Yours in the Bond

Direct Sales Is Just Like Greekdom!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 5 Jun 2013 08:36:00 -0700

When people hear of any direct sales company, they often feel they suddenly have a PhD on the industry, company, or representative regardless of their personal education, experience, or a direct relationship to both a direct sales company or someone who is involved within a direct sales business!

The terms multilevel marketing (MLM), network marketing, or attraction marketing have a varying impact (positive or negative) on each listener but I am using direct sales today to describe any opportunity that ONLY compensates an individual whenever a product is sold and does not pay a person for simply recruiting another person into a business just like most fraternities and sororities do not compensate their members for recruiting someone to join their organization. I have yet to hear of a fraternity or sorority that is the legitimate exception.

Name or create any fraternity or sorority and you will soon find that its members regardless of their years of membership, financial membership, and local activity, influence, or office will know that there are a small set of known reasons, excuses, and qualification issues that people will become a member (direct sales representative in our case) or not.

Some people simply do not currently have the money to get started (which simply means they need the opportunity more than ever), others are unable to make the grade (possibly due a past criminal infraction at a younger age or unable to pass a credit check without raising too many red flags), or the widely known excuse for disliking or not having a warm fuzzy relationship with a current member or organization (direct sales representative or direct sales company). All of these situations may be simply temporary conditions just like the weather, so patience is required by all alike. Anyone that continues a lifestyle to extend their unqualified status is not a worthy prospect anyway.

Many potential direct sales representatives (recruiting prospects) have a very unique way of comically saying the same things before an interview that undoubtedly signal that they are going to be trouble down the road. For example, the person who by act, word, or deed that feels they need to know the meaning of every word or sentence found on every page of the pledge process, initiation, or ritual before becoming a company recognized representative is undoubtedly going to be an unproductive representative or ultimately quit for it is simply inevitable. Either the prospects' mindset must indeed change or time spent training them will be wasted.

The often heard adult lifestyle excuse "I don't have the time" simply means "I am not interested or passionate enough about the opportunity" as the same individuals will soon call you clearly within days or next week to attend a sports event, food or entertainment venue, or other place requiring your time, energy, effort, and money as if the two opportunities never appear on the same timeline of someone's life experience.

It is surreal to finally realize that most of our friends and family members will always call us to spend money but never really seek to provide productive opportunities for us to save or make money legitimately in a way that can be passed onto our descendants or people we know and trust throughout our circle of influence regardless of where this third person lives (geographically or within our future).

The most shocking excuse that I have ever heard to date is that a person who was initially extremely negative about a direct sales opportunity and later became involved within the same opportunity confessed that their initial negativity was based upon feeling "I didn't want my friend to do better than me".

There are people who will also foolishly listen to the opinions of others who are unqualified or unmotivated themselves. This is what prevents most people from seeking membership within any Greek letter organization. Misery indeed loves company and broke people will apply the crab theory in any way possible to clip the wings of anyone who seeks to do better than themselves within any opportunity outside of a W-2 environment.

Judge organizations by controllable organizational factors and not based upon specific individuals for each one may be an exception to the rule.

Even spouses have been known to spew venom on the dreams and possibilities of their supposedly loved one's hopes and potential because they are simply coasting in life itself or hopefully do not want to outed as skating on their spouse's rib or coattails or finally discovered by their spouse as being always and forever unable to survive on their own. But if one spouse or partner is selfishly controlling another or manipulating their spouse by commission or omission, the relationship is ultimately not sustainable and always will exist below its potential.

It is often as if the W-2 environment is only acceptable to the resident haters within all of our lives because there are a variety of multivariable calculus factors that they will only justify in their minds that they themselves may not have been able to get through as a W-2 job such as having the right resume that reaches the right HR personnel on the right day at the right time while the right person is in the right mood and they had to have the right interview at the right distance away from the right home in the right neighborhood after graduating from the right schools with the right degrees with the right memberships and right amount of dues paid in full while answering the right questions in the right way and getting in full, righteous sync with the right recruiter to receive the green lights of being hired at the right pay. But let there exist a process where a simple form has to be completed and reasonable, initial start up fees paid without any of the hiring process shenanigans of corporate America and now the hater must shank a death blow to either the value of the direct sales opportunity itself or the direct sales representative's credibility as if their child or spouse is pending death at the hands of terrorist kidnappers.

The more tragic as well as funny excuse is when a person (that also is the same as found on the undergraduate and graduate levels of membership) is so self-centered that they believe they can achieve a successful lifestyle on their own without the assistance or efforts of anyone else or that they have already made it to the top of their profession while leaving their own children to start from the valley of life's mountain all over again because their personal success is not transferable (in whole or part) to their next generation. No cubicle or corner office is ever found within a will unless there is ownership!

Is there a solution or workaround? Yes, there is!

One must simply begin any direct sales opportunity with the same mindset of anyone that seeks membership within any Greek letter organization: to first of all improve their own personal lives through faith and not fear in ways known and potentially NOT FOUND ON ANY BROCHURE, FLYER, INTEREST MEETING, SMOKER, RUSH PERIOD, STEP SHOW, SOCIAL SERVICE PROJECT, PRESS, PAST PERSONAL INTERACTIONS, or CAMPUS PR, fully complete the pledge process in spite of any potential negativity expressed or seen before, during, or after the initial process is completed (such as those who will leave your life for both justifiable differences and fearful excuses), understand that there will no skating or paper membership gained just because your relative or friend is a member, be genuinely interested within the company's products and services not just because you have the grades or money (or even desperately really needing the money or multiple lifestyle options), or seeking the appearance of visible success while your personal life remains in shambles. But the best solution of all is found by simply being a professional at all times which includes going on a lifetime quest of self-improvement and leadership development that never ends!

Begin the lifetime quest and the entire Maslow's hierarchy of needs will be obtained (Matthew 6:33).

Every direct sales opportunity and a person's success or failure fully depends upon the amount of consistent effort to increase their achievement or personal success IQ in spite of the presence or absence of financial compensation, accolades, or feedback from friends and family alike.

A personal transformation must begin and continue within the mind that radiates throughout a person's life or else gravity will eventually return the people back to living the same old 40 year lifestyle that pop culture and formal education indoctrinates youth into accepting. Our legacies are cemented when we are able to transfer our personal philosophies of success to our children and other adults with ears to hear!

Achieving Greek letter organization membership was always meant to represent only the starting point of brotherhood or sisterhood and not just represent planting a flag at the top of the mountain only to descend and permanently dwell within the pits below the valley below and never return back up the mountain! We were given membership as a gift and recognition of found worthy to bring others to the top of the mountain as someone once brought us!

Each of us was given a set of measurable leadership skills, an accepted formula of leadership and means of accomplishing a task or goal, and organizational culture! One single day in a gym does not make one a fitness bodybuilder! The endeavor must simply become a lifestyle!

Our own personal success and legacies are not fully secured until we have become a part of the tide to lift all boats to ensure that our sons and daughters will have a better world to live in themselves. Therefore I say that those who at best were or still are GDIs, pull yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps-while-not-founding-any-organization-or-chapter, resume-only enhancing sociopaths willing to steal anything at any point in time from their fraternity brothers or sorority sisters including character, reputation, and/or goodwill, jealous wannabes, or the types that believe and act as if "I'll close the door now that I have gained access" are not the type of people any direct sales company should have as representatives!

It is up to each direct sales representative to become professional enough to not recruit unqualified or unworthy people out of desperation or financial need as well as refrain from regularly interacting with such people for they are the ones who are your best and productive backstabbers!

Stop creating and maintaining high quality, self-inflicted wounds!

Do we live in perfect world? No. But are we able to make it better than the way we found it? Absolutely yes!

I hope my words and thoughts have made a positive difference within your life today and forever, so be sure to let me know how you feel one way or another!

Be sure to stay tuned for a continuation as well.

Peace!

Roney Smith

p.s. My words are not an endorsement, critique, or review of any direct sales companies and their respective trademarks or service marks such as Herbalife, MCA, It Works, ACN, Shaklee, Numis, or Amway.

Do your own homework (due diligence) and make up your own mind!

Enjoy The Centennial Conclave & Take An Undergrad to Breakfast!!!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 6 Jul 2011 10:16:00 -0700

I hope everyone is enjoying the Grand Conclave regardless of your own personal attendance!

Please use the hashtag on Twitter #Kappa100 for any posts you make and be sure to join Twitter right away if you have not. I am on Twitter myself at seedoflife

A mind blowing opportunity came available back in the early spring for our girls to make their first visit to Disney World and immediately I saw a clear fork in the road where both options could not be taken at once.

I was rather ticked at first since the plans did not include any dads considering as many previous conversations in our own household about seeing our kids' faces on their first trip to such a world recognized place had taken place, but the other moms had to slowly pull out one by one.

When I thought about the Centennial Conclave's dates, the question came to me whether my descendants would know, remember, and appreciate my attendance at the Centennial Conclave versus personally going to Disney World with our family and there was no decision to make at that point.

My wife Wyteria and I have not been to Orlando since 1993 and there is a slight possibility of catching a space shuttle launch in Cape Canaveral since it is only 55 miles away if it occurs Sunday or Monday versus Friday or Saturday as planned. Seeing a launch would be icing on the cake for us all.

I hope to take everyone to Clearwater, FL too so they can experience the Gulf of Mexico as I did back in 2006 which was very cool.

There is plenty of excitement worldwide over our Centennial Conclave anniversary too!

I hope and pray that all Brothers attending remain safe and have a pure blast!!

As much as I could not be there, I believe that all of us should find enthusiastic pleasure and joy to know that an initiate of your home chapters are indeed in the number whether you know them personally or not!

Just to know that Nupes are there soaking up all the Brotherhood imaginable and being an initiate of your home chapter of initiation is the next best thing to being there yourself!!!

I hope that they will share any updates, photos, and videos possible while there and especially upon his return. Hopefully another initiate is in the crowd and we will discover before he returns home:)

Please consider joining Twitter if you have not already since there are a nonstop flurry of tweets using a special hashtag #Kappa100.

You can check them out here even without a Twitter account:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=kappa100

We shot a video of breaking the news to our girls about Disney World and it could be said that black kids take the news very hard when compared to seeing their grandmas:) Our oldest was in grief filled shock until she was told over and over again that her grandma would arrive later in the day to go to Florida as well.

It was really a "Wow" moment for us all and not necessarily in the best way but she is still warming up to the idea hour by hour since.

Please consider encouraging Brothers attending the Centennial Conclave to take an undergraduate Brother to breakfast by complete surprise one morning and their lives will be changed for the better beyond anyone's imagination!!

I did it at my last out of town Conclave (easier to do somehow than at home) and had a blast meeting a new Brother in this way.

Have a great, safe summer and please share any photos or videos of how your summer is going!

Yours in the Bond!!!

Leadership Is Simply On Trial Worldwide

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:05:00 -0700

This morning and after last night's Bible study, I now realize that it is leadership that is simply on trial worldwide.

All institutions and organizations worldwide have taken leadership for granted to their own detriment and that of their members.

The leadership that the Church is commanded to provide and the world expects, desires, tries to imitate, and desperately needs is on trial simply because regardless of the individual's beliefs, the Church has indeed been given the ultimate keys of leadership and example in Christ Jesus.

This morning I am thanking God for both open and closed doors and as a result, I reviewed my own history within ministry with the accused directly and indirectly and found the smoking gun that I now stand beside in understanding the recent accusations here in metro Atlanta by creating a time line of leadership.

Poor leadership created the opportunity and domino effect that every accusation has at its roots. It is not religion as most want to believe or see.

All of us have been fully indoctrinated prior to our founding about Proverbs 3:5 where it states:

⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

The desire and need for "yes men" at all levels of leadership clearly violates Proverbs 3:5 because the presence of "yes men" reinforce the foolish belief that one's opinions are true, accurate, above reproach, and never incorrect.

"Yes men" also lead one to believe in the value of the "one man show".

The biggest lesson I have learned and will never forget as a result of the last 48 hours is to divide and conquer my own leadership and confidence. If I am the only male figure in the lives of my daughters, I have failed to fully prepare them and miss the opportunity of providing room and examples of leadership from their uncles, my friends, church family, and Fraternity.

The removal and absence of leadership support suddenly multiples the reversal of successful leadership and removes the friction that would have kept bad leadership decisions away.

Bottom line, I am horribly shocked while remaining steadfast to what I have been taught and believe. Wearing a Laurel Wreath is not a requirement to know, do, and be a better leader as all of us have been clearly taught.

It has to get even uglier before it can get any better!

Yours in the Bond!

Although Founders' Day Is Tomorrow, It Was A Night Like Tonight That Set It All Off

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sun, 4 Jan 2009 17:53:00 -0800

Brothers All,

It just hit me that our Grand Fraternity was founded on a Sunday night like tonight back in 1911.

Can you imagine getting together shortly after welcoming in a new year on a college campus not very hospitable to not African-American, not Black, but Negro students?

rofl:) I know you can simply because you have experienced many of the same feelings and sentiments first hand yourself at Francis Marion or any college campus during your own student days.

Nothing but the date on the calendar separates us from what our Founders experienced both as students and male descendants of slaves college graduates in America. What we owe them as well as each other is the never ending ambition, fortitude, and courage to not give in while we are ascending upwards.

Regardless of what you have accomplished or still wish to see fulfilled, let this Founders' Day be a day where rededicate yourself to achievement in every human endeavor where you find yourself a participant.

The sidelines are for the others while we are to remain in the game and change it for the better within an undeniable fashion.

2009 is going to be a year of historic hope and proportions of what we bring to the table. Any setbacks or defeats in 2008 or earlier are in the history books and those dues have been paid in full.

As you step to your daily lifestyle tomorrow and for the rest of this year, walk boldly with the confidence that from that Sunday night in 1911 to our current day that God has placed you on this earth for a specific reason and your best days are ahead of you versus in your rear view mirror.

There is no time to see the past for anything less than inspirational simply because we are still here!

Do not rest or allow any detractor or self-defeating thoughts find you in any other position than the driver's seat and the one of victory!

Now make your move and make it count for something positive and eternal.

Yours in the Bond!

Summertime 2008 Home Run: Grand Polemarch's Listening Tour held...

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:59:00 -0700

Unfreakinbelievable, on the level of the astronomical aligning of planets, a solar and lunar eclipse combined, and an earthshaking force beyond the grasp of a Richter scale, and one clearly to go down in the annals of Kappa history as being as pivotal in our history as the very first expulsion of a member.

The event that I am describing is none other than the Grand Polemarch's Listening Tour that I attended earlier today here in Atlanta, GA.

The tour was planned by various members and chapters of the Metro Atlanta Coalition of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. chapters located throughout the metro Atlanta area. Eight alumni chapters were represented and put on a showcase designed to reclaim inactive Brothers back into the Bond.

The attendance was not as high as expected as one Brother stated to me that I had not seen at least a decade since we were both members of the same alumni chapter and the low attendance more than likely should be attributed to the belief that Brothers had heard enough of rhetoric, brow beating, and pointing of fingers to make staying at home and away more desirable than getting as confrontational as one would have done during our undergraduate days.

Brothers Jwyanza Nuriddin and Michael Dubose gave an introduction and purpose for the event respectively and neither one carried any of the bureaucratic posturing and residue often witnessed during the days of CYA, press conferences, and other negative reporting due to lawsuits due to hazing and missteps occurring on any level. This was very refreshing within itself actually.

Southeastern Province Polemarch Solomon Bradley welcomed brothers to an untraditional event being held with the province of his jurisdiction and everyone still felt welcomed.

The 8 alumni chapters then had their polemarch or representatives introduce themselves and their respective chapters. We heard an old school-before-the new school Kappa song "Kappa Man", an almost stand up comedic routine, and the anticipated chest-beating arrogance if not confidence expected of such representatives as each chapter's brief history and recent achievements were mentioned. Each chapter also listed their dues and only one chapter (Atlanta) had included the provincial and national dues within their amount thereby making the oldest chapter in the city the most affordable one while having the largest membership as well. The represented chapters had displays featured throughout the room at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel across from Cumberland Mall which is extremely close to me.

Executive Director Richard Snow introduced Grand Polemarch Dwayne E. Murray Esquire and either Brothers Snow or Bradley mentioned that the 31st Grand Polemarch Murray is the first Grand Polemarch to be initiated in the 1970s which as a fact was not misunderstood and actually welcomed by myself even though I was initiated in the mid 80s.

Grand Polemarch Murray took the floor and sounded not so much as a politician running for office, but as a Brother (who is an attorney) representing the closest Kappa incarnation of US Senator Barack Obama making the case for change within Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. as one could never imagine. Brother Murray was not in the role of a salesman, but a reminder of the spirit in which all men have sought Kappa Alpha Psi membership as well as what we experienced and benefited as a result of the undergraduate membership during those days and beyond.

We were reminded of the pride generated through individual and collective achievement and the leadership paradigm that all of us bring to the table when encountering any lifestyle or situation requiring the presence of a leader.

On a national level, I will go on the record to say that today was the proudest Kappa moment of mine outside of attending a Grand Conclave for finally I personally felt that we have a Grand Polemarch not baptized in suffocating corporate America mindset who "gets it" on an entrepreneurial level as well.

Brother Murray essentially confirmed my belief when he mentioned his pricing strategy for his law firm servicing clients who need a bankruptcy attorney. Never before have I seen a Grand Polemarch not hide behind his employer, home province, or undergraduate chapter while stating a case for not only reclamation but where Kappa is going in our near term future.

The entire room heard that there was room for each inactive Brother while "the Kappa Train was going to get the job done with or without anyone getting back on board". The statement was made without veiled threats and overt or covert manipulation. Even his statements that would have made the room uneasy if expressed by past provincial and grand polemarchs did not talk down to anyone or cut off anyone's family jewels as a Chicago civil rights leader recently and frankly stated.

When he concluded his comments, Grand Polemarch Murray received a standing ovation and the floor was opened for a question and answers session.

I was fortunate to ask the lead off question and I asked what did he feel would be his legacy to the Bond through the usage of technology to leave No Nupe Left Behind:) He responded that it was a good question and answered with an innovation that (I will not elaborate here but it) would make our Founders proud. I did tip my hat to him for the transparency of his administration and effort that is being made now.

Other questions focused on consolidating chapters into a single city-wide chapter (the answer was no) and what could undergraduate chapters do to help ease the transition into alumni chapters (I don't remember the answer here). But the Brother who asked the very last question brought out a response and piece of news not widely shared throughout the Bond from our Grand Polemarch. Grand Polemarch Murray mentioned a reinstatement process (for expelled Brothers) whose official name is not fully remembered at this moment, but this process includes a review board of both independent Brothers recognized for their judgment and integrity and a few Grand Board members.

The process is worthy of further promotion since it does look at how has the expelled member lived their life since the expulsion to include if their name is found on any birth certificates (since many men are not allowing their names to be placed on birth certificates further denying their fatherhood and involvement in their children's lives). The review process can only receive a big thumbs up from myself since it covers the base of responsibility for both the Bond and individual Brother (although expelled at the moment).

One insightful thought expressed that I imagine will be heard through the Murray administration going forward is "One Kappa". One Kappa is a concept that produced a highly valued, fundraising campaign for and has received recognition from the St. Jude's Children's Hospital located in Tennessee. The Grand Board held its meetings upstairs before and after the reclamation event and I was able to be in the right place at the right time to hear the CEO of St. Jude's "lay it on heavy" to express his and the hospital's thanks for our generosity to the hospital. When I first entered the room, I actually thought that he was making a demonstration to entice the Bond into buying something. But I quickly understood from his own comments that he was sincerely and deeply thanking Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. for its work and the "Sunday of Hope" project held earlier this year.

I anticipate that One Kappa will be expanded to establish and maintain a minimum, high standard of achievement and excellence to accomplish a specific task "from the window to the wall".

After the final benediction was given, it was great to continue meeting new Brothers for the first time and seeing faces unseen since my grad school days and early days of moving to Atlanta. If the local chapters take Grand Polemarch Murray's words and a potential new financial incentive from the Grand Board, local chapters worldwide should anticipate a strong membership increase within the next few years. I hope that I'm able to get a copy of the presentation and points mentioned to share on this blog. The concepts were as progressive and aggressive as never seen before within my 24 years of fraternal membership. I just hope and believe that everyone should get ready for any bureaucratic counterattack to undermine the effort by those who felt that the previous belief systems were untouchable, sacred cows.

Right now, I am still awestruck at the gentle ferociousness of our Grand Polemarch and his belief that we can get to our next levels individually and collectively with his simple but powerful words "the best thing that we can do for each other is to be brotherly to one another". This statement alone is one of healing for the Bond since we have experienced more than enough of our share of "friendly fire".

I also finally heard multiple opportunities for fraternity activity beyond the alumni chapter where I was once a member. After graduate school and within the early days of my ministry, my local participation decreased due to basic lifestyle differences that I now believe were generational gaps of age as well as a "corporate versus entrepreneurial" mindset.

I was a former vice-polemarch of a chapter that still holds its meeting on the same day of the month as they did when I was younger and active. But Friday nights are currently not feasible within my household due to the ages of my daughters and being one of the main working nights of my wife. In the short term, things will not change until the girls are much older. As a result, I never looked seriously toward joining any of the other chapters due to distance (although gas was cheaper then) and the perception that things were basically the same in the remaining chapters. Today I did hear otherwise and one immediate benefit of membership within a chapter that meets during a weeknight is that Brothers will not be as available and open to staying up to midnight and hours beyond which is a home run blessing for me:)

Fortunately I have more endeavors to participate within to have an impact worldwide than focusing on becoming a chapter officer which is not a goal of mine (as I would have done in my younger days). But I am equipped and capable of quickly and easily providing the necessary fraternal and technical assistance being sought for future technological roll outs valued within the Bond worldwide. Hopefully there will be an opportunity to help both each chapter and Brother within the Bond make a quantum leap to be a bigger blessing to others based upon experiences gained over my lifetime and within the past 5 years especially. If I am able to do this, then any time, money, and energy spent will be resources not donated in vain.

I hope to share and pass on more of the seeds and fruits produced today and I know that there will others who will hopefully share their thoughts.

As we draw closer to our 100th anniversary in 2011, it is going to become very interesting to see what can be achieved within the next 3 years. It is going to be a solid ride for sure!

Brother Grand Polemarch Murray, thank you for your respect of all Kappa men and for not wasting our time!

Yours in the Bond!

Received a glimpse of things to come!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:45:00 -0700

This morning I am reveling in a preview of what is going to take place within our Bond as a result of technology.

At the same time, I am deeply disturbed at revelations that clearly threaten our Bond and the quality built up since 1911.

There is a lot of work that has to be done from Brother to Brother and even though there are more pressing short-term issues that all of us face, the alarm being sounded is indeed a real one that should shock you regardless of when you crossed the Sands.

More is to come and while our futures look so bright, it is indeed time to fight!

Yours in the Bond!

Flickr photos added to the right sidebar

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Mon, 4 Feb 2008 15:45:00 -0800

Now you can see the latest Kappa photos that appear on Flickr within the right sidebar.

The photos already appear on the No Nupe Left Behind website and we wanted to continually spread great content versus putting handcuffs on the images as some would prefer.

Here is the widget used:

Get this widget!

Yours in the Bond!

NNLB First Video!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sat, 2 Feb 2008 17:40:00 -0800

You know that we had to bring this heat eventually!

We are not in the box and clearly not in a coffin, but the age of primetime video is now for the internet and worldwide communications!

This video only represents the initial breakthrough in going where Kappa has never gone before.

The quality will definitely get better and every aspect of progressive achievement will be improved.

Be sure to visit the No Nupe Left Behind network to see more videos to come!

Yours in the Bond!

Audio from Bible Study Series "Christ Jesus and His Anointing" Available Online

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:05:00 -0800

Recently I had the pleasure of teaching a Bible study series within our church Bethesda Baptist Church in Austell, GA under the leadership of Senior Pastor Charles B. Goodman that blessed everyone including myself greatly.

The series "Christ Jesus and His Anointing" answers many questions that new Christian converts and even those raised and functioning as members of congregations for decades have wondered about in terms of properly identifying and understanding the ministry, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The content is not always taught within traditional Protestant churches.

Feel free to listen at your pleasure and ask any questions at anytime. If you wish to obtain a CD or DVD of the audio, just let me know.

The weekly Bible studies at Bethesda usually include songs, prayer, and testimonies before the lessons are taught, so all is included for you to have the full experience as if you were there.

The three parts are uploaded as wave files and they vary in length and part 1 is approximately 1:19 in length. I do plan on uploading the files as MP3s soon also.

Listen and enjoy!

http://www.tnlis.com/podcasts/ChristJesus_and_HisAnointing_Part_1.wav

http://www.tnlis.com/podcasts/ChristJesus_and_HisAnointing_Part_2.wav

http://www.tnlis.com/podcasts/ChristJesus_and_HisAnointing_Part_3.wav

Peace!

Happy Founders' Day in the New Beginnings of 2008!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sat, 5 Jan 2008 14:35:00 -0800

In this era where it is easy to forget special people and relationships, we can count on Founders' Day to make us remember not only what it had to be like on a Sunday night in Indianapolis many years ago as well as wherever and whenever we have felt the warmth of our Bond.

Today is a day for remembering and reminding one another why we sought to become Nupes--for its representation of achievement within our lives.

Today is not a day for looking down on another Brother because of what his physical viewing situation may appear to be, his financial status, fraternal activity level, and whether some would believe that he is keeping the flames of Kappa alive. If your Kappa Spirit is strong enough to remotely feel worthy to look down on another's present state, then take the time to remind him of who he was, what he believed, and who he still is to become in spite of his present state.

Do not allow him to fester and wallow within temporary defeat, agony, and distress regardless of it being self-inflicted or thrust upon him externally.

There are far too many who have been left behind and apparently forgotten about and written off.

Today is Founders' Day and until we raise the standard of achievement and encourage every Nupe to remain in the game, our victories believed real or imagined within the game dwell in jeopardy.

Here is to you our Founders and our inspiration.

Yours in the Bond!

Achievement is not limited to your success

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sun, 2 Dec 2007 13:46:00 -0800

Achievement is not limited to your success, but what is done within the moments after your encounters with failure.

Roney Smith

Yours in the Bond!

There is something uniquely satisfying about being proven right: No Nupe Left Behind 3.0

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:53:00 -0700

I just saw and briefly read an article entitled, "Murdoch Makes it Official: MySpace is Going Open" that made me remember back to days where I took the heat and wood of stating that the NupeNet should use an open standard versus being so closed.

Although I could gloat about it all, I just might do so:)

As a result, Kappasforkappa.com now points to a dead-in-the-water-but-forwarding-about-other-topics website and the Nupenet will never have any third-party widgets to add any value to its potential.

So keeping the dead body in the house while the neighbors smell it and eventually complain to local authorities is the only salvation the Nupenet and other such closed websites will ever hope to have.

Such paternalistic thinking is better reserved for the security of face to face sessions and meetings.

Does anyone think that Brothers are not men with the ability to sniff a pretender in our midst or thieves within the temple?

There are people who would pretend to be a Nupe for our benefits of membership but with the arsenal of the open platform and web 2.0 world that exists today, the ability to deepen the relationships among the Bond is being driven underground and to a greater threat level to our Bond than necessary.

The No Nupe Left Behind concept has been given a web 3.0 boost and I am pleasantly stunned, pleased, and taken aback at how Brothers will creatively expand the Bond when given the chance.

It feels like I am in school all over again just to witness the serious and entertaining achievements that are being gained yard by yard and Brother by Brother.

Moment by moment we are in the midst of redefining Kappa.

The offline works and span have their place and the online realm is being inspired to fulfill our destinies.

I also now believe that the enemy of hazing will go into an all-or-none state. Either incidents of hazing will be so graphic and intense that the entire Fraternity has to create new financial assessments to stay alive or Brothers will finally take brotherhood, manhood, and the rites of passage away from the underground undertakers' mentality.

So this is almost ironically a Kappa-flavored Bill Cosby Omega call out on the Nupenet, "Come on Kappas!"

Or where shall I send the funeral wreaths Nupenet owner and moderators:)

LOL:) All haters have are their middle fingers!

Yours in the Bond!

Electric Slide.com Domain for Sale

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:39:00 -0700

The ElectricSlide.com domain is being placed on the market for sale.

The global dance with the name Electric Slide makes the domain a no brainer for its popularity.

The time given to the project was not sufficient enough to capitalize on the multi-sensory domain name since it works for music, motion, and information.

The domain has a built in market and has produced royalties consistently since the domain was obtained in 2000.

The domain should easily work for any music related project or company.

If you have a sensible offer, please send it to:

wysiwysell at gmail.com

Part of the proceeds will benefit a nonprofit agency fighting domestic violence in honor of my late mother.

Peace!

Upgraded No Nupe Left Behind Marketplace on Ning.com

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sun, 7 Oct 2007 15:55:00 -0700

Brothers All,

The No Nupe Left Behind marketplace at:

http://nonupeleftbehind.ning.com

has just received a serious matter of an upgrade:)

You will be able to customize your own page in a fashion as if Kappa and MySpace had a baby!

Check it out, let me know what changes and adjustments need to be made, and any assistance requests.

I have made the network a private one, so only verified Nupes will have access!

Promote your business and endeavors of achievement at will!

Yours in the Bond!

Don't Hate, Appreciate!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 3 Oct 2007 18:21:00 -0700

We all know who his role models are!

Yours in the Bond!

Hold On My Brother, You Will Make It!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:44:00 -0700

Today is the last day of the Grand Conclave in Minneapolis and things must be going very well since I have not heard anything good, bad, or indifferent to the week of events.

I just had a memory of a previous Saturday morning during a Grand Conclave and as a result, I want to encourage someone who may be feeling less than an achiever, unemployed, or more than likely underemployed.

My memory goes back 12 years when on the Saturday morning of the Grand Conclave held in Philadelphia, I received a telephone call from my wife telling me not to go into work on Monday.

It turned out that I was fired while I had full permission to attend the Grand Conclave. Needless to say, it has been one of the most traumatic experiences I have ever had in my professional career.

At the time, I was working with a telecommunications company in their finance department but as a temporary worker with hopes of being hired to full-time status. I got along very well with my coworkers and it was during the summer after I had earned my MBA in finance from Clark Atlanta University. I had already proven my abilities by reducing a workload considered impossible to manageable. Maybe I blew the curve to my own harm.

It was also at the very beginning of the public consumption and fascination with the internet and Brothers were still getting used to finding one another on the internet since e-mail was the primary means of online communication versus websites. I had already gained experience within the telecommunications industry and working in a financial department was going to be icing on the cake I thought.

The decision to go the Grand Conclave was a fairly last minute decision and although I was not going to be paid any vacation time, I believed that I would have a job to return to. Boy, was I wrong.

But the biggest surprise is that the numerous coworkers actually believed that I had committed some type of company infraction when they already knew that I and another fraternity Brother would be traveling on the same trip.

I was accused of receiving e-mails that were non-company related while another coworker was distributing David Letterman's Top Ten List daily. This same guy showed me how to send and receive messages via e-mail. So I now tell people not to even receive e-mail messages at work if they can avoid it. The headaches are just not worth it.

I found out that my team was informed of my firing at a company meeting that Friday and that a policy regarding e-mail was being enforced more than before. The temporary agency gave the message not to return to work to my wife and I discovered the rest upon returning to Atlanta from Philadelphia.

After hearing the news that Saturday morning, I went into entrepreneurial overdrive. My focus was that if I was going to be fired, then I needed a business opportunity to make up any differences. So I quickly went to the exhibition hall and scoured every table present for any sign of a business opportunity or product or service that I could offer upon returning home.

I did find one that I later created a company to capitalize on my findings. The business involved prepaid calling cards and the product was clearly within its infancy at that time. But the same weekend ultimately led to my founding of TNL Internet Services which has become TNL Communications Corporation now renamed The Next Mint on November 1, 1995. My entrepreneurial activities related to the internet have their roots to that Saturday morning.

I just want to encourage at this time the Brother or Sister that runs across this blog to know that you will indeed make it in spite of the obstacles you are currently facing. Do not allow the manager, supervisor, coworker, or commute make your life less than what your capabilities dictate.

You will indeed soar with eagles versus being stuck in the presence of turkeys:)

Currently my professional career is light years away from the experience in 1995 and although there are some things that I would or will change at some point, conquering the opportunity to fully assume the burden of failure that someone else falsely tried to place on my shoulders 12 years ago strengthens me today and should strengthen you within your own professional career.

Setbacks are indeed set ups to greater achievement and successes! You only will lose when you no longer attempt to try to get back up again.

Do not allow any steady paycheck to deaden your entrepreneurial senses and insights because you only control your destiny versus any board of directors or middle or lower management.

Think it not strange to see people fight tooth and nail within workplaces when you know instinctively that you were meant to be, see, do, and have more. You are simply passing through while they will remain at their mountain top experiences. You have higher hills and mountains to climb.

Some years later, I attended a luncheon in which a man that I never met before uttered some words that I have never forgotten since. He told me prophetically "The battle that you are going through is not over your present. It is over your future".

Knowing where your true battle lies and what point you must defend with all of your being is indeed your critical opportunity that you must accept and conquer today. Nothing else matters.

Only after you focus and redefine what achievement means to you based upon where you are today and with the resources you have available, your opportunity to be the person you were meant to become is released into your hands.

I only hope that my darkest professional moment to date gives you an opportunity to learn from my mistakes in judgment as well as my resurrection experience. No experience anyone else tries to offer higher or lower can compare to the lessons learned when I was only 30 years old back then on a Saturday morning at the 1995 Grand Conclave in Philadelphia. I still am thankful for the brotherly love experienced there at my first Grand Conclave ever attended.

Godspeed!

Yours in the Bond!

Pack your Canes But Leave Your Cameras at Home!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Mon, 9 Jul 2007 08:54:00 -0700

The 2007 Grand Conclave to be held in Minneapolis marks a significant milestone in that it will be the first Kappa convention that is held within the full popularity of YouTube and other online content sharing websites.

Previously, the escapades of single and married brothers alike had to jump from analog tape to word of mouth to full blown investigation of recorded activities.

Now anyone with a camcorder, camera phone, or camera can capture the Bond's greatest moments to Kappa After Dark.

I strongly warn all Brothers to keep their eyes on the neophyte who does not know discretion to the local chapter's founding father who recklessly puts reputations on the line.

Other than the public events or at the encouragement of hosts, "NO CAMERAS ALLOWED".

This is a safeguard to keep whatever happens at the Conclave, stays at the Conclave.

You may however bring sand to the beach at your own discretion.

Finally due to national security and to prevent any potential misunderstandings about black men, airports, and public ignorance from hitting a perfect storm against us, please also pack your canes and send them through baggage versus trying to hand carry the decorated cane on board.

Yours in the Bond!

Online Marketplace for Nupes!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:11:00 -0700

There is a benefit to be an entrepreneurial Nupe and here it is:

http://nonupeleftbehind.ning.com

Now go list an item for sale (like some old or new paraphenalia) and make a deal with another Nupe!

We added the marketplace several months ago and simply did not promote it as we should.

Yours in the Bond!

Memorial Day and Media Pulse

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Mon, 28 May 2007 07:38:00 -0700

As we honor those who gave all in service to our country, let us not forget those who are setting high marks of achievement in moving our Bond forward today. We all stand upon the shoulders and achievements of each other regardless of time and distance.

So whenever you visit No Nupe Left Behind.com, be sure to visit the Media Pulse (on the home page in the left-hand margin) in order to find the latest breaking news on and within Kappadom.

I have come to realize that some inspiration serves a higher purpose than whatever was thought at the moment of creation. The Media Pulse is far better and stronger than any other Kappa resource that gives you a feel of what is going on within the Bond outside of The Journal.

The NNLB Media Pulse pulls information (news, blogs, and photos at a minimum) from all over the world in a near real-time fashion wherever Nupes are making it happen. It is like your USA Today, Associated Press, and New York Times for the Bond and it is totally automated.

I do not personally know everyone that appears with a photo or headline involving Kappa, but I do know that I can always find something to take pride in and smile about.

Yours in the Bond!

News in Philly near and around IHQ

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:48:00 -0700

I just saw this article on the website for the New York Times and it made me think about the Grand Conclave held in Philadelphia in 1995 and my only trip to our International Headquarters (so far).

Interesting article and I wonder what is our local involvement since we have a big investment there.

Yours in the Bond!

You Have Got To Read This Open Letter!

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Fri, 25 May 2007 16:42:00 -0700

Check it out and see if it remotely applies to wine, women and song!

Enough said!

Yours in the Bond!

2007 Grand Conclave Should Be Very Interesting from a Web2.0 Perspective

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:52:00 -0700

With the summer Conclave rapidly approaching, it is going to be very interesting to see how technology will pay dividends in the months before and after the summer event.

Various chapters, provinces, and individual Nupes will be creative in chartering buses, coordinating events and hospitality suites (no cameras, please), and taking post-Conclave networking to another level afterwards.

It is always interesting to see whether large scale events will deliver on promises since most such events have a lot of excitement that gets placed on a shelf immediately afterwards.

There has to be a consistent mechanism to keep the energy and excitement flowing to the local levels versus remaining in the host city.

An idea on the Conclaves just popped in my head after the last sentence and it should be interesting to see if it can be implemented quickly.

There should also be an opportunity to Nupes to better network across the NPHC membership in a web2.0 or web 2.0 fashion. Mailing lists are fine, but they are becoming too restrictive when audio and video are usually not often included in the daily messages.

Perhaps there is something that can be done with YouTube or via a podcast that could do the job. Any ideas, suggestions, or referrals are welcomed.

Yours in the Bond!

2007 Grand Conclave Is Breaking New Ground Already

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:22:00 -0700

Last Saturday while getting an oil change, I picked up a copy of Black Enterprise which featured the top cities for African-Americans and was pleasantly surprised to see an advertisement featuring an economic business summit to be held at the upcoming Grand Conclave this summer.

This is almost as big of a shocker as hearing that Redd Foxx actually died while having a "Big One" and folks thought that he was playing (sad, but true and almost sick to the point of laughter).

Minneapolis is not on my agenda for this year and now I wish that it was just for the summit alone.

I hope that the summit is videotaped (entrepreneurial opportunity within itself) and made available or at least the keynote speakers' presentations should be digitally available afterwards.

I give big Kappa Kudos to all involved in reshaping the Bond's paradigm with this effort. I know that it was not easy by any means.

My latest Journal arrived Monday, May 14th as well and I see that Best Buy is going to be a corporate sponsor of the Grand Conclave as well. Minnesota clearly has their thing together and I sincerely hope that the trend continues to other cities before, during, and after this summer's events.

The philosophy should even be broken into components that individual Nupes can implement within their lives.

This is awesome and I am excited for the Bond as well.

Since credit is going to hard to pinpoint at this point, I will give credit to everyone who is still making achievement a part of their lives and methods of operations.

If the news continues on this positive front, this blog may become obsolete until the Employee Empire Strikes Back:)

Yours in the Bond!

No Toga Parties on Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage & Que Mathematics

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Sat, 12 May 2007 08:16:00 -0700

Yesterday (Friday, May 11, 2007) I heard on Tom Joyner's radio show that he spent over $80,000 for the past 3 years during his Memorial Day and week annual cruise to raise money for HBCUs due to the cost of replacing linen that cruise attendees had used for togas.

This is a hoot:)

It must have been a slammin' party since he encountered the cost for 3 years straight:)

I could see paying for the same cost in year two if logic led one to believe that it was an one-time fluke. But after paying for the same cost in year two, Negroes would have had to bring their own sheets indeed.

As much as I love TJMS and his efforts, you cannot get around the humor of Que mathematics:)

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times requires Omega membership which I don't have or want:)

LOL:)

Yours in the Bond!

What In John Milton Lee's Name Happened to Kappas for Kappa.com?

roneysmith@gmail.com (Roney Smith) — Fri, 11 May 2007 18:41:00 -0700

As much as I could say "I told you so", I won't say anything (or better yet much) about the management of the website Kappas for Kappa.com that launched shortly after No Nupe Left Behind.com launched.

Although I was given an offer that I could not refuse but yet did which clearly led to being cyberhazed and expelled from the NupeNet, I must admit that there were no winners within the internal fray. But there is more than a conqueror and survivor within yours truly:)

I am just surprised that a concept with so much promise failed to live up to its hype and never gain any traction. Shock and awe is an understatement for real on this topic.

I mean that I personally know how the regular routine can take one's focus away from regularly creating content, but the effort was not based upon the efforts of a single individual supposedly.

But if that within itself was the breakdown, I can clearly understand how the chain of events led to its demise. The seeds planted were not of the type that could sustain long-term growth and achievement.

Within this technological age that we live in, it is critical that activities within the Bond are designed to support individual and collective achievement without sacrificing one for the other.

Each of our Founders was a dynamic young man who grew into his own place within society. I never have heard any mumblings of any petty jealousies being among them although it could be understood given how the Bond grew and morphed into something larger than any of them could imagine.

Each Founder stayed in their own lane and played the role given to them.

The K4K website had individual contributors, and enough features that it should have stayed around longer at a minimum. Or if it was going to be shut down, then another Nupe should have been given the opportunity to acquire the domain name and keep it all within the Bond.

Now the domain is available for sale to the general public, the content left to fainting memories, and without any significant contributions that can still be remembered.

Damn, what a shame:(

Friendly competition should have played a greater role in lifting all boats. But unfriendly competition usually feeds upon its host within any case.

I just want to pour a digital libation to its memory and hope that another Brother or group of Nupes are able to either resurrect the intent in a more positive direction or make another attempt in a totally different direction that will serve the Bond very well.

With my current schedule and lifestyle, I am surprised to think how much lighter my daily load is without being a Nupenet subscriber.

But on those special days, I do miss it without a doubt. I will leave the machinery and possibility of a Nupenet reinstatement to others. There are just too many other fish to fry to waste any time on the matter.

If I were summoned to a Congressional hearing on the matter, I would not turn down the opportunity to be heard though:)

If anyone discovers any individual or collective effort that is worthy of being linked to for the benefit of Kappa, please let me know!

Yours in the Bond!