Changing their future after seeing the Plan

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Dane and Nina Pontiff are IBOs from Louisiana. Despite their reluctance, they saw the Quixtar IBO Compensation Plan, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My goodbye to semi-professional golf and professional golf instruction was a temporary sacrifice to acknowledge my position as the financial leader of the household. I could not begin to rationalize 10 years as a golf pro, how someone can accept the long hours the job offers with no time to share with his friends and family. Not to mention that in my job, when everyone is off, that's when we really go to work! And with a wife who means more to me than anything in the world, an opportunity could not have been given to us at a more perfect time.

As the phone rang not once, not twice, but nine times, Nina and I continued to ignore the calls offering the opportunity of a lifetime. We finally asked Steven (our current sponsor) if we went to see what he was offering us, would he stop calling our house? Stephen laughed and said, "No," and that's when we realized that this was something big.

In August 2003, we saw the Quixtar opportunity. When Marty (who shared the Quixtar IBO Compensation Plan), asked me where we saw ourselves in the next five years, it scared me to not be able come up with an answer. But it wasn't as scary as watching my wife staring at me with her worried eyes, waiting for a response from a man who swore in matrimony that he would supply a sound financial future. From that moment on, the rest was history.

Since September 2003, we've been building a team, breaking pins left and right as we go along. In 16 months, we reached Silver Producer and replaced Nina's income at the young age of 25. The next three months we accomplished Gold Producer and at 22 months, we achieved Platinum.

Nina acknowledges that it's a little strange to tell people that you've retired full-time at 25 years old. But then again it's even stranger to think that you're going to wait till your 67 years old to hopefully retire without having to work a part-time job to make ends meet. She understands, through the experience, that retirement is not about age but about money. And because we've accomplished both Founders Platinum and Q-12, we received three bonus checks in one month that replaced her income in a whole year as a full-time bank teller.

Ruby is our immediate goal that will double both of our income streams and bring us home together, which is on track. We want children, but we want to spend every single second with them - not pawn them off to the cheapest-bidding babysitter because of a job.

We now live in Houma, Louisiana, where we grow and mentor businesses along the entire Gulf Coast and in California. We've been able to put a comfortable down payment on a new home. Because of the mentorship and education through the BWW system, we know the difference between being rich and being wealthy. Individuals are not broke because the lack of finances, it's the lack of financial education; it's how they think!

Some people don't understand that their pot of gold in life is in places where they don't want to go and don't want to grow. It's their fears, it's their struggles, and it's the refusal to change. Some are worse off this year financially than last year because they refuse to change, so my word of advice is just CHANGE!


   
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Comments

Joecool said:

Wednesday, July 25, 2007 | #

My sponsor got active in Amway in 1993.  After 11 months, he was a silver, and later a gold direct distributor.  About a few months later, his wife also "retired" at about the age of 30 or so.  

Since then, my sponsor is still active, has never achieved Q12 and teeter totters between 7500 and 4000 PV.  He is still deidcated to the tapes books and functions, and yes, his wife still does not have a job.

You see, my sponsor was and still is a doctor.  His income would have allowed his wife to quit her job even without the quixtar/amway income.

My sponsor used to buy several standing orders each week, plus 7 extra tapes each week.  He never missed a function and eve bought extra tickets in case a function might sell out before new IBOs could get a ticket.  In my estimation, my ex-sponsor's wife is "retired" in spite of the system, and not because of it.

Joseph Montelepre said:

Wednesday, July 25, 2007 | #

Embrace change...such wonderful advice for anyone who has a dream!  

We have watched Dane and Nina as crossline buddies since they began their business, and we are so very proud of all the lives they have touched in building their organization.  They are Crown Ambassadors-in-the-making!

Winston Wood said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

What continues to draw me to this business is that the money is tied to the numbers of people that are better off because we cared enough to help first, to do the work first, and to teach those that will be taught. To believe in others when maybe they can see what we can see. My grandfather once told me, people, like birds all have a song within them, it is up to us to stop and listen.

I have watched Dane and Nina identify themselves as leaders, to do the work and I have watched people be drawn to them because they truely care about others first and foremost. If anyone wonders if this business work, Dane and Nina are a textbook example that it does. Thanks guys for being such good examples.

Joe Fool said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

I think it's imperative that we keep our eye on the reward here. This is an example of a couple who had very little and now has accomplished a lot. We watch this humble and honest couple grow with our own eyes, as well as witnessed their bonus checks in the process. Dane's work ethics are those of a drill sergeant. I wish at times that others could for five minutes let go of thier ego and let him express what they really need to do to move on like they have and continue to.

Working in the banking industry in the past, I can persoanlly voucher that after their 20K Q-12 bonus and making 3K a month residually (which I've persoanlly witnessed with my own eyes) any full-time bank teller can come home. Furthermore, why would others express something about their past business that has nothing to do with this couple's success story? Some people have no time, while Nina has all the time in the world because of this business. Be grateful , be excited, or be jealous. But don't de-edify someone else's accomplishment with useless information.

Celeste Robichaux said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

Congratulations, Dane and Nina!  It is fabulous to see dear friends recognized for their achievements!

ibofightback said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

JoeCool - I'm impressed that despite no longer being in the business you still keep in such close contact with your upline and that they share so much private and personal information about themselves with someone who is a persistent critic of the business opportunity they choose to pursue. They must be a truly open and loving couple. I wish them all the success in the world.

Dane and Nina - great story, well done and keep it up!

Joecool said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

Joe Fool said:

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | #

I think it's imperative that we keep our eye on the reward here. This is an example of a couple who had very little and now has accomplished a lot.

JoeCool says:  Where in the story did it say the couple had very little?

The point of my story is that the wife in this case may have been able to quit her job without any additional income.  If Bill Gates suddenly joined quixtar and said now hios wife doesn't work, that wouldn't hold much water now would it?

Josh said:

Friday, July 27, 2007 | #

Congratulations Dane and Nina,

It is examples like this that the world needs to hear.  

Great work.

Bet you are glad you didn't run Steven away when he was persistent and consistent with calling you.

Ben & Adrienne Bolton said:

Friday, July 27, 2007 | #

Congratulations Dane and Nina,

Thanks for being true BWW warriors. Your love and support are very appreciated by Adrienne and me, and the rest of the team. Also thanks for the friendship we've been able to enjoy with the both of you!

Joe Fool said:

Friday, July 27, 2007 | #

JoeCool-You are right! Absolutely no where does there story admit they had little. This is how humble they are about there leadership. I'm vouching that they didn't have a lot compare to most couples there age.

Thanks for clearing your story up to everyone in that you are not questioning this couples integrity. Just bad timing with a story that has nothing to do with thier success, for thier team who believes and duplicates them has no concerns about others failures.

Is their a link that we can read your success story?

Avin Kline said:

Friday, July 27, 2007 | #

Joe Cool: what's the point in your blog here?

Joecool said:

Friday, July 27, 2007 | #

Avin,

The story says the couple built a business which allowed the wife to retire at 25 years old.  That's fine.

My point is that the wife possibly could have retired without the quixtar business - the story doesn't mention anything about it.

In other words, if Dane was a brain surgeon, it is likely hiw wife would not need a job regardless of their involvement in the business or not.

Tom Fraley said:

Monday, July 30, 2007 | #

Joe Cool, it sounds like you are simply being asked for your success story.

Joecool said:

Monday, July 30, 2007 | #

Tom,

I was an IBO.  I built the business from 0 to 4000 in 8 months.

Despite a bonus check in the neighborhood of $1000 a month, I was losing money - because I did as my upline advised and dedicated myself to the "system".  Some of my crossline lost their homes, declared bankruptcy and went into major debt - because of the system expenses.

Add to that - my upline wanted to be in control of my life.  I left the business when my upline advised to to dump my fiancee' - now wife of 12 years.  You see, my upline thought I could focus on the business better as a single.    

TJ said:

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 | #

TJ,

Joecool, what system were you in? First at 4000pv making $1000.00 a month you should NOT be loosing money if so your upline does not know what they are talking about. You could at least see that not all IBO's are doing what ever you did. Get out and see some other groups were you do not have that mess. No one should declare bankruptcy that is not taught at all by anyone I know of. If your upline wanted to control your life you should move on and succeeded with or with out them. This business is way too good to have someone control you. It provides an environment to learn how to think for your self contrary to one alone thought process. If the people decided to not take responsibility for there own home or business do not blame this opportunity blame them. They would have done that in what ever they did since they were too lazy or not responsible enough to win the right way. As for your wife I am glad you’re still married. If you need a sponsor and a good marriage my upline has many which we will include ourselves in. Again noway would someone promote that. Take responsibility for your actions and your life and stop pointing fingers in the blame game. You win in life and in this business by being responsible and setting a good example. If you did not get it there trust me open your eyes and see it in many other Team or uplines. Success depends on your decision to do things with Love, Trust, and Honor.

Editor's note: This comment was edited to comply with the Opportunity Zone's comments policy.

ibofightback said:

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 | #

Joecool is in Hawaii and thus had significantly greater expenses to travel to seminars his upline promoted, which were not local.

To my mind that's just comes with the territory of being a business owner, to evaluate the expenses involved in getting to break even point and then make the committment to do that. And if times are tough then sometimes you may have to cut down on expenses.

I suspect that many of the former IBOs on the net who complain about losing money were not entirely honest with their upline about their financial situation when they were getting advice. This means the advice given could actually be damaging rather than helpful. Now, I don't mean this just as a criticism of the IBOs, I think we as upline also need to be aware and accept that folk are perhaps not being honest about their financial situations. For most people if they're struggling it's not something they're willing to admit.

The flipside is that individuals need to take responsibility for their own business and own decision making.  Accept you weren't honest with your financial situation, listen to advice, and then YOU decide what to do. So what if your upline is an idiot and recommends dumping your fiancee? Get another upline! It's nothing to do with the business model per se, is it?

Joecool said:

Wednesday, August 01, 2007 | #

And when Joecool was shown the plan, nobody upline mentioned that there would be these enormous expenses in running a quixtar/amway business.  When we were signed up for Standing order, it was sold as a tape a week subscription for $6.  Nobody mentioned that every other week, it's a two tape set.  We were told that a major function was $100 or so, but it was promoted as a one shot event, nobody mentioned that there are 4 major functions each year.  Nobody said our major functions were on the mainland.  A new recruit would just as well assume the major functions were all local.  When local functions were promoted, it was promoted as a $6 event.  Nobody said you had to pay the entry fee 4 times over the weekend (open meeting, seminar, rally, leadership).

So you can say I was dishonest, I was not.  That is my experience and I have not seem any evidence that this has changed, at least no in my former AQMO.    

Tex said:

Friday, August 03, 2007 | #

ibofb,

If the IBO is expected to be honest regarding their finances with the upline, why shouldn't the upline be similarly honest about how much tool profit they make, especially in comparison to their Amway income?

After all, the IBO is commonly referred to by the upline as a "business partner", "teammate", and other similar terms, AND the tool profit money is coming out of the IBO's pocket and going directly into the upline's pocket.

An IBO is frequently sponsored by a close friend/relative, and has never owned a business, making these questions quite unlikely to be asked, either by not wanting to appear rude or simply not having the knowledge to ask the question in the first place. The upline knows this, and takes advantage of these facts.

Also, many IBO's fly across the country and have similar expenses Joecool did, so the fact he lived in Hawaii is not as large of a difference as it may initially appear to be.  

All of the tool systems have much more in common than their differences, especially when it comes to the overall system pricing.

ibofightback said:

Friday, August 03, 2007 | #

Have you asked Amway for the profit details yet Tex? They very clearly call us "business partners" in various places, including online video material. Just as I'd be fascinated to know my uplines financial details, but accept I have no need or right to them, I'd also be fascinated to know Amway's finanical details.

So, could you please add "corp profits" to your "tool profits" crusade?

Tex said:

Saturday, August 04, 2007 | #

ibofb,

Non-responsive to the questions asked. Will you answer them on your next post or change the subject again?

You have already asked this question on multiple occasions, but thanks for another opportunity for more IBO's to understand the situation.

Our independent contractor status with Amway is very different than what the upline claims. So no, I have not asked Amway for their profit, but the typical retail model suggests roughly 1/3 of the product cost is in manufacturing cost, 1/3 is profit for Amway (these 2 vary accoring to the product, perhaps as  high as 20%/45% for some products, and 1/3 is IBO profit (this one is known to the best precision). The above assumes core line, Amway manufactured products.

I know you are trying to get more information from your tool system, N21. Any luck on that, the last I heard you aren't getting very far? Do you think the developments in the UK and Russia are based on the Amway business or the tool businesses? So far, it appears to be the tool businesses. It appears the profit for tools is well over 80%, and that profit is concentrated typically only at the Platinum and above level, making the tool profits dwarf the Amway profits for the higher pins, and causing massive losses for most IBO's.

In addition to the factors you didn't address above, there is MUCH closer ongoing personal contact with the upline. We know MUCH more about the volume and profit from Amway than we do with our own upline, which seems backwards to me. After all, the upline enjoys showing us all their material "goodies", but there is very little conversation the bulk of those "goodies" came from the tool profits we pay them, and NOT the amway business.

Respond to ALL these issues and we can perhaps move the conversation forward. I am happy to discuss the facts on this site versus the other blogs, including yours, as this one has much more credibility. This is why it is so silly to be "banned" on the other sites, quite amusing actually.

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