It’s Friday afternoon – around 4:00pm.  I picked up Garrett from school and decided to run a quick errand at the nearby Vons Supermarket.

Right outside Vons, there was a woman outside sitting near the entrance.  She had the most beautiful smile and she was holding a bucket with a sign that said “Please Help The Homeless”.  Garrett couldn’t keep her eyes off her.  As soon as we got inside, he said “Mom, we need to help her later…”  I told him we would.

After our very quick grocery shopping, we were on our way out and I gave Garrett some money to put inside the bucket.  When we got there, he eagerly but gently put the dollar bills into the bucket and as he respectfully looked at the lady he also said:  “God Bless You…”  Naturally, I was so proud of him for wanting to help people in need through his own initiative.

We got in the car, drove off, waved good-bye to the lady but after being in the car for a few minutes, Garrett remembered that he had his wallet in the car and in it was 10% of his recent savings which amounted to $20.00.  He asked me: “Mom, is it okay if I gave my $20.00 to the homeless people?”  My heart melted… I was dumbfounded!  I was so touched that he wanted to help some more… He said “Mom, can we please turn around so I can give this to her? The Holy Spirit is telling me to do it…”  You better believe that was all I needed to hear and I turned the car around as fast as a New York minute!

When we got there, Garrett excitedly went back to the lady and by then there was also another lady standing next to her giving her donation.  He told her:  “Excuse me Ma’m, we came back because I wanted to give you this… this is 10% of my savings….”  Just then, the lady burst into tears – she couldn’t believe what she just saw and heard!  With tears in her eyes and a big radiant smile on her face, she looked up in heaven and said “Dear God, please bless this young man for his heart!”  She looked straight into Garrett’s eyes and she said “Young man, you know God sees your heart right at this very minute… He is going to richly bless you for your generosity”.  Then she looked at me and said “You have to be so proud… you are doing a tremendous job teaching him.”  It was one of those moments where I felt so proud to be a parent. By then all 3 of us were sharing tears of pride, gratitude and joy before Garrett could even comprehend what he just did!

We asked for their names – Corliss and Brenda.  Corliss is a volunteer to help raise funds for the homeless and she’s normally  at the Vons Supermarket on Fridays.  Garrett has now decided that we will do our best to visit Corliss every Friday and perhaps even give his toys, clothes and food to those the homeless families Corliss represents.  (I am still in tears reminiscing that moment… tears of a proud Mother!)

What happened this afternoon brought to mind something important.  As we go about our day and we go through the motion of  get, get, get: getting ahead in life, getting caught up with our “to-do list” and getting upset at the little things, may we always be reminded that our activities and decisions produce FRUITS – good fruits or bad fruits.  Our activities and decisions are the seeds and the results are the fruits but depending on the type of plant, some trees take much longer to bear good fruit.  As long as we stay consistent nourishing the plant that stems from those seeds, there is a bigger probability that it will bear the most succulent, sweetest and juiciest fruit!

I know this tree just did……

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What Fruits Do You Produce? A Heartwarming Story On Giving From The Heart… is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

My family spent the weekend at the Westin LAX. The celebration was two fold – to celebrate Gary and Garrett’s birthdays and to plan a truly economical weekend getaway. Having been away for 9 days to attend the Internet Marketers Caribbean Cruise, I have missed my family so much! So, this weekend, I did my research and realized that we can actually create a weekend getaway for under $400! Granted, we used our Starwood points for the hotel but we choose a hotel that has all the amenities of a 5 star hotel but only required points for a 3 star hotel! This weekend could have easily cost at least $1,000 but we took the time to find out what resources we already have and put that to great use:

1) Used Starwood Reward Points for 3 days at the hotel.
2) Took advantage of SPG guests getting free Continental Breakfast
3) Took Garrett to night swimming and hot tubbing
4) Used our existing annual passes for Universal Studios
5) Had a great birthday dinner at Pancho’s in Manhattan Beach ( where Gary and I had our first date 15 years ago!)
6) Enjoyed afternoon tea with Garrett as we watched planes land at LAX from our room window.
7) Pizza delivery dinner from Valentino’s Pizza
Strolled around King Harbor in Redondo Beach and had an amazing seafood lunch
9) Took Garrett to the exclusive VIP Executive Lounge on the 12th floor
10) Hung out with Garrett at the lobby/lounge area and talked about our dreams.

Garrett is only 8 years old but honestly, I believe he has the mind and maturity of a 20 year old! He was sooo happy about this weekend and he couldn’t stop thanking us for it! That to me is simply PRICELESS!

As you go about your day, please remember “Who are you doing this all for?” We get so caught up with making a living that we forget about what happens in the process, which is LIFE! Life goes on whether you choose to enjoy it or not…

If I may make a suggestion… take time NOW to celebrate LIFE… don’t wait for when things are perfect… Sometimes, it’s so amazing to simply be IN THE MOMENT!

My Mentor Joel Bauer always reminds me to “Celebrate every moment…. ” He’s a living example of one who celebrates life’s simple joys…

So, I ask you… what have you been wanting to do to celebrate YOU and/or your family for sometime now? How can you commit to making sure that you decide on doing that NOW and not WHEN… nor IF… ?

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Take Time To Celebrate Moments Now… Not If… Not When… is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

I had the most amazing 10-day Christmas family vacation in Louisville, Kentucky and I tell you, I struggled for the first two days not having any internet access!  Thank goodness, Granny’s neighbor generously gave us access to her wi-fi so I was able to feel a sense of relief.

However, the challenge didn’t stop there…  I realized that now I am really on vacation – which means lots of family get togethers, sight-seeing, dining out and lots of relaxing couch time with my husband and son.  What I didn’t anticipate was their reaction everytime I picked up my laptop and started working.

In my mind, I was just doing what comes normal to me which was to stay connected to my online friends, associates and clients.  I didn’t realize that the people around me just didn’t understand my need to always stay plugged in and connected.  At a certain point, it was even perceived as “rude” to sit there while everyone was watching a movie and I was tapping the keys on my laptop.

I believe it boiled down to this:  People don’t understand what we do as online, internet, social media, attraction or relational marketers. When we talk Facebook or Twitter, they think it’s mindless chatter – that is after they recover from that glazed look on their faces. God forbid they see us video taping or taking photos of every detail that happens around us and we’re on our smart phones sharing it with the world, people around us really think we’ve lost it!

So, what do we do when people we care so much about don’t understand what we do?

I don’t know… all I know is what has worked for me.  I tried to associate or equate my situation into a scenario my family would understand.  In my example, the question I asked my husband is this:  “Would you buy from a stranger or from a person you know, like and trust?”  Of course his answer was the latter.  So I explained to him that when I connect to real people online, it allows them to know me, like me and trust me and that my way of connecting is utilizing the vehicles of social media – blogging, Facebook, Twitter and You Tube – in order for me to accomplish this.  The second follow up question I ask him is this:  What would you do if you didn’t get paid for it?  Something you’ll do because you are absolutely passionate about it?  He said “Designing airplanes…”  I said: “Well, I will encourage and empower people”.  I go on to explain that through relational marketing, I am able to do that and reach so many more people than I could do one of one.  That made him understand what I do what I do. 

What about you? What is it that you do that you find hard to explain to friends and family.  If you’re in network marketing, it makes it doubly hard because as soon as you tell people you’re in network marketing, they already have an assumption of what you do so they put up a wall in front of them that you don’t get a chance to even explain exactly it is that you do.

I believe this makes for a great conversation so I invite you all to chime in on what has worked best for you.  Share with us What Do You Say Or Do, When People Don’t Understand What You Do?

Please comment…. Many thanks!!!

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When People Don’t Understand What You Do For A Living is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

Happy New Year 2010! Back from a 10-day Christmas Holiday in Louisville, KY… sharing my “New Year 2010″ Message… On the plane home, I realized that contrary to Barry Manilow, it’s NOT just another New Year’s Eve…

This New Year 2010 is a year that is full of HOPE! Most of you who are probably reading this have been spinning your wheels for the past year or two figuring out which opportunity and strategy will work best for you. And while you’re not really finding the results you want, you’re still very much in the game.

My hope and prayer for you is that this year, you will gain the wisdom and discernment not just to “never give up” but to KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP. This year I had to painfully sever ties with people who are not conjucive and in alignment with my purpose. I have redirected and evolved many times becuase as I forge ahead, no matter how uncertain the direction may have seemed at first, it started becoming clearer and the more I identify the corelation between my passion and my purpose, my strategies became clearer and yes, I have had to do many “evolutions”.

So, my question to you is, are you stuck beating a “dead horse”? I will share with you on Part 2 – “How To Know When To Give Up”.

Here’s to a New Year 2010 that’s a Year of Completion if not a Year of Clarity… Would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who made my 2009 MEANINGFUL!

Cheering You On To Your Success!

Emma Tiebens

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Happy New Year… Know When To Give Up… is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

Still here in Louisville, KY for the holidays! I had a most wonderful past 4 days of just spending time with the Tiebens Family. It’s such a joy to see a family that is so big yet so close! This is my 15th Christmas in Louisville, KY and I absolutely look forward to Christmases here.

I believe that the Year 2010 will be a Year of Completion for most of us – for most of you who have been following my Blog, my posts and videos. I believe that if we all stay the course and continue to realize that you are called to a purpose greater than you think possible, you will be sent people and opportunities that will blow you away! This is what happened to me this year…

I will do a recap of my year that was to just see how far I’ve come even if I am not where I want to be, I most certainly thank God that I am not where I used to be! I have learned sooo much, met some incredibly amazing mentors and I am closer to my dreams now, more than ever!

How about you? I encourage you to do the same… ask yourselves what you’ve accomplished this year and that will propel you to move farther this year!

Happy New Year 2010 from my family to yours!!!

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Emma’s Happy New Year 2010 Message is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

Thank you, Don Sewell for sharing this inspirational ESPN video of an incredible young man, our beloved Jake Olson. Our family goes to the same church and school as The Olsons and while we we are not necessarily close family friends, we do know the family and we’ve seen these events unfold thru our mutual friends and our school Principal Art Blietz. Jake is THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL PERSON I have ever met!

This video tells the story so I don’t have to repeat it… I am sharing this because when I watched this video, after the tears and prayers, I realized that this young man didn’t allow fear or excuse get in the way of living his life. That by doing so, I know that he has chosen to live his God given purpose and to use his life to encourage and inspire people along the way…

How about you? What is your purpose? What gets you out of bed each morning with sheer excitement of what the day brings? When your purpose is clear, commitment happens and the only way that will stop you are FEAR AND EXCUSES.

Jake Olson didn’t let those get in the way! How about you… what’s your excuse? What are you afraid of? Maybe it’s time to realize that F.E.A.R. truly is False Evidence Appearing Real and like Excuses, it shouldn’t exist…

Watch this and forward this to your family and friends to inspire them too!

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What’s Your Excuse? Jake Doesn’t Have One… is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

Happy Thanksgiving!  It’s 3:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day and I was awaken by an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I decided to write a Blogpost about it. Ironically, as I looked through my email,  I came across a video blog of one of my favorite and trusted industry leaders, Ann Sieg.

I’ve been very blessed to have met Ann Sieg and her awesome Executive Assistant Candace Hogan, when my good friend Jerry Chen scheduled their interview at our home.  What a real treat that was to spend an entire day with Ann, Candace and Jerry!  I can’t wait for you all to watch their interview – you will see a side of Ann Sieg you have never seen before!  Like Ann, I am a wife, mother and an entrepreneur whose passion is to empower entrepreneurs globally.  When I watched her video blog post earlier, I couldn’t help not share my thoughts as inspired by her message.

I thank Ann for her transparency and for her willingness in not only sharing her beliefs with the world but her passion in making sure that people are educated enough to enable them to exercise having choices!

Her heritage is so rich! Her great, great grandfather was imprisoned from exercising his beliefs which ultimately shaped what Ann has become today.  I admire her desire to honor the legacy of generations before her! After seeing her video, it has become clearer why her and her teachings have always resonated with my spirit!

Like Ann, my success is definitely not measured by money alone, however, I firmly believe that money enables us to do tons of good in the world! That’s the reason I do what I do to encourage, enlighten and empower entrepreneurs. Success for me boils down to this simple question which is the basis for why I founded “The Relational Marketer” – it’s the question: “Whose Life Is Now Better Because Of Yours”?

Everyday, I well up from an overwhelming gratitude to God who has been so good to me! Even if I don’t necessarily have EVERYTHING I have, the fact is I have more than enough! I have an amazingly loving and supportive family who encourages me to act upon opportunities to be, do and give more! I am grateful for the FREEDOM to have choices, to be in this country where opportunities abound! I am grateful for having access to amazing Mentors such as Joel Bauer, Mike Dillard, Ann Sieg, Mike Klingler, Dani Johnson,Tracy Repchuk which has now enabled me to have a platform to be able to help change many people’s lives in a global sense!

As a young girl in the Philippines, it was reading which has inspired me to realize that there is a bigger and abetter wolrd outside my little town… it was reading that has allowed me to see the infinite possibilities of what I can become. I support our public library here in Huntington Beach and part of my vision is to be able to put a public library in many small towns in the Philippines so that many children will be given the same opportunity about reading as I have!

The legacy I want to leave behind is simple… to have people I care most about – and those who choose to be mentored by me – all allocated for financially with income producing assets – including intellectual properties and businesses – that will encompass generations upon generations.

More importantly, I want to leave a legacy of encouraging them to have a personal relationship with God and His beloved son Jesus – who has plucked me out from a teeny tiny unheard of small town in the Philippines and elevates me to a leadership position that enables me to positively impact thousands of lives!  A legacy of helping people believe that they are called for a Higher Purpose and their lives mean more than what their minds can comprehend – I want to leave a legacy full of HOPE and LOVE!

What about you? What legacy will you leave behind?  What actions are you taking right this moment to make sure that your life does count for something?

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Inspired By Ann Sieg… What Will Your Legacy Be? is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

www.CeglarCPA.com

Tax season just ended – well, for most people it has ended 6 months ago in April but 2008 has been one of those years where we were most challenged financially.

We made a conscious decision to cash out some of our 401 K to pay off some consumer debts. Most financial planners would have disagreed with our decision but after declaring a “War On Debt” and choosing to no longer be slaves to debt, we made the move. Yes, there were massive penalties we knew we would have to pay!

We did what we could to prolong the “agony” so we kept on filing for an extension until we couldn’t any longer. So, on October 15, 2009 after diligently preparing our documents, I finalized the results with our trusted Tax Advisor, Thom Ceglar, CPA.

He gave me the sum of what we needed to pay and while it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, it was still a not so good news. However, I do believe in paying my dues so I asked Thom what type of installment terms are available to us. We finalized the numbers and I started driving to his office so I can sign the paperwork for submission.

I have barely left our house when I received a most wonderful phone call from Thom! He told me that something “miraculous” happened and that after he entered the figures on the computer, he found out that we had some losses that we are able to carry forward from years past only because of one thing we did on the same year – selling one of our investment properties! This was information neither of us realized until actual numbers were entered in his software!

I received the best news ever – not only did we not have to play any installment payments, we even got a refund!

Who says miracles don’t happen anymore? I have always said that “God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect!” and in this case, it’s as perfect as perfect can be!

Thank you Thom Ceglar and Nathan for your diligence and genuine care for your clients! We are truly grateful!!!

If you’re looking for a trusted CPA, Tax Advisor and Accountant, go to:

www.CeglarCPA.com

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Thank You, Thom Ceglar – Our Trusted CPA! is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

It has been a most amazingly mind-blowing weekend and as I continue to reminisce about it, there is a certain enthusiasm that just billows up from within!

Dr. Charlie and Ellie Drake and the Braveheart Team did it again and this time, they absolutely OVERDELIVERED! I have attended many, many events in the past 10 years of being an entrepreneur but nothing has even come close to the immeasurable value they gave to us this weekend!

I will be posting photos and videos very, very soon!!! To all you amazing women in the community whom I have the utmost honor and pleasure to meet and hug, I think of you.... I send you my love and pray for the achievement of all of your dreams beyond your wildest imaginings!

Here’s A Video Of BH RISE Welcome with Lynn Rose!

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I Am Not Just CHOOSING To Rise… I AM CALLED TO RISE! is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer

If you have been checking Twitter Trending Topics in the past 3 days, you would have noticed 2 keywords that have been there since. It’s “Ondoy” and Philippines. What is Ondoy? It’s a very strong and vicious typhoon that swept through the Philippines leaving over 500,000 people homeless and at least 7 cities submerged in water. In 6 hours, a month’s worth of rain poured in, making it difficult for the water to be contained.

On Friday, September 26, 2009 at around 8:00pm, my cousin called my Mom and asked if we heard what was going on. At that point, we knew that the water lever in Marikina River was going up fast! We didn’t think any of it since my family has lived near that river for 46 years and we know that it has never ever reached the 2nd story of our home so we know that my sister and nephews would be safe.

In a matter of 2 hours, my sister sent me a text message saying the water level was rising rather fast and that they will be heading upstairs until the water level goes down. Well, this time the water level didn’t go down… it kept on rising and rising… I got on Twitter to see what’s going on because at that point, the electricity was gone and the phone batteries were dead.  I started feeling fearful…got down on my hands and knees praying for protection over the Philippines and for God’s understanding that surpasses all!

In the wee hours of the morning on Sept. 27, photos started trickling in… I couldn’t sleep… wondering what’s happening to my family, my city, my country…  I was constantly monitoring Twitter and Facebook for updates.

The next day, the full extent of the devastation was featured by Yahoo News… seeing those photos just made my heart ache!  Thank goodness, I have my sister Elsa who was able to keep us up to date through Facebook.  When I saw the devastation through the photos, I knew that this disaster WAS NOTHING THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN!  The impact was worst that Hurricane Katrina and the Thailand Tsunami combined!

Typhoon Ondoy or Ketsana – wiped out the Philppines and took with her,  many lives… someone’s brother, father, mother, sister, friend, son, daughter. The pain must be simply unbearable!  My spirit is still grieved and it has been 4 days…

However, one thing is for sure – JUST LIKE THE BAMBOO TREE, THE FILIPINOS ARE AS PLIANT AS THAT TREE!  I never heard anyone complain – when crisis such as this happens, we become even more united and there is compassion and faith among our people as a whole.

I prayed to God to direct me to a way to help out using the resources, talents and influences He has given me so I came up with this video to create awareness and help raise funds for Marikina City.  I am trying to reach the Mayor of Marikina to talk to her about possibilities. 

One of the first people I contacted was Dani Johnson – she was on her way back from  Bora Bora when I sent her a private message on Facebook.  In a few hours, she had a response to me to contact her trusted Administrator Cindy McFaden from www.KingsRansomFoundation.org.  I am also grateful to Tracy Repchuk, Eric Su, Jerry Chen and Karol Kyno who acted immediately and re-tweeted my posts and gave me some marketing suggestions for my campaign. Now the wheels are in motion and God is in control….

In His own time, He will make all things new and beautiful again….

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My Philippines…Pliant As A Bamboo! is a post from: Emma Tiebens | The Relational Marketer