Creating connections in prospecting and team building with Maria Blaes

The Everyday Networker book, ebook, audio and bundle

Balancing being a teacher and business

Making an impact

Working for your future

Managing your time, dedicated hours

Finding support and working as a team

Accountability partner

Making connections

Learn what to say

Change your mindset

Understanding people, put yourself in their shoes

Creating connections

Just be yourself

Lead with empathy

One Minute Millionaire book

Atomic Habits book

Free Magic Words for Prospecting audios 

Master the Four Core Skills 

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:22

I'm the author of over 20 best-selling books and over 25 years of the business. Here's your host, writer.

SPEAKER_04 0:31

All right, today in the zone, I have another amazing leader. She is a contributor to the brand new Everyday Networker book, which will, of course, be out by the time this episode airs. And here to share us some business and mindset tips is Maria Blaze. Maria, welcome.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 0:50

I was uh rereading your chapter and I kind of noticed one thing that stood out to me is of course your occupation. You know, so many people are from different occupations. So my big question, first of all, is you're a teacher. Why did you start a network marketing a couple years ago?

SPEAKER_03 1:08

Well, it's kind of interesting. Um, you know, just like in network marketing, I will even though I am a school teacher, I always like to network and talk to people. Uh kind of, I guess, part of my personality. And um always searching for something. Uh, I think that's just my the dreamer in me or the searcher. And um it just happened that I just uh came across a business I liked. I liked their their motto, their vision. And um, you know, at the time I was happy teaching, but um, you know, always looking for more. Um, I guess that's you know, looking for a better way of life. And that's why I kind of involved in in marketing, in network marketing.

SPEAKER_04 1:56

Well, I'm always fascinated with teachers because most of the time, you know, yellow personality is because you guys are giving so much more than you know, uh we could always say, you know, underpaid or underappreciated, but you have that passion. So is that passion kind of stuff you know there because you still want to teach, but then also you kind of want more. So how are you juggling all that? Because it's a lot, just being a teacher is a lot. How in the world are you able to fit this in?

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Well, to be honest, uh, there's days that I'm wondering why am I doing so much? And um, some days you kind of that's where you end up plugging in into your higher power. Um, because there's a reason there's that desire and passion in you. I love teaching, although my uh degree was not in teaching, honestly, it was in communication arts, um, in radio and television. That was my original degree, and ended up in education because I wanted to do children's programming. So I guess I've always been attracted to the children programming part of that business, and uh ended up getting an education degree because I wanted to know how to, you know, pedagogically uh make better kids, I guess, or you know, educate them better. And that's how I ended up being a teacher. But then I, you know, of course, went in the classroom and ended up being involved with the kids, and I love the excuse me, I love the impact that you can have as a teacher in the future of you know of our future. And um that's how I got involved, and I really love teaching. Uh, but there's things that I don't like about teaching. As a teacher, you get easily burned out, especially as many things that you're supposed to cover now with the kids. Um, you know, how much is expected in um as far as we are providing our kids nowadays more than just an education. We're providing them support, counseling, you know. Sometimes we have to be a mom, sometimes we have to be a teacher, sometimes we have to be the disciplinarian. And so, you know, it's a lot more than what I got in my degree. And so um, sometimes that makes you kind of wow, that was a long day. And and then you have to go and and work for your future. And that's how you know I got involved in network marketing. Um, you know, always living the dream of uh being better, providing more, doing I can do more with you know more money, I can do more with more time, I can do more with you know a bigger passion. And so that that's that's what it is. That's what that's what keeps me going. Uh, I know that there's always can be more, or we can do more.

SPEAKER_04 4:59

So yeah, well, if a teacher can build a business, uh, what excuse do we have? Because we probably have a lot more free time, little a lot more free mental time because uh, you know, you kind of take your work home, whether it's physically or or or mentally.

SPEAKER_03 5:13

That's the key, right there. Just having uh being a good time manager. And I'm working on that. Um I used to be really good, and then it kind of define, you know, the age and deficiencies and busyness, kind of in and that's what I'm trying to get on my group, you know, being able to turn the teacher um button on, which is very difficult because you're always planning for the next day on what comes next, or what needs to be done for the kid that's not getting it. Um, so turning that off or almost turning the power, the network marketing power on for a couple hours, you know, dedicated. How many hours do I want to do tonight or days or things like that? So that's that's the key right here, just keeping yourself um time management. It it definitely a key.

SPEAKER_04 6:01

Okay. Well, yeah, that's probably where one of the things I want to ask is you only have so much time, so much time in the day, so much time in the week. And yeah, you could do seasons and off seasons and all that. We could get into that, but that's really like on a regular basis. Now we're all not consistent as much as we should. Like, no one's perfect. But how are you able to do have some sort of consistency at all?

SPEAKER_03 6:26

Well, that definitely involves a on on your on the power of your support, um, and definitely creating a discipline um with your time and with you know with your input too. Because I think you can be efficient or you can work really hard from you know five to nine, but not be efficient in um because you're not you're not putting in. So I think for me, um I think support or team is definitely a key. Um, and that's that's what network marketing is all about, is having a team to to get it together, you know, being able to work as a team. Um, and for me, I think when I'm down and my team is on fire, you know, if I have a down day and my team is on fire doing something, it motivates me to like, okay, I can do it one more, or you know, whatever it is that we're working on. Um being, you know, having somebody to, I don't necessarily call it accountable because that just makes it like a like your boss, or you know what I mean? I would say somebody that you can you can vent with or you can say, oh my god, today was not a good day. What do you think I should do? Uh, you know, maybe somebody that is uh, I don't know, for me, a prayer is a lot um for me being connected with, you know, my my readings and my my my Lord or my God. Uh that really just helps me uh especially when I'm when I'm not where I need to be. And when I'm struggling with me or my team or you know, my thoughts, because sometimes you work so hard and you don't get a result, and you're like, uh, you just want to give up. You're like, forget it. This is not gonna work. I'll just focus on doing my teaching, and you know, I don't want to be broke. I don't wanna be, you know, even though even though you think that, then at the next minute you're like, but I've worked so hard already. So you just you just really need to be focused in passionate about what you want. If that's really what you want, then you know that's really what it's gonna get. It doesn't matter how long you get to there, you know, when you have a teammate, teammates, I'm gonna call them teammates, but when you have um people support or people around you and they're like, and they're growing, and you're just because you know, just doing your little bits and eventually you'll catch up. But it doesn't when you're when you're in the last spot, you don't necessarily feel like you're going getting anywhere. But as I've looked back, it's kind of funny because as I look back in the couple years that I'm involved, I might not be the top seller or the top diamond or the top whatever of the business, but I have changed and done so much um within myself and within what I can do that I'm like, you know, I'm getting there. I might not be the top rank, but I I'm you know, I'm not in the bottom either. So that just kind of helps. Well, that that just kind of helps me see that I'm slowly. I of course I want to be the fastest growing networker, but I do have a full-time job. I do have a job that requires more than just 40 hours a week. So I have to really manage my time and get in that discipline of not just doing, but I also have to feed my brain and my spiritual and my whatever to be able to do the things that network marketing asks me to do.

SPEAKER_04 10:00

Yeah, well, you you had a lot uh there. Um I'll kind of work my way backwards. Uh the first thing I noticed. Yeah, no, the first thing I I realized is that you said, you know, you're not the fastest, but you're not the slowest. But most people, let's face it, most people, if they don't see what they expect, they'll quit. Right. So you're just staying in, you're ahead of the game. I and well, I mean you, I mean everybody that's listening that that that's that's uh that's involved at the same time, in my opinion, we get more out of the business than just money, like you know, or we're connected with more people, or we can become better people, we have a bigger span of influence that we can lean on, or like accountability, maybe like accountability partner or a or a buddy or you know, a teammate. But one thing uh backing up that you mentioned, and yeah, I'm glad you had some great stuff here, is that you know your five to nine or whatever hours that people uh are uh dedicating, and you know, certain days may not be every day, of course, but uh there's stuff that you can do efficiently, there's stuff you can do inefficiently, and a lot of times I I know, especially if people aren't used to an hourly job, like uh they can do stuff and kind of goof off, you know. They they can start doing stuff that's inefficient or doesn't help build their businesses, no way even connected to their business, but they feel busy. Have you ever done something where you're like, wow, I just wasted my time because we've all done it. I kind of want to know stuff that you've done. You're like, okay, this is not building my business, but I felt busy.

SPEAKER_03 11:34

Right. And that and and that could happen a lot if you're just going with the flow and no, you know, not really disciplined. Um educating yourself with you know it's it's very important because you um you need a plan and you need that successful, you need to follow somebody that's been there, that's been successful. My my issue is that when you don't you have a partner or an accountability partner or your team member, whoever, and and you're both running hard, and then she like he or she takes off, and you're like, okay, I just did the same amount of phone calls, I just did the same amount of promotions, that I had the same content in uh your circle of influence is not the same. And so you see that growth, and it's like it's frustrating to me because I'm like, dang it, I'm working just as hard, and she doesn't work and I work. That's the difference. She doesn't work anymore. Maybe I need to go, you know, you just start questioning and you don't. You need to just be consistent, and the explosion will come to you when it's supposed to come to you. I mean, that's just the way I see it. And for me, my my passions, I am a people person. So for me, making the connections and the networking is probably more important than um what money I can make. So other people see it as oh, I need yes, I have dreams and goals, but for me, networking with that person, being there for them, or you know, offering what I have to give is more important than, you know, okay, I can make $200 out of you and $200 out of you, and do you know what I mean? Like people are very numerous persons. That's not my strength. I know I I know I'm gonna make money when you know, when I hit certain levels or certain things. But for me, it's making that connection and making, you know, trying to make a stronger team that when we do explode, when we do go big, you know, I have that support and not people disappear because you know, I don't know. That's just me.

SPEAKER_04 13:39

No, I love it because I think if you go to the connection route or go to this is somebody I could help that could assist, I could, you know, if you're if your focus is on their success, then your success just comes. It's how it's correct.

SPEAKER_03 13:55

And then um, so for me, it's always about focusing on what can I do better, what can I change in me that will help, you know, well help me, obviously, and then help them. Um, but I'm always I always think of how what can I do better. So uh that's where that's where I um I want to say I don't want to say struggle, but that's where I challenge myself to to try to be better at read more or and honestly in teaching, you have to do so much reading for teaching that sometimes it's like my personal reading, you know, I don't have time for fiction or whatever. I always trying to find books, okay. How can I be a better, I don't know, a better reader or a better uh speaker or a better, and so then I'm always trying to find books that are easy reads because my first language was not English, obviously. Um, and so I try to not when books are very metaphorical or they go deep into whatever, I get lost in translation. So I try to find easy, good, you know, informational books that you know help me help me grow personal, physically, you know, whatever, emotionally.

SPEAKER_04 15:05

Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, sharpen your skills so the calls that you do make are more effective where you could be able to connect in a better level where they can understand and so forth. What were some of the the things that made a big difference? Was it just you know building more rapport with people? Was it uh going when you're talking to them, going at it with uh their agenda, not yours? Like, what were some of the things that made like a difference? It doesn't have to be the biggest thing because as you've been working on yourself, sometimes you just take things for granted and we kind of forget. Was there something that ever stood out like, oh, I'm so glad I did this?

SPEAKER_03 15:41

Well, I definitely glad that I worked on me. That's that's number one. Uh, because I was doing things that I thought were right, and the fact of like, you know, I was doing all the promotions, I was doing all the same, but I wasn't saying the right things. If you know if you understand, like, you know, I would I didn't have the passion for that or the um right uh mindset to do that selling or to do that promotion or to do that, and I um and then I think for me, the the one thing was definitely working on me, but understanding people, seeing where people came from, like trying to put myself in their shoes because obviously we all have different needs, or um, some people use the money in so trying to understand a number person, you know, okay, so I need to make five thousand dollars by you know sozo and whatever, and I'm like, alrighty, let's do it. But I'm like that's when I plug in my outline, and I'll be like, uh okay, I have a numbers person or find somebody, or if my husband is the numbers guy that said, Hey, you need to talk to, you know, trying that's where my networking part comes in, because then I'm able to plug in um that. And that's what I love about Barb because if Barb Barb knows it all, but if she didn't know it all, um, you know, she connects you with somebody that does. And I I feel like, you know, that connection with somebody. Well, you know what? I met this person last week and they are perfect at, or they are uh, you know, even if it's not necessarily the business I'm presenting, you know, looking into people's dreams or people's um passions, it's a great way of at least keeping that connection because they might not be ready for you now. Uh, but then, you know, in 10 years when you are successful, or when you, you know, they've they struggled on their own, then they can, you know, see, um, you know, oh, maybe she was right, maybe I'll try it now. They might have not been ready then, but they might be ready later.

SPEAKER_04 17:42

So yeah, you never know. That's that's great. Yeah, being a connector, whether it benefits you or not, it benefits you in the end. Uh it's it's crazy when people are so short short-sighted, like, well, I'm not gonna talk to them, it doesn't benefit me. That's not how that's not how life works.

SPEAKER_03 18:00

It might not benefit you, but it might benefit your downline, or it might benefit you know, somebody later in your walk that you met, and they're like, you know, I don't know. I just think sometimes we we miss the opportunity to connect. Um, and I think sometimes, you know, this the phones and the social media um are great, but we lose that connection or that humanity between that, you know, doing that. So it's the way we live nowadays, but at the same time, it's like, you know, I'm like sometimes we lose that human touch.

SPEAKER_04 18:35

Um yeah, yeah, there is a there is a trade-off, it's convenient uh information, but at the same time, if there was an addiction to making people happy and people tapped into that uh by via connection and things like that, then yeah, it would replace some of the endorphin rush of uh instant gratification of a phone.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_06 18:58

You're in the networker zone with a rider.

SPEAKER_04 19:04

One thing that you had mentioned in the chat if you said just be yourself. Now, I'd imagine um yeah, I was I was I was born in this country, so there's a there's a little bit more of a comfort for me, but uh as you're coming in, well you're from Puerto Rico, but I mean uh uh comfort to the mainland. I'd imagine there's a different comfort level. Did you feel where you always felt like you could be yourself? I'd imagine it's hard because a lot of my friends that they come from other countries, they try to fit in, they try to fit in, they try to fit in, and then they they just be their self and then they're happy. So, like, were you always able to be yourself? Uh uh the reason I'm asking is that uh once you're yourself, as you mentioned in your chapter, it's so much easier just to live. Like, were you always able to be yourself, you know, once you came to the mainland, or how did that all work out?

SPEAKER_03 19:56

Um, well, obviously Puerto Rico, we're American citizens, but we are culturally a little different because everything is with a Spanish flair, I guess is the best the best way. I mean, we have everything we, you know, or at least I grew up in an area where you know we're very westernized. Um, but at the same time, there's part of my culture that is almost like uh subdued once you come to the states, just because, you know, one, we don't speak in daily life we speak Spanish, so we're not speaking English. Although I speak English well, or at least I think, uh, although I speak English well, uh, I've been here a lot of years already. Um, but there's people that are from Puerto Rico that live here many years and they still don't have a full uh broad spectrum of the language. So so I I I think sometimes it's just how you adapt to it. Uh but when I came to the land, I I was okay. I was a little, I came kind of by myself. Um and I came to study, and that's where I'm God blessed me because I met my husband pretty much my freshman year. And we kind of were friends, and then we hung out, and then obviously, you know, we're still married. So uh God definitely put that blessing in my life early in my life, uh, knowing that I would need it, I would need that support. Um, but besides that, I I pretty much I think I adopted really well. Although I do miss, I miss things about my culture that you don't necessarily that you can't necessarily um, you know, just be yourself. I think I was pretty much myself, but at the same time, that kind of stuck me out, you know, like I stood out because you know, I didn't follow the I didn't fit the right, you know, American way, I guess is the best way I can say. Um so for me it was kind of interesting growing up uh to become an adult in the States, because I was only 18 years old. Um, so it was it was it was interesting to go, but I think I pretty much uh I pretty much define who I was early in life. Now that got me, some people didn't necessarily accept that or you know, welcome that if if that's the best way of saying it. Um but I didn't necessarily feel like I was out to the left field. I just didn't necessarily fit the right click, you know what I mean? If uh but besides that, I'd say, and I think that's part of me dreaming. My dad, when I was growing up, my dad um died when he was 51. We were only, I was only 15 years old. But my dad always instilled on us since we were little that you will always be educated, you will be in school, that that would be that was the to go to the states and study. So that was something that was instilled in me. So going to school was very important because it was something that I could do for my dad, even though he was gone. So even though I had challenges, maybe um I was very naive. So going out to parties and doing all the whole college thing. Um, my freshman year was very impressive. But after that, I was pretty much I'm like, okay, I need to get this done. My mom is working really hard for me to be here at school. You know, it wasn't, and once I got done with school, that's where I struggled with finding where I belong. Um, and then you know, I decided I was gonna go back to school, do my master's degree in education, and then go for it. I had to go, I was gonna do that. Uh didn't end up working in television, but I still touched the future the best way I could by by teaching. So and then now I'm looking for bigger dreams. I'm looking for, you know, just getting inspired and uh making sure that I, you know, I can give what I have to somebody else, you know, and that's where that's where I am. Here I am.

SPEAKER_04 24:02

That's great. That's that's impressive. Um, so you know, my mom, you know, immigrated uh to this country, and I have a lot of friends that have that have immigrated to this country or and and also in business, like not just US, but there's also you know places in Europe where people come from other European countries or things, and like they always have like this almost like a bigger dream because there's like this feeling because I I want to reach out to the people that they're uh that may have been like you, where they're saying, okay, uh I don't really fit in, but I need to fit in, but I need to be myself, I need to juggle. Uh but one thing that really stood out to me is it you just you just kept dreaming, you kept becoming bigger, you kept in that the the dream didn't work out or didn't work out financially or whatever it was, but now you're continuing, okay, like let me just start my own business. I mean that's just that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 24:52

Thank you. Yeah, I just it it it is a dream, it is something that you know you always have hope for, and I think definitely hope and faith and just being hopeful, you know, being knowing that that you know God will provide what you need. And you might not be teaching, you might not be of what you're doing for work, you might not be. I mean, the other day it was kind of funny uh because I had a rough day at school. I mean, it was one of those days that you're like, can I just go home and go under my blanket? Um, and I go home and I'm like, okay, there has to be something out there that I'm not doing that needs to get done because this is this is nowhere I need to be, you know. And even though it's something I love to do, some days it burns you out in uh, or it's a rough day, and you're just like, okay, tomorrow's another day, we're going with it. And uh, it's just nice to think that of other possibilities. And I'm like, this job is killing my business. I need to go out do some, you know. That's what I'm thinking. I'm like switching that okay, my income, I need my job because of my income, but I really need to build a business, so I don't need the income to live from.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

So it's challenging.

SPEAKER_04 26:06

Well, looking forward, and a lot of people are looking the exact same uh scope as you if your business income surpasses, and with it with the comfort levels, of course. So would you still teach, or would you would you not be as emotionally attached if something happens in a bad day? Or like what are your thoughts? Like, I'm actually it's generating curiosity.

SPEAKER_03 26:30

Yeah, and I think I think honestly, I haven't I haven't gotten there. I've been happy, I I love my job, but I like my job, but I don't necessarily depend on my job if to to survive. I definitely would do some kind of uh like one of my dreams would be to have like full libraries in the schools. Um because I think reading and activities or rooms for play or you know, or library things are very lacking. And it not necessarily in all schools, but I know there's some schools that can barely, you know, because of the socioeconomic area they're in, they don't necessarily get as much money. Or even the schools that are in you know middle class school class um neighborhoods, because the poor gets resources and the high pay, and then the middle school or the middle class doesn't necessarily get all the resources, you know, just kind of looking out for kids and being able to if somebody needs this is where where I am. I am a giver, I'm a gift giver. That's like my love language. And for me to be able to say, oh, you want that? You really love that, like and just be able to, you know, provide it and give it. That's why for me, the passion is not nothing something specific, but being able to give without having to say, okay, well, let me look at my checkbook and let me see what I can give you, um, or what I can afford this week. Uh, I just want to be able to be like and just give the cash, give the tag, give what the whatever, and not have to think about, and I think that's everybody's, you know, everybody's always giving. Well, at least that's my naiveness. But I think, you know, for me, more than being selfish, it's just being able to provide, you know, obviously live comfortably. Um, but I don't necessarily live in luxury. For me, it's more trying to what can I give out? Yeah, what can I give away? That's just how my mom and dad always were, and I definitely think that's that's what was that's that C that I have in me.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

That's awesome. It's it's always cool to tap into the yellow personalities and see what makes them tick. I just said, yeah, luxury is you know nice, comfort's way nicer, and of course being able to give back is always gonna be you know what's really your what's really gonna excite you um uh in the end, which it which is cool. Uh yeah, one one more thing, you know, that uh I reach out that really stood out in your chapter is you said you know lead with uh empathy. And we kind of uh touch space upon it a little bit as far as you're talking about you know, leading with uh you know their agenda or you know, what's what's out of empathy? Was that always something you had was leading with empathy, or was that something that it really stood out when you had like a certain situation, or you just kind of see it a lot? You know, what was your lead with empathy?

SPEAKER_01 29:24

You know, that I I I I I have to think back for a minute.

SPEAKER_03 29:29

Um I've always been uh since I was young, um even when people did stuff to me when I was growing up, my mom always said, Why are you like talking to them? They were mean to you, they were whatever, you know. And I'm like, I don't feel I I don't think I hold grudges. You know, like if people do stuff to me, yes, don't get me wrong, I will be mad or I'll be upset or I I'll be protective of me, but it's not like I won't be able, there's certain things that do bother me, and I might not obviously join, but even since I was like, I I'm able to forgive. Um, and I think that's something, you know, if you forgive people for something that they've done to you or they consciously or unconsciously, I think you live a better life. If you leave you have that freedom to be able to, you know, move forward. Um and for me, I hope that people feel the same way because I think I'm very hard on me. And sometimes I'm I'm I'm a very sometimes I say things that come out like and not thinking, and I might say, and it this has to do with my culturally too. Like I'll say things, I'm reactive, I'm very oh my god, and and then I say this the wrong thing, and people take offense to that. But I'm just being expressive, I'm not necessarily being in um learning how to control that. It's where I've learned to be able to be able to a better listener. Um, I think in uh being able to listen to others. When that happens, then you understand the way they're thinking or the way they're why they're reacting a certain way, uh, or why they're not building the business, or why they're not reading, or why they're not whatever. So you you cannot understand because I feel like I've been there with them, or I've been there myself, and and that just makes it uh more that makes it easier to connect with the person. So when you under even if you haven't gone through that situation, um uh I don't know, abuse or addictions or whatever it is, and somebody's telling you their heart, you know, what's happening and how they're dealing with it, and then you're like, wow, I never went through that, but I can only imagine. I said, How did you handle it? And just having conversations with them helps them. I mean, that's technically what psychology is all about. You go to, you know, the therapies and all that is talking through it and knowing how to get through it, or thinking about this is what triggers it, this is what bothers it, how do you get over it? How do you handle it? And I mean, that's the way we handle our students too. When they go through a traumatic situation, you know, they go share what's going on. Why why do you think that's happening? How can you fix it? How can you handle it differently? Because the situation might not change. You might still be around people that are triggering you, but how do you know if that's a trigger? How can you avoid it? What can you do differently? You know, and so that you just you have to you have to check on you, you know, you have to say, okay, well, what can I read to handle that differently, or what can I learn about, or who can I hang out differently than you know, the people? So you have to make changes, and it's all going back to yourself. And not a lot of people are willing to look inside, they're like, he's the problem, he's the problem, he's the problem, or she's the problem, she's the problem. And then, you know, sometimes the problem is you or how you handle it. And and and people look at everybody, accuse everybody else, but they don't look at themselves. That's why for me, um, being empathetic and knowing how to grow self-growth is very important because that's how you're gonna discover what makes you better or not, or how could you make other people better?

SPEAKER_04 33:33

Yeah, because uh some people, as you know, you said you can hang out with different people. Well, some people you can't uh dodge because they may be in your workplace or they may be a family member, really, who knows.

SPEAKER_03 33:44

And that and that's the thing. Sometimes it's your own family, like sometimes it's your parents or your siblings or whatever. And so you have to learn how to love them from afar, um, and and step away from toxic, toxic relationships, you know, and sometimes you really have to step away all the way, and sometimes so it's it's it's just hard. Those are those are the situations where you have to be empathetic and then be able to encourage people to you know uh take a leap of faith in you know, stand who who with who created you and how he's making that situation um uh a purpose for you, or how can you handle it differently?

SPEAKER_04 34:25

So there you go. That's awesome. Yeah, we could take that with uh everyday with uh you know uh negative prospects or uh right. That's not just networking. Uh cranky up line, cranky down line.

SPEAKER_03 34:37

Right, and that's right. And you have people uh with that need EGR, extra grace needed or required. Extra grace required, you know. They're just you just know, oh, here comes Keith. Okay, well, let's see what Keith is bringing today, and then you just what's the drama today? I know, and and it might be just how that person handles it. So maybe you know, recommending books or let's read this book together, let's have a book discussion, you know, just kind of saying, okay, hint hint, it's you. But and again, it's a personality, especially when they come from other cultures, or there are other, you know, there's things that they grew up with, or superstitions or beliefs, or whatever that you just need to understand and not necessarily approve, but understand and see, well, this is the way we do it here, or this is the way this is handled, or whatever.

SPEAKER_04 35:30

That that's a great definition, Epathy. Yeah, it's it's it's uh what you can understand. Doesn't mean you have to approve it, you just have to understand it.

SPEAKER_03 35:38

Well, just be able to, okay, so I understand that. So this is what we need how we need to do it. You know, this is what needs to happen because this is created by what that's happening, you know what I mean? It's just knowing to take steps, being able to step back and look, and then say, oh, okay, this is not gonna work. This is gonna work, or whatever.

SPEAKER_04 36:00

Yeah, oh well, that's awesome. Yeah, we we just kind of scratched the surface on some of the stuff that that you covered uh in your chapter. Love diving uh deep into some of these, uh some of this knowledge here. But uh yeah, I really appreciate you uh giving back the industry sharing chapter in your book and of course uh all your time for uh for today. Thank you so much, Maria.

SPEAKER_02 36:21

Well, thank you so much, Keith. You have a great evening or a great afternoon.

SPEAKER_04 36:26

Well, I can't let you go yet because I do have three more questions for the lightning round.

SPEAKER_00 36:32

All right, lightning round coming up. That's okay.

SPEAKER_04 36:34

Yeah, there you go. Well, the the the yellow uh the personality came out there.

SPEAKER_00 36:38

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:42

I've never been red. I can never be red.

SPEAKER_04 36:44

Well, you got excited a little bit there. Question number one if you could go back before you got started, you know, what advice would you give yourself? Like just like one quick piece of advice.

SPEAKER_03 36:54

Uh back before network marketing, you mean?

SPEAKER_04 36:57

Uh yeah, before you started your business, like if I knew this before I started my business, it would it would help out a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 37:03

Um, I think I would look. What do I what would I do? I think I was younger. I was in my 20s. No. I was yeah, I was in my late 20s when I first started. And I think for me it would be more of a I took it more seriously. Uh because I think when you're young, you do things sometimes, you know, in um I don't know the what do you call it? The cuff of your I can't think of the idiom now, but you just do things, you know, sporadically in Is it off the cuff?

SPEAKER_04 37:43

Maybe is that off the cuff.

SPEAKER_03 37:44

Yeah, right, right. That's that's like I know it's something with cuff. Um, but off the cuff in, you know, you do things in maybe not necessarily listen to your mentors. So I think for me, listening to my mentors in uh especially the ones that have been where I was. So I think that would be my if I could go back and say listen to your mentors, do it, uh do it faster or uh work at it more, not necessarily faster, but work at it uh in and follow what they tell you. Be teachable, coachable, in uh and learn, learn as they tell you. I think that would be my my thing. My awesome going back to talk to myself and then smack me in the back of the head.

SPEAKER_04 38:28

Talk to yourself to to to listen.

SPEAKER_03 38:31

Correct.

SPEAKER_04 38:32

Well, I think that's everybody in their early years, let's face it.

SPEAKER_05 38:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:39

Question number two, what one book do you recommend that everyone should read or listen to? Just one business book that comes out, first one that sticks out.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

Well, uh, the one million the one minute millionaire.

SPEAKER_03 38:55

I've read a lot of books um throughout because that was kind of one of my things. Um, even though I'm not a good reader, it takes me a while to read through a book. I'm not I'm not gonna lie, I can't sit there and three. So but a one million million oh my god, I can't talk. One Minute Millionaire book was very good. Um how to talk to people, even though I'm pretty good at it, how to talk and influence people, uh, was one that I was like, oh. Um, and honestly, the love language book, which is not necessarily a business book, but it really, he really taught me because that's kind of my thing, like my empathy thing. Um, I think for me, that book taught me how to love on other people, not the way, you know, that I like to be loved, but how to love on others. Um, those those three books really the one minute one minute millionaire helped me vision the business side of of my future. So, like it kind of put me in that mindset. I'm like, okay, you know, what what do you want to do? Currently, I'm reading a book, it's called Worthy, um, that my friend recommended, and it's a good book about if you're struggling with um being your best, uh, and knowing that's a good book. I've only done a couple of chapters, but so far what I've read is really, really good. Um, but I atomic habits, another amazing book. There's so many. Um, but the one minute, the one minute millionaire probably uh was a hard read at first. Uh was an easy read, sorry. Uh, but then when he got into the deeper stuff, I'm like, okay, number thing. I I got lost a little bit. But then I really focus on on trying to finish the book. Um, but those and atomic habit, those two probably are my top, my top two. Because atomic habits kind of help me with my self-discipline, um, and in getting yourself together. And uh, so that I would say those two are probably my top two.

SPEAKER_04 40:54

Cool, that's awesome. All right, and question number three. It's always uh my favorite one when I get to ask this one. Uh, we all like to take care of ourselves so we can show up and everything, but at the same time, we gotta live a little. And especially you coming from Puerto Rico, this could be very interesting. What is your culinary guilty pleasure? It's gotta be guilty, something that's just like all right.

SPEAKER_03 41:16

And in Puerto Rico, there's so much good food. That that's a hard one for me. Uh, but if I were to go to what I like to cook, I definitely love desserts. Uh, anything with guava, it's amazing. Um, there's a there's a dish in Puerto Rico that is called um oh my god, what is it called? Pastelillo de guayaba, which is it's kind of like a Danish, but it's like made with like fillow dough, and it's it has guava and powdered sugar on top. It is the most delicious, it's like it's amazing. And some people make it with cheese, so it has like cream cheese and guava, and then it's like a very toasty pastry, it's amazing. Uh, it's not quite like backlog where it's all condensed, it's actually very fluffy. Um, or it's not uh Phyllode pastry dough. Um, there's I love to cook, so I anything from Puerto Rico would be amazing. I'm not an amazing cook because I know that there's other people that cook Puerto Rican food way, but in uh desserts, probably cookies, baking. That that would be my if I were to retire and not do anything else anymore, I'd probably be baking because I love to bake. I like to cook.

SPEAKER_04 42:31

You'd be baking for others, let's face it.

SPEAKER_03 42:33

Yeah, yeah, I love to entertain, so that would be amazing. Yeah, cook, have a meal, come on.

SPEAKER_04 42:39

Yeah, I always I always like to ask him for people that are you know from other parts of the country or territories, uh countries, because it always kind of you know widens my spectrum and I could try new things, but uh guava guava paste is amazing.

SPEAKER_03 42:54

Um guava is a great tropical fruit. Um, and I just I just love it. I I think it's like it's like a natural sweetener for me. You know what I mean? Like I just love when um crispy cream makes a donut in Puerto Rico, they don't make it in the States, that it's filled in with guava.

SPEAKER_00 43:12

If you ever go to Puerto Rico, go to Krispy Kreme, get a guava donut. It is the best. It's the best.

SPEAKER_04 43:20

So skip the mafungo, just go straight for the guava.

SPEAKER_03 43:23

Oh, mofongo is not oh, you you hit the nail. If I were to say savory food, mofongo, plantains, anything with plantains, I'm good. Sweet or or uh savory, either one. Um pork is like our it's like our beef, you know, it's like our meat. So I mean there's that's what I'm saying, is there's so many foods. I just I guess I must have a sweet tooth, so I probably go if I it's something that is different, because mofongo is I guess it is pretty special to Puerto Rico. Um is amazing and it's garlicky and you can put meat in it. It's great. I could eat it every day, but then my breath would be I couldn't talk to people. Especially if it's garlicky.

SPEAKER_04 44:07

That'll be your phone day, not not not the onbound day.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

That'd be day I'll be calling everybody or uh what do you call it? Zooming everybody. There you go. Awesome.

SPEAKER_04 44:17

Well, yeah, thanks again for uh giving back to the industry, and we'll definitely uh put a link, of course, to the book. And uh we look forward to uh seeing your success and uh we'll catch you soon. Thank you. As always, this podcast is free. The most important part is to turn these skills into action. If this episode or any episode will benefit your team, please share it with them. And if you'd like to be the first to find out about upcoming weekly episodes, simply hit the plus, follow, subscribe button. Depends on your podcast platform.

SPEAKER_06 44:47

But more importantly, looking forward to sharing another episode next week.com to get all the networking tip delivered directly to your inbox. Or for more information about audiobooks, online training, including code, and masterclasses, make your book.com.