Weekly Blog No. 1 - Succeeding Today #entrepreneurhangout

I created the blog www.andyatkinsonlive.com attached to my business overview website www.afa-global.com with the purpose of sharing my experiences on what it takes to succeed as a entrepreneur in today’s market place. You may ask, who is Andy Atkinson to give such advice? Answer "simply just a average dude" & that's my point. Anyone who has the desire and belief can do the same. I didn't get straight A's in school. In fact, you will properly notice a lot of grammar mistakes in the blog. I didn't come from a rich or entrepreneurial family. I wasn't a superstar athlete, though I enjoy staying active and competitive. My biggest successes came from going against the norm and weather the storm. Meaning I've never had overwhelming talent, but over time I've was able to surpass far beyond others.

I started my path to independence by receiving a scholarship to wrestle in college. Even though I didn't compete my senior year of high school due to inquires someone noticed my passion and desire to compete and win. I was the first male in my family to receive a college degree. After college I turned down a few well paying corporate jobs to be an entrepreneur. Even though I didn’t know exactly what a entrepreneur was. I decided to move to Southern California not knowing a sole or having an income source. Over time after working at a few fitness centers I opened my own personal training center. Unfortunately with a down economy the center experiences short success, but ultimately failed and closed. Mean while I started learning the martial art Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which become a passion of short for me.

After a failed business and a few failed relationships I debated throwing in the tale and taking a traditional "JOB". In my mind this was giving up and volunteering as someone's slave. No freedom of schedule, little chance of significant income, restricted time for personal enjoyment & worse of all working your butt off for someone else's success. To achieve the type of independence I desired I took a chance and reconnect with a friend who had become highly successful online. Hard part was I blew him off a few years back thinking no real money could be made without a brick and mortal business. To say the least, I couldn't be more wrong. After understanding a few simple advantages like cost vs. return, no territory restrictions, Internet never closes & most importantly I don't have to be there to make money I realized this is today's entrepreneur.

Fast foreword three years I'm living life on my terms. I was a slow learner, but over that three year time period I educated myself on how to develop and implement a result producing action plan, how to position myself in front of the up and coming trends and how to develop outlets to move mass volumes of products. Many of us have been in the right place at the right time, but few are willing run against the norm and do something with that opportunity. I did!! At the age of 31 I was earning full time passive income.

Life was good & I was enjoying it. I took a break from work goals for a few years. Living on the San Diego coast I stayed highly active including training and competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. More recently moved to small ski town of Big Bear, Ca. Started snowboarding, training crossfit and volunteering at Non Profit, which mentors youth through sports and fitness.

Now I have some new goals and am back building assets online. Over the last few months expanded my reach globally. With the social media tools available today it's amazing how small the world has become. The playing ground is currently leveled and anyone who is willing to learn can compete and succeed with the big dogs. Once again this blog is about sharing success stories & pointers. Many of which will start from a pile of failures and over time will turn into gold.

Interesting facts:

Fact 1:

This is a breakdown of the wealth at the age of 65 in the United States

1% are Rich

4% are Financially Independent (earning a six figure residual income)

5% are Still Working

28% are Dead

62% are Financially Dependent (living on less than $1800 per month)

Fact 2:

75% of this Top 5% earners are business owners.

Simply put, one will work for their success or will work for someone else’s success.

Next Blog, Monday, November 3rd 

I'll talk about the first step to succeeding in any endeavor.

Andy

The Shopping Annuity is a critical component to earn secondary money – when you convert spending into earning through SHOP.COM, you are tapping into incredible buying power which can fuel extra income!

This video does a great job of explaining this vital concept – This has created a residual income for me and asset I can pass to down to by family

Visit my website.

or Put it off another year & You will be another year older, etc.....

Cheers, Andy

5 Keys of The Opportunity Minded

Among the obvious characteristics of a successful entrepreneur such as ambition, good work ethic, and strong leadership skills, an important quality that is often overlooked is being opportunity minded.  My definition of being opportunity minded is always being on the lookout for opportunity. Whether things are currently going well or could use improvement, by looking at situations as possible opportunities, you’re constantly learning and arming yourself with the needed information to stay on the cutting edge of what is happening.  Speaking from personal experience, It also may help you identify that the opportunity you are currently working on is really the ultimate opportunity for you as this has done for me over the last 10 years.  Opportunity minded people are also my favorite people to connect with and work together on projects as well.

Here are 5 ways to create the mindset of an opportunity minded individual or identify those people who are opportunity minded

• Leverage: Work smarter not harder. If you find yourself putting in endless hours but you feel at times you are spinning your wheels, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate how you’re spending your time and also with whom you are spending it with. Some great ways to maximize your efficiency is to eliminate distractions, prioritizing result producing activities, stay organized, and be proactive.  If you are working with others, I recommend matching their efforts.  This prevents you from wasting time on activities that will not create leverage for you.  I call it “using the law of increasing returns”
• Consider “no” as “not yet.” No matter how you slice it, you are going to hear that dreaded word, “no,” over and over again in any business. The key is to not let it discourage you or change your success mindset in the slightest. Instead of interpreting it as “no,” think of it as, “not yet.” This will keep you from closing the door on a potential opportunity prematurely. Although at times “no” really does mean “no,” keeping your mind open to the possibility that a “yes” may happen eventually will ensure you don’t miss out on a follow up opportunity.
• Avoid the “short term” mindset of success. Where do you see your business in the future?   Creating a long term plan for your business gives you direction and allows you to continue moving forward and build a solid brand. As competition increases, technology evolves, and customer require change, It is critical to stay on top of current business and industry trends so that you aren’t left eating the dust of your competition.  If the opportunity you are working on has a short sighted plan, it may be time to reconsider a longer term opportunity that holds a great track record.
• Network, Network, Network. Networking should be a constant in your business that never ends. I always look to expand my network not only at formal events like industry conventions, but also within the communities I currently do business and people you already know. I highly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring new social groups. Join a book club or volunteer with a local Non-Profit organization. You may just find that you are having fun and meeting some great people at the same time
• Establish and maintain a great reputation and personal brand. Strive for excellence in all areas of your life.  This is certain to personally brand you as a person to be connected with. Once you have done so, make it clear to everyone you do business with that maintaining your reputation is your number 1 priority. Unfortunately, all it takes is one incident to cast doubt on your abilities and tarnish your good name. Practice integrity and consideration for others in all you do and DO NOT COMPROMISE. Do not overpromise anything as this practice is a sure fire way of tarnishing your personal brand and reputation.  Operating with integrity and honesty will speak for itself and open doors to new and exciting opportunities and you will also attract the right people into your business and life.

Now Go Do It,

Andy Atkinson

Internet Franchise Shop.com Leaps to #57 on the Internet Retailer Top 500

The Internet Retailer Top 500 is often considered the “Bible of e-commerce data” – and provides an extensive analysis of the e-commerce landscape. Internet Retailer gathers metrics on web retailers throughout the US and compares them to see just how they stack up against each other. The brand new 2013 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide is hot off the press, and we’ve got some major news to tell you about!

We’re proud to announce that Shop.com jumped up a whopping 13 spots to land at number 57 on the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 list! When you look at an even more-detailed breakdown of businesses by category, you’ll see that Market America power by Shop.com places 14th out of all the Mass Merchants. This list includes companies such as Amazon, Walmart, Sears, Macy’s, Costco, Target, and other huge businesses!

To think that just 21 years ago we started out in a small home in Greensboro, NC – it’s amazing to see just how far we’ve come. We are built on Product, and Powered by People – and it’s our incredible people power that sets us apart and has contributed to our meteoric rise on the Internet Retailer Top 500.

This is an honor that we all share together as a team – so congratulations to all the Shop.com Unfranchise Owners! We are a company on the move and on the rise, and we are the premiere global entrepreneurial opportunity! Now is the perfect opportunity to join us and start building your success today!

Cheers, 

Andy 

Failure is the Key to Success

No matter what business you’re in – you’re always going to experience setbacks and unforeseen challengers that can serve as roadblocks along the path to success. It can be easy to get discouraged, but you have to remember that nothing great was ever accomplished without effort and sacrifice. 

The people who find the greatest success in life often do so because they have the ability to transform setbacks and failures into opportunities to learn and grow.  One person who has always been noted for this ability is Michael Jordan – who always looked at the positive aspects of failure.

As Jordan says himself: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Have a look at this awesome video from Nike, along with these quotes that really displays Michael’s attitudes about overcoming failure and setback. May they inspire you to learn from your failures and come back even stronger!

Lessons / Quotes from Michael Jordan

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.”

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen.”

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

"My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.”

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”

“If you quit ONCE it becomes a habit.  Never quit!!!”

“I've never lost a game I just ran out of time.”

“To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.”

“Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”

“Don't let them drag you down by rumors just go with what you believe in.”

“Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.”

“Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.”

“I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

“The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether its proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.”

“If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”

“Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.”

“The key to success is failure”

“What is love? Love is playing every game as if it's your last!”

“The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine. On the basketball court, I worry about nothing. When I'm out there, no one can bother me...”

“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game.”

“Every time I feel tired while I am exercising and training, I close my eyes to see that picture, to see that list with my name. This usually motivates me to work again.”

“I failed so therefore I succeed. ”

"The best come from the worst”

"There is no "I" in team.”

“Not every flying hero has a cape.”

“If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.”

Offset Student Loan Debt with a UnFranchise Business!

Higher Education has always played a crucial role in the success of our society, but it seems that paying for college is becoming more difficult for many American families in today’s economy. Student Debt is a huge issue that is often overlooked when we discuss the economy. So huge in fact, that student loan debt has ballooned to over 1 Trillion dollars.

Many recent college graduates, and many of their parents who cosign on their loans, are being saddled with debt that could take them years to pay off – if not a lifetime. According to this eye-opening article from ABC News, for the first time in history, student loan debt has even surpassed credit card debt in this country – did you know that?

Another disturbing fact discussed in this article shows that parent’s debt related to their children’s education has doubled in the past ten years. To me, this is astounding. With regards to higher education and the pursuit of the American dream, it seems you are often taking two steps forward and one step back!

Much of this rising student loan debt is due to the fact that tuition for public four year colleges rose almost 30% in the past decade. The point is, higher education simply costs more, and is placing a hefty burden on American families. While the costs of higher education and student loan debt continue to soar – people need to start looking for new ways to generate the income needed to pay for this.

Building an UnFranchise Business is the perfect way to offset the costs of higher education! We offer a global entrepreneurial opportunity unlike any other, which can provide a substantial ongoing income for those who build the business the right way. And when you become a product of the product and convert spending into earning by building your Shopping Annuity – you’ll be putting your success into overdrive!

The ongoing income that you generate from your UnFranchise Business can be an incredible benefit for you and your family, but the time freedom that comes with being a successful UnFranchise owner is equally important!

Cheers, 

Andy Atkinson

www.afa-global.com  

Overcoming obstacles on the path to success

Does your life often look like this - one speed bump after another? Sure, life isn't always smooth sailing, but as we are all aware, one bump can jar us from our current path and throw us off-course.  While there is no magic formula that will help keep us on the right path, there is one thing key factor, YOU, that can help maintain control as you hit those speed bumps.

You're probably wondering - how can I possibly influence if I stay on-course or not? Simple. It's all about determination. How strong-willed are you, do you hit those bumps (obstacles) head-on and tackle problems as they come at you or do you take more of a passive approach to them and let them derail you from achieving your hopes and dreams?

If you're currently sitting back, letting each bump get your further and further from your goals, it may be time to put on a seatbelt and start to tackle them.

The road never really straightens out - that's why you need to be ready to embrace each bump and take them in stride. By learning to embrace them, you'll become a stronger person in the process, ready to tackle any task that comes at you.

I believe in you.
Andy

How Does Social Media Reflect Our Globalized Culture?

Before we even discuss the global culture, I think social media goes has an even greater effect on the way we do business. It levels the playing fields when it comes to communication, publishing, advertising, marketing and merchandizing. Tie that to blogging and e-commerce merchandizing and you have power. It challenges the old paradigm of mass marketing, mass media, and mass merchandizing, which is a system where you pay huge amounts to blast one message to everyone. It is very ineffective and very expensive and it is difficult to measure the results, because you really do not receive any data on who looked at the advertisement and then bought your product.

Capturing information about who looks and who buys is a revolutionary breakthrough and can be used to enact One-to-One Marketing. People hate to be sold but love to buy. Find out what people want to buy and simply find it for them (connect them to it). Do not bother people with what they are not interested in or pay to send out a message that is not going to be looked at. Allow people to see peer reviews of products, and make relevant recommendations to people based on their interests and profile. Match product to people and people to product. It really levels the playing field; anyone with the right strategy can experience exponential growth without having to spend millions, even when competing with huge companies. The power of connecting with the right people (people who are interested in what you are offering or exposing) and word of mouth is a force that you must pay intention to. The proverbial “tipping point” can happen overnight for practically anyone using digital tools and the right connecting strategies. It is whole new way of thinking. Market America's Unfranchise has an infrastructure, a entrepreneurial community and customer base, an e-commerce shopping platform, an online environment where everything is accessible at one URL, and a monetization system with the Cashback and Paid to be Online programs. All of these features are connected to the MPCP, which allows you to build an ongoing income. Social networking is a powerful tool that can help you build the income stream you desire.

If you think about social networking, you’ll find that it tears down the old paradigms of geography, territories and even government. Social networking, along with the Internet, tears down boundaries everywhere. Even Ideologies, governments and politics are challenged or redefined. When we can instantly communicate around the world and things get done or exposed to us at the speed of thought, everything changes. At our fingertips we have all available knowledge, data and information.  Common interest groups naturally connect and grow. Today we can connect to people who have a common interest or cause all around the world, whereas before we would not know them. The only way we might come across them in a lifetime is by accident, or if they did something major like wrote a book or were in the news.

So the Internet and social networks transcend cultures, governments and ideologies. We can connect with people with common goals or interests. When that is monetized and we have an ecosystem supported by the social media and networks connecting the people, you have the potential for people around the world to make money together or with each other. Causes and economics become more important than ideologies or politics or governments. It is possible for people around the world to be making money together, aggregating huge numbers. Who is going to take up arms against someone in another country that is earning them income? People are not so anxious to take a position against their “check” and certainly do not want to “shoot” their income. I believe the solution to world harmony is economics and everyone’s ability to make money together and experience economic independence by working together. Certainly that is what social media and networking is all about. Additionally, it makes the facts and the truth accessible to everyone and the truth shall set you free!

Stay ahead of the curve, 

Andy Atkinson

Carmelo Anthony featured in the Wall Street Journal

When we teamed up with Carmelo Anthony to launch Isotonix Champion Blend Plus, we knew we had a world-class teammate and the perfect ambassador for our brands and business. Carmelo is an incredible basketball player, but he’s also an extremely savvy entrepreneur who realized the incredible potential of our business.

Melo has a ton of media savvy too, and recently gave a great interview in the Wall Street Journal. He talks about his goals and his life on and off the court. He also mentions Isotonix Champion Blend Plus – which is great exposure for us, considering that the Wall Street Journal is one of the most well-known publications in the world!

Congratulations to Carmelo for being featured in the Wall Street Journal! This is incredible branding for us, so be sure to help get the word out by sharing this story!

The Art of Good Business

Amazon may be the world’s biggest online retailer, but according to this interesting article from the Huffington Post, it would seem this retail giant is starting to rub many of its merchants the wrong way! For the past year, Amazon has been increasing fees for its third party merchants – leaving many of them very frustrated.

Increased fees often mean that cost is passed on to the consumer – meaning fewer deals and ultimately fewer third party merchants that want to do business with you. At SHOP.COM, we take pride in the relationships we’ve built with our partner stores – and work hard to ensure that everyone benefits from doing business with us.

Everyone already knows SHOP.COM offers an online shopping experience that is second to none, with Cashback, state of the art search results, the personal touch of a Shop Consultant, innovative shopping tools like SHOPBuddy and eGifts, and features like AutoShip that help ensure you never run out of the products you need – but did you know we also go the extra mile for our third party merchants as well?

Our partner store team does an incredible job working with third party merchants, providing personalized account service to help make sure business runs smoothly. We don’t just see our third party merchants as people we do business with – we think of them as family, and work with them to grow both our businesses – not just collect fees.

We work with them to craft individual marketing programs to promote their products and services, and thanks to our unmatched “People Power,” we have the ability to help promote them in the marketplace and to drive word of mouth marketing to help them sell merchandise.

Better relationships with our third party merchants mean better deals that we can pass on to the consumer, and more ways to help our UnFranchise owners grow their businesses! We believe that we succeed by helping others succeed, and this principle is applied across all aspects of our business – from the consumer to our fellow merchants.

Great businesses have a knack for fostering an environment where deals are mutually beneficial to all parties involved – that’s why SHOP.COM is built to please our customers, merchants, and UnFranchise owners alike! And that’s why we are the premiere global entrepreneurial opportunity!

It's your life,

Andy Atkinson

You're only as strong as your weakest link

You've probably heard this saying before, but "you're only as strong as your weakest link." Having a weak link, whether in business or even in your life, can mean the difference between success and failure.
So how many of you are aware of your "weakest link?"  Is it a friend that's always holding you back from doing things, not having a certain skill, money problems, even yourself? Once you've identified who your weak link is, it's time to then map out a plan to get you away from that weak link.  Here's a brief list of things you can do to fix your weak link and strengthen yourself in the process.
If you're lacking certain skills for a job, consider going back to school, read a book, or network with other professionals who have that skill you're looking for so that you can learn from them.
If your friend is always holding you back, consider spending less time with them and focusing in on YOU for once.
Is a team member always critical? Distance yourself and consider "linking up" with others who share your same passion.
Someone that is always strapped for cash, should take the time to assess their budget and set savings goals to save more.
If you're your weakest link because you can't get off the starting line, reach out to others that were in that same position and got past it for help.
Remember, you can always fix your "weak links." The biggest challenge is admitting you have a weak link. We're all not perfect, we all have weak links. Take the necessary steps to eliminate weak links and build them back with newer and stronger ones. You'll not only feel better about yourself, but you'll also put yourself on the right path, void of distractions that try to hold you back.

Enjoy your day,
Andy

Who Do You Consider The Most Influential Person In Your Life

This is an interesting question and my answer is going to be unusual. Most people treat that question shallowly in my estimation. Most people really do not think about a question like this, but immediately start thinking of people to name that they admire, that are famous, or that made an impact on the world. But seriously, how much of a direct influence did they have on your life or thinking? The bottom line is that your thinking is what influences your life, determines your identity and who you are. Unless someone personally mentored you, trained you, coached you, gave you an endowment, put you through school, or something that directly altered the course of your life, I would doubt that they really influenced your life that much. Now, you may admire them or they may inspire you, but I wouldn't consider that necessarily influencing your life dramatically. I look at this differently and I hope this does not appear to be narcissistic, egocentric, haughty, or arrogant because it is not meant to be and really is not at all that way.

When I think about it, what has influenced my life the most is my own thinking. I attribute my identity, station in life, flamboyancy, accomplishments, and success (or lack of it) to my thinking. We become what we think about all the time. Every accomplishment is a result of an idea or thought. Failures are due to wrong thinking and wrong influences because one is not clear and able to think for themselves. How strong are you mentally? I have listened to audios nearly every day of my life to build my knowledge base, confidence, attitude and creativity and it influenced me! I love that because I can probe the minds and learn from all the smartest people in the world without taking any time. I do it while I run, work out, drive, fly, run errands, etc. It’s the only thing that I have found where you can truly do two things at once without really being on shuffle or rotation from thing to thing. So I am the person who most influenced my life. Sorry, but it’s true and I submit to you that I believe it is true for most people. We need to be careful of what we want because we are sure to get it. Most people wish rather than decide, accept and believe with expectation in gratitude; therefore they receive the state of wishing, but not the manifested reality.

This is best stated in what I refer to as the Entrepreneur and Dream Seeker’s creed:

“You always get what you want. Your subconscious rightfully determines what energies, experiences and the people you attract—therefore the only foolproof way to know what you really want is to see what you have. There are no victims—only students. The length of time of materialization between what you want and what you have is determined by your BELIEF AND ACCEPTANCE, but eventually what you have is the real measurement of what you really want. So, by passionately believing in what doesn’t exist, you create it. And what we call the non-existent simply has not been sufficiently desired!”

  

That being said, let me answer the question quickly more in the way you expected it to be answered. Consistent with what I discussed above, I have to ask myself who most influenced my thinking and positive attitude. I believe this internal circuitry is developed early in life as children for most people. That’s why they need a lot of love! So I would have to credit my father, but really, my mom and Dad for a great childhood, lots of love, reasonable discipline, and encouragement without criticism). My father was a legendary football coach who built championship teams and dynasties and is in the High School Football Hall of Fame. He coached in a high school located in a poor oil refinery town where he would take troubled kids and turn them into winners and responsible citizens. He also was one of those teachers that you remember for the rest of your life because they love to teach and made it interesting, as well as taking a personal interest in their students. I know this because I have run into hundreds of people who come up to me and tell me how he impacted their lives. As a little guy, I would go to the practices, games, coaches meetings and I was even in the halftime pep talks. What an experience to see the power of positive thinking and motivation. It definitely impacted me. I remember he even use to play tapes by Bob Richards in the locker room. Remember him? He was a pole-vaulting Olympic champion, the first Wheaties spokesman, and was also a great motivational speaker.

The point of this article is no matter where in life find a mentor. Tell about your mentor.........

It's your life, 

Andy