My 2011 in Review

Posted by Jamie on Dec 31, 2011 in Ways to Success

What a year.

I sometimes have to pinch myself to remind me of the journey that I have taken this year and the direction that things are heading in for 2012.  I don’t want this blog post to turn into one of those ‘look at me ner ner ner’ blogs that are so abundant out there – that is really not me nor my intention.  I am simply sat here in my favourite coffee shop (Emma’s Tea Parlour in Holmfirth), trying to outline how you can copy my journey (and in fact do so much better than me!) in 2012 and set you on the way to financial security.

So how have I gone from not knowing where the next months rent is coming from, owing over £2,000 on credit cards (sorry mum!) to living in a larger apartment in the country, getting a new top of the range Astra and forecasting at least a 500% increase in my income in 2012 when the rest of the country (and sadly the world) are looking at what the papers call, a zero percent increase.

Let’s start back at the beginning in January.

I join my primary Network Marketing business, and in my opinion the UKs best network marketing opportunity, The Utility Warehouse Discount Club.  I get to grips with all the different services and start to think about who else might want to make a similar decision as me – work a couple of hours in their spare time, offer their friends and family the UKs garenteed cheapest prices (at the time of writing Dec 11) do the work the once and get paid every month for as long as those people stay customers.  Because the customers save so much (my average customer saving is £525 per year) they will not have a reason to leave, so literally you do the work once and get paid over and over…. Possibly forever.

I often get asked by the naysayers, “yea but how much did you make on your first month?” Without being awkward, it is really difficult to answer that, because on the 21st of December my latest commission payment included money from customers I signed in January.

Not quite working

Over the next couple of months, with hardly any support from my sponsor, I have different successes in growing my team.  Some people I speak to go for it, others simply arnt interested.  That makes me question if I am spending my time in the right way.  Why do people not see this like I do?

Some of my team go on and start to become productive, again others do not.  I take it really personally – like I’ve let them down, Ive mislead them, I’ve not helped them in the way I thought they would need it.    Some quit.   Argh, this is all going wrong!

However, by the summer my residual income from the business had grown to the extent that it was able to pay half my rent every month.  As nice as that is, I was still aiming for financial independence.  Something I’m not going to achieve ‘doing what I am doing’.

Focus Jamie, Focus

I then spend the next month online, ‘opportunity hopping’ – going from one ‘next best thing’ to the other.  I’m floundering and need direction.  Fast.

From a LinkedIn group, I found a website called My Lead System Pro – they give you training about how to market you as a person, as a brand and how to attract people to work with you.

From they trainings of MLSP I realise the important of networking and look for a local networking group to help build my customer base.  Out of the blue I get a email from a member of a local group of Business Networking International, BNI Wakefield Wealthbuilders.

I attend as a visitor, really like the concept, the venue (the amazing Yorkshire Sculpture Park) but more importantly, I like the other people in group.  My first few meetings bring me a dozen customers.

I’m on a roll.

Now things are happening

In July I’m introduced to a company called Banners Broker.  I take one look and decide to ‘dip my toe’ and see how it works.  The concept is pretty simple.  You buy banner impressions to advertise what you wish (The Utility Warehouse Discount Club opportunity in my case), the company brokers space and traffic on your behalf and gives you a share of the profits.

Hmm, this needs more due diligence.

I spend the next few weeks Googling, YouTubing and fail to find one single negative word against Banners Broker.  For a company that had been going at this point for 7 months, I found quite strange but also quite exciting.  Had I stumbled upon an internet gem?

The next few months are spent growing my Utility Warehouse team and also showing people the amazing power of Banners Broker.  Banners Broker is NOT network marketing, you don’t have a downline, there is no requirement to refer others – although there are huge benefits if you do.  You simply purchase advertising, use it for what you wish and the company will give you 200% of your purchase back in profit share.

I use my training and instructing background to help others by creating training videos. The interest these generate from YouTube is unreal, dozens of people a week add me on Skype (refJamie) and join me on my Banners Broker journey.  Things are really starting to take off.

In November I attend the first UK hotel meeting of Banners Broker and I am humbled by how the night develops.  Dozens of people come up to me, talk to me like they have known me for years and thank me for my time, my videos and my efforts in helping them on their way.  One, rather mature gentleman, told me that I had been “such an inspiration” to him.  Wow.  Little Jamie from Dewsbury is now being called an inspiration by a very well presented chap more than twice his age.

My insight helps me onto the UK leadership team, I’ve never been held in such high regard before and feel privileged to be in such a position with an international, multi-million dollar company.

What does 2012 have in-store?

As we approach the New Year, Banners Broker Version 2 is nearly upon is.  This promises to be better than version1 and will help take the company to the next level.

2011 has seen me read more than I ever have done before.  Using the Kindle app on my iPad, I’ve been able to read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kioysaki, The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers, Boost Your Sales by Dan S Kennedy and ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People‘ by Dale Carnegie.  I will update my Amazon reading list in the New year.

With the growing monthly residual income from The Utility Warehouse Discount Club and the profits that Banners Broker shares with its members, 2012 will bring some exciting new avenues and opportunities.

Times are though out there.  Job losses, job insecurity, pension worries, stock market loss, housing price losses, strikes and cuts.  In one way or another they have affected us all.

Only during times of austerity and great struggles are the greatest gains to be made.  2012 will see the onset of another recession, even possibly on the scale of the last great depression.  Only if you have positioned yourself correctly, will you be able to benefit while others continue to feel the effects of the economic worries.

There is another way.   There is a plan B.

If you feel you have what it takes to work with me in 2012 I would love to hear from you.  Due to the enormous success of my online and offline opportunities I will only work with people who are committed and coachable. If you think that is you, use the contact Jamie page to get in touch and I look forward to sharing in the success throughout 2012.

Happy New Year