of “author” positions you as an expert.

Only question is how do you write a book? Isn’t it this hard, complex thing?

The answer to this is “No!” In fact, if you are really scared to write a book, you can simply arrange and record interviews with experts on a subject. Create written transcripts from your recorded interviews and then turn the written transcripts of that interview into a book.

Or, you can go to the library, take a bunch of notes, string them together in logical order and you have your book. Personally, I like the idea of interviewing experts on a subject to get great content for a book.

Your book doesn’t have to be long or even published by a major publisher. You can do it yourself. Just put a neat cover on it and have it done up at your local printer and there you have a book.

You are no longer “that guy who is always trying to peddle me MLM.”

Instead, you’re an author. You have a book. You are an expert on something and now all the sudden people want to hear what you have to say and when you sell them a product, they almost feel honored to do business with you.

It changes the entire complexion of your business and the way people react to you.

Bottom line:

This is definitely one of the best kept secrets of MLM. And anyone can do it.

Copyright 2006 Michael Senoff