DOING

To quote the all-knowing Yoda “Do or do not. There is no try.”  Well this blog, is me doing.

In November 2018, as I added up the contract totals of my business, I knew it was time…time to make that move - to close down. 2019 was to be the last year. Not because I wasn't making money, I was, but it was dwindling each year, as the publishing industry moved its budgeting dollars towards tools for digital and away from print, which is the niche my company was designed for. For reasons of a purely technical matter, I decided I was not prepared, nor did I want to move into the era of digital publishing research, with my company. It was time to move on… move on to what? What was I looking for?

My name is Liz Grabler, I live in, South-Western Connecticut, with my husband Jack and my 3 dogs TANK, Winnie and lil dog. We have two, semi-adult children. Our son lives here, in our city, about 10 minutes away and our daughter currently resides in Spain. I have a network marketing business that I am building into an Inter-network marketing business and most of all I am creating a lifestyle for my husband and myself to enjoy.

ROAD NOT TAKEN

Jack and I had first been introduced to network marketing in the mid-90s. I had left my job as we started to look toward having a family, when I saw an ad in the paper and responded. Well, I wasn't impressed with the guy who presented the opportunity but I could see this being huge - if we were ready. Going to business meetings, learning about the possibilities sparked something in me. Meeting these people who were working full time jobs and using their Network Marketing business to create a residual income. Some had left their full-time jobs and were now full-time Network Marketers. Making in the high 6, some in the 7 figures bracket– and this was before Internet Marketing was a thing. Unfortunately, we let life get in the way and concern about what others would think. All those negatives- What if it doesn’t…?, seemed much bigger than my- What if it DOES? We put it on the back-burner and we never took advantage of what was right in front of us - it just wasn't the right time.

As life went on, I volunteered quite a bit while my children were in school. In charge of Book fairs, Spring Fundraising Gala, School Hospitality Committee Chair, I was even in charge of all the parent volunteers for several years, and my most unexpected and favorite volunteer position was with the school’s theater program. I worked with our church, of course; in the Religious Education Department. I loved being able to volunteer but I wanted more, truly, we needed more, to maintain the lifestyle we had and hopefully step it up a bit with some family vacations, a new car every 8-10 years would be nice. I would think back at the dreams we talked about and the possibilities when we were considering Network Marketing…

Some of the positives we took away at that time was the list of books we were encouraged to read - positive, life affirming books.

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwarts

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

God Wants you to be Rich by Paul Zane Pilzer

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Books on relationships -

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray

The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman

And the ever classic How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

These books and many more kept my Entrepreneurial spirit kindling, but I continued to let life get in the way. Don’t get me wrong it has been a blessed life, a fun life and at times sad and extremely challenging life but- What if…. Where would we be now?

I took a part-time job with a company specializing in research for print magazines – eventually this became full time and led to me, starting my own business - when they abruptly closed their doors. This was a great gig. I worked from home and so did my employees, but we all knew it would be short lived, with the publishing world moving toward digital. I just needed it to last and be profitable, until our kids graduated college. And so it did; bringing us to November 2018, when I decided it was time to find something new.

I needed to make money, I asked myself - “Self, what am I looking for?” (bad dad joke)

The embers of our past considerations were being fanned. I came back to network marketing it checks all the boxes, especially with the use of the internet and Social Media for marketing. I could actually work from home. But product line, is where I had to exercise due diligence and Internet Marketing is something I will have to learn.

I started doing research and was amazed at how much Network Marketing had grown. Health, Fitness, Beauty, Fashion, Household Products, Coaching for health, beauty, fashion, household, fitness, business and general Life Coaching even the tools to grow a network marking business, was a network marketing business. WOW! All the products and services now taking advantage of the direct sales format and it is all right there, with the internet.  After my research I narrowed down my search. One company I was extremely interested in but never tried their products, was being sold by a woman I went to high school with. Weeks after the new year had started, I reached out, we had lunch. I ordered some products and was thrilled after using them for 2 weeks – I was in.

HERE & NOW

So here we are, with a new challenge. I am building my business and as it starts to see some success, I find myself a little overwhelmed with all the ins and outs of marketing with social media. I’ve started this blog for several reason and you may be surprised to learn that selling my products is not one of them…OK, well it would be an added bonus but the real reason, is to prove I can do it.

I got the domain, created this site, logo, and got it up and running, without paying someone to do it for me - all at the age of 54(almost 55) with ZERO FORMAL EDUCATION or EXPERIENCE in computer techie stuff. Maybe I’m not starting over but I am definitely LEVELING UP, my game.

So, what is my Blog actually about – I’m not really sure – A work in progress. Seeing the BEST. How to take lemons and make Lemonade. About how to keep moving forward. About saying Yes to things that seem hard. Compromise. I am taking a journey – I will be sharing about skincare, health and beauty. Definitely about how to build a successful network marking business, really any business. I will be reading to improve myself and my world. Maybe some yoga or dancing. Hopefully I will be experiencing a little love from a community in a virtual world…and I want to share it all with whomever is willing to read. Oh, and maybe an entertainment review now and again.

It won’t be too long or toooo serious. Just Pieces of Life, Made Extraordinary!

So, this is “About Me.”