A few months back, I posted that I was going to give network marketing ONE MORE CHANCE utilizing only the internet to build the business.   Would you like to know how it went?  It didn’t – LOL!

I joined Monavie because I truly love their energy drink but since this wasn’t my first, second, or even fifth network marketing business attempt and knowing as much as I do now about SEO and niche businesses, I decided – okay ONE MORE TRY – but only using the internet to build the business.

The first problem quickly became apparent when I found out that the website that was provided by the company could not have anything modified.   Meaning no content, html tags, nothing that I could do to help my little Monavie website rank and bring me traffic.

Next I tried PPC to get leads.  The leads that came in were a waste of both my time and money.  The keywords were highly competitive and even targetting long tail keywords, the cost was still extremely high and these were non-coverting leads.

So what did I learn?  I learned that building and selling my niche websites is a MUCH MORE LUCRATIVE business venture worth my time – and there is no money out of pocket since I put the time and effort into the SEO and marketing of these sites when time allows.  USA Pool & Toy, which is a manufacturer/distributor of wholesale toys and gifts along with NewCoolToysOnline.com and BocaClips.com – the retail partners to the wholesale business allows me to live the life I want to live and work the hours I want to work.  Yes, I am on my way to the 4 hour work week.

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Happy New Year!  I know I haven’t updated anyone yet on my progress toward the 4 hour work week and, I’ll be honest, there hasn’t been much progress.  I went right back to my usual work 24/7 routine – the exact routine I’m trying to break free from.  So where does this leave me?

After much soul searching this past weekend, I’ve realized that I’ve got to really push myself toward my goal.  At the end of 2009, I had become so out of whack that all I was doing was sitting at my computer.  I’m not sure how much of this was actually productive time, but it was a lot of time spent on my computer.  Not good.   I had lost track of spending time doing the things I like to do like spending time with family, volunteering at the horse rescue, playing and learning to ride my horses and on and on.

So what am I going to do about it this year?  Well, I’ve launched a new website in a niche market called ButterflyJewelryShop.com which focuses on butterfly jewelry, heart jewelry, beach jewelry and more.  What is the reason for yet another website?  I like to work and build websites.  I like to do the research for the right keywords.  I like to tweak the site and write content so that it is fully optimized for SEO.  But, and this is a big BUT, I’m using the proceeds of this site to open my own horse rescue. I also have made the commitment that I’ll be volunteering at the local horse rescue again starting Thursday.  No if’s, and’s or but’s.

Another resolution – use my VA to the fullest potential.  Do I really need to be posting articles or faxing?  No because that’s not where I make money. My focus needs to be on sales for USAPoolToy.com for wholesale toys and NewCoolToysOnline.com for retail outdoor toys.  Again – no if’s, and’s or but’s.  It’s all about focus.  If I focus on one task at a time and stay with it – like writing this blog update – until it’s done, then it’s done.  If I get up and moving by 6 a.m. and can finish by 3 or 4, then I should finish and not feel guilty about leaving my office at that time.

I hope this little update helps someone else out on their personal journey.  If you have comments or questions, email me at denise@usapooltoy.com.

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I’ve received several emails asking me how I’m doing toward attaining the 4 hour work week?  Well, believe it or not, I am making progress and that’s huge for me!  Seem like I’m not the only one out there who needs balance in their lives so if I can help just one person with this blog, it’ll all be so worth it.

The most important thing for me is that I’ve cut down how many times a day I’m checking my email.  No, it’s not 2 times a day like the author recommends, but I have definitely made progress in this area.  Instead of keeping my email program open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.  I open it in the morning answer all the emails that need a response then I shut the program down and take my 2 biggest dogs – Pongo, my dalmation, and Jazzie, my foxhound, – for a 2 mile walk.  My goal is to not jump on the computer first thing in the morning after the dogs and horses are fed but rather I’d like to feed all the animals, take the dogs for a walk, shower, eat breakfast THEN hit the computer.  Think I can do it?

Next most important thing is that I have a VA answering the office phone from noon to 5 every afternoon.  The office line covers both the wholesale toys business and the retail online outdoor toys business that sells to consumers.  That may not seem like a lot but for me it’s a control issue – no one can do everything as well as I can do it.    By hiring someone to answer the phones, that frees up my time to concentrate on key accounts for the wholesale business along with doing the SEO on the retail site.  I am also teaching my daughter SEO by launching a new jewelry site with her featuring butterfly and heart jewelry.   She will graduate from college in the spring and this will teach her from A to Z how to launch a successful online business.   I truly believe the path to success comes from being an entrepreneur – not from punching a time clock 9 to 5 for someone else making all the money.

Overall am I doing better?  Yes, I think so.  Look it’s Sunday morning and I’m not in my email waiting for the ding – I’m updating my blog.  Now that’s progress!

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I’ve been reading this book – “The 4 Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferris over the weekend.   It’s so interesting that I thought I’d journal about my experience as I try very, very hard to cut back my work hours.   One thing that was pointed out immediately by reading the book is that I’m addicted to email.  Yep – you heard it here first – I’m an email addict!

As soon as I wake up in the morning after feeding the dogs and the horses, I’m in my office pulling my emails.  But it doesn’t stop there.  I have 3 different email accounts that I  pull emails from.  I have my wholesale business – www.usapooltoy.com, my retail business www.newcooltoysonline.com and my consulting business from my E-commerce Internet Business Course.

Do you think I can just stop after I pull the emails from all three accounts first thing in the morning?  If you said no, you’re right.  I am constantly checking my emails all day long into the evening when I finally turn my computer off.   I pull my emails from morning until evening, 7 days a week.

Reading this book has got me thinking that if I can follow the author’s recommendation and only pull my emails at 11 a.m and 4 p.m. imagine what I could accomplish in a day.  So starting today, I am doing a modified 3 times per day pulling of emails because I had forgotten my plan and already pulled my emails by 6:00 this morning LOL!

I’ve already found out that by closing my emails I had time to write this blog update.  Imagine what I can get done the rest of the day if I stick to the plan.  I WILL CONQUER THE WORLD!   Or at least finish writing the niche ecommerce business course I’ve been working on.

Are you like me?  Too many things going on and not focusing on one thing at a time? If so, join me on this journey toward the 4 Hour Work Week.  Could be fun, right?

Until next time.

Denise

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