A lot of the “gurus” will tell you to “target” the Baby Boomer generation, often citing that these people are either “cashed up”, looking for health/anti-aging solutions or, quite often, facing a retirement where their pension plan doesn’t afford them the lifestyle they want.

OK, so this is true as far as it goes, however the Baby Boomer generation has, by definition, a limited lifecycle. It is a phenomenon, yet it is still one that will eventually pass by. So what will replace it?

Well, the good news is that there IS a new phenomenon coming our way (in fact it’s already arrived) and the GREAT news is that it is something that I believe is here to stay for some time to come. Rather than a passing phase, this new shift is likely to change the way we live our lives, the way we view the world of work and have a profoundly positive impact on all our family lives.

So what is this fantastic new “phenomenon”? I hear you ask… the answer is the “Work At Home Parent”, more often referred to as “Work At Home Mom/Mum”.

Consider this simple fact – the nature of the world we live in has changed considerably since the heyday of the industrial age, and in recent times more and more families have needed BOTH parents to go out to work, and single parents face an even tougher task. This has been, I believe, one of the key drivers to the appearance of a modern-day equivalent of “cottage industries”.

More and more parents, typically the Mums, are turning their hobbies and interests into home-based businesses, supplementing the family income, and achieving a degree of freedom and flexibility to actually be parents instead of handing their kids over to daycare centres and so on.

Unlike the “boomers” this phenomenon is changing the way that we operate as a society, and is something that is likely to go beyond “Generation X”, with Gen Y kids taking up the idea, and passing the same core principles on to Gen Z (or whatever else they are calling the next generation after Y) and beyond.

Why should this be of interest to 97 Percenters? 2 reasons – firstly it is genuine living proof for all of us to see, that you do NOT have to be a snake oil salesman 3 percenter to build something good, worthwhile and profit-making. Secondly it means that there is an army of people out there with the right attitude and an open mind, to listen to the story we are telling.

How strongly do I believe in this? Well, I’ve spent the last 2 weeks or so re-focusing my web development business away from the generic concept of “small and micro business” on to the more specific concept of “WAHPs”. This is a sector of business that is flourishing, growing at a great rate and in desperate need of cost-conscious, cost-effective solutions. Can you imagine what resources like SFI, IAHBE and TripleClicks can do for these WAHPs? Information to help them build their business, an ecommerce solution that will allow them to sell their products online and a network of affiliates to help promote those products.

If you aren’t doing so already, I would encourage you to explore your local WAHP world (chances are you’ll find them on Facebook), engage with them, talk to them, and share with them the idea of Triple Clicks and IAHBE. You don’t have to recruit them to your SFI business, just refer them as retail clients!

The Work-At-Home model is a business and work model for the 21st century and beyond – you heard it here first!

I’ve said before that there is only one compensation plan in the whole network marketing and online marketing world and that is that you earn commissions on an increasing volume of sales that either you make directly, or flow through the network that you build over time.

While this is true, it is worth understanding exactly how this translates to the SFI business, and how we can build long term success by hitting one simple goal; namely to make our own business “cost neutral”.

This might not sound like the usual advice or approach, and that’s for a very good reason. Everything you have read before is geared towards the “3 percent” audience, and often calls on individuals to make Herculean efforts as they work towards achieving lacish lifestyles.

While dreams of being a millionaire are not alien to many we, the great unwashed masses, are generally motivated needs or desires such as “making life a bit more comfortable”. To the 3 percenters, this will undoubtedly seem “weak”. In all honesty, if you ARE a 3 percenter in the making you can still work our plan – it can actually work for everyone. Some people may very well end up as millionaires by doing so, however I can guarantee that countless working men and women will be equally happy if they can pay their bills more easily, afford family holidays and so on.

So, what do I mean by “ground zero” and “cost neutral”? Well, put simply, a key business goal we should all have in mind is to wind up with the business costing us nothing each month. This is, in part, why we chose a business like SFI; the monthly cost is low enough that we can hit “ground zero” more readily.

Achieving a situation where the business costs you nothing each month radically changes the dynamic of the whole thing. Ask yourself this – how long would you be able, financially, to participate in a business that costs you zero cents every month? Of course the answer is “forever” – each and every one of us would be able to continue doing something with no out-of-pocket expenses with no limit on time.

Of course, on the flip side, we don’t want to earn nothing for eternity. That would render the whole exercise fairly pointless I’m sure you’ll agree. Amazingly, almost magically, having a whole bunch of people getting to “ground zero” will create an income over time.

You see what happens is this; when you take the steps to cover your monthly costs, it doesn’t stop there. Others in the network will be working towards covering their own costs, creating additional volume on which you will be able to earn commissions. This is why I often describe network marketing as “a network of consumers”. At the simplest level, one that is within easy reach of anyone and everyone, individuals simply need to be making a low-cost monthly purchase. There is no “need” to go out and sell massive volume of product, nor is there a “need” to be a super-sponsor bringing in hundreds of new members every week.

The key ingredients, then, for our business model are:

A willingness to be an active consumer in the business
A strategy to cover our consumer costs, making participation “cost neutral”
Patience – as with anything, time is needed for the full potential to be realised

So that’s a lot of “theory”, how does this pan out in our SFI business?

Well, based on our plan, the total monthly spend from month 2 onwards is a fraction over $50, this includes the IAHBE subscription, participation in the S-Builder program and automagically secures “executive” status each and every month.

Through the S-Builder program, and any other method that suits our own personal circumstances and preferences (including promotion of the 97Percent project), we will slowly gain what the industry calls “leads” and “prospects”.

Let’s assume that the people directly below us follow the same minimal plan – we then earn commissions on their purchases (i.e. a percentage paid on their monthly IAHBE subscription, and any other TripleClicks purchases.) The “commisionable value” of IAHBE is $18, which for Executive Affiliates translates to approximately $11 commission every month.

You don’t need a Mathematics degree to figure out that with just 3 active members in your first level, you have covered the cost of your own IAHBE membership. This then means either another 2 business builders, or commissions on Triple Clicks customer purchases and you cover the S-Builder cost as well.

It really is that simple.

So, once you’ve got yourself into the key position of being “cost neutral” you will be able to watch as your organisation grows, you’ll be able to help others under you achieve the same position, and most importantly you will be able to bide your time until you are ready to activate the next level of earnings.

You see, the real power of network marketing comes from the network itself. SFI allows us to earn commissions down to 7 levels which, if we assume just 3 people on each level, could be as many as 3279 people in your “downline”. Remember, each of these people need only aim for “ground zero” – none of them will be called upon to be super-salespeople, however if you get one or two of those in your network don’t complain

3279 people spending $29.95, and achieving EA status each month gives a total commission volume of $18 * 3279, or $59,022. SFI gives us the ability to earn between 3% and 6% commission on this volume, through something they call “network overrides”. Network overrides are achieved simply by qualifying for one of the “team leader” status levels.

How do we achieve that? Well, in simple terms, to become a Bronze team leader we need to make purchases or perform some other action(s) that will boost our monthly Versa Points tally from 1500 (for EA) to 3000 (for BTL).

This is why I suggest waiting for the network to grow below you – you are probably going to need to increase your own consumer spend per month to achieve Bronze Team Leader (or Silver, Gold or Platinum).

Now, let’s assume it’s going to cost us another $30 or so to get the points needed – for this to be worth our while doing, we need the 3% commission we earn through network overrides to yield $30 or more. In other words, we need to have $1000 of commissionable volume flowing through our network. This translates to 55 IAHBE subscriptions, which will occur shortly after we have filled our 3rd level in the network (3 levels with 3 per level = 39 people in total).

Think about it, just 55 people will generate over $1000 commission volume per month, with each of them doing the bare minimum! That’s the power of the network; even by taking the moderate approach we advocate, big numbers start to appear relatively easily.

So now let’s look at what happens when your 4th level fills up – you now have 120 people in your personal organisation. Assuming they do nothing more than follow our plan, that’s a total commisionable value of $2160 which produces $65 network override commission (assuming Bronze Team Leader commission rates of 3%).

Bearing in mind that you already earn commissions on your level 1, covering your base costs, this additional commission will cover your extra spend to achieve BTL, and put about $35 in your pocket. You’ve started making money, and this will grow over time as people in your team continue to follow the plan.

Let’s allow ourselves a moment of indulgence, just for a change, let’s imagine you’ve been incredibly patient, and have finally got to the point where you have people on the 7th level. That’s a potential 3% commission of $1770, rising up to a potential 6% commission of over $3500 per month. To access the 6%, simply do what is necessary to get up to the Platinum TL level, the quickest and easiest way of course will be to spend a little extra to access the higher earnings.

Please be aware of two things – this is all theory, and there’s no way anyone can guarantee you any of these earnings. The fact remains though – if we stick together, work together and build for the long term, we can achieve some very realisitic incomes. Bear in mind that the examples are based on the bare minimum across the board – commission volumes will increase further when individuals start to qualify for Bronze TL. Even with the minimal model though, I don’t think there’s anyone would walk away from the chance of bringing in a passive recurring revenue of $1000 or more each month.

One final point to make is that commissions can be earned on retail sales made through the network as well – i.e. purchases made by people referred to TripleClicks rather than those who are building an SFI business. With Triple Clicks customers you simply refer them to the site, no selling, no promoting any business plan – you just tell them about the shopping site. You will earn commissions on those who sign up thanks to your referral, for the life of that customer. With the team leader network overrides, you can earn further commissions on purchases made by TC customers referred by people in your levels 1 to 7 as well!

So am I promising millions? Obviously not. What I AM attempting to demonstrate here is how we can build a comfort zone around our lives by following a simple plan, and by sharing this with the masses. There ARE ways that the 3 percenters among you can create a lavish lifestyle, however I for one would be happy with a grand per month (for example). It would quite literally make all the difference to my family, and I’m sure it would have the same profound effect on your family too!

So once again I call on everyone to stop chasing the impossible dreams, promoted by gurus and earning them good income on their courses and ebooks, and instead join with us as one united team pulling in the same direction.

All the best
Gaz

One question that everyone will hit at some point is how to grow their business / network. Rather than repeating the oft-quoted mantra of "you get 4 people, who get 4 people…" it will be of more value to examine how things work within SFI, and specifically for those following the 97 Percent step-by-step plan.

SFI provides us with the ability to grow our business in a number of ways, and my personal recommendation / guidance is to take what I call a 3-dimensional approach. The first and second dimensions relate to width and depth of your network; in other words adding to your first level (increasing width), and enabling those people to do likewise (adding to the depth). It is with depth and width in mind that the 97 Percent plan incorporates the use of SFI’s S-Builder program, along with encouraging each and every one of you to be an active consumer within the network.

Being active yourself brings the idea of "leading by example" into play, which will help stimulate activity within your business network. Of course, being able to refer new team members to the no-nonsense advice and support offered by 97Percent can help immensely, overcoming a lot of hurdles that people can often encounter.

Make no mistake, this is a route of solid growth over time, and does require that you have a degree of patience.

So, what is the third dimension? Well, let’s take a step back and think about the way SFI’s compensation plan works; essentially the commissions you will be paid are determined by the number of "VersaPoints" you earn, and these rates are then applied to the commissionable value of sales and purchases generated. This is where SFI offers something that many "opportunities" do not; by referring people to the TripleClicks web site, and having them sign up as members (of the TC site NOT as a business builder in SFI) you gain the ability to earn commissions from the purchases made by those customers, for the life of the customer.

The huge benefit of this 3rd dimension is that you don’t need to worry about "showing people the plan", you don’t need them to become active business builders and nor do you even have to keep them up to speed with products and deals available to them. Once they register as customers (through your TripleClicks affiliate link) the TripleClicks system itself will take care of promoting the products and special deals to them.

I am sure many of you will read that and a lightbulb will come on; this is something you CAN easily refer your friends and family to, without fear of them being hit with the typical barrage of "join our business, sign up new distributors and become a millionaire". TripleClicks customers are simply customers, who can make purchases as and when they find something they like/want.

In the bigger picture, by having a growing band of 97 Percenters (people who ARE interested in building a network marketing business) following the plan, and each of them having a growing band of "retail customers", your business does indeed grow in 3 ways. As the business grows, and you start hitting the so-called "Team leader" levels, you will earn commissions, not just on your direct customer sales, but on customer sales down to 7 levels as well.

The beauty of this is that everybody can take out of TripleClicks exactly what they want; customers are left to be customers, while business builders can continue to build without alienating those who just want to buy stuff!

Just to complete this article, I should perhaps touch on the ways that we, as business builders, can generate revenue. A full description of the compensation plan can be found at https://www.sfimg.com/Reference/CompPlan.sfi, however to summarise:

• ALL Affiliates earn commissions on retail sales generated through their direct customer members
• ALL affiliates earn commissions on purchases made by personally sponsored affiliates (first level)
• Executive Affiliates and above earn commissions on retail sales made by customers of their first level affiliates
• Executive Affiliates and above earn commissions on retail sales and affiliate purchases generated by their co-sponsored affiliates
• Team Leaders earn commissions on retail sales and affiliate purchases right down to 7 levels in their network

So while it is tempting, as you will usually find, to launch straight into some hype about the power of the 7-level earning potential, you should be able to see that the SFI plan offers a genuine path, through organic growth, by which we can steadily build a long-term and stable business.

If I can leave you with just one idea to consider, it would be this; focus first on reaching a "cost neutral" situation, where your monthly costs are matched by EA-level commissions, then slowly take a step at a time, building a revenue stream that is not only sustainable, but achieved by helping others tread the same path.

THAT is the very essence of a business model that is well within the reach of the majority of us, builds on teamwork, and which has the potential to provide a long-term recurring/passive income stream.

To join our team, register your interest by simply filling in the form, and we will provide details of the no-nonsense, step-by-step plan that anyone can follow.

You've no doubt seen the word "leader" bandied about all over the place, heard it mentioned on audios, seen it written in motivation materials and so on. It's a term that gets used a lot by the NM "big guns" and, in my opinion, it's used in a very damaging and limiting manner.

So what do they mean when they use the word "leader"? Well, usually you will find that you are urged most strongly to "step up" and "become a leader" and this basically translates to "become a 3 percenter". You see, what you're being urged to do is to develop your skills as a marketer, develop your ability to put yourself "out there" and to transform yourself into someone that other people basically consider to be a "guru".

The major flaw in all this, is that it reinforces the "fact" that only 3% will succeed, and it reinforces the impression that this is an industry that is not too far removed from door-to-door selling.

The very concept of Network Marketing is not supposed to be about that sort of thing, and it certainly doesn't need to be. Network Marketing is about the development of a diverse network of people, each buying, selling or marketing a small volume of product according to their own needs, abilities and circumstances. Such a network can easily contain housewives, experienced sales people, professionals such as lawyers and doctors, labourers and so on.

When you look at our plan, instead of references to selling large volumes of products, what you find is a small monthly spend for each individual, and a need to stick with it for the long term. This, I believe, is the way Network Marketing was supposed to be; a legitimate business opportunity for the common man and woman, and not just something for the skilled salesman or marketer.

So how do WE define "leader"? That's an easy one; we define it simply as someone who leads by example, after all if you want people in your downline to contribute to the sales volume, how can you expect that to happen if they can look at you and see you not doing that yourself?

This is the mark of a true leader in the NM world; an ordinary man or woman who just "gets" it, accepts the need to spend a little each month, realises that "overnight success" is something that is achieved over a period of months or years, and simply plugs in and plays their part.

THIS is how WE, the deserving majority, can finally break through the glass ceiling that has been installed above us.

Articles section is now open for those wanting to explore what we do further. You want open honesty and transparency? You got it!

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