"The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals." ~ Melody Beattie

Our son James graduated from Lake Travis High last Thursday.  The theme of the evening was about 'passion and purpose'. 

After networking, making connections and building relationships online for over thirteen years it's come to my attention that making connections through email is sort of dead don't you think?  How much real connection email do you receive now days?  How many people are actually connecting and building relationships online using email?  Most of what we receive is spam wouldn't you agree?


Geez, how much Viagra can a person use anyway?!! 

A lot of people come to me and ask my opinion on having a personal website and what's more important - having a personal website or a replicated marketing system?

Well actually both will help you depending on your goals, your target market and what you are truly passionate about.    The main thing is that you start to realize how important it is to build a personal brand for yourself and you can do this several ways. You don't have to spend hours, days or weeks building a personal website to do this.    

The best thing you can do when you start your enterprise is to be up and running as quickly as possible and getting your business out there for people to see.  Building a personal website can take hours and hours and sometimes weeks to develop.   Having a replicated marketing system can be set up the first day you start your enterprise.   So I always recommend this option to anyone who wants to have their business location up, running and attracting people to your business day one. 

Think about your purpose, your end goal and who's your target or niche market. 

This is why it's crucial to your success to have a plan, a real business plan with your passion spelled out, your goals and your action steps planned out on paper.   Have you done this yet? If not I highly recommend you get going on it.  If you need some coaching on this get in touch and I'm happy to help you brainstorm some ideas.

The reason you want to brand yourself and your passion is because people join you first.  They want to know who you are and why you are doing what you do.  What are you passionate about?    Why should they partner with you?    You can do this too by putting up a Blog which are becoming very popular these days.  Some people are choosing to do video blogging.  Be sure you do what best fits your style.  Video may not be your thing and that's perfectly ok.  Writing or audio may be your thing.  Go with your own passion and whatever floats your boat.    You will learn as you go and may start to utilize some of these other marketing tools for social media connections.

Perhaps some of these other reaching out avenues will be something you'll gravitate to next as you start to get your feet wet in one area you may advance onto learning something new.  Just remember if you're not passionate about what you're doing people will pick up on that!  So go with what lights your fire because this is what attracts more people to you!   

Everything always starts with a little spark which will eventually evolve into a roaring fire! 

If you feel you're not a writer don't worry, I wasn't when starting out either twelve years ago. In fact, I had no degrees or writing experience at all.  What I have always written about is my own experiences.  It's not fiction, it's not about what I'm dreaming about, it's what I've actually done!   I write like I talk so sometimes may not have the best grammar.  After all I didn't get a degree in English and I'm not ashamed to admit it either.  Everything I've learned has been from school of hard knocks in the Network Marketing profession.


Writing and posting to your blog is not really about being inspired as much as it is about being passionate about what you do because when you're passionate about what you do it becomes easier to express yourself.    People are attracted to enthusiastic people who are passionate about what they do and they'll automatically be inspired by you. 

Remember the movie 'Passion Of The Christ'?  Jesus passion was working to bring people into the kingdom of God. His passion was people and he actually decided to leave his father's carpentry business which he was very good at to follow his passion and purpose.   You know people must have thought he was crazy to leave such a great paying job!  Jesus however was not that interested in making money as he was saving souls.  This doesn't mean though that God doesn't want anyone making money.  On the contrary!  The Bible says God has a plan to prosper us and this is stated throughout the Bible.  The reason is so that we can be generous on every occasion! 


Recently I met another professional woman here locally that left her medical career to pursue a career in becoming a Certified Life Coach.  Her family and colleagues thought she was nuts!   Becoming a Life Coach however is her passion which is to help other people unlock their true potential and she's very good at it. Why?  Because she is so darn passionate about it!  You can tell by listening to her in one of her coaching sessions.  She brings out the best in people.  I was one of the ones who experienced watching her bring out the best in people attending one of her goal setting workshops.   She truly is going for her passion! 

For me it's always been about people too.  Helping them find their passion, helping them set up their own enterprise, be their own boss, coaching others and helping them to unlock their true potential for success.

It's really ok to brand yourself because you are unique and there's only one you.  God made you just the way you are and has a plan for your life.  Search deep inside and find what your passion is and express that passion by sharing what you love with others.

Maybe your passion is your kids, your partner, you love gardening, cooking, nature, travel, reading, skydiving, mountain climbing, running, walking, fitness, health, being your own boss, teaching and training others.  You're getting the picture right?   Combine this passion with what you're doing to earn a living and write about this on your blog! 

Sometimes I'm driving down the road just out running errands to the grocery store, the post office or office supply store. Not so exciting right?  BAM something comes into my head and I've got to write it on my blog like I'm sharing with you now! 

I'm always writing notes on sticky pads!  Had about 7 or 8 of them all pasted on my desk to put into this blog post.  Just jot down thoughts during your day to day routine and it will come to you what to post on your blog.  I started putting a little spiral notebook in my car to jot down things that come into my head while out and about to keep from having a sticky note mess to deciper when I got home! 

Once you set your blog up you will get noticed once you start posting it on social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Linkedin, and others you'll find online. You can always Google to find more places to post your blog.  Name or develop a theme for your blog which should center on your passion and tells people what you do.

On your blog you'll have your profile which tells a little about you and your passion, photo of yourself and links to your enterprise and any other passions you have.  One of my passions besides Network Marketing, online marketing, and helping other succeed in their home business, happens to be Gluten Free cooking.  Not only do I love to cook, I'm 100% gluten free now after about about two years of working on being compliant due to health challenges.  It's been a real struggle and I know it can be for thousands of others.  I've been there and can relate what it's like to go to the grocery store and just stand there and stare at the shelves wondering what in the heck can I eat?!


Now I've got the Gluten Free process down and even set up a page on my personal website about it because of being so passionate about helping others who are struggling too.  If that's you check the website link below.  My sincere desire is that these Gluten Free resources help you as much as they have me.

Ok back to our discussion on blogs and social media networking -

Be sure you always place a photo of yourself on your blog and all your Social Media profiles to brand YOU!  No silly avatars or photos of your products.  This will not brand YOU.   Remember YOU brand YOU so put on a photo of the REAL passionate you! 

One of the other things to do is always be REAL, be authentic, be passionate about what you're doing, just be yourself and people will be attracted to you and want to connect with you and eventually may become interested in what you do and they may just be a great connection that could ultimately fullfill your purpose and theirs. 


Everyone you meet is a connection for you or for someone else you meet!  Even if they are not interested in your particular enterprise think of them as a great connection because you never know what will transpire later on from just one awesome connection.    When you connect people with others they will most likely return the favor and refer someone to you.   What goes around always comes back around.

Sue Seward

Sue is a Network Marketing Professional and online marketing coach who has been making connections, networking and building relationships online since 1996.  She is a full time career earner in Network Marketing and lives at Lake Travis in Austin Texas with her husband and two sons.  She is a contributing author to The Network Marketing Magazine, The Network Marketing Business Journal, Home Business magazine, MLMWoman.com, co-author of the Direct Selling Women's Alliance book Build It Big' and has been a guest speaker on several home business radio shows over the last seven years.    

Passionate about Gluten Free Living?   Visit -   GlutenFreeLady.com

Need More Clients For Your Business?  Check Out My Profile at - https://www.referralkey.com/sueseward