How an Unemployed College Kid Traded a Paperclip for a House...
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May 12, 2009"The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them." Psalm 111:2 If you want to learn something about someone, study their work. The heavens declare God's handiwork and all of creation reveals His ways and His power. When you study what God made, you learn the way He does things. If you are wise like Solomon was, you will copy and emulate those ways and you will prosper. Talk about "built to last"... God knows a little about making things last and we are no fools who have chosen to take pleasure in and to study the things God has made. He has embedded His wisdom there for you and I to find and that wisdom is 100% transferable to business. Consider the rainforest for example... It is the most diverse and abundant ecosystem on the planet and yet has very limited capital (poor topsoil) to work with. The way God gets abundance from relative scarcity is what every entrepreneur, business owner or household manager needs to know! Let me give you an example of something we call the Brazil Nut Effect. It's the principle in the rainforest that shows you how to acquire what you need or want with little or no cash. A young man in Canada utilized this principle to trade one red paperclip for a house. It took him a year and several value exchanges but he ended up with a house free and clear, with no cash and no debt. It's all about being able to exchange relative value for relative value, with emphasis on the word relative. When you understand this vital rainforest principle, you can acquire anything you need. I personally have used it to acquire a full page ad priced at $63,000 in one of the worlds' most successful business magazines. I've coached a client with no cash to exchange a concept and an intangible benefit for several substantial real estate properties worth tens of millions of dollars. It works at any level, but requires a little ingenuity. And in case you're wondering, this is not barter. I will be sharing this principle in more detail in a webinar this coming Thursday, May 14th at 2:00 pm EST. To be clear, the purpose of the webinar is not to sell a book or a product, but rather to inform those who might be interested in our upcoming Rainforest Excursion, June 26th - 30th in Panama. This is not a vacation, though it will feel like one because we are staying at a world class, five star hotel. Between rainforest excursions, we will be sharing with about twenty attendees the details of our business coaching opportunity and how the rainforest serves as an incredible model for a successful business regardless of limited resources. We are looking for a few professional men and women who love adventure, want to change the world and have their own coaching business, making well above average income in the process. This Thursday, May 14th at 2:00 pm EST I will be hosting a webinar on The Seven Wealth Secrets of the Rainforest where I will be sharing about this incredible opportunity to visit the rainforest and become a certified rainforest coach using the most successful business model on the planet as a teaching tool!
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What a perfect beginning to my re-entry to SAW, Michael!
I have really been going 14++ hours a day lately with a client, forgive my absense.
We used to call what you describe barter. But then the IRS got involved. Yet the Lord can do SO much with 'shoestrings' of budgets! The whole point is that EVERYONE SHOULD be reading The Rainforest Strategy and reveling in the tremendous insights you give in application. My advice? Get placed in the Seven Wealth Secrets seminar, fast!
Things have been turbulent here. The Lord has dropped into my lap what I think could be a boon for a) people who love business; and b) people who love to write about business and help them grow. And of course I am referring to believers! There is even software that is being used extremely well as a lead-generator (getting paid for leads!) for all types of local brick and motar businesses on a win-win-win basis! Neat!
Anyway, a good friend of mine,Peter, who has been the owner/publisher of our regional business publication for the past 20 years, and I were chatting two weeks ago. I've known him for 18 of those years--and wrote his only 'how to' book on business for our region.
You know what an Internet 'neophyte' I am, Michael, but here I was asking (OK, telling him) why in the world he has not taken his business journal online in all those years--\"at least you could do a blog\" I advised. I'll never forget his answer, \"Steve, what's a blog?\" He was being straight up. He wanted me to do the online portion!
The upshot is that I called him last Friday and asked for his blessing for me to do the first online treatment of business news for our 4-state region. AND I NEED HELP! Do you have any business writers/entrepreneurs and plain old 'shakers and movers' you could suggest I contact, Michael? This can be worth a lot of money for both the players and the Lord's work through our various churches and mission agencies if we present it correctly. I really want to keep this opportunity within the 'family.'
Your thoughts?
Steve Lanning at 9:10am EDT - May 12, 2009
Hi everyone,
I just would LOVE to go on the seminar, but unfortunately have 2 limiting factors: I cannot leave my business, and have no money left after investing in my business. So for all those who are going, ENJOY!!!
Carola Hildebrand at 6:49am EDT - May 13, 2009
Steve, I attempted to contact you through your link but was not successful. I was blessed to go to Panama with Michael last February and was wondering if I could help or if not provide direction to someone who may help. I need a bit more info than what you have described, but it sure sound exciting!
Blessings
Wally
Wally Kassebaum at 7:36am EDT - May 14, 2009
Hi, Wally,
One of the last things I want to do is be mysterious!
Steve@Executiveproductivity.com is where I can be reached if you want to chat. I'll be on Michael's 2:PM (Eastern) call today.
In His grace,
Steve
Steve Lanning at 9:24am EDT - May 14, 2009
Sounds like a wonderful success story. Sometimes all we need is that mustard seed of faith.
Panama Real Estate at 3:19pm EDT - May 28, 2009
This is without a doubt the best reference and crunched numbers that the industry we all work in has ever gotten.
Confronto Mutuo at 5:39am EDT - May 29, 2009
Do you have a book or any kind of pamphlet about this information? Because I know many people would love to learn about this but I for one cannot afford to go to Panama...
St. George Real Estate at 4:11pm EDT - June 10, 2009
Sounds like a wonderful success story. Sometimes all we need is that mustard seed of faith
top online mba programs at 1:52am EDT - June 15, 2009