Which one are you ??

Are you an observer or a visionary ??

What's the difference ??

I believe that Robert Kennedy put it best :

Some people see what is, and ask "Why ?"
Others see what could be, and ask "Why not ?"

Humankind has been given a fantastic gift - imagination. Einstein once wrote that Imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination gives us the power to see what others cannot see, to see beyond what is, and recognise the potential as yet untapped. How many of our ancestors had observed  round berries rolling across a surface, before one of them noticed that the berries moved much easier than a square edged chunk of stone, and had the vision to create the wheel ?  How many  people had observed a kettle of water boiling over a fire before James Watt had the vision to realize the potential of the power generated by the steam, and set about harnessing that power through his steam engine ? Thus the industrial revolution was born. Others like Robert Stephenson had the vision to put the two together, and the Railway Age began.

There have been visionaries since time began. What did they have in common ? 

As George Michael sang, "You gotta have faith".

To quote from the Bible "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" -  Heb 11:1 .

They had the deep faith in their vision which enabled them to overcome all obstacles, and make their vision a reality. After over forty years as a boring, pragmatic accountant - and latterly Finance Director of a leading edge I T company, very few "work from home" business opportunities have ever captured my imagination, and even fewer have passed through the rigorous "due diligence" process which followed.

My first introduction to network marketing, or MLM, was in the early nineties when I was introduced to a company which by then had been running for over thirty years.  The company was the vision of two succesful entrepreneurs,  Richard M DeVos, and Jay Van Andel, and, if you haven't already guessed, it's name was Amway. From humble beginnings in the basement of their homes, staffed only by their families,  it quickly expanded and they acquired their first premises, a disused service station. By the time it was brought to my attention it had grown to a billion dollar turnover company, operating worldwide.

When the concept was explained to me, I loved it !! The possibility of earning an unlimited income, the freedom to work when I chose, how I chose, and with whom I chose !! Harnessing the power of leverage and duplication. The simple principle of a lot of people, each moving a little product added up to that billion dollar turnover. At the time challenges in my personal life, meant that reluctantly I chose not to get involved, but I never forgot the idea, nor those core principles - in fact I used the principles of Leverage and Duplication in training and managing a number of project teams.

Jan and I got together a couple of years later, and because of her experience in Network Marketing, we were regularly pitched on the latest opportunities. The odd one passed the due diligence test, and whilst I was happy to support her in building her business, none really ever captured my imagination.

None that is until someone suggested that I take a look the newly launched Wikaniko in October 2008. Like Amway It had been founded by two highly successful entrepreneurs, and it had at its heart a simple, but powerful message. I know I sound like a broken record, but for those who haven't read my previous posts, " A lot of people becoming a little greener, would add up to a huge change for the planet". Wikaniko passed my stringent due diligence tests with flying colours - and I became an Independent Wikaniko Distributor.

Network Marketing, with those twin principles of Leverage and Duplication, seemed an ideal way of bringing about that change. Building up a network of people who themselves were committed  to being part of the change, and  who would share that message through their families, their friends, and their communities. I  saw the mission - "to give people the information they required to make conscious choices as to how their regular shopping habits affected the health and wellbeing of themselves, their families, and the planet, and the opportunity to conveniently,  and inexpensively exercise those choices".

Our Wikaniko sites both supply the information, and through the online shop, or personal delivery, give people the opportunity to exercise their choice.

I joined Wikaniko to make an income by making a difference, - and I would very much like that change, and the income, to be solid and sustainable - and since Amway are still around after over 50 years, I can't think of a more effective business model to explore. If I had to choose one thing above all others which I feel contributed to Amways phenomenal growth, and longevity - it would be relationships - personal relationships between distributor and customer, and between team leaders and their teams.

The organization grew naturally and organically, with satisfied customers recommending the products, and satisfied distributors recommending the opportunity. Simples.

Think of the tools that we now have to pass on the information, and raise awareness of Wikaniko, that those early Amway distributors couldn't even imagine possible. Internet Marketing - E Mail - Social Networking - Blogs -  Articles. We just have to use them !! As Trevor is fond of saying, we just need to get enough people looking.

Charles Paul Cohn makes the point that Direct Sales involves "people to people" selling, but not neccessarily "door to door" selling.

The strategy behind the Part Work Income Plan lends itself to that Amway model too. Commit to that monthly order of a minimum 36 points -  and introduce one person each month.

I'm going to close this post with a quote from one of my favourite networking books, which for me sums up the massive potential of Wikaniko, which in my view, as yet remains untapped :

"If I gave you a magic carpet that could take you anywhere you wanted to go, would you jump on board and make your dreams come true, or would you buy curtains to match, and put it on the floor"

Mitakuye Oyasin
Mike P