Deception-Success Connection Dilemma: #SHINE Wrap-up Part 1

This wrap up has many facets. As such, I wanted to make separate posts for each of them. A lot of good came from this event. A LOT. And I will give ample room on this blog for that. But I'm a "bad news first" kind of girl, so here's where it gets a little - as my friend ElizabethPW would say - snarky.

So I didn't plan on going to the Ali event for content. In fact, after hearing Ali herself profess to watering down her content at previous event, I really wasn't expecting much. I looked at this as an investment in meeting new people, forging some great new business conacts, firming up some online friendships in real life, and possibly getting some content along the way.

In fact, the content was frosting. I was hoping for some face time with the speakers, but it was made clear early on that we probably wouldn't get that. So I expected a big pitch for her Platinum/Diamond program along with a sprinkling of ideas from Think and Grow Rich and some business math - since she told us to bring our calculator.

I pretty much got what I expected, which is all at once disappointing and promising at the same time. Day one was by far the most content packed day of the event - but mostly it was the inner game of business. As I had recently come from a mastermind goup meeting of my own, I had already done the values activity, and made light work of that task. For the investment, Day one was really where the hard work of the event happened.

A lot of people took a lot out of the values exercise. People talked about it all of the three days we were in session - and it was a great way to start the event. In fact, if it weren't for one glaring issue on day one, I would have said it was the best day of the entire event.

And no, I'm not talking about the fire alarm. That was incredibly hysterical.

The problem I had was that after the values exercise, Ali openly revealed that "truth" was one of her top 5 values. I'm all for truth, and I think it's great. I also know that we all lie, so there's a very fine line you have to walk as a public persona that values truth so highly.

So imagine my shock and awe when both of Ali's speakers for day one openly admitted to lying in order to achieve success. Julie Clark, founder of Baby Einstein lied to a buyer, telling her that the previous buyer "loved her video and was planning to put it on the shelves in the stores", when in fact, she hadn't even heard back form the buyer in the first place. Anne McKevitt lied about her age after running away from home to score a job with celeb hair stylist John Frieda.

Some people I talked to said "Hey, you do whatever it takes." or "Act as if, right?" Everyone has their own ethics barometer, and I'm not here to debate that. What bothered me was that Ali said she valued truth, and then put two very successful women on her stage that openly admitted to lying.

That REALLY bugged me. She didn't call them out on it or anything. If truth is such a highly valued commodity in Ali's world, why was it so lacking in two of her featured speakers? The message I walked away with is "the truth is okay, but you have to lie if you want to be successful." I tweeted about it several times because it really got to me.

These women were incredibly inspiring - from an "over come any obstacle" standpoint. I'll talk more about that on my next post.

Then there was a short message from one of the three event sponsors. And by short I mean incredibly long and unintelligible to an audience that doesn't do much in the way of day trading. And why did only one sponsor get to speak from the stage? Did the other two not pay enough? That seemed goofy to me. I know that they sponsored the VIP party, but MichelePW sponsored the sponsored the elegant morning breakfast on all three days, which was far more valuable to the entire group. She could have given a USEFUL presentation that would have captured the hearts of all in the room. She's a COPYWRITER after all!

The last bummer of the day was Anne's lambasting of branding. She began with a graphic depicting the top of a soda bottle, a coffee cup, a tennis shoe, and a hamburger - all unidentified. She then asked us to write down the first brand that came to mind.

Her point was to convey the power of branding. But her point got lost in translation as she proceeded to tear apart nearly every woman in the room by telling us we're wasting time on social media, that we shouldn't put our twitter id or picture on our biz cards, and that glossy stock screams cheesy "realtor" or something to that effect.

She further went on to say that we needed a business name that tells people exactly what we're about, and that if our tagline could do it, then we were "okay", but that we really needed a name that was clear to identify.

Ironically, the four brand names that were most popular in the above mentioned quiz? Coke, Starbucks, Nike, McDonald's - NONE of which tell you a damn thing about their product.

Anne tried to construct a corporate advertising brand on a personal/personality-based branding frame. In several of the inpromptu moments when Anne was "cornered" between sessions, she was found analysing and collecting business cards, telling people what was "wrong" with them. At least three times I heard her tell people that if they couldn't afford to spend the few hundred/couple thousand dollars to have a quality business card designed and printed, that they shouldn't be in business.

Them's hard words to swallow in a room of people where many spent their last penny (and then some) just to get to the event, let alone order business cards.

And yes, my card totally violated the Anne McKevitt rules of engagement. It was a temp I made on glossy stock just for the event with my pic, twitter id and a blurb on the back that said we met at Shine.

They're collectors items now. hee hee.

But as an Idea Coach, I had three people approach me to help them come up with a new name for their business based on Anne's suggestions - and they were able to find me again in that sea of people because my picture was on my card! How sad is that?

Day two began by trying to play catchup on content that we couldn't finish thanks to the fire alarm. Unfortunately, what I was HOPING would be implementation and strategy to help us make use of the business models she provided, ended up being overview. I can already read the diagrams, thanks. Overview wasn't particularly value added to me.

Ali was clever in that she was able to sprinkle in more testimonials about how her current clients were successful with the business models - and nearly all of them ended with some kind of "you're the best!" testimonial for Ali's MPC program.

Knowing Ali's live event format, I expected testimonials, but I expected them to come during the panel in the evening (and I wasn't disappointed). I also expected them to be subtantive - especially in light of the new FTC rules taking effect Dec 1 (A question Ali wouldn't field during her Q&A session). I even expected a session with James Roche to set the positive frame of his role in the MPC program, and his session on the entrepreneur's path wasn't too bad.

Barbara Corcoran was a pip - and I enjoyed her stories immensely. I didn't enjoy the recurring theme of having to BS her way to billions, which again seemed to be the antithesis of what Ali said she held as a core value (truth).

The highlight of Day two was Adam Haroun's makeover during the late night hot seats. He was able to immediately see the value of his offerings, and make some powerful connections to grow his business - something I think we were all hoping would happen for us on day two.

Day three was incredibly rushed. In fact, the peer-to-peer reviews were what I was waiting for all weekend - and they never materialized. Ali didn't even have time to complete a portion of the event and promised to continue it on a teleclass at a later date. I'm wondering how the return policy will be affected by this turn of events.

The business plan was an interesting cross between vision board and action plan, but seemed to lack substance. There were a lot of A-ha's being shared, and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's TED video about the left and right hemispheres of the brain drew quite a response. Highlight number one of Day three.

When it came down to "studying" Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich, I chuckled at Ali's gaffe, when she said she wished there were "Cliff Notes" for the book. Apparently she didn't know it was taken from a much larger work of Hill's -so in essence it WAS the Cliff Notes. Hee hee. Ultimately, though, Ali let the audience lead this session with their own a-ha's, and shared relatively little insight of her own.

And no, we didn't need a calculator. Ever.

We did need a few tissues either from laughing too hard or crying a bit at the AMAZING Marlee Matlin. I was disheartened to hear that of all our successful speakers, it was the most honest, hard working, no b.s'ing of the bunch that didn't have a multi-million dollar company under her belt.

But perhaps, that's because her definition of success is a more holistic one.
Marlee was definitely Highlight number ONE of the entire event.

And yes, we did contact Ali's team about the content that wasn't delivered. They indicated they're "checking into" it to see what Ali plans to do.

I can't help but wonder as a handful of folks are actually speaking out about the daashed expectations and disappointments at Shine, how many other people are watching the empress and not telling her she's unclothed?

So there's the ugly, the bad, and some of the good.
More good to follow. Promise.

The Power of the MasterMind

So today I'm hopping on a plane and heading to D.C.

Say a prayer for me for a safe flight, and for my husband for an uneventful week ahead.

This will be the first time since my son's health issues that I've left him alone with the kids. And I'm doing it again next month, too.

In my last few posts, I've talked about priorities and sacrifice. Today's Sweetest Day in the States, which is just another holiday cooked up by the greeting card industry to give Walentine's day a partner in crime.

So on a day of remembering your love, I'm leaving town.

I swear, it's not a Freudian thing.

This will also be the first time I've ever connected live and in person with the members of my amazing mastermind group.

These four fantastic women have made the commitment every week to hop on the phone, wherever they are in the world, and share their joys, concerns, wins, challenges, and ideas to help bolster each other, celebrate, and challenge both personal and professional growth.

Watch out Washington D.C.! If congress could work together like that, what an amazing country this would be!

In the months we've been together, there have been amazing milestones. Financial (the first $20,000 month), personal (dealing with serious family issues), and organizational (building companies from scratch right before our eyes). Breakthroughs, bonding and business building are a "weekly thang" for us. It's truly remarkable.

We've called in on vacation in Hawaii, while driving in the mountains, or having a sleep over at a friend's house. We've seen each other through family trials, business trials and courtroom "trials".

And for the first time ever, we're all going to be in the same room at the same time on Sunday.

Oh what a day that will be.

Now, I can't speak for the others in my group. But for me, this has been (and continues to be) one of the most powerful groups in which I have ever been involved. thanks to the support of these amazing women, I've watched my business and my life blossom into something I never expected.

To be frank, I came to the group thinking I had little more than my wild ideas to contribute. I felt like I was going to be pulling down the average with these amazing women.

You know the Jim Rohn-ism "you are the average of the 5 people you hang around most"? Well, I was worried that after spending most of the day with my children, I'd have little to offer these fine ladies.

And yet, this has been the most amazing give and take, idea-generating, business boosting group. And they all tell me the same thing - so I can hope that I've had SOME hand in all that positive energy going around.

I've been re-reading Think and Grow Rich this week as I prepare for both my trip to D.C. and to Ali Brown's SHINE event in Vegas. (shameless plug)

Regardless of your stance on the whole "law of attraction" philosophy, there's something to be said for having a mastermind type group. When you are able to brainstorm and bounce ideas off other people, inevitably, something bigger and better comes out of it.

For this reason, if for no other, I am a firm believer that everyone needs a mastermind of their own.

And so, I'm boarding a plane today, to not only connect with these wonderful people, but to share my gratitude in person. I already know there'll be laughter, tears and a ton of fun on this trip.

I'm also doing major league annual planning - something on a bigger scale than I've ever done before in my business. I'm nervous, excited and can't wait to report back all the exciting news and developments from the weekend.

Ali Magazine: Inconsistent Messaging

I've been an Ali Brown afficionado for a few years. Her rise to nearly celebrity status as the darling of Internet Marketing, more commonly known as "the Ezine Queen", has been almost metoric in nature. In fact, during a teleclass this summer, she credited the law of attraction and the power of manifestation for her quantum leaps in business over the past few years.

So when I heard tell of a new magazine that was on the way, I was very nearly salivating. My mind traversed the possibilities: powerful interviews and articles on business building and attraction principles. Profiles on Ali disciples that had made good and gone "big time" with their business. Even the possibility of some lifestyle and travel tips. The horoscopes...

... Wait? huh? HOROSCOPES?

You heard me.

In my perfectly blunt style, I wrote my letter of disbelief to Ali. She of course did not reply (she's far too busy for that these days) but one of her assistants did.

"Thanks Lisa - We appreciate your feedback. The reason why we included a horoscope section is because horoscopes are FUN! People like them, Ali likes them. It's good to have fun with your business and enjoy it. :)"

Well, I don't dispute that FUN should be a part of your business. Countless pages in Ali's new magazine outlined style, fashion and travel ideas. And I even appreciated the tip sheet articles and guest spot on Heidi Klum. heck, I'll even give her props for the layout of "behnd the scenes" pictures from her cover shoot. That's fun stuff!

But Horoscopes, to me, seem to go completely against everything Ali spoke about during the summer teleclass on Manifestation with David Neagle. In a class all about setting your sights on a goal, learning the right way to goal set, and how to attain those goals through attraction, putting your "faith in the stars" just seems incongruent at best and insulting at worst.

To say "people like them, Ali likes them" is a means of justification without addressing the issue of congruence.

It draws to mind those old Venn diagrams from logic class.

If people like horoscopes, and Ali likes horoscopes, then Ali is people, too.

...Talk about lowest common denominator.

Don't get me wrong. I still like Ali's work, and she has some valuable content that has taken my business in a new direction, but to lower the qualty of the content to appeal to "the masses" is a bit heartbreaking.

A good magazine - a FUN magazine - doesn't need tawdry little, mind numbing horoscopes.

Settling in: It's back to business

So after a FAB-U-LOUS time in Dallas, I am "Settling in" at home and getting back into the swing of things.

It's funny how when you leave, and get a little R-n-R, you want to think you're coming home to a better place than when you left it.

But the dishes still weren't done, and the house looked like a bomb went off.
*sigh*
I guess there's no surprise there. But still, I had *hoped* for a little of my relaxation to come home with me.

While we were getting tons of new training, along with free products (which is pretty common at any leadership conference), there was some sad news. Apparently, someone jumped from the balcony into the atrium at our hotel. Pretty sad stuff. They went door to door in the hotel that night trying to figure out who the jumper was.

But it got me to thinking (like most things do). That is NOT how I want to go. Not my idea of the way I want to be remembered.

But that's what we do in business every day. We give up. Quit. Throw in the towel and take a proverbial flying leap off the nearest balcony with no regard to the devastation it may leave behind.

Several of our consultants saw the man in his descent. Can you imagine the shock and horror that these women have to live with now? There was no regard for them in his jumping. Why should there be? He didn't know them, and must have figured that there was no one that cared enough to save him to jump.

But I look at my business. The people I work with, and I am re-committed to helping people succeed. But I'm also re-committed to helping my family be the best it can be.

I don't want to be remembered as a splotch on the carpet of life. I don't even want to be on the carpet of life - I want to soar above it. I also want to take people with me for the ride.

Because life is an incredible ride. It has bumps, twists, turns, ups and downs like any good ride. It's NOT for the faint of heart, but you can be under 4 feet tall to enjoy it.

In fact, I find that you almost HAVE to be under 4 feet tall to enjoy it, and that's just sad.

Let's bring back the childhood fun, and silly times. Let's live life instead of subsisting in it.

And we can still hold each other accountable to what matters most like good grown ups do.

While in Dallas, I made a pact with my roommated to achieve some goals before our annual conference in Reno in August (I can't wait! I've never been to Reno!). First, I made the commitment to keep building my business and helping people build theirs. I plan to promote 3 new leaders by conference (4 would be ideal, but I'm trying to be realistic!). I also committed to being in Reno. That sounds like a small committment, but the size doesn't matter, only the level of determination behind the committment. And mine is fierce.

I also learned I'm only a few hundred points away from earning an incentive trip to aruba, which is also exciting. Of course, my husband has plans for the weekend of the trip, so even if I win it, I probably won't go.

But it's not about the winning. Winning is nice, but beating your personal best is better. I'm having THE BEST year I've ever had in Direct Sales, and I'm loving every minute of it. You can't imagine the feeling when you're helping others reach their goals and build their dreams. It's kind of selfish to say it but I love the way I feel when I get to help others. It's just SO gratifying.

So I'm home, getting back into "life" again. Settling into a few comfortable routines - and a few new ones. I'm excited about what 2008 has already presented to me, and I'm even more excited about where I'm headed. My new Home Party Solution program is about to launch, and the feedback has been very positive for the program.

But the kids still need tending to, and the dishes still need to be done, and this year more than ever, I have an optimistic, positive and power-filled outlook on being what I call a "businessmom". I have a tremendous opportunity to love my kids, be there for them, AND build my growing business in a way that I can be proud of.

I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it... or maybe that's just the cold Michigan weather!

Is THIS what it's like to be old?

Okay, I'm going to classify this under the "TMI" heading - but if it helps even one person, I have to share it - you know me.



I am sick. I mean ill, as in acute bronchitis and creeping crud and all that yucky stuff... but my boys are sick, too.



You know what that means... My husband's next.



It starts with a bad headache that comes and goes....and comes and goes... My husband just had a few yesterday.



Then a wave of dizziness and coughing. My oldest got that today.



Then heavy coughing, body aches, and fever - my baby's got that today.



Then it gets really yucky. I had that yesterday. I'm feeling a bit better since I went to the hospital. The doc loaded me up on turbo antibiotics and an inhaler to alleviate the bronchitis.



But the worst part is the stress incontinence.



Yes, I said it. There it is. Laugh if you must, but it's true.



I pee when I cough really hard.

I pee when I sneeze.

I pee when I am hacking up a lung.

Here a pee, there a pee, everywhere a pee-pee.



Are you done laughing yet? Me neither.

I pee when I laugh, too.



Nope. It's not funny. And it got me to thinking, this must be a glimpse of what it's like to get old. Losing control of parts of you that your THOUGHT were firmly under your control.



OY.



So I had a clever idea. My baby wears diapers, so he doesn't care if he pees all over everything. My oldest wears pull ups on occasion, so this is no big thing for him.



Yes, you can do the math and make the linear connection here. I got "adult diapers".



Seriously, you can stop laughing now.



But let me tell you, these are NOT comfortable. I mean, they may help to fight against wetness, but they aren't winning any beauty contests. They are scratchy, cling in all the wrong places, sag in all the other wrong places, and while they're effective, I certainly don't feel confident when I wear them.



No wonder old people are crabby all the time. If they have to wear these ungodly things I TOTALLY understand.



On the bright side, my issue is temporary - which is good because I'm headed out to Leader Retreat in glorious Dallas, Texas this weekend. Actually, we're hanging out at the Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas, which is North Dallas, but this place is SWANK! Check out the photo gallery here.

This is a picture of the atrium (courtesy of the hotel). I've never been to Dallas (that's a blog post all by itself!), but they weren't kidding when they said things are bigger here:

Our Annual Leader Retreat will feature prominent speakers in the Direct Sales Industry. Last year, for example, Belinda Ellsworth was our Keynote speaker. This year, Jane Deuber will present a special session for Directors only. Pretty exciting - if you're into direct sales!

But I also look at the amenities of the event, and this one purports to be full-blown awesome:

• Complimentary made-to-order omelettes each morning (or if you don't like eggs, there's a complimentary breakfast)
• A full course of fine dining between each training session (no box lunch here, folks!)
• Complimentary business center access and Wi-Fi
• A COMPLIMENTARY reception every evening in this glorious atrium (yes, drinks of all kinds, folks)
• On-stage recognition for leadership levels
• Tons of Free products from our new catalog
• Networking opportunities galore

Plus, did I mention I'm NOT taking the family with me this time!?! Can you say working vacation? Woo hoo!

Yes, while I'm living "la vida loca" in Dallas for afew days, my husband, who should be hard and heavy into that cold by then, will be tending to our precious children at home alone.

Yes, you did hear me snicker. Hee hee.

But before you think I'm cruel and callous, I did save a few "adult diapers" for him.

And for me, there' be no "wee wee wee all the way home".

You saw it coming. Admit it.

Okay, you can stop laughing now. Seriously.

Seriously.