I have long been passionate about bringing the issue of Identity Theft to a higher level of recognition within my community, and I was just shocked to hear that Arizona is actually considered the identity-theft Mecca of the U.S!  I thought what attracted people to our state was golf and sun. 

According to an article on MoneyCentral.msn.com, for the second year in a row Arizona held the top seat in the FTC’s complaints, followed – not so closely – by Nevada and California.  These numbers are probably higher than noted in the statistics because many people don’t know they have been victims or they have not known how or where to report their situation.  You can review this list at MoneyCentral.Com 

Logic lends reason to why the same towns hit the top of the list year after year – the population plays a huge part in the problem.  Just think about it.  You just couldn’t get away with it in a smaller town somewhere in Idaho or Wyoming where everyone in town knows you.  Identity-theft can thrive in places where thieves can immerse themselves in a crowd!

Many people worry about computerized identity theft because the thieves can target consumers in any location, but the reality remains that the criminals still tend to favor the easier methods of dumpster diving and mail theft – again, making highly populated areas more attractive for identity-theft opportunities.  Another combination is the pickpocket and the identity-thief who frequently work in tandem… the pickpocket taking the tangible items, and selling personal identification information to those trading in identity-theft.

Be aware, and check out my next blog when I will discuss how BIG this problem is when you combine it with travel…

P.S. If you, or someone you know has been the victim of identity theft, and are having problems finding resolution, I would appreciate your “comments” so that others might truly embrace how VITAL protecting your identity really is.

Would you be surprised to know that the history of “network marketing” actually dates back over 500 years?  It is really nothing more than a different business model!  It is also unfortunate that there have been people who have “tainted” the concept, but if you really stop and think about free enterprise in general – there are those business owners who run their companies with honesty, integrity, and customer service and there are those who do not.

When Jay Van Andel and Rich Devos started the Amway Corporation in the 1950’s… yes it has been that long ago – they were nothing more than salesmen for a vitamin company who used their success to accumulate sufficient funds to purchase the company they were selling for.  They expanded their sales market to include household cleaning products and one day… these partners and friends pondered how putting a little “twist” in a traditional franchise business model could open the opportunity for many others to earn the kind of income they had experienced. The rest is history!  These two men began a revolution in marketing and sales that allowed millions to become independent business owners; some were wildly successful.

The business model proved to be the benchmark for other companies that flourished and ensured that free enterprise could withstand many economic cycles.   Fast forward to today and we see history repeating itself as courageous people turn in increasing numbers to a business model that, although criticized by many, continues to create more wealth than any other industry or profession.  There are still the naysayers, but are they perhaps only afraid to step up and play a bigger game, or are they perhaps simply afraid to step outside their comfort zone?

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts about Network Marketing and the part you believe it plays in today’s economy and our ability to “thrive.”  Please feel free to add to the “comments” section here.

Jan Vitale… shaking up your thinking

Dr. Oz speaks up for Gano products. 

It is interesting that the more you believe in a product or service, the more you want to know about it; hence, I seem to have become a magnet for third-party validation for the base of Gano Excel’s (Café 2.0) coffee and other related-products! 

You can well imagine my excited surprise when I found Dr. Oz designating the Tongkat Ali as one of the most healthy herbs available.  Although his show (click on the link to watch) focused on gaining the positive effects on the libido of both men and women, for me it was just one more validation to participate in the growing focus on “alternative” medicine(s).

Dr. Oz’s program also makes it easier to establish and maintain credibility for the benefits of “Ganoderma lucidum” and “Euryocomia longifolia.”  At the end of this segment, Dr. Oz noted, “All these herbs can work like medications in our bodies.  We have given you true scientific reasons why they work.”   And work they do!  Many people, who decided to switch from acid-based, over priced elite coffees to Gano Excel’s  Café 2.0 have noticed a boost of energy from this nutritional product -  designed by nature to promote a healthier, more productive life. 

I am eager to share that this medicinal mushroom has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 4,000 year, making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to have been used in medicine, and offering many health properties that I will be reporting on in coming posts.  Gano Excel doesn’t make outrageous claims about cures, and I personally encourage you communicate with and follow your personal physician’s advice.   Keep in mind, however, that you should also feel responsible and confident in speaking with your doctor about “alternative” healing options and seek appropriate counsel prior to beginning any herbal regimen.

I also encourage you to continue following my posts so that you, too, can become aware of “what’s good for you!”  You can also find more nutritional information on my blog, The Chronicles of Jan Vitale, my main website, Vital Enterprises, LLC, and my Gano Café 2.0 website.

 Jan Vitale, your Nutrition Nanny!

What Coverage do I Have?

Don’t risk every other thing you cherish by being under insured!  Auto insurance is one of those things you hate to pay, but are so glad to have when you are broadsided or rear-ended!  In most states you are required to have auto insurance and you don’t want to be without it.  Having the best coverage is the tricky part!   You can spend hours researching, or you can rely on the services of a seasoned professional whom you know you can trust.

The important thing is that you know ENOUGH about your options to do the research or ask your provider the right questions.  Basically, you buy auto insurance for two purposes:

1. to insure against liability you have to others,  and
2. to insure against damage that others do to you or your car.

What Choices do I Have?

You need to have liability insurance. How much you need depends on how much you have in assets.

Whether you need insurance to protect your car depends on the age and condition of the car and if you are financially able to self insure in the event of a total loss.

If your car is expensive and if buying another one would wipe you out financially, consider buying comprehensive and collision. If you have an older car and wouldn’t get much from the insurance company if it were totaled, don’t bother. Instead, put the money you would have paid for comprehensive and collision toward saving for your next car.

This is just a little “taste” of the kind of information you will find on insurance products on my blog and my website.   Make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed so you can quickly access each one and build on your knowledge.  If you question whether or not you have the right blend of coverage in your current policy, please give me a call (480) 720 3600 and receive a complimentary assessment.

How do you make people feel about themselves?

In a previous post I shared Maya Angelou’s philosophy about people never forgetting how

you make them feel.  I would like to explore that idea a little more in depth.  We never really know what kind of a day someone else has had, nor should we expect ourselves to be responsible for another person’s ultimate happiness.  However… just think about how much change we could effect in this ole world if we just took a few minutes every day to make someone feel good about themselves!  How much difference do you feel there would be in the level of relationship you have with another person if you take time to assure them they are loved, approved of, and needed in this world?

How have you experienced the need for praise and attention?

Take a walk back in time… as a child – and later as a young adult -  did you not:

• literally crave your parent’s approval,
• feel crushed if your playmates didn’t include you in a game of ball or tag,
• experience defeat when a favorite teacher failed to recognize your brilliance, or
• began questioning your abilities when your boss didn’t give your credit for your accomplishments?

We are all alike, and our need for approval never ends; it is a natural part of the human psyche.  It is important to understand the dynamics of this natural occurrence,  and how – with genuine caring you can not only put some positive energies back into the world, but you can give your networking a boost not experienced by many of your competitors!

Who makes you feel good about yourself?

Learning this process is relatively easy.  You simply make an assessment of the people you prefer to hang out with!  Who is it that makes you feel good about yourself, and why?  I can just about guarantee you enjoy their company in part because they make you feel good about yourself!

Unfortunately, people in general have become more negative and less inclined to be openly supportive of another person’s success.  They are so caught up in what’s not working in their lives they pay little attention to the people around them, unless that person has something to offer them.  You can play a part in changing the dynamics of that thinking.  Your strongest relationships are those where someone nurtures your self-worth and a positive outlook on the future.   All you have to do is pass those good feelings along and help someone else “feel the good vibes!”

Do you know the rules of praise?

Let’s face it – you cannot participate in this kind of networking unless you understand two things:

1. You have to be authentic in the manner in which you extend praise.
2. You have to be genuine in what you do express!

If you are not authentic and genuine, people will spot you a mile away and they will know that your efforts are nothing more than an attempt to ingratiate them – that is not your intent and certainly not the energy you need to be putting out there.  So make sure you tap into the true power of making someone else realize their value by:

• Saying only what you mean… and meaning what you say.  There is enough good in other people that you shouldn’t have to be dishonest in your statements.
• Look for current actions or events about which you compliment someone.  There is something much richer in a reward that comes close on the tail of an achievement.
• Make sure your comments address something really specific, and do not come across as some rather lame, generic statement you could make to the world at large.
• Know enough about the person to know “how” they will best respond to your compliments.  Some people like public awareness; others will be much happier with a less public hand written note card extolling their greatness.

Do you have one mouth and two ears?

In order to be really effective at this, we have to come back to the one mouth-two ears theory!   You have to listen, listen, listen…

It is in the listening that you will know:

• More about their occupation.
• What activities bring them enjoyment and excitement.
• What accomplishments have crowned their lives.
• What unusual things they are really good at.
• What really fuels their passion for life.
• What goals and dreams they have that the rest of the world are unaware of.

Are you looking for the clues?

The clues are all there – you just have to listen, be perceptive, and then act on your discoveries.  If you can, get them to talk more in detail about these things – looking for those non-verbal signs in the changes in their facial expression or fluctuations in their voices.  Be on the alert for words that denote how important a certain issue is to them; words like challenge, excitement, difficult, anxious, love, etc.  Stop and think about how good it feels when someone lets you express yourself – and the rest should be a walk in the park for you.

What do you focus on?

One final point here… keep in mind that one of the principle laws of life is that you get what you focus on.  That being a given, if you go “looking for good things in people” for which you can later compliment them on – guess what you will find more of?  Taking time to make this shift in your networking activities will make you the “unforgettable one” who not only listens, but follows up with some recognition of a job well done.  These small little acts of kindness will magically transform your relationships!

Who are you going to bestow such an act of kindness, praise and feeling of worthiness on today?

Jan Vitale, building my business one relationship at a time

Vital Enterprises, LLC