[nabentre] Response to Cheryl

Tue Aug 30 20:31:05 UTC 2011

If everyone on this list wrote a brief description of their businesses, I'd
be willing to bet everything I own that someone on this list would dislike
or disapprove of every business mentioned.

Some people love network marketing.  Other people believe it's an immoral
way to do business.   

Cheryl is a travel agent.  At least one person believes that's a dying
profession.

The list could go on and on.  I'm sure every business has both negatives and
positives.

When Bill Gates started , some of his business concepts were new and
untried.  I'm sure there were those who thought he should have just sold his
operating system to IBM, taken his profits, and been done with it.  Instead,
he chose a different model and licensed it instead.  The result is
Microsoft.

For every Bill Gates, there are at least a thousand people who've tried a
business idea with high hopes and not succeeded.  The rewards of
entrepreneurship are high only because the risks are high, too.

We're a list made up of people attempting to build a wide variety of
businesses in many different areas.  Some of us work from home, either on
line or in some form of sales.  Others do more traditional types of
business.  

We don't understand one another's businesses, and, to some degree, we may
not approve of what others are doing.

So what is the purpose of this list, and what guidelines do we need to
follow to make the list worthwhile for as many people as possible?

This is what the NFBnet subscription page says.

If you are a blind person running his or her own business, this list is 
for you. This is the place to exchange ideas and questions on such matters
as: 
speech friendly book keeping programs; where to get general information
about 
the market and pricing; how to design visually appealing business materials;

business transportation issues; etc. Let your experience teach others. 
The sum of our knowledge is greater than our indivisual experience. 

In my view, we've drifted from our stated purpose.  Here are some of my
thoughts.  I share them in the spirit of attempting to balance the divergent
opinions and perspectives.  Email is notoriously poor in communicating
underlying emotion, so this is a bit risky.

Flaming somebody is really destructive to the purposes of the list.
Everyone with a business concept should feel safe in sharing it .  If it
isn't illegal, those of us who aren't wild about it should refrain from
making disparaging comments.  Questions asking for more information or
clarification can be helpful to others on the list, but they're often
handled better in private off list exchanges.  That's a matter for each of
us to determine, but tearing one another down destroys the intent of this
list and there should be an ironclad prohibition against it.  

If anyone believes someone else's business opportunity is destined to lead
the gullible down the path to ruin, please assume that everyone else on the
list is capable of making that determination for themselves.  All of us are
entrepreneurs, or aspiring entrepreneurs.  We all face discouragement
frequently from those who tell us all the reasons why our business couldn't
possibly work, or why it isn't quite above board.  This list ought to be a
safe place where we're informed and uplifted.

We're casting a very wide net here, attempting to attract a very divergent
group of people.  Perhaps those interested in network marketing could
include that term in their subject line so that those who don't like network
marketing can just hit the delete key.  The same could be true of internet
marketing.  Or else we could all refrain from commenting negatively about
the types of business that we disapprove.  There aren't enough of us to
create multiple lists for our individual interests, and there are some
subjects of interest to all blind entrepreneurs regardless of their
individual business interests.  

My primary plea is that we be like the song "Home on the Range," and follow
the concept "seldom is heard a discouraging word."

-----Original Message-----
From: nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Bryan Schulz
Sent: August 30, 2011 10:12 AM
To: NFBnet NAB Entrepreneurs Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nabentre] Response to Cheryl

bob,

can you provide the name of one blind person that has had some real
employment from any of your multi level schemes?

Bryan Schulz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Clark" <bobclark4 at gmail.com>
To: <nabentre at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 10:30 AM
Subject: [nabentre] Response to Cheryl

> Cheryl:
>
> I gave some considerable thought relative to whether I should respond
> to your email thread prior to terminating myself from all NFB lists.
> However, not being the type of person that turns the other cheek when
> unjustly verbally attacked, I feel it necessary to make the following
> comments:
>   *. There are two types of blind people in this world: those that
> focus on working/living in the sighted community and those that focus
> on working/living in the blindness community.  Obviously, I represent
> the former: you represent the later.
>   *. It never ceases to amaze me the extent of your and other
> individuals on this list degree of narrow-mindedness.  Not one of you
> that expressed your negativity, visited the website.  If one is going
> to express negativity, one should have the facts prior to doing so.
> Otherwise, I suggest that you keep your biased and unfounded opinions
> to yourself.
>   *. I have owned and operated traditional businesses for over 25
> years including an information technology consulting firm with over
> 200 employees, a temporary employee staffing company with over 100
> employees, a Montessori school, and an automobile service shop.  In
> short, I probably have forgotten more about operating a business than
> you will ever know.
>   *. Whether you accept it or not, the trend is for people to start
> their own business.  The vast majority of that activity is in the
> home-based and internet arena.  At this point in time, people want and
> need to control their own destiny rather than being at the whim of
> their employer or a bankrupt government.  Whether you accept it or
> not, this country is in a world of trouble and things are going to
> become considerably worse.  Do the research.
>   *. Contrary to your and others unfounded opinion, there are good
> home-based businesses and there are bad home-based businesses.
> However, to lump all home-based businesses into the scam or ripping
> off your friend category, is just plain stupid.  I am sure that you
> are familiar with Avon, Shaklee, The Trump Network, Melaleuca, ACN,
> and the list goes on and on.
>   *. The travel industry, as it relates to travel agents, is
> virtually dead.  The internet has absolutely killed that portion of
> the industry.  My guess is that the vast majority of your business is
> derived from the blindness community.  Why would I pay an agent when I
> can do everything online myself?
>
> Finally, if anybody would like to contact me offline, I can be
> contacted via email at  Buildyourownwealth at gmail.com, my primary
> website at http://marketingbusinessopportunity.net (I suggest that you
> visit my site and read the about me/my story section), or
> 800-570-3214.
>
> Cheryl, As you said, ignore him and he will go away.  I'm gone.
>
> Have a great day.
>
>          Bob Clark
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Website: http://marketingbusinessopportunity.net
> Toll free: (800) 570-3214
>
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