Qualifications
- Diamond 1994
- Managing Director's Diamond 1998
- The Founders Executive Diamond was awarded in 2003.
- 2005 was a Double Diamond year.
Diamonds at the bottom of the pyramid
- Presidents Alan and Michelle Leininger, Diamond Founders
- Grotewold, Matthew, and Alana are the founders of the Diamond.
- Anne Diamond, Mark Elsenpeter & Mark Elsenpeter
- Doug and Amie Weir are the Executive Diamonds of the company.
- Diamond, David Franklin, and Angie Franklin
- Diamond is owned by Mike and Jana Waechter.
- Brent Harris and Brenda Diamond are co-authors of this work.
- Executive Diamonds: Paul Kopecky and Michael Morgan
- BWW Diamond, Jack Strachan and Maureen Strachan are from the United Kingdom.
- Flanary, Bruce, and Betty, who live in Diamond, in the United States
- The Diamonds are Yohey, Kenton, and Andrea.
A Case Study in Success
- Taking advantage of possibilities and forming communities
When Double Diamond Joe Markiewicz gets out of his stylish automobile, equipped with an eye-catching "No Job" licence plate, he adds with a giggle, "a little bit of life happened this morning." With the exception of the crumpled rear bumper, the car appears sleek.
Joe was involved in a minor car accident on his way home from a meeting with the Achieve® Magazine crew on his way home.
It definitely takes more than a little fender mishap to damper the Markiewicz family's upbeat outlook on the future. When Marybeth called to inform us that Joe had been involved in an accident and would be a bit late for the interview, their upbeat demeanour was clear.
“Everyone is in good health, and that is the most essential thing. It could have been a lot worse than it was! “It was Marybeth who said it,” she said. “Our main issue is that this car is intended to be a gift for Joe's mother, and we are concerned that she will not be pleased! ”
Joe actually ended up prospecting for the individual who was responsible for the accident, illustrating that the glass truly is half full if you are determined to see it that way.
“He inquired about my licence plate, and I provided him with some information about my company,” Joe explains. “He took my business card, and I'll follow up with him from there.” Taking advantage of any opportunity that comes your way and converting what could be a negative circumstance into something wonderful is what this industry is all about.”
Joe recalls honing his baseball talents while watching Hall of Famer Cal Ripken play third base while growing up in Rochester, New York, which is home to the Baltimore Orioles' minor league baseball club, the Rochester Red Wings.
Joe's childhood dream was to follow in his father's footsteps and make it to the major leagues. Joe, however, sustained a knee injury while playing baseball in college, where he was studying engineering, which prevented him from pursuing a professional baseball career.
“That accident ended up crushing my dream, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” Joe explains. “It set the wheels in action for me to finally come across this chance and refocus my aspirations on something that I was capable of achieving. But at the time, I had no idea that becoming hurt would turn out to be one of the nicest things that could have happened to me.”
Meet-up with Marybeth was another of the nicest things that ever happened to Joe in his life.
When Marybeth and Joe first met, she was in the process of completing her business degree. Both of their professional paths led them to North Carolina, where Joe began working his way up the corporate ladder at a major computer corporation. When a fellow engineer introduced Joe to the Quixtar IBO Compensation Plan, the pair recognised it as an opportunity to generate more money.
Despite the fact that we had excellent jobs that paid the bills, Marybeth recalls, "we knew we wanted more." The opportunity to trade a decent life for an even better one was what attracted us to this enterprise. And that is precisely how things have turned out. Every day, we are thankful that we took advantage of the chance that presented itself to us.”
Joe and Marybeth decided to leave their previous jobs in order to devote their time and energy to their Quixtar business venture.
While running Double Diamonds, the Markiewiczs discover that their priorities have shifted since they first started their company.
“Right now, this business is really about about what we can do to make this opportunity better for other people,” Joe explains. It's not nearly as much fun to do big things when we're the only ones doing it. We want to create an environment where people may feel confident in their ability to take risks and step outside of their comfort zones. We want them to not be afraid of making mistakes, but rather to learn how to overcome them and, in the end, to experience success for themselves.
“There are a million various reasons why people decide to establish a business,” Joe explains further. A small amount of extra money is desired by some people. Some people wish to make a lot of money. Others simply want to get away from the 9-to-5 grind and live a life in which they have complete control over their schedule, in which they can attend every one of their children's games or find time to go to the gym during the day.”
Despite their best efforts, the pair acknowledges that they have had to make adjustments in order to accommodate the aspirations and priorities of the next generation interested in entering the firm. When it comes to young people nowadays, they are frequently looking for something greater than money rewards and personal achievement.
“One of the most significant developments I've noticed in the sector in just the last few years is how much more people seem to be seeking community,” says Joe, who has worked in the industry for over a decade. “Young people nowadays have a strong desire to feel like they are part of something, as seen by their participation in online communities such as MySpace. Recognition, attention, and affirmation are in short supply among the general public. More than any other, we give a community that is more devoted, more supporting, and more positive.”
Another tendency that the pair observes is that the new IBOs are becoming younger and younger in age. It is clear that a large number of intelligent, diligent young people will face difficulties in securing solid, well-paying jobs once they graduate from college, says Marybeth. They will be able to take control of their destiny through this business, rather than having it controlled by someone else.
Joe also points out that the younger IBOs appear to be the most passionate and enthusiastic members of the group. “I believe they have a firm understanding of what they want and don't want in life. They are enthused about this business since they are the owners of something and have the ability to be self-sufficient. The importance of individuality and freedom is really essential to them.”
One of the keys to the Markiewicz family's success has been their ability to get young new IBOs off to a good start.
It was difficult for Joe and his team to get through their first year in company. "I never want to forget what it took for us to get over that year," Joe says. “There was a lot of anxiety and self-doubt, and there was just a lot of feeling. We have so many wonderful people who enter this business for the right reasons and who have tremendous talent, but who suffer because they do not receive the proper assistance. We want to be active and proactive in our engagement with IBOs at all levels of our company, and we want to do so at all times. We are disappointed in our people when they do not achieve, and we rejoice with them when they do succeed. We are entirely available to them, just as our upline is available to us.”
The Markiewiczs think that a significant part of their responsibility as upline is to assist people in developing confidence in themselves. In spite of disappointments and discouragement, they take pleasure in assisting members of their group in discovering and developing their latent gifts and abilities, as well as becoming the best they can be.
It is quite easy to become critical of oneself and waste time comparing oneself to other people when things aren't going well for us, as Joe points out. “It is absolutely critical for folks to have a friend in their upline who they can turn to in situations like these. It's important to have someone who isn't too far into the woods to be able to see the trees and who can encourage and motivate you to continue on your path.”
According to Marybeth, "we always remark that people are simply better off working in the business than they are working elsewhere." You will always receive support and encouragement if you are a part of our company, even when things are not going precisely as you had hoped. A safety net of this calibre is difficult to come by.”
The Markiewiczs are committed to their family, despite the fact that they are focused on helping others in their business flourish. It is true that they are currently in the midst of their second year of homeschooling their three children: Jenna (11), Bradley (9), and Lindsey (8).
This private school has been established on the third floor of their home, which has a well-stocked library, the latest computers, and custom-built-in pine desks and shelving. Paintings by Markiewicz, poems, and science projects cover the walls of the gallery, including a model of the solar system, complete with Pluto peeled off the cardboard to reflect the recent announcement that the farthest planet is not actually a planet.
The children's heads are bent together over their studies as dappled fall sunlight pours through the windows. It's simple to see why Joe and Marybeth opted to create such a wonderful, focused environment for their children to learn.
“We pondered the possibility of homeschooling for a long time before making the decision,” explains Marybeth. It allows us to give the children a great deal of one-on-one attention, they can each learn at their own pace, and we can customise their calendar so that they may travel with us more often – which has resulted in some fantastic field trips.”
Joe and Marybeth combined a recent trip to Virginia with a visit to Jamestown, the site of America's first permanent English settlement. Another business conference was accompanied by a side trip to the historic Biltmore House, which is the largest private residence in the United States at 1,200 acres. In addition, the family visited Fort Macon, a North Carolina State Park that contains a coastal ecology as well as a Civil War fortification.
“We appreciate being able to take the kids with us when we travel and being able to expose them to a variety of experiences outside the classroom,” Marybeth explains.
Jenna, Bradley, and Lindsey are extremely well-rounded children, thanks to their participation in extracurricular sports such as baseball, softball, soccer, and swimming, as well as lessons outside the home such as Spanish and art.
The pair is actively interested in their children's activities, both inside and outside of the classroom. Joe coaches his son's travel baseball team, which has an arduous 80-game schedule per year. Their company, XSTM Energy Drinks, supports the team, which is named after Joe's son's favourite beverage.
As Joe puts it, "we don't actually have two lives: one at work and one at home." “Our business and family life are inextricably intertwined. Every game I go, I carry coolers of XS Energy Drinks with me, and the team sponsorship provides excellent exposure for the company. We have a sports nutrition line that is fundamental to our business, and sports are central to our lives, so everything is tied together.
0 comments: