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Personal Details About Us
Welcome! Kurt here. Martha and I are surrounded by friendly people here in east Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains. We live here and we have a home-based business which has grown into our primary income source, but it didn't start out that way.
I bought into the fairytale story that a "job" was the path to financial independence. After a stint with the USAF and college, I spent 5 years as an IRS Agent and Bank Internal Auditor before I realized that it was those who owned the business that were in the best position to have the lifestyle and financial independence that I wanted.
Some of the toughest days on the job were on those beautiful spring days when I had to go back inside and sit at my desk. That got me thinking and the rest is history.
Spring time here near the Great Smoky Mountains is absolutely georgeous and it made pressing that elevator button to the 5th floor very hard. Sometimes I think it was worse than Basic Training in the USAF! Neither were easy.
In 1980, I resigned from the bank despite many friends telling me I had a "good job" and was I crazy. Maybe I was, maybe I still am, but to me, being free to work for myself was THE motivating factor.
We both became business brokers and helped others buy and sell businesses. We loved it!
Compared to the theory of college and the sheltered view of being a government employee, the real-world business experience was very educational and it let us clearly see the advantages of business ownership over having a job.
After five years of self-employment, we learned the value of following a proven business system rather than starting on our own. I call having a proven business system a 'business recipe' because success in business is similar to success in the kitchen - if you have a good recipe then your chances for success are better.
As business brokers, we found a successful business system that had a 23 year proven track record. We took our savings, all of it, and we bought their system and opened our business in upper east Tennessee - a carpet and upholstery cleaning business!
Something neither of us ever thought we'd be doing after graduation, but there we were - in the carpet cleaning business!
Over the next six years, we expanded to six locations in four states with 85 employees. We were rolling and success was ours, finally.
However, our success was a mixed blessing - we had strong financial rewards but it also involved many headaches and a lot of overhead expenses that are typically associated with traditional business ownership. In our sixth year we had burned out and we felt trapped at a higher level.
We took six months off and told our store managers they were on their own. We had lost the desire to work and even though our income was good, we were scared that we'd lost the edge to go on. Six months turned into nine months.
We travelled, we played golf, we spent time on our boat on the beautiful lakes here in east Tennessee, and we hung out with friends during this time. But we mainly just recuperated at home wondering whether we'd ever get our edge back.
Then through Kurt's brother and his wife, we met a team of people who had what we wanted, i.e. income AND the time to enjoy it. As we did our research we found plenty of reasons why we thought this couldn't work for us. A big concern was that some people told us that a network marketing business couldn't be successful. We wondered if perhaps they knew something we didn't.
As we researched it, we found those who had been successful and those who hadn't. We knew that if some had done it that we could, too. All we had to do was hookup with those who had the fruit on the tree.
One thing we'd learned the hard way over the years about building businesses was that if you do what the successful people have done, you'll have what they have. We just had to be teachable and follow the recipe.
So, we got started. We found the right mentors and we're excited about what's happened and where our life is going. Having time AND money is much better than having one without the other!
We realized that the people who would be helping guide us had already achieved the lifestyle that we were after. We saw these people doing what our friends said couldn't be done.
Looking back, it's scary to think that we almost took financial advice from people who were in debt and working a job.
It sounds so simple really, yet so many fall into this mental trap.
Today our business affiliation has not only given us the financial goals we were seeking in life but it's enriched our lives in so many other ways, too. Helping people help themselves is probably one of the biggest rewards that we've received for our hard work.
Our experience and success has better prepared us to now pay it forward to those who seek to achieve their own goals and dreams. And this system rewards us for helping others. Ain't it great!
If you agree that wealth starts with education, then we suggest that you read some books by Robert Kiyosaki. Three good ones are: Rich Dad, Poor Dad, a best seller for 5 years; Cash Flow Quadrant, my favorite Kiyosaki book; and The Business School.
He takes some common sense ideas that we all know to be true, and he puts them together in a way where you'll find yourself thinking, 'Wow, I never thought about it that way!" .
I refer people to these books because they're written so most can understand them and because the author has the fruit on the tree. We like sharing education that can help people achieve their dreams and goals.
We also like discussing these concepts about achieving personal and financial freedom, so feel free to let us know your thoughts. Free enterprise is an exciting concept to us because it's so essential to have if we're going to enjoy the freedoms still available in this great country.
Today, I'm part of a team that has taken the road less travelled and I can only tell you, it's been great. I've never regretted my decision to start my own business, and if that's you, perhaps we should talk.
I promise you this, I will listen to what you want to achieve and we will discuss whether what we offer is right for you. It will be your decision to make.
I do not sell or try to convince. I will explain what I do and what our team can and will do for you. Basically, we teach by example and you can start by watching us get your business up and running. There is no obligation for either of us, so, when you're ready, contact me.
I look forward to discussing your plans to achieve the financial independence I've enjoyed all these years. There is nothing quite like the freedom from a boss and a job, but it's not for some people. It takes self-discipline and work. I look forward to hearing from you. All the best to you.
Kurt & Martha Gross
"Leading The Way To Health and Wealth"
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