It is good to be home after 2 grueling weeks on the road. We launched our newest chapter in Florida in Niceville and two new chapters in Des Moines bringing the total there to five. We are looking to add two more chapters in Florida in May and the calls just keep coming in to bring RLI to new areas. Why the explosion of growth? Because of the forward thinking and cutting edge type of networking that we do that is changing lives all across America. With more than 15 networking first having been created in the last 30 months RLI continues to lead the way in innovative networking that gets REAL results. If you would like to bring RLI to your city please contact me.

RLI is proud to announce the addition of Nationally recognized speaker, business coach and author Tim Davis to our executive team. Tim is joining our team as VP of Men of Faith Connect, RLI's newest model of top level networking. RLI recently expanded it's brand with the creation of Wise Women Connect led by VP Cathy Weaver. Men of Faith Connect is the next step in providing various models of networking under one umbrella. Men of Faith Connect will be a faith based men's only model that will meet once a month for great food, fellowship, business coaching, networking and inspiration. Tim Davis is known across America for his faith and his personal life calling to change every life he encounters. RLI is proud to have him join our team of ever expanding national leaders.

As a special Chritmas gift to all RLI members if you sponsor a new member between today and January 31 it will count for 2 new members for sponsor four pay no more. So some of you who have already sponsored 2 will just need 1 more to get your next year's membership FREE. Must be a new application taken from today thru Jan. 31. The New Year is a great time to help someone grow their business my introducing them to your amazing fellow members. Let's make it a goal for everyone to  sponsor one member in Jan. Merry Christmas early!!

When I wrote my post on Thursday about this Christmas feeling different I had no clue how accurate I would be in light of the great tragedy that hit our country yesterday with the loss of so many innocent lives. Yesterday to me felt like 9-11 all over again. Amber and I stopped many times during our date day to talk, weep and pray for the families of the victims, we closed our night together once more praying for them. We asked ourselves if this troubled young man had come across our path's would we have been sensitive or caring enough to have given him a hug or a word of encouragement. These are troubled times we live in. In the middle of the day yesterday we went down to Healing House to see how we could serve them this week. There was a small urgent financial need we were able to meet and Amber and I will be cooking dinner for all of the residents on Wednesday night. Not because we are special but because they are. I have committed to going out on the weekends to feed homeless people under bridges and in small camps. Why? Because they need love and hope just like me. Maybe if I could give hope to just one individual it might save someone else's life. What will you do to help the hurting and mentally ill in order for us all to live in a better and safer country? As for Amber and I we will serve the Lord and those who have been given up as worthless to restore as many people as we can to hope, love and success.

This Christmas feels different to me. There seems to be more hurting people than in years past. Broken bodies, broken homes, financial stress, uncertainly and a lack of direction seems to be everywhere. Maybe I am just more sensitive to it this year I don't know. I know that much of my success came from being given a second chance ....ok hundreds of second chances by God, my friends and my business partners than any one person deserves. That's why I am driven to help people because sometimes "they" just need a second chance or a third or a fourth.

 We give up on people way to soon and often it is because we really have no clue what they are going thru. Last night I was chatting with an RLI member online whose personal life is in shambles because of the person they love being an addict. No one on the outside would even know by looking at them in their successful business. Thankfully we came up with a plan to hopefully steer this person to help. But this is just "one" household and there are thousands of these troubled homes in every city some are even on your block. So if you are blessed this year what will you do to bless others?

 I have just a few more events on my schedule for this year so between now and January 1 Amber and I will be devoting every spare minute to helping others. Please don't be afraid to ask. If you need counseling, encouragement, a meal or a helping hand moving or finding a job please let us know how we can serve you. We want to give of our talents and gifts to bless others.

Breaking news from Kansas City about the December Master Mentoring event. We have put together an incredible video production team that will do a test run of broadcasting it worldwide in real time. We have received requests from all across the country asking if we could stream it live. If the test goes well we will launch it live in January. Josh Wendel is heading up the team and will also begin a weekly social media blog on our website at www.referralleaders.com . Now it is getting real exciting. Just one more Networking First!!! Explode your business whether you live in Kansas City or in Paris as I share my top secrets to business success.

Time for true confession...... I am terrible at blogging but GREAT at social media which doesn't help with the SEO rankings of our site. My BAD. Sooooooo I am going to do better and try to announce exciting stuff here first before posting on FB. Keyword is TRY!!! So here are some exciting things coming soon. 1. We have produced an incredible coaching CD that we will be giving to every guest that attends your meeting in hopes that they will love the coaching and want to join just to get it. 2. We are beta testing a new vacation certificate voucher that if we are pleased with the results will be giving away free to every guest that attends as well as the member who invited them. 3. Executive coaching weekends, I will be hosting executive weekend getaways at my beautiful vacation home in Branson starting in January, look for more details in the next two weeks.

BTW how did you like our brand new newsletter?? It was awesome and produced in house by our new VP of Operations Suzie Savage. Thank you for all of the positive comments. Untill next time. 

It is with mixed emotions today that we officially announce the departure of one of the most incredible people to have ever walked into my life. Sasha Poell who helped me to start RLI and has committed 100% of her efforts the last 30 months to RLI will be stepping down as President on October 30th. As most of you know there has been huge changes in her personal life including her up coming marriage to Scott Randolph this coming weekend. While we celebrate all of the exciting changes in her life we will sorely miss her as a vital part of our success team. To honor her and Scott we will be having a farewell card and cash reception for them on Friday Nov. 2 from 6-8 PM at The Bass Pro Shop in Olathe. All current and past RLI members and friends of RLI are encouraged to attend and spend a few moments thanking her for her past service and wishing her success on her new marriage and career. Let's pack the house to show her our love and support.

RLI is proud to announce that we will soon be launching Doctors on a Mission. This latest gift of generosity to hurting members of our community will feature the excellent medical doctors of RLI giving of their time and talents to treat the residents of our non-profit organizations that we support through our chapters for FREE. They will be donating their time each month to care for people that normally could not afford treatment. I am proud to announce that Dr. Rich King will be heading up RLI's newest gift back to those in need in our community. RLI will not only continue to create new and innovative ways to create referral relationships that will create wealth for our members but to be "the" leader in genersoity to those in need.

When is the last time you chased a dream? I mean REALLY chased a dream? The other night Amber asked me if I could do anything in the world what would it be? I told her " I am already doing it" because my dream is to help people. 2.5 years ago I sold my home on the lake, much of my furniture, sport cars, tools, toys you name it to start RLI because I had a dream to create the best netwoking organization in the world. I gave up leisure and vacations around the world to make in a year now what I use to make a month in income. And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. I get to live my dream everyday while others just sit and think about their's. I have met over 1500 new people in the last 2.5 years, I have been able to publicly speak over 300 times and travel 10's of thousands of miles while living my dream. The price I have paid has been high but worth every penny of time,swet and tears. The wins out weigh the losses and now thousands of people are being helped thru RLI and our non-profits. Lives have been changed, families have been provided for and a life time of connections and relationships have been made. Why? Because I chased a dream and was willing to pay the price. Are you ready to chase your dreams but just need a little encouragement? Well here it is.......YOU CAN DO IT!!! Now go make your dreams come true.

There is just 13 days left to qualify for the Lobster Bake. Sponsor one new paying member into any RLI chapter in America and you qualify for an incredible event, our second annual Lobster Bake. Sponsor two and bring a guest, sponsor three or more and receive a 50.00 gift card for each additional new member. THAT is how we say thank you to our members for helping us to grow our chapters. This will be the social event of the year and you do not want to miss it.

Dan Rawls the executive director for the Eastern Tennessee and Utah regions of BNI sent a process server to a recent meeting of RLI's Seveirville chapter to serve them with a lawsuit. BNI's director is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent these Americans from meeting to exchange referrals that provide income for their families. It also ask's that they not be allowed to meet for any reason whatsoever and that they be bared from doing business with current BNI members including those that are apart of their same companies. This move by Dan Rawls shows how threatened our competition is by RLI's massive growth. Instead of making their product better to retain current members they have chosen to bully, intimidate and seek to place fear in the hearts of their former members. ALL current BNI members that have EVER signed the leadership non-disclosure form should be fearful that if they ever chose to leave BNI and join another organization that they too could be subject to a lawsuit. Be sure to contact your local BNI director and ask that your form be destroyed and then send a written request that the form be destroyed, then consider resigning your position. You want it made very clear that you refuse to be subject to this one sided over reaching non-compete forms, that you are a volunteer and if forced to will resign from the organization.

RLI is defending the rights of these heroic members in court. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Here is one of the most important activities I do every day to keep people talking about me, referring to me and that makes them want to work with me. I wake up every morning and ask myself this question. What RLI member, leader, partner or prospect can I wow today? That's right I said WOW! Most business people don't think this way but doing so has allowed me to experience constant success.

When I am constantly impressing people or doing acts of service for them it makes them want to do the same for me. It is easy to champion a champion. If your partners and clients aren't talking about you in a positive way to people they see everyday then you are failing to wow them. Wowing people contrary to popular belief does not take alot of money. Here are two new things I am doing everyday, I am posting everyday on facebook about one of my RLI members or leaders, a very simple here is what they do and this is how great they are post. Second I am calling my partners and members on their birthday to wish them a happy birthday. Two simple acts that say I care about them personally and professionally AND more importantly something no other partner is doing.

Many so called leaders want to follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing. I have always wanted to be different and be the one setting the trends. Wake up with a WOW mindset and watch your business and relationships explode.

RLI has many missions as an organization but one of our top priorities is leadership development. Therefore it is my distinct privledge to announce some new appointments. Lisa Wenzl Kirkpatrick has been assigned more chapters to work with because of the continued growth of her current chapters, Melanie Studebaker Chaulk has accepted a position as a chapter growth specialist and will be working with one of our newest chapters to duplicate the explosive growth she has led her current chapter to experience. Martin Taggart has been apponted to be a chapter growth specialist and will begin assisting one of our current chapters to experience what his cuurent chapter has as they have become our largest chapter in the country. Help me to congratulate these leaders on their promotions.

As we prepare for the New Year, it's a sure bet that somewhere along the way you'll be thinking about goals and resolutions to get your life more organized. To help you get a jump start, I've put together a list of 51 easy and quick ways to get organized and feel more balanced today. Please don't let this number overwhelm you - you don't have to do all 51 at once! Read through the list, prioritize the ones that will give you the best benefit and tackle a handful of those to begin with. In no time at all, you'll find that your home, business and life are much more organized, stress-free and ready to start the New Year with a bang!

Time Savers
1. Store take-out menus by using a 3-hole punch and a simple binder for easy access.

2. Organize loose recipes and torn-out magazine pages with a 3-ring binder and clear plastic sleeves

3. Make a meal or two ahead of time. Freeze and have it ready for those crazy days when you have no time – or energy – to cook.

4. Create a laundry-room "Lost and Found." Designate a box or basket to hold items found in pockets and lonely single socks.

5. Organize clothing into four categories: formal, work, casual and sport and store in separate areas of the closet for quick and easy access.


6. Keep cleaning supplies together in a plastic bin to keep them organized in a single space easy to find and easy to access for all types of chores around the house.

7. Place your purse, briefcase and keys in a designated area every day so you always know where they are.

Maximum Efficiency
8. Create a garage sale box and keep items you plan on selling in one location.

9. Take 30 minutes as you watch a favorite TV show and finish the mending pile you have on your sewing machine.

10. Sort your mail over your garbage can or recycle bin. Junk mail will never make it into your home or on your counter tops!

11. Don't answer the phone for a few hours. You'll be surprised at how much more productive you will be.

Stress Relief & Peace of Mind
12. Keep labeled folders to store warranties and operating manuals together for appliances and household items.

13. Buy a label maker. Use it!

14. Create a gift bin or shelf/storage area. Keep gifts bought ahead of time there, labeled and ready to go.

15. Computer and electronics cables: untwist, label, straighten each and every line, then plug them all back in bundled neatly together.

16. Unsubscribe to unwanted email newsletters or updates from companies that you no longer want. Use the "unsubscribe" link usually found at the bottom of the emails.

17. Delete as least 25 old email messages from your Inbox that you don't need any more. Then empty the Trash or Deleted Items folders in your email system.

18. Check your candle supply to be ready for potential power outages. Make sure all flashlights in the house have fresh batteries in them.

Budget-Friendly Organizing
19. Place risers under your bed frame to lift and add storage area.

20. Position hooks or organizers behind doors to corral your stuff, there are all kinds of holders for hats, purses, shoes, coats and belts that fit standard door frames.

21. Use old muffin pans to sort nails, screws, and other hardware in garage.

22. Empty tissue boxes make great plastic grocery bag dispensers.

23. Hang a rack above a kitchen island to hold pots and pans, freeing up cabinet space.

24. Those empty holiday card boxes are also great to use as drawer organizers.

25. Organize your battery stash by implementing a storage solution such as bags, containers or drawer dividers. Organize by battery type and size.

26. Gather up all the loose change from your purse, house, car and laundry room. Bag it up and take it to the bank or one of those coin sorting machines at the local grocery store.

27. Organize your coupons. Use a small accordion folder made for such a purpose or a system that works for you.

28. Gardening tools can be stored vertically on simple hooks attached to the walls so they're easy to get to when you need them and they're out of the way when you don't.

29. Use a bead-storage craft box with a clear lid to store jewelry in various compartments.

30. Use decorative votive candle holders to organize small desk items such as tacks, rubber bands, binder clips, business cards, etc.

Be sure to check out my next blog for the remaining 21 tips that will help you get organized and balance your life!

© 2011 Clutterbugs, LLC

Carmen Coker is a professional organizer who helps individuals find the motivation and know-how to get organized and stay organized. To learn how to save money, create more space, and manage your time through organization, claim your "FREE Tip Kit: 10 Pages of Tips and Tools to Help You Get Organized — Finally!" at www.OrganizeClutterbugs.com

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