Doing Well by Doing Good....The Journey Begins Afresh, Now....

Hey All,

Gary B. here…Hope ya’ll are doing well. I wanted to post this blog to explain to some, to apologize to some, and to encourage all…I would ask that you please read so I don't have to point you back to this blog when you ask me 'what are you doing with this online and network marketing stuff?' Thanks!

As many (if not all) of you know at the beginning of 2013 I began my involvement in the world of relational/network marketing. For whatever reason most of my adult life I have had a ‘network marketing’ target on my head and as a result I have been invited to 'join' multiple network marketing businesses, but until January, 2013 I have never felt to ‘join’ any of them. The truth is, prior to January, like many of you I had a rather negative opinion of the network marketing biz. I’m not sure why I had the 'target' on me. Could be I have a large forehead that can be used as a target (no hair to cover it, so it’s actually more like and ‘eight’ head) or maybe it’s my propensity to smile a lot, or maybe folks thought I would be good at it because it’s easy for me to talk to people from all walks of life, or maybe they saw in me the willingness to throw myself passionately into things I believe in, which I do. But, as I said I never 'joined' any opportunity and until Jan I had a negative opinion of network marketing, but obviously my opinion has changed and here is why…..

First, an opportunity was presented to me that finally ‘fit’ my life-long passion (more on this a bit later) to help people ‘move upward, onward and forward’ in life, to achieve new levels of success in life. Second, at 58 years old (but WAY younger than that in heart) I have finally come to the place that I ‘want out’ of the ‘linear income’ world where someone else determines how much my time is worth, where someone else determines when and where I need to ‘show up,’ where someone else determines when I can take time off and how much time I can take off….See where I’m coming from? So, I guess you could say I was ‘awakened’ in early 2013 to the possibility that there was ‘another way to make a living’ that actually would help me and others ‘make a better life’ and that I could ‘do well by doing good’ for folks….We’ll talk about this later on, for this is the ‘main point’ of this treatise. 

Now, I need to say a word about my ‘work history’ in the ‘linear income’ world. I AM SO THANKFUL for the jobs I have held since Vonnie and were married in 1975 (yep, been married to my love for 38 years!). When our kids were little Hewlett-Packard provided a steady income for my young family, and they did so for almost 20 years. So thankful to HP. When we moved from Corvallis, Oregon to Salem, Oregon a company then known as Supra Products gave me the opportunity to work for them for 2 years until I went on staff full-time at Salem City Church in 1997 and where I ministered thru 2006. I am so thankful to Supra and to the generosity of the folks at Salem City Church. Beginning in early 2007 I went to work for what was then named Novellus Systems (now LAM Research) which has been a huge, huge blessing and LAM will continue to get my best every day and every hour I am ‘on the clock’ for them….In short, I have been tremendously blessed in my work career…..However, as I mentioned above, in early 2013 I embarked on a journey for ‘something more’ and that is what I want to tell you about....

To talk about this journey we first need to go back to a little town in the Coast Range Mountains in western Oregon, a little town called Valsetz. Valsetz was a ‘company owned’ town. Boise-Cascade (a timber company) ‘owned’ the town. You had to work for Boise, or work for the logging company(s) that supplied timber to the mill, or work for the post office (2 people I think) or work for the school district to live in town. My dad worked for the school district as a teacher from my first thru third grades but prior to me entering fourth grade he was named the school district superintendent. Now, as you can imagine, in a small town not a lot of kids wanted to ‘hang out’ a lot with the ‘principal’s kid’ so I spent a lot of my growing up years by myself, with my basketball, with Fritz my dog and with my fishing pole. And one thing I LOVED to do while by myself was sing and talk and preach to myself. Yep, I would write songs in my head, talk to myself and preach to and encourage myself for hours and hours….And one thing was firm in my mind, even as a young guy was that someday I would be speaking to and ministering to and helping thousands and thousands of people. Now, over the years this ‘ministering to and helping thousands and thousands of people’ has taken place to some extent, but not to the extent that I saw years ago as a young man….And this leads me to embarking on this next ‘big adventure.’

As I mentioned earlier, the reason I became involved in relational/network marketing was that I finally found an opportunity that ‘fit’ my life-long passion to help people ‘move upward, onward and forward’ in life, to achieve new levels of success in life. This opportunity is The Inspired Living Application (iLA). When I heard about iLA I was SO excited that the first thing I did was tell many of you about it, not realizing that many of you had no interest at all in this kind of business. And I want to say, that if at any time I came across as ‘bugging you’ I am SO sorry….My intent was not to ‘bug you’ I just was eager to share my excitement about iLA (which I still have) with you….My bad.  Just know that my only intent was share something that I felt would do you and your family good…

After becoming involved with iLA I began to look around for other business opportunities that would allow my family and others we love and care about to ‘do well by doing good’ thru what is known as ‘social entrepreneurship.’ Social entrepreneurs are people that have identified tangible needs in society have a clear vision and mandate to change the world in tangible ways thru their businesses and the incomes generated from same.  

My ‘why’ for getting involved in relational/network marketing in the first place was ‘If I can provide a person hope for change than I can help change ‘their world’ and thru iLA people are going to be encouraged, motivated, inspired and if they apply what they hear, changed.’ And, since January 2013 my ‘why’ has only intensified and grown in size, desire and greater clarity has come so that I can now share my ‘big why’ with you and it is this:

I am working to position Vonnie and I so we can be extravagantly generous at all times and in all situations with our time, talent, treasure ($) and energy with our family, our friends, our church and other ministries and to help bring hope, healing, kindness, provision and justice through social entrepreneurship. We accomplish this by serving, coaching, mentoring, inspiring, motivating, networking and partnering with innovative and integrity-filled business opportunities, ministries, individuals and teams.

So, you are now up to speed with what GB is up to with all this ‘online and network marketing stuff.' And now, going forward, you are likely see increased activity from me in the ‘social entrepreneurship’ realm. All I ask is that if you value our relationships as much as I do, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask and if you want more information please don’t hesitate to ask. And if you want to join Vonnie and I on this great adventure please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us…

For the journey begins afresh, now….And we are so excited. This is going to be awesome! 

God bless,

Gary B.

Social Entrepreneur

Email: garyb1.inspire@gmail.com

Personal Cell: 971-239-9610

Onward, Upward, Forward!

Hi World,

Gary B. here, and my passion and calling in life is to inspire and help people reach new levels of success in life....

My wife of 38 years Vonnie and I live in Salem Oregon, USA in the mid-Willamette Valley where it is 1 hour west to the Pacific Ocean and 1 hour east to the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. Love me some Oregon! Vonnie and I have 3 grown children and 8 (yep 8) grandchildren ranging in age from 9 to 8 months....Life is full and I love it!

Having been an athlete all my life I understand the importance of individual accomplishment and success and I also understand the truth that individual accomplishment and success are only fully realized when expressed within 'team.' Throughout my life I have worked in many and varied 'coaching capacities' from high school freshman basketball to planting and pastoring a local church and in these capacities I have had the awesome opportunity to 'work' my passion and calling in life which is to help people go Onward, Upward, Forward!

I am now focusing my efforts on inspiring people with the hope that any person, situation or circumstance can change for the good and helping them gain the skills, mindset and courage to make the changes necessary to see the success they desire whether it be in family, relationships, business or any other areas of life where I can be of service.

I have worked with people all over the world and have seen the impact just 4 little letters can have....HOPE. Hope can sustain a person when nothing else can. And, I’m not talking about the ‘I sure hope it works out’ kind of hope. I am talking about the hope that is a joyful expectation and anticipation that things WILL work out because God is good, and because God is good God cannot do anything other than good. And therefore, as His children we can expect good to come our way…. God does His part, we do our part, and boom….Good things come! YES!

My hope is that we can connect, work together and that you will find all the success and prosperity that you and your family desire. Let's team up, let's work together!!!!

For, if you prosper I prosper and if I prosper you prosper!!!

Let's DO this, together!!!

Talk to you soon…..

Gary B.

garyb1.inspire@gmail.com

Plant, water, wait, water again, wait, water again, wait, harvest. Repeat.

Hi World,

This is why I joined iLA……."If you can provide a person hope for change, you can help change ‘their world’.’ Thru iLA people are going to be encouraged, motivated, blessed, inspired and if they apply what they hear and see, changed."

iLA is more than just an amazing, first to market income opportunity....Let's not forget that. iLA will do people good in more ways than one. One way is thru the personal development content people will be given hope. Hope that things can be different, hope that they can change, hope that they don't have to 'stay stuck' in their current circumstances that are 'less than' what they desire....Hope.

Now, I recently sent some folks a message asking ‘Howzit, can I help you in in any way to grow your iLA business?’ And, some mentioned that they are just now ‘getting started,’ some are happy with the way things are going, and some are experiencing some of the normal ebb and flow of momentum and ‘feelings’ that come with launching anything new. Seems there is always a flurry of activity at first, then things settle down to a more realistic pace as prospect interest and enrollments have slowed down some.

Before we get too maudlin and start thinking ‘nobody is interested’ let’s look at some facts:

1.   Most of our team members are new to the network marketing world, and still our team continues to grow.

2.   We have 8 states and Kosova, Hungary, Mexico and Greece represented  on our team

3. The approximately 60,000 people WW who have signed up since mid-Jan tells me people ARE interested, and we JUST WENT LIVE June 1.....

But, having said all that, we must also recognize that starting something new that involves other people has its challenges. Right?  

Any enterprise you start, be it a business, a church, a club, anything you start from scratch is going to take TIME to build, NOTHING happens overnight. The more I learn about the ‘heart and vision’ behind iLA the more I come to see that iLA is an AMAZING opportunity with a FANTASTIC future. Again, and I can’t emphasize enough, give this thing TIME. This is a REAL business and it will take REAL time and REAL effort to develop. As I wrote in a previous post, anything we start doing that we haven’t done before has a steep learning curve (eating, walking, drinking from something other than a sippy cup, etc) and it WILL take time. But I am confident that if we give ourselves 2 years to build our business and spent $240, good investment! So make a commitment to yourself that you’re going to give it a year, or better give it two years, or three years….Just don’t quit after three or four or even six months. I’m convinced you will regret it if you do.

If after a year or two your matrix hasn't grown at all, THEN question why it isn't working. Think of it like this; If you started a retail business a few weeks ago, or even a few months ago would you be looking to close the doors because you haven't made a profit yet? NO, of course not!


Now….Let’s talk about ‘how to share iLA with people.’ We know iLA is new to the world. Therefore we know that any ‘seeds’ we are planting are ‘new kinds of seeds.’ Having planted a church, I know what it is to plant, wait, and wait, and wait before things begin to ‘grow.’ 

But you should also know that except for 5 family members NOT ONE OF THE 40 PEOPLE I HAVE ENROLLED INTO iLA HAS SIGNED UP AFTER ME SHARING WITH THEM JUST ONE TIME! Nope, not one. Instead the process has gone like this:

Plant, water, wait, water again, wait, water again, wait, harvest. Repeat.

To be successful in network marketing you have to invest in the people you are sharing with. Be willing to help, be willing to listen, be willing to share, be willing to 'give space'....Be willing to serve.

Simple.

‘That doesn’t sound like Gary Bittner to me.’

For those that are ‘worried about me’ please read…..

‘That doesn’t sound like Gary Bittner to me.’

I’ve heard this several times recently in response to some Facebook postings I have made regarding an income opportunity based on a new, cutting edge mobile application for Apple products and Android based devices as well as personal computers.

And yes, I know this doesn't sound like me so let me explain why I have ‘jumped into’ this business opportunity call iLA.
For years I have been looking for and trying to think of a way to generate income with a legitimate business while at the same time offering something to people that will encourage, inspire, motivate and bless. The Inspired Living App (iLA) does both.

You should know that over my many years on this planet I have been approached countless times by folks wanting me to go with something they were presenting, and until this one I've never felt to jump in.

iLA is ‘different.’ I've done the research, this is legit and, based on sales of other apps this company has developed, WILL be big. What’s that you say, a mobile app going viral? Why, yes please. Now, would you say Facebook has gone viral? Obviously yes, but it took SEVERAL YEARS for it to do so. In fact, in Facebook’s first month it had 450 subscribers. iLA, in it’s first 30 days, with an unreleased product that has yet to hit the market is at over 41,000. YES PLEASE!

Now, some people are saying ‘well, this is a Multi-Level Marketing thing and no thanks, I’m not interested.' In fact, quite a few people think this way. Let’s talk about this.

What is the definition of ‘business?’ Here it is from Dictionary.com:

Business: A Noun

1. An occupation, profession, or trade

2. The purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit

3. A person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service; profit-seeking enterprise or concern

Notice the above definition does not make a judgment on what businesses are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. So, why do people insist on categorizing some types of business as ‘legitimate’ and some ‘less legitimate?’ Why? Why do we judge ‘accounting’ or ‘shipping’ or ‘e-commerce’ or ‘banking’ legitimate but then judge network or multi-level marketing as ‘illegitimate’ or ‘less than’ a ‘real’ business?

There are non-profit enterprises that by their very name exist as ‘philanthropic’ ventures where ‘profit’ is not the goal (although many of these do quite well in the profit realm but that is another discussion for another time). All other businesses should have as their goal ‘to make money’ for if not they will soon cease to exist. ‘Multi-level Marketing’ is one business model among many that have huge potential to generate income, but we’re not just talking about the brand new iLA or other multi-level marketing companies that have been in the marketplace for years.

All business is ‘multi-level’ in some way. Someone delivers a product or service to someone else and goods and/or services or currency is then exchanged with the goal that a profit be made. For example, the seed seller buys his seed from his ‘upline’ and then sells his seed ‘downline’ to the farmer and the farmer then sells his produce ‘downline’ to the grocery store and the grocery store sells its produce ‘downline’ to the consumer. Again I ask, why do we judge network or multi-level marketing as ‘illegitimate’ or ‘less than’ a ‘real’ business? We do so in error.

I have reviewed all the materials I could, looked into the background of the developers (they have multiple apps in the app store with millions and millions of downloads), talked to one of the 'higher up guys' (app development is local, in McMinnville) and listened in on a some conference calls that discussed the ‘heart’ of the business and the firm legal foundations on which it is being built, And, since I can clearly see that ‘they' are looking at this as more than just a money-making gig and that the whole business is filled with integrity, I’m in.

So, what is the The Application? iLA will deliver a weekly video focusing on personal development in areas such as goal setting, time management, personal, business, and leadership development, financial management, personal motivation, and more. The app can be delivered to a smart phone, a tablet, or via the internet to a home computer.

Once a person subscribes to the app, for $9.95 a month they get the weekly personal development videos AND they are also part of the business that sells the app....This is where the income part comes in. Once you are 'in' and downloads happen, you get a piece of that business. 

And downloads are going to happen. In 2012 there were over $30 billion in mobile app downloads, double of 2011. What will 2013 bring? No one knows for sure but all signs point to steep and continued growth.

This is an opportunity to generate income without making a huge investment. Think of it this way: What if we gave it 12 months and at the end would have spent a total of $120?

Obviously no guarantees and any investment is a risk,  But, for 12 months and $120 I am willing to take the risk. I think iLA is worth a look. 

Below is a link if you want more information. Easy peasy!

http://bit.ly/15GnGN7

Thanks for reading this treatise and please let me know if you have any questions, if you want more information or if you just want to say ‘Ok, I feel better, Gary is not losing it.’


Love love,
GB

‘TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!’

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We all like new things. We like a New Year, we like new opportunities to begin again, with God, with family, on the job, in the gym. In reality January 1^st is just another day out of 365. But no matter how much we want to see it as ‘another day’ we all (and if you say you don’t I don’t believe you J) see it as a ‘new’ and sense the opportunity for a fresh start, a sense that God is giving us the faith and hope that the things needing to get better are going to be better this year, that things that have needed to change are going to change this year, that the things that have held us back are not going to hold us back this year, that the hope and dreams we have been waiting to see fulfilled are going to begin to be fulfilled this year. Thanks Lord!

However, while January 1^st brings new hope and new opportunities and a clean slate to write on anew, in the midst of all the goals/resolutions/plans/whatever you may call them we need to remember; To get 'there' we have to leave 'here,' to grasp 'that' we have to let go of 'this,' and big dreams don't cost any more than little dreams. So let’s not be afraid to dream big, to see beyond our current circumstances and situations, to embrace the simple truth that to get something we've never had, to become something we've never been we will have to think in ways we've never thought and do some things we've never done. For….’If nothing changes, nothing changes.'

God is good, no doubt about it and He always wants to take us higher, further, deeper. His desire is that each and every person embrace His grace and mercy and kindness and love and power that will take us to places we’ve never been and empower is to do things we’ve never done….He wants to take us ‘TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!’….

As the New Year begins we can begin our journey to ‘infinity and beyond’ and as we do we need to ask ourselves a question and make a declaration:

• Question: Are we willing to ‘see’ things differently? Helen Keller was once asked what would be worse than blindness. She said ‘to have sight but no vision.’ At the beginning of the New Year I challenge you to ‘see beyond where you are today.’ Don’t let your vision be compromised by small distractions that can have a huge limiting effect on your future. One of my favorite authors is A.W. Tozer who wrote “….Someone has said that you can take two small ten-cent pieces, just two dimes, and shut out the view of a panoramic landscape. Go to the mountains and just hold two coins closely in front of your eyes--the mountains are still there, but you cannot see them at all because there is a dime (obstacle) shutting off the vision in each eye.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 that where there is no vision, people perish/cast off restraint (bow to obstacles). How true, for if the only thing I can see is ‘what I see now’ them I’m ‘stuck’ where I am. I’m convinced that one of the greatest hindrances in moving forward is continuing to only see ‘what we have now and where we are now.’

There’s are great illustration of this in the Bible found in Genesis 13:14-15. The background is Abram (later called Abraham) has just rescued his nephew from a terrible situation and offered his nephew the chance to take good, fertile, green, well-watered land for he and his family OR choose the ‘less than desirable’ land. Being young and inconsiderate the nephew chooses the ‘good land’ which meant his uncle Abe had to take the barren, dry, unfertile land. No doubt Abe, being a man who feels things like we feel things, was a bit discouraged. But God (I love those two words ‘But God) tells Abram ‘Lift up your eyes from where you are and look, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever….

Get it? Abram was not where he thought he would be, didn’t have what he thought he would have and yet God says ‘Where you are NOW is not where you will be THEN!’ And God is saying to us today, January 1^st, 2013 ‘Where you are today at the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013 is not where you will be at the end of 2013!’ Can you see it? Thanks be to God!

• Declaration: In 2013 I will ‘own my stuff.’ Or as I like to say it ‘If it is to be it’s up to me.’ Nobody can ‘make’ you angry, nobody can ‘make’ you sad, nobody can ‘make’ you happy, nobody can ‘make’ you gain weight, nobody can ‘make’ you lose weight, nobody can ‘make’ you get that deadlift PR…Nobody else, only you.

In 2013 take ownership of YOUR vision, YOUR goals, YOUR success or YOUR failure. There is a good illustration in Isaiah 54:2-4. God has promised ‘increase’ to His people as a whole but I like to make it more personal. He says “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated….”

In 2013 declare this is MY tent, these are MY stakes, these are MY cords and I will take responsibility to move my stakes to God-set parameters and I will not be ashamed!

No doubt in 2013 there will be setbacks, there will be times of frustration, there will be times when dreams and hopes and visions seem delayed, where problems rise up, where progress seems too slow or thwarted altogether. I want to encourage you that in those times when ‘things are not working out like we want’ things are working out, like God wants. We must rest in faith that even if things are ‘less than what we would like to see’ a victory, a change, a ‘move up’ is happening according to the goodness and grace of God. We see only from the ‘human side.’ God sees ‘every side!’

To rest in this we must make sure we are clear on two fundamental truths…..

1. If that vision, that hope, that dream, that desire came from God He will bring it about as we just simply cooperate with Him. That desire, that longing, that goal, that sigh, it all comes from Him…He began the good work in you and He will finish it as we cooperate with Him and live a life of active and alive faith!
2. God is good and it is the will of God to heal, deliver and prosper all people….even you, He wants you to succeed

Now, all I’ve said above takes faith. One of my heroes is a man named Wendell Smith. Wendell was known for his unyielding belief that God is a good God and because He is a good God He cannot cease doing good for His children. Wendell said “God is a good God and He will honor His word. If we will walk in faith and obedience there is:

• No problem He cannot solve
• No question He cannot answer
• No disease He cannot heal
• No demon He cannot cast out
• No enemy He cannot defeat
• No difficulty He cannot overcome
• No stronghold He cannot bring down
• No bondage He cannot break
• No prison He cannot open
• No need He cannot meet
• No mountain He cannot remove

I included Wendell’s ‘words of faith’ as we launch out into the unknown of 2013, for it ‘takes faith to move forward.’ Wendell was also was fond of saying, in the face of difficulties, when things weren’t ‘going right’ “No matter what, we win!” And to that I say AMEN!!

Finally, I leave you with an encouragement that it is better to ‘live through the windshield than through the rear-view mirror.’ Below is a passage from the Bible found in the book of Philippians to launch is forward into 2013.

Love you, keep the smiles flowin’

GB --

(From ‘The Message’ version, emphasis mine)

Philippians 3:12-14 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running and I'm not turning back. 15-16 So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it!