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Women at the Top
Donna Imson QNet Executive Chairperson
Simply more Success!
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2 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Margaret Thatcher once said: “If you want some-
thing said, ask a man … if you want something
done, ask a woman.” In this sense we‘re dedicat-
ing this issue of OBTAINER to working women.
We‘re reporting about strong women, about cou-
rageous women, about successful women. We‘re
reporting about women who move something,
about women who have children and a very
promising career. Women who go to to the par-
ents‘ evening in the evening and on the following
morning hold a meeting and carry out discus-
sions with customers. These women are making
a career, they‘re successful at what they‘re doing.
They‘ve found ways to realize the many aspects
of their personality. They neither forgo children
and a private life nor do they forgo professional
recognition. Never have women had so many op-
portunities as today and, nevertheless, for them it
still means making great efforts if in their work-
ing lives they want to achieve what is a matter of
course for many men: a career and a family.
For more than 200 years innumerable women
in many places have been attempting to assert
themselves in a world dominated by men. The
key concepts of the French Revolution, “Liber-
ty” and “Equality,” also became the ideals of the
women‘s movement. In 1791 the French advocate
of women‘s rights, Olympe de Gouges, composed
the “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of
the Female Citizen” in order to present them to
the French National Assembly. That was also a
bitter necessity because the “Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of the Citizen” of the French
Revolution appealed exclusively to men. Women
were denied these rights. They weren‘t permitted
to choose their profession or elect their parlia-
ment. They weren‘t allowed to occupy any public
offices, they very rarely enjoyed higher education
and had no right to property. Women were raised
to be complacent wives and obedient housewives.
Nevertheless, here the Age of Enlightenment
was to turn out free equal people for the future
Dear Readers,
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 3
– and part of this was now that women claim and
are permitted to claim the same rights as men.
Thus the first article of de Gouges‘ text was also:
“Woman is born free and remains equal to man
in rights.”
That women today still find it more difficult than
men to have a career in the classic world of work is
generally known. And also those mothers who‘ve
managed to reach a leading position frequently
don‘t rise any higher in their profession. They are
dully stretched balancing their families and their
jobs. Perhaps this is the reason why more than
13 million women are networkers. That‘s more
than 80% of all networkers active worldwide. It‘s
just for them that the DSWA, the Direct Selling
Women‘s Alliance, exists. Network marketing can
offer women what the classic world of work can‘t
do so simply: compatibility of career and family.
Of course, female networkers also have to work
extremely hard, but they can dispose of their time
flexibly and decide their own workload for them-
selves. If, for example, one of the children gets
sick, the female networker can ease off for a few
days – that‘s something that the female company
manager can‘t do so easily.
Some of these successful female networkers are
introduced to our readers in our cover story where
they get the chance to have their say. All of us can
learn from them. And, of course, we provide por-
traits of networkers in our accustomed manner
– and here too female networkers are in the fore-
ground. If successful networking means acting on
their own authority at the highest levels and con-
stantly reaching decisions that guide their own
lives in one direction or other, then the women in
this issue are masters (or rather mistresses) at the
wheel. Most of them control not only their own
fates but also that of a whole family. Let‘s wish
them that they will continue to be successful and
that they will withstand all advedrsity.
EDIT
ORI
AL
Dear Readers,
Yours Michael Sander
4 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Leading women in the Network Marketing IndustrySimply more success Page 6
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 5
2 EDITOR´S NOTE
INSIGHT
6 LEADING LADIES Women Power in MLM
INDUSTRY INSIDE
42 QNET V-Con 201144 PM-INTERNATIONAL celebrates the opening of a branch in Switzerland48 DUBLI Dream Days in Dubai 50 QNET Proud Sponsors of the 3rd Charitable Handicapped Exhibition52 NUMONDU Top hairstylist and trend trainer joins56 LYONESS Help Has No Boundaries58 DUBLI Shop with Price-Cutting Gift Cards for Even Better Prices!
SHORT CUT
62 KB-VISION kicks-off with full strength in Northern and Southern Europe
CLOSE UP
66 PM-INTERNATIONAL Margit Bär - Success of a “person catcher”72 MANNATECH The inseparable crosslines76 DUBLI Ruth Hoefer - Team 7782 BEMER Rita Kloepper und Edmund Berr - class, not mass90 D3 BUSINESS ACADEMY Christian Weiss - From skeptic to passionate networker96 LR Anja Zorn - “MLM is the best thing that can ever happen to a woman!”
BACKGROUND
100 SOCIAL MEDIA Fed up with the channels? - Why so many social media channels make sense!
INTERVIEW
104 MONAVIE Interview with Claudia Harteneck-Kohl108 PM-INTERNATIONAL Interview with Carsten Ledulé116 EVORA Interview with Achim Hickmann124 PM-INTERNATIONAL Interview with Beate Schwandt
BRAINBOX
130 AFFIRMATION How you can mobilize your inner strength
LIFESTYLE
134 MADAGASKAR Untouched Nature Straight Out of a Fairy Tale
COLUMN
140 TORSTEN WILL For better or for worse!142 ALEXANDER PLATH “Women are no longer what they used to be”144 NUNO F. ASSIS Do Women Make Better Managers?150 DANIELA CLAUDIA SZASZ Tribute to a (my) special- Team154 KEVIN ABDULRAHMAN Borrowing Branson´s Beliefs
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Nicki Keohohou
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Anja Zorn
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Wendy Wiger
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Jessica Stümmler
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Salsabila Al Harbi
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Gloria Rosete
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Donna Imson
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 13
Onyx Coale
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Paula Pritchard
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EstelaSalinas
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Daniela Szasz
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Gina Merritt
POWERWomen in MLM
Women POWER
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POWERWomen in MLM
Women POWER How does one combine family and career? Almost everybody has heard this question in one context or another. However,
it is always aimed at one member of the family: the woman. Men seem to be able to combine family and career just fine. No
man really has to worry about his professional existence or his career just because he has a wife and kids. Or is this a ques-
tion that simply does not concern men? It is almost exclusively always a question that is posed to women. Nowadays, many
women feel it is important to stand on their own two feet and be financially independent. They want to partake in social
change, want to be actively involved in changing themselves, want to experience professional recognition based on their
qualifications and their abilities. Devoting themselves entirely to their family simply isn’t enough for most women. They also
want to realize other aspects of their personality and not just see themselves reduced to domestic drudgery. They want to use
and build upon their abilities and grapple with the world outside of the house – in short: they want a job.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 19
SUCCESSThe world has changed dramatically over the last 50 years
and following a whole decade in a new millennium the im-
age of the modern women is also completely different. Com-
pletely different? Is equality relating to family and career real
equality? According to a study carried out by the European
Commission, on average women earn an hourly rate, which
is 15 percent lower for exactly the same job. The study also
indicated that this was particularly pronounced in Germany.
As always, the greatest difficulty in women gaining elevated
positions is the age-old topic of pregnancy and children. The
study indicates women who take two to three years off work
as a result of having children endure the largest financial dis-
crimination when they return to work. Role allocation within
a household with two working partners is, just as before, dis-
advantageous to women, with women spending around 24
hours a week doing housework, in comparison to men spend-
ing only a mere seven. Only few women live the child-and-
career lifestyle, as in addition to social obstacles both chil-
dren as well as career call for the appropriate commitment
and devotion. Despite this there is an ever-growing number
of women who are prepared to fit everything in, as various
studies, books and the following stories demonstrate. In
search of answers and solutions the OBTAINER interviewed
top female networkers; women, “who have made it”, women
who wanted to share and pass on their success stories. Even
though their individual backgrounds vary greatly, the rise
of the present day “power women” is inextricably linked to
irrepressible desire and a strong sense of team spirit. They
are women who do business independently, who are experts
in the field of leadership and teamwork, women who have
overcome hurdles and haven’t allowed themselves be swayed
from the path of achieving their goals. But has this path al-
ways been open to journey down?
According to a study carried out by the European Commission, on average women earn an hourly rate, which is 15 percent lower for exactly the same job.
I did it and so can you too. It is all a question of the organisation and unwavering determination!
20 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
SUCCESSI did it and so can you too. It is all a question of the organisation and unwavering determination!
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 21
EMANCIPATION
Enlightenment paves the wayThroughout the course of mankind in most cases women have
managed to get what they wanted, having fought for it. The
human and civil rights of the French Revolution were the
rights of men. The universities of “old Europe” were reserved
for male students only for several centuries. At the beginning
of the 20th century, it however became apparent to men in the
Western world that women wanted to have a say in whom they
were governed by. The last two centuries have led to many
changes as regards the rights of women. The roots of these
changes in male dominated society lie in the era of Enlighten-
ment, an era, which pushed the self-determined enlightened
individual into the foreground.
The people who burst into the era of modernity at the end of
the 19th century, are the people who come from the tradition
of Enlightenment. That intellectual revolution, which encom-
passed all aspects of life and aimed to leave behind free and
22 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
EMANCIPATION
equal human beings. Humankind had discovered themselves
as self-responsible people, and the world appeared alterable
and above all else improvable through humankind, the “en-
lightened individual”.
The world is changingAt the beginning of the 20th century, women found themsel-
ves right on the cusp of their emancipation, which has been
continuing right until this present day. In the meantime Marie
Curie discovered radium and Max Planck the universal con-
stants. At this time, the world began to change on all levels.
And with it changed the way in which women viewed themsel-
ves. But then there was an abrupt interruption, a numbness
that halted the feminist movement. This incisive event that al-
tered Europe if not the entire world was the eruption of World
War I, which heralded the beginning of the end of European
Imperialism. But even a war will come to an end at some sta-
ge. But not the efforts of women striving for independence.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 23
EQUALITY
Times have changed – or have they?
Today, high-ranking female scientists, accredited female art-
ists and powerful female politicians are firmly rooted in soci-
ety. We also now have women as Heads of State, women who
govern empires and women who enter the battlefield. Women
ultimately want nothing more than that which men have been
entitled to without any questions for centuries. They want to
be able to prove themselves in various aspects of their person-
ality and become independent. Men pursuing a career despite
having a family is generally accepted. Nobody makes a big
deal of it. Nobody asks how they manage to bridge this gap
between career and family. The answer is simple, because it
is only possible for men to achieve professional success and
support their family through one thing: their wives!
Modern women, educated women, daughters of the enlight-
ened world – for starters you are a mother, have a family,
which in the most cases changes your life massively. The huge
emotional change that occurs after having your own firstborn
child is not what is being referred to here. No, it is a different
change. The money you earned independently, professional
recognition, personal development at work, the financial in-
dependence – all of this is initially put on hold. And this is
often where it remains.
After maternity leave many are content with returning to their
old job with a mediocre wage and pottering on without any
ambition to achieve a better position. Many work half days
in order to be home when the kids get home from kindergar-
ten or school. Many stay at home altogether. Very few do ten
to fourteen hours of work a day to promote their career, to
experience recognition, to experience a world outside of the
house and to earn a mountain of cash. How can they if there is
nobody to take care of things at home?
Family has a huge role to play as far as the female career is
concerned. Professional perspectives can perhaps be real-
ized in the working world with one child, however with two
or even three children it would be difficult if the children’s fa-
ther doesn’t have an extremely well paid job and can afford a
cleaner, gardener and childcare. As according to an investiga-
tion by the Federal Statistical Office in Germany, despite all
emancipation efforts it is still women who perform 80 per-
cent of the entire domestic and care work. In comparison to
men in relationships without children, men with families only
help out at home for six minutes longer per day. The decision
to have a family and career has not really gotten a whole lot
easier for women over the last century; for men nothing has
changed in this regard.
24 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
EQUALITY
To excel in a job, to get a firm grip on the career ladder and be-
gin climbing, flexibility is often the magic word. But those who
have a family, for which he/she must care, are less flexible.
Those who have a family cannot at the drop of a hat remain in
work until 10pm because a meeting has gone on longer than
expected or work through the weekend or spend a couple of
days in another city as a branch office is located there or a cli-
ent needs to be visited. This sort of flexibility is very difficult
to reconcile with children.
In addition to this, the greater part of society still believe that
demanding work and children cannot be combined. Despite
all good intentions men and women quickly find themselves
back in their traditional roles. The man escapes to work and
the woman takes care of house and home, even though 62 per-
cent of mothers and fathers believe that both must have jobs
and should look after their offspring together. “The birth of
the first child is the caesura. This normally then leads to “re-
traditionalisation,” says Kai-Olaf Maiwald from the Institute
for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt.
Does society therefore expect that after the baby is born that
the mother will take care of it? Are mothers who go back
working after having a child placed under pressure to justify
themselves? “The image of the ‘good mother’, who looks after
her child is deeply rooted in Germany,” says Barbara Keddi,
family researcher with the German Youth Institute in Munich,
hinting at the German term “Rabenmutter” (bad mother) be-
ing a turn of phrase for women in employment. According
to Keddi: “Other countries don’t have an equivalent expres-
sion.” Although on average just as many female students as
male students excel academically at University, having a child
would appear to be a career killer, as men seem to predomi-
nantly reign in high positions – still.
With work from home concepts, flexible working hours and a
company kindergarten some companies are already working
on the workplace of the future, from which they themselves,
co-workers and predominantly their families will benefit.
Particularly well suited to the child-and-career-mother is the
Network Marketing Industry, which as a home-based busi-
ness fits seamlessly into this lifestyle, while at the same time
offers every professional opportunity. The freedom of working
independently and having flexible working hours in Network
Marketing is a real alternative. Nobody will then be able to ut-
ter the words “bad mother”, as despite working the network-
ing mother’s child can still be of top priority. Some mums in
the USA have even built up a multi million dollar networking
company from a simple idea and a small business.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 25
CHALLENGE
The Alternative As was already described another form of flexibility does ex-
ist. One that is intrinsically linked to independence. A flexi-
bility that isn’t demanded by others, but one that people – or
better: women - integrate into their lives in a self-determined
manner. Network Marketing offers you the freedom of being
able to decide when you invest the time, effort and money,
which will make you successful. Network Marketing offers
the opportunity of self-determined work, it creates scope,
which allows individual creativity to flow and opportunities
for individual time management, which is so important for
women with responsibilities back home. In addition, in this
business both genders are given equal remuneration oppor-
tunities. Network Marketing therefore offers the opportuni-
ties and scope that are necessary in combining an individual
lifestyle with the demands of a career.
Around 16 million people (in 2009) – and rising – work in
the Direct Selling industry either part- or full-time. The DSA,
the Direct Selling Association, which has more than 200
MLM companies as members, publishes statistics about the
distribution of gender in the industry – alongside turnover
figures, age and the education of networkers - on their web-
site. 82.5% of all networkers are women. That is more than
13 million women across the globe. Only 17.6 percent of net-
workers are men. Yet time and time again we hear about the
huge success of male networkers, of huge downlines, whose
upline consists of men, of company founders and of Silver
Presidents. Where are all the women? Some of the 13 million
female networkers must have set up companies or be presi-
dents and managers?
Look no further; the successful women in Network Market-
ing do exist. The powerful women, the independent women.
They all lead huge marketing organizations, support hun-
dreds of partners, organize charity projects, are at the very
top of massive downlines. We will continue by introducing
some of these women. They come from different countries,
have completely different cultural identities and have per-
sonal backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Yet they
all have one thing in common: They have a successful career.
They are confident, independent women, who do things their
own way.
26 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CHALLENGE05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 27
Strong Women – Successful NetworkersOne of these women is the American Nicki Keohohou, CEO
and Co-Founder of the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance
(DSWA), who lives in Hawaii. She is very well educated, a
mother of two grown-up children, grandmother to six grand-
children, has been actively involved in the Network Marketing
industry for over 30 years and is now a successful networking
coach. Her daughter, Grace, is the president of the DSWA, the
Direct Selling Women’s Alliance.
Nicki previously worked as a teacher until she became preg-
nant with her first child. Looking back she says: “Back then
I wanted to stay home and have a career that would create
abundance and freedom.” She didn’t want to have to choose
between family life and her career, she wanted both: “MLM is
an automatic fit in the life of women and men. This profession
offers women hope. An opportunity for women to create a life
that works for both themselves and their families.” Today she
Strong Women – Successful Networkers
travels around the world with her husband, works long hours
everyday in a not so conventional profession, with which she
is fully content: “Women are natural networkers and love to
build relationships, “ she explains to us. She always finds a
way of making her idea reality, develops training tools, builds
up relationships and creates plans to put her visions into
practice. “Women do not need to choose between a career and
family life,” she says, “I feel that if more women could be home
to raise their children and still make a fair income it would ab-
solutely make a difference in our world.” Nicki Keohohou has
high moral standards, according to which she runs her busi-
ness and passes on to others during her trainings: Alongside
ambition and the unwavering determination to be successful,
a women needs a solid work ethic.
She says: “In order to establish solid relationships five prin-
ciples need to be in place: Service, trust, authenticity, integ-
rity and respect.” In addition to this, she also believes a career
- CEO & Co-Founder of the DSWA, married,
2 children, 6 grandchildren, BA degree
in Business Administration & Education,
Teacher Training at Central Washington
University
- Lives in Hawaii
Motto: “Enjoy the journey while giving
back to humanity!”
Nicki Keohohou
28 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Strong Women – Successful Networkers
can be planned. And if a woman happens to also be a mother,
to have a family, then she has to plan her career anyway, as
a single mother. And Network Marketing can also outdo the
normal working market in this regard. Female networkers can
stay at home when their child is ill, or is performing in the
school play, when the dog needs to go to the vet or for dentist
appointments. “Women excel in MLM because they can do
the business with a family,” says Nicki Keokohou. “Men and
women have the exact same opportunity with the same com-
pensation plan. Sometimes in traditional business, politics
come into play and the opportunities are not always given to
the best person; things are different in Network Marketing.”
The native of Germany, Anja Zorn, also appreciates the equal
opportunity and the financial independence that Network
Marketing offers her. The slim blonde has been enjoying suc-
cess with LR since 1994. “I liked the nature of recommenda-
tion marketing and the gigantic opportunities that were asso-
ciated with this – mainly because as a women (or even a man)
you are very rarely given the opportunity to earn 5,000 Euro
or more. The unique freedom, of determining your own life
and sharing these opportunities with other people is fascinat-
ing,” summarizes Anja.
She is happily married and has two children. She spends her
free time with her children and she determines when she has
this time. “My biggest motivation is to secure the future of my
kids, “ she tells us,” and to not only start enjoying time with
my husband when we reach 70, but doing this at least 25 years
before this.” Anja Zorn is successful – and she is inspired by
business. To women who feel the same she has the following
advice: “Listen to people who are successful and do not let
yourself be influenced by people who have not made anything
of their lives. If you want to be a professional soccer player,
get lessons from a professional footballer and not from the
backer next door.”
39 years old, married, 2 children
Motto: “If you want to be successful your-self, help others become successful.”
Anja Zorn
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 29
Casting another look stateside, it would be very difficult to
pass one of the top earners in the industry: The MonaVie
Crown Ambassador Black Diamond, Gina Merritt from
Delray Beach in Florida, has three daughters aged 23, 20 and
18 as well as a four-year-old son and has been married for 25
years. In her old job as a flight stewardess, which she worked
at for 24 years, she earned very little: “In the fast-paced
world we live in there are no secure jobs anymore. Anybody
can be replaced by someone else.
This does happen as it also happened to me! So why not be
your own boss in an industry that is basically crying out for
women who feel they are worth more than what they are get-
ting paid at their job?” she asks provocatively. She doesn’t
believe luck is a decisive factor for success in Network Mar-
keting. Of course, it is helpful to do the right thing at the
right time, but planning your career is far more important. “I
was in the right place at the right time and not afraid to talk,
meet or go the extra mile.
Some say I was lucky and got in at the right time, no such
thing - I got involved after the company MonaVie had been
operating for one and a half years and we flew by everyone
who got in above us as they were standing still. There is no
luck in that!“ MLM comes naturally to women, many are
great organizational talents anyway, who are used to taking
responsibility – and Gina is definitely one of these women.
Making appointments and visiting events is one days work,
but sometime you can literally be waiting for tasting parties
to share the opportunity of health and prosperity to others.
Gina has the following advice for female networkers and
those who want to become one: “You must take the respon-
sibility of making it happen for you, your family, and your
organization. Stop looking for the company or your upline
to make you a success. Everyone is watching you and when
they see you becoming a go-getter they will go out and do the
same. Just be the best you can be! Be real as people can spot
a phony. Stay focused and give yourself time to succeed.”
The Mexican and 500K with XanGo, Estela Salinas, has
always given her best. At school she was good at sport, at 14
she won the National Tennis Championship, but was never
much good with numbers. To get away from math, she ended
up studying psychology. Today she is a successful networker,
who has the following to say about herself and her journey:
“Everything finally fell into place, because for me, I believe
what has helped me a lot, is all I learned when I studied psy-
chology. Probably the most important lesson was learning
to listen instead of talking that much. I am a good listener.”
She doesn’t have a typical everyday routine: “I go through
the day by appointments sometimes, other days phone calls,
other days I stay at home with emails and I meet with one of
my downlines,” she tells us.
She visits her nephew everyday; since Estela lost her fiancé a
few years back to an accident and a short while after this her
father was also the victim of a fatal accident, she has always
very much valued having contact to her loved ones each day.
She says: “Be sure to share your dreams and passions with
your family. If your family is involved in this, if you share
your ups and downs, they will be there for the lows and will
celebrate with you your success as their own.”
For Estela the flexible working hours, independence, free-
dom and great opportunities, which Network Marketing of-
fer are important. “I live in a Third World country”, she says,
“sometimes people ask me ‘how do I do it’ because the aver-
age income is so low.
But this business is not about money, its about dreams, its
about hope its about being willing to pay the price. Most of
my business is in Mexico, and here like any other place in
the world, you can find dreamers, and people just waiting
for an opportunity to do whatever it takes to change their life
forever.” Prior to her becoming a top leader with XanGo, she
had been with Amway for 13 years.
After just three years she had built up a downline of over
36,000 people and after only two years she had even reached
the Diamond position. She tells us: “When I began my Am-
way business, a guy on stage told me how I could become
Diamond in 2 years. Nobody told me that was near impossi-
ble. Only a very small number of people in the history of that
company have made it to Diamond in 24 months, and I did
because nobody told me I couldn‘t.” Three years later she left
the company, frustrated that the majority hadn’t even begun
earning money; that was the end of her Network Marketing
career, or so she thought. But the tables turned: Two years
later she was introduced to the US company XanGo by her
sister-in-law – today she has reached the highest possible
rank with the company.
30 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
49 years old, married, 4 child-ren, MonaVie Crown Black Dia-mond, former flight attendant
Motto: “To be simply the best!”
Born in Mexico City, Single, Psychologist,
500k XanGo
Gina Merritt
Estela Salinas
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 31
The Philippines is also a country where it is not easy for wo-
men to pursue a career. Especially not for a single mother of
three children. But Donna Imson made it. At the beginning
of the 90’s she began networking, 1998 she was a founding
member of QNet and throughout the years has held various
management positions with QNet and its parent company.
In addition to this, she is a trustee for the RHYTHM Foun-
dation, QNet’s charity organization. She was nominated for
the “Best of the Best” Network Marketing Industry award by
the MLMIA (Multi-Level Marketing International Associati-
on), she is a speaker at prominent events, like for example at
the elite Network Marketing Congress in Singapore and the
prestigious MLM Mastermind Event in the USA. In addition
to this, she is the driving force behind I’M ALIVE, a special
training program for women in MLM.
How did she achieve all this? “Belief and desperation led me
to MLM. 18 years ago, I found myself one night watching my
three small kids sleeping, and the realization that I was sin-
gularly, unequivocally responsible for them, hit me like a ton
of bricks,” she says. “I had just separated from my now ex-
husband, and my children and I were temporarily sheltered in
the basement of a missionary couple’s home. I was a college
drop-out, didn’t have any special talent, and the only kind of
typing I knew was the 2-finger method; so my prospects at
best was a minimum-wage job.” However, this wasn’t enough
by a long shot. Donna firmly believed God had something bet-
ter in store for her. And it is quite apparent he had just that:
“MLM gave me an amazing opportunity to do what I despe-
rately needed to do - provide for my children - and do what I
wanted to do: Be present in my children’s lives. I didn’t see the
logic of going out there to work at minimum wage, then hiring
someone to take care of the kids while I was out there working
for someone else and then having to come back and split my
meager salary with the person I hired… it simply didn’t make
sense. I knew there had to be a better way, and MLM was it!”
Her children being a top priority in her life has always been a
given for Donna. Her youngest daughter was only three years
old as Donna began taking her to presentations. She planned
her day according to the children – who else? “To assume a
leadership position, women have to first recognize that we are
worthy of the leadership position; that we deserve it, and that
the organization needs us,” she says, “we are the heart of an
organization. Can you imagine what an organization would be
like without its heart? Most times we don’t lead because we
Executive Chairperson with QNet,
Trustee of the RYTHM Foundation,
Networker, single parent of three
children
Motto: “Transform yourself, transform
the world!”
Donna Imson
32 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
don’t believe we can. We hide under the excuse that women
are better followers. Network Marketing is filled with strong,
determined men. That’s not an arena that we can compete in
and win. Instead, we need to embrace our unique strengths,
harness these, and work on adding incredible value to the or-
ganization, while maintaining our feminine edge.”
Her strengths have also helped Salsabila al Harbi, called
Sally, to reach success. The Networker from Saudi Arabia has
managed to make her way in a world dominated by men. Even
in her previous job as a dental assistant she worked her way
up to management level and worked as a trainer. In addition
she is a certified public speaker, a title she received from the
International Public Speaking Organization. Before she was
made aware of the opportunity of Network Marketing and re-
alized the potential this had to offer, she had held a manage-
ment position. “Even though I had a nice paying job I wanted
more for myself and my family, I had a dream house in mind
and I wanted to do charity work without any second thoughts
or calculations.”
Network Marketing is an ideal medium for women to earn
money, Sally explains to us: “In my opinion there are more
women Leaders in MLM due to the flexibility that MLM of-
fers, whether it is time flexibility or working locations. A wo-
man can prioritize and balance easier in MLM apposing to a
traditional corporate job. Also the environment of MLM helps
women be more involved as they are working in teams and
with teams it is a more nurturing environment, which is closer
to a women’s style than corporate competition that can be an
emotional and energy drainer for many women.” Sally works
together with many mothers, who very much appreciate the
flexible working hours that working from home offers. When
asked what tips she gives to her female downline, Sally says:
“Anything is possible if you really want it to work out. They
must start reorganizing their schedule; there are many things
that can be delegated. Many women try to do it all themselves,
this is impossible.” She works hard and she also asks this of
her female partners. “I worked with a lot of moms and they
were able to set a schedule because they wanted to succeed,”
she says. The traditional Arab world just needs to get used to
the idea of female networkers: “Especially in my culture the
family and the husband have a big say in the activities that the
wife, daughter or sister, are doing. This is all new to our cul-
ture, many questions and eyebrows are raised; it takes a while
to get the family to support and understand.”
40 years old, from Saudi Arabia, certi-
fied dental assistant and speaker, FLP
top distributor with FLP Middle East
Motto: “Always dream big – Life is full
of beautiful surprises!”
Salsabila Al Harbi (“Sally”)
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 33
44 years old, 3 children, Royal Black Diamond with Mona Vie
Motto: “Life is for living!”
Graduate of Kent State University, Trainer and Con-sultant, Author “OWNING yourself”
Onyx Coale
Paula Pritchard
34 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
In western cultures on the other hand Network Marketing
has long since been a lucrative business model. And never-
theless women still have little or no backing when they begin
to build up their own business. Onyx Coale is a 44-year-old
single mom, who is now in a committed relationship. She
was born in Washington DC, spent her childhood years in
South Florida, studied at Emerson University in Boston and
is a mother of three children. Over the years, Onyx encoun-
tered many MLM companies, all of which she literally ran
away from at the beginning. “Five and a half years ago the
babysitters parents approached me about MonaVie.”
About the five and half years she says: “They have been
some of the best years of my life. My business now con-
sists of over 300,000 people. I have a huge business in the
USA. But I also have a huge business in Europe, Korea,
Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and
Thailand.” One of the things she likes most about Network
Marketing is that your ethnical background, sex, religion
and education are not important. “We all start at the same
place”, she says.
The babysitter’s parents called and invited her to the first
meeting in Palm Beach county. She said NO. Then they came
by on a boat (they lived on the same lake). She saw them
coming and went running inside and said ‘Hide me. Hide
me.’ Then they came by and dropped off a hot bottle of Mo-
naVie juice and told her to drink it as it was good for her. The
bottle went onto the kitchen counter.
Then under the kitchen counter. Then into the garage. Then
they called and changed their approach. They said, “Onyx we
really value your opinion, please would you come over and
see what we got ourselves into.“ So she thought if she didn’t
go they would never leave her alone. So she had a plan. She
was going to attend the meeting but she was going to leave
her checkbook at home.
So she went to the meeting and their where 30 people. The
guy presenting was making $8k a week and he had done this
in 8 months. He then started to explain the binary compen-
sation plan and suddenly her business lights starting going
off. She realized that you cannot make money unless you
help others make money and this is something that really ap-
pealed to her. Long story short: She left that night and called
a friend to tell them about what she had just seen. And her
friend laughed and said; “oh no… you have drunk the purple
juice.”
Over the first couple of years, Onyx worked extremely hard.
“I shut off my TV”, she says, “I signed my kids up for fewer
after school activates and I focused on building my network
marketing business. By the one and a half year mark I had
strategically built my business and it was self-replicating and
growing. Onyx is guided by the idea of giving something 100
percent of her attention: “Balance is Boloney.
Don’t try for this. Instead, choose to be fully present in
each activity you do”, she says, “when I am working with
MonaVie, I am fully present. When I am with my children,
I am fully present.” She thinks balance is something many
women strive for and when they don’t achieve it they feel
like a failure. “Balance is not obtainable, just be present,”
stated Onxy.
Network Marketing is particularly suited to women, explains
Onyx: “I think being a woman and building a network mar-
keting business is easier than any other way to make money.
Women love to talk. And we love to share ideas with our
friends, whether that’s what movie we saw or what we should
name our children. Or a new juice we are drinking. Times
are changing all over the world. And woman are recognizing
their power more and more.”
One of these powerful women is Paula Pritchard. She
spearheaded the expansion of four different companies to
Europe, therefore generating turnover of several hundred
million US Dollars. She built up an organization with more
than 200,000 people in over 15 countries. She was always at
the very top of every company she was active in– and she ran
her business with style, ethics and professionalism.
Paula was the first lady to reach the Diamond level with
Amway – in only four years. Today, she is a highly sought-
after trainer and speaker, and has the following to say about
Network Marketing: “MLM is the purest example of free en-
terprise. By being successful in this industry you learn a lot
about yourself, your personal strength, self-discipline, atti-
tude and endurance.
Building a network marketing business gives you more than
money. It gives you freedom to spend time with those you
love and do the most important things in your life. It also
sets a great example for your children of hard work, no ex-
cuses, taking responsibility, priorities and creating the free-
dom to make choices.” Paul records her experiences in a
book entitled OWNING YOURSELF.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 35
59 years old, married, 2 children,
4 grandchildren, No. 1 Distributor with
FLP Middle East, certified nurse.
Motto: “Live a purpose driven life”
45 years old, JEMAKO Top Distributor
Motto: “If you are aware of your
strengths, don’t let yourself be talked
into believing something else and
trust in yourself to clearly define your
dreams and designate these as your
goals.”
Gloria Rosete
Jesscia Stümmler
36 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Responsibility is not a problem for Gloria Rosete. The
mother of two children and grandmother of four children
worked as a nurse for twenty-six years in the Philippines. She
then made a life changing decision and became a networker.
With huge success. “Gender cannot define who can do the job
better”, she says, “I believe, the one who has the most deter-
mination has the upper hand in leadership.” We then asked
Gloria what is the price that she pays for success. “I find my-
self having so little time for myself” she says, “but winning can
be very addictive!
I have the mind of an entrepreneur and there is one common
thing among these select breed of people. They do things that
many people do not want to do, so that they can live a life
that many people cannot afford to have.” If Gloria were to give
the women in her downline advice, Gloria would talk about
the flexible working hours. “It is all a matter of time manage-
ment,” she explains, “there is no need to sacrifice one thing for
the other. If you really want both, you are going to find a way
to make it work.”
This is the exact route Jessica Stümmler found and went
down. Jessica has been having great success as a distribution
partner with JEMAKO since 2003. “Alongside the opportu-
nity of earning an above average income a good networking or
direct selling company offers the modern woman the neces-
sary flexibility in everyday life,” she says, “it is already evident
that it is predominately women in network marketing and di-
rect selling who generate the turnover. With my team partners
I bring professional aims, family and career in harmony with
each other.” Jessica views Network Marketing as a particular-
ly family friendly system, which can be excellently integrated
into the everyday life of women, particularly mothers. MLM
offers alternatives to the ridigity of professional life and in ad-
dition women can earn an above average income doing work
with flexible working hours.
This is particularly interesting for mothers: “The man is only
the main bread winner in very few families,” she states, “wom-
en with a family however often tend to remain doing part-time
jobs, regardless of how qualified they are.” As networkers,
women can make use of their God-given strengths. While
men are more competitive and act in their own best interests,
women tend to lean towards team building and work together
with others. Jessica explains: “Women are team players and in
a traditional job are navigating a working environment that is
governed by rules, with which they are unfamiliar at the onset.
Men battle pecking order and communicate in a status-orien-
tated manner. These rules are something that most women
have to learn at the beginning, similar to learning a language.
Additionally many do not realize that good performance alone
in this environment will only gain little recognition.”
On the lookout for a lucrative part-time job, the native of Ro-
mania and OBTAINER columnist as well as top leader with
PM-International, Daniela R. Szasz, stumbled upon Net-
work Marketing in an advertisement in a magazine 15 years
ago. The thing that motivates her the most in this business
is the success of her team partners. The qualified office clerk,
who arrived in Germany at the age of 17, admits having sacrifi-
ced a family for the current success she enjoys today. This was
a price I decided to pay. This is why in comparison to others I
have reached certain levels quicker. What MLM certainly does
offer is equal pay and the same opportunities regardless if you
are a man or woman.
Whether someone uses these or not is another story,” states
the 38-year-old to the OBTAINER. In her opinion the key
qualification for success in MLM is in stamina: “If you get shot
down – get back up and keep going! If you are loved – keep
going! If you are hated because you are successful – keep go-
ing! If it hurts – keep going! If those green with envy speak
ill of you behind your back – laugh and keep going!” Daniela
does not see a great difference between the leadership poten-
tial of men and women. “The difference is sometimes due to
the fact that men work in top management positions and wo-
men are often content with lower positions,” she says, conti-
nuing after a moment of brief reflection: “The difference could
also be that women do not really like to have to fight their way
through, when something gets in their way and many men live
true to the motto ‘after me the deluge – the main thing is I
achieve my goal’.” Therefore that which Daniela shares with
the female readers of the OBTAINER applies to both male and
female networkers alike: “Start – and never give up!”
Wendy Wiger also sees a huge opportunity for women to
become successful in Network Marketing. The native of Ethio-
pia currently lives in Oslo, Norway and leads a team with TNI.
She says: “I think most women have the need to socialize as
38 years old, Silver Presidents
Team with PM
Motto: “Persevere… laugh
and carry on…!”
Daniela Szasz
38 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
well as feel financially independent and in charge of their own
lives. Being away from home and family can sometimes be a
very high price to pay, for some women more than others.
Network Marketing is a near to perfect solution because it
makes it easier to change your life and priorities along the
way.”
Talking about leadership qualities, Wendy does not see one
gender having an advantage over another: “With regard to
what skills and characteristics are important for anyone on
the way to assuming leadership positions, I think they are the
same for both women and men.
A leader should be an example in action, not in words,” she
explains. Of course, social competences in Network Marke-
ting are very much sought after, in order to lead others you
have to communicate with them from where they are in their
lives. Wendy says: “You must also be enough of a people per-
son to understand when you are inspiring others and when
you need to let go. The greatest leaders are those who are ge-
nerous enough to share their vision with those who have not
yet learned to see the reward behind the obstacles.”
Occasionally leading personalities have to make difficult de-
cisions in order to remain successful. Wendy tells us: “I have
had to make some tough decisions as to what kind of energies
I want in my life and what kind of people and energies I can
and cannot trust. Not everyone can be friends.” Women often
find it difficult to turn somebody down. Being able to say “No”
is however not only in Network Marketing a necessary cha-
racteristic in order to hold a successful leading position. And
this business is still an excellent opportunity for women to
accommodate both family and career. Wendy says: “Network
Marketing gives women the flexibility needed to be there for
family and friends, while building their own solid business &
enjoying a great social life at the same time.”
Born in Addis Abeba (ethiopia), of Norwegian decent, currently lives in Oslo
Wendy Wiger
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 39
CAREERS
The Sky is the LimitThe plethora of newspaper articles, guidebooks and books
that deal with the topic of women-family-career prove that
despite all the emancipation efforts it is still something
somewhat out of the ordinary for women to have a career,
sit on the boss’s chair, have power and make decisions that
change the world. The latest study carried out by the German
Institute for Economic Research clearly shows that at lead-
ership level more men than ever hold leadership positions.
Women who have made it to the top are less likely to be mar-
ried and to have less children than their male counterparts in
top management positions.
The strong women in our article prove that it is possible to
have both: a family and a successful career. With all the dif-
ferences that exist between all of these women, their cultural
identity, their social background, their journey through life
– they all have one thing in common: They have worked un-
believably hard for their success. None of them have sim-
ply rested on their laurels, they have battled on. They found
ways of merging life with a family, with kids, with the dream
of freedom and independence, they persevered, irrevoca-
bly believing in their path and did not let themselves be led
astray.
Men and women are not the same. They never were. Nor do
they have to be. This is because in our world people do not
need to be the same, but ought to be equals. It is not a matter
of being the same, but of fairness, of being equal, of having
equal rights, equal opportunities. Network Marketing offers
everyone the same opportunities for being successful – re-
gardless of gender. The difference between genders possi-
bly makes it easier for women to be networkers. In Network
Marketing, the willingness to work as a team and soft skills
especially are very much in demand – this combination is an
important prerequisite in being successful in this industry.
Networkers need to want to talk about their products – if
needs be around the clock.
They must be able to listen, to approach others and inspire
them. Having fun while doing this is also an important
precondition; then is it possible to carry those in your sur-
roundings with you and inspire them. Your individual goals
must be brought into harmony with those of your partner,
empathy, willingness to cooperate and communicative com-
petencies are required. These are often traits, which women
possess. Network Marketing is therefore an opportunity for
women to stand on their own two feet, have a career and fi-
nancial independence – with a family of their own.
Times are changing and in a few years this topic will be des-
tined for the history books, just like the role of women in the
60’s. We owe this to the women, who show us day in day out
that having children and a career work well together. The top
female networkers stories are a paragon in a time when new
strategies and alternatives are needed just as much as au-
thentic and personal stories. Stories that give you the courage
for success! We look forward to your very own personal story!
40 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CAREERS05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 41
Off to V-Con 2011 from QNet
The annual convention from Q-
Net and V (QNet’s Marketing
and Training Department) is
coming up. From May 27 to 31, 2011,
things will be getting serious in Pu-
tra Stadium in Kuala Lumpur with the
motto BELIEF! In the 16,000 person in-
door arena, more than 10,000 QNet dis-
tributors, clients, and VIPs from around
the world are expected. At the five-day
event, a host of guest-speakers will ad-
dress those attending, and there will be
a number of great network training ses-
sions. The highlight is sure to be the in-
troduction of a few new products in the
areas of nutrition, energy, and vacation.
In an additional section, there will be an
exhibit of more than 25 product brands,
in which all of QNet’s products can be
viewed, tested, and purchased, and
where information on them can be ob-
tained. As everyone who has been to an
annual convention from QNet knows, a
party atmosphere, entertainment and
a great mood are intrinsic parts of the
event. This year, QNet has arranged for
cricket legend and QNet ambassador
Muttiah ‘Murali’ Muralitharan to be
available for photos and autographs, as
well as for an F1 car from Virgin Racing
to be displayed, which QNet sponsors.
There is even something for the little
ones to do thanks to V-Kids, providing
exciting and fun activities during the
convention. The V has also announced
that “Firework” from Katy Perry will be
the convention’s official song. The song
describes this year’s motto BELIEF! per-
fectly, because the song is about belief in
one’s self and the trust needed to master
upcoming challenges. In an interview,
Katy Perry explained that the song was
written for those chasing their dreams in
difficult times. “I think that in life, peo-
ple are challenged to get to where they
want to be, to reach their goals. Hope-
fully, they can hear this song and be in-
spired and find out that those challenges
aren’t really difficult to get past,” clari-
fied Ms. Perry. However you look at it,
this year’s V-Malaysia 2011 will be more
than just a convention – it will be a festi-
val. Those interested in experiencing the
exuberant mood and contagious enthu-
siasm present at the convention should
take a look at this short video from last
years convention: http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=sBppVVKvyII. Watching
it will give you the strong desire to book
a flight to Malaysia for the end of May!
42 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
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Award-winning business model
Expansion into new markets around the globe
www.mannapartners.com
The mysterious language of our cells has
been deciphered
World-wide patented,
unrivalled biotechnology
In Thayngen in Switzerland, near
the German border, the opening of
a newly built branch for PM Inter-
national was celebrated last weekend.
In the small community of Thayngen in
the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen a new
chapter in the history of PM Interna-
tional is beginning. Here tribute is being
paid to the steady growth and the highest
turnover outside Germany with the larg-
est branch of PM International abroad.
On the occasion of the opening OBTAIN-
ER was on the spot and many things
impressed us: Near the local station sur-
rounded by green fields we are greeted
not by an ostentatious building but by
a building radiating solidity and clarity.
Adapted to the colors of the PM logo,
the guests are greeted by a blue carpet
leading into the blue and gray building.
“I don‘t build for one generation, here
we‘re building for several generations,”
said the Founder and Chairman of PM
International AG, Rolf Sorg, during the
press conference. This idea has been
brought to life here as an integrated well
thought out construction project, some-
thing that isn‘t exactly common with
industrial buildings: whether we‘re talk-
ing about the solar panels on the roof,
the consistently implemented method of
constructing a low energy building or the
clear color scheme and design.
The focus is on the employees, who make
just as important a contribution as the
distribution partners in the field with
the customers. Rolf Sorg doesn‘t stand
for pointless luxury, but when it makes
sense and is a lasting benefit for the staff
on a sustainable basis, then he is happy
to invest in this. Here investment is the
driving force and that too is almost an ex-
ception. Which networking company has
the necessary capital of 5 million Swiss
francs available for such an expansion?
And even if it had it, who wants to in-
vest in such a forward-thinking manner
in a market that is so fast moving that
many don‘t even know whether they‘ll
still exist tomorrow? In such a situation
who counts on property and accepts the
responsibility? Not many, but Rolf Sorg
certainly does. The decision was made
in 2008 and Dieter Lütterfelds took on
responsibility for the construction proj-
ect. At the end of 2009 the construction
phase began – and the result can speak
for itself.
“The acquisition of the branch in Thayn-
gen will replace the branch in Schaffhau-
sen. In the last few weeks the employees
have performed splendid work; many of
them have been working here for years
and they‘re part of the success story.,”
said Daniel Hayoz, Distribution and
Branch Manager of PM International
Switzerland. “Why the community of
Thayngen you might ask; to this ques-
tion I can give you a quite clear answer:
“Switzerland now has a face!” - PM International celebrates the opening of a branch in Switzerland
44 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
The strategic position, directly opposite
one of the main customs offices in Swit-
zerland, the rural location that supports
our wellness philosophy plus, in addi-
tion, extremely attractive concessions
from the community of Thayngen and, of
course, compliance with the proviso that
I wouldn‘t have supported any move that
would have expected our staff to travel
over 20 km more to get to work,” said
Rolf Sorg – this is also the social com-
mitment of a businessman who knows
what pillars support his company and his
vision.
So far the rooms, which are designed to
cope in the medium term with a doubling
of staff numbers and a tripling of Swiss
turnover, haven‘t been decorated. The
transfer of the 27 members of staff, which
has been planned with military precision,
is scheduled to take place in two weeks.
But one group has already moved in as
the very first, a group we‘re particularly
pleased to see: this is the World Vision
Child Sponsorship Scheme, which is sup-
ported be PM International Switzerland.
Photos and stories of all the sponsored
children have been placed on the stair-
way and are therefore the first to take
their places in their new home. A sign
of how important the sponsorships are
for Rolf Sorg, but not just for him – this
consciousness reigns in the whole com-
pany. At the charity gala in the evening
this commitment was also a continuing
theme: 50% of the ticket proceeds went
to World Vision‘s marketing manager on
behalf of the charity together with a check
for 10,000 Swiss francs that was officially
presented during the gala. Many distri-
bution partners from Switzerland, in-
cluding the No. 1 in Switzerland, Marcel
Deszö, and many distribution partners
from Germany, including Carsten Ledulé
and Dr. Wolfgang Schwertner, attended
the opening ceremony and were visibly
delighted by the new building and the
radiance that will stream from here to all
parts of Switzerland. And many inhabit-
ants of the place also didn‘t let the op-
portunity slip to take a closer look at the
new branch; the guided tours through
the building were heavily frequented –
with about 700 guests a real waiting line
built up waiting for the employees to take
small groups on the tour. But nobody was
doomed to spend their time waiting – af-
ter all, a few things had been organized
for the festivities: live music, a program
for the children, special offers in the Di-
rect Sales Center and an exclusive inter-
view with the cyclist, Bruno Risi, who has
been world champion on numerous oc-
casions as well as being an Olympic silver
medalist.
“With this new building, which is in-
tended to become a meeting point for all
distribution partners, Switzerland has
now received a face. And every stone that
has been erected here is the achievement
become visible of all the employees and
all the distribution partners here in Swit-
zerland,” said Daniel Hayoz with pride.
Quite literally carved in stone are 650
names on a stone sculpture symbolizing
the Matterhorn, which has been erected
in front of the logistics center. These
650 names stand for people who‘ve
performed great service in successfully
building up distribution in Switzerland.
And somewhat later Rolf Sorg comple-
mented this by adding: “Now there prob-
ably isn‘t any better location in Switzer-
land for PM business than right here.
Use the building to present your business
with a branch office like this that builds
up trust, that is transparent and open to
all. With their work 650 people have al-
ready raised a monument to themselves
here. So that even more people from
Switzerland can immortalize themselves
here, we‘ve thought up a competition
which, as always, is starting with imme-
diate effect. So a ‚heads up‘ for the Swiss
partners, get the exact details for this
competition.”
Switzerland continues to be an extremely
attractive market for the distribution
partners on the spot, but also for all of
those who only want to build up a team
in Switzerland. Italian and French Swit-
zerland still haven‘t been opened up yet,
so there‘s still a lot of potential which has
probably received a real boost with the
investment in the new branch.
46 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
Jörg Wittke and Tom Schmitz an-
nounced it during the 6th DubLi
Day in Ransbach-Baumbach.
The next DubLi Day will be bigger yet.
Even significantly bigger because it
will be held in Dubai, and the event is
going to last three days.
That is why the 7th DubLi Day of the
Allstars United Team from June 24th
to 26th 2011 in Dubai is more than a
DubLi Day – it is the DubLi Dream
Days No. 1. The event will also be a
true dream because the mix of part
business part entertainment has been
accomplished to perfection. During
each of the three mornings there will
be training sessions, and with the ac-
tivities in the afternoons there will be
dream-like impressions of which one
will say: “You had to have been there
to grasp that“.
DubLi Dream Days in Dubai
The choice of location for the accom-
modation and the training sessions
also makes a dream come true for many
DubLi BAs. By choosing the world-fa-
mous five star Hotel ATLANTIS – The
Palm, the Allstars United management
Tom Schmitz and Jörg Wittke made the
right choice for true “Dream Days“. The
DubLi Dream Days begin on Friday at
11:00 a.m. with a small welcome recep-
tion before the first four hour training
session kicks off. Afterwards, a rich
48 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
lunch buffet helps gain new strength
to get to know the initial “Hot Spots“
of the emirate of Dubai. The DubLi
Dream Day Package also includes tick-
ets for the Dubai Creek Aquaventure
and a visit to the Lost Chambers.
But a visit of the Dubai Mall is also
worthwhile since one can get great
deals duty free. With the Burj Khalifa,
Al Qasr Souk or Wild Wadi, Dubai of-
fers something for everyone.
On Saturday, the second training ses-
sion with subsequent lunch buffet will
be taking place at 11:00 a.m. Then, a
visit of the desert, DubLi Jeep Safari, is
planned. An unforgettable experience
is the dune bashing where well-trained
drivers with their jeeps “conquer” the
dunes of the desert. A camel ride or
sand boarding also provide for excep-
tional fun. At the latest during the BBQ
dinner you are going to be one with the
desert and you are going to have cap-
tured its magic. Sunday also starts with
a training session before the first Dub-
Li Dream Days come to an end with a
farewell surprise trip. This big surprise
is of course still a secret.
But not only the “Fascination of Dubai“
will make these DubLi Dream Days an
experience for all attenting BAs. Dur-
ing the training sessions with execu-
tives from all over the world, there will
be two premieres among other things.
DubLi Founder Michael Hansen him-
self will be reporting and holding train-
ings during the world premiere of the
new DubLi partner program.
In addition, also a world premiere, the
new Allstars DVD will be presented. US-
Country Manager Dean Mannheimer
or Chief Technical Officer Brack Jas-
key will have news for the BAs, as well.
Registrations for the first DubLi Dream
Days can still be made until June 15th
at http://www.ddd2011.com/.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 49
INDUSTRY INSIDE
QNet – Proud Sponsors of the 3rd Charitable Handicapped Exhibition
Over the past few years, corpo-
rate entities have strived to
bridge the gap between eco-
nomic achievement and sociological
impact. One company, which has made
some of the most notable progress in
bridging this extensive gap in the in-
ternational world of Network Market-
ing is QNet.
A fundamental part of QNet’s corpo-
rate social responsibility program,
is the RYTHM Foundation, which is
actively involved in supporting, car-
ing and building opportunities for un-
derprivileged members of our society.
QNet and the RYTHM Foundation
once again confirmed their unwaver-
ing commitment to those less fortu-
nate by becoming the main sponsors
of the 3rd Charitable Handicapped
Exhibition.
The event which lasted three full days
- May 12-14 from 10am to midnight -
was organized under the guidance of
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice Presi-
dent of UAE, Prime Minister and Ruler
of Dubai and not only showcased but
also sold products created by disabled
children from six special needs centers
across the UAE.
The sole purpose of the exhibiton was
to not only raise money for various
centers, but to also raise awareness
for these centers, which perform such
meaningful work. The setting chosen
for this exhibition was also none other
than the world’s largest shopping mall,
the Dubai Mall.
Upon entering the most prominent
section of the Dubai Mall, the Star
Atrium, on Thursday May 12 at 10am,
one’s eyes were automatically drawn
to the large circular exhibition area, a
vast area containing a dozen stands,
all of which boasted the main sponsors
logo.
A flurry of activity was also to be seen
at the QNet stand, where enthusiastic
distribution partners were busy pre-
paring for the exhibition and opening
ceremony, which was to be inaugurat-
ed by a prominent member of the royal
family, none other than His Highness
Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Mak-
50 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
toum. It was also evident that QNet’s
Independent Representatives were fully
behind the event: “All work carried out
here at the QNet stand is done volun-
tary. Supporting charitable events spon-
sored by QNet is very important to the
company’s I.R’s, it’s the feeling of giving
something back to society,” stated Wafa
Eltayeb Salih a VC with QNet, proving
how important being actively involved
in charitable events is not just for QNet
as a company, but also for its distribu-
tion partners.
The opening ceremony was shrouded in
Arab flair; HH Sheikh Juma Bin Mak-
toum Al Maktoum cut the ribbon amid
enchanting music, heralding the open-
ing of the exhibition. He then made his
way around the various stands, taking
time to view the products on offer and
speaking to some of the children who
had made the products by hand. He also
made sure to make a stop at the QNet
stand, where he thanked the main spon-
sors for the large part they had played in
making the exhibition possible.
By now a large group had accumulated
at the exhibition and were being enter-
tained by various performances, which
had been put together by the disabled
children from the various special needs
centers. The organizers of the event,
the prestigious Dubai Media Inc. then
began the awards ceremony; their way
of thanking everyone involved for their
continued help and support. QNet was
among the recipients of an award and
Mariam Almur Mohammad Bin Huraiz,
Head of Corporate Social Responsibil-
ity with Dubai Media Inc. praised and
thanked QNet for it’s generous support-
ing efforts.
All in all, the 3rd Charitable Handi-
capped Exhibition was a complete suc-
cess in raising both money and aware-
ness for these special needs centers,
which do such important work. Through
supporting the event, QNet proved just
how important a company’s corporate
social responsibility program is and
just what an impact such a program can
have on the lives of others. It is evident
that QNet, the RYTHM Foundation and
the companies distribution partners
place huge value on supporting others
less fortune in society and ought to be
applauded for their continued efforts.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 51
INDUSTRY INSIDE
Top hairstylist and trend trainer joins NUMONDU
The NUMONDU catering con-
cept is ideal for bars, hotels and
other catering establishments.
And that would be about it – you might
think. Wrong – because NUMONDU is
so trendy that it fits excellently into just
about any business such as, for example,
a hair salon. NUMONDU and hair sa-
lons – do they fit together?
Certainly – you can find the answer in
“Marciniak Haare” at Bahnhofstr. 12
in Wiehl in the Oberberg District. This
hair salon has nothing to do with the
conventional hair salon. Both the equip-
ment and the range of services on offer
clearly distinguish it from the common
or garden variety. Michael Marciniak‘s
clients value the perfect consultation,
his excellent craftsmanship, the individ-
ual styling and his fine nose for taste and
trends. And recently they‘ve been able to
enjoy an extra energy kick because Mar-
ciniak has a new fashion product in his
salon – NUMONDU Açai.
The professional has been active in the
hair business for over 20 years and with
“Marciniak Haare” he has created a lo-
cation whose ambiance is such that cus-
tomers are prepared to travel extremely
long distances to enjoy it. As a business-
man, top-class stylist, team leader and
trend trainer “hairdresser” is by no
means adequate to describe Marciniak‘s
job anymore. All-rounder and business-
man are descriptions that are more like-
ly to spring to mind considering the de-
velopment of his own skincare range or
the range of creative options available to
his clients such as, for example, a photo-
shoot or the use of his premises for the
“Perfect Day.”
As a qualified NLP trainer and an
achiever Marciniak knows what it‘s all
about – quality and energy. This is also
how he considers it in his seminar “Giv-
ing your life direction” and his successes
as a trainer are the best proof for this
because he could guide many “hairstyl-
ists” and promote their careers with
his training sessions. Today not only
people from his profession benefit from
his qualification as an NLP trainer but
also people from many different profes-
sions. The all-rounder, who has been
a member of the “Circle of Excellence”
since 2006, quickly recognized that his
salon offered a perfect framework for
52 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
E-COMMERCE IS EVOLVING ARE YOU?
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ContactRuth Hoefer
Tel.: +49 2684 958530
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.next.millionaer.com
combining business and taste with NU-
MONDU. The reason why Michael Mar-
ciniak is enthusiastic about NUMONDU
is the way NUMONDU fits into his salon
concept of what constitutes a success-
ful hair salon and to find out what NU-
MONDU has to do with jelly bears (the
German equivalent of jelly beans) read
the following interview.
OBTAINER: Mr. Marciniak, you stand
for hair-styling services at the highest
level. Why has the NUMONDU energy
wave grabbed you?
Michael Marciniak: I‘m always on
the lookout for new impulses and I‘m
firmly convinced that it‘s important to
try out new things. Here NUMONDU
appealed to me already on the basis of
design alone.
OBTAINER: How does the NUMON-
DU energy drink fit into your salon con-
cept?
Michael Marciniak: We pamper our
clients as if we were receiving a good
friend in our living room. Chocolates,
sparkling wine, special teas from the
delicatessen or a late-evening whiskey
for the gentlemen are standard with us.
Why not also offer a guest an energy
drink?
OBTAINER: In the industry you‘re a
prominent presence. What distinguish-
es a good hair salon? What should we
pay attention to in the range of services
on offer?
Michael Marciniak: Choose a propri-
etor-managed, well-booked salon that
avoids putting products in the window
for advertising purposes. It isn‘t the
products that make a hairstylist good –
we‘re craftsmen and craftswomen.
If there are dead flies lying in the win-
dow – run for your life! And if a salon
is called something like “Hairkiller”
– run away too. After all, you don‘t go
to restaurants called “Barfs” or “Chun-
der”!
OBTAINER: How do you like the taste
of NUMONDU Açai?
Michael Marciniak: I love the NU-
MONDU taste. THAT is up-to-the-min-
ute and tastes a lot better than liquified
jelly bears.
OBTAINER: Many thanks for the in-
terview and lots of success in the future.
54 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
Help Has No Boundaries – The Lyoness Child & Family Foundation Continues To Strike New Paths
Titled “For a place to feel at home!
Joint support with heart and
mind“, the latest project leads the
Child & Family Foundation onto new ter-
ritory. Although the place of action may be
new, help continues to go to the weakest
link of society – children. Thirty children
between the ages of 3 months and 15 years
live in the children’s home of “The Smile
of the Child“ in the Greek town of Thes-
saloniki. In order to provide the children
with a better quality of life in addition to
having a roof over their head, the Child &
Family Foundation among other things
is involved in taking care of the main-
tenance of the building. In addition to
painting, electrical and installation work,
the oil tank for heating is being refilled
as well as new toys, clothing, medication
and foods are provided. Since children do
not only need love, food and a safe home,
the Foundation also donated schooling
and educational materials from its col-
lection so that the brain is being “fed“ as
well. The Greek non-for-profit organiza-
tion “The Smile of the Child“ takes care of
a total of 256 children across Greece and
is exclusively financed through donations.
Since the people of Greece currently have
to watch every cent themselves due to the
country’s debt burden, those who need
help the most are affected first. For Lyo-
ness, it is another reason to enter into new
territory in Greece.
In Slovenia, the Child & Family Founda-
tion is actively involved in a national proj-
ect to increase the quality of life for people
with disabilities. Together with the vol-
unteer association Medobčinsko društvo
Sožitje Maribor and Lyoness Slovenia, the
Foundation turned its attention to a proj-
ect that particularly deserves support. The
project partner is a charitable association
founded in 1965 that supports people with
mental disabilities, their parents, experts,
friends and sponsors. The goal of this in-
volvement is to enable approximately 28
disabled children and adults to have a
“normal life“. Through active incorpora-
tion into their environment and diverse
working processes, these people can lead
a meaningful and fulfilled life as part of
society. In order to make this happen,
the key of the collaboration is to estab-
lish disability-friendly work places so that
people with disabilities can take advan-
tage of their full potential when working
on their woodwork, textile or art projects.
The Child & Family Foundation provides
specially equipped computers, modified
screens, computer mouse and keyboard
as well as individual programs helping the
users to acquire more knowledge and new
work and social habits within a group. The
purchase of a new sewing machine for the
textile shop or a pyrograph and a battery-
operated drill for the woodwork shop help
to bring the association‘s equipment up to
date. These seemingly “small“ purchases
create the framework conditions for peo-
ple with disabilities that are stimulating
and increase the individual abilities which
can easily be read in the smile of these
people and the pride to have made some-
thing on their own.
In Switzerland, the Child & Family Foun-
dation supports the SRK therapy place in
Buchs. The project “Unterstützung der
allgemeinen Frühförderung für Kinder
und Jugendliche ohne Versicherungs-
und Kostengutsprache in der SRK-Ther-
apiestelle“ (Support for the general early
56 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
intervention for children and adolescents
without insurance and cost absorption
in the SRK therapy office) has the goal
to provide the children and adolescents
without any insurance or cost absorption
with financial support and to grant them
access to therapy sessions at the SRK of-
fice that they need as part of their general
early intervention. What started in 1974 as
a consultation office for children with ce-
rebral movement disorders of the section
Werdenberg-Sargans for the Swiss Red
Cross, has today become the “SRK thera-
py office for children and adolescents Sar-
gans – Buchs – Altstätten“. Today, about
20 therapists take care of children with a
variety of diagnosis and disability levels
with movement, cognitive or speaking
disorders as well as development deficits
and behavioural disorders. A sick child
is already enough of a worry for the par-
ents and if they can then not afford an
extremely necessary therapy, the parents’
suffering cannot be imagined. Here, the
Child & Family Foundation can not only
help the children but also take a weight
off the parents’ shoulders they didn’t have
to worry about in a perfect world. That
indulgence and philanthropy are close
together showed this year’s Indulgence
Ball Graz on March 5th at the Grazer Con-
gress. The 850 guests were spoiled by 14
Styrian top chefs live on location with cu-
linary delights and also with the especially
for the ball created wine, a Styrian Cuvée
made from the types Welsch Riesling,
Muskateller and Weißburgunder pro-
vided for indulgence of the highest kind.
Just for the charitable purpose, the wine
was created by the three wineries Primus
Polz, Georgiberg and Hannes & Ewald
Zweytick for the Child & Family Founda-
tion. The Foundation gave the entire net
proceeds from the sale of the wine to the
Anton Afritsch children’s village at the
Grazer Steinberg. The cheque for EUR
3,000 was handed over during a festive
ceremony on April 7th and will be used
for the individual support and fostering
of children in the areas of art therapy and
biographical work.
Sometimes, Lyoness does not have to go
too far to be philanthropic. Sometimes,
destiny strikes right in front of its own
door as the tragic and way to early death
of two-time father and long-time Lyoness
business partner Harald Redtenbacher
shows. The shock was great when the
family found out about the serious dis-
ease, and the doctors did not see any
chances for recovery. In order to help
the family not only share the heavy emo-
tional strains but also the financial bur-
den, Franz Rudolf Freidinger, Austrian
member of the Lyoness President’s Team,
initiated a donation campaign and raised
funds within his organization and within
the Lyoness Community. In total, the
family was handed EUR 20,000, half of
it through donations and the other EUR
10,000 were personally donated by Franz
Freidinger, in order to help secure their
future. This tragic case is an example for
the great solidarity in the meaning of Cor-
porate Social Responsibility of Lyoness
and shows that the often quoted claim of
many network marketing companies “We
are family“ is not just an empty phrase for
Lyoness.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 57
INDUSTRY INSIDE
ADVERTISE
Shop at DubLi with Price-Cutting Gift Cards for Even Better Prices!
Having fun shopping and sav-
ing – that‘s what DubLi has
always stood for. But as Dub-
Li announced on May 11, now you can
save even more. The company, likely
the world’s most innovative Web 2.0
network marketing company, intro-
duced its new Xpress gift card auctions
that day, with which all V.I.P. members
can save even more. The gift cards can
be turned into cash and can be used
for practically any product or service
worldwide. The new Xpress gift cards
are divided into six different catego-
ries, always made available simultane-
ously. In addition, all V.I.P. members
around the world can bid on the gift
cards, making for quick discounts in
their prices: With each Xpress bid on
the gift card’s price, its cost sinks by
0.20 cents – whether the gift card is in
Euro or dollars. That means that the
price of the gift card can sink far below
what it is actually worth within a few
minutes. Once a bidder is happy with
the price, they can buy, paying the ac-
tive price and receiving the full value
of the gift card. For example, if a V.I.P.
member buys a gift card worth 200 dol-
lars for only 120 dollars, then he or she
will have saved 80 dollars or 40 percent
with the successful bid, and 200 dollars
will be applied to his or her gift card.
With the six different gift card catego-
ries, practically all goods and services
are covered, so that there is truly a very
interesting gift card offer for each and
every person. The categories are divid-
ed into:
Personal ExpensesHousehold costs - Energy, gas, heating,
telephone bills, internet bills, cable/sat-
ellite television, insurance, water and
sewage, interest payments and leasing
costs, childcare costs, doctor and hos-
pital bills, hair, nails and expenses for
beauty and cosmetics, car payments,
car repair and service costs, tires, car
parts and insurance, mobile phone bills,
health insurance, and fitness club mem-
berships.
Electronics & ComputersCameras, TVs, video, audio, home tele-
phones, mobile phones, Smartphones,
laptops, desktops, network electronics,
monitors, computers, software, TIVO,
DVD & Blu-Ray players, auto & boat
58 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
INDUSTRY INSIDE
GPS, watches, notebooks, eBook read-
ers, disk drives and additional compo-
nents.
Household• Groceries, cleaning materials, and
household appliances
• Gas
• Gasoline and diesel
• Lifestyle
For women, men & children: Bags,
jewelry, baby clothes, health & beauty,
scents, protective equipment, style, ac-
cessories, sun glasses, watches, toys,
cosmetics, sporting goods, animal food
and accessories for your pet.
Travel & EventsFlights, cruises, tours, musicals, en-
tertainment events, hotels and motels,
theme parks, concerts, car rentals, and
sporting events
As mentioned, a V.I.P. membership
package is necessary in order to en-
joy the pleasure of the new Xpress gift
card-auctions. The V.I.P. membership
includes 10 credits (25 credits begin-
ning in the second month of member-
ship), access to the V.I.P.-only gift card-
auctions, and 5 percent cash back on
all purchases in the shopping mall. In
addition, the V.I.P. packet includes un-
limited access to DubLi Entertainment,
the DubLi Mastercard, free shipping
on all auction products purchased, two
chances at the monthly DubLi lottery,
and access to both the V.I.P. client refer-
ral program and to the DubLi e-wallet.
When you take advantage of it, then you
will quickly amortize the packet‘s price
of $28.95 US, 19.95 Euros, or $29.95
Australian.
Enter a bid, strike quickly, and win the
gift card! But then what? Once you have
made a successful bid on an Xpress gift
card, the gift card‘s value will be applied
your internal account. Under „Your gift
cards“, all transfers into and out of your
account are visible. Once your account
and its transfers are verified, the money
in the account is freely accessible, and
can be transferred, according to your
preference, into your eWallet account
or the DubLi Debit Card (MasterCard).
The transfers generally take 24 hours,
between Monday and Friday, to arrive
after sending.
With the introduction of the new,
worldwide Xpress gift card-auctions,
DubLi has definitely once-again caused
a great deal of excitement and has once
more increased fun-levels on the DubLi
platform. The Xpress gift card are, in
the truest form of the words, worth cash
money. That leaves only one thing to be
said: „Bid like a V.I.P. - only at DubLi.“
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 59
INDUSTRY INSIDE
60 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
“Tho-se in pos-session of gold, always have money.” A quote from Alan Greenspan
Gold is no longer just for the filthy rich. True to the motto: “Pecu-nia Aurea Mundi” we offer you the opportunity to safeguard your assets.
Gold has been the real cur-rency of the world for 2600 years in 194 coun-tries. Banks, governments and renowned business and financial figures safeguard their finances with gold in order to remain solvent in times of economic downturn. Something that is important to those in power, should be equally as important to those who aren’t. Gold belong in every household
KB VisionKönigstraße 52D-70173 StuttgartTel.: +49 (0) 711 12040830E-Mail: [email protected]: www.kb-vision.com
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 61
“Tho-se in pos-session of gold, always have money.” A quote from Alan Greenspan
Gold is no longer just for the filthy rich. True to the motto: “Pecu-nia Aurea Mundi” we offer you the opportunity to safeguard your assets.
Gold has been the real cur-rency of the world for 2600 years in 194 coun-tries. Banks, governments and renowned business and financial figures safeguard their finances with gold in order to remain solvent in times of economic downturn. Something that is important to those in power, should be equally as important to those who aren’t. Gold belong in every household
KB VisionKönigstraße 52D-70173 StuttgartTel.: +49 (0) 711 12040830E-Mail: [email protected]: www.kb-vision.com
KB Vision kicks-off with full strength in Northern and Southern Europe
SHORT CUT
62 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
of the gold cards that will be manufactured for special occa-
sions and events such as Christmas, birthdays, weddings etc.
Subsequently, Franz J. Herrmann, chairman of the „Bund
der Sparer e.V.“ (savers’ association) spoke about the oppor-
tunities and risk of common financial products compared to
a gold investment. As could be seen in the past the future will
also show that the opportunity/risk ratio of gold, compared
to most other financial products, ranks among the best. Af-
ter this insight into the financial world, the event continued
with a training of the executives with regard to building a
successful business. Bent Carstensen explained why network
marketing demands just as much willingness to perform as
everything else when you want to be successful.
This business does not run on its own, especially not in the
first few years when the foundation was being laid for a
“golden“ future. But with enough perseverance, endurance
and a strong will the business was going to show a steep eq-
uity curve just like the gold chart demonstrated in the last
few decades. In addition, Carstensen spoke about the posi-
tive effects of live events which, time and time again, inspire
new ideas, convey motivation and show opportunities for im-
provement. As an another speaker at this event, Olaf Letsch
introduced the new marketing tool “Goldinfopräsenz“ (“gold
information presence”) that the business partners can indi-
vidually customize according to their own wishes.
The first two executive meetings were characterized by a
tangible atmosphere of optimism, and the executives from
Northern Europe, Jimmy Larsen, Jesper Bentzen or Klaus
Fries also believe that KB Vision made a dream start. For
that reason, the next event has already been scheduled for
June.
But KB Vision did not only set the course in Northern Eu-
rope and Germany, but made progress in Southern Europe,
as well. In Italy, the new country representative Pietro Fazio
was introduced who has already been involved in network
marketing since 1995. The advantages of this industry,
namely to achieve high financial goals with modest initial
capital, fascinated the Italian so much that he can live well
with the negative aspect of this industry, the quick appear-
ance and disappearance of many companies. One only has
to choose the right company, he believes, and he has done
that with KB Vision. After many legal matters for the gold
business in Italy had been solved and the plans had been
implemented to perfection, the KB Vision business is being
built stronger in Southern Europe, as well. During a personal
interview with Pietro Fazio, we asked what Italy can expect
from KB Vision and what challenges are waiting for him.
As part of the expansion plans by KB Vision, the course for
the future will be simultaneously set in different parts of Eu-
rope. In Northern Europe, two executive meetings took place
in the Swedish city of Göteborg at the Hotel Apple on April
30th, 2011 and respectively on May 1st, 2011 in the Danish
city of Billung at the Hotel Propellen. Approximately 20 ex-
ecutives at each of the meetings recognized the potential of
gold and above all of KB Vision and that this is not only due
to the current high demand for gold. The participants rec-
ognized that it is first and foremost up to them to take re-
sponsibility as executives and to support others in building
their business. Although this requires extreme dedication as
an executive in a newly opened country on the one hand, this
moment also provides the most profitable opportunities in
network marketing on the other hand.
Already during the opening webinar, the countries, which
have only been opened on April 1st, 2011, showed a “golden“
business opportunity with participation of more than 200
Scandinavians. The seriousness of the interest was demon-
strated by the numerous new registrations and the acqui-
sition of new customers. After the executive meetings, the
participants anonymously agreed: It is up to us to turn KB
Vision into one of the biggest gold traders in our countries
and to introduce as many people as possible to this business
opportunity.
An event in Germany was also cause for an additional spirit of
optimism amongst distribution partners. As part of the Gold
Academy on May 7, 2011 in Stuttgart, Harald Seiz once again
demonstrated how important a foundation of transparency,
honesty and reliability is for a gold network company and
that this is the only way to create a global player. In addition,
the business partners learned that work had been done on
the technical parameters and the administration processes
so that they would be able to fully focus on building their
business. A significant factor in this area is the completion
of the accounting tool and the customer accounts within the
corporate software. In their back office, the business part-
ners have the control and overview of their team structure,
the customers and commission calculations. Within the cus-
tomer accounts of KB Vision, deposits and gold stock can be
viewed and a variety of delivery options can be selected, as
well. Olaf Meier enlarged upon the technical part with the
explanation of the OSS-System, an administrative support
of the software program to acquire new clients and business
partners.
A highlight as part of the changes is the expansion of the
product portfolio. KB Vision is going to issue special editions
KB Vision kicks-off with full strength in Northern and Southern Europe
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 63
OBTAINER: First, let’s talk about network marketing and Italy in general. What does the Italian network marketing industry look like? What do the Italians think about this business model and how much blue sky potential is still there?
Pietro Fazio: Network marketing is made for Italians. The busi-
ness model suits the family oriented thinking. Personal refer-
rals and word-of-mouth promotion is common practice in Italy.
That is why we are convinced that there is lots of blue sky po-
tential.
OBTAINER: You are KB Vision‘s new country repre-sentative for Italy. What are your next tasks? What challenges are waiting for you?
Pietro Fazio: After a long preparation period, the foundation to
create a successful business has now been laid in Italy. Now, it
is important to provide the sales reps and the MA with any kind
of support required.
OBTAINER: A legal foundation had to be created for the KB Vision business in advance as well as a corre-sponding plan for the launch to the market. Is all of that done and can you now focus on the day-to-day business?
Pietro Fazio: Yes, all tasks have been accomplished and the next
steps are now to provide our sales staff in Italy with any kind of
support required.
OBTAINER: What makes KB Vision special and why is the company a good fit for you?
Pietro Fazio: KB Vision is a young and flexible company that
currently performs with rapid growth. We are operating in a
market that is in demand like no other at the moment. My chal-
lenge is to contribute to making KB Vision successful.
OBTAINER: What guidelines does the corporate man-agement set out for Italy in 2011? Which goals are sup-posed to be accomplished?
Pietro Fazio: We would like to establish ourselves as a success-
ful company in Italy and together with our staff – starting in It-
aly’s North – we would like to work our way down to the South-
ern regions by the end of the year and thus inform people and
organize events. Our goal is to organize informational events in
all of Italy by the end of this year.
OBTAINER: Are there any conventions or a city tour planned for Italy this year?
Pietro Fazio: Together with Mr. Seiz and our Italian executives,
we plan to conduct several meetings in Italy.
OBTAINER: What significance does gold have for Ital-ians? Is it also interesting as an investment opportu-nity besides being jewelry?
Pietro Fazio: Of course. Italians possess great savings and in
Italy, gold stands for a safe and stable investment that is now
finally also available to the “normal people”. Until the end of
the year 2000, investments in gold were hardly possible for the
Italian people and the purchase of gold was regulated by the
government.
OBTAINER: How do you explain the KB Vision busi-ness and the gold business to an amateur?
Pietro Fazio: It is the perfect symbiosis between a unique prod-
uct and a genius sales model.
OBTAINER: Please tell our readers why especially now is the ideal time to start with the KB Vision busi-ness. What can an Italian networker expect from KB Vision in Italy?
Pietro Fazio: Timing could not be better. He will be involved
from the start and possess some sort of a “unique selling propo-
sition“ in Italy. KB Vision is going to rise to one of the largest
online gold traders in Italy where both MA and customers are
going to feel equally well taken care of.
OBTAINER: Thank you very much for this interview.
64 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Pietro Fazio
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 65
CLOSE UP
Mar
git B
är
business with PM. In addition to product training sessions
this also, of course, includes target planning.
The PM President‘s Team member counts on the 6-Pillar
Success Concept, with which every new partner can imme-
diately begin business and adapt their method of work in ac-
cordance with their goals. The first pillar of business consists
of a business launch or an open day. Here they can present
the new products together with their sponsor in informal
surroundings and recruit their first customers. The famous
2-on-1 situation is here a decisive advantage and the first
successes will further motivate the partner. Pillars 2 and 3
are the customer roundtables and product talks. These ought
to take place at least once a month. This ties in the customers
and through the transmission of knowledge it makes them
into new recommenders. If a customer shows any interest
in the business at these activities, it makes sense to follow
up with a business presentation. Pillar 4 means regular at-
tendance at PM‘s Business and Anti-Aging Academies. These
events are ideal for keeping yourself up-to-date with the lat-
est knowledge and are also a good opportunity to exchange
information with other partners. Customers or other inter-
ested people who are brought along to a Business Academy
Margit Bär is an extraordinary networker. The mother of
two grown-up sons manages to do what only very few people
succeed in doing: She really infects other people with her
positive attitude to life and her inspiring manner. She has
absolutely no fear of making contact and can talk about her
business to anybody anywhere anytime. Her friends even
describe her as a person catcher – which, of course, is only
understood in the most positive sense of the word.
Margit comes from Neuendettelsau, one of the largest villag-
es in Bavaria. There‘s even a university there! As long ago as
the 1980s she had her first contact with network marketing
and began her work in direct distribution with a large cos-
metics company. At that time the flexible time management
possible in network marketing was the the decisive argument
for her to start in MLM. In this way the trained pharmacist‘s
assistant was able to look after her children and, neverthe-
less, earn a bit of extra money. So Margit Bär is – as far as
MLM is concerned – an old hand. The combination of almost
30 years of experience in networking and her ability to at-
tract other people, which was mentioned at the beginning, is
probably also the key to Margit‘s success. If she‘s recruited
a new partner, this person will be prepared intensively for
SUCCESSof a “person catcher”
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 67
68 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
often also become new business partners. The 5th pillar is
formed by the monthly meetings with her team partners and
leaders. Here she speaks with her partners about the gen-
eral development of the team, gives tips and advice and com-
pares target plans with the results. The 6th and final pillar
of success for Margit Bär are finally the regular telephone
conferences with leaders and partners who live further away.
So in her team work Margit Bär counts on tried and tested
means and here she also uses PM‘s events and work materi-
als. Margit also explains why: “For me it‘s important that we
work with the tools offered by the company and that every-
body doesn‘t just do their own thing. In this way you remain
easily duplicable. My main training tools are the team meet-
ings and constant contact in person or by phone.”
What is called “corporate identity,” i.e. identification with
the company, is of great significance for Margit and her
team. This is shown by the fact that the the premises of the
DSCs, which are available to all PM distribution partners on
request, are also used regularly for product presentations
and training sessions.
The tool Margit provides to her team partners is extremely
effective when used properly and practically guarantees in-
creasing personal success. Margit‘s partners learn in partic-
ular what distinguishes a good networker: switching off all
fear of making contact, addressing strangers directly about
the products and business with PM. Learning this skill, shed-
ding fear of other people, is something that Margit teaches
her partners in the first months. And that is an additional
reason why she lays great value on regular participation in
events and training sessions. In the final analysis these form
the basis for success because everybody who wants to start
in a job must first undergo training. Even if in professional
terms you don‘t have to learn very much in network mar-
keting, there are here important aspects of training such as
time management and self-discipline, directly approaching
potential customers, creation of promotional measures and
campaigns and much more. All of this is learned by the part-
ners at first hand from the experienced top-class networker
and everything can be implemented straightaway thanks to
the first-class materials.
And ultimately success is also fun. Their own enthusiasm for
PM International‘s products combined with the personal at-
titude that strangers are nothing but friends you don‘t know
yet smooth the way to financial freedom.
There are, said Margit Bär to OBTAINER, a few things that
everybody who‘d like to be successful in MLM has to remem-
ber: “It‘s actually quite simple. I can reveal the recipe for suc-
cess to the readers of OBTAINER in a couple of sentences.
First you have to be sure that you can achieve anything if you
want to. Secondly, it‘s the case that alone you can achieve
some things but in a team you become unbeatable. The fa-
mous saying ‚United we are strong‘ is nowhere as applicable
as in network marketing. However, disagreeable things are
also part of the business. Things you don‘t like doing. Here
the rule is: Swallow the bitter pill first, i.e. start with the dis-
agreeable things, whether this is the fist telephone contact
or the first business appointment. Putting this off will only
inhibit you and prevent you from succeeding.
Concentrate on the IPA, the income-producing activities,
and start doing this right after your registration. Replace
the word ‚problem‘ by the word ‚task‘ and think of solutions.
And finally: Do everything because you‘re convinced your-
self; you can only infect others if you yourself are burning
with enthusiasm! Have fun doing business and you‘ll suc-
ceed faster than you think. Whoever would like to take a
closer look at these mental techniques should read the book
‚Die Gesetze der Gewinner‘ (‚Laws of the Winners‘) by Bodo
Schäfer.”
Her own implementation of these points and the decades of
experience in MLM mentioned at the beginning are without
doubt responsible for the great success that the President‘s
Team member (a level meaning a monthly turnover of at
least €100,000 after all) can show with her team. Ultimately,
this success is also the best argument for the fact that Margit
is doing everything right. How you, dear readers, can also
achieve this is something that Margit will be pleased to show
you in a personal discussion.
Contact details:
“For me it‘s important that we work with the tools offered by the company and that everybody doesn‘t just do their own thing. In this way you remain easily duplicable.”
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 69
70 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Your success is what matters: We will find a product that really appeals to you, a compensation plan that truly is lucrative and a company that has long-term prospects.
Success is mostly a matter of strategy: Therefore work with the best the industry has to offer. Pick out your sponsor. You already know which company? We know where you can find the best support!
Let the future come: It’s time to start earning money again.
FREE! WITHOUT OBLIGATION! [email protected]
www.sanderconsulting.org
Looking for a fresh challenge in network marketing? Looking for a company that really suits you?
Sander Consulting will help you with this challenge.
Save yourself looking any further!
Success should not be left to chance: You will receive access to information others simply don’t have or withhold from you.
Use our knowledge for your success: You decide without any sales pressure.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 71
Your success is what matters: We will find a product that really appeals to you, a compensation plan that truly is lucrative and a company that has long-term prospects.
Success is mostly a matter of strategy: Therefore work with the best the industry has to offer. Pick out your sponsor. You already know which company? We know where you can find the best support!
Let the future come: It’s time to start earning money again.
FREE! WITHOUT OBLIGATION! [email protected]
www.sanderconsulting.org
Looking for a fresh challenge in network marketing? Looking for a company that really suits you?
Sander Consulting will help you with this challenge.
Save yourself looking any further!
Success should not be left to chance: You will receive access to information others simply don’t have or withhold from you.
Use our knowledge for your success: You decide without any sales pressure.
so varied and humane that they could fill a whole book. With
gleaming eyes the three networkers tell of the positive feed-
back they always get from their teams – whether they‘re about
good earnings or fantastic experiences with the products as
Doris reports: “My nicest experience is basically one that‘s
very often repeated. Namely that people express their thanks
to me on the telephone and say that they have absolutely no
idea how they can ever repay me for the fact that I brought
these extraordinary products to their attention.”
Doris, Andrea and Claudia exchange such success reports and
regularly consider together how they can continue to build up
business with Mannatech. The networkers work closely to-
gether in spite of the fact that they‘re crosslines. For this col-
laboration and their close friendship all three are grateful and
they make Marie-Luise Gruber‘s inspiring and humane man-
ner responsible for this. The chemistry in the Gruber Team
works and that‘s the most valuable thing that can happen to a
networker. The three friends can trust one another when they
work together and they complement one another perfectly. Of
course, each of them does their own downline work. But it‘s
the meetings together that again and again maintain the mo-
mentum in their own teams. Andrea describes the extraordi-
nary situation in the following words: “I‘d never have thought
that you could find your best friends among your competitors.
Marie-Luise was our mutual friend but before Mannatech we
didn‘t know one another. For network marketing and also for
our downlines, however, it‘s more of an advantage the way
things are. I believe that here in our whole group we are role
models, i.e. to show that as crosslines it‘s also possible to have
Andrea and Doris came to Mannatech in 2003 and Claudia
began building up her business in 2006. For all of them Man-
natech is their first network and the three of them are sure
that they‘ve found the right haven here. Their sponsor, the top
networker Marie-Luise Gruber, plays a prominent role here,
as the trained teacher Claudia Seubert emphasizes: “Network
marketing was recommended to me by Marie-Luise. She isn‘t
just one of the most serious and loving people in my life, she‘s
also always had a good nose for business opportunities. At
Mannatech she felt that in the best possible context. I didn‘t
need any more to get me to say ‚yes.‘ I‘ll always be grateful to
her for that. Here I‘ve realized everything my heart desired,
something that isn‘t inherent in conventional aid projects. I‘ve
also known the products themselves since 2003 and I also de-
cided for the business – a good decision as it turned out.”
Doris Kumpfmüller came to network marketing in the clas-
sic manner – through a newspaper advertisement. Until 2001
Doris was the proprietor of a respected import company,
which she‘d built up in 21 years of hard work. But, unfortu-
nately, for private reasons she had to give up the business and
she handed over her shares to her business partner. When she
wanted to offer her services on the labor market again, the
offers she received were almost exclusively for network mar-
keting. This prompted Doris to study the industry, she recog-
nized her chance and started in MLM.
Since they started with Mannatech, the three ladies have ex-
perienced a lot. But unanimously they report that to this day
they‘ve only been good experiences. The work at Mannatech is
Claudia Seubert, Doris Kumpfmüller and Andrea Winter are best friends. But that isn‘t simply a matter of course as the three networkers got to know each other at Mannatech. What links the three of them is merely that they all belong to the successful team of Marie-Luise Gruber; Claudia, Doris and Andrea are what are called crosslines. Admittedly, in other companies crosslines also work together now and then, but these three girls are as close as peas in a pod. Not a trace of competitiveness. Between the three of them there‘s a good relationship of mutual trust.
THE INSEPARABLE CROSSLINES AT MANNATECH
Claudia Seubert, Doris Kumpfmüller and Andrea Winter
72 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CLOSE UP
positions! At least not here in Germany! In Scandinavia and
Austria things look a bit different. With us we‘d actually need
a male quota to achieve gender balance.”
Mannatech‘s work is distinguished by a special corporate im-
age. The company dispenses with any hype and exaggerated
motivation events. Andrea, Claudia and Doris have already
appreciated this fact for many years and also see here the se-
cret of the company‘s success: “Mannatech has always been
one of the best kept secrets in Europe. Mannatech invests in
its people, which is also reflected in the unique remuneration
plan. This is also a reason why there is hardly any fluctuation
at Mannatech; once somebody‘s gotten to know the company,
they find it difficult to change to another network.”
Also the special social responsibility that the company fulfills
with its current aid project (as reported in OBTAINER) mo-
an excellent cooperative working relationship. We certainly
don‘t always agree – we‘re too different for that – but I believe
that we complement one another very well because each of
us has different strengths and weaknesses. That makes us, at
least in my opinion, successful again together. We can be just
as happy about the success of the others as about our own suc-
cess. And all of that can be felt throughout our whole group.”
The successful collaboration of the three women shows once
more that network marketing is a business that is now being
dominated more and more by women. Without doubt women
are probably better networkers and again and again they can
reconcile work in MLM in an ideal fashion with their own
family. At Mannatech the proportion of women is particularly
clear as Doris Kumpfmüller reports: “Mannatech is firmly
in female hands! For this reason I‘d like to call on all men to
study this company! We don‘t have any men in leadership
Claudia Seubert, Doris Kumpfmüller and Andrea Winter
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 73
Doris Kumpfmüller adds: “For me it‘s the people that count.
At Mannatech quite special people gather. People who have
an honest interest in others, people who ‚embody‘ particu-
lar ‚values,‘ people who fell it‘s important that others have
a real benefit through the products and though the oppor-
tunity to earn income. For me the company management is
also something quite special. For example, Sam Caster, the
company founder, is a person who is really in the service of
a great cause. On a scale that for me means real ‚service‘ to
others. And perhaps it‘s also here that the greatest difference
to the other networks lies.”
At Mannatech many things simply run differently than at
other companies. The company lives out the concept of so-
cial responsibility as not other does. Whether it‘s the remu-
neration plan, the social commitment through the child relief
organization or the highly effective products with first-class
quality – for the distribution partners and the customers it‘s
perceptible at all times that Mannatech also really stands for
the slogan “Welfare and Health.”
At Mannatech events informative talks and product training
sessions dominate the proceedings. Even if Mannatech‘s re-
WWW.MANNAPARTNERS.COM
tivates the distribution partners again and again to achieve
new record turnovers. For ever turnover of €100 a needy
child receives the high-quality products for a whole month
from Mannatech‘s child relief organization.
In this way people are doing something good in many different respects.
In Andrea, Claudia and Doris‘s opinion the whole way the
company presents itself – the whole company philosophy
that is oriented on people – also makes the company at-
tractive for all networks who are interested. Here Claudia
Seubert detects significant differences compared with oth-
er companies: “After speaking to many networkers during
my career, I see the differences quite clearly. Mannatech
isn‘t a company that is honest and socially committed just
on paper, you also feel it in your experience as a distribu-
tion partner. Naturally, as a mother children in general are
close to my heart and the ‚Give for Real‘ aid project links
your own success absolutely brilliantly with a social action
in the world. Mannatech can definitely be described as out-
standing. Becoming well-off and healthy by helping others
to be well-off and healthy – things couldn‘t be better.” And
“MANNATECH IS FIRMLY IN FEMALE HANDS! FOR THIS REASON I‘D LIKE TO CALL ON ALL MEN TO STUDY THIS COMPANY! WE DON‘T HAVE ANY MEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS! AT LEAST NOT HERE IN GERMANY! IN SCANDINAVIA AND AUSTRIA THINGS LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT. WITH US WE‘D ACTUALLY NEED A MALE QUOTA TO ACHIEVE GENDER BALANCE.”
74 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
But what is understood by the term “a product that works”?
The products are described by Mannatech using the term
“real food technology.” This means nothing other than
that with all Mannatech products it‘s a question of genuine
nutrients for the cells, not just “foodlike substances.” The
products are made from purely natural ingredients and are
free of artificial ingredients or toxins. The highest quality
and the bioavailability of the ingredients are the demands
that the company places on itself. In addition to the 42 reg-
istered patents, this ensures the unique selling point that
will also be so important for the networking company in
future.
This is also something that the three friends, Andrea, Clau-
dia and Doris, are aware of. Here at Mannatech everything
is just right: the people, the company and the products.
Together with their sponsor, Marie-Luise Gruber, the three
of them will continue to push Mannatech to the fore in
Germany and in the course – in addition to great success –
they‘ll also experience lots of fun and joy. That‘s something
that the three inseparable crosslines are in agreement about
– as in almost everything else, too.
WWW.MANNAPARTNERS.COM
search field – the development of high-quality glyconutri-
ents – appears at first to be really complicated, ultimately
every person knows what kind of negative effects industri-
ally refined sugar can have. For this reason Mannatech is
researching the healthy constituents of sugar. These can im-
prove the communication between the cells and thus ensure
better absorption and utilization of nutrients at cell level.
To successfully build up a business with Mannatech no
medical training is required and you don‘t have to be a nu-
trition expert either. Claudia Seubert and Andrea Winter
explain this as follows: “If you understand that every body
benefits from better cell communication and nutrition and
you like to and are able to explain explain this insight to oth-
ers, then you‘re suitable for doing business with Mannatech!
Ultimately, for me as a business partner it‘s only important
to know that the company is always trying to optimize the
products again and again in line with the latest scientific
knowledge so that the consumer can have the best possible
result. That‘s what‘s very important to me personally. I don‘t
really need to know how all the production processes work.
The product has to work so that our customers get the best
results and also want to buy the products again and again.”
“MANNATECH IS FIRMLY IN FEMALE HANDS! FOR THIS REASON I‘D LIKE TO CALL ON ALL MEN TO STUDY THIS COMPANY! WE DON‘T HAVE ANY MEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS! AT LEAST NOT HERE IN GERMANY! IN SCANDINAVIA AND AUSTRIA THINGS LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT. WITH US WE‘D ACTUALLY NEED A MALE QUOTA TO ACHIEVE GENDER BALANCE.”
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 75
SimplicityRuth Hoefer and her Team 77 at DubLi
Rules Business76 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CLOSE UP
Ruth Hoefer was introduced to MLM the very classic way
through personal product consumption; afterwards she dis-
covered the gigantic potential of this global industry and be-
gan to exploit it. Right from the start, Ruth was fascinated
by the people in the industry, the dynamics and the infinity.
Her positive attitude, thirst for knowledge and her passion
for people paved the way for a ground-breaking career. Of
course, she was not able to do everything herself, personal
dedication and hard work were also the basic foundation
of her success: ”Product and business presentations every
week, weekend seminars in all cities across Germany, daily
recruiting, personal talks, weekly team meetings, monthly
meetings, events, product introductions, leader trainings,
trade shows, country openings, entrepreneurial panels – I
took part in all of it”.
And she also counts the odd negative experience among pay-
ing her dues, even though Ruth considers her path to MLM
to be positive overall. The trick is to turn negative things into
positive experiences. ”Today I know for sure: Negative ex-
periences are a part of life and only make us stronger. A bad
year in the books with losses on one hand but personal gains
in my life on the other hand”.
Being successful does not have to be complicated - Ruth
Hoefer is the living proof of that. The Rhineland native is a
networker with heart and soul and has called the MLM in-
dustry her home for 27 years now. Today, she is working as a
sales director for DubLi and is on track to become Vice Presi-
dent. Everything began in 1984 with Amway and Avon. Since
then, much has happened in the life of Ruth Hoefer, and her
experiences in the industry are invaluable today.
After studying business administration, Ruth launched her
own corporate consulting company and soon realized the
meaning of being self-employed: ”In my company, I always
worked myself and without a break.
I exchanged money for time”. Ruth wanted to escape the
cycle and stumbled over a book that ignited an initial spark.
”The dreaming dolphin” opened her eyes, she recognized
herself within the book and knew where the journey was
supposed to go. ”Being willing to leave my comfort zone, the
many obstacles and encounters of the third kind, the dangers
lurking behind every corner in order to finally, after having
been through everything, ride a gigantic wave”. A dream?
Maybe in the beginning but by now a dream come true.
Simplicity05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 77
78 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Now, Ruth Hoefer has arrived at DubLi. What intrigued
her right away with DubLi: ”Competence coupled with an
online support system that is unparalleled to everything
else out there. As it turned out today, the system was going
to be even much better than ever before. The most spectac-
ular internet project of all times was waiting to be launched
by me. Online-Business par excellence. Working from any
place in the world – reach the entire world with one click“.
The reason why the company is such a great fit for her is
that it doesn’t make success complicated but simplifies it.
The key is the genius online business that works future ori-
ented, fast and on a global scale – ”simply not just another
classic network but more so a modern franchise. Simplicity
rules our business – since it is online, international, time
and cost saving compared to all common ways of founding
a business. We do not have any product purchases or sales
ourselves and thus, no storage risk with out-dated mer-
chandise. You see: advantages over advantages”.
With her Team 77, Ruth is going full speed to the top.
Thereby, future-oriented networks, which guarantee both
trust as well as having fun at work, are very important.
Most important is the collaboration through teleconfer-
encing, webinars and conferences over the internet, as well
as, the DubLi-Days which enable a first-hand experience
of the company. Of course, it is important to work goal-
oriented, to let oneself be guided by a personal common
thread in order to let success take place. Group goals are
being defined and consequently realized – a much more
efficient method than an untargeted approach. Weekly on-
line conferences make it possible to stay in touch with each
other, ask questions and receive direct support.
Success does not have to be complicated - Ruth Hoefer is
the living proof through her own career. But of course, suc-
cess does not just happen by itself. Therefore, Ruth rec-
ommends: “Begin today and never stop living your dream.
Don’t listen to those who just try to talk you out of it“. It
is also important to work goal-oriented and with a clear
plan in mind – especially to ensure that there is also fam-
ily time.
One day off per week is a must in order to reserve time for
your personal life, friends or other social activities, to re-
charge. For that, it is also important to work methodically
and to recap the day at the end, to plan the next day step by
step and to work with to-do lists – that way you don’t lose
perspective. ”Condition yourself and stay on track. Nobody
other than yourself is responsible for what you make out of
your valuable business launch“.
That this approach pays off is a given considering Ruth
Hoefer’s path. She was able to realize her dreams through
perseverance and a passion for what she does and yet has
not stopped dreaming and setting new personal goals. The
big objective to become Senior Vice President for DubLi in
2013 is tangible. “The future is a blank sheet of paper. It is
up to you what will be written on it” – the saying that has
always motivated Ruth Hoefer to keep the ball rolling and
to move forward with curiosity and fun.
Contact information:
Ruth Hoefer
eMail : [email protected]
Webseite www.next.millionaer.com
”Today I know for sure: Negative experiences are a part of life and only make us stronger. A bad year in the books with losses on one hand but personal gains in my life on the other hand”.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 79
80 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Business Meetings in surroundings
Offer your business partners that special setting. Dubai is THE metropolis of the Arabian Gulf and is perfectly suited for extravagant meets & greets.
Dine in the 7 star restaurant of the Burj Al Arab A VIP sightseeing tour in a Hummer limousine A visit to the Dubai shopping mall (the biggest shopping centre in the world) with a delicious meal afterwards in front of the Burj Khalifa Whisk your guests off on a trip to the desert including a desert style BBQ Enjoy a helicopter ride over Dubai’s skyscrapersParty in the 360 Degrees one of the hottest clubs in Dubai (centrally located in the Arabian Gulf, with a view over Dubai’s stunning skyline)Experience the Arabian sunset onboard a luxury yacht and admire Dubai’s breathtaking coastline
We will organize the perfect event for you and your guests. Discover the diverse opportunities that are on offer in the land of 1001 nights and get in touch:
E-Mail: [email protected]. UAE: +971.(4).801-9264
Tel. Germany: +49.(0)176.810.76883
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 81
Business Meetings in surroundings
Offer your business partners that special setting. Dubai is THE metropolis of the Arabian Gulf and is perfectly suited for extravagant meets & greets.
Dine in the 7 star restaurant of the Burj Al Arab A VIP sightseeing tour in a Hummer limousine A visit to the Dubai shopping mall (the biggest shopping centre in the world) with a delicious meal afterwards in front of the Burj Khalifa Whisk your guests off on a trip to the desert including a desert style BBQ Enjoy a helicopter ride over Dubai’s skyscrapersParty in the 360 Degrees one of the hottest clubs in Dubai (centrally located in the Arabian Gulf, with a view over Dubai’s stunning skyline)Experience the Arabian sunset onboard a luxury yacht and admire Dubai’s breathtaking coastline
We will organize the perfect event for you and your guests. Discover the diverse opportunities that are on offer in the land of 1001 nights and get in touch:
E-Mail: [email protected]. UAE: +971.(4).801-9264
Tel. Germany: +49.(0)176.810.76883
MASSRita Kloepper and Edmund Berr at BEMER
class, not
82 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CLOSE UP
MASScells and organs receive nutrients and oxygen, the toxic end products of metabolism are eliminated. Thanks to enhanced circulation, the effect of drugs can be improved as well and subsequently, the dose can be reduced, too.
The better the circulation, the better cells are sup-plied with nutrients and all the better substances have a positive effect physically due to the nourish-ment of substances digested. To this end, BEMER has crafted various programs, also including one for the treatment during the resting period. The BEMER devices moreover offer a sleep program that is one-of-a-kind worldwide which supports the body overnight for key regeneration and healing processes.
Have you heard about BEMER International AG? The firm from the little Principality of Liechten-stein has been active in the market since 1999 and it is considered to be the innovative technological leader in the physical treatment technology sector today. With its scientifically researched and high-ly developed technology to spur microcirculation which has been verified by medical studies, the firm has a product with a unique selling proposition. BEMER therapy devices offer a physical regulation therapy at the cutting edge of research. BEMER’s scientists have successfully managed to have a positive impact on the vital to life microcirculation (blood circulation of the smallest vessels). It is pre-cisely in this area, which comprises 74% of our cir-culation, where processes vital for life take place:
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 83
A one-man enterprise has transformed into a di-
rect specialized distribution firm over the past
ten years that can now bank on more than
4,500 distribution partners. BEMER’s suc-
cessful partners also include Rita Klöp-
per and her partner, Edmund Berr.
The two Regensburgers have dedi-
cated themselves to the 50 plus
generation for several years
now. Rita actually comes
from the hotel and gas-
tronomy industry. After
completing her train-
ing in hotel management, she
started a long-standing distribu-
tion activity for gastronomy suppliers.
In 2005, she fulfilled a dream and moved to
Southern France, where she lived until 2009, rent-
ing out vacation apartments. However, love led her back
to Germany.
Together with her life partner, Edmund Berr, she founded
BDS management consultancy in 2008. The firm’s core focus
is on marketing and distribution as well as on consulting for
start-ups and concepts for the target group of persons over
50. In this context, she came across the company BEMER
more by chance thanks to a customer’s order. Rita Klöpper
described the process like this: “Due to a contract in the fall
of 2010, we concentrated on the target group of ‘50 plus’ for
the first time. It mainly had to do with the issue of health
and to design concepts for start-up enterprises in this seg-
ment and all of this in collaboration with physicians, alter-
native practitioners and therapists. The prerequisite for the
products was scientifically tried and proven effectiveness.
For this purpose, we focused extensively on products from
the healthcare sector and we also considered the network
marketing issue for start-ups. Unfortunately, the products
we have marketed to date were not suitable for this concept
or MLM was not acceptable as a start-up. In early December
2010, we discovered the solution by chance: a good friend
sent us videos with information on the product that was just
right for our concepts. It referred to the physical regulation
system of BEMER International AG in Liechtenstein. The
products convinced me and the opportunity to earn sup-
plementary income here independently attracted me, too.
That’s how we came to BEMER.”
Initially, the two entrepreneurs naturally did not know very
much about the innovative, driving force technology behind
BEMER. However, the company, among others, is charac-
terized in that it also enables its distribution partners to re-
ceive well-founded training to become a “medical product
consultant.” The company’s trade margins are exceptionally
attractive as well so that a full-time entry is possible, too.
The partners’ specialized support due to collaboration with
physicians and professional speeches held Germany-wide
moreover facilitate the business. You retain the qualifica-
tions achieved even if you are sometimes not as active. That
is also not a matter of course.
Rita and Edmund are obviously happy at BEMER and they
can make use of and leverage their strengths and experi-
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 85
ences. For Rita, it has always been important to collaborate
personally with her business partners, which is also abso-
lutely essential at a firm like BEMER, particularly because the
products require explanations. Not everyone has an expert
background in the microcirculation and physical regulation
therapy sector. But no need to worry because – as already
mentioned – the business partners are exceptionally well
trained in distribution activities and they are supported by the
two management consultants.
BEMER also backs this concept of well-founded training itself
and explains this in a press release as follows: “The BEMER
therapy is a physical regulation therapy, i.e., a medical tech-
nology product which requires instructions. That’s why we
place tremendous importance on the training of our business
partners.
BEMER’s one-week academy trains all newcomers for their
future business in an ideal way. You can also complete a train-
ing program to become a medical product consultant with BE-
MER in order to work with medical experts. Expert speaker
training is offered, too. In addition, the business partners have
the opportunity to participate in regional team meetings each
week. BEMER International AG supports business partners
in building up their own team, also by holding monthly win-
ners days. You can send out invitations, attend and enthuse
your guests at this event. The business partners are therefore
not left alone to fend for themselves and they are continually
motivated and supported.”
Rita Klöpper and Edmund Berr also consider it to be impor-
tant that BEMER banks on quality for both products as well as
for the partners’ training. That’s because quality over quantity
is what counts for Rita. She was never a friend of continuously
sponsoring “musts” or of subscription sales. None of that ex-
ists at BEMER. In order to earn well at BEMER, just one sin-
gle customer or one business partner is often enough. For Rita
and Edmund, it has to do with serious and responsible work
as well as providing first-class consulting services to custom-
ers. They also pass this on to their team because Rita knows
that this work method is the only way to ensure sustainable
success. Together with their small yet dynamic team, Rita and
Edmund demonstrate every day that their decision for BE-
MER was the right one. Success supersedes all arguments.
Contact via:
BDS – Rita Kloepper & Edmund Berr GbR
93053 Regensburg
Phone: +49 (0)941 - 784 22 89
Mail: [email protected]
URL: www.bemer-partner.com/bds
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 87
88 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
We consult companies and marketing organizations in the field
of direct sales and network marketing across the entire glo-
be. No matter if you are a company who has just discovered
direct sales, would like to set up your own company or even
optimize your existing distribution system: We offer tailor-made
solutions for every situation.
The OBTAINER MEDIA GROUP is backed by a global network.
This gives our customers access to market and industry know-
ledge from around the world. Thus ensuring our global cus-
tomers are extremely well informed about the latest trends.
The OBTAINER WORLDWIDE is a global magazine that not only
reports about the trends of the industry, but sets these very
trends.
We look forward to hearing from you. Youre future begins here
and now!
Are you a Global Player in Network Marketing and looking for a fresh Challenge?
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 89
We consult companies and marketing organizations in the field
of direct sales and network marketing across the entire glo-
be. No matter if you are a company who has just discovered
direct sales, would like to set up your own company or even
optimize your existing distribution system: We offer tailor-made
solutions for every situation.
The OBTAINER MEDIA GROUP is backed by a global network.
This gives our customers access to market and industry know-
ledge from around the world. Thus ensuring our global cus-
tomers are extremely well informed about the latest trends.
The OBTAINER WORLDWIDE is a global magazine that not only
reports about the trends of the industry, but sets these very
trends.
We look forward to hearing from you. Youre future begins here
and now!
Are you a Global Player in Network Marketing and looking for a fresh Challenge?
al independence. He established himself as a management
and personnel consultant for chains such as bakeries and
medium-sized commercial enterprises. “Business went very
well, but in taking the step into self-employment I‘d over-
looked one essential point.” By this Christian Weiss means
the physical fact that, although he was his own boss, he could,
of course, only achieve a profit when he actually worked. So
illness or vacations simply weren‘t permitted or were at least
connected with loss of income. As a freelance Weiss regretted
the system‘s lack of leverage to also make it possible to gen-
erate income even if for various reasons you couldn‘t work
yourself.
At this point, in 2009, Weiss came into contact with network
marketing for the first time. Here his first impression was
anything but positive. “For me at first glance it was just a du-
bious snowball system and not a real business model.” But
The decision to leave beaten paths and to conquer new ho-
rizons always provides a good story but this risk isn‘t always
rewarded. The story of Christian Weiss is different.
A resident of Regensburg by choice, he started on his career
traditionally and on a rock solid basis. As a business admin-
istration graduate Weiss worked his way quickly to the top
and spent the greater part of his career so far as an executive
in the distribution department of a well-known grocery dis-
count chain. As the man in charge of more than 650 members
of staff who generated an annual turnover of more than €300
million you might be of the opinion that things couldn‘t be
better. But Christian Weiss quickly recognized the downside
of success: “At this time 80+ hours a week were absolutely
normal. Because of this my wife and I decided at some stage
or other that things couldn‘t go on like this.” So in August
2008 Weiss fulfilled his long-cherished dream of profession-
From skeptic to passionate networkerChristian Weiss and his career in network marketing
90 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CLOSE UP
are decisive for your own success. Today in the form of the
“d3business academy” Weiss offers this knowledge not only
to his team partners but to all networkers. Together with
them through personal coaching and with digital information
products he places their business in network marketing on a
solid footing and helps them to develop it more successfully.
Particularly important for Christian Weiss is personal con-
tact with his distribution partners so that the first contact can
develop into a fruitful and long-term business relationship, a
relationship that all participants can benefit from. The sup-
port tools concentrate primarily on the new media and range
from a training website via a support network to webinars
and individual coaching.
For Weiss the advantage here lies unequivocally in the low-
er costs with significantly higher effectiveness – class hotel
this impression was deceptive. The trigger was concepts such
as passive income and leverage, which awakened the inter-
est of the businessman. Weiss started to do research in order
to validate his prejudices and was persuaded otherwise. In
fact he very quickly recognized that with MLM “we‘re dealing
with what is probably the fairest business model altogether
because in no other sector is personal commitment better re-
warded than here.” Entry into network marketing demanded
an individual approach from him because the classic instru-
ments such as, for example, the name list didn‘t work for
Weiss and cold calling didn‘t offer the efficiency expected.
For him the key was combining classic MLM with online &
social media marketing. And it‘s precisely in this combina-
tion that Weiss sees the future of MLM. Of course, the com-
pany, the products the marketing plan and the support are
important, but in the final analysis the tools and systems
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 91
As a freelancer Weiss regretted the system‘s lack of leverage to also make it possible to generate income even if for various reasons you couldn‘t work yourself.
92 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
meetings alone can‘t offer this. However, it isn‘t just in the
virtual world, but also in reality that Weiss is available at all
times to deal with questions in a supportive manner. Since
2010 Weiss has also been working as a distribution partner
for a renowned direct distribution company.
What convinced him wasn‘t just personal acquaintance
with the company founder and proprietor but more the
authentic company philosophy and, of course, the prod-
ucts, which rise above the crowd and “lead to a direct ‚wow‘
experience and possess a ‚must-have‘ character. The out-
standing remuneration plan rounds out the package” and
completely convinced Weiss to launch his new career in
network marketing. And success has proved him right.
Within a few months his team has already grown into a
Europe-wide one.
The passionate networker and online & social media mar-
keter doesn‘t regret for one moment that he‘s left the beaten
track of conventional business models. With online network
marketing Christian Weiss has found his vocation and he‘s
certain “that MLM is the distribution form of the future and
will spread significantly more strongly in the coming years.”
The reason for this is the transformation of the economy
in recent years, which has prompted many people to go in
search of alternative sources of income. For Weiss network
marketing has proved to be the best opportunity to lead
a self-determined life in freedom and to realize his own
dreams. Today he helps everybody who would like to take
this road together with him to develop themselves further,
to learn and to grow. In addition he supports networkers “to
recognize their own potential and to develop it in order to
place their own dreams on a solid base.”
More information on why it‘s worthwhile to tread new paths
with network marketing and and how you can also combine
classic MLM with the most modern online & social media
marketing can be found on his blog.
At http://ChristianWeiss.es/obtainer Weiss is offering all
readers a free e-book. Download this today and learn how
you can also successfully use the most modern marketing
tools for your business!
Contact:Christian Weiss
+49 (0)176 – 10 71 00 70
E-Mail: [email protected]
Blog: http://ChristianWeiss.es
Website: www.d3-business-academy.com
http://facebook.ChristianWeiss.es
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 93
“MLM IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN EVER HAPPEN TO A WOMAN!”
work together to accomplish their goals – this is all fascinat-
ing and motivating to me“. For Anja, network marketing is
simply a win-win situation for all involved.
According to Anja, it is also crucial to operate the business
with heart and soul in order to infatuate others with personal
excitement. She built her team with lots of heart and person-
al dedication –her most important tool for success if noth-
ing else. For newcomers, she has handy advice available that
can make the start remarkably easier. She advises to start in
one’s personal environment and to stay close to the respec-
tive facilitator or the successful upline through sponsoring
evenings and meetings. Because it is important to listen to
the people who are successful and not to get influenced by
those who did not accomplish anything.
She has a suitable comparison. “If you want to become a
professional soccer player you would want to learn from a
successful coach and not from a bakery around the corner“.
On the way to the top the most important factor in MLM
was perseverance as well as excitement. On that note, Anja
says: “Those who do not burn cannot ignite a fire in others.
Perseverance is required, because in networking you always
realize what you are doing one to two months delayed; the
stability of the structures simply takes a certain amount of
time. As a leader, one first and foremost needs loyalty, di-
rectness and the ability to kindly demonstrate a firm will. My
people know they can always count on me, use me – but not
abuse me. All that can be learned in workshops and through
the connection to the successful Upline”.
Anja herself offers her team monthly meetings at hotels or
conference centres so that the direct exchange among each
These days, it is often a principle decision when considering
one of two paths: Family or career? Especially for women
it is difficult to reconcile the two and, not uncommonly, it
means sacrificing one for the other. Anja Zorn can do both
– be a mother and have a storybook career; made possible
through her distribution partnership with LR.
The mother of two began her career as a social insurance
clerk and soon realized her limits: “I had no opportunities
for advancement in my regular job“. Thus, Anja already
started in 1994 to look for part-time job alternatives, and in
this context also got a first taste of network marketing. She
attended training sessions of various companies; however,
her gut feeling never truly gave the green light for one of
these direct marketing companies. Soon after, a connection
with LR was established through a cold call. Anja Zorn was
immediately convinced by the product with which she could
identify herself with instantaneously, and in her opinion, the
marketing plan was simply gigantic because, in addition to
the exceptional income opportunities, it offered her the part-
time independence she was looking for.
Anja Zorn never doubted that LR was the best choice: “I have
never made a change and have never thought about it in the
past 15 years. I live LR 1,000 % - and that will never change
even if I was offered millions“. For her, the overall picture of
LR is completely coherent up to the executive management
who is always there for the partners and actively supports
them on their path. Thus, it is hardly a miracle that Anja can
look back on almost exclusively positive experiences in net-
work marketing: “Alone for the people I have met through
this business, the friendships I have made, the team that has
formed through the collaboration, to meet people who all
Family or Career? – Anja Zorn, Gold-Organizational Leader at LR Health and Beauty Systems GmbH, manages both.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 97
CLOSE UP
She herself would like to help other people to change their
lives for the better. Her big goal is to have helped 500 people
make at least 2,000 Euro per month with LR. Her wishes
however are not only limited to business but are significantly
bigger. “I’d wish everybody had this much sense of respon-
sibility so that we all could live together in harmony without
wars, nuclear weapons or other craziness“.
Above all though stands the well-being of her family – espe-
cially her children. Through her job as a distribution partner
for LR she would like to secure their future. For herself and
her husband she wishes that they will be able to enjoy life
not only when they are 70 years old but at least 25 years ear-
lier. Until then, Anja Zorn enjoys to merge both family and
career.
“MLM is the best thing that can happen to a woman! We can
make our own hours and organize ourselves and still have a
career. Here, nobody compares who you are, what you can
do – but plain and simple “what you want“. I myself lead a
family business; all my family members are partners, pro-
vide me with leads and support me”, Anja Zorn sums up. And
last but not least her success tip for all OBTAINER readers:
“Always hold your own opinion - and do not let anybody or
anything get in your way. The things you did wrong you do
not regret as much as the things you have not even tried!”
Contact:
Zorn & Partner
Anja Zorn
Neureuter Hauptstr. 142
76149 Karlsruhe
Phone: 0721-6276780
Email: [email protected]
other can take place and new partners or those interested
may have easier access. To establish personal contacts,
which, according to Anja, are most important for sustainable
success, she makes appointments with her first lines and also
those interested preferably in her own living room, because
there is a comfortable atmosphere that creates the necessary
trust. Of course, trainings and seminars are also important
in order to be successful in the long term. With her own edu-
cational centre directly next to her home, Anja Zorn was able
to make a little dream come true that additionally strength-
ens the connections within her team.
Besides seminars and meetings, Anja naturally also uses new
forms of media to connect to her partners and those interest-
ed. For that, LR provides a fantastic online presentation that
enables her to address those who live further away. “How-
ever, online is never sufficient“, Anja Zorn knows very well.
“You are only successful in network marketing if you have a
connection to the team”.
After all, network marketing feeds off of emotions and the
direct contact to each other. Many things can be easier ex-
plained this way than only with pictures and in writing -
even though MLM is very easy to understand: “Each person
already makes our business because everyday he or she rec-
ommends our products or services to others but does not get
anything in return. MLM works through word-of-mouth,
and respectively the recommendation of a business idea or
our products. However, we receive money for that on a regu-
lar basis“.
Anja Zorn has a positive outlook on the future. She is sure
MLM is going to tremendously develop within the next few
years and become an established part of the economy be-
cause nothing else provides such risk-free opportunities.
98 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 99
100 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
BACKGROUND
Which ones should I join and if so, where? True to the old say-
ing: be where the customer is, different channels at the same
time make indeed sense. My customers in the different target
groups and communities are present in different channels.
There are lots of people who tweet excessively but think Face-
book is evil and are “only” available on Twitter because they
spend time THERE on a daily basis. XING remains the plat-
form for business. Despite all rumours, XING still has a strong
presence in this segment and everyone who wants to do busi-
ness should be present with a premium account that is subject
to a charge. The investment pays off: presumed one takes care
of the contacts but that is true for all platforms.
The word ‘networking‘ contains the word ‘work‘. International
contacts in business I am achieving and maintaining pretty well
via LinkedIn. I am increasing my online reputation via Yasni
and there, I am meeting different contacts than through other
channels. It is the nature of things that a presence, no matter
where, takes time and several presences take more time! Ev-
eryone can decide for themselves what may seem productive
to them, where to find people, men and women, existing or
new contacts, to reach out to or maintain. It is great to chat
with someone in Hong Kong (once you spend time in different
time zones through your computer). There are people who say:
Before I would chat with XX (insert a platform of your choice)
or post something I’d rather meet this person for a coffee. Yes,
absolutely, that’s exactly where so many people fail: combining
the virtual world with reality! On the other hand, Vienna-Paris
is simply too far just for a quick coffee – although it is in the
same time zone which already makes things a lot easier. How-
ever, with social media I can share in someone’s life very easily
and whenever I want.
Many people have only been taking notice of social media since Mark Zuckerberg made it into their awareness as well. But social media already existed long before Facebook. In Europe, there are over 400 platforms, 40 of them should be taken seriously – depending on the industry and the target group to mention the “bad“ word right at the start. But more about that later. There is much more out there than XING, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tupalo, Quora, Foursquare, Gowalla, LinkedIn, Yasni, Google, Ya-hoo, Blogs etc.
Fed up with the channels?Why so many social media channels make sense!
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 101
A little bit on the subject of target groups: We live in a time
of upheaval and change in the way people communicate. That
Facebook is only a hype comes from the same people who said
that Google would be gone within two years. Today, the recipi-
ent decides if he is part of the target group – not the other way
around. The people who drive an Aston Martin and have a
penthouse in both Madrid and London still fly from A to B for
29 Euros; targeted marketing doesn’t help here either. Who
already had a cell phone in 1996? – A few people for sure. Who
thought in 1996 that, at one point, a 10-year-old would come
home crying because it doesn’t have a cell phone yet? – Not
me.
As always, the world is changing and the goal should be to be
a part of the solution not the cause of the problem. Once in a
while, one should think about the fact that people under 20 do
not know a life without internet, and that also answers ques-
tion what is hype and what will last, even if it goes through
changes and adjustments. Therefore: Choose your channels
carefully (we are all social and on a first-name basis with each
other anyway, except on XING: so please consider that each
individual platform has its own set of rules, learn about them
and follow them) and customize them in a way that makes
sense to you. Don’t be hesitant to change things. For example,
it may take a while to find a profile picture one can live with.
For the purpose of recognition, every platform should have an
identical picture, not a “similar one“. For example, there are
two brands that have a bat in their logo. One you can drink
(choose the attitude toward alcohol of your country) and the
other you can visit at the movie theatre. Similar logo – two dif-
ferent brands!
When Nick Carter needs 500 girls in front of his hotel in Co-
logne for a video shoot these days, then he’ll send ONE tweet
one day in advance. Cost-neutral, viral, prompt and custom-
ized to the audience. If only everything was that simple.
Autor: Richard Blöß, smimp.me
Kontakt: [email protected]
Web: www.smimpme.com
Nick Carter
102 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Nick Carter
General Manager for Germany and France, MonaVie
Claudia Harteneck-Kohl:
“With MonaVie it‘s possible to shift things”
104 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
On March 5th, 2011, MonaVie celebrated the Grand Opening Germany in the Frankfurt Congress Center with more than 2,200 distribution partners. What has happened in Europe since then? Has the expected development happened? Has it been possible to carry the “spirit” of this day to Europe?
The opening ceremony and the launch of EMV are events that
have moved Europe and continue to do so. After all the Grand
Opening was the first European event. Distribution partners from
all the European countries were able to make contact with one
another and these new friendships are still being fostered today.
And, of course, we‘re working flat out on opening up additional
European countries as was announced at the Grand Opening.
At the Grand Opening the new energy drink EMV was launched. In Europe the energy drink market is a huge growth market. How well has EMV positioned itself so far? It the energy drink being well received?
Our core business is and will remain the açai fruit juice. How-
ever, the sales o EMV are surpassing our expectations and it‘s
positioning itself as an ideal door-opener for our distribution
partners.
As MonaVie‘s General Manager for Germany and France you know both countries very well. What is the difference between Germany and France, on the one hand, with regard to network marketing and, on the other, specifically with regard to MonaVie?
I want to just answer that with the cliché about savoir-vivre.
The French lifestyle is generally more “easy-going.” That‘s also
reflected among our MonaVie distribution partners. Somehow
or other their nonchalance helps them to achieve success in
a natural manner. France is a country that is surpassing our
expectations.
What do you say to somebody who maintains that “MonaVie is only another ‚juice network‘ just like all
OBTAINER: Before you changed to MonaVie on Oc-tober 1st, 2010, you were working for Herbalife; most recently as Country Director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Now you have more than six months a MonaVie‘s General Manager for Ger-many and France behind you. Is it possible to com-pare the tasks in the two companies or where are the differences?
Claudia Harteneck-Kohl: The tasks are comparable only to a
certain extent. Of course, it‘s a matter of managing a compa-
ny and the operational tasks that involves. But in a start-up
company such as MonaVie the tasks are somewhat different.
Creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and extreme flexibility are
particularly called for in a start-up company.
So what does a working day for a “General Manager for Germany and France” actually look like? Do you travel much?
In these technological times traveling remains within rea-
sonable limits. Webcasts, Blackberry, iPad etc. make this
possible. And, nevertheless, the working day continues to
consist of one really important component: personal rela-
tionships with the distribution partners – the be-all and end-
all in direct distribution.
When you started with Monavie, you must have set yourself some goals and the company must have had certain expectations. Have you achieved the goals you wanted to achieve within six months?
Believe it or not, my personal goals aren‘t expressed in fig-
ures. For me it was and still remains important to have per-
sonal and direct contact with our leaders and with as many
distribution partners as possible. Only through this personal
component can I get to know the the needs of our distribu-
tion partners and thus the needs of the market. Here I‘ve al-
ready achieved quite a bit, but again and again you meet new
distribution partners, and so this is a continuing process.“With MonaVie it‘s possible to shift things”
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 105
INTERVIEW
the others”? What distinguishes MonaVie from its competitors?
A juice store with the ideal juice. As far as the product itself
is concerned, I can only say: a delicious mixture of valuable
fruits. The emphasis here lies on “delicious.” How many can
say that about their product? But it‘s not just through the
product itself that MonaVie distinguishes itself; it also does so
through its inner attitude. That‘s difficult to describe. Starting
with the Founder and Chairman of the Board, Dallin A. Larsen,
and reaching as far as every single colleague I‘ve met so far,
this company has something special.
What can Europe expect from MonaVie in the next few years?
Out goal is a wide presence in Europe in order to establish a
global brand and in this way to be able to offer our distribution
partners worldwide an international business.
Which headline would you like to see in all the daily newspapers about MonaVie?
If I opened the daily newspapers and read the news that in
Brazil with the MORE Project MonaVie had again helped
thousands of children and their families who are in need to
change their lives. To change them in such a way that they
no longer had to worry about food, accommodation, clothing
and a good education.
You can‘t have the slightest idea what an incredibly heart-
warming feeling this evokes in me and how proud it makes
me to work for this company. Because it‘s precisely this that
distinguishes MonaVie with its charitable initiative, the
MORE Project – all of us together would like to give back to
the world what we‘ve already received from the world and
as Dallin A. Larson puts it so nicely: “We don‘t want to be
the best company in the world, but the best company for the
world,” and I think that it‘s precisely from this that you can
recognize how, working together with this commitment and
support, all of us at MonaVie can achieve everything that at
first might appear impossible. With MonaVie it‘s possible to
shift things.
Thank you very much for the interview.
In March 2011, MonaVie celebrated the Grand Opening of the German market and offi cially opened the new Offi ce in Neu-Isenburg with a ceremony performed by Dallin A. Larsen, MonaVie Founder, Chairman and CEO.
Claudia Harteneck-Kohl serves as the General Manager for Germany & France and gives a positive summary about the fi rst, not quite 100 days.
MonaVie was founded in 2005 and is one of the fastest growing, international companies in the world, that offers premium quality nutri-tional products in the direct selling industry.
MONAVIE IN EUROPE – OUR VISIONS
The direct selling industry has great potential – and especially in eco-nomically diffi cult times there is a number of people who could benefi t from the chance to build up a successful business with MonaVie.
MonaVie is dedicated to offering this opportunity to everyone who wants to get involved. In Europe, MonaVie is just at the beginning. For the upcoming years, MonaVie plans continued growth and a higher level of awareness. Also, MonaVie strives to be widely known as a company with rewarding opportunities and to expand throughout Europe, currently focusing on Austria, Portugal and Hun-gary. MonaVie is constantly working on how to enhance the existing product portfolio. With the latest product launch from April 2011, the innovative Energy Drink EMV®, MonaVie has introduced a revital-izing blend of potent açai berry and other antioxidant fruits, 80% juice, B vitamins as well as Palatinose® (Isomaltulose) and is another exclusive addition to the existing premium quality product family of MonaVie™ and MonaVie Active™ in Europe.
MONAVIE AS A BUSINESS PARTNER
MonaVie offers independent distributors rewarding business oppor-tunities. The Compensation Plan is considered one of the best in the entire industry. „Our distributors do not have to invest hundreds of Euro in product purchases to get started. Just enroll and you are
good to go”, explains Claudia Harteneck-Kohl. MonaVie is a fi ve star opportunity, that is:
• THE RIGHT PRODUCT – easy, delicious and healthy.
• THE RIGHT TIMING – one of the largest companies in the direct selling industry, repeatedly recognized and registered in 19 coun-tries worldwide.
• THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP – an innovative and dynamic team with over 100 years of combined leadership experience.
• THE RIGHT COMPENSATION PLAN – an exceptionally reward-ing Compensation Plan with 10 different ways to earn income. Reliable, weekly compensation checks.
• THE RIGHT CAUSE – The MORE Project. Our way of giving back to a world that has given so much to all of us.
MONAVIE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION „IMAGINE 2011”
This year, the MonaVie International Convention will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 9th through 11th , 2011. The biggest MonaVie event of the year will once again bring together thousands of independent MonaVie distributors from all over the world.
MONAVIE ALMOST 100 DAYS AFTER THE GRAND OPENING
DRINK IT. FEEL IT. SHARE IT.www.monavie.com · www.facebook.com/monaviegermany
ABOUT CLAUDIA HARTENECK-KOHL
Claudia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After her education withSiemens, Argentina to become an Industrial Business Management Assistant, she completed studies at
Ecôle Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland and achieved her Bachelorof Science International Hospitality Management. Before Claudia cameto Herbalife in October 1998, she worked in different management positions for renowned Hotels and Hotel Chains.
Monavie_A4_0411_E.indd 1 13.04.11 10:25
106 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
In March 2011, MonaVie celebrated the Grand Opening of the German market and offi cially opened the new Offi ce in Neu-Isenburg with a ceremony performed by Dallin A. Larsen, MonaVie Founder, Chairman and CEO.
Claudia Harteneck-Kohl serves as the General Manager for Germany & France and gives a positive summary about the fi rst, not quite 100 days.
MonaVie was founded in 2005 and is one of the fastest growing, international companies in the world, that offers premium quality nutri-tional products in the direct selling industry.
MONAVIE IN EUROPE – OUR VISIONS
The direct selling industry has great potential – and especially in eco-nomically diffi cult times there is a number of people who could benefi t from the chance to build up a successful business with MonaVie.
MonaVie is dedicated to offering this opportunity to everyone who wants to get involved. In Europe, MonaVie is just at the beginning. For the upcoming years, MonaVie plans continued growth and a higher level of awareness. Also, MonaVie strives to be widely known as a company with rewarding opportunities and to expand throughout Europe, currently focusing on Austria, Portugal and Hun-gary. MonaVie is constantly working on how to enhance the existing product portfolio. With the latest product launch from April 2011, the innovative Energy Drink EMV®, MonaVie has introduced a revital-izing blend of potent açai berry and other antioxidant fruits, 80% juice, B vitamins as well as Palatinose® (Isomaltulose) and is another exclusive addition to the existing premium quality product family of MonaVie™ and MonaVie Active™ in Europe.
MONAVIE AS A BUSINESS PARTNER
MonaVie offers independent distributors rewarding business oppor-tunities. The Compensation Plan is considered one of the best in the entire industry. „Our distributors do not have to invest hundreds of Euro in product purchases to get started. Just enroll and you are
good to go”, explains Claudia Harteneck-Kohl. MonaVie is a fi ve star opportunity, that is:
• THE RIGHT PRODUCT – easy, delicious and healthy.
• THE RIGHT TIMING – one of the largest companies in the direct selling industry, repeatedly recognized and registered in 19 coun-tries worldwide.
• THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP – an innovative and dynamic team with over 100 years of combined leadership experience.
• THE RIGHT COMPENSATION PLAN – an exceptionally reward-ing Compensation Plan with 10 different ways to earn income. Reliable, weekly compensation checks.
• THE RIGHT CAUSE – The MORE Project. Our way of giving back to a world that has given so much to all of us.
MONAVIE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION „IMAGINE 2011”
This year, the MonaVie International Convention will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 9th through 11th , 2011. The biggest MonaVie event of the year will once again bring together thousands of independent MonaVie distributors from all over the world.
MONAVIE ALMOST 100 DAYS AFTER THE GRAND OPENING
DRINK IT. FEEL IT. SHARE IT.www.monavie.com · www.facebook.com/monaviegermany
ABOUT CLAUDIA HARTENECK-KOHL
Claudia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After her education withSiemens, Argentina to become an Industrial Business Management Assistant, she completed studies at
Ecôle Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland and achieved her Bachelorof Science International Hospitality Management. Before Claudia cameto Herbalife in October 1998, she worked in different management positions for renowned Hotels and Hotel Chains.
Monavie_A4_0411_E.indd 1 13.04.11 10:25
INTERVIEW WITH CARSTEN LEDULÉ PM-INTERNATIONAL
108 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
HAPPINESSIS VERY
MULTI-FACETED
Like you, PM-International has also grown steadily. The company is stable, growing steadily, is innova-tive, globally focused and expanding. Why is PM-International as successful as it is today? Could this have been foreseen earlier? Have you noticed that it is becoming a successful global player?
PM-International has a driving force which is called Rolf
Sorg. Rolf understands how to direct and motivate people.
Despite the great success he does not relax and sit back but
continues moving forward. He has managed to gather a team
around him including Dr. Schmitt the father of all FitLine
products. He always managed to attract motivated and com-
petent people and be a winner for himself, his company and
his ideas. I always see PM as a puzzle: All parts together
form the image and then form a solid foundation for success.
PM-International is not known for spectacular growth, even
people who know MLM from experiences with various dif-
ferent American companies, say that PM maybe even boring
and un-sexy.
But this is exactly what insures long-term success and the
typical German growth, which PM has shown. Unspectacu-
lar, but sustainable. The philosophy is not to build a com-
pany in three or four years and then take on the next project,
but it‘s more that one should consider the company as his
own son that one rears until he grows into an independent,
successful, and value-oriented person.
This attitude, which was there from the beginning, is respon-
sible for our development. Our team and Rolf always hold the
reins and provide leadership. This is the secret of long-term
success - the continuous development of the entire company
and its partners. And ultimately, I am convinced that PM is
OBTAINER: Let‘s look first of all into the past. They simply wanted, in 1993, to earn some D-Marks but instead got their start at PM-International. Was this your first contact with network marketing and how did you get your start in the industry?
Carsten Ledulé: Rolf Sorg was already, even before joining
PM-International, a good old time friend of mine. I got to
know him at Liguma at which Rolf worked. I was, as you
know, looking for an additional income, since I was already
18 years old, had left home, and my training pay at BASF
was only 650 DM monthly which was not sufficient to live
on since my rent, alone, already cost DM 480.00 Thus, I
had no money and did not even want to start, but Rolf of-
fered me, in advance, the cost of joining. In the first month
at Liguma I already earned DM 650, additionally, which
was as much as my training pay. Rolf told me then that he
wanted, at PM-International, to create a new product leader
and shortly thereafter Dr. Schmitt joined the company and
developed the FitLine products group about which I was very
impressed. I decided, in 1994, to fully join,- and if I decide to
do something then I give it all. The word profession comes
from being professional, and with that I saw a personal op-
portunity. The products helped me so much that I could rec-
ommend them and the business with a clear conscience.
I had, since I was eight years old, big problems with allergies,
had to take cortisone which unfortunately put an end to my
sports career. But thanks to the FitLine products I could get
the allergies under control so that after three years of use I
no longer needed allergy medication. And, therefore, I par-
ticipated since 1994 with complete enthusiasm, and if work
is fun then one is committed every day with the same inten-
sity, and this is the way it also happened.
INTERVIEW WITH CARSTEN LEDULÉ PM-INTERNATIONAL
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 109
INTERVIEW
HAPPINESSIS VERY
MULTI-FACETED
In addition, the purchasing power in Germany is very good
- our fellow citizens can usually afford our products if they
wish. That means for every new partner: build your business
in Germany first to the point that you and your family can
live from it. Then you can think about further European and
global expansion.
I see PM as a global player, with the Asian market at the
moment producing the greatest growth potential, taking
advantage of the fact that the Asians are thrilled by „Made
in Germany“ products and are very quick in team building.
More difficult is the market in the U.S., there the mentality
of Network Marketing has changed significantly; emphasis
is more on binary plans and rapid growth. Personal meet-
ings are being replaced by webinars, which makes everything
more difficult. „But in the intermediate term PM is will also
be successful in the U.S. „
In which countries do you operate yourself? Do you continue to build your own business while opening new foreign country affiliates?
I work mainly in German speaking countries, i.e. Germany,
Austria and Switzerland. I‘m growing a strong line in Lux-
embourg and more and more in Italy thanks to a German ex-
ecutive who works there. Of course, as mentioned, the East
Asian market is growing very strongly. I am concentrating
on Western Europe, especially in France and Spain. I don‘t
work in the market until the logistics of the company are in
place, until the first consultants are active or events are un-
derway.
a reliable business partner and that we can pass the business
on to our children so that they can, in the future, continue
to build an even more successful business. The potential is
still so huge. PM has what it takes to be a true global player,
a reputation which it truly deserves.
But now, let’s get to the present. How do you assess the current market situation specific to our indus-try? First, for Germany, then for Europe and also globally, and additionally, the situation specific to PM-?
I represent the attitude „Work locally think globally“. That
is, one should build his business so that we can act quickly.
I have, of course, also partners in Asia, of which I am very
proud, but my capabilities due to distance and flight times
are very limited and so I often rely on the Internet. This, of
course, does not replace important personal contacts with
partners.
I have started my business in German speaking countries
(Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) because I have, of
course, mastered the language and can by car be relatively
quickly at the required location. One should always know the
mentality of the people which is, of course, (for me) true for
Europe. In addition, please note that PM-International - al-
though it is a German company - has obtained only about 5%
of total market potential. Also with us so much more is pos-
sible which our distributors prove every day anew. There are,
for PM-International, still white spots on the map for Ger-
many that indicate which areas have never heard of FitLine.
110 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
That just belongs to the occupational decision making pro-
cess. But, unfortunately, many people in this country are in-
spired by „pie in the sky“ actions and events. It may well be
that the money can be found on the street, but you do have
to bend down to pick it up. That means: I certainly will not
get rich by doing nothing! Anyone who says this is a liar; I
say this right out and with a great deal of confidence. Sadly,
one recognizes dubious company easily by the fact that they
promise fast money. This applies to all interested net-work-
ers. You need to look carefully at the partner company and
compare it to similar possibilities that are available to you.
Financial issues, marketing plan problems or pricing error
problems of short-lived companies can often have a negative
impact; for example, if a US Company turns out to be practi-
cally bankrupt delays of up to one year can occur before reso-
lutions can be obtained in Germany. Unfortunately, I had to
watch this over and over again.
Tell our readers why now an optimal time to start a PM-business is. What can a Net-worker expect from you and PM-International?
The optimal time to start is now because PM has grown into
an established company that is about to become a global
player. All initial difficulties have been taken care of and our
producers now have the capabilities to function in a global
setting. I have looked at other global players and also once
remarked that they all achieved the leap into the interna-
tional market after they were in the market for 12 to 16 years.
From there it went up rapidly, and companies have reached
the one billion plus mark. We Germans are sometimes a bit
So I am not an advocate of the principle of the importance
of the first hour and, therefore, do not need to be there first.
Many executives I know were just not first to participate.
This point is so overrated. So I am building the business ever
Step-by-step as not make haste because a successful busi-
ness has to give new partners also a good base and the prod-
ucts have to be available, the logistics in place, brochures
have to be there and everything has to be functioning in uni-
son.
Only then can one establish a solid business. Stability is im-
portant and, therefore, the Western European market is, ini-
tially, sufficient. I‘m not a globetrotter, and have decided to
stay in Germany; to pay my taxes here and to stay deeply
rooted here together with my family.
For the network marketing industry company vola-tility is not beneficial. Barely on the market and gone after a short time. How would you rate the „short life“ of many network marketing companies?
It is indeed not a positive when companies continually dis-
appear and leave their partner high and dry. I wish that when
people decide to work for a business that they do so with all
their heart and also consider the background of the business.
When I was training at BASF and I had the opportunity to
get a stable income of DM 2,000.00 after completion, - I first
looked to see if the company is a stable employer, what I can
earn in the future, what I can contribute, is my job secure,
and what about social security benefits, etc.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 111
112 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
slower: PM is now for 17 years old, but the time for global
expansion is definitely here. We are still in an upward trend;
our revenues are currently at 160 to 170 million, and the
stated goal of Rolf Sorg and PM are to surpass the one billion
mark. If we look at the other global players such as Herbalife,
Amway or FLP, we find that these, as they have crossed the
billion mark, had the necessary capacity for the appropriate
growth and corresponding stability. These things are also in
place at PM, but we still have a long way to go if we want to
cross the 1 billion mark. From me, you can expect one thing:
I have been living the business for 17 years and enjoying it.
I‘m still working „hands on“ in the business and work daily
with my partners. I strongly believe that my team will be able
to achieve the billion level. Everyone in my team is now in
the second growth phase and can participate actively at PM.
Please allow us to take a look into the future. Where will PM-International be in five years?
Desirable it is, of course, to crack the billion mark. It is, how-
ever, important if the limit is reached in five or in ten years.
The fact is, I firmly believe it will be reached.
A marathon is won only at the end and not in the first 400
meters. However, when I look at the rate of development of
my team, I can say that if it continues to develop along simi-
lar lines, then PM will be one of the largest businesses, if not
even the largest in all of Europe.
Your career with PM-International is unstoppa-ble. In September 2002, you reached the highest level of the marketing plan and reached as the first PM-International distribution partner the Cham-pions‘ League. As if that were not enough, since March 2010, you are the leading distributor in the Silver Level Champions League. Is the end in sight or where would you still like to go? Have you ever thought of stopping to enjoy the sweet life?
I did, when I reached the Champions League, I promised
my five „President“ team partners that when they reach
this same position I would stop and I would like to keep
that promise. Of course, in the meantime new people have
climbed the ladder, who also have earned the right to be in
the Champions-League at PM one day. As I said, as long as
it continues to be fun it is the business for me. I also know
that Rolf Sorg continues to need us to reach the end goal,
that of global player, and I still want to achieve that goal with
him and give many people the opportunity which Rolf has
given me in 1994. It‘s not over by a long shot, and while it‘s
not primarily about money, it is about achieving the visions
and goals that we all have. Of course we also enjoy the sunny
side of life, but being permanently idle would be boring. The
sweet life will have to wait a bit.
How, in your opinion, will the network marketing business look in the future?
A difficult question! Of course, the Internet is becoming
increasingly important, and, of course, we also work with
the new technology. The problem is that personal contact
becomes less and less important. A product line within my
team had at the beginning worked strongly with the new
media, but in the meantime they are also using „Dinosaur“
methods such as meeting or visits. I think a sound mix is the
best method and one should not focus only on one way.
You can even bowl on-line, but people meet to bowl and have
fun together. In other words, the focus is on people, as it is a
person to person business. Friendships and values are more
important than simply making money or focusing on the
bottom line. I would hope that in future that one thinks less
about quotes and more about individuals.
At end I would like say something basic. What is suc-cess for you and what is happiness?
Success for me does not mean owning a lot of material things.
Of course, it can also mean the opposite, that the person has
to have achieved something, but you always have to see how
the person has achieved whatever the achievement was. Has
he or she an inheritance, or perhaps, takes over a success-
ful business from his father? Or has he or she done it alone
and enjoys the recognition? Success is equated in my mind
with appreciation or social prestige, but success can also be
defined by the confidence of the people that surround you.
Success is also that I can do things on my own without hav-
ing other people telling me what to do. And success is being
able to throw themselves into every day life, to get up every
morning and to start the day by being fit.
Happiness for me is to be healthy, to be with family and
friends, to have common experiences as well as enjoying
trust in one another. The inner satisfaction that one feels
at night when you know that you have done your best pos-
sible, and you know that you‘ve done something good and
meaningful - that is happiness. In short, „happiness is very
multi-faceted“
Thank you for the interview.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 113
“QUALITY PERFUME IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US!”
“EVORA IS ABOUT QUALITY, AND SO WE OFFER ONLY EAU DE PARFUMS, ALL OF WHICH ARE MADE UP OF 15% PERFUME OIL.”
ACHIM HICKMANN
116 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
tion carries weight, and we offer our clients a consultation
to determine what scent is right for them. Quality perfume
is what is most important to us. We save on everything else;
apart from the commission, that is :- ). We use standardized
bottles, individually printed with the name of the scent.
Perfumes are purely a matter of taste, and have to suit the particular person wearing them. What does EVORA‘s product portfolio of scents and perfumes look like? Can everyone find „their own scent“? Are there trends, as in fashion?
Perfumes are divided into families of scent, such as fresh, flow-
ery, fruity, or oriental notes, for example. Naturally, we offer
scents from all of these families, and also their sub-groupings.
With over 20 different scents for women, and 15 for men, ev-
eryone can find their favorite. Real trends are seldom, and
when they appear, we incorporate them immediately.
Who is responsible for the development of new per-fumes and scents at EVORA? How should we imag-ine the process, from conception to the finished bot-tled product? How do you know that a new scent is good, and that it will please the customer?
In the house of EVORA, Ms. Matousek is responsible for all
product development. When we recognize specific trends in
our market research, we contract the perfumers we work with
to develop a flowery scent, for example, which should either
smell sporty, seductive, or eccentric. Then, suggestions are de-
veloped until we are happy with the results. The variation of
the scent we decide upon is ultimately then produced in large
quantities and filled into bottles. Simultaneous to production, a
fitting name for the perfume is generated. In doing so, we have
been using the names of islands for women‘s scents, and city
names for men‘s. How well the perfume is received among cli-
ents becomes clear in the following months.
What portion of the total product portfolio does the perfume line make up?
Our perfumes are of sig-
nificant value to us, be-
cause of the ease with
which they can be sold,
particularly in compari-
son to products that need
explaining.
OBTAINER: Mr. Hickmann, EVORA has premium quality cosmetics, such as those from Dr. Nabet, and in addition, high quality perfumes. EVORA sells only „Eau de Parfums.“ What does that mean?
Achim Hickmann: There are various levels of quality among
perfumes, which are made of alcohol, perfume oil, and wa-
ter. The most expensive ingredient is perfume oil: the more
oil used in production, the better and more expensive the
scent.
Mostly Eau de Toilettes are marketed, because they are
cheaper to produce. An Eau de Toilette is generally made up
of between 4 and 8 percent perfume oil. Eau de Parfum is
more valuable, and generally consists of 8 to 15 percent per-
fume oil. Given that most consumers are not aware of these
differences, they often buy what is supposedly the more
cost-effective variety. EVORA is about quality, and so we of-
fer only Eau de Parfums, all of which are made up of 15%
perfume oil.
You yourself have a lot of experience with perfume, thanks to your past with LR. What makes a good per-fume and how can a person recognize quality? How can someone find the perfect perfume for them?
Perfumers judge a perfume according to different criteria
as a consumer. For them, the development and harmony of
scents is very important. Consumers on the other hand want
a perfume that pleases them. It should last long on the skin,
and should not by any means have an obtrusive smell. The
„perfect“ perfume first pleases the person wearing it, and
then many, many others.
Perfumes from renowned designers or stars can easily cost 50 EUR, and prices above 100 EUR are not out of the ordinary. EVORA on the other hand, is offering women 50 ml bottles of Eau de Parfums for 19.50 EUR, and men 100ml for 25 EUR. How can EVORA afford to offer such a quality product to its clients for so little?
Many clients buy a perfume because they like the advertis-
ing. So a lot of money is paid out for ads. That can quickly
add up to campaigns costing 20 to 50 million, if not more.
Without this advertising, perfumes just cannot be sold in
traditional stores. Designs and licensing, for celebrities for
example, push prices even higher. Over 80% of the sales
price is not invested in the actual product, the scent, but in
its marketing. In direct marketing, a personal recommenda-
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 117
INTERVIEW
A host of products can be sold over the telephone or Internet. As a consumer, you even take the risk of ordering fashion without trying it on first, just by looking at pictures of the product. That is not the case for scents, because a consumer of perfume gen-erally wants to know how the product smells.
The marketing possibilities for business partners over the Internet are equally limited in that respect. Offering an English consumer a perfume while in Germany is surely complicated. Is the fact that it really is a personal „face-to-face“ business an ad-vantage or disadvantage for business partners mar-keting EVORA perfumes? How can the Internet nonetheless be helpful in selling perfume?
You can of course describe a perfume with pretty words on
the internet, and clients would respond by ordering, but you
would also have to count on a lot of returns in the process,
because the scent does not meet a client‘s expectations. That
is why our consultants sell perfumes only in the course of
personal meetings, during which clients can smell and try
out the perfumes.
How should we imagine a sales presentation? Would the business partner have all of the EVORA scents with as samples, and the client can try all of the per-fumes out, just like in a shop?
That is exactly how it happens, and it works great.
Recently, EVORA Perfumes has released a „Star Edi-tion“. The Turkish singer CanKan has his own perfume with EVORA. Is CanKan only a marketing instrument, as among other perfume vendors that hire stars for marketing, or is there a larger story behind this deci-sion? How did the agreement between EVORA and CanKan develop and what is the nature of your coop-eration?
CanKan learned about our business through an EVORA con-
sultant, and he then also started up as a consultant, because he
immediately recognized the business‘ possibilities. His favorite
products were the Power Pearls and the EvoCell Series. In a short
time, he built up an organization made up of hundreds of part-
ners. We chose to recognize his commitment by producing a scent
for women and one for men, which he was able to help develop.
CanKan was the first member of EVORA perfumes‘ new „Star Concept.“ The singer Aylince also now has her own perfume, and in July a scent by the Turkish musi-cian and star Dogus will begin being marketed. What is the philosophy behind the new marketing concept? Are stars‘ scents helpful to all of EVORA‘s business part-ners?
What makes our star concept special is that we do not hire celeb-
rities in and sell perfumes in their name. Our stars identify with
EVORA and actively sell the perfumes themselves, along with
other EVORA products, and as consultants they are also building
up their own organizations.
What do the new scents mean for the Turkish market – or for the German market, given that many of CanKan, Dogus, and Aylince‘s countrymen live in Germa-ny?
As of yet, we are not active in Turkey, but in the long term that
will unavoidably change. At the moment, our Turkish clients
in Germany, Austria, and BeNeLux are very happy with the
perfumes.
Will EVORA at some point offer scents from German stars, or other international stars? What criteria have to be met, or, how are stars chosen?
We are open to cooperation with German stars. For us, iden-
tifying with EVORA and its products is the prerequisite to any
cooperation.
Which perfume is your personal favorite? Which one do you wear?
Because I find myself at the source, I of course use a number
of different perfumes, chosen according to my mood. Riva,
Oman and the CanKan perfume Marivkan are my favorites.
In the women‘s line of perfumes, I especially like Masira, and
then Madeira and the Aylince perfume.
Thank you very much for talking with us.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 119
During an interview with OBTAINER, Fatih Altintas alias CanKan, Orhan Baltaci alias Dogus, Aylin Balci alias Aylince tell how they were involved in creating the EVORA fragrances.
OBTAINER: As musicians you are stars in Turkey, Ger-many and many other countries. People think one hit is enough for retirement and still you are distribution partners at Evora with your own fragrances. Do stars these days have to be also business men and women in addition to being artists? Is a pure career in music with concerts and CD sales not sufficient anymore?
CanKan: One never knows how long the success lasts in the mu-
sic business. A second leg to stand on provides lots of security.
Dogus: There are lots of artists in Turkey who were only suc-
cessful with one or two hits and then found themselves left
empty-handed.
OBTAINER: How did you actually get involved in the network marketing industry? Were you already famil-iar with the business model?
CanKan: Someone I knew told me about it. After the EVORA
business had been explained to me in detail I was fascinated
with the opportunities.
Dogus: Fatih (Cankan) explained network marketing to me
with so much enthusiasm.
OBTAINER: How did you learn about Evora and where did the idea come from to launch a personal fragrance to the market?
CanKan: At first, I wanted to build a consultant organization
and I did that. We only had the idea for a personal fragrance
later.
Dogus: It was the same for me. The focus is on building the
EVORA business. I consider the personal fragrance a Thank
You from EVORA for my dedication.
Aylince: It is quite crazy to have a personal perfume. It is lots
of fun to sell EVORA products and to create excitement for
this business in other people.
OBTAINER: How much were you involved in the de-velopment of the fragrances, the perfume bottles and the packaging? How did the collaboration with Evora work?
CanKan: I was involved in all processes starting from the fra-
grance to the flacon to the packaging design. I was even al-
lowed to choose the name “Marivkan“.
Dogus: It was very easy. I described what I had in mind and
EVORA realized my wishes.
Aylince: I liked the way we developed the fragrance, too. EVO-
RA had already done good work ahead of time and getting the
details down worked really well. Now I have my favourite per-
fume in my favourite bottle with my favourite name.
OBTAINER: Now you have your own fragrance. Do the perfumes correspond with your character, your essence? Are you satisfied with the final products and can you identify with them 100%? Please describe the character and specifics of your fragrance!
FRAGRANCE OF THE STARS: CANKAN, DOGUS & AYLINCE SMELLING LIKE THE GREAT STARS FROM THE WORLD’S STAGES WITH THE CELEBRITY FRAGRANCES BY EVORA FOR MEN AND WOMEN
120 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
CanKan: I am 1,000 % satified if that was possible. How do
you describe a fragrance - it simply smells good.
Dogus: Yes, same here. Of course, my perfume smells better
than Cankan‘s.
Aylince: Mornings, mid-days and evenings. I’d love to bathe
in this perfume. It is fantastic.
OBTAINER: The network marketing industry pro-vides the opportunity to pursue this career based on flexible time management. There are part-time net-workers who work three to five hours per week up to full-time networkers who don’t do anything else but networking. How much time are you putting into operating your Evora business and how well does it cut across with your music career or can it even be integrated?
CanKan: I am focusing on my music career but when I see
how much time I spend with EVORA I am asking myself what
is really my main business. Due to our celebrity status, the
music career and the EVORA business can be joined together
well.
Dogus: Although, Fatih is the crazier networker I also use ev-
ery opportunity to talk about the EVORA business.
Aylince: During my concerts, I always get talking with my
fans. And that can quickly go into the direction of additional
income and fragrance.
OBTAINER: In addition to perfume, Evora also offers cosmetics and skin care products. Did you already try
these products? How do you like them? Are you sell-ing these products as well or just your own perfume?
CanKan: We started with the EVORA business before we had
our own perfumes. My favorites, besides the perfume, are the
Power Pearls and die EvoCell skin care line.
Dogus: I got to know the EVORA buiness through the Power
Pearls and the EvoCell products. These are really good cos-
metic products.
Aylince: It was the same for me, and in the meantime I became
acquainted with the products by Dr. Nabet. I didn’t think that
there are such great cosmetic products out there. With the Re-
vitaxin mask I looked five years younger right away, and I like
to spray on the Zen Lotion before and during my concerts.
OBTAINER: What are your plans and goals for 2011, of course as musicians on one hand but on the other hand also as Evora distribution partners? What can we expect?
CanKan: I am working on a new album right now, and after-
wards I plan to fully focus on building my organization. The
goal is the highest career level.
Dogus: I am focusing on the music right now. The goal has
also to be able to live off of the EVORA income alone.
Aylince: For me, fun is most important. I want to create ex-
citement in people with my music and with the EVORA busi-
ness.
OBTAINER: Thank you very much for this interview.
FRAGRANCE OF THE STARS: CANKAN, DOGUS & AYLINCE SMELLING LIKE THE GREAT STARS FROM THE WORLD’S STAGES WITH THE CELEBRITY FRAGRANCES BY EVORA FOR MEN AND WOMEN
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 121
122 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Then I’m exactly the person you need. I will help you become successful or even a mil-
lionaire, just like I have done with others before you. If you are ready to put in the hard
work and give above average commitment, then you have the unique opportunity here
and now to break new ground. Follow me on the path to making your dreams and as-
pirations a reality. I am putting together a new success team that is limited to 24 people.
Are you one of these 24? Do you accept the challenge? If you are interested in a co-
operation, please send me detailed information on you to: [email protected].
Achim Hickmann
Do you have... dreams, wishes, goals?Are you... hungry for success,
passionate and a little bit crazy?
This is your chance.
Contact: +49(0)170.4006315+971(0)50.1597223
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 123
Then I’m exactly the person you need. I will help you become successful or even a mil-
lionaire, just like I have done with others before you. If you are ready to put in the hard
work and give above average commitment, then you have the unique opportunity here
and now to break new ground. Follow me on the path to making your dreams and as-
pirations a reality. I am putting together a new success team that is limited to 24 people.
Are you one of these 24? Do you accept the challenge? If you are interested in a co-
operation, please send me detailed information on you to: [email protected].
Achim Hickmann
Do you have... dreams, wishes, goals?Are you... hungry for success,
passionate and a little bit crazy?
This is your chance.
Contact: +49(0)170.4006315+971(0)50.1597223
WITHOUT HYPE, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP
Beate Schwandt
A network marketing organization is often like an orchestra. The work between team members always has to function, and the tone has to be just right, and when harmonies are then developed, it is like a beautiful concert.
124 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
direct marketing - and I needed them. In 2001, I suffered a to-
tal breakdown in my health, and through 2007 I took 100mg of
Cortisone every day. The side effects from my medication were
fierce and took a very heavy toll on me. So I specifically sought
after nutritional supplements that could help me to heal. It was
Wolfgang who told me about the PM products, and I promised
him, if the products were able to help me, then I would join up
and help him. As you can see I had to honor my promise, be-
cause the PM products truly did help me, thanks to Wolfgang!“
Dr. Wolfgang Schwertner: „When I heard Beate‘s story, I im-
mediately thought of the Fitline products. I knew that they are
among the best nutritional supplements on the European mar-
ket, and recommended she just try them out for three months.
It was after that that we first discussed further business oppor-
tunities. It makes me very happy that everything worked out so
well, and that Beate is now my team’s best partner.“
OBTAINER: “We can see that: the chemistry between you two really is clearly evident!
Ms. Schwandt, in your opinion, what are the basic require-
ments needed for successful teamwork?“
Beate Schwandt:
1. Regard for each of your business partners, and I would
include, among many other things, always providing them
help and guidance in building their businesses.
2. Implementing and living out, as an example to others,
what is taught in the trainings.
3. Always giving my partners the feeling that they have equal
rights.
There is a saying that can really be applied to any network. You
will not be successful when you a) talk to too little and b) shut
up too soon. This guideline was really helpful to me, especially
when I was getting started. Also, the ‚1000 No List‘ from PM is
a good supplement to help train patience.“
Naturally, it interests us to know how Beate Schwandt works
and what her personal recipe for success is. To find out, OB-
TAINER met with the experienced top-networker together
with her sponsor, Dr. Wolfgang Schwertner, for a personal
discussion.
OBTAINER: „Ms. Schwandt, first of all, we would like to thank you for your time and for meeting with us for an interview. You were, according to what we un-derstand, not originally convinced off networking‘s promise, but started instead in traditional direct mar-keting with Avon. What reason did you have for start-ing in traditional marketing and what experiences did you have in the first months and years?“
Beate Schwandt: „Well, there were naturally also offers from
networking firms back when I was starting out. As early as in
1992 I had contact to a networking firm through a colleague.
But when they requested I pay 4,000 Deutschmark for a
starter pack, they scared me off. That made the business not
seem serious to me, so that from then on I remained closed to
anything having to do with ‘network marketing.’ With Avon,
the framework and conditions just fit. In May 1994, I became
familiar with the products, and kept on reporting about them
with great excitement. Then, in September 1994, I was hired
as Regional Director and began my second career there. From
1996 to 2000, I was in the Circle of Excellence and thus be-
longed to the best Regional Directors in Germany. That‘s also
an aspiration for my PM business.“
OBTAINER: „You say because of that first negative experience, that you at first did not want to have any-thing to do with network marketing. What changed your opinion and what ultimately led you to PM-In-ternational?“
Beate Schwandt: „Through my experience in direct marketing
with Avon, I quickly learned that the best products are sold in
PM-International‘s Vice-President, Beate Schwandt, grew up in intensely musical surroundings. Raised in Apolda, a village in Thuringia, this top networker loves to play piano and is a trained singer. With the closing of the Stendal Theater in 1993, however, where she was a soloist up until that point, her life quickly changed. As the proud mother of two small children, jobs in far-flung theaters were not an option. Nor did Beate simply want to be a stay-at-home mom, so she began seeking a differ-ent set of responsibilities. Through an advertisement in „Cosmopolitan,“ she arrived at the American direct marketing firm Avon. She tested their cosmetic products and was quickly convinced of that model company‘s quality. In following, she enjoyed a ten-year long career as regional director for the firm, for which Beate remains thankful. She learned a great deal in that time, and since 2009 she has continued to implement the knowledge and experiences she gained there very successfully, now for PM-International.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 125
INTERVIEW
two later, they are trying to pull off the same kind of theater
with the next ultimate billionaire‘s chance. Bla, bla, bla...
Honestly, it happens so frequently that new business partners
turn and say to me: ‚If I had gotten to know networking as what
you practice, then I would not have had such an aversion to it.‘
That is a nice compliment, and it shows me that I am on the
right path.“
OBTAINER: „That led us right to our next question. How does your teamwork function? Do you work online or offline, have hotel meetings, or do you al-ways seek out personal discussions? That there are no song-and-dance routines has become pretty clear, but how do you work with your team?“
Beate Schwandt: „I am very careful to work together with my
partners personally. In doing so, it is important to me that we
work on developing their strengths in interacting with people
in every personal talk. And that without giving my business
partners the feeling that I am being domineering. I work hard
within the framework of meetings to allow each person to
speak up, according to their abilities in the field. In doing so,
I also try to make it clear to my partners that I am not just the
teacher but am also a student. I pass this method on to my
team leaders, in order to guarantee that this friendly, familiar
and trust-filled relationship transfers through to the very last
team partner.
OBTAINER: „What is the ‚1000 No List‘?“
Dr. Wolfgang Schwertner: „It is a piece of paper numbered
from 1 to 1000. Each time you are told ‚No thank you, it‘s just
not for me‘ while talking to a potential partner, you cross off
a number from the list. By the time you hear the 1000th no,
given the percent chance of someone agreeing, you have likely
built a large team and have reached financial independence!
That’s because 1000 people saying ‚no‘ means, as a general
rule, 300 have said ‚yes‘.“
Beate Schwandt: „Oh, I could have explained that better,
Wolfgang. But it‘s true: you have to keep working and gen-
erating new contacts until you have worked through the list.
That means, naturally, that you have to talk with at least 1000
people. It is impossible not to find a new partner in doing so.
The list keeps you from giving up too soon. Plus, it shows you
that you will not become a millionaire by tomorrow, but rather
that businesses are built slowly and solidly. After all, the song-
and-dance events held by other companies positively drive me
away.
Often, I have the feeling that people are being made fun of, or
that the company is only holding itself above water by charging
extremely high ticket prices! I find that kind of business con-
duct absolutely dubious and damaging to the whole industry.
And then there are the adventurers who try to make the whole
world go crazy with their ‚Pre-Launch Phase.‘ Then, a year or
126 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Beate Schwandt: „That is not very difficult.
Our new partners know best what they would
like and how they imagine their future. That is
the basis for the cooperative work on goal set-
ting. From that moment on, our system-
atic operative methods take over,
supported and rewarded by the
PM Marketing Plan. We help the
new partner first in establishing
their initial five business part-
ners and clients. We then work
together on the depth of the de-
veloping organization to stabilize
it, and in doing so we guarantee
that our new partner learns our
functional system by ‘doing‘: that
they learn the system by work-
ing it. In this way and over time,
we make ourselves dispensable,
because we are duplicating our
capabilities in the process.
The nice side effect for the new
partner – assuming that he really
WANTS and DOES – is a monthly
income on the side, which quickly
exceeds 500 Euro. That is how it
happened for me, and is exactly
how I work with my team. And as a
member of PM‘s top management,
I do not need to talk about how it
theoretically could be, but can in-
stead point to my own career with
PM, as well as those of many of my
team partners.“
OBTAINER: „Thank you very much for the informa-tive talk, Ms. Schwandt. Thank you very much, Dr. Schwertner!“
Contact:Beate Schwandt
Tel. +49 (0)177 3616085
I think that it is great that anyone can use PM‘s space in
the DSCs; that helps make the ever so important good
first impression. Thanks to that arrangement, we do not
need to organize any hotel meetings. When I sponsor a
new partner, I support them from the beginning on. I help
them with the 2:1 talks, regularly lead info-meetings and
push public relations work.
Chattering is part of the trade, and particu-
larly those that have never had anything
to do with the business, have difficulty
approaching strangers. It is my point of
view, that no one can build a big busi-
ness out of their own personal acquain-
tances, friends, and family. Thinking
out of the box, inspiring the courage
to move in new directions, and in ad-
dressing potential business partners
is where I support my team’s part-
ners. Ultimately, that is exactly how
my sponsor, Dr. Wolfgang Schwert-
ner, did it. Personal discussions are the
most important and effective.
I use online presentations primarily to pro-
vide initial information to newly interested
partners. Online and telephone confer-
ences are mainly advantageous for over-
seas business. You see then, that we use
the whole range of technical possibilities
to support our partners and maintain a
team orientation.”
Dr. Wolfgang Schwertner: „That is the
right way to do it too, because working
successfully also means recognizing and
creating synergies. Each partner can
and should bring their own strengths
with, because it is thanks to them that
he can ultimately be a help for the
whole team.“
OBTAINER: „That is exemplary and must be what interested net-workers conceive of as perfect team performance. Last ques-tion: How can an interested new-comer to PM-International develop an income of, let‘s say 500 Euros? What do you put in the hands of such a person?“
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 127
128 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 129
AFFIRMATIONHow you can mobilize your inner strength
130 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
BRAINBOX
us as part of our „basic“ attitude, and positively influence the
way we think every day. Through affirmations we can „trick“
our subconscious, by telling it what it should subconsciously
tell us back.
First, one has to formulate the appropriate affirmation,
which should above all be strengthening and life affirming.
The formulation you use should stress neither your system
nor your spirit. Affirmations are most effective when they
address personal potential, though our desires and the goals
we aspire to – but which we do not think we will accomplish
– equally belong in affirmations. Important is that you trust
the affirmation, and that with it you take on the goal, the
ability, or the desire you have formulated. Believe in the po-
tential that lies within you. An affirmation is more than only
a set of beliefs. Working with affirmations also means con-
necting yourself emotionally and bodily with the affirmation.
It is about saving the positive emotion in body and soul. In
doing so, it helps to adopt a body posture that reinforces the
effect of the sentences, the words, and the emotion you ex-
perience. For beginners, it is absolutely acceptable to start
out using pre-formulated affirmations. These can be found
in various books on the topic or on the Internet, for example.
With time, the pre-formulated affirmations can be adjusted
to your own needs, and changed to match your own notions.
In formulating your own affirmations, there are a few simple
rules to respect. These rules serve to better facilitate the af-
firmations entry into your subconscious, so that they can be
more effective.
1. The shorter the better.The sentence should be a short and precise statement: what
you want to achieve, feel, have, or be able to do. Brevity is
the soul of wit, as they so aptly say. An affirmation like, „It‘s
easier and easier to stay on my diet,“ or for a sentence from
the network marketing industry, like, „I am always self-con-
fident when presenting,“ is short and meaningful.
2. Stay in the present.The “here and now” is important when teaching your sub-
conscious something new. Fearful drivers who have always
thought negatively about driving, and are afraid of sitting
behind the wheel, have continually reinforced their problem.
In order for the affirmation to change the way you think, it
should become part of a new experience and attitude in the
The sun is shining, your mood good, and everything you do
flows from the hand with a magical lightness. Whatever you
take on - it goes perfectly. The next day, things are completely
different. Nothing works, the stress is overwhelming, you are
in a bad mood and thoughts of throwing everything out the
window keep forcing themselves into your mind. What’s dif-
ferent? Why does everything work out as if by itself on some
days, and nothing wants to work on others? The truth is as
simple as it is painful. The difference is you. Our thoughts
and, with them, our subconscious programming reinforce or
weaken us each day.
That raises the question, are we powerless against our own
nature? And if not, how can we use our own strengths? The
secret lies in our ability to mobilize our own internal source
of power. There are various methods to create a positive at-
titude, such as autosuggestion, self-hypnosis, or NLP (Neu-
rolinguistisc Programming). Affirmation is another of these
methods, and with it you can successfully recognize, anchor
and utilize your internal source of power. The term affirma-
tion comes from the Latin „affirmatio“ meaning, in essence,
„to affirm,“ „to confirm,“ or „to reinforce.“ By using affirma-
tion, you make a conscious decision to carefully monitor
thoughts and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
In other words, affirmation is nothing more than taking re-
sponsibility for your own thoughts. Affirmations give power
and courage, and what‘s more, they can help you to relax and
slow down when you need to.
Our internal mindset is conditioned by personal beliefs that
we learn from society, upbringing and our own experiences.
Through new experiences and continual learning, our way
of thinking changes, and in the process even the oldest and
most well established beliefs adjust to new experiences. Life
means confronting ongoing change, and that is after all what
makes life worth living. Indeed life is a single process of de-
velopment, but we are not helplessly subjected to what hap-
pens: we can make our own decisions.
Unfortunately, only very few people work to influence their
own thoughts and beliefs, and take life into their own hands.
Whether one thinks, „Yes, I can!“ when confronted with a
challenge, or overcomes the thought, „This will be difficult -
I don‘t know if I can do it,“ you can do a lot to influence the
outcome. The necessary courage and determination slumber
in each of us. They just have to be called upon at the crucial
moment. The more frequently that happens, the more these
positive thoughts will manifest themselves in our subcon-
scious. Affirmations are positive, motivating and life-affirm-
ing statements that are internalized until they are saved into
AFFIRMATIONHow you can mobilize your inner strength
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 131
here and now. After a while, the new „message“ will replace
the old one, until driving is ultimately how the affirmation
formulated it: „Driving is fun and it is safe.“
3. Positive formulations only.Use strong, convincing, incisive words to formulate a clear,
and above all positive affirmation. Words like „no,“ „never,“
or „none“ could be misunderstood by your subconscious and
fudge the message you would like to send. Other words with
negative associations, like „suffer,“ „sick,“ or „problem,“
should be avoided. Instead of saying „I will beat this sick-
ness,“ the better version would be „I am feeling better and
healthier again.“
4. Be convinced.You have to trust the contents of the sentence. It has to be
realistic and you have to believe it. Only then will it later
develop into the subconscious conviction you desire. When
you read, write, or recite the affirmation, your body‘s posture
should be as positive as the words. If you feel the sentence,
you will take it in and internalize its strength and motivation.
Use AffirmationsOnce an affirmation is formulated and chosen, there are var-
ious ways to use it. Each person has to decide for themselves
whether they like to write, read out loud or quietly, recite or
think them. When, how often and where you concentrate on
your affirmations can equally be decided according to your
personal lifestyle.
It is completely unimportant whether you do them after
waking up, in the car on the way to work, or in the checkout
line at the supermarket. Whether once a day or whenever
you have a few minutes is also not important. The only thing
that is important, is that you feel well, confident, and that
you truly and consciously feel and internalize the Affirma-
tions. You can memorize them, use an associated picture,
write them on a card or even keep an affirmations diary. The
possibilities are almost limitless, but we still present a good
method in following.
The „learning effect“ of writing remains strongest for the hu-
man brain. That is why you should write your affirmations in
a notebook. Note the date each day, and warm yourself into
the affirmation. Use the sentence from the fearful driver,
„Driving is fun and it is safe.“ Imagine, right now, that you
are sitting in the car driving. Feel how much fun it is to drive
the car.
Literally feel how you are driving. In this relaxed state, be-
gin writing the sentence 20 times, one after another, in the
notebook. While writing, forget your surroundings and let
yourself fall into your thoughts and the sentence. Try to shut
out your spirit from its daily surroundings, and concentrate
yourself on the affirmation. In this absolutely relaxed state,
the brain produces slower alpha waves and transports the
simultaneously thought, felt, and written message direct-
ly into the subconscious. Do this every day for least three
weeks, during a relaxed part of your day. It only takes about
five or ten minutes, and you will continually recognize new
effects in the days ahead. Motivation, mood and tempera-
ment will improve, and you will feel less stressed.
After three weeks look back on your experience, and when
you have truly let yourself engage in the project, you will rec-
ognize it has had a positive effect. If that is the case, then
you have done everything right, and you can develop further
affirmations to optimize other parts of your life. There are a
great number of books that deal with this topic more inten-
sively, and illustrate various means of developing, using and
improving the effectiveness of affirmations. Have fun trying
out some affirmations, and don‘t forget: „Life is beautiful!“
132 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Madagaskar – Masoala Peninsula
134 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
LIFESTYLE
Untouched Nature Straight Out of a Fairy Tale
Madagaskar, often called the eighth continent, is a large island in the Indi-
an Ocean, isolated from the large continents. Here, many ancient animals and
plants have survived until today. In a small area, the most different types of
ecosystem can be found: rainforest, savannah, highland steppe and dry thorn
bushes. Most Madagascan animals and plants are native to the country, and
have adjusted to their surroundings in fascinating ways.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 135
An absolute highlight on a visit to Madagascar is a visit to
the Masoala Peninsula and the national park of the same
name, located in the Northeastern part of this, the world‘s
fourth largest island. Here you will not only find yourself in
one of the oldest and greatest rainforests in the world, but
will also experience the intact underwater world of a marine
park with beaches and reefs just like in a fairy tale. Inland,
the island has mountains extending 2,900 meters high and
is thickly wooded. Clouds pushed by the Southeastern trade
winds dam up against the border to the highlands, dividing
the island into a wet region in the east and a dry region in the
west. Steep cliffs transition into a variety of coastal forests
with mangroves, sandy coasts, and bizarre rock formations.
From the coast, massive coral reefs stretch out to sea. In the
bay formed by the peninsula, dolphins chase the fishermen’s
boats, and in July, humpback whales come to the region to
bear their young. Inside of the bay lies the island of Mang-
136 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 137
abe, since 1966 a special reserve for the aye-ayes, a type of
lemur, and formerly a resting point for sailors and a slave
island. On June 26, 2007 – which is, incidentally, Madagas-
car‘s independence day – Masoala Nation Park was officially
named a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.
The Masoala Peninsula is above all known for Masoala Na-
tional Park, which is approximately 23,000 km2 large, and
lies in the central part of the peninsula, taking up more than
half of its total area. In 1997, the Parliament designated the
whole area as protected, because it is not only unique, but
also has an incredible diversity of species. Since 1991, many
different development agencies and conservation organiza-
tions (CARE International, Wildlife Conservation Society,
Missouri Botanical Gardens, Peregrine Fund, the Zurich
Zoo) have fought to protect this area, which is home to al-
most 1% of the world‘s species. Today, the national park is
run by the Madagascan conservation administration, AN-
GAP, together with the Wildlife Conservation Society and
with the support of the Zurich Zoo. The attention brought
to Masoala because of the Zurich Zoo‘s work on the Masoala
rain forest contributed significantly to UNESCO‘s learning
about the area.
The park includes half of the peninsula and is administered
by Madagascar National Parks together with the Ameri-
can Wildlife Conservation Society. The goal of the Masoala
Project is to protect the unusual biodiversity of the penin-
sula from human interference, because Masoala contains a
variety of flora and fauna that is largely endemic, meaning
that Madagascar is rich in species that only exist naturally
there. For example, over 99% of all amphibians in Madagas-
car are endemic, and at least 85% of all plant varieties (in
total almost 12,000), 25% of all plant species (in total circa
1,600) and 3-4% of all plant families (totaling 180) are native
to Madagascar. The relationships are sometimes not easy
138 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
to clarify. For example, the closest relatives of the national
plant, the „Traveler’s Palm“ (Ravenala madagascariensis
[Streliziaceae]), are to be found in South America. The east
coast and its many lagoons are sewn with coral reefs, most
of which are protected as part of a marine reserve, and man-
grove forests. In Antongil Bay there are five islands, of which
the largest is Nosy Mangabe, which is 5.2 km2, whose high-
est point is 320 meters, and which has been a „réserve spé-
cial“ since 1965.
One of the few hotels in the area is on the island. The Maso-
ala Forest Lodge (www.masoalaforestlodge.com) offers ex-
clusive lodging for nature-lovers and adventurers. In direct
proximity to the natural park, in a protected bay, you can
stay in luxurious tent-lodges, decorated in traditional Mala-
gasy style, and experience as-yet untouched nature up close.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 139
Column Torsten WillSince 1994 Torsten Will has been pro-viding inspiration for tens of thousands of participants as a success trainer, ca-reer coach, keynote speaker and author. Prominent celebrities, including politi-cians, television presenters, musicians and top-class athletes, even Olympic champions, attend his seminars to main-tain their position at the top. Leaders and staff of international corporations and organizations use his expertise for moti-vation, communication and success.
Torsten Will: Entrepreneur + Consultant = Guarantor of success!
Torsten Will started off as an entrepre-neur at the early age of 18. In less than three years, while doing his high school diploma and then his alternative service, he succeeded without any vocational training or college education in establish-ing a network of companies in 19 coun-tries with a turnover worth millions. The contents of his lectures and consultations therefore arise from practice and can be used straightaway with success by all participants.
The business magazine, DMEuro, recom-mends Torsten Will as one of the three
best smart coaches in Germany; ac-cording to surveys by Business For Home he is also well-known in the USA as one of the most successful trainers on the topic of career coaching and suc-cess training. He has been included in the Deutsche Rednerlexikon (a direc-tory of German speakers) as a presti-gious speaker. In just ten years more than 250,000 people in 19 countries have taken part in events with Torsten Will. In 2010 more than 45,000 listen-ers used Torsten Will‘s MP3s and pod-casts for their success. www.Torsten-Will.com
140 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
This was how it was recently at the dream wedding of the decade which flickered across our tele-vision screens and gave us an impression of deep emotions in the English capital. Two billion people took part as William and Kate exchanged vows. Vows that at best ought to last till death do them part: for better or for worse.
How do things look with their com-
mitment? Don‘t worry because I‘m not
talking about their family situation.
I‘m concerned with their commitment
to their firm and product, their com-
mitment to the attitude and obligation
to think and act in a success-oriented
manner.
Here‘s a “quick test” that is intended to
check whether you‘re still 100% com-
mitted to your commitment:
Yes, I‘m 100% convinced of my product
and believe that that it‘s the best thing
on the market at the moment;
Yes, I‘m 100% convinced of my compa-
ny and I‘m sure that it‘s the best thing
on the market at the moment;
Yes, I‘m prepared to commit myself
100% and to look after my customers
and partners perfectly;
Yes, I know my goals and I‘m sure that
I‘ll achieve them within a reasonable
period of time with what I‘m doing;
Yes, I know my partners‘ goals and
I‘m doing everything so that they can
achieve their goals quickly, simply and
permanently;
Yes, my motivation and my commit-
ment are growing from day to day;
Yes, I recognize that I‘m on the right
road because my successes are measur-
able and sustainable;
Yes, I assume my responsibility as a
sponsor conscientiously and responsi-
bly. My partners can always rely on me;
Yes, I continue training my self on a dai-
ly basis and I‘m working on myself, my
knowledge and my skills;
Yes, I delegate authority and I‘m happy
to rely on my partners;
Yes, I‘m 100% convinced that for money
at the moment there‘s no better busi-
ness idea than the one I can offer.
Can you agree with these statement
without reservations just like that? Con-
gratulations, then you‘re well on your
way and will quite definitely succeed. A
distribution partnership is like a mar-
riage: belief in it, trust in it and the se-
curity of being on the right track thanks
to measurable successes. All of these are
components that make it simple to hold
on to it even in stormy times.
All the big earners in this industry have
held on to their commitment for better
or for worse and have never for one sec-
ond “had a bit on the side.” The result:
great financial freedom. Only consis-
tency accounts for the real winner. Of
course, there are always reasons for a
separation, but ultimately in every re-
lationship people are just human. It‘s a
question of making your self aware on
a daily basis why you chose your bride
or bridegroom. I wish you the feeling of
networking first love for this spring with
royal success!
Please remember: Rule Number One for
kings: If you hang your head, then the
crown could fall off. So always keep a
stiff upper lip and keep going with full
passion; every sprint costs energy but
anybody who‘s continually in the flow of
things can manage long stretches easily
and feels better after every mile tackled.
Don‘t listen here to the voices of those
who give up after a few yards or shortly
before reaching the goal. Instead you
should relish the motivation from those
urging you on. And if there‘s doesn‘t
happen to be anybody standing there on
the roadside, then adopt the motivation
program yourself by rewarding yourself
for all that you achieve.
For that reason partial goals make it
easier to stay “on track” and daily dec-
larations of love only damage those who
aren‘t receiving them. As the saying
goes: Love it, change it or leave it! But
leaving is really the very last alternative.
Most cordially yours,
For better or for worse!
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 141
COLUMNALEXANDER PLATH
Pardon? This title for the column of a business etiquette trainer? Something must have gone wrong with the layout! Not at all because women really aren‘t what they use to be anymore – in profession-al life.
What do I mean by this? Well, we all
know the sayings like “Ladies first!” and
hopefully we know how a perfect gentle-
man should behave towards a lady. But
in the context of emancipation forms of
behavior and business etiquette recom-
mendations have also been modified.
Whereas in private life the lady definite-
ly still wears the crown and are definitely
treated like ladies by those with proper
manners, in professional the rules to de-
termine who‘s wearing the “crown” are
different.
Who‘s wearing the crown? Using this
image I train people in my business eti-
quette seminars who should make which
gestures of politeness to whom. And
the recommended forms of behavior in
professional life are no longer oriented
on the distinction between ladies and
gentlemen but are primarily determined
by hierarchy and customer relationship.
Let‘s take a simple example: According
to the etiquette recommendations (of
the Arbeitskreis Umgangsformen Inter-
national [AUI] – International Working
Party on Manners) the person “with-
out the crown” greets the person “with
the crown” first, i.e. the employee says
“Hello” to the boss first. Why? Because
according to the company hierarchy the
boss occupies the higher position and so
“wears the crown.”
And here whether the employee or the
boss is a man or a woman doesn‘t play
any role. Whether the greeting is fol-
lowed by, for example, a handshake, as
is typical in German-speaking countries,
is then a decision that is taken by the
person wearing the crown.
And whereas in private life the lady
would definitely now have this privilege,
142 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
“Women are no longer what they used to be”
in professional life the invisible crown
on the head of the person higher up in
the hierarchy is decisive.
The background to this is the fact that
unequal treatment of women and men in
professional life is incompatible with the
emancipation and equality of women.
Also the familiar recommendation that
the age difference is decisive, that the
“older person” wears the crown, plays no
role in professional life.
So in line with the rules of business eti-
quette the porter who‘s on the verge of
retirement would greet the significantly
younger junior manager and the lat-
ter would have the privilege of deciding
whether to shake hands.
Incidentally, the recommendation of
“politeness towards your elders” has also
been modified for private life by the AUI.
Age is now only used to “determine who
is wearing the crown,” if the
age difference is at least one
generation.
In the private sphere,
however, the distinction
between “ladies” and
“gentlemen” continues
to be one of the decisive
factors for determining
the “crown position.” In
other words, in private
life it‘s the lady who
is greeted and who
decides whether to
shake hands.
I look forward to
your questions on
the topic of behavior
and business etiquette
at
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 143
Co
lum
n „
Le
ad
ers
hip
“
144 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Dear Readers,
When asked to think about leading employees, most people are quick to imagine a man in the boss‘s chair. However, over the
last number of years the number of female managers has increased significantly, which has recently raised questions again and
again, such as whether woman make better managers or whether they lead differently. In this issue of OBTAINER Magazine
I will be taking a closer look at this matter, because it is clear that people react differently to men and women in leadership
positions. After reading the following, you will be able to better identify such differences, and you will recognize the ways these
varying reactions to female management influence women‘s leadership itself. You will also find potential solutions designed to
help pave the way for women already in leadership positions, and those who intend to take such positions.
Differences
During the last presidential election in the United States,
Americans took us all on a pretty exciting voyage as they
took their first steps towards electing the first female Presi-
dent. But just as Hillary Clinton‘s campaign was gaining
momentum, soon before the first primaries, a frivolous com-
ment about the low décolleté on one of her dresses during a
speech before the senate received a disproportionate amount
of press. Just as her campaign was trying to present her as a
„congenial and heart-warming“ candidate, in order to sup-
plement the characteristics of „strength and experience“ that
clearly seemed central to the success of a female candidate.
It seems as if the rules on what is acceptable for women in
powerful public roles remain strictly defined and are easily
broken. Woman can be neither too „demanding“ or „soft,“
too „shrill“ or „accommodating,“ or even too „asexual“ or
„sexual.“ It seems all too easy for women in leadership posi-
tions to fall into such conflicts with their followers or their
colleagues, as soon as they deviate from the clearly but nar-
rowly defined rules of behavior, as soon as it comes to a con-
flict between the rules of cultural femininity and the subject
of „leadership.“
Confronted by the necessity to fulfill two of their audience’s
often very different expectations, women in leadership posi-
tions are clearly judged according to a higher standard than
their male colleagues. As a result of this double-standard, it
is important that women who lay claim to leadership posi-
tions (or would like to do so), and want to work effectively
in such positions, are conscious of these different expecta-
tions – as should be the men around them. It is these differ-
ent expectations that have an inevitable influence both on
the manager and her employees, which is why both groups
should understand which reactions can be helpful in facili-
tating their interactions in this context.
Women in leadership positions elicit different re-actions than men in the same positions
Power and leadership responsibilities act as a kind of social
structure, in which numerous practices serve to reinforce
the cultural system. These different practices can be traced
back to the different inspirational values of men and women
in these roles, and to a lesser extent, to their different leader-
ship styles. Female executives elicit different reactions than
male executives. This is due to our own socially acquired
expectations, reinforced and traditionally dominated by our
society’s social structure, transcended in some respects, but
which often breed a tendency to undermine female efforts to
be effective, powerful and influential.
Women should incorporate compassion into lead-ership
In a number of studies, researchers have shown that most
people think „man“ when they are asked to think about
Do WomenMake Better Managers?
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 145
Many do not listen to or accept instructions from women as readily as from men
Most people believe that women are more talkative than
men. No scientific evidence for this stereotype, however, has
been found in any of a number of studies. Just as with tem-
peratures, there is a significant difference between what is
perceived and what is real. Yet it ultimately seems as if peo-
ple often use women‘s perceived „talkativeness“ as an excuse
to „tune out“ as soon as a woman begins speaking. Again
and again, women in leadership positions have reported that
they have the feeling that they are not really listened you, and
when they make comments or share ideas in meetings, that
their contributions are ignored or downplayed. This despite
the fact that the same comments and contributions receive
“leadership” and that this transcends cultural differences.
Due to the irreconcilable divide between the expectations of
femininity and those of leadership, women are often forced
to „soften“ their leadership styles in order to their employees’
adherence. Women who refuse to temper their strength and
competence with warmth and friendliness risk being disliked
or less influential. Yet people do not expect men to remain
congenial in their leadership. Women who have a more auto-
cratic style of leadership automatically become the target of
more animosity and disfavor than those that use more demo-
cratic methods of management. In the meanwhile, men can
afford an autocratic style of leadership without fear of conse-
quence, as long as they remain effective leaders. When women
demonstrate effective leadership in a male-dominated envi-
ronment, they quickly become disliked and are vilified.
“Many do not listen to or accept instructions from women as readily as from men.”
146 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
more recognition and are understood as more significant
when made by men, thus giving the latter greater influence.
In one experiment, researchers had men and women lead
mixed-gender groups of co-workers. The male and female
presenters were trained so that they could make identical
suggestions, using the same words and manner of presenta-
tion. Members of these groups reacted to male „executives“
attentively, making positive comments, nodding and smil-
ing. In contrast, they reacted to female „executives“ by look-
ing away and furrowing their eyebrows.
Incredibly, the group members were not aware that they
treated the male and female executives differently. Yet this
pattern of behavior is not only evident in laboratories, but
also – and particularly – in the real world: field experiments
studying regular meetings among small groups within orga-
nizations show that female managers are the targets of more
negative emotions than their male counterparts, even when
both are perceived as being equally competent.
Women who promote themselves and their capa-bilities, often earn disapproval
Given that women are stereotyped as being less capable than
men, female executives are sometimes advised to overcome
their humility and instead to promote and even advertise
their own abilities, strengths, and successes. Of course, this
type of self-promotion and self-aggrandizement can be dan-
gerous for women. Indeed, as previously mentioned, women
who appear to be more self-confident and assertive than ex-
pected, are both in danger of not being accepted and run a
greater risk of rejection. Research shows that when a woman
does more to promote her own performance, it can lead her
co-workers seeing her as more competent, but at the cost
of their sympathies for her. Men who consistently promote
themselves do not reap the same results: as long as they do
not go too far, their self-promotion results both in better rec-
ognition of their capabilities and in more sympathy for them
among their co-workers.
In some contexts, Women need more external rec-ognition than men
In light of the questions raised thus far, it is not surprising
that women often need more affirmation from others to be
accepted and recognized as leaders. Particularly in highly
competitive, male-dominated contexts, good leadership
training or expertise in a specialized area does not go far in
guaranteeing female executives‘ success. Often, legitimacy
through another, established manager is needed in addition.
Personal stereotypes about men and women often hinder the
ability of observers to recognize a female executive’s capa-
bilities, and it is thus sometimes necessary to reinforce her
credibility through a third person, who has the status to do
so in the eyes of employees.
Reacting to reactions: how does leadership feel to women?
There is now scientific evidence that women are more con-
scious of the potential costs of a position managing employ-
ees than many men. Women think more about the para-
doxes of female behavior, and the demands that a manage-
ment position brings with it. When young women are asked
to imagine themselves in management, they tend to judge
these positions less positively than young men of the same
age. In addition, women often relate that it is clear to them
that relationship problems could arise when they hold such
positions in the long term. Some even describe themselves
in such positions as very unlikeable, using words in doing
so such as „dominant, aggressive,“ „dogmatic,“ „power hun-
gry,“ „mean,“ „authoritative, direct and aggressive.“ Clearly,
they recognize the almost unavoidable „softening“ of their
image, and the authority, determination and capability that
will be demanded of them in order to convince others of their
capacity for leadership.
Women that already work in management positions, even
those in male-dominated contexts, are conscious of the nar-
row path they believe they have to follow, and find their own
kind of payment for the apparent balancing act demanded of
them in such situations. Namely, they talk about feelings of
competence, their positive influence and the opportunity to
empower others. Such gratification, they say, helps them to
compensate for the high expectations and caution demanded
of them due to the contradictory expectations they face as
female executives. Unfortunately, it is hard to tell how many
women never make it to that point, because they turn away
from their ambitions of becoming a manager, because of the
difficulties and sacrifices that may await them.
Changing social structures changes reactions
A study made up of interviews with women in leadership po-
sitions in France and Norway determined a few years ago,
that changes in the social context could make the difference
in experiences with daily leadership. Norwegian women
expressed happiness and a feeling of effectiveness in their
leadership roles. French women, on the other hand, spoke
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 147
of difficulties, conflicts, loneliness, and marginalization. These
divergent experiences appear to be directly related to the sharp
contrasts these women face and the different ways they per-
ceive their acceptance as executives.
In Norway, with its long and deeply rooted history of including
women in political leadership, female managers had a strong
feeling of legitimacy in their leadership roles. In France, where
women are relatively new and novel in leadership positions,
this feeling of legitimacy was not present, and women in such
positions were repeatedly required to prove themselves.
Research has since clearly shown that context accounts for
the essential difference, heavily influencing the way in which
women are perceived in leadership positions. It determines
if female managers take to their positions with ease, how
much influence they have, and how they perceive the dif-
ficulties they confront. Women see themselves as facing the
greatest resistance to their leadership and influence in areas
dominated by men, or which characterized as being mascu-
line. The acceptance of women in leadership positions has
changed just as much as the social attitude in the same area,
and has grown proportionally. The Network-Marketing sec-
tor is an example of just such a transition in a social context.
Conclusion
In many countries, it is no long surprising or unexpected
when a woman is hired as the director of a public high
school, director of a company, dean of a university or mod-
erator of a local news show. Beginning with a general relax-
ation of the understanding of traditional male and female
roles, as well as changes in the public perception of what
leadership and leadership positions really are, women have
broken into such positions. However, in those contexts in
which public opinion understands the position as a „mascu-
line“ one (for example, in military command structures, the
highest levels within corporate headquarters, presidencies),
women continue to confront high hurdles, which result from
the difficulties surrounding the simultaneous transcendent
and compromising nature of sexual stereotypes. Our intel-
lectual understanding of these barriers aside, the only way
to break through them is for the first few smart, determined,
thick-skinned women to dance past the barricades on their
tiptoes, and to blaze a trail for others. It is possible both
for organizations and individuals to support women in this
process, so that advances can be made in changing social
structures, so that women in leadership positions are the
norm, and so that they can even play a role and establish
themselves in what are now male-dominated areas and re-
lationships.
Businesses can try to avoid isolating women as symbols in
male-dominated departments, in which their gender is de
facto blamed for every perceived mistake. Well-known ex-
ecutives should support women and legitimate their efforts
to reach higher positions.
Already in 2005, the renowned consulting firm Caliper de-
veloped four central messages on female managers in the
course of a year-long study:
148 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
co-author Daniela Szasz, and to recognize in her path just
how far she has made it in this industry. When I am not mis-
taken, she has even once again successfully joined the ranks
of the best of the best, securing her place at the top with the
PM-International AG.
In light of this, I would like to close with a simple question:
how many women do you have in your business or in your
downline, in top positions?
Sincerely,YourNuno F. Assis
http://www.nunoassis.dehttp://www.nunoassis.com
● Female managers are more convincing than their male
counterparts;
● When female managers confront rejection, they often
continue on with an „I‘ll show you“ attitude;
● Female executives show an integrative leadership
style, which is based on team-building and is oriented
towards problem-solving and making effective deci-
sions;
● Female managers tend to more readily ignore rules
and take risks.
Particularly in network marketing, we have seen an ever-
increasing number of women succeed over the last years,
breaking into top positions and proving themselves in what
was originally a very male-dominated industry. I recom-
mend you take a closer look at the career of my much-valued
Well-known executives should support women and legitimate their efforts to reach higher positions.
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 149
Column by Dany Szasz
Sometimes you‘re aware of the value of your team and sometimes you recognize it even more in very special moments. In moments where not only do they need you, but above all you also need them.
I, for example, was aware that I had brilliant people and team
partners and and super leaders that I couldn‘t do without.
But they became really without parallel for me in recent days,
weeks and months as I myself was waiting for qualification
and also more recently when I officially received my award.
Nothing is as strongly moving as when, for example you con-
sider the qualifications of individual team members and who
might now achieve what. Then you try to do everything possi-
ble to make it happen. Possibly you do additional special pro-
motions that require an extra budget or workshops etc. and
you see that the plan works. Everybody achieves their goal. It
looks as if you yourself wouldn‘t make it any further, but you
think to yourself: It doesn‘t matter, all the others have moved
forward – and that‘s the most important thing!
All at once, without you expecting it, people from your team
say: “No, we want you to make it too – what has to be done?”
And suddenly, almost unexpectedly, you also reach the next
level because your team wanted you to. Because they think
you‘ve earned it. Those are the brilliant moments that touch
me very much and I think: “My god, what super people are
there – and they‘re all in my, in our team.”
Or at an official company award ceremony your name gets
called out, you get up from your place wanting to run away
and behind your back a storm of jubilation breaks out; you
only think: “What‘s happened now?” You finally arrive on the
stage and only now do you see how many people are now clap-
ping and cheering in front of the stage. You see how the faith-
ful souls from your team are there and making themselves
stand out by cheering loudest. That brings tears to your eyes
because you‘re so touched and there‘s nothing you‘d like to do
more than to say: THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL because
you‘re soooo super! THANK YOU for belonging to my – to
our – team. It means so much to me! You mean so much to
me – every single one of you!
Those are the things you‘d like to say so much if you got a
chance to get hold of the microphone in order to say it. But
even if you don‘t get hold of it, you can project it and hope that
it comes across or you can say it another time. What‘s impor-
tant is to understand that this isn‘t just a matter of course.
I experienced just those things I‘ve described and it touched
me deeply.
If you think this is a matter of course, a normal occurrence,
then imagine what it would be like if they all disappeared from
one day to the next.
Yes, sure, you may think, you could build up everything again
anew. That‘s also true – it is possible. But team spirit and
team cohesion aren‘t something you can build up overnight.
That needs time. And even if it‘s there, it shouldn‘t be regard-
ed as normal. That‘s something I became strongly conscious
of again in recent days and weeks.
If you don‘t have that yet, then perhaps you should take a look
at the basic values your business and your team is built on.
Maybe you see everything as business, pure business, then it
will be difficult for you to succeed. Perhaps your basic values
are success at any price, then you can also only succeed with
difficulty or you‘ll only attract people that are also just like
that. But perhaps at the moment you only have a small team
and you think you can‘t do it because there are only so few of
them. Believe me, I also started alone. Then three joined and
Tribute to a (my) special-
Team
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 151
then ten etc. It started like that for all of us. But start now to
build up good team cohesion for yourself. If you only start to
do it when your team is large, then it won‘t succeed as well or
as quickly anymore.
I myself have always wanted to have people in my team that
I get on well with, a team where super trusting relationships
are the rule, perhaps even individual friendships. No „stop-at-
nothing“ principles, instead you should embody values. I‘m
very happy to be able to say that I can find that in large num-
bers in my team.
Of course, there‘s also always another side to our business.
The side of the envious people around us, people who on prin-
ciple just can‘t grant you anything or at least nothing more
than they have themselves and go on about everything. It sim-
ply has something to do with themselves. The don‘t grant any-
body anything except themselves. That‘s part of it and it‘s best
to pay it no attention. Look to what gives you energy. And as a
rule that‘s the team around you.
I can only give you the tip to reflect on good values if such a
team doesn‘t yet exist around you and then build it up slowly
for yourself.
For today I‘d like exceptionally to use the opportunity to
thank my team publicly here. As representatives of every sin-
gle team partner I‘m saying thank you to my top leaders such
as Robert Ahsendorf, Tino Wessels, Angela Ahsendorf, Chris-
tian Kröncke, Dieter Becker, Robert and Vera Giorgia Prokop,
Bruno Klemm and Stefan Sommer.
To all the team partners from my team I say: THANK YOU –
AS – that you‘re all so super! THANK YOU for belonging to
my – to our – team. It means a lot to me. You mean so much
to me!
Until next time, wishing you lots of team power,
Yours
Dany
152 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
P r e v e n t i o n
My wife Sabine Seidel and I work in a large network of health professions and other enthusiasts, where a high-quality and natural dietary supplement based on fruits, vegetables and berries as an offset to deficits, as well as, for dietary optimization is very helpful to us. I am looking forward to your feedback on my columns, which I have been writing at this place for months, and also about contacts for our prevention team.
„HealtH is not everytHing, But witHout HealtH notHing matters“(Artur SchoPenhAuer, PhiloSoPher)
Dr. meD. mAnfreD conrADt I n t e r n I s t a n d d I e t I c I a n
www.praeventions-doc.de and www.praeventionsteam.net
i S b e t t e r t h A n h e A l i n g
What is health, are there differ-ent definitions (for example the ex-tensive one by the World Health Organization WHO), does every-one have a different perspective? What is theory, and what is reality? How do I personally deal with this admittedly highest of all goods?
Surely, an adequate (simply healthy) diet, which unfortunately is being de-nied to many people on our earth, is part of it, also physical health
(the silence of the organs – noth-ings aches, crunches, howls, wheezes…), mental and emo-tional health, preferably also fi-nancial health (money) after all, as well as, a healthy environment (community). For many years, I have occupied myself with prevention and avoid-ing illnesses; since April of last year it has even been my main occupation.
Kevin AbdulrahmanAthletes, Celebrities, CEOs, Direct Selling Groups,
Executives, Government Entities Models, Musicians,
Private Companies, Public Organisations, Royalties,
Schools, Sports Teams and Universities call for Kevin
Abdulrahman when it comes to wanting an Internati-
onal Speaker and Mind Nutrition Expert to Consult,
Coach, Train Work with and Speak in the areas of
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ming Teams and Public Speaking Coaching. You can
visit his website on www.BestMotivationalSpea-ker.Me or contact Kevin Abdulrahman’s Manage-
ment Team on [email protected].
Receive Kevin Abdulrahman’s gift to you by going
on www.kevinabdulrahman.com/thegift. Enter code
“vision” to receive your full free e-copy of “The Book
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Co
lum
n
154 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
Branson’s
I was speaking with a client re-cently when he shared with me his dilemma. He told me how he was able to work through and achieve what ever goals he set out to do in different areas of his life, except for when it came to his business.
He longed to build a bigger business and
generate a larger stream of income, one
that would give him the financial free-
dom and flexibility he desired. Upon
further questioning, it became rather
apparent that in every aspect of my cli-
ent’s life, one constant held true. Where
he achieved his goals, he had first be-
lieved them to be true. He believed that
it was possible and had no doubt that he
was going to achieve them. Subsequent-
ly, he would go on to achieve them.
When it came to his business results,
things were different. And if you have
heard me speak or have listened to any
of my audio programs, then you would
have heard me talk about how the re-
sults in any aspect of your life is an out-
come of the actions you’ve taken, the
decisions you’ve made, thoughts you’ve
had, which stem from the beliefs you
harbour. In short, your results are the
outcome of the beliefs you hold.
I asked my client to write a list of what
he felt stopped him so far? What was it
that was holding him from being where
he wanted to be?
The answers ranged from it possibly not
being a priority, him not being creative,
not having the resources to deal with big
orders, right through the spectrum to
‘it takes money to make money’. All his
reasons were in actual fact excuses (be-
cause he didn’t have any of these things
holding him back when it came to set-
ting and achieving his goals in other ar-
eas of life).
He was harbouring beliefs that were
limiting- and it showed in his business
results.
I suggested he develop his beliefs. After
all, if he was going to be owning a set of
beliefs, why have ones that will hold him
back in business, when he could choose
to have ones that propelled his business
results?
With a puzzled look and over a very
silent few seconds I could tell that he
didn’t believe that would be possible ei-
ther. So I gave him what so many people
hope for (no not a silver bullet, magic
potion, Abra Cadabra, but a how to tip).
I suggested that he borrows Branson’s
beliefs.
Still a puzzled look ensued my sugges-
tion. However, now I could see my cli-
ent’s eyes widen with interest.
Sir Richard Branson is obviously an in-
spirational business icon. Someone who
has a winning mind and winning beliefs,
which has resulted in him being able to
generate the string of successes he has
enjoyed with The Virgin Group. It would
be fair to say that when Sir Richard
Branson wants in something, he gets out
there and makes sure it turns into real-
ity. He believes that he can, and there-
Borrowing
Beliefs
05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 155
fore he does. Who would have thought
of Virgin Galactic? Branson did. And
before doing so, first and foremost he
believed it to be true.
I went on to suggest to my client that
from this point on, when it comes to
any of his business matters, I wanted
him to think of Sir Richard Branson.
Where ever he came to having a busi-
ness thought, having to make a deci-
sion or take an action, I wanted him to
ask two questions, ‘What would Bran-
son Believe in this moment? And what
would he do’?
But I’m not Sir Richard Branson, my
client rushed to state the obvious, and
some of you reading this would have
thought the same as well.
Indeed you may not be Branson today,
but you can certainly borrow his win-
ning beliefs. By borrowing his beliefs
you can walk in his shoes so to speak.
And in doing so, you begin to model a
successful figure. By believing like one,
you begin to think like one, deciding like
one, acting like one until one day you
enjoy the results that is a reflection of a
winner’s belief.
Also we as humans are creatures of hab-
it. Soon you will find that although you
might have borrowed Branson’s Beliefs
to start of with, they end becoming part
of your repertoire, and therefore it’s the
new and improved version of you. Your
beliefs form the baseline for all your
business results.
The quality of your results is ultimate-
ly determined by the beliefs you hold.
Make sure you develop winning beliefs
like Branson’s, and if you find it chal-
lenging to start of with, feel free to bor-
row Branson’s beliefs until you develop
your own winning ones.
Believe that you will make it big in busi-
ness, and it will hold true, as it always
does for every winner out there. Whether
you believe that you can or believe that
you can’t, you will always be made right.
Here are 10 quick fire Winning Beliefs
that you can borrow (until they become
your own). Instil these beliefs to help
you create the business results you de-
sire for this year and the many more
years to come.
1. Believe for things to be pos-sible.
2. Believe in abundance of mon-ey, resources and talent
3. Believe that you are capable and can certainly learn what’s required in order to achieve your business goals
4. Believe in your vision, even if you are the only person who sees it.
5. Believe that you will always find solutions when faced with challenging circumstances
6. Believe that you are in control of your future
7. Believe that as you grow, so will everything else around you
8. Believe that failures are sim-ply expensive lessons in busi-ness
9. Believe that you have courage to pursue what you seek
10. Believe that you are the best person for the job. If anyone else can do it, so can you
Until we meet in person, Get Inspired,
Get Informed and Get Going !!!
Athletes, Celebrities, CEOs, Direct Sell-
ing Groups, Executives, Government
Entities Models, Musicians, Private
Companies, Public Organisations, Roy-
alties, Schools, Sports Teams and Uni-
versities call for Kevin Abdulrahman
when it comes to wanting an interna-
tional speaker and mind nutrition ex-
pert to consult, coach, train, work with
and speak in the areas of motivation,
leadership, developing high perform-
ing teams and public speaking coach-
ing. You can visit his website on www.
BestMotivationalSpeaker.Me or contact
Kevin Abdulrahman’s Management
Team on [email protected]
Receive Kevin Abdulrahman’s gift to
you by going on www.kevinabdulrah-
man.com/thegift
Enter code “vision” to receive your full
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You’re Into” courtesy of Kevin Abdul-
rahman and Obtainer Magazine.
156 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 05/2011
International Author, Inspirational Speaker on Motivation and Leadership. The Authority in the fi eld of Mind Nutrition.
“No one needs to give you permission to be Great. You hold that Authority”
Kevin Abdulrahman
If you want an engaging speaker to connect with the Audience of Today, then You Will Want to have The Man Inspiring Millions at your next event.
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www.KevinAbdulrahman.com05/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 157
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