We started celebrating this milestone year way back in January. Since then, you’ve seen the 50^th Anniversary logo on our website and printed materials. Many of you have shared photos and memories on the Amway 50^th Virtual Memory Wall on Facebook. And the 50^th Anniversary video has received rave reviews, instilling pride in IBOs and staff alike.

During the last two weekends in September, we celebrated Amway Canada’s amazing milestone with IBO Leadership across the country. Two dinner cruises – one in Toronto and the other in Vancouver – brought Platinums, Emeralds, Sapphires, Diamonds, Crowns and Crown Ambassadors together with corporate staff to celebrate our past and look towards our very exciting future. With these two spectacular cities serving as the back drop, celebrate we did!

In Toronto, Crown IBO and longstanding member of the IBOA International, Jody Victor brought greetings on behalf of the Association, talking about the strong partnership between the US and Canada and how proud the IBOAI is of that partnership.

Doug DeVos wowed the Toronto crowd as only Doug can. Thanking attendees for their part in Amway Canada’s success, he reminisced about the his time growing up in the early days of Amway, remembering the key role that Canada played in helping to open up the rest of the world for international expansion. But key to Doug’s message was the challenge to keep our sights on the future. We should be proud of all that we’ve accomplished and take time to celebrate, but we should never lose sight of the fact that we need to continue to grow and change to remain vibrant and relevant to future generations of IBOs.

In Vancouver, Crown Ambassador, Jim Janz, a long serving member of the IBOAI and one of Canada’s Legacy Leaders, regaled us with stories of the early days. He talked about the strong partnership between the IBOAI and the corporation as well as the partnership between the Canadian field and Canada’s head office staff.

The Vancouver crowd had the pleasure of meeting Amway’s new President of the America’s, Tanios Viviani. Tanios told us what it was about Amway that drew him to this great company and shared his theory on “meritocracy.” Noting that good is the enemy of great, Tanios challenged the crowd to focus on partnership and integrity…to continue to build upon the founders fundamentals of Freedom, Family, Hope, and Reward. And to take the pride and passion that was so evident with this crowd, out into the field and share it with the most important person in this business – the brand new IBO.

Following a fabulous dinner buffet, the multicultural crowds hit the dance floor to jump and jive to an eclectic mix of music that included Salsa, traditional, and Bollywood tunes.

Back in our home town of London, Ontario, Amway employees celebrated with the donation and planning of 500 trees in partnership with Reforest London as part of the city’s Million Dollar Tree Challenge. And on Tuesday – our actual birthday – we will celebrate yet again with a special 50s luncheon.

To each and every one of our Canadian IBOs and employees, we not only want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving…we want to THANK YOU for all you’ve done to help make these first 50 years so successful. We look forward to continuing our partnership with you to make the next 50 even more amazing!

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY AMWAY CANADA!

P.S. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Globe and Mail on Saturday, Oct. 6 for the full page Thank You ad, dedicated to all of the hard working IBOs in North America who share in Amway Canada’s success! And visit amway.ca on Tuesday, Oct. 9^th for a little surprise.

Ces mots de Greg Anthoine, qui a fait trois fois une descente en rappel et qui est PCI Platine d’Amway Canada, résument parfaitement pourquoi participer à un événement de Zone de Chute des Timbres de Pâques a du sens au niveau personnel tout comme au niveau professionnel.

Avec la saison de la Zone de Chute qui est là, nous avons remarqué un intérêt accru de la communauté de PCI d’Amway Canada et les raisons sont claires: cela correspond parfaitement à notre histoire de 50 années passées à aider les Canadiens à mieux vivre et c’est une merveilleuse opportunité de rencontrer d’autres membres de votre communauté et de les exposer à votre commerce indépendant. 

“On se sent toujours bien quand on soutient des organisations comme les Timbres de Pâques” a expliqué Bill Kerr, un Diamant de Toronto qui a participé à la Zone de Chute de l’année passée et qui guide des PCI de son organisation pour une course de cross-country. “Un grand nombre de personnes ont des besoins plus grands que les nôtres et c’est bon pour les PCI de réaliser la situation d’autres personnes.

“Nous voulons tous que le commerce Amway soit vu sous une lumière plus positive. [Soutenir la Zone de Chute] fait partie d’une combinaison de choses qui aide les gens à se familiariser avec le commerce.”

Et cette familiarisation, et cette positivité, sont quelque chose que les PCI participants voient se développer d’année en année.

“La toute première fois où j’ai participé à la Zone de Chute, je suis allé à un dîner par la suite, dit le PCI Shaun Guthrie résidant en Alberta. Quand ils ont mentionné Amway, certains personnes se sont mises à rire et puis elles ont eu ces vieilles réactions typiques alors nous en avons profité pour les corriger.

“L’année passée, je suis arrivé en tête [pour la collecte de fonds locale]. [La présidente locale] était très fière du fait qu’Amway soit affiliée avec cette oeuvre de bienfaisance et elle a été extrêmement élogieuse envers notre commerce; je pense que l’attitude d’un grand nombre de personnes a changé.”

Et ce changement d’attitude s’étend aussi à l’expérience au jour le jour pour présenter l’opportunité commerciale Amway aux gens, a expliqué Guthrie.

“Tout ceci donne de la crédibilité au commerce Amway et à ce que font les PCI”, dit-il. Quand je présente le plan, c’est l’une des choses sur laquelle j’aime me focaliser; je parle des efforts de charité soutenus par Amway. Cela ne constitue pas la plus grande partie de notre discussion mais je pense que les gens sont surpris de découvrir tout ce qu’Amway fait dans la communauté.”

Anthoine, basé à Ottawa, participera à la Zone de Chute pour la troisième année et il dit qu’on peut apprendre beaucoup sur les gens qui exercent une activité commerciale de par leur implication dans des collectes de fonds et des oeuvres de charité.

“La participation à toute initiative de charité offre beaucoup d’avantages pour un commerce, dit Anthoine. C’est une sorte de réseautage souple qui en dit long sur les gens avec qui vous interagissez; soit qu’ils ont bon coeur et qu’ils sont bons ou que ce sont des personnes d’affaires intelligentes.

“D’une manière ou d’une autre, vous savez que leur coeur et leur cerveau sont au bon endroit.”

Anthoine a aussi expliqué que la nature unique de la Zone de Chute est formidable pour entamer une discussion. “Au lieu d’aller jouer aux quilles ou faire une promenade, je m’élance du haut d’un bâtiment”, dit-il, en ajoutant que le processus de solliciter des dons (pour participer, un individu doit recueillir au minimum 1 500$ de promesses de dons.

“Cela offre un moyen d’ouvrir la porte aux prospects. Quand vous dites que vous avez un commerce Amway, les gens répondent parfois qu’ils y ont participé il y a 20 ans, explique-t-il. Vous rencontrerez d’anciens distributeurs qui veulent être des clients, ou alors vous rencontrerez des clients qui veulent se procurer les produits.”

Soutenir des oeuvres de charité comme les Timbres de Pâques est tout à fait naturel pour un grand nombre de PCI. En plus de soutenir la vision d’Amway d’aider les autres à mieux vivre, cela soutient aussi les efforts de collecte de fonds auxquels participent déjà divers groupes et organisations de PCI.

“C’est quelque chose qu’Amway faisait déjà alors c’est tout à fait naturel pour moi de m’y joindre, explique Kerr. Notre groupe faisait déjà des quêtes et organisait des matchs de hockey à titre de bienfaisance et donc les oeuvres de charité sont quelque chose que nous soutenons naturellement.”

Pour Guthrie, la sensation de faire une descente en rappel a juste servi à piquer son intérêt après avoir découvert en ligne la participation d’Amway Canada.

“Au départ, l’annonce a paru dans le Centre de messages, dit Guthrie. Nous étions au courant de l’événement mais nous n’avions pas beaucoup d’informations à son sujet. J’ai donc fait des recherches. J’aime l’escalade en montagne et cela ressemblait à un défi; je savais qu’Amway était impliquée dans les Timbres de Pâques et j’ai donc décidé de m’y joindre.

“Le plus beau, c’est que vous recueillez des fonds pour une oeuvre de charité locale. L’argent collecté à Edmonton reste à Edmonton et c’est un moyen formidable d’avoir un impact directement sur la communauté.”

Et pour Anthoine, sa participation a été suscitée par la demande l’une des plus ferventes participantes d’Amway Canada ayant déjà fait plusieurs descentes en rappel.

“J’ai en fait été entraîné dans cette initiative par [la gérante nationale du marketing d'Amway Canada] Angela Abdallah, ajoute-t-il en riant. Elle m’a dit: Je sais que tu pourrais t’élancer du haut d’un bâtiment pour moi et je vais même te commanditer si tu le fais! Qui ne voudrait pas s’élancer du haut d’un bâtiment?

“Je crois au fait d’aider les gens, en particulier les enfants qui ont mené une vie difficile. Personne n’aime voir un enfant handicapé.”

Les avantages pour le commerce continuent de croître. Kerr explique que les gens sont plus au courant de la marque Amway grâce à la Zone de Chute et aux autres opportunités de commandite.

“Quand vous parlez à un prospect, il sait qu’il a vu Amway, que ce soit par le biais de la Zone de Chute, l’équipe Detroit Red Wings, le soccer, dit-il. Peut-être qu’il ne se souvient pas où il a vu le nom mais il le connaît et il a une impression positive à son sujet.”

Anthoine ajoute que les compétences pour réussir dans une activité de collecte de fonds pour la Zone de Chute et dans le développement d’un commerce Amway concordent très bien. “Quiconque peut collecter 1 000$ à 2 000$ pour la Zone de Chute peut bâtir ce commerce, dit-il. Il y a beaucoup de compétences transférables.”

Et si vous n’êtes pas du type à faire une descente en rappel de l’un des plus hauts édifices du Canada, Anthoine a expliqué qu’il y a tout de même d’autres moyens de participer. “Quand vous recueillez de l’argent en tant que membre d’équipe, vous pouvez recueillir de l’argent mais vous n’avez pas besoin de faire partie du groupe du Cirque du Soleil qui fait la descente en rappel” a expliqué Anthoine.

Pour Guthrie, l’aspect social de la collecte de fonds, de la participation à l’événement et du soutien de la cause concorde naturellement avec la manière dont un commerce Amway se bâtit. “Les gens que vous rencontrez tous les jours deviennent vos liens, dit-il. Comment rencontrez-vous ces gens? En allant vers eux et étant impliqué.

“Vous devez mener une vie qui a un sens.”

*Visitez le site Web Zone de Chute pour des informations sur les événements de Zone de Chute dans votre région. Veuillez contacter amwaycanada50@amway.com si cela vous intéresse de participer

Those words from three-time rappeller and Amway Canada Platinum independent business owner Greg Anthoine sum up perfectly why participating in an Easter Seals Drop Zone event makes sense on both a personal and professional level.

With Drop Zone season upon us, we’ve seen increased interest from Amway Canada’s IBO community – and the reasons are clear: it fits in perfectly with our 50-year history of helping Canadians live better lives, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet other members of your community and expose them to your independent business.

“It always feels good to support organizations like Easter Seals,” explained Bill Kerr, a Toronto-based Diamond who participated in last year’s Drop Zone and is marshalling the IBOs in his organization for a cross-country blitz. “Many people have greater needs than ours and it’s good for IBOs to realize about others’ situations.

“We all want Amway to be seen in a more positive light. [Supporting the Drop Zone] is part of a combination of things that helps people become familiar with the business.”

And that familiarity – and positivity – is something that IBO participants are seeing develop year by year.

“The very first time I did the Drop Zone, I went to the dinner party afterwards,” said Alberta-based IBO Shaun Guthrie. “When they mentioned Amway some people snickered and there was that same old typical stuff – we took the opportunity to correct them.

“Last year, I came in first [for local fund-raising]. [The local chair] was very proud of the fact that Amway was affiliated with this charity and she was extremely complimentary towards our business – I think a lot of people’s attitudes changed.”

And that attitudinal change also extends to the day-to-day experience of introducing people to the Amway business opportunity, Guthrie explained.

“It all lends to the credibility of the Amway business and what IBOs do,” he said. “When I go out and show the plan, that’s one of the things I like to focus on – I talk about the charitable efforts that Amway supports. It’s not like we use it as the biggest part of our discussion, but I think people are surprised by how much Amway does in the community.”

Ottawa-based Anthoine will be participating in the Drop Zone for a third year, and he said he feels that you can learn a lot about the people behind a business by their involvement with fund-raisers and charities.

“Participation in any charitable endeavour has lots of benefits for a business,” Anthoine said. “It’s a form of soft networking that tells you a lot about the people with whom you’re interacting – either their kind-hearted and good people or they’re being smart business people.

“Either way, you know their hearts and brains are in the right place.”

Anthoine explained that the unique nature of the Drop Zone is a great opening discussion point. “Instead of bowling or a walk, I’m jumping off a building,” he said, adding that the process of soliciting donations (to participate* one must raise a minimum of $1,500 in pledges) offers ample opportunities to engage people about the Amway business opportunity and its products.

“It offers a way to open the door to prospects. When you say, ‘I’m with Amway,” sometimes you’ll hear, ‘I was involved in that 20 years ago,’” he explained. “You’ll meet former distributors who may want to be customers, or you could meet customers who want to get products.

Supporting charities like Easter Seals comes naturally for many IBOs. In addition to supporting Amway’s vision of helping others live better lives, it also supports fund-raising efforts already embraced by various IBO groups and organizations.

“It’s something Amway was already doing, so it seemed like a natural fit for me to join in,” Kerr explained. “Our group already passed the hat and held charity hockey games, so charitable organizations are something we supported naturally.”

For Guthrie, the thrill of rappelling just served to pique his interest after learning about Amway Canada’s involvement online.

“Initially, the announcement showed up in the Message Centre,” Guthrie said. “We knew about the event, but didn’t have a lot of information. So I looked into it further. I love mountain climbing and this seemed like a challenge – I knew Amway was involved in Easter Seals, so I decided to join in.

“One of the biggest things is that you’re raising money for a local charity. The money we raise in Edmonton stays in Edmonton and it’s a great way to impact the community directly.”

And, for Anthoine, his involvement was sparked by a request from Amway Canada’s most fervent supporter – and multiple-time rappeller.

“I was actually ‘railroaded’ into it by [Amway Canada’s national marketing manager] Angela Abdallah,” he added, laughing. “She told me, ‘I knew you would jump off a building for me and I’ll even sponsor you to do it!’ Who wouldn’t want to jump off a building?

“I believe in helping people – especially kids who have had a tough break. Nobody likes to see a disabled child.”

The benefits to the business continue to grow. Kerr explained that people are more aware of the Amway brand thanks to Drop Zone and other sponsorship opportunities.

“When you talk to a prospect, they know they’ve seen Amway – whether it’s through the Drop Zone, the Detroit Red Wings, soccer,” he said. “They may not know where they saw the name, but they know it and have positive feelings about it.”

Anthoine added that the skill set for success at fund-raising for the Drop Zone and building an Amway business mesh very well. “Anyone who can raise $1,000 to $2,000 for the Drop Zone can build this business,” he said. “There are many transferrable skills.”

And even if you’re not the type to take the short way down one of Canada’s tallest buildings, Anthoine explained that there are still ways you can participate. “When you raise money as a team member you can raise the money, but you don’t have to be part of the Cirque de Soleil group that’s rappelling,” Anthoine explained.

For Guthrie, the social aspect of raising funds, participating in the event, and supporting the cause mesh naturally with how an Amway business is built. “The people you meet every day become your connections,” he said. “How do you meet people? By getting out and getting involved.

“You have to live life on purpose.”

*Visit the Drop Zone web site for  details on events in your area. Please email  amwaycanada50@amway.com if you’re interested in participating as part of Team Amway or to let us know that you are rappelling.

Years ago, families would pore over photos, carefully cutting and cropping their printed copies (which would cost an arm and a leg to produce — $10 for a role of 36 shots, then development fees, and hopefully you’d have a half-dozen useable shots. Praise digital!), and pasting them into albums or scrapbooks.

Then digital photography came along. We were shooting more, but instead of being able to showcase our memories, they usually were stuck in a file folder buried on your hard drive, or backed up on a disc.

But that’s all changing.

If you have a personal page on Facebook, you’ve likely already been introduced to their timeline feature. Corporate pages, like our Amway Canada, Artistry Canada, and Nutrilite Canada, will be getting a similar makeover by the end of the month. Essentially, the new look is a virtual scrapbook. Your photos, posts, and memories all appear chronologically. You can virtually flip through the events of your life – at least those you’ve recorded on Facebook.

It’s in that spirit that we developed the Amway Canada 50^th Anniversary Virtual Memory Wall. As you know, we’re celebrating 50 years of helping Canadians live better lives, and what better way to do it than by hearing (and seeing) your stories.

The page is now live! Simply visit the Amway Canada Facebook page and it should default right to the Fifty Years tab (if not, just click on the “Fifty Years” link on the left-hand side.) We’ve posted videos and photos from the corporate archives – and, more excitingly, we’ve posted some submissions from people just like you who have made Amway Canada a part of their lives.

I want more! Please visit the wall at your earliest convenience. And, if you’d be so kind, feel free to send us your photos, stories, memories, and well wishes. Maybe you have memories of your parents used LOC back in the 60s; perhaps you were an IBO back in the 80s; or you just decided that the Amway business opportunity was right for you last week!

If you’d like to create a video, we’d be thrilled! It can be well-wishes (like the video we took of Velauther and Thilaka Arunasalam that appears at the top of the wall), your memories, or something completely creative and celebratory.

We want you to be a part of the virtual memory wall. Simply send me an e-mail with your submission – photo, video, text… all of the above – to amwaycanada50@amway.com. And if you have any questions about how to go about creating a submission (for example, instead of sending us your video via e-mail, you could privately post it on YouTube and send us the link), don’t hesitate to ask.

Of course, we’d love to hear what you think about this wall. Feel free to comment here, or on the Amway Canada Facebook page! Here’s to sharing 50 years of great memories – and here’s to creating at least another 50 year’s worth!

All the best,

Jay

As much as we strive to define ourselves as individuals, we appreciate the comfort that comes from being a part of a greater whole. But how we define ourselves is a challenging question – one to which there is no right answer.

I’ve mentioned before that we have a shared library here at Amway Canada. People bring in books and magazines and it’s a great opportunity to expose yourself to publications and literature to which you might not otherwise access.

Earlier I picked up an older copy of Reader’s Digest (the April 2011) issue. In it is a two-page spread asking, “What Shapes Your National Identity.”

It was a survey of 16 countries, asking people to choose one of four options: shared values, language, history, and religion, as representative of the best national unifier. In the study, “shared values” came out on top in Canada (56 per cent), as well as Australia (tops at 61 per cent), China, France, the Philippines, South Africa, the U.S., and India.

Shared language led the way in Brazil, Malaysia, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, the U.K., and India. History won out in Mexico and Russia. Religion, interestingly, did not make the cut in any country. And men and women were pretty unified in their responses, with the difference being 10 per cent or less in the majority of countries.

Canada’s a fairly young country, but one that prides itself in its history and linguistic diversity. Unlike our friends south of the 49^th, we embrace a cultural mosaic ideal as opposed to the melting pot mentality. So understanding that, the idea of shared values makes sense as the Canadian cultural identifier. There is no singular definition “Canadian,” but it seems we pride ourselves in knowing what it means to “be Canadian.”

As we celebrate 50 years of the Amway business opportunity in Canada, I’d like to throw out the question of, “What is Amway Canada’s identity?”

I’d like to think it, like the nation as a whole, is defined by our shared values: the concept of helping other live better lives. This business is based on achieving success through helping others reach their own goals. That can be done by helping someone earn a little extra money on the side through the business opportunity, feeling better about themselves with ARTISTRY skin care and cosmetics, or improving their inner health (and, thus, outer beauty) with NUTRILITE vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements, the motivation to help ourselves by helping others is integral to Amway Canada.

So I open the virtual floor to you: what is Amway Canada’s identity to you? Comments, as always, are open!

All the best,

Jay

The best reason, though? Because women’s sports are often better than their male counterparts.

I’ve been in corporate communications for the better part of 15 years now, but prior to that (and, to be fair, concurrent to that), I’ve done a lot of sports reporting and media work. And some of the best events that I’ve ever covered have involved women’s sports.

No, it’s not for the reason some would think…

I’ve had the pleasure of watching and covering basketball, soccer, tennis, and hockey for both sexes. And while men’s sports have their advantages (more raw power, greater athleticism, better development programs – all of these, of course, are in general terms), for the true sports fans, women’s athletics is the place to be.

When I say true, I’m referring to fans who enjoy sport at its purest level; those fans who appreciate fundamentals, team play, and attention to detail. Often in men’s sports, competitions tend to devolve into individualized expressions as opposed to a commitment to team play. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I would argue men’s and women’s sports are different, but equal.

Sadly, some women’s sports are falling into the trap of their male counterparts. Women’s tennis can be amazing: long rallies, a variety of shots, and a balance between baseline and net play. In the men’s game, it’s often little more than serve-ace; serve-return into the net; or serve, return, winner. Those engaging rallies (although I remember a match between Roger Federer and Jo-Wilifried Tsonga that proved the exception) that make tennis special are almost extinct. Unfortunately, as the women’s game develops, we’re starting to see a shift to that power game. Hopefully it will retain its balance.

It’s often hard for a man to admit liking women’s sports, not because of preference, but because of stigma. You’re automatically assumed to be more interested in the tennis skirts than the drop shots. Part of that is because women’s sports’ leagues often shoot themselves in the foot by focusing on athletes’ pulchritude instead of athletic prowess. And when you market your game as based on something as superficial as appearance, it becomes hard for people to take the foundation seriously. Some leagues choose to promote their athletes as life-sized Barbies – but let’s not forget that most people stop taking Barbie seriously in their youth.

That’s a shame, because the game is the thing – and you’ll see that first-hand if you tune into Rogers Sportsnet starting today for the women’s Olympic qualifier. Skill? Check. Excitement? Check. Toughness? Anyone who saw Canada’s Christine Sinclair score a key free kick following having her nose broken by an errant elbow during a game in June can’t doubt the internal strength that these women have.

Of course, we’d also love you to watch because Amway Canada’s all over this tournament! We’re running TV ads, we’ve got in-venue advertisements and presentations; we’ve even got this great Amway Sign Factory venture in place where fans can cheer on the squad using Amway-logoed paper.

If you’re a fan of sport in general and you’ve shied away from the women’s game, this tournament will be an ideal introduction. If you’re a fan of soccer, you won’t want miss this one – there are a lot of marbles on the table here! Make sure to join the conversation on the Amway Canada Facebook page.

And, of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on women’s sports in general and the Amway sponsorship of soccer. Comments, as always, are open.

All the best!

Jay

However, Amway Canada’s customer service manager Betty Sherman, who retires today from Amway Canada after 43 years of service, represents a welcome reminder of the value of long-term dedication — even though she started her career at Amway with a thoroughly modern idea about her future tenure.

“I have to admit, when I came here to work I thought it might be a three-to-five-year job —  no different than they way the Gen Ys think now,” Betty explained.

So for someone who only expected to stay at the company for a couple of years, what changed her mind?

“I’ve often asked myself that too,” she replied, laughing. “I guess I have to think that the company does think about its employees – they are very important to this company. It’s also the fundamental values that this company has, wanting to make things better for everyone – IBOs and employees alike.

“I just couldn’t see working anywhere else and being treated as well as I have been here.”

Working for Amway Canada has always been a family affair. “I started January 6, 1969. My mom had started here in 1967 and worked in the literature and returns department,” Betty said. “She was working here, it was kind of a brand-new company, and it was close to home.

“I had been working at the bank and I had seen [Amway employees] bringing in their deposits and they didn’t look too bad, so I thought, ‘Alright, maybe this isn’t such a bad company to go work for!’”

And while some people may not want to work with their mothers, Betty said she had absolutely no problems with that. In fact, she ended up with a fairly significant perk!

“Actually my mother worked for a foreman by the name of Bert Sherman,” she added. “Anyway, he seemed to be a pretty nice guy.  I started dating him and then we ended up getting married in 1974. Way to marry your mother’s boss, right?”

Betty started as a clerk/typist in distributor records. In 1971 she transferred to order processing, and was made a supervisor of the department in 1978. In 1992, Betty became the supervisor of clerical services and in 2000 she was appointed manager of customer service.

And over those 40-plus years, she’s been exposed to a world of changes — all in the name of improving each and every day. “We’ve gone through many different programs over the years in order to increase our efficiencies in customer service; trying to be the best in class; trying to strive to be well-known amongst our IBOs and everybody else in the world,” she added. “That’s what our global initiative is now, too – to be best in class.

“As far as I’m concerned Amway customer service is the best there is. Hand’s down.”

Betty held up her team and its continued growth and development as a legacy for which she’s confident in leaving behind.

“We’ve gone from being very siloed to being cross-trained. Everybody on the team can handle essentially any call,” she said. “We’ve expanded our knowledge base. To me, we’re just increasing our skills and becoming much better at our jobs.

“I can walk away with a feeling of confidence that this department’s just going to keep getting better and better.”

What comes next? Betty and her husband Bert plan to hit the road. Literally, as Bert’s not a fan of flying and seemingly had his fill of boats in the navy.

“Bert and I want to do some travelling.” she said. “We’d like to head down east again, out west again… take a road trip to Las Vegas, over to California. Those are the kind of things that we’d like to do.

“I’m not a cross-the-ocean type of person. I’d like to convince [Bert] to go on a cruise – he’s not all that keen on it. He was in the navy, so he’ll say, ‘I’ve been there. I’ve been there.’ Yeah, well I haven’t!”

And she also expects to put in some time at her kids’ printing business. “I’m not a ‘sitter’; I’m not the type of person that’s going to be able to sit around and do nothing,” Betty added. “I’ve already made a promise that I wouldn’t go in there and try to change everything.”

With over 40 years of experience, that may be a promise that’s hard to keep. “I don’t bite my tongue,” she added, laughing. “Sometimes I’ll walk in and start barking orders and they’re like, ‘OK, who invited you?’”

So after 43 years, what’s the one overriding message, theme, or lesson that needs to be shared?

“It doesn’t really matter what your job pays. You really need to love what you do and be good at what you do,” Betty concluded. “If you don’t like your job, life’s too short to spend that many years unhappy.”

And, if we’re lucky, we’ll take those lessons and inspirations and move them towards the future.

It’s a week of mixed emotions here at Amway Canada. First off, today marks the official kick off of our 50^th anniversary celebrations. Canuck Central was the first international affiliate upon opening its doors in 1962 (our Commonwealth buddies in Australia like to say they were the first country outside of North America to offer the Amway opportunity, but we’ve got them beat!)

Here we are 50 years later. Plenty of things have changed; many people have come and gone – both IBOs and employees.

Well, not everything has changed. For the past 43 years, there has been one constant at Amway Canada. And this week marks the end of an era of sorts as our Customer Service manager Betty Sherman is officially retiring tomorrow. Hence the aforementioned mixed emotions.

Think about that: 43 years. The focus on Generation Y and X (the latter, of which I find myself a part) has long been about their transient nature: in and out of jobs, switching careers multiple times, no attention span.

So will 43 years ever happen again?

It’s hard to imagine, but those years do sneak up on you. I remember when I was being interviewed for my job here. Walking around, I saw the anniversary notices on the wall – they were riddled with 15, 20, and 25-year celebrations. I thought, “Well, if people are willing to stick around for that long, there must be something to this company.”

Personally, I had moved through a couple of jobs back then: two years apiece. Would this one be any different? Well, I started on June 3, 2002. You can do the math.

But 43 years? Is that a milestone that’s only attainable in a different era? My father, who recently turned 65, spent almost 40 years at 3M (and has since returned as a retired consultant over the past few years). There was the assumption then that you’d stick with a company and the company would stick with you.

Sadly, I find that attitude seems to be changing. Yes, it’s good to challenge ourselves, learn, and grow. But I believe in being loyal to the company I work for; and I hope that sense of responsibility is two-way. Maybe I’m outdated in my thinking, but I’d like to think there are people and companies who don’t treat each other as easily replaceable.

I had the pleasure of sitting with Betty last month to discuss her career, her plans for the future, and the lessons she’s learned from 40-plus years of customer service. I’m looking into how I can best share those memories with you.

And speaking of memories, I have a favour to ask of you. As I mentioned, we’re kicking off Amway Canada’s 50^th celebration – and part of that will be building a memory wall on our Amway Canada Facebook page. So if you feel like sharing your memories, photos, and experiences, please send me an e-mail at northofthe49th@opportunityzone.com and we could share your memories with the world!

What are your thoughts? Do you see staying anywhere – even your home – for the next 40 years? Why has this mentality changed? And is it for better or for worse?

Comments are open! All the best,

Jay

Followers of this blog know that I’ve been prolific in filling it in the past. But, as of late, the blog has not been a priority – through no fault of its own. Instead, my other responsibilities have taken up the majority of my social media attention.

And, honestly, that’s reflective of the way we’re learning to communicate as a whole.

At Amway Canada, I manager three Facebook accounts, a Twitter feed, and a YouTube page, in addition to this blog. And if you’ve followed any of the others (shameless plug coming!) you’ll know that those social media networks are absolutely cyber-hoppin’!

We tweet like the wind; we Facebook like fools – and we’ve got a burgeoning community going of people who are interacting, in real-time, with us in both a corporate and personal level.

Adding to this, Facebook and Twitter are both more accessible for regular business/personal interaction. They’re fast, immediately interactive, and perfectly sized to fit into our busy lives.

(Shameless plug update: Make sure to follow/like us on all of our social media networks:

• Amway Canada Facebook
• Artistry Canada Facebook
• Nutrilite Canada Facebook
• Amway Canada Twitter
• Amway Canada YouTube)

This blog is intended to give you a behind-the-scenes look at Amway Canada and I hope I do provide that. In fact, I invite you to review the past work on this blog and see what you think. But honestly, much of the day-to-day stuff is just part of life – funny asides, interesting comments, and news that aren’t necessarily worth a large blog post.

For IBOs, I also don’t want to be redundant. I could write blog posts about new products or business updates – but you already get those with What’s News and our newsletters (which I’m also a part of writing).

So, as of late, the blog has fallen by the wayside.

It’s part of the natural cycle of blogging, though. I started this blog in Oct. 2008. Three years later, we hit a lull. I did the same with my own, personal blog. I started that in 2005 and hit a lull around the same time I started writing the corporate blog. But in the past two years, I’ve been blogging at a fairly substantial rate, along with updating a Twitter feed and Facebook page.

I expect the same to happen with this blog. The lull’s likely over; now comes the refreshed part of writing it.

As always, I want to hear from you. What do you want to see out of the Amway Canada North of the 49^th blog? Looking back over the past three years, what have been your favourite posts or topics? How can we keep it fresh and interesting so that it’s something that you want to read on a regular basis, without it overlapping the information that’s readily available from other sources?

Comments are open!

However, I’ve been shocked that some people who would most benefit from social media are letting a great tool slip right through their fingers. After all, for people who get their start going door to door, you’d think they’d be familiar with the sound of opportunity knocking.

The big guys get most of the play in Canada. The Conservatives, Liberals, and NDP (and to a lesser extent the Greens) get all the attention from the media. So those affiliated with other parties (like the Libertarians, Communists, Reformers…) or no party at all (independents) have to be extremely creative in how they get their message out.

Social networks can offer the most bang for the buck; and Twitter itself may be the great equalizer.

With hashtags like #onpoli or city-related tags (London’s being #ldnont), you have instant access to a wide demographic. You can be relative certain that your message will get to the people who are interested in the term. And as it’s direct to the voter, you don’t have to worry about having it filtered through the media.

Not only can you get your message out, but you can also interact with voters. These open Twitter discussions are a great way to engage people with your platform. You can debate the merits of your own work and answer questions from voters in real time. And it only costs your time.

Yet in my riding, none of the three “fringe” candidates have a Twitter presence. And only one has a limited Facebook page. It’s a huge opportunity lost – and a lesson that can be learned for the savvy business owner.

Social networking allows you to humanize your business (hey, if it can humanize politicians it’s got to be powerful!). And if you treat it more than just an advertising bombardment (buy me! buy me! buy me! never really works), you can develop solid, trust-based relationships with your readers.

Of course, you should only do this if you’re willing to do it right. Don’t fake caring; don’t fake interest in people’s lives and activities. Be willing to answer questions honestly, give advice without making every comment a sales pitch, and get involved in conversations that make sense. Eventually, your reputation and your status as a trusted voice in the social world will grow, and – as a business owner – you’ll be more attractive to potential customers.

Small businesses don’t have the resources that some of the big box or multi-national chains have, just as fringe candidates don’t have the big Party backing to support them. Social networking – and Twitter in particular – puts everyone’s message at the same level. It’s The Great Equalizer, if you would. And the savvy small business owner will use it to their benefit.

Opportunity can look all it wants for a place to knock, but like those aforementioned politicians, no social networking profile means no door – and opportunity will just move on down the road to someone else.