A Superior and Less Expensive Telephone System: The CU-2000 Video Phone

Yesterday, while looking through my video phonebook, a realised that almost everyone I know is still using an inferior telephone system. After ending a video phone call with my sister in the United States, I wanted to see a few old friends but it was impossible. Very few people have stepped up the game and are able to talk and see the person they're talking to (I'm not talking about using a computer and a webcam). Most people are stuck to a voice-only telephone system. It is worth mentioning that I moved past the voice-only telephone system more than 1 year ago and since then, phone calls have never been the same again. Talking on the phone without seeing the person I'm talking to no longer makes sense.

If you ask people anywhere whether they want to pay less on a phone bill, the answer 100% of the time will be YES. But, in reality, many people still pay "an arm and a leg" for a phone service. Most people don't know that they can actually make a video phone call without the burden of hooking up computers and webcams. And it's affordable! Today, we can conviniently talk and see family and friends from any part of the world without worrying about minutes. All we need is internet and electricity. I decided to blog on this in order to create awareness and to help my readers save money on phone bills they're already paying.

You must be wondering how on earth a video call can be made without hooking up computers and webcams, right? Well, meet my favorite gadget, the CU-2000 video phone in the video clip below:

The video phone has an inbuilt phone number and you can use the same phone number anywhere in the world. For example, I have a 678... Atlanta, GA number and if you call that number, it will ring wherever I'm (even if I'm in the moon). :) Right now, I'm blogging from Finland and if you call my 678... number, it'll ring right here. If I travel to Cameroon, my 678... number will ring right there. How cool is that?

The video phone has features such as Caller ID, voicemail and other calling features. Check out the voicemail system in the video clip below:




The Home UNLIMITED Plan ($30/month) includes UNLIMITED local, long distance and mobile calls anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also includes UNLIMITED landline calls to 75 calling areas throughout the world and to other GLOBALINX® customers in any location worldwide.

What I like about my video phone is the fact that it rescues me from the burden of hooking up computers and webcams. It's a regular phone which helps me connect with my family like never before. I won't trade it for anything.

Give me a sign if you'd like to connect with your loved ones on a new level. With the video phone, it's almost like being there! Don't compromise on an inferior telephone system.

Share

Tweet

4 Reasons why Everyone is not Happy about your Success

In this greatest game of all (life), everyone wants to be successful. Everyone wants to emerge victorious. We all want that dream job, car, family, house, bank account, business, you name it. We work very hard and put in all it takes to achieve our goals. When we become successful, it is no secret that everyone will join us celebrate but not everyone will be truly happy about our success. The question that arises here is, why is everyone not happy about your success?

1. You never let anyone steal your dream. Do not think that everyone who is not happy about your success is programmed to be unhappy; they're not. The problem for some people is that somewhere down the line someone (spouse, parent, friend, sibling) stole their dream and they never dared to dream again. Consequently, when you pursue your dream and make it a reality without listening to dream stealers , they feel cheated and become unhappy about your success.

2. You broke the status quo. Many people are comfortable with their lives as it is and never try to make life what it ought to be. They think they don't deserve more. You on the other hand thought differently and set out to make life what it ought to be. Your success, no doubt would leave those around you afraid of how your changes will affect your relationship with them. For example, where I come from, the man is considered the head of the family and more often than not, men earn more money than women and feel threatened by women who set out to boost their income. A husband in some cases, would not be happy about his wife's drive to earn more money than him and would do everything possible to avoid the situation (sounds silly but it's real). In this same vein, when you broke the staus quo, not everyone will be happy about your success.

3. You made tough choices. In the quest for success, you're bound to make some tough choices. In some cases, you might have to drop some negative friends, you might become interested in activities your friends consider "boring" such as going to business meetings, trainings and reading. As you make these choices, you'd leave behind some people in the choices you did not make and these people will inevitably be unhappy about your success when you succeed.

4. You paid the price. Before becoming successful, you took action and paid the price for success. Make no mistake about it, there were people who saw promise in your venture but were not willing to take action and to pay the price. In some cases you even reached out to them to join you but they either turned down the offer or did not pursue it to the end. Do not be surprised when the same people feel betrayed by you because you took action and paid the price for success.

It is evident that everyone would not be happy about your success. You can't do anything about it! However, this is no excuse for you to stop pursuing the dream. You're probably aware of the fact that all the people who have improved the quality of life today withstood an unslaught of people who were either not happy about their success or wanted them to fail. A few people may be unhappy about you success but keep in mind that there's someone somewhere looking up to you for inspiration.

Share

Tweet

From an Ordinary Cameroonian to Senior Vice President of an Inc. 500 Company

"Strong leaders are those who let their pride down, develop resilience and tolerance and follow in the footsteps of a mentor until successful."
- Albert & Lema Nsah

While growing up in Cameroon, West Africa, I celebrated many of my sister's achievements and have always known her to be a smart and hardworking trailblazer. But I must confess this particular achievement hit me like a bombshell and convinced me beyond reasonable doubts that anybody can make it BIG, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, you name it. Everyone has a fair chance to emerge victorious in this greatest game of all (life). My sister's story, is a story to be shouted from roof tops. It's truly a lesson of survival: it's either you sink or you swim!

We were born into a middle class family and my sister - Lema Nsah nee Abeng happened to be the first kid. Many have suggested that she has such an insurmountable drive and determination to succeed because of the responsibilities that rest on the shoulders of the eldest child in a typical African family. While I agree with the assertion, I also think it takes a certain type of person to pull it off and go from an obscure kid from Bamenda, Cameroon, West Africa to Senoir Vice President of an Inc. 500 company in the United States of America.

Lema Nsah nee Abeng potrayed entrepreneurial skills and a business mindset way back in the days after she obtained her Bachelors degree from the University of Buea, Cameroon. I guess she realised quickly that in order to be financially free and independent, business ownership is the path to follow. Make no mistake about it, she has what it takes to follow the path everyone else follows - to get a job, BUT she choosed to strike out on the road less traveled and as David Frost nicely put it, "two road diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference."

I remember her first business venture - opening a Cyber Cafe in Bonaberi, Douala. I'd be doing her justice by mentioning that it was in her Cyber Cafe that I sent my first email (at a time when some of my friends and I called the internet - ".com"). A few years after she set up the Cyber Cafe, she traveled to the United States of America (that was in 2001) to meet her husband. While in the United States, she again refused to settle for the common things. She saw her husband work an average of 60 hours a week while she was home raising their beautiful kids by herself (most of the time). She knew something had to change and she kept looking for an opportunity, believing that, "it's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared."

Lema and her husband lived paycheck to paycheck like most people until they got started with a network marketing company in June, 2006 and steadily worked their way to the TOP of the company in just a period of 2 years. Today, Lema and Albert Nsah are making a lot of money and having a lot of fun. Today, their business has expanded into Europe and Africa and they travel the world sharing the opportunity with ordinary people who're sick and tired of living a life of struggle. They inspire ordinary people and help them achieve the same level of success.

I can write all day about this incredible journey to success but a lot has already been written about Lema and Albert. Click here to watch their Senior Vice President promotion. In their quest to help ordinary people succeed, Lema and Abert Nsah have written a book - THE RISING STAR. You have the opportunity to network with Lema on Facebook and Twitter or visit her blog for insights: Face2Face with Network Marketing. If she can do a thing, she can teach a thing. You want her to be your mentor.

Needless to say, I got involved with the same company on October 8, 2008 and it has been a journey like no other. I have achieved some success and I'm still looking for a couple of serious people to partner with. If that's you, join me on Facebook or Twitter and let's kick it! The journey ahead is daunting but together everyone achieves more. I'll see you at the finish line.

Share

Tweet

Work for Yourself or Work for Someone Else?

There're certain events and circumstances that impact our lives more than we can imagine. Unless we get out of our comfort zones and quit being proponents of a concept simply because it's what we were educated in, we'd be caught in the viscious cycle of getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, going to bed and longing for the weekend. This will happen to us until old age renders us incapable.

I've been marveled by the "job" mentality we grow up with and our delibrate refusal to look at other options. At best, we are trained to be high profile employees like doctors, lawyer, bankers and you name it. Some of us even settle for low aspirational jobs. We are trained and motivated to be loyal employees working for the State or the rich (despite the fact that there're other ways of making a living). This phenomenon has raised questions about the motive of our educational sytems. Are educational systems designed to train and provide labour force for the State and the rich?

You're probably aware of the fact that earned income (compensation for working a job) is the worst kind of income. It's the highest taxed income in most countries (with the exception of socialist welfare States like Sweden). This is common knowledge. Considering the fact that earned income has been proven to be the worst kind of income, why are we encouraged to go to school get a job? The answer is simple.

Governments have expenses and some people ought to pay high tax in order to help the government cover it's expenses. Needless to say, people who work for themselves (entrepreneurs) pay less tax and governments don't need too many of such people. Governments only need a few entrepreneurs to create jobs for the majority of people so that a good number of people can work and pay higher taxes. This is a bid to help governments cover their expenses. To illustrate this, in 2006, Warren Buffet (one of the richest men in America) paid 17.7 percent on the $46 million he made while his secretary who earned $60,000 was taxed 30 percent. What does this tell you? Entrepreneurs pay less tax than their dedicated employees. The bottom line is that business owners enjoy tax cuts while the dedicated and hardworking employees (who can be fired at any time) don't. For more information about Warren Buffet paying less tax than his secretary, click here.

Many of us mistakening think governments have our best interest at heart especially when State officials and politicians preach about "creating more jobs". It's all a matter of national interest. The government needs people to work jobs so that they can pay the high taxes levied on earned income (the worst kind of income). The government does not create more jobs because it "loves" it's citizens. Believe it or not! The idea of "job creation" is intended to recruit workers to help finance government expenditure. That's why we're indoctrinated to go to school and get a job despite the fact that there're other ways of making a living. In the long run, working a job helps the State and the rich, not the ordinary citizens (employees). This is not bad. It's good business for the State and the rich.

Have you noticed that many people work really hard, retire with a meagre pension and live a lifetime of struggle? This is because they were educated on how to work for money and not on how to have money work for them (and pay less tax). School systems intentionally/unintentionally leave out the other side of the story - business ownership. People usually don't understand the fact that business ownership is the way to go until it's almost too late. This explains why more and more people start businesses in their 50s and 60s. Don't get me wrong, starting a business is tough and risky. But owning a business is the only way to control your time, income and quality of life.

Check list:

• A job does not help employees in the long run.
• Employees cannot will their jobs to their kids.
• Employees can't decide when and with whom to work.
• Someone else determines how much employees earn.
• Employees pay higher taxes.
• Employees qualify for earned income (the worst kind of income).
  
• Employees get fired.
  

Well, the truth is, when you own a business; when you're the boss, the rules change!

Share

Tweet

Harness the Digital Tsunami

Like "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind" in a bid to support his family, many people around the world are looking for alternative ways to support themselves and their families. The economic recession is taking no prisoners! Unemployment is skyrocketing, there's no job security, businesses are shutting down and people are suffering financially.

The good news is, a digital "tsunami" has hit the world and ordinary people have the opportunity to harness this powerful "tsunami" to generate extra-ordinary income to support themselves and their families. Fortunately or unfortunately, many people don't know there's an ongoing "tsunami" because it's a different kind of "tsunami" - a wealth creating "tsunami".

With the passage of time, the world has advanced dramatically and the rate at which the world has progressed cannot go unnoticed. Change is happening in many sectors (including the political sector). A few years ago, we had film cameras, remember? Today we have digital cameras. There was a time when analog TV systems such as NTSC, PAL, SECAM were the talk of the day. Nobody could imagine anything different. Today, analog TV systems are dead and buried (in most countries). Late 2007 saw 7 countries completely shutting down their analog TV systems and many countries were in the process of making a complete shift from analog TV system to the digital TV system. As of this moment, many countries have completely shut down their analog TV systems in favor of digital TV systems, the first country being Luxembourg in 2006, followed by the Netherlands, Finland, Andorra, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and most recently, the United States in 2009. This reaffirms the fact that there is a powerful "digital tsunami" sweeping across the world, completely annihilating analog systems.

The sector that is presently being hit by the "digital tsunami" is the telecommunications sector. Just like cameras and TV systems, telephone systems are going digital. Telecommunications has hit a whole new level.

The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell on March 10, 1876. His dream was to enable people from different continents to talk like they were sitting next to each other. Today, Bell's dream of making the world a smaller place has come true but there is something happening to the telephone system he created which he probably did not envision: the telephone system is going digital.

The advent of the internet has changed the telecommunications sector. The internet has ushered in a new era in telecommunications with a service called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP is a digital phone service that allows telephone calls to be made over the internet. VoIP converts analog voice signals into digital data and transmits conversations using Internet Protocol (IP).

The "digital tsunami" is completely revolutionalizing the way telephone calls are made. Technology constantly improves and when it goes digital, consumers are going to use it. For example, cameras went digital and consumers today use digital cameras, TV systems went digital, today consumers won't subscribe for anything less . Presently, telephone systems are going digital and it goes without saying that consumers will use digital telephone systems.

You have to understand that the digital "tsunami" that's presently devastating traditional analog telephony systems is very powerful and it has the potential to create wealth and you can position yourself and harness the "tsunami" so that as it creates wealth, some of the wealth can come into your household.

It's absolutely important to be at the right place at the right time. You're definitely at the right place (the world) and there's no better time than NOW to position yourself and harness this powerful digital "tsunami". People everywhere are extremely eager to find information that can help them harness the "tsunami". You don't want to be left behind! Unfortunately, you can't get the information you need unless you get out of your comfort zone and be open to review the information. A wealth creating "tsunami" of this magnitude does not occur regularly.

Share

Tweet

Associations: Story of the Backyard Chicken

There's an old saying which states, "it's difficult to soar with the eagles, when you're scratching with the turkeys." Let me tell you a short story:

There was once a farmer who found the egg of an eagle and kept it where a backyard chicken laid it's eggs. The backyard chicken incubated and hatched the egg. The little eagle - let's call him Puggy, grew up with the chickens, scratching the soil and getting his food. One day, while Puggy was hanging out with chickens, he saw a big bird in the sky and he asked his friend, "what bird is that?"

His friend (the chicken) replied, "it's the eagle, the bird of birds. But do not look at the eagle for you're just a backyard chicken."

Puggy was a good little bird so he trusted and believed in his friend. Consequently, he never, ever dared to fly. He lived in conformity with the chickens for the rest of his life and never reached his full potential. Puggy eventually grew old and died living like a chicken - scratching the soil and getting his food. Can you relate?

I know you must be wondering what eagles, chickens and turkeys have to do with you. Well, the chicken and eagle story is an analogy aimed at highlighting the impact our relationships and associations have on us. I have come to realise that toxic, negative, non-supportive and unproductive relationships have a catastrophic impact on what we can achieve and vice versa.

The people we listen to on a daily basis impact our thoughts either positively or negatively and according to Earl Nightingale, "we become what we think about most of the time." Hanging out with the wrong people most of the time means we listen, think and do the wrong things most of the time thereby sabotaging our ability to succeed. To paraphrase Robert Kiyosaki (best-selling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad), if you want to be a mechanic, you go hang out with mechanics; if you want to be a school teacher, hang out with school teachers. Hence, if the people you hang out with are not people we want to be like, why are we hanging out with them anyway?

Wrong associations tear us down rather than lift us up. This tells me that it's important to make friends and associate with high achiever (eagles). They have been there, done that. Besides, if they can do a thing, they can teach a thing, right? High achievers would help us achieve our goals because they won't freak out and put up road blocks when we make a move in the right direction.

While growing up, I often heard my mother say, "I don't want to see you with those boys!" (You've probaby heard the same words from your parents). Now I understand why she was worried about who I associated with in the neigborhood. As we all know, parents have their kids' best interest at heart and they want their kids to reach their full potential. This explains why they're concerned about who their kids hang out with. They believe their kids are "eagles" and they won't soar while hanging out with "chickens."

Tips:

• Evaluate your current relationships. If you realise your friends get you into trouble, tear you down, drain your energy, make you feel bad about yourself and pull you backwards, take steps to redress the situation fast or simply drop the "social deadweight." BUT don't stop loving them.
  
• Look for high achiever and start building healthy relationships with them.
• Get yourself a mentor.
• Start editing what goes into your mind.

I can go on and on, but I'll leave you now with the words of Will Rogers, "a man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people."

Share

Tweet

Venture into the Unknown Road

How long have you lived in your city? If you have lived there long enough you must know many roads that lead to the same place. Many roads lead to the same bank, to the same church, to the same grocery store and you name it. I'm familiar with my city and I know many roads that lead to the same place. In fact, many roads lead to my house. However, I tend to always travel the road I'm familiar and comfortable with. This does not mean the other roads won't get me to my destination. I usually just ignore the need to make a change and travel an unfamiliar road. Consequently, I have no idea what that side of town looks like and what it has to offer. What's my point?

Well, in life we all aim for success and we engage in different activities with the hope of becoming successful. What we do in common is follow the road we're familiar with. The road many of us choose is usually the road with the most traffic (you know what happens when there's high traffic). We travel the common road which is the same road many people choose. Consequently, the road suffers from traffic congestion. Despite the fact that progress is slow on the road, we feel safe and comfortable because it's the "popular" road and many people cannot be travelling the wrong road, right? WRONG!!

Sadly, the popular road to success is the mediocre road. Many of us are programmed to take the easiest and common road - go to school, get a degree and get a job. As we travel down the common road, we completely ignore other options and become complacent and comfortable with the fact that the common road is congested and therefore "safe". Remember, mediocrity means settling in with the common things. Very few people venture into unknown roads and these few people attain the highest level of success in society. Names like Michael Dell (founder of Dell computers), Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Industries), Ted Turner (founder of CNN), Steve Jobs (founder of Apple computers), Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) are all household names today. These people have something in common: they left school without receiving a college degree and they followed a road less traveled.

The above mentioned school "dropouts" are today the mega rich and successful of society because of the choices they made. It's interesting to mention that they all have friends and family with whom they set on the road to success. The question everybody is asking is, why are all of them who set out on the journey not mega rich and successful today? The answer is simple - they all followed different paths. The likes of Michael Dell, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates ventured into unknown roads and ended up where there're today while everybody else followed the common road and got "caught up in the traffic."

I like to challenge myself and others to venture into unknown roads (that's why I do what I do). Don't get it twisted, going against the odds is never easy and will never be. But when you get it right, you end up better. However, make sure you read the map before you venture into an unknown road.

Share

Tweet

Blazing a Trail: One year down the road

It is no secret that many people are frustrated, sick, tired and complacent. They're commited to a lifestyle they don't enjoy and think life is all about getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home and longing for the weekend. Worst of all, most people are not open to new ideas. They believe it is ideal to be doing what everyone else is doing. I was trapped in the same mentality for quite a long time until I had a rude awakening (second opinions have undoubtedly changed many lives). Like the majority of people, I thought working a job was the most secured and best way of making a living. Needless to say, I was wrong.

Today, October 8, 2009 marks 1 year since I stroke out on a path less traveled; a path many people don't understand and would never understand until they become open-minded enough to hear about it.

On October 8, 2008, I received a phone call from my sister and mentor: Lema Abeng-Nsah. It was a call that sent me dancing to the beat of a different drummer; a call that led me to a complete change in mindset. The opportunity that was presented to me just made sense - getting paid over and over on services that we already use. The call exposed me to the concept of passive income, a concept which was mentioned in passing during an Economics lesson in Secondary School. After the phone call, I realised that there're other ways of being responsible and making money without physically working for it. I got started in Network Marketing with a company that truly rewards hardwork: 5LINX® - a rapidly growing telecommunications company that provides products that utilize cutting-edge technology through a dynamic distribution model that is, in my opinion, second to none.

Network marketing is a concept that is widely misunderstood. However, it has a type of strength which is found in numbers. In this widely misconstrued business model, everybody does a small amount of work and everybody achieves more. This way of making money is about leverage. This can be very lucrative.

Today, I pause to take stock of what I have achieved over the past 365 days. I must confess that the journey has been far from a jolly ride. There were lots of huddles, twists and turns and it's not over yet. Unfortunately, not everybody I set out with has made it to this point but it is perfectly understood - statistic show that 90 percent of businesses go out of business within the first year. Nonetheless, I'm still standing.

Despite the many years I spent in school getting all the degrees, the period between October 8, 2008 and October 8, 2009 represent the most challenging and educative period in my life. I faced situations that could make or break me, I met people with the potential to lift me up or tear me down, I made money and lost money and above all, I learned things not taught in school. I can now confirm that Robert Kiyosaki was right when he said, "there is more to a network marketing business than just the chance to make some extra money." No doubt, this is true because I'm part of company which is like a business school to me. Our company has a tested and proven training system which has taught me values not found in traditional business schools. I have learned values such as, "the best way to become rich is to teach yourself and other people to become business owners rather than teach them to be loyal employees working for the rich."

In 1 year, I have built a business from scratch in an entirely new market, with no prior experience in the industry and I have been promoted to the position of Executive Director. It is true that I expected to have achieved more by now but it is also true that if I can make it to Executive Director, I can make it to Senior Vice President. It's just a matter of time. Now, assuming I take 1 year to get promoted; let's do some maths:

Executive Director = 1 year, National Director = 1 year and Senior Vice President = 1 year. Therefore Senior Vice President = 1 year + 1 year + 1 year = 3 years.

This tells me that I have 2 years left, everything being equal to to hit the Senior Vice President position. In my mind, 3 years is good enough because I'd rather spend 3, 4 or 5 years of my life building a business that'd set me free financially than spend the rest of my life working a job and eventually retire with a meagre pension. Of course, I'm educated in International Human Right Law and I'd work to defend, protect and promote human rights because that is what I love to do and not because I need the money for subsistence.

In conclusion, if the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless (Psalm 127:1). I thank God for leading me to this path and as I celebrate my 1st Anniversary in business, I'm confident that He will see me through. The road ahead is long and the challenges are enormous but nothing can stand in the way of a God-fearing man who knows what he wants and where he expects to find it. I'm still fired up and ready to take it to the finish line.

Share

Tweet

The Death of traditional telephony: No more Landlines

During an economic recession, people look for all possible ways to save money (although savers are losers). A cheaper means of communication therefore is the way to go. People need to communicate and telephone providers take advantage of this need and charge consumers sometimes as much as an arm and a leg for long distance and even local calls. There's some good news - those days are gone! Technology constantly improves and as this happens cheapers means of communication are being developed. Ask any consumer around the world whether they want to pay more or less on a bill, ten out of ten times, the answer will be YES.

Do you remember a few years ago when the personal computer swept aside the older mainframe computer? Today there's another technology which is bound to disrupt the telephone business, sweep aside the more expensive traditional telephone system and create a new generation of millionaires. This new technology is called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP is a digital telephone service in which phone calls are transmitted over a fast internet connection. VoIP has signalled the end of distance and time-based pricing in the trillion-dollar telephony market. How does this concern you?

Well, I want to make you an offer you wouldn't refuse. I'm involved with a fortune 500 company that offers VoIP services and we can help you save up to 50% or more on your local and long distance phone services. Don't worry, it doesn't matter in what part of the globe you are. All you need is high speed internet and a connection to hook it up to. When the internet will make it to the moon, our service will go with it (that was meant to be a joke).

Our service is $24.95 a month, for UNLIMITED local, long distance and mobile calls anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, with UNLIMITED landline calls to 75 calling areas throughout the world. Of course you also get a Voicemail, Caller ID and many other calling features. Sounds good? Now compare that to a situation where most people are paying $50 and sometimes up to $80 for an unlimted plan.

Well, it gets even better. For $29.95, you can see the person you're talking to without using a computer. Can you believe that? You'd agree with me that telecom is moving from "can you hear me now?" to "can you SEE me now?" Never again miss your family and friends. They're just a video phone call away. With the GLOBALINX® video phone, it's almost like being there! For details about the video phone, watch the News clip below:



Above all, there's another side of the story. I'm sure you're aware of the fact that each time you pay your telecom bill someone who has invested in the company that provides you with the service gets paid. This has been a well kept secret for a very long time. Enjoying your service and paying the bill religiously is very generous of you. However, I think it's smart to position yourself and get paid as well. Everybody wants to get paid, right? You now have the opportunity to partner with a fortune 500 telecom company and start getting paid each time customers pay their phone bills. A telecom bill can never be paid off. This tell me that customers will always pay their bills and we'll always get paid. It's that simple. Whether you understand this or not, you have to realise that you can be in a position that when customers pay their bills, some of that can come into your household month after month, year after year.

Regardless of your location, contact me if you want to save money on your telecom bill or if you want to help people save money on their telecom bills and make extra income at the same time. Warning: This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. You must have a good work ethic, determination, discipline and drive. Yes, Frederick Douglas was absolutely right, "Success is born of Struggle."

• For more information about VoIP and how it will revolutionalize the phone business, read this article: The Ecomomist.
  

Share

Tweet

William Kamkwamba: "They Thought I was Crazy."

Like many people growing up in the forgotten parts of the world, William Kamkwamba, a citizen of Malawi born in 1989, had a dream and nothing else.

In his hometown of Masitala, the red soil was infertile leaving his father, a farmer, with no income and 7 kids. Kamkwamba lived in abject poverty and everything including food was scarce. His family survived on one meal a day and he wanted to do something to help. Despite all the shortages in his hometown, one thing was in abundance - the wind.

In 2001, Kamkwamba dropped out of school because he could not pay the $80 that was required in school fees. This did not break him. Rather, it signaled a turning point in his life. Dropping out of school was a future he could not accept, hence he retired to the library where he read borrowed books. He mostly read books on Physics. Despite the fact that he could not read much of the english in the books, he studied the diagrams and was attracted to photographs of windmills.

At the age of 14, he taught himself how to build windmills and began building his first windmill, ignoring rumors that he was crazy. He collected bicycle parts, plastic pipes and car batteries from scrap yards. He collected wood from trees for the windmill tower. Many people, including his mother thought he was bewitched.

"Everyone laughed at me when I told them I was building a windmill. They thought I was crazy," he said.

Amid all the challenges, Kamkwamba built his first windmill which initially powered one light and he later added more lights, a circuit breaker and switches. The windmills generate electricity and pump water in his home town.

When all was said and done, neighbors, including those who thought he was crazy and bewitched, started queuing up at his house to charge their cellphones and use electricty.

"I wanted to finish it just to prove them wrong," he said. "I knew people would then stop thinking I was crazy."

Kamkwamba William has gone from an obscure kid in a small village in Malawi to travelling the world, sharing his experience with entrepreneurs and being applauded by advocates of green living including Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Kamkwamba's message to people like him is clear: "Trust yourself and believe. Whatever happens, don’t give up."

Below is a video about Kamkwamba William. Endeavor to watch the video, get inspired and inspire others.

Share

Tweet

The Persistence of Abraham Lincoln

It takes certain elements of character to be able to rise from near obscurity to leader of the free world. Abraham Lincoln died more than 140 years ago and history books are yet to close on his name. He remains a mentor to many people including the legendary basketball coach - John Wooden (whose "Pyramid of Success" remains relevant today), the 44th President of the United States - Barack Obama, just to name a few. Many people admire Abraham Lincoln's leadership during a difficult era and his insistence on living a simple and honest life. However, people overlook the elements of his character and personality that accounted for his success.

Lincoln came face to face with many obstacles during his lifetime - his fiancée died, he failed in business twice, he had a nervous breakdown and he was defeated in 8 elections. These obstacles could either make or break him. He's a legend and inspires many people today because he didn't let obstacles break him. Instead, he gracefully made each stumbling block into a stepping stone and kept his ambitions on track. Today, his legacy is that of a President against whom all his successors are judged.

During his childhood, very few families could allow kids to devote time to "luxuries" like studying. While many people were busy with physical activity that rendered them exhausted and left them with no energy to work on their minds, Lincoln was busy working on his mind, reading and studying by the fireside late into the night (although his father was not enthausiastic about his drive to read). After his mother - Nancy Hanks Lincoln and father - Thomas Lincoln died, the eagerness of young Abraham Lincoln to learn all he could, through reading was not swayed.

His eagerness to learn was a positive constant in his life. At 22 years old, he decided to leave home and fend for himself. While working as a postmaster and storekeeper in order to raise money to support himself, Lincoln read for the law. Instead of attending law school, he amassed knowledge of legal precedent and procedure independently. It's worth mentioning that Lincoln's formal education lasted only 18 months but he was largely self-educated and loved to read.

One word clearly defines Abraham Lincoln's character - PERSISTENCE. Not even a freight train could throw his ambitions off track. He lost many loved ones - his mother died while he was only 9, his father later died leaving him with his stepmother - Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln. Another personal loss during his life was the death of Ann Rutledge, a woman with whom he had reached a romantic understanding. Lincoln had another great loss during his Presidency when his 11 years old son died of typhoid fever.

Abraham Lincoln had the ability to muster courage and move on even in tough times. He cherished his friends and as President, he listen to his advisers, considered their thoughts and followed their advice. However, when he knew he was right he stood by his decisions despite unprecedented opposition. Lincoln maintained a sense of humor even in the darkest days of his life. To illustrate this, he once said: "I laugh because I must not cry." To him, humor was a coping strategy which stopped difficulties from getting to him.

Lincoln's Lessons

• Work hard
• Don't take yourself too seriously
• Focus on your goals
• Rely on humor to get through difficult times
• Read everything of interest to you
• Consider the past
• Cherish your memories
• Learn from history, but always move forward.
• Sorrow is a valid emotion. Feel it and endure it, but do not allow melancholy to define you.
• Try not to overcomplicate everything.
• The best presentation of a fundamental idea is honest and straightforward.

Permit me to end this article with a famous remark made by an obscure kid who eventually became the 16th President of the United States. While he was still unknown, his friends frequently heard him say: "Someday I shall be President." That was Abraham Lincoln.

Share

Tweet