North of the 49th | Amway

What are you doing this weekend? Me, we're celebrating our anniversary (and, no, I'm not fishing for congratulations there… maybe condolences, but not congrats.)

You? How about doing a little light reading and maybe a chance of winning?

If you've already subscribed, you should have your copy of the Beauty in the Know ARTISTRY newsletter in your in-box. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? Just log in to amwayglobal.ca (if you're an IBO, of course), click on My Account > Preferences and check the box next to Beauty in the Know!

Not only will you get the latest and greatest beauty tips, tricks, and product info delivered to your e-mail inbox every month, but — this month — you'll also be reminded of the ARTISTRY Mother's Day contest.

Click here to learn more about the contest. You still have time to tell us why your mom is a timeless beauty and you can win an outstanding ARTISTRY prize pack valued at over $250 (and those are real, honest-to-goodness, above-par-with-the-US CANADIAN dollars!)

You've heard from the members of our beauty team: Kerri and Nathalie. And if you go through the comments you'll read wonderful sentiments from people throughout North America! Now we need to hear from you.

Time's-a-wasting! This contest closes on May 1st, so that the winner can get his or her prize just in time for Mother's Day. We'd love to hear from you, so enter your comments and tell us why the mother in your life embodies the ARTISTRY spirit of beauty as individual as you!

Have a great weekend everyone. All the best,

Jay

If you haven't yet heard the news, we've re-upped our agreement with the Canadian Soccer Association to continue as title sponsor of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship for the next three years!

You can read about it here!

Last year's tournament was fantastic. Incredible atmosphere, exciting games, a tournament that went right down to the wire — a final match showdown between Toronto (boo) and Montreal (yay! — sorry, being a homer again); and a Cinderella ending that saw the underdog Impact take home the Voyageurs Cup as Canada's top professional club.

The winner of this tournament earns Canada's bid in a much-larger tournament that eventually crowns the CONCACAF representative for the FIFA Club World Cup. Montreal's still reaping the rewards of earning last year's berth — in fact, they're playing tonight (Wednesday) in the quarter-finals against Santos Laguna at Olympic Stadium. Tonight's game — with over 50,000 seats sold — has already set local and CONCACAF records.

I've always been on the fence about soccer. For years I've heard it's the next big thing, but teams and leagues have come and gone. But maybe, just maybe, things are changing. After all, if the Impact can sell 50,000 seats in a White Elephant that looks suspiciously like a toilet bowl from afar, maybe soccer's finally hitting its stride.

My grandfather was a huge soccer fan, playing in England, and remaining a dyed-in-the-wool Everton fan until his passing when I was five. Unfortunately, that love of the sport didn't pass on down to me. I appreciate the game, I enjoy watching it during the World Cup, but I've never embraced it the same way that I have with hockey, football, basketball, and even baseball (before it broke my heart — my dear, beloved Expos).

I never got the fervent passion that fans had for the sport. I never got the craze…

Until last year.

I had the opportunity to attend the Nutrilite Canadian Championship finals in Toronto. Sure, I was one of maybe a half-dozen people cheering on the Impact — and the final result was great for me. But I spent almost as much time watching the action off the field as on.

I get it. It's the atmosphere. Even in stoic Toronto, where the only sounds that fill the Air Canada Centre comes from the breeze ruffling the suits in the lower bowl, there was passion. The crowd was a sea of red and white; the fans were raucous (some with a little more liquid reinforcement than others); and — on that day — BMO Field could pass for a European venue. 

Living in Montreal, I knew the Impact was big. They filled their stadium, had rabid fans, and had the backing of the Saputo family. I've heard the atmosphere at Saputo Stadium is even more riotous than Toronto's, so I'll have to check it out first hand this year. 

But Toronto's wholehearted embrace of Toronto FC shocked me. The Blizzard came and went without much fanfare, so I expected much of the same with the MLS club. I'm pleased to be wrong.

I've long held the belief that soccer is the most popular participatory sport in North America, but until the youth of this country have heroes from this sport that they could choose to emulate, it would forever be resigned to second-class status. Unfortunately, North America is a continent that focuses on professional sports. Amateur athletics don't get the same attention, minor leagues are an afterthought, and it's only the big stage that attracts our eyes.

Of course we have kids trying to be the next Sidney Crosby and Chris Bosh. Thanks to the abundance of Canadians playing in The Show, Canucks can dream of playing major league baseball (just not in Montreal — not that I'm bitter). And the CFL and NFL give hopes to Canadians toiling on the gridiron. 

Now soccer, with the MLS and the USL, may finally be ready to compete on that level. Maybe the Dewayne De Rosarios, Jim Brennans, Nana Attakora-Gyan, and — most recently — the Adrian Seriouxs, who are playing in North America's elite league, can inspire the next generation of Canucks to keep on the pitch.

And nothing stokes the flames of passion like national pride. The Nutrilite Canadian Championship crowns the best of Canada's best — and that's something even a casual fan will enjoy watching. I'm proud we're along for the ride for the next three years and maybe we can help make that long-expressed thought about soccer's prominence finally come true!

Your thoughts? What do you think of the soccer sponsorship? Did you attend any of the games? What do you think of soccer?

All the best,

Jay

**** MAR. 12 UPDATE ****

Andy Gamm, at the Mothership south of the 49th, takes a look at all of Amway Global's soccer partnerships here. Check it out, then share your thoughts here (or there, I'm not possessive!)

It's kind of cool that I, as a Canuck, am able to spend the day South of the 49th, on such a historic occasion. Let's face it, regardless of your political leanings, today's inauguration of President Obama is something that will resonate for years to come. I was able to catch the inauguration proceedings on-line and on a TV here at Spaulding. And out of the mix of celebration, euphoria, pomp, circumstance, and — yes, even — hyperbole, one concept came to the fore.

In these trying times, I think much of Obama's success can be attributed to the underlying message of many of his speeches — a message of hope. But what I like most about the way he's chosen to present this concept hope is that it's never mentioned without a requirement of personal responsibility.

This is not about big government stepping in and fixing problems; this is about the average American (and, I hope, Canadian) stepping up and making a positive difference in their homes, in their communities, and with the people around them. Yesterday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day saw a record number of people get out and volunteer in the community. That's a good start, but it's just that — a start. It will quickly come to naught without further engagement.

Again, regardless of whether you're more fond of donkeys or elephants; or, north of the border, whether you prefer red, blue, yellow, or green, this message of hope resonates within us all.

In fact, I'd say that the average IBO can appreciate this message more so than others. After all, what is this business but an opportunity of hope based upon a foundation of personal responsibility, effort, and dedication? You get into this business to help people live better lives, and to create a better future for you and your family. I've seen the willingness of IBOs to give of themselves to support others — including literally going over the edge of a building for Easter Seals!

This is a business built upon hope, but a realistic hope that's tethered by the responsibility of fairly representing the opportunity and supporting those with whom you share this journey. Sure, sometimes some people choose to fray that tether, but still we keep going — employees and IBOs together — to learn from our mistakes, improve upon our faults, and create a better tomorrow.

Nothing's ever perfect, let's face it. Ideally, we'd like our governments to be accountable, forthright, and working in our best interests. Yet sometimes there are those who exploit the power of office for nefarious reasons — and that's no different than any other walk of life. In any business, political, or social environment, there will be those who prey upon the others for personal gain — and sometimes the lure of the almighty dollar ($1.20 in Canada) can be too much for those to resist.

Yet those people are the minority. The majority of people want to do right by others and live honourably; they want to be a part of the solution, not the problem; and they're willing to put in the effort that's required to affect change.

President Obama is selling hope and several people are buying. And that's good news for IBOs who are willing to do things the right way. But selling hope is not enough — especially if it comes at the cost of one's reputation. Hope can only be purchased through the coin of effort and dedication.

The good thing, though, is that the return on your investment is a better future.

Over to you. Why did you join the business? What are your thoughts on hope? And what do you envision for the future?

All the best,

Jay

*** AFTER THE FACT ADD: You may or may not have noticed (I'm not sure if you readers head south of the CyberBorder), but Beth Dornan all the way over at the Amway Global Insider blog wrote a post on a similar topic – if you haven't done so yet, check it out here!

The Pathways to Success Product expo is in full swing as we enter mid-day Saturday. We've got crowds of people browsing through the booths, sitting in on the shows, and enjoying themselves thoroughly. Hopefully we've got a few people following along on-line, but I know for sure that one of the Opportunity Zone's most faithful readers and posters isn't following along via cyber space.

How do I know? Because Andrew C. Sargeant is right here next to me. Andrew's been here both days and I thought I'd give him to chance to move from commenter to guest poster. So, without any further ado, I'll turn the North of the 49th blog over to Andrew to share his thoughts on the Pathways to Success Product Expo.

"The booths in particular, the Nutrilite booth was very helpful and the SA8 detergent booth was great. I got some great pointers — man, I've messed up a few times with that. I've seen faces that I now recognize — it makes me feel more comfortable to be able to recognize these people.

The shows are excellent. Joe Pici is a hit.He's the cool guy around here — he's a star.

They should absolutely come — IBOs as well as guests. There's always something new and exciting coming out.

Jason's the most exciting thing around for Canadian blog [editor's note -- blush]. Definitely kudos for that and it was awesome meeting him face to face."

Well, before my head gets any bigger (the receeding hairline makes that seem even more pronounced, you know.) I'll sign off. I'm going to work on getting some photos from today's event on-line, so check back soon! And again, you've still got a couple of hours to join the fun. Head on down to the Stampede Centre — just like Andrew himself — and see what Pathways is all about!

Good morning everyone! We've just thrown open the doors to Day Two of the Pathways to Success product expo in Calgary. But before we get on with today's proceedings, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what went on last night!

We'll be posting more throughout the day (although I am having technical challenges — but Pat, the Wonder IT Man is on the case!)

As always, your comments are welcome — and so is your presence! C'mon down to the Stampede Centre and check out the show first-hand if you're in this neck of the woods.

Click here to be taken to the Pathways Calgary flickr page.

(Hmmm… I have a hard enough time finding relevant Canadian song titles for these posts and I burn TWO in ONE!!!!)

There are two big things happening North of the 49th this week: one being a look back and the other representing hope for the future!

First off, Remembrance Day is tomorrow. At 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month, many of us will pause for a moment of silence — a time during which we're to reflect upon the sacrifices made by the men and women who fought for a world in which they believed. 

Unfortunately, fewer and fewer of these veterans are around to share their stories. My grandfather served in the navy on the HMCS Buctouche, a Flower-class corvette in the Royal Canadian Navy. He survived the war, but passed away when I was five. My wife's grandfather (air force) also passed away fairly recently — another link to that past severed. And it's a refrain that's heard far too often. Too few of these Canadian veterans remain, their stories are in danger of being lost, and it's up to us — the second, third, and fourth generations removed from that time to keep the flame of their memories not only lit, but burning brightly..

Each year I wear a poppy on my lapel. Regardless of my personal opinion on guns, I respect the sacrifices these men and women made — and continue to make in such far-flung reaches, like Afghanistan. Regardless of one's opinion of war, the members of our armed forces deserve our support and respect. I try to instill that respect in my own children (14 and seven respectively) and I believe I'm doing a good job. But I can see elsewhere that the respect is fading.

It sounds stupid, I know, but one of the things that bothers me most is when people shout out during the playing of our national anthem. In my other life I cover hockey, which has brought me to many an arena over the years. Too often, as the final strains of the anthem approach, some moron uses the pause to shout "Go [Insert team name here] Go!"

Now, I can appreciate how rare it is that, for one who was educated with an inner tube and a banana, those few remaining neural connections and synapses all come together. I appreciate the effort it takes to drag those knuckles skyward to bring them to one's mouth. But there's a time and a place for everything. Our anthem deserves respect — especially at this time of year.

The worst example I ever saw was a couple of years back here in London. We were honoured by the presence of a few veterans — many of whom looked like they would not be around for many more ceremonies of this type. As they stood rigid, once again raising themselves to their youthful glory, saluting the flag, some bottom-feeder from the crowd chose to shout out a "Go Knights Go" during the anthem. I, and the other members of press row, immediately felt sick — and even the majority of the crowd appeared to understand the inappropriateness of this action, as they booed his below. But a moment — a special moment when we were in the presence of those who know true sacrifice — to pay our respects was cheapened by one who doesn't understand respect.

Maybe it's our video game culture. War, both in real-life and on-screen, can be fought by remote control. It's easy to be removed from the humanity of war when you can't see the person whose life you're ending. In World War I, those in the trenches could see their targets across the mud-and-blood-drenched fields. Now, remotes are guided by soldiers watching from thousands of miles away.

We owe it to our veterans — and to each other — to keep those memories alive, as those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Please take a moment of your time at 11 a.m. tomorrow to reflect upon where you are, who you are, and how that was shaped by those who came before you. And please pass that message to your children. The fight to keep those memories alive is one we must not lose.

NOW, on a happier note, we're gearing up for the Pathways to Success Product Expo in Calgary, AB! We're flying out of London waaayyyyy too early on Thursday to start getting ready for the thousands of you we're expecting to come through the Stampede Roundup Centre.

All hands are on deck now as we've literally hit a little bump in the road (I'll fill you in later… trust me), but we're looking forward to a great show. Come one, come all! IBOs, prospects, customers, visitors, people wandering the streets… head on over! And if you can't make it, I'll be live blogging the event, posting photos and audio, and basically doing everything I can to get you as close to the action as you can get, without actually being there!

But make sure you be there, OK? I'll talk to you on Thursday to tell you about the "bump" and fill you in on set-up!

All the best,

Jay

This weekend we put Artistry on ice at the HomeSense Skate Canada International event in Ottawa, ON. As you may know, we're the official skin care and cosmetics sponsor for Skate Canada. We get to support skaters at all levels throughout the country and IBOs get the benefit of the added exposure that comes from brand advertising at this level.

Angela Abdallah, Amway Global's Canadian Manager of Corporate Communications/Government Affairs was on hand and I'd like to pass along her thoughts of the event:

"Oh Canada!  That anthem sure sounds sweet.

This weekend in Ottawa, Canadian figure skating fans were treated to a taste of what – hopefully – we'll see in Vancouver in another couple of years…the raising of the maple leaf to the beautiful strains of "Oh Canada."  Hello everyone.  I'm Angela Abdallah, Manager of Communications for Amway Global's Canadian affiliate and I'm pleased to bring you a guest blog posting from Canada's capital.  I had the pleasure – along with a number of our Independent Business Owners (IBOs) and other staff members – of attending the HomeSense Skate Canada International event this weekend.  For those of you who don't know, Artistry is the official skin care and cosmetics for Skate Canada.

Our partnership with Skate Canada provides us with some wonderful exposure for the Artistry brand.  From our TV and program ads, to the Artistry displays, product sampling, and prizes, we are able to engage a key demographic for Artistry.  It's an audience that strongly supports sponsors of the sport.  And we have so much fun doing it.  The whole "Kiss for Luck" concept allows fans to try our lip colours to send a "kiss" and a personal message to their favorite skater.  The "Kiss Cam" challenges fans in the stands to show their affection for the chance to win Artistry products.  And trust me – figure skating fans are passionate!  

That passion was rewarded this weekend with some stunning performances.  The beautiful Joannie Rochette proved once again why she has been Canada's reigning Women's National Champion since 2004.  And our '08 Canadian Men's Champion, 17 year-old Patrick Chan (who was born the same day as my son, Zac) took the gold in his discipline.  Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison took the silver in the Pairs competition and Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier took the silver in Ice Dance.  Winning medals – - especially in your own country – - is exciting.  But sometimes not winning a medal can be just as exciting.  Just ask Shawn Sawyer how he felt after winning the men's long program and getting a standing O from the crowd of 5000+ fans at Scotiabank Place.

I personally missed some of my favourite skaters – - Tessa Virtue of London and her Ice Dance partner Scott Moir of Ilderton were not able to compete because Tessa is recovering from surgery.  Scott was there to cheer on his team mates and was his usual impish self.  And although I truly missed the Virtue/Moir magic, Crone and Poirier did a fabulous job of showing figure skating fans that we have a wonderful roster of very talented athletes from which to draw.  And Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, Canada's reigning Pairs champions were also out of commission but on hand to show moral support to the team.  In chatting with Anabelle (who is absolutely adorable), she told me that the thing she missed the most was being thrown.  Can you believe it?!  She was also showing off her eye make-up after learning some tips and tricks during the national team training camp earlier this year.  (The athletes love Artistry.  If you don't believe me, check out the skater profiles on Skate Canada's website.)  And of course, the recently retired Jeffrey Buttle wasn't skating but he was there, providing colour commentary with Skate Canada's own Debbi Wilkes for the all-new Skate Bug earpiece.  

What's really cool about HomeSense Skate Canada International is that it truly is international.  I was sitting in the stands on Friday afternoon when my Blackberry buzzed with a note from a colleague in Special Events.  He was writing me from Spain to say that he saw the Artistry rink boards on TV.  So, not only does this sponsorship help build awareness for the Artistry brand in Canada, it's helping around the world of Amway.  Hmmm – maybe I should call upon some of those other affiliates and ask for some money to help offset the costs

Working with the Skate Canada folks over the past year-and-a-half has been nothing short of wonderful.  They take such good care of their sponsors and bend over backwards to help us increase our exposure.  This weekend, for example, an autograph session with some of Canada's key alumni, including '88 Olympic Silver medalist Liz Manley at the Artistry booth drew huge crowds.  And our very own Carmela Ianni, who is a driving force when it comes to leveraging our sponsorship, is having the time of her life.  It's not too often that your job allows you to be intimately involved in something you've loved since childhood.  I was with Carm the first time she met her hero, Brian Orser at a Skate Canada event.  To say that she was over the moon would be an understatement.  Meeting Liz Manley this weekend was especially poignant for her because Carmela's late father absolutely adored Liz.

So, despite having to "work" two weekends in a row (we did the Montreal Pathways to Success Expo last weekend), it's been an exhilarating few days.  The athleticism…the costumes…the beautiful artistry on ice…meeting figure skating heroes – past and present – and working with wonderful people, make it all worthwhile.  Artistry and figure skating are perfectly matched and we've just had a perfect weekend.  But, as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, there's no place like home, and I'm so looking forward to being there!"

There you have it. Now it's your turn. What do you think about the Artistry partnership? How have you used it within your own business? And what would you like to see in the future. As always, the comments are yours for the typing!

I love winter. Love the snow, love the atmosphere, love everything about it! (And all of you 'Oh, I love summer' people — stop lying! You're the ones ensconced in front of the AC all the time, pining for cooler temps… And, after all, in the winter you can always throw on another layer. In the summer you can only take off so much without getting arrested — unless you're on Oka Beach, I guess… uhm, not that I know…)

I went to bed late last night (OK, early this morning) and it was snowing. Woke up — still snowing! And it was beautiful. I thought I'd share some images of the first snowfall in London with you. Pristine snow, pure white — there's nothing like it!

I also have added some photos from the summer so you can compare and contrast:

Just a couple of requests, though. In the words of OPP Sgt. Dave Rektor (from my other life in media) "If you see snow, go slow." And go get some snow tires. Please. Even if you think you don't need them, you do (well, unless you're reading this from one of those unfortunate places that don't get snow…) I have a new 09 Forester, all-wheel-drive. I'm still buying them. Maybe it's the Montrealer in me, but I'm not going to put my family at risk, so I ask that you do the same!

Enjoy the weather!

Hey all! A hectic day back here at the Canadian HQ, with many of us still working on the adrenaline left over from the weekend's events. We recently sent out an e-mail to our Canadian IBOs and asked them what the Pathways to Success meant to them — and boy, have you answered.

I'm in the midst of compiling over 25 pages of responses — so far! And I thought I'd give my tired eyeballs a rest and share some of these thoughts with you. And feel free to share your thoughts on what Pathways to Success means to you in the comments below!

“Pathways To Success is the best event of the year for new IBOs and current customers. Seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, trying — and all under one roof!”

« Je me suis présentée aujourd’hui à l’exposition des produits à Montréal. J’ai adoré. Les gens professionnels qui nous présentaient les produits, les échantillons que nous allons essayer à la maison et la rencontre des dames qui font le service à clientèle m’ont fait réaliser que je suis avec le bon groupe de personnes. Mille Mercis d’avoir organiser cette rencontre sur Le Chemin de la Réussite à Montréal!!! »

“We had a chance to go to the Edmonton event. WOW! You sure put on a very professional show. It was informative in all aspects, business building and product knowledge. We are very excited about going back to the AMWAY name too. Keep up the good work.”

“Pathways to Success to me is an opportunity to make the pathway to my dreams a reality. It gives me an opportunity to learn product education and how to market certain products more effectively. It also gives me a chance to better understand the culture of the company giving me more confidence in what I do! Thank you for making a difference in my life.”

« Le chemin de la réussite est une route pleine de pépites d’or à exploiter, il suffit de suivre la route et de demander aux leaders d’Amway Global et notre ligne de parrainage, comment exploiter une mine d’or sans fin, et aux effets ‘vert’ durables. Merci celui de Montréal était un succès, merci à votre équipe. »

« Etant une PCI depuis les dernieres annes, la possiblite d’aller a un endroit pour avoir la visibilite de tous les produits exclusifs et autres que cette merveilleuse entreprise nous offre est formidable. Je viens tout juste de venir de l’expo a Montreal, QC et j’ai adore la vision que la compagnie nous a offert sans oublier les echantillons offerts, wow.  J’ai dit a mon conjoint a notre retour “realises-tu que nous sommes associes avec une superbe compagnie ?”.  Ce n’est qu’a nous tous, PCI d’en profiter, de mettre notre coeur et de faire les actions necessaires. Merci a Amway Global de nous offrir cette grande vision. Des PCI fiers de faire partie de l’equipe Amway.”

“It is a chance that I get to see my business come live.  It brings excitement, information and a great time spend with family, friends and business associates.  It is also a chance to see that “Amway Global” lives by what they teach with great product, friendly people and smiling faces to answer any questions you may have. Because Pathway to Success really means my pathway to success for business and in life.”

And I just had to get this one in… I mean, if you're going to take the time to write out a poem, it's the least I can do. It's safe to say Haiku is a great way to get on this blog!

“What does Pathways to Success event mean to me:
P    Products, products, products displayed for my customers and myself to see, feel, touch and try
A    Assistance with new products from experts on site
T    Taking advantage of the corporation displays and educational/informative talks
H    Health products to sample and learn about
W   Wonderful atmosphere, dynamic and vibrant    
A    Artful layout of floor space
Y    Young at heart
S    Success driven and success transpiring everywhere our eyes wander”

Keep sending in those thoughts! Remember, you can always send e-mails to northofthe49th@opportunityzone.com.