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10.26.2006 Seven Weeks -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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It's been seven long weeks, more or less, that I haven't blogged. Not because I didn't want to. Not because there's nothing to say. Not because I'm lazy (well, a little, but not the way you think). REAL Quixtar Blog is being rebuilt and readied for deployment SOON. I got some IT people to help me start over design-wise and add some nifty new features (yes, comments will be open, RSS, trackbacks, etc.). All of my archival copy has been moved over already and everything I write now will need to be moved over later. That's the part about me being lazy. I'm loathe to add new content that I'll later have to move. Oh well.
Lots of stuff going on here in my little corner of Quixtar. Recently we hired a new Spanish Editor, Paula Otero. We're looking forward to her taking our Spanish communications to a new level for the many Hispanic IBOs in the Quixtar business. One of our writers, Katie, had a baby last month. Ava Donovann was the little girl's name. I like the name because it's very unique ... not likely to run into another Ava Donovann in your lifetime, you know what I mean?? All of us in the Communications Division had to move our offices the last week of September, and already next week we need to move again so that the workers can tear down where we're currently at. I'm told I'll be able to move into my newly reconstructed office by mid-December.
Of course, I won't be around much that time of year. As it currently stands, I will be out of the office at Achievers for two weeks following Thanksgiving, and then speaking at a Direct Selling Association conference the week following Achievers. I'm also considering dropping in at the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) conference in D.C. that same week, since the DSA conference also is in D.C.
Conner's soccer season is coming to a close (he scored his first goal this week!) and Amanda's cheer squad rooted the football team on to a 6-3 record in the Grand Rapids City League, helping them qualify for Michigan high school post-season (where they won't last very long). Conner and Dillon are planning on playing a song or two together at an upcoming coffee house, which should be fun. Jack is just Jack.
The other day here at Quixtar we welcomed Asafa Powell, the world's fastest man, who has run the 100 meter at 9.77 seconds three separate times the past two seasons. Asafa will appear in an upcoming Newsweek ad as Nutrilite's spokesman. And speaking of ads, Quixtar has been featured on network and cable TV as part of the "Land of Will" ads developed by Element 79. I also like the Nutrilite ads that have been appearing.
Alright, that's enough catching up for now. I'll save some stuff for when my new blog FINALLY gets launched. Hopefully before I move into my new office in December ... about seven weeks from now. Mmmmm..... -- Kia
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8.30.2006 Anniversaries & Birthdays -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Lately I've been personally involved in lots of celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries. All that cake and ice cream is bringing me down!
My oldest brother just turned 50, and we gathered together in Canada as a family to celebrate his big day. It was a nice little end-of-summer family reunion that allowed me to catch up with brothers, sister, dad and some of my cousins.
This Friday is Quixtar's 7th birthday! At times it seems like yesterday that we launched the Quixtar site and the Quixtar opportunity alongside the Amway business in North America, and at other times it seems like ages ago. I was in a meeting the other day talking about how amazed we all were back here at the corporation when Quixtar overwhelmingly became the business opportunity of choice among new and existing IBOs in less than three years, leading to the discontinuance of the Amway business brand in the U.S. and Canada.
Some of the people I work with here at Quixtar also are celebrating birthdays and employment anniversaries here, which has upped the celebration element. In fact, on Friday there's a birthday party for one of them who is celebrating her 50th. I hope it's not a surprise, because she might read this! I don't think it is, because I'm thinking that she hates surprises. On the same day, another staff member celebrates 9 years with the Alticor family of companies. Compared to many that work here in Ada, he's still a rookie (as am I after nearly 15 years!).
My son Dillon turns 9 in just a few weeks, so we're shopping around for electric guitars. Let me know if you have a good used one for sale! Last year he received his first accoustic guitar and a year's worth of lessons. He has truly applied himself to learning his instrument and has impressed us mightily with his skills (as has his older brother Conner, who started drumming just six months before that). Now I just need to get Jack a bass guitar and we've got the beginnings of our own version of Hanson.
Occasions like these always provide good opportunities to review where you've been and envision what's possible for the future. A work anniversary (or the anniversary of when you got into the business) allows you to mark your career progress and think about what you want to accomplish in the year ahead. A birthday provides that same opportunity, but on a broader scale. What am I doing with my life? What do I still want to do!? And a corporate milestone like the one Quixtar celebrates this week is just one more opportunity to see all that's changed over the past 7 years and where this company needs to go to live up to its promise of being the best business opportunity possible. I like the progress I've seen and can't wait for the many positive changes in the Quixtar business yet to come! -- Kia
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8.22.2006 Recognition -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Whew! It was hot out there! Just got back to my desk from being outside in front of Quixtar HQ to welcome several busloads of new Platinum IBOs who are here for their New Platinum Conference. In fact, I'm a little sweaty. I know, very gross. But it's worth it to recognize the accomplishments of all of those hard-working IBOs who have achieved their first significant level of achievement. It's hard not to be moved about how this business changes lives as wave upon wave of new IBOs walk up to the front doors, crowds of employees on either side hooting and hollering and waving signs and balloons. Representing a wide range of ethnicities and geography, the Quixtar business is on the grow!
Last night I was at the Product Expo held for this same group of IBOs. At that event I was able to talk one-on-one with many of them, talking about our web sites, our magazines, and our upcoming ad campaign. Two common themes were repeated over and over: the IBOs are very appreciative of everything Quixtar does for them and are hungry to learn more about our products and programs. Why? Because they feel like they've just gotten started and are ready to grow their business more, for themselves and for the others they've introduced to the Quixtar business.
I was also struck by the entrepreneurial spirit of our IBOs. At the Platinum level, many of our IBOs remain involved in other careers as well. I had a great conversation with one of the couples here from the Dominican Republic, who then tried to convince me to come visit them for a hair transplant. The coworker in my booth had to take a walk before he cracked up, as a broad smile was frozen to my face. Yes, I think I'm finally coming to grips with the fact that, way up top, where I can't see it in the mirror, my extrafine hair is thinning. Sigh. But I'm not getting a hair transplant. Although, if I were to consider it, apparently it's much cheaper to have this done in the Dominican Republic. Like, 30 percent of what it costs here, and that includes the travel and stay in Santo Domingo.
IBOs were genuinely excited about Success From Home magazine and how they've used that publication to tell the Quixtar story to their prospects. They also were pretty geeked about the new "Facts about Quixtar" DVD many of them had received in the mail, and how that will help them answer the questions they get when presenting the Quixtar opportunity to their friends and family. That DVD is on advance order now, and the streaming video will soon be available at the revamped Quixtar Facts web site.
In about an hour I'm leaving to bring my son Dillon to camp. It's his first time going to camp, so he's very excited (but nervous). I think he'll have a great time (and I'll be watching the camp's web site for the daily pictures they post). And next week he and his brothers and sister are back to school. NOOOOO!!!! Summer can't be over so soon, can it? Well, I'm ready to enjoy as many sunny days as Michigan will provide us. I hope where you are it's sunny too! -- Kia
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8.15.2006 Success 2006 -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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In my role as a manager, I often work with staff on setting goals and achieving them through their work here in Quixtar Communications. Invariably, one of the things we talk about is their "life balance" and how their job helps them achieve that. We never want a person's job here to cause undue pressure and stress on their family, for instance, which means when an employee frequently works overtime we need to find ways to cut back on that. Also, we often talk about having a positive attitude. Frankly, a very skilled person will only go so far here if they have a poor attitude, and a person with enthusiasm and a positive nature can make up for many other shortcomings.
Two quotes are currently posted on my wall. The first, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, says "Nothing great was ever acheived without enthusiasm." The other, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, says "Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm." I like them because I truly believe this to be the case. Of course, as a person of faith, I personally believe there are other important factors in a person's life beyond attitude. Of course, these are factors that aren't appropriately shared in a manager-employee relationship. The numbers in a recent study I found do point to the importance of some of these things, however.
In the Summer issue of the relaunched Success Magazine, a survey conducted by Sabatier Consulting share the following highlights. For instance, "faith" was considered the "single most important element for success" by 41% of respondents, compared to 25.5% who believe family is the most important element and 11.7% for "balanced life." Another surprising finding is that among survey respondents, only 3.4% believe that education is one of the most important determiners of who will be successful. Hard Work/Determination came in at 11.2% and Integrity came in at 18%. A whopping 58.9% said that Attitude/Motivation were most important to achieving success. It is no wonder that so many people value the motivational aspects involved in the Quixtar business.
The "top ingredients" for success were listed as Happiness (79.3%), Family (73.8%), Faith (73.3%), Health (72.4%), and Balanced Life (71.9%). Prosperity, apparently, was waaaaaay down the list. That point is further borne out in the finding that 60% of respondents believe that "success in business" means "adding value to the lives of others" versus the paltry 18.8% who believe that success in business means "making a lot of money." I think a lot of people would be happy to note that, in the Quixtar business, you can't achieve the financial rewards anyway without first adding value to the lives of others.
Success in Quixtar is more than just the size of the check. It is comprised of many factors, and that includes life balance and community, helping others while helping yourself. It's about living a more healthy lifestyle. It's about creating a lifestyle where your family can see you more than your co-workers. It's about, well ... I guess everyone's definition off success will differ and I shouldn't speak so definitively. Let's just say that, regardless of what your definition is, it's probably possible to achieve that with a Quixtar business. That's readily apparent when you listen to the interviews at www.ThisBizNow.com or read the articles in the June 2006 issue of Success From Home. I hope you are successful in all that you do! -- Kia
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8.8.06 Traditions -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Wow. It's been a couple weeks since I blogged here. A lot has been going on, including a wonderful week of relaxation at the cottage up on Crystal Lake (between Shelby and Hart, MI). This was the eighth time in nine years we've been at the same cottage, even though we've really outgrown it as a family. After last year we were thinking out loud about getting a bigger cottage on a bigger lake (Michigan) which was met by the outcries of our children, and one in particular. If he were even aware of "Fiddler on the Roof," Conner might have yelled out "Tradition!"
Traditions like fishing from our dock as the sun sets over the tiny lake, the water becoming crystal-smooth (hence its name). Like making s'mores over the fire and taking the paddleboat out to "Adventure Island." Like buying Bumbleberry Pie at a local bakery and visiting Hart's Pizza. Like hitting the Silver Lake Dunes with Mac Wood and then going for a twisty cone at the Whippy Dip. Like heading up to Pentwater and Ludington to shop at Gordy's and eat fresh taffy off the pull. We decided to keep the traditions alive for another year at the same cottage, but we also reminded Conner and his siblings that just because we might go to a different cottage doesn't mean we can't do all of those same things. Well, it might be rough taking a paddleboat out on Lake Michigan.
The Quixtar business has a lot of traditions, many of them harking back to the old Amway business. Some things that were part of the Amway tradition have gone away with the move to a new business model. Practices like "Breaking the Kit" maybe aren't as prevalent. I remember my aunt and uncle delivering Amway products to our home in Canada one Saturday each month. SA8 and Dish Drops and LOC out of the back of their station wagon. That's a tradition that is gone, for the most part, replaced by customers getting products direct from the company via one of many delivery services.
Some things have not changed, however, and that includes the community atmosphere enjoyed by IBOs. Certainly there aren't as many opportunities to meet during product pick-up day, but IBOs still thrive when they get together often to encourage, support, share, teach and learn from each other. The inevitable questions about how things are going with the business adds an accountability aspect to the Quixtar business that many other small business owners just don't have. How often does a small shop owner have a large group of people they can go to for advice and active support? Quixtar IBOs have that, and often it is much more than that. Lifelong friendships are formed in this business. I see that everytime I'm at Achievers or at another IBO event. Warm greetings. Just hanging out with friends and enjoying each others' company. How often does a business let you do that?!
Anyway, we might switch to a larger cottage next year and, if we do, we'll try to keep the best things from our past cottage experiences and learn some new things to do as well. But one thing won't change, and that's the value of the time we spend together as a family and the memories we build together. I hope you're having a great summer too! -- Kia
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7.20.2006 The WHOLE Story -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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When I was going to Loyalist College back in the 1980s, I lived at home in Trenton and drove the 10 miles to campus every day. On Nov. 26, 1984, I got into an accident. I was driving down a four-lane highway and, as I was checking my rearview mirrors to see if I could switch lanes, the car in front of me slowed down quickly. When my eyes came forward, I saw that she already was nearly stopped and I slammed on the brakes and spun my wheel to the right. The road was covered with a thin sheen of ice and I just slid and slid into her.
She already had her wheels oriented to make a left turn, so after impact her car slid on the ice into the two lanes of oncoming traffic. She was hit head on by another car (that then slid toward mine and almost hit me again). She was then hit by two other cars. The girl driving the car did suffer some whiplash and left by ambulance. Fortunately, everyone else was fine. A couple people that had been driving cars behind mine offered words of support, saying they had a difficult time stopping that quickly too and almost rear-ended me. To this day I don't know how the girl in front of me stopped so quickly when nobody else seemed to be able to do so. I think she must have been downshifting or something.
Anyway, I was charged with "following too close" by the OPP officer, who gave me a choice between that or "reckless driving." Being a dumb kid, I didn't fight the charge, even though I felt that this was a no-fault situation. I took my lumps and figured that was the end of it. A year later the lawsuit arrived.
I was sued for $250,000 (which, back then, was a much bigger sum than it seems today). In the suit, I was referred to as "Miss" Robin Luymes. I was accused of driving under the influence, of driving a faulty vehicle, of recklessness, and a host of other things. Essentially, the plaintiff and her lawyer threw a lot of mud against the wall to see what would stick. My insurance company assigned me a lawyer, who said the lawyers would meet, a settlement offer of $10,000 would be made, and that would be the end of it (which is exactly how it went down).
Today, if one of my critics took that public filing and put it up on a website, they'd be sharing the (false) allegations that I was a drunken, reckless driver of an unsafe bucket of bolts, rather than a young, inexperienced (sober) driver on my way to school in my dad's two-tone green Mercury Monarch in perfect condition. (The accident occurred on my dad's birthday, which is why the date is indelibly etched in my memory.) If following the pattern of some others on the web, my critic would leave the complaint up on a website indefinitely and without any type of update indicating how the issue was finally resolved.
I think the practice of using legal complaints as "proofs" is ridiculous. People can (and do) say just about anything in a complaint. This is why we have due process.
When you are operating an opinion site, however, the true story has little to do with what you include or exclude on your web pages. In fact, that's true for many news organizations, too. Like the Dateline piece about Quixtar. Lots of information and data provided by the company to the producers never made it to the TV screen because it did not fit the preconceived "story" they had before they even approached us to participate.
And here's the rest of the story. Critics are right that I'm not going to go into details about what's wrong with our business model or our products or our company in this blog. This company is not perfect and the business model at times allows for practices I'd rather see discontinued. Also, I'm not a fan of all of our products. That said, my focus is on what we're doing to make our business better, and not on which strands in our overall fabric are weak. -- Kia
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7.18.2006 Relationships -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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As discussed in earlier posts, there are many ways to describe the Quixtar business. One thing that really characterizes this business, however, is human interaction. Sure, that's true to some extent with any business. You buy coffee from a particular Starbucks enough, you get to know the guy handing you your Latte. Maybe you have a favorite mechanic, the only guy you'll trust your car with. But usually they don't give you an opportunity to be in business with them, and usually you don't spend much time hanging out with them after buying your daily cup or getting your quarterly oil change.
If you have a job, however, you likely work with people. Some you like, some you don't. Often, people spend more time with their co-workers than they do with their own family members (hmmm ... that's one of the top reasons many IBOs say they start their own Quixtar business). Your experience on the job can be positive or negative depending on who you work with. It also can be positive or negative based on what that work is. And finally, it can be positive or negative based on expectations heaped on you by your management or your customers or by your peers or regulators.
It is no surprise to me, then, that there are lots of people who have negative comments about their personal experiences in the Quixtar business. Was it who they worked with? I've heard the stories. Was it the kind of work that turned them off? In lots of cases, yeah. Maybe it was the expectations they had for themselves or placed on them by others (fairly or not) that made them decide to discontinue their Quixtar business. It happens. It's happened to me. How about regulatory environment? If you can't do the Quixtar business the way you want due to rules and regulations, you might quit (or be asked to leave).
When I was in college, I went to work one summer for a roofing company. The guy I worked for was a ranting, raving lunatic who treated his crews very badly. Some people stuck with him because they didn't have a lot of options. I quit after a couple weeks ... right after he spent a half hour chewing me out because I supposedly had wrecked the transmission on his old work truck (I'd driven it once, about two weeks earlier). I was on a roof and he was yelling at me from the ground. I simply walked to the other side of the roof and he had to run around to the other side of the house. I'll never forget making him run around the house to yell at me.
I went to work for another construction company where I was treated with respect, where I liked the people I worked with, and was given a company truck to drive back and forth from home to work. I was happy to work for that company for a couple years until I graduated from college. We parted on good terms, and I still have nothing but good things to say about that former employer.
In my role here at Quixtar, I oversee a group of writers and editors. Sometimes, a member of my staff will have issues with a co-worker, whether that be an art director, a project manager, a marketer, or another editorial staff member. SO MUCH TIME is spent on repairing human relationships. But it's worth it, especially when a productive relationship can be restored. Sometimes, no amount of time will help two people work productively together. At times, this means someone leaves the company -- of their own volition or not. I do not doubt that some of the people who leave our organization, for whatever reason, badmouth it after they're gone. It's not usually in our nature to admit that things didn't work out because of our own actions. It MUST have been something wrong with the company, right?
With hundreds of thousand of people in the Quixtar business, there are countless human interactions. There WILL be many occasions where people leave as a result of some of those interactions. And there WILL continue to be hundreds of thousands who remain in the Quixtar business because of those interactions. People who leave shouldn't be surprised that so many stay in Quixtar, and people in Quixtar shouldn't be surprised that there are people out there upset with the business. It's really just human nature at work, isn't it? We don't all have the same tastes. We don't all have the same attitudes. We don't all like to work the same way.
Some people thrive in the military, some hate it. Some love sales, others don't have the knack (I sure don't). Some of us are people persons, some would rather be left alone. Some of us learn better through experiences, others like textbooks. It does take all kinds of people to make our society work. And we're not all going to be friends and get along.
I applaud everyone out there taking steps to build (or repair) relationships every day. -- Kia
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7.12.2006 Inside Quixtar Blog -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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I loved Beth's post yesterday at Inside Quixtar, and not just because I loved the PeeWee Herman show. She talks about how Quixtar describes itself and all of the struggles that entails. She talked about Tri-Digital Commerce and I had a good chuckle. I had forgotten about that unfortunate chapter in corporate branding.
When reading it, I realized Beth was essentially blogging about the same topic I covered a few weeks ago (6.29.2006) after attending the WOMMA conference. But Beth actually takes a stab at creating a defining statement of what Quixtar is. I'm really not as bold as she to do that, because I think Quixtar can be a lot of different things depending on your perspective. But you can read more about that in the post below.
I also had to laugh a little about Beth's attempts to become known as Elizabeth, thinking it sounds more professional. My name, meanwhile, has caused me other problems. First, as a male with the name Robin, I'm often on the receiving end of junk mail addressed to Ms. or Mrs. Arggggggh. But it is my name, and I've never really attempted to change what people call me, which would have been easy to do. Rob or Bob come to mind. But I never have, even though I've often wished my name was different. One time I introduced myself as Robin to someone I had just met, and he replied, "Rob?"
"No, Robin." He looked at me and said, "So, you go by Bob then?" At which point I became insulted. I know there's not a lot of Robin role models here in America. The classic "Hey Robin, where's Batman?" and became old when I was still a kid growing up in Canada. There is Robin Williams, of course, but for some reason more people think of Robin Leach when they think of famous Robins. The "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" host probably is the more appropriate reference point anyway. My parents, immigrants from the Netherlands, gave most of their kids proper English names (Richard, Martin, Robin), since Canada still remains under heavy English influence. Only my oldest brother was stuck with a traditional family name from the old country. Sorry Herman.
Anyway, I am who I am. For critics who continue to claim I'm "anonymous" because I use the Kia name here, please refer to the "About REAL Quixtar Blog" page on the left. Have a great day! -- Kia
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7.11.2006 Oh oh.... -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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When I was in Wisconsin visiting my wife's family over the long weekend recently, Uncle Lee shared the story of Great Uncle Delma (sp.?) who once came to Racine for his summer vacation. Delma, an Iowan farmer, arrived in dress pants and shirt, but when informed they would all be going to visit the zoo, he quickly got "dressed up" in his finest pair of jean overalls.
At the zoo, they were standing outside the tiger's cage. The tiger's tail was swishing outside the bars of the cage (I'm sure they've upgraded to plexiglass since then). Jokingly, Delma said, "I've always wanted to grab a tiger by the tail," and he did. He quickly let go when the tiger spun around and lashed out with a claw.
Did I just grab a tiger by the tail? Anyone who has surfed the web even a little searching for Quixtar information is aware of those with websites critical of the Quixtar business opportunity. At times those websites can be filled with uninformed vitriol. At other times, they host a dialog about the business that helps inform everyone about what are and are not best practices in the Quixtar business.
For years we have monitored these sites. On a few occasions the company (often through me) would respond with our version of a story, only to have whatever correspondence we provided picked apart line by line, accompanied by tomes of commentary (including unsubstantiated or highly opinionated content). We then entered a period where we didn't want to "dignify" the critics' content with public response, instead allowing the public dialog to be what it may, and corresponding directly with website operators when we had issues with the veracity of certain pieces of information or use of copyrighted materials. More recently, the company has become a little more aggressive on this front. Perhaps we will become even more aggressive in asserting ourselves in the web dialog.
Today I commented at Robert Scoble's Scobleizer blog about his piece on Quixtar and its approach to online critics. I then responded at one of our critic's sites on a post about Scoble's piece. A new day is dawning? Maybe. We'll see if the dialog is productive or if it turns into a cacaphony of mindless insults hurled at the company and its IBOs. As I've stated here before, my intent with this blog is to provide a positive viewpoint (from a corporate perspective) that cannot be obtained on many of our critics' sites. Where people send me email (see "Contact Kia" on the left) I try to be responsive and, if I can, share that dialog through this blog.
Oh, and FYI, there's more coming soon for those more interested in the most common form of blogging, which includes full use of readers' comments. Have a great night! -- Kia
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7.7.2006 Word Of Mouth -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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As I mentioned last week, I recently attended a Word Of Mouth Marketing Association conference in San Francisco, called WOMBAT2. Desipite the somewhat silly name (short for Word of Mouth Basic Training), it was a rich conference in terms of content. Preeminent corporate blogger Robert Scoble and his Naked Conversations co-author Shel Israel were among the keynote speakers. Frankly, their presentation was a little lame because all they did was recount the story of how he broke down barriers as a Microsoft blogger and started Channel 9. Not that it's not a fascinating story; I just wish they'd shared more practical tips and best practices. Also, because both of them shared a 45-minute timeslot, they kind of fought for the spotlight.
Emanuel Rosen, author of The Anatomy of Buzz, also presented and he was excellent. He talked a lot about different ways buzz is generated in the marketplace and how companies or organizations can create it. The primary way, of course, is to have a noteworthy product for people to talk about!
Other speakers included Jackie Huba, author of Creating Customer Evangelists, Paul Rand, Global Chief Development and Innovation Officer for Ketchum, Clark Benson, CEO of eCRUSH, Greg Thompson, Director of Communications for IBM, Pinny Gniwisch, VP-Marketing for Ice.com, John Bell, EVP/Creative Director at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, and many, many more.
It was a fascinating conference in other ways as well. So many of the people I talked to acknowledged Quixtar and Amway as pioneers and leaders in Word of Mouth Marketing. I was half expecting people to question why we would be interested in WOMMA, given that traditionally our "industry" was direct selling. I realize now, however, that the word-of-mouth efforts of IBOs over the past several decades have generated the kind of results that have more traditional marketing companies excited. They understand the power of the personal connections made by people like Quixtar's IBOs, and they understand that word-of-mouth can be a much more effective way to generate sales. Many complained that word-of-mouth didn't get the kind of budget it deserved, with corporate leaders still entrenched in traditional advertising.
I guess that's why Quixtar's word-of-mouth has been successful. We reward those spreading our message -- Quixtar IBOs. That's not easy for other traditional companies to do. You can't spend that heavily on advertising AND reward people enough to share your product or opportunity with their friends and family. This goes back to Quixtar's founding, when the decision was made that we wouldn't advertise. I believe we will be doing some ads pretty soon, to generate higher awareness of the Quixtar brand, but the rewards we pay IBOs will still constitute the majority of our marketing spend. That's good news for IBOs! Hope you have a great weekend! -- Kia
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6.29.2006 Quixtar? MLM? H&B? WOM? -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Lots of people have tried to describe Quixtar's business model in lots of different ways. For some reason, the final explanation always seems to be lacking because this business is so multi-faceted. There's a lot of different ways to look at this elephant. Like the blind men who feel different parts of the pachyderm and arrive at different conclusions about what they're feeling (i.e., the one feeling a leg thinks it's a tree, the one feeling the tail thinks it's a rope, the one feeling the trunk thinks it's a snake), experiencing Quixtar requires a little time and investigation -- of ALL of its components.
So, what is Quixtar? Is it an online Health & Beauty company? Well, it is the online sales leader for health and beauty products. But that only accounts for what we sell (for the most part) and the primary way people order products. It doesn't speak to the nature of how people are introduced to our products.
Is Quixtar an MLM (multi-level marketing) company? Yes, Quixtar has a MLM compensation program that rewards IBOs for building business organizations that create sales volume. But that moniker only addresses how compensation is handled. Is Quixtar a Direct Seller? Yes, it is a member of the Direct Selling Association and has traditionally been considered a leader in direct sales, where individuals market products to their friends, neighbors, acquaintances and others. I was at the DSA annual meeting earlier this month and it was a great time to share experiences with other direct selling companies with similar business challenges and successses. But a Quixtar business is more than just directly selling products, since a large component is sharing the business opportunity with others and supporting the business-building efforts of others you've registered as IBOs.
Is Quixtar a Word of Mouth Marketing company? I went to a conference last week held by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and there were a lot of good sessions that directly apply to our company and industry. Yes, Quixtar relies heavily on Word of Mouth marketing and the referrals of others. We've long known that people trust the recommendations of other people more than they trust advertising or other forms of marketing. Again, though, Word of Mouth only covers one aspect of our business.
For a few years now we've used our own invention -- I-commerce -- to describe an Internet business for Individuals powered by Quixtar's Infrastructure and the Quixtar Independent Business Owner Compensation Plan. It's a mouthful and lots of people don't know what that means.
So, how do you answer the question? A, B, C or D? Or, is it all of the above? I say it's all of the above and more. Quixtar almost defies definition. It's about high-quality products, particularly health and beauty products. It's about opportunity for people of all walks of life. It's about sales and marketing, sure, but it's also about human development. In short, we're a health and beauty business opportunity that empowers people. But even that description has many shades and nuances that you discover over months and years of involvement. I think that keeps the business exciting for IBOs. Early on they may view it simply as a sales channel, but over a longer period of time their understanding becomes much deeper and nuanced, based on their experiences.
I've been with Quixtar and sister company Amway for nearly 15 years now, and I still learn new things every day about this business. I think that's exciting and it keeps me coming back for more. -- Kia
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6.12.2006 Shifting the Chairs -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Quixtar Inc. is going through a change and I'm becoming VERY impatient. In the five years I've been located here at Quixtar Headquarters on Spaulding Avenue, I've been in four different offices, not including the couple of weeks I was relocated to a conference room while repairs were being made to the concrete block walls they built back in 2000 to carve out space from the warehouse to house the Quixtar hordes.
For more than a year we've talked about a large-scale shift in office space ... ever since Customer Support staff were combined at what is now known as Quixtar East. Here at Quixtar HQ, the extra space has been a boon for all of us crammed into too-tight quarters for too long. The new Aeron chairs that we all received (except for the few who chose the Steelcase Leap chair) have been nice, but progress on new cubicle kingdoms has been excruciatingly slow. First they redid Finance. Like eons ago. Beautiful new color schemes. Newly fabricked walls. Interesting new layouts.
Then they did IT, who seem to have been in their new area forever now. I especially like the new "enclave" conference rooms with the full glass walls. They truly make the team meetings seem like a "living museum" experience with passersby observing strange rituals of the corporate world.
Now they've ripped apart all of Sales and half of Marketing, who are now all occupying the cubicles adjacent to Communications. It kind of feels like a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation scenario, with all of the relatives staying with us (except in this case it's for more than a weekend, and nobody's actually dumping their RV toilet chemicals in the bathroom sink).
Initially they had planned to have Communications -- the last group to be done -- in June, maybe July. When people asked me, I said that it would probably happen in Junelygust ... giving the Erector Set Crew a generous window of opportunity to meet expectations. I fear now that it won't be til August. This is especially true since the Communications move -- Phase 5 according to the plan -- is actually divided into two separate phases, and I'm in Phase 5b. Guh.
The problem, for me, is that I LIKE to move. I LIKE the change of scenery. My mind has already moved on, but my physical surroundings haven't changed. I always feel that way with cars, too. Once my mind has moved on to the concept of a new or different car, I really begin to not like the one I have. Which also is a problem, because I tend to drive the cars I own til they die ... which can take years.
I do get excited about changes in the Quixtar business, too. I love seeing how the opportunity can shift with new products or new business programs. I get excited when things like Success From Home and www.thisbiznow.com provide new ways for IBOs to share the Quixtar story with prospective IBOs. I love it when publications like Achieve and What You Want evolve to reflect the changing needs of our business. So many people sent in positive comments about the latest edition of Achieve and how cool the cover story was. I agree and am thrilled for the staff I work with who do such an awesome job every day.
The Quixtar Connections event held in GR this past weekend was another great reminder of the wonderful new directions this business is headed. I met hundreds of exciting, energetic people who are committed to building businesses that will stand the test of time. I conducted interviews for ThisBizNow.com and heard (again) the many ways Quixtar has helped improve people's lives.
OK, I guess I'll just lean back in the Aeron chair (from Herman Miller, based in Zeeland, Mich., just a half-hour away) and apply myself and delay my office move gratification another day... or another month. Or two. But I know it will happen! -- Kia
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6.09.2006 Quixtar Still #1 -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Internet Retailer's "Top 500" Guide of the top retail web sites has come out and Quixtar remains the online sales leader in the Health & Beauty category. This marks the third straight year that Quixtar has earned this designation.
The Guide does point out increasing competition, however, as Quixtar slipped to #20 on the list of all retail web sites. Actually, it was less a matter of Quixtar slipping, since online sales increased a tad, and more a result of strong sales growth (or mergers and acquisitions) on the part of a few other companies. Also, some of Quixtar's Health and Beauty competitors are closing the gap, including #25 Avon (whose ranking was based on Internet Retailer estimates).
In the Top 500, 17 retailers were placed in the Health and Beauty category, generating sales of about $1.75 billion. Quixtar accounted for more than 40% of the sales generated by those 17 retailers. That's an incredible accomplishment and it's all due to the hard work of IBOs who daily register new IBOs and customers at www.quixtar.com.
In another study published by Internet Retailer, Quixtar bucked an industry trend by increasing its "satisfaction score" over the previous year. ForeSee Results and FGI Research created its second annual "Top 40 Online Retail Satisfaction Index" and Quixtar increased its score from 76 to 78. Meanwile, the aggregate satisfaction score for the top 40 sales sites slipped 1.3% from the year before.
Sounds like Quixtar's headed in the right direction by increasing satisfaction of browsers visiting its site. Meanwhile, however, there's work to be done to maintain the company's leadership in the Health and Beauty category and keep pace with the rapidly growing e-commerce field. As I've heard so often in meetings with IBOs, "Let's get 'er done!" -- Kia
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5.25.2006 Making Connections -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Lots of people here are gearing up for a busy season of events. We have two separate New Platinum Conferences coming to GR this summer, as well as the Quixtar Connections event that will feature Amway founder Rich DeVos. Anytime Rich speaks, it's a treat for Quixtar IBOs and employees.
I'm looking forward to the event, at DeVos Place on June 10, because it's always a great opportunity to interact with IBOs and find out what we're doing right here at the corporation and what they think we could do better. Specifically, I'll be there to talk to people about ThisBizNow.com and Success From Home magazine. Both are proving to be excellent resources for IBOs to tell the company and business opportunity story. ThisBizNow continues to be one of the top traffic sites in the Quixtar family of web properties, and Success From Home magazine continues to sell briskly, both at newsstands and from the company.
Another exciting story here at Quixtar is the endorsement deal with Asafa Powell, who shares the distinction of being the World's Fastest Man with Justin Gatlin. Asafa set the record last summer that Justin recently matched. When Asafa set the record last June, he noted that the only major change he had made in his training regimine was that he began taking Nutrilite Double X. They finally meet head-to-head in the U.K. on June 11, I think, although both also will be racing at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend. This really is shaping up as a great rivalry! Go Asafa!! -- Kia
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5.1.2006 Success From Home -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Today the June issue of Success From Home hits newsstands and consumers across the U.S. and Canada will see the excited faces of IBO leaders Claude Hamilton and Mark Crawford kayaking off the cover. It's a very dynamic cover for an exciting magazine packed full of articles about Quixtar, Quixtar IBOs, and the products and opportunity they bring to the marketplace. This magazine will be an exciting business-building tool for IBOs, as it tells the company's story in a very appealing way and exposes IBO prospects to a lot of people with whom they can identify. People like ...
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Don and Nancy Wilson, formerly a high school teacher and registered nurse, who built their business so they could take control of their financial future and spend more time with family.
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Sergio and Charo Rivera, who built a successful Amway business in Mexico before moving to Chicago to do it all over again with Quixtar.
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David Humphrey, a physician distressed by the "medical alphabet soup" of HMOs, PPOs and other managed care providers. With his wife, April, he built a business that could replace his income from practicing medicine and join the lifestyle he was providing for his family.
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Paul Chau, a professional violinist.
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Tim Foley, a member of the perfect Miami Dolphins team of the early 1970s.
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Corporate leaders Frank and Barbara Morales.
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Army doctor George Goodwin.
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Chinese acupuncturist Melody Lu Clegg.
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Many, many more.
I think you get the picture. People from many different backgrounds have found what they're looking for in a Quixtar business of their own. Supported by products like Artistry® Skin Care and Cosmetics, NAO never accept ordinary® cosmetics, Nutrilite® supplements (and the new Personalized Health program), XS® sports nutrition and much, much more.
Want to find out how Quixtar helps others? Check out the One By One article about Quixtar's support for Easter Seals and the U.S. Dream Academy. How does the company support IBOs? There's an article about that. How about the voice of the IBOs? There's a story about that, too. In short, if there's some aspect of our business you want to know about, there's a good chance it's in the June issue of Success From Home.
Added benefits include articles from Rudy Giuliani on Leadership, Tony Jeary on Presentation Skills, and Ellen Ensher and Susan Murphy on Power Mentoring. What's not to love!
The magazine sells for $5.95 at Barnes & Noble, Borders and other bookstores and newsstands. You can buy it from Quixtar for $5 per issue when ordering a 10-pack, or $4 per issue when ordering 100 or more. Also, some IBO organizations are selling it, too, and may provide other pricing options.
By the end of the month, Spanish and Korean versions of this same magazine will be available from Quixtar. These special editions will have four additional stories about IBOs from those cultures. This will be a great tool for IBOs working within these dynamic North American sub-cultures.
IBOs across North America have enjoyed tremendous success from home with their Quixtar businesses. Now they can share that message by sharing copies of Success From Home. Have a great day! -- Kia
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4.13.2006 What's the frequency, Kenneth? -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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I'm a quote collector. People have different hobbies and often that involves the collection of something. In my case, I don't actually have a drawer full of quotes, but I do cut out or print off quotes that I find particularly clever or apt for various situations. Perhaps it's the English major in me, or the fact that I wrote for a newspaper and was always on the lookout for a good quote from my interview subjects. In the past few weeks I've posted a couple outside my office. I don't exactly know why. I just like them.
One is from H.L. Mencken, the famous newspaperman and commentator. "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." It's a reminder to me that the solutions I often dream up and think of as pure genius may in fact be complete bunk. I'm sure you may have felt the same at some point.
Another comes from Hubert Humphrey, Vice President in the Lyndon B. Johnson administration and failed Presidential candidate in 1968. "Propaganda, to be effective, must be believed. To be believed, it must be credible. To be credible, it must be true," he said. I like this one because it's a reminder to me in the work I do representing Quixtar and the opportunity and products it offers. Eventually, a lie will be unveiled as such and nobody trusts a liar. In this day and age, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction.
Here's one from the French journalist and Nobel Prize-winning author Albert Camus. "Integrity has no need of rules." That's a bold statement in a day and age where rules, well, rule. Our business certainly is rife with rules that try to create a level playing field for all IBOs and prevent anyone (and, since our business accepts just about everyone, I mean anyone) from engaging in activities that diminish the opportunity for others. But imagine a world where integrity ruled, and people did what was right and not just what works. I think we try to do that here on a daily basis and I know the same is true for most of the IBOs I've met with in the past 15 years. For many of us, however, integrity is still about the Golden Rule. So I guess there is some room for good rules!
Well, it seems my penchance for good quotes is shared by others. Two more appeared on my walls anonymously (although the offender later came clean) this morning. The first is the famous quote from an assailant of CBS newsman Dan Rather, who punched him from behind, threw him to the ground, and proceeded to beat on him while asking him "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" This bizarre quotation, made famous by an R.E.M. song of the same name, shouldn't diminish the fact that Dan came up with many fantastic quotes on his own over the years. Here are just a few:
** "Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic." Too true.
** "An intellectual snob is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of The Lone Ranger."
** "The Michigan Republican primary apparently is tighter than Willie Nelson's headband."
** "This reace . . . is hot and tight as a too-small bathing suit on a too-long car ride back from the beach."
** "This situation in Ohio would give an aspirin a headache."
** "In southern states they beat him like a rented mule."
** "What I say or do here won't matter much, nor should it." Nuff said.
I love Dan Ratherisms. He will be missed on the evening news, even if he did the unforgivable by hurting his credibility by going ahead with news material he knew was compromised if not outright false.
To wrap up this post, I'll share the last quote currently hanging on my wall, another product of my no-longer-anonymous spoofer: "You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose. But you can't pick your friend's nose." Uggg. -- Kia
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3.28.06 Where in the world is . . . -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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. . . Kia? On the road, apparently. To Chicago to meet with agencies. To Seattle to interview a delightful IBO couple for an upcoming DVD. And to Dallas to meet with the good folks working on the June issue of Success From Home magazine. March Madness for me has been a whirlwind, and I'm not talking about the NCAA basketball tournament (speaking of which, WHO would ever have picked the final foursome of UCLA, George Mason, Florida, and LSU? I picked Ill., Vill., Duke and the Zags).
And when not on the road, I've been up to my eyeballs in coordinating the interviews and support to Success From Home magazine, which is now in the final stages of development. Quixtar is featured in the June issue, which hits newsstands (like Barnes & Noble and Borders) across the U.S. and Canada on May 1. The magazine will include articles about Quixtar, its history, its products and its support for IBOs. It will include IBO features providing readers a view of some of the many different types of people who have found a home in the business. Also, it will include business advisors like Rudy Giuliani, Tony Jeary and more.
Meanwhile, we continue to conduct interviews for continued updates to www.ThisBizNow.com, where site visitors can hear what people in the business think of their Quixtar experience as well as many of our business partners and community leaders. It's a great resource for IBOs who are showing this business to prospective IBOs, as it provides a lot of facts and testimonials in a fun way.
Of course, there's much more in store for the upcoming months, but you'll all hear about that in other ways. Here's a fun thing that we heard about just today. Quixtar was recognized by IBM with an award! Quixtar is one of five IBM System i Innovation Award winners, winning the award bestowed in the Business Resiliency category. The award was received for Quixtar's development of a back-up system that ensures our business applications remain highly available to IBOs even when the site is meeting high customer demand. IBOs familiar with end-of-month business peaks know what we're talking about! It's great recognition for the incredible work of Quixtar's IT group, who perform internet miracles every day.
Well, I'm going to get back to exciting work of telling Quixtar's stories. I hope you're doing well and enjoying these first few weeks of spring! -- Kia
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2.24.06 Health Stats -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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I was reading the March issue of Fast Company and came across some interesting health statistics in their "By The Numbers" section. One is that, according to the Social Security Administration, the average life expectancy of a child born today in the U.S. is 77.3 years, up from 63.6 years if you were born in 1940. We're living longer lives! Hooray!!
But we're also much fatter. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average 10-year-old in 1965, when I was born, was 75.8 lb. Today the average 10-year-old is 86.4 lb. The average for Americans 50-59 years old increased from about 157 lb. in 1960 to 182 lb. today. Betweeen 1997 and 2003, the number of plastic surgeries nearly doubled, from 721,000 to 1.38 million. And the number of cardiac surgeries also went up, from 3.23 million to 3.55 million. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. prescriptions filled per capita increased from 7.7 in 1994 to 11.1 in 2003.
Health is a concern in the U.S. and Canada, obviously, and people are doing what they can. They're seeing their doctors, they're taking prescriptions, and they're getting surgical procedures that will extend their lives. They also want to look good longer, as would be indicated by the growth in plastic surgery procedures conducted. And, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, sales of vitamin and nutrition supplements have more than doubled in the past decade, rising from $9.45 billion in 1994 to nearly $21 billion last year.
All of that is good news for Quixtar IBOs, who represent Nutrilite vitamins and Artistry Skin Care and Cosmetics. Nutrilite leads the way as the leading multivitamin sold globally, and Artistry is a top-five prestige brand globally. Both are based on sound science and responsible practices. But you need to check out their web sites for all the details.
And now, with the approaching launch of our Personalized Health program, we'll be helping people identify their genetic predispositions to health issues so they can better tailor their nutritional programs. According to the National Library of Medicine, more than 1,600 genes have now been identified as being linked to diseases. I'm sure there's probably a couple of them floating around in my DNA.
Reading this one, single page in the March issue of Fast Company told me once again that IBOs plugged into the power of Quixtar and its Nutrilite and Artistry brands are in the right place at the right time. I hope you're plugged into a healthy and beautiful future for you! -- Kia
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2.9.06 Six More Weeks? -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Six more weeks of mild winter there will be. That was the pronouncement of Punxsutawney Phil last week. It's all in good fun, of course, because I've not yet heard of the school that admits rodents. As I leave the office each day, though, I'm encouraged that it's staying lighter longer. Spring is on the way! I'm a glass half-full kind of person, because I know there's strong potential for snow here in Michigan right into April. But my focus is beyond the next couple months and into the balmy days of my favorite season -- summer.
Many people I know are too mired down in their current situation to have a decent "long view." Their attitude is based on where they're at this minute, rather than where they're going. This is particularly important for IBOs. Being mired down in the present reality of the hard work of building a business can be draining. Keeping a daily focus on their goals can help keep proper perspective on the drudgeries of the day.
I'm looking forward to summer. But I won't put away my winter coat yet, even if the six weeks of winter (five now!) that remain will be mild. The forecast is for snow tomorrow. But I'm thinking sunny thoughts. Hope you are too! -- Kia
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1.30.06 Confessional -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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There have been numerous news reports about company policies on employees' use of tobacco. Here at Quixtar and parent company Alticor, smokers were relegated to the great outdoors, which would be reason enough for many to quit in Michigan's harsh winters. Some, however, still brave the elements.
As of January 1, however, Alticor and Quixtar are now smoke-free campuses. That means smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. Employees who continue to smoke must do so before or after work or by leaving the workplace at lunch. For many truly urban businesses, that would not be very difficult. With a complex the size of Alticor's located in a place like Ada, there really is no place to easily walk to to satisfy nicotine urges.
Suffice it to say, many have taken this opportunity to quit. Here's the confessional aspect of this post: that includes me. Smoking has been a lifelong battle for me. I embrace the new corporate policy as one more good reason to quit. Not that there aren't enough good reasons, from my health and the health of others to the cost to the image consequences. It was an aspect of my life of which I was not proud.
The key word is "was," since today marks four weeks of smoke-free living. They say that by now most people's New Year's Resolutions have been broken. Mine has not. It will continue to be a struggle. I've quit for much longer than this before only to return to the habit. I thank Alticor for making it much more difficult for that to occur again. So, I quit smoking. Maybe cutting back on coffee will be next. But not this year! -- Kia
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1.19.06 About Kia -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Before starting my entry today, I reviewed some of the things I've shared in the past year and a half. That's right, I've been doing this for 18 months! Some months have been better than others, obviously. There have been lots of success stories shared here. About employees, about IBOs, and about myself. Some might criticize me for not sharing all of the "bad stuff" that goes on. Personally, I'd rather dwell on the positive, and not just because that's my job here at Quixtar. It's also because I'm a "glass half-full" person who looks for the good in a situation or person first.
One thing I've not shared until now is my identity. I didn't because when this blog was started, it was supposed to represent the experiences of many. In the end, it really became a view of Quixtar from my personal and professional perspective. My nickname here with some co-workers really is Kia, because my penchant for trivial knowledge led to a "Know It All" reputation. In a good way, I hope. Not in the annoying "always have to be right" way (although I acknowledge I have to be on the guard against this!).
My plan is to update the "About REAL Quixtar Blog" page and its disclosures. When I do, you will have my full bio. Some have already guessed correctly who I am and to them I say, "Congratulations!" I'm glad I was able in some small way to be part of your online amusement! Over the many months, "Kia" has received many wonderful notes of encouragement, sharing personal experiences of growth and fulfillment in the Quixtar business. I've also received some criticisms.
For instance, some point out that, in their opinion, this isn't a real blog at all. They say it's not real if it doesn't allow visitors to post their own responses. I've always viewed this as a "web log" of employee experiences and wasn't really interested in turning this space into a place where I needed to constantly defend those experiences. There are many other places on the web for that. That said, I've provided opportunity for people to email me comments/questions so I could deal with them in this space. From time to time I have. So, is this a REAL Quixtar Blog or not? I believe it is. Some still contend it's not. Whatever.
Some think this is a poorly written blog. I've even heard someone say that out loud with a snicker. I'll admit that it may not be great writing, but it is from the heart. This isn't marketing copy that has gone through editors and rewrites. I sit down at my desk, write what I'm thinking, and push "send." I'd also like to point out that the web is rife with poor writing, poor thinking, and poor attitudes. I've seen (and heard) very poor attempts at podcasting conducted from garages or basements. I've seen and heard people who are simply FULL of themselves and their complete confidence that they have the corner on truth.
If I've been guilty of poor attempts at good content, I apologize. My main goal is to share my experiences with Quixtar IBOs and employees and to that end I think I've been very successful. That's what traffic data has told me. That's what people's comments have told me. That's even what critics' reactions to this blog have told me, whether that be outrage, commentary, or comedy.
My role here at Quixtar exposes me to some of the best this business has to offer and to some of its worst moments. After nearly 15 years, however, I can honestly say that the positives far outweigh the negatives in this business. After all, with arms wide open, this business welcomes everyone, regardless of their background. It embodies the true spirit of the American Dream, where people are given an equal opportunity to pursue their personal goals, with no artificial barriers put in their way. No degree required. No huge financial investment. No previous experience. Just effort and attitude. It's true that many people join and decide quickly (or after a valiant attempt) that the Quixtar business isn't for them. We're sorry to see them go, but we understand. It's a fact of life that this opportunity isn't something that everyone will enjoy. BUT, at least they were given the opportunity. Too many other doors are shut these days for people looking to get ahead.
I hope to continue to share with all of you the incredible experiences I've had as an employee of this great company. I'm proud to be part of this business and to support the efforts of IBOs across the U.S. and Canada. I hope all of you have a fantastic 2006! -- Kia
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1.4.06 A New Corporate Fiscal Year -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Happy New Year from the REAL Quixtar Blog. Hope your holidays went well!
My travels took me to family gatherings in Canada and Wisconsin. The "proportional valve" in our brake line went out on our minivan while in Wisconsin, which meant parts needed to be found in Chicago. My wife's back went out over the holidays, which meant it was a "boys only" trip to Canada. But the travels are done, the kids are back in school, the Christmas tree is on the curb, and I'm back at work.
One development is that Alticor and Quixtar are on new fiscal year calendar -- the calendar year. IBOs' will still operate their businesses on the Sept. 1-Aug. 31 fiscal year, however, and traditional timing for qualification and resulting rewards remains the same. Frankly, for IBOs this change should be fairly seamless. It really mostly affects employees' annual planning, reviews, and compensation.
A bigger change for some here at Quixtar (and all Alticor facilities in West Michigan) is the company's new "smoke-free campus" policy. Obviously, the company hasn't allowed smoking inside any building for many many years. But now smoking will not be allowed on company property -- period. Not in the parking lot. Not around the corner. Not on the lawn. The new policy likely will result in a strong decline in the number of smokers employed by the company. After all, we're a Health and Beauty business. Smoking makes you neither healthy nor beautiful, right?
What else is new? New faces, obviously. Jim Payne became new Managing Director of Quixtar last summer, and Rob Davidson recently joined the company as new VP--Sales & Marketing. Todd Krause became new Director--Sales in the fall after Larry Harper left to head up Sales & Marketing for Amway Latin America. We're awaiting word on a new Marketing executive, too.
We also did lots of new philanthropy in 2005 as part of the Alticor One By One campaign for children. That included new programs within our Easter Seals sponsorship, like the October 1 "Walk With Me" event at Fifth Third Ballpark in GR. Like the new sponsorship of the U.S. Dream Academy, headed up by Wintley Phipps. That organization helps kids of inmates with mentoring and educational services. Quixtar, Alticor, and IBOs raised more than $500,000 in cash for the American Red Cross following Hurricane Katrina, and provided a few million dollars' worth of products through a variety of organizations. And, in late December, Quixtar made a contribution of $2.2 million worth of toys to NBC's "Today Show" toy drive.
Does is sound like we've been busy? That's just the fun stuff. So much more is happening . . . you'll have to come back to read about that though!! Hope you have a fantastic 2006! -- Kia
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12.13.05 WHEW! The Whirlwind Tour -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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It's been a real whirlwind tour for me this past month. It all started with the U.S. Dream Academy trip, but lots more has happened since then. I traveled to California to meet with a potential product endorser who happens to hold a current world record in track. That's exciting. And if it happens, it will be an excellent story for one of our major product lines.
Then, of course, I left for Achievers Invitational in Texas. I was there for the full two weeks and met hundreds of incredible IBOs. Each person I talked to had such a great story about why they got in the business and stuck with it and achieved. One of my main roles there was to talk to IBOs about our support for Easter Seals and the U.S. Dream Academy. People are SO excited about all the great things going on in our business, including new products, business growth, and new ways we support kids as part of the overall Alticor One By One campaign for children.
I also took part in interviews for ThisBizNow.com, hearing about why IBOs got started in the business, how it helped them achieve their goals and set new ones, and why new people should consider their own Quixtar business. Very cool. I also visited a magazine based in the Dallas area that will be featuring Quixtar in May 2006. Also very cool. More on that in the not too distant future.
Next week I'll be traveling with Jim Payne to New York for his appearance on NBC's Today Show, talking about Quixtar's support for that show's annual Toy Drive. I'm hoping to Katie Couric, of course, but more likely will get up close and personal with Al Roker. That would be cool too, I guess. I think all the ladies here are hoping for Matt though.
Anyway, Quixtar is in the firm grip of the holiday season. Department and company Christmas parties. White elephant gift exchanges. Decorations. And, of course, supporting Quixtar IBOs and their holiday purchases at www.quixtar.com. There has NEVER been a better time to work at Quixtar! I'm excited about some of the new initiatives going on here and the prospects for this company and this business in 2006. -- Kia
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11.18.05 An Amazing Week at Quixtar -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Finding the time to blog about Quixtar is getting more and more difficult as many initiatives keep me and my co-workers busy. One of those initiatives culminated in a contribution of $100,000 this past Monday to the U.S. Dream Academy. Quixtar became a national sponsor of that organization, supporting its mission to empower youth and maximize their potential by providing them with academic, social and values enrichment through mentoring and empowered use of technology.
The organization is headed by gospel singer Wintley Phipps, an amazing individual who was compelled to do something for at-risk children after touring through federal prisons as part of his music ministry. Jim Payne, Quixtar's Managing Director, was joined by IBO leaders Jody Victor and Billy and Peggy Florence at the check presentation to Wintley. Jody and Billy helped Wintley found U.S. Dream Academy and serve on its board.
On the same day, Easter Seals ran an advertisment in the New York Times recognizing its leading sponsors, including Quixtar. IBO donations to hurricane relief efforts continued to pour in this past month, easily surpassing the $250,000 Alticor match. A huge group of Quixtar and Alticor employees are leaving next week to provide relief efforts in Mississippi.
Meanwhile, many of us are making preparations for Achievers Invitational, to be held at the Gaylord Texan resort in Grapevine, Texas. Staff are looking forward to meeting the thousands of IBOs who will be attending Achievers at one of three sessions between Nov. 28 and Dec. 10. It will be an exciting time for IBOs to celebrate their successes over the past year, learn more about new programs and products from Quixtar, and establish and deepen relationships with fellow IBOs and Quixtar staff.
I'm hoping to meet many IBOs while I'm down there for all three sessions. It's an exciting season for Quixtar and for IBOs. And there's lots more exciting stuff I'm hoping to share in the weeks ahead! Hope you have a good weekend! -- Kia
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11.04.05 Another Good Year -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Yesterday Quixtar announced its financial results for the 2005 fiscal year, which ended Aug. 31, 2005. In short, sales were $1.058 billion -- the third consecutive year over a billion dollars. Also, IBO efforts resulted in a record $76 million in revenues for Quixtar's Partner Stores ... including Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, MC Sports, and more. For their marketing and business-building efforts, IBOs earned $345 million in bonuses and other incentives... woohoo!
While sales were pretty flat, web penetration increased to more than 70% of all sales. That and growth in the company's Health and Beauty offerings (with the launch of NAO never accept ordinary, Atmosphere Air Purifier, and more) should keep Quixtar at the head of the class when Internet Retailer ranks e-commerce companies on Health and Beauty online sales.
Personally, I think the best is yet to come. It's hard not to when there's so much cool stuff going on here at Quixtar. New programs. New products. New ideas. It's never been better. -- Kia
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10.27.05 Giving -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Once again nature has thrashed the U.S. off the Gulf of Mexico and left many without homes and power. I'm relieved and thankful that Wilma was not as devastating as Katrina and Rita . . . and that the hurricane season will soon come to a close. Here at Quixtar and parent company Alticor, we continue with our efforts to provide support to those affected by these storms.
Since early September, IBOs and others have contributed more than $200,000 at the American Red Cross donation site set up at Quixtar.com. More than $200,000 in additional funds are expected soon from a few major IBO organizations that have raised funds for the American Red Cross at their fall events, which will maximize the $250,000 match grant Alticor promised when the donation site was set up. Also, Alticor already has donated $250,000 to various organizations involved in disaster relief, not including hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product donated primarily through International Aid, based in Spring Lake, Mich.
A few weeks ago, Lisa, who sits in the cubicle next to mine, participated in an employee relief trip to Biloxi, Miss. She recounted the horrible destruction she witnessed, where neighborhoods were simply wiped out. Another employee relief trip is planned over the Thanksgiving weekend.
IBOs are helping out too. Cheri from Texas wrote to me about what she experienced. She said, "I just wanted to say thank you to our upline who called to make sure their Texas people were OK after Rita. Other than a few trees that landed on some houses and messes in lots of yards, I am happy to report that we are all fine. I have been working with the Red Cross as the St. Agnus church for three weeks leading up to Rita trying to get the lives of all those affected by Katrina back in order. I can tell you that it has been nothing short of surreal."
So many affected, and we would drive up every day and the lines were just as long as they were the day before. The day before Rita, we worked until 6 p.m. trying to get money to as many as possible and still had to cut the lines of people off so the evacuees could get somewhere safe, the worker and volunteers could get somewhere safe, and the Red Cross could pack up the instant city that was set up to help. Literally, we were in a city set up by the Red Cross that was full of people from everywhere just to help other humans. Fema. The Houston Police. Some 4,000 firemen from all over the U.S. Boston Market catered I don't know how many meals every day. And hundreds of individuals like me from all over Houston and surrounding areas. ... I could not help but sit and look at all the people--all different colors coming together to help each other. ... I just wanted to say that I am very blessed to be able to be a part of the relief effort and I hope that this will give people cause to sit back and remember that, just like Quixtar, if we work together we will get it done."
Thank you Cheri and all the other Quixtar IBOs and employees who have given so generously of their time and resources to provide aid to those stricken by these natural disasters. The hard work isn't done by a long shot, of course, and I expect that relief from the company and trips by employees and IBOs to help clean up in Louisiana and Mississippi will continue for many months to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Gulf States region. -- Kia
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10.11.05 Leadership -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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I was just clearing my desk today and came across notes I took when Rudy Giuliani recently spoke at the Alticor management conference. He talked about six key characteristics that leaders need to have. First among them was that leaders need to have Strong Beliefs and Convictions. He cited his hero, Ronald Reagan, as an example of someone with strong convictions -- that communism was evil and government too large -- that drove his governing agenda. The second characteristic leaders need is Courage. That doesn't mean absence of fear, but the management of that fear. Rudy talked about rescue personnel who dive into frigid water to save those in peril, knowing they are putting themselves at risk. Of course, he also spoke about those who put themselves at risk by running into the burning towers on 9/11.
The third leadership characteristic Rudy cited was Optimism. He says optimists have more fun, for starters. Besides, people don't want to follow pessimists. You do have to face up to reality, but you also have to be able to come up with solutions and be able to "visualize it improved." As you can imagine, I was nodding my head a lot while he was talking about optimism (no, not because I was falling asleep!).
The fourth characteristic of leaders is Relentless Preparation. People who prepare for numerous potential outcomes are better able to deal with unanticipated situations because they have created an attitude and a repertoire to draw from in developing their response. He said New York had not prepared for the use of aircraft as weapons on their buildings, but they did prepare for numerous other situations that helped save many lives on 9/11.
Next was Teamwork. Everyone is important to the success of a plan. He said understanding your own weaknesses and finding teammates who will compensate for those weaknesses is important for leadership.
And finally, the last characteristic was the ability to Communicate. He said "you have to get out of yourself and into the hearts and m inds of outhers." He said you shouldn't worry so much about the style of your communications, and that if you have the other five strengths taken care of, the communications strength will come. For instance, if you relentlessly prepare, you will become a better communicator because you speak more confidently about things you know.
Rudy added a bonus characteristic at the end of his spiel. "You have to care about people." That's truly apparent in the true leaders in the Quixtar business that I've met. They care about others. Without the trust that comes out of that caring relationship, business organizations would fall apart and IBOs wouldn't become leaders. In my experience, it becomes quite apparent when an individual is totally self-serving and does not have everyone's best interests in mind. Leaders understand that the success of a team is more gratifying than any individual honor. Any athlete in team sports will tell you that a championship obtained as a team is better than a scoring title or an all-star berth.
Well, those are the rambling thoughts brought on by Mr. Giuliani. Hope they spur some thoughts of your own! -- Kia
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10.05.05 Typoglycemia -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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In the work I do here at Quixtar, there's a lot of writing involved. That said, I've been called to the carpet in the past by readers who have caught my gaffes and blunders, including typos and poor use of grammar. The importance of a copy editor should not be underestimated. My wife came back from work with an interesting little document that I brought to work to share with editors and writers employed here at Quixtar. The document read as follows:
TYPOGLYCEMIA
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmadbrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.
SO, if I ever mistype something but you STILL understand what I'm saying, please be kind. It's really not that ipmorantt. -- Kia
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10.04.05 Heat Wave -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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It's going to be a balmy 80+ F today again, extending summer even further into the fall season. It's really quite unnatural. I'm not really for global warming (who is?) but I can't say that I'm complaining too much about the regional "warming" we've been enjoying. Of course, I am looking forward to a nice cold snap (but not to higher heating costs).
It's been a busy couple weeks around here. First, you need to check out some of the pix I've posted at the Flickr site. Most recently we coordinated the Easter Seals "Walk With Me" event, of which Quixtar's Managing Director Jim Payne was Honorary Chair. It was an awesome event that raised something like $90,000-$100,000 for Easter Seals. Woohoo! It also was a great opportunity to walk with friends in the company and several from outside Quixtar's walls. For instance, a good friend from college (and playing hockey) was there with his son Andrew, who benefits from Easter Seals services. It really helps bring home the mission of Easter Seals to help kids with disabilities achieve greater independence.
Last week was Alticor's global management conference, where I got to listen to some great speakers like Rudy Giuliani and management author Larry Bossidy and, best of all, Rich DeVos. It actually was the second time in the past few weeks I got to hear from Rich, since he also spoke to Quixtar employees a few weeks ago.
The week before that I got to meet with my Alticor counterparts from around the globe at a conference held at Meijer Gardens. Great people and great sharing of information.
And on the home front, I've got the boys and soccer, my daughter and cheerleading, my wife and her work at Spectrum Health and as Director of Education for our church, serving on the board at GR Christian High, and a dog that needs surgery to repear anterior cruciate ligament and more. Lucky doesn't even play football! Guh. Anyway, hope all's well in your world and business is going great. It's a very busy season here, even though it's beginning to feel like endless summer. -- Kia
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9.15.05 Another BUSY Week -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Lots of stuff happening here at Quixtar and in my life. . . good stuff! For starters, Katrina Relief efforts continue to build here in the company. Contributions through Quixtar.com are at $140,000 (plus the dollar-for-dollar company match). About a million dollars has been contributed by the company so far, including cash and products. I know many IBOs are contributing product and finances on their own through other organizations as well (and we're trying to capture some of that data!).
Meanwhile, my son Dillon turned 8 yesterday. What a great time of life he's in. He wants to play guitar, so that's what he got for his birthday, along with the lessons. My older son Conner (11) plays the drums, so we have the makings of a band. We just need to get Jack (almost 4) ready to play bass and we'll have the makings of the next Hanson band. . .
And back here at Quixtar, it was announced yesterday that Larry Harper will be leaving us. Larry's the Director of Sales but is moving to Monterrey, Mexico, to become Director of Sales & Marketing for Amway's Latin American region. It sounds like a great opportunity for Larry and he'll do a great job for Amway in our Latin American markets, but we'll surely miss him back here at Quixtar!
I'm off to watch high school football tonight and see my daughter cheer. Hope your weekend is filled with cheer as well! -- Kia
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9.13.05 Hurricane Katrina Relief -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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There have been few times in the past 15 years or so that I've been with the company that I've been more proud as an employee. In the past 10 days I've seen an outpouring of support for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts from Quixtar, from Alticor, from IBOs, and from employees.
First, Quixtar announced it will match up to $250,000 in contributions to the American Red Cross made at Quixtar.com. Then, the company immediately donated another $250,000 divided between four organizations -- the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, International Aid, and Bethany Christian Services -- involved in the relief effort.
International Aid typically is the beneficiary of Alticor and Quixtar product donations, and it uses them for foreign aid. Well, this time the company released the product for use in support of Katrina relief efforts. In addition to product it already had in its warehouses, International Aid received 117,000 bottles of eSpring water at its Mississippi staging area, and soon will help distribute 20,000 personal care kits being assembled (retail value $480,000) containing GLISTER® toothpaste and toothbrushes, LOC® wipes, SATINIQUE® Shampoo, BODY SERIES® deodorant, and more.
The company's aviation group has been busy flying medical personnel and supplies from West Michigan to Mississippi this past week. At least two relief trips for which Quixtar employees can volunteer are in the planning stages, and more is being planned for the many months ahead as America helps Mississippi and Louisiana get back on their feet.
Back in January, Quixtar IBOs and Amway business owners from around the world rallied behind relief efforts following the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia. Business owners affiliated with Alticor around the globe are now seeking ways they can help people here in America through their businesses. It truly is an incredible business that we help support every day here at Quixtar or down the street at Alticor. I'm looking forward to seeing IBOs quickly surpass the match level established by Alticor and totally blow people away with how much can be raised through this business. Because this business is built on HEART and on CARING for others and HELPING them succeed.
Thank you to all who have contributed so much to these relief efforts! -- Kia
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8.24.05 End of Summer -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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It's difficult to imagine that summer's already over (almost). My youngest son just started pre-school this week, and the rest of my kids go back to class next week. We did our end-of-summer ritual fling this past week, hitting the Michigan Adventure theme park for the roller coasters and water slides. School shopping is done (almost) and bedtimes are inching closer and closer to what they'll be during the school year.
Here at Quixtar, a new performance year begins next week as well. That means we are all engaged in the process of reflection (because of reviews) on what we've done since last September as well as anticipation of what's to be done (as we set our objectives for the upcoming year). The Quixtar planning process isn't perfect -- we constantly tweak our objectives to meet market shifts and new demands on our business -- but it does provide a systematic approach to establishing priorities and creating budgets.
I look back and see that Quixtar has had a very busy year. Last October we launched the redesigned Quixtar.com, but tweaks and content were added throughout the year after launch. We established and launched a whole new beauty brand with NAO never accept ordinary cosmetics. We continued to roll out new XSTM power nutrition products and the brand new Trim Body System Kit. We just launched the new AtmosphereTM Air Purifier that's 99.9% effective in removing contaminants from the air that passes through the system. Nutrilite® Double X® multivitamin was reformulated.
On the program side, we created the Kick Start: It's Got Legs campaign to help incentivize more business volume through new IBOs. We just created ThisBizNow.com to put a bright spotlight on the best and brightest aspects of the business opportunity Quixtar supports. We continue to work hard on rewards and incentives for IBOs across the board. The customer support areas were consolidated this year and new programs established to help achieve "one-call resolution." I'm sure that there are many more Quixtar initiatives I'm not even aware of that have helped make this business better than ever.
What's on the horizon for Quixtar's 2006 performance year? Well, there's lots going on with new products in the pipeline and new programs to roll out. But that would be a whole new message. -- Kia
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8.5.05 Employee Recognition -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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It's that time of year again when I take the family for a little R&R -- Rest & Relaxation -- at the cottage. Sun, water, grilling out, dune rides, the whole deal. It's a time of year we always look forward to. That also means that it's been one year since I started this blog, since I launched the site with pix of our last trip to the cottage.
There's another type of R&R that has special significance this time of year at Quixtar -- Rewards & Recognition. As Quixtar's performance year wraps up on Aug. 31, employees involved in significant projects are nominated to receive one of two Constellation Awards from Quixtar, recognizing Creativity & Innovation and IBO Partnership.
The reward for winning a Constellation includes a tailored R&R (back to Rest & Relaxation) package -- like a golf weekend away, a shopping trip to Chicago, or a trip to a spa resort. That's the main reward, but just as important is the recognition, such as their name engraved on a plaque in Quixtar's lobby, the presentation at an all-Quixtar meeting, and more.
It's great to be in a company that rewards and recognizes employee contributions. It's a natural with Quixtar, it would seem, since rewarding and recognizing IBO achievements is an important aspect of our business. Hope your summer's going well! -- Kia
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7.21.05 Kids on the Web -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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My daughter is online constantly. She has a Xanga site, as do most of her high school friends. When you turn the computer on in our family room, the IMs start popping up instantly. She surfs the web while keeping up several conversations simultaneously. She isn't shy about tellling the world exactly how she feels on her blog site. She was not cautious about her personal information being on the web (until I saw that she had put her full name and phone number out on the web and made her take it down, along with cautions that there are predators out there waiting to jump on that kind of opportunity).
Yesterday, my wife and I struggled as "cannot find server" messages kept popping up. My daughter figured it out in about half an hour.
It's hard to imagine what the face of business is going to look like in a few years when this girl is out of high school and college and in the workforce. E-commerce will be big (oh, she still like to shop in the mall . . . but is very comfortable with getting what she wants from some web provider). Authenticity will be big -- no fakes here! Communications will be key -- she can take it in and dish it out. And her experience had better be a good one, because she'll move right along to the next thing if it isn't.
This is the face of our marketing future. -- Kia
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7.14.05 Jog or Blog; Tough Call -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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Quixtar has a program for employees called Optimal You, which is meant to make all of us the best we can be. It has three components that challenge employees to set and achieve goals related to their hearts, their minds, and their bodies. And there are plenty of incentives, including lowered health insurance costs to us for participating. So, for "mind" goals, you seek to accomplish some sort of personal development plan (whether it be an educational course, reading a book, or learning a new skill set). For "heart" goals, you identify ways you are going to give back to the community by serving others or the environment. And for "body" goals, you participate in an assessment program and identify changes you'd like to make, whether that be smoking cessation or working out more or lowering cholesterol.
With our fiscal year ending soon, the first year of the program is coming to a close. Yikes! That means we need to have completed all of the requirements to earn the health cost savings for next year (it's something like $20 a month off our contribution to our health plan). The company doesn't check up to see if we've accomplished all our personal goals, but we do have to complete the four-step process, which includes setting the goals, completing an online assessment, completing any recommended screenings, and completing a program evaluation. I've done all of these things except the recommended screening. Which means I need to get a physical. Have you ever tried to schedule a physical within six weeks? The doctor's office said they have openings in October. I'm now on the cancellations waiting list. Sigh. The cost of procrastination!
Another program Quixtar has for employees is called "Walk On," which incentivizes employees to monitor their activities and aim for a certain number of "steps" each day. All employee participants were provided pedometers to track their progress, with a minimum goal of at least 3,000 steps a day. I think I accomplish that just by walking from my car to my office a couple times a day. Lately I've been working out on an elliptical machine at lunch (running is proving to be hard on my knees) and that activity alone generates some 9,000 steps. Plus I've been playing soccer on the weekends, which REALLY adds up quickly. With all of that activity, however, it's getting hard to find time to blog as much as I'd like. Perhaps when the weather cools down a little.
Summer vacation is coming up quick and before you know it we will be back into a new school year, a new business fiscal year, and probably a new "Optimal You" year. . . Hope you're doing everything you can to be your Optimal You! -- Kia
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7.8.05 Independence Day -- REAL Quixtar Blog
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I hope all of you had a wonderful Fourth of July long weekend. I did. I took my two youngest to a family reunion and saw lots of long-lost relatives. Well, they weren't lost, but I hadn't seen them in a long time.
Anyway, on the long drive home, I was thinking about Independence and the unique country the USA has become because of this long-cherished concept. Many Americans take this for granted and maybe don't realize all the wonderful freedoms they have related to their independence. Certainly the Independence referred to on the Fourth is that enjoyed by the states from England. (Ironic, given the fact that the UK is now one of US's closest allies.) Yet that independence enjoyed by the country has been passed down to individuals as well through the US Constitution. As one who grew up in another country, I can personally comment on the marked differences that this independence creates in American culture.
Many foreigners cringe at the boisterous and confident attitudes Americans display. Those attitudes, born out of the freedoms Americans enjoy, feed the enormous "can do" spirit that America displays. Those attitudes feed creativity, since there isn't anything artificially holding Americans back. Those attitudes feed wild extremisms in just about every arena of thought -- politics, religion, finances, ethics, and more. The debate here on just about everything truly is a rich dialog of ideas.
That attitude of independence has an impact on Quixtar and the business it supports. Two of the "I's" in I-commerce are Independent Business Ownership and the Independent Business Ownership Plan. Free enterprise has long been a pillar in this business, and IBOs embrace that concept and inject their creativity into the business, making it their own expression of commerce. The IBO Plan rewards them all the same for their efforts, but IBOs have shown that there are many ways to build successful businesses powered by Quixtar.
In this season where we celebrate our Independence and all that it implies, I salute the IBOs who live and breath independence every day as they build their businesses. I salute Rich DeVos and the late Jay Van Andel who created a wonderful plan that allows people to achieve their goals based on their own efforts. And I salute all of my co-workers here at Quixtar who do such an amazing job to bring that plan to life for IBOs across the U.S. and Canada. -- Kia
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