Changes Are Coming In Our Distribution System

By Michael Blagg (1982)

NOTE: Michael Blagg authored this article and it was published in the LEADS Newsletter in the spring of 1982. The “changes” the Michael Blagg wrote about in 1982 – are happening in this 21^st Century.

Our centuries-old system for distribution of goods is in for some shock, according to Martin Goldfarb, chairman of internationally known Goldfarb Consultants of Toronto.

He predicts that huge stores and shopping plazas will close or cut down their space.

“Distribution costs of products and services – including those of government – must come down,” he told a meeting of the American Marketing Association of Ottawa.

Many of our big stores are just inefficient and costly warehouses. Pressures of a marketplace hit by recession and continuing inflation make their economics too unwieldly.

In their place he sees inexpensive home delivery with the domestic engineer ordering what is needed by telephone and/or computer terminal.

These views were just a few expressed in a tough talk entitled: “When The Public Gets Angry.”

And the public really is angry, says Goldfarb. It is especially angry with government.

People feel “ripped off” to be told to restrain spending when they see too few signs of any restraint by government. Instead, they notice indexed pensions, public servants setting themselves up as a new elite, pushing out the harder working private sector, taking over wealth and privilege.

The public will demand cutting off public-service jobs, he says.

The hostility to governments is already observable in various disquieting ways, especially in a growing tendency to cheat. Cheating is considered a way to get even with the system.

The real issue is not to employ more government inspectors to cath the cheats but to attack the real problem. People want to feel that they are getting their money’s worth from government. They want accountability.

But the private sector comes in for broadsides too from Mr. Goldfarb. Management in the big international companies is no more efficient than that of government. And business generally is chasing short-term profits at the expense of quality.

People feel too that advertising has been deceiving them for years.

A study of value systems in the U.S. and Canada had found in our children a lonely generation neglected by their wealth and status-seeking parents who seem to be glorifying money as an end in itself.

Value must return to the goods and services provided by government and the private sector. We’ll be in real trouble otherwise.

Well, some of that’s pretty gloomy stuff. At the same time it points out yet again the strengths of the SDI (Self Directed Income) industry of sales and marketing. This high growth industry with Amway leading the way permits success in return for honest effort. And its right in line to provide a lot of that service direct to the home!

The Secrets of Greatness

Dr. Robert Schuller, the star of Sunday morning’s Hour of Power, was in Canada recently to speak to Possibility Thinkers. He looks out at the storm and bluster all around us, and answers with brave words that should hearten us all.

Sure, there are plenty of people who are not coping well, people who have lost their self esteem and hence their ability to handle problems. And that is the greatest problem … loss of our pride, in being human, our faith that we can cope with these terrible problems.

The answer lies four-square in setting goals. “Why fight fires?” he asks. “Harvest the crops.”

“Where you are today largely depend on the goals you set a year, 10 years or 30 years ago.”

“There are no great people al all, only ordinary persons. The only reason that some are at the top, or the middle or the bottom of the ladder – some don’t even know there’s a ladder – is goals.”

“Great people set great goals.”

So choose your dream and it will take over leadership in your life, he says.

And don’t go surrendering that leadership because of what you see on the faces of others (they may not be thinking what you think, anyway!)

“There’s no such thing as a money problem. It’s always a condition. The real problem is always an idea problem. If you have integrity and intelligence, you can accomplish anything.”

Dr. Schuller told some remarkable storied to illustrate his message.

One was about a mathematics student back in the Depression. The student with top marks in his class was going to be appointed assistant professor. There were some pretty bright people in that class and our hero had somehow to top them in an exam. He happened to arrive late.

A couple of the problems were on the blackboard. After he had completed the exam paper, he turned his attention to the problems on the board but he just could nlot make any headway. When the professor called for papers to be turned in, the student asked if he could work on the problems at home and was given permission.

One he managed to solve; the other appeared impossible. In anguish, he turned his paper in thinking the other bright students would be certain to have resolved both.

On the weekend, his professor came to his home and announced that he had won the assistant professorship. He’d also made mathematical history by solving one of the two problems on the board; both had been considered unsolvable.

Because the student turned up late he had not heard the professor say that! Determination is wonderful. If we’d just fuel ourselves with some of it!

There was another ghastly story about a woman raped and shot in the head by an attacker. She had recently been watching the Hour of Power and listening daily to possibility thinking tapes. With five bullet holes in her head, she decided to live. And she did.

No. It’s not a matter of special privileges, education, genetics and talent. It’s a matter of thinking. You really can be GREAT!

And Many Great Things Are Happening In The SDI Industry    

Ross Peat, a leader in the SDI industry, recently spoke about a meeting of Bill Merlo’s group in Detroit, Michigan. Only people at 15% or above could attend. There were 3000 people there, all downline from Bill, all with groups turning over 1500 PV a month or more.

Looking at the guru of the SDI industry – Dexter and Birdie Yager. The picture becomes even more dramatic. The Yagers have helped over 100 distributorships to reach the diamond level within the prestigious Amway network.

A tip to the wives from Georgia Held: “A husband with a wife supporting him can change the world. A husband with the world supporting him and the wife against him can do nothing.”

And an afterthought from Ross Peat: “If you accept people’s excuses you keep them where they are!” So toss the excuses on the garbage pile (yours too). Good sponsoring!