Cathy Fletcher Online Business

I grew up knowing that there were a couple of successful businesses in the family. One was a motorcycle shop, the other was invention and the factory that produced glass insulators on the tops of telephone poles. And my Grandfather played the fiddle at dances in the Apsley, Parkhill, Colehill area.

At age 13 I decided to go into a business course, against the hopes of my parents and I joined Junior Achievement around age 15. Tasted a bit of sales, and the competition of sales teams and tracking achievement on a wall at the "office". My friend and I helped her father's business: he had an art store, and a rental unit above so helped out a bit with those. Candy Striper in the hospital.

Worked in a sign painting place and in the kitchen at the local hospital outside Ottawa. Graduated with honours from high school. Moved out, tried a few weeks of college electronics, but went to work instead. Long-distance Operator, Receptionist in a small newspaper, stopped working, married, raised children and joined in various admin jobs in Scouts Canada.

Separation, business skills upgrading, volunteered at the Waterfront Police Office, back into the workforce, telephone work, Program Assistant for 11 years. That job was clerical support, reception, classroom training, and volunteer co-ordinating. Divorce. And no, I did not receive a dime. Bought a condo, and sold it which was basically me "making my fortune". Yay! Even on the strata council I ended up as Recorder, Vice, and then Chair.

Decided to move back to my hometown to be near to my aging parents and the rest of my family, friends. Set up camp in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. And no, I do not live in Toronto ;) It is on the Golden Horseshoe, which includes Toronto, so close enough. Not all that far from Niagara Falls, so you get the picture.

Now that I think about it, I kept trying sales out on the west coast...like Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay, Quixtar...went to some business seminars, one on Silent Salesmen (candy machines), one on making money in real estate. Couple of home study courses: finances, real estate, commodity trading. Took a bunch of business courses, Smart Computerizing & Troubleshooting Basics, SuperHost, True Colours, Dealing With Difficult Customers put on by the Mental Health Board, took part in division and agency "retreats". Believe me, they were not relaxing foot rubs! Team building, company picnics & BBQs, and lots of special events. At the main employment office I had a gift of setting people at ease, although a relentless worker, and because I was at the center of communications I was also made President of the Wine & Beer Club. Most never touched the stuff (I worked in a Chinese social service agency) but some of us blew off a bit of steam with one or two. Actually we did food paring, because I have an interest in that.

Played the tourist when I returned to Hamilton ON, Canada, then started temping it in the main financial tower downtown, on and off. Toying with the idea to escape9to5 existence...I was really getting used to setting my own pace. It was culture shock to go to Vancouver, and return to south-western Ontario after decades, although I have a lot of joy and peace about it.

Set up my own computer system a year after I set up my daughter's. Ordered what I needed, set everything up including the security and the network...learning all kinds of things. That stuff is all done for you in a company, but actually I'm "hands on". The techie's have all the fun! Hey, so now it's my turn :)

Guess I got nervous, thinking: I have a real barrier on not knowing where I am and the streets of the city, the various resources...so between assignments, after my computer was set up, I started searching. Plotting my escape, I went down a few online roads, and let me tell you...I do not click those little ads beside where I am searching. I was taught long ago, by my computer geek friend, never to forward emails, and not to click banners, so I didn't touch them. Okay, once or twice, but not as a habit.

Ah...but something about that ad was friendly and inviting, not hitting me on the head. So, I clicked it and found The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing, and liked it so much I went for The Renegade Marketer. Then I was called back to work again. You know, I just couldn't do both at once, so forgot about it, not realizing there was so very much more in The Renegade System. I bought a domain name, so at least that much was getting through to me.

Ann Sieg's name was filtering down into my mind, and then boom! Somebody named Tito contacted me and my defenses went up, and I thought "Who the heck is this?" I knew Ann's name, and I had so many subscriptions going on, checking out so many people...but I don't know this guy!

I gave Tito such a hard time, but he was consistently nice...said Ann needed help so he was helping her. I called him three times in Florida to make sure he was "a real person". Tito is kind of high-powered and young, but into too many things, and I was on overload! I checked out SBI! liked it but pulled out, not sure what I really needed (later I realized how good it is by seeing the best website, and finding out she made it using Site Build It!). Being on and off work was throwing me for a loop ;) Tito suggested one mlm that I liked and signed on for, and I kept thinking about Ann. I think I threw "the baby out with the bath water" and unsubscribed from Ann for a few months, then subscribed again. She was just beginning to tease us about something she was working on, and her emails were not too often so I started to look forward to them. I unsubscribed to Tito (don't worry we're still in contact), and in fact looked into and did the same thing to a bunch of "feelers" in the same vein, but eventually kept the ones that were more like my personality. I can't really handle base language for very long, or certain tactics.

Oh, I read Mind Control Marketing, which was written to make you see "why" and "what" is pushing your buttons in an underhanded way. I kept that ebook but printed it and took out all the creepy cartoons. That guru, Mark, suddenly shaved his head and was wearing all black and scared me! I could relate to Ann better...I have a teenager and young adult children.

So that is that, in a hat. Well, fast forward to taking on Renegade Pro, and Breakthrough Mentoring. It was Mike Klingler that turned me on to Squidoo and The Renegade University click here.

Ever feel like things are speeding up? You can hear a new sound...what is that? Just might be a barrier being broken...either that or a ladder was suddenly thrown down. Somebody's doing it for me, and I do it for others. Makes perfect sense, now.

To lens click here