Like a magician or alchemist, entrepreneurs are tasked with producing something out of nothing – and when they succeed the ethereal becomes perceptible. The success of any entrepreneur lies not only in their ingenuity and determination, but also in the demand for their product or idea. When the entrepreneur pulls a rabbit out of their hat, most people fail to appreciate the potential, lacking the vision to see the success at their fingertips. Most people never realize that that the task of creating something from nothing is almost impossible – almost. When entrepreneurs succeed, others see that the “impossible” can actually be accomplished.

In the end, it’s all about producing results – but there is no guarantee of success. The path to success is littered with booby-traps and landmines. Many of those you encounter along the way will provide words of dissuasion, testing your resolve and your beliefs. Making it as an entrepreneur is a small miracle in itself, and one not easily explained or measured. Explaining the process of finding entrepreneurial success to someone who has never undertaken such an endeavor is almost impossible – it is something that must be experienced to be fully understood.

Several days ago I posed two questions regarding Lady Gaga’s amazing album sales for “Born This Way.” I asked what you thought about Amazon’s decision to sell digital downloads of the album at the very low price of 99-cents, which cost them over $3 million. I also asked if you felt this price may have skewed the album sales, and somehow cheapened Lady Gaga’s accomplishment of selling over 1 million albums in the first week. Your responses were great, so I’d like to take a second share just a few of them:

Jasen wrote: "Since the revolution of the digital download, I don't think weekly "album sales" even matter anymore as a gauge. Yes, they get reported, as they were here but everybody knows that it has become somewhat irrelevant. True, selling 1M records in a week is something to promote...RadioHead did a similar thing on their own and they didn't even charge a single penny for their album. They gave it away for FREE.”

One of the hardest possible jobs is that of the entrepreneur, but through this difficulty emerges the possibility of life-changing success. When entrepreneurs find success there is no limit to what they can create – but their success lies in the amount of demand for their product or idea. What people want or need, and the degree to which they do so, determines everything. It’s difficult to understand just how difficult the job of the entrepreneur is, as they are tasked with creating something out of nothing. The entrepreneur lacks any net to catch their fall – and have no one to blame for their failures, except themselves. In businesses like Market America, where a model is provided, the entrepreneurial focus is on creating a market, connecting with customers, and developing a following. To be successful in this endeavor requires a tremendous passion for the opportunity, and the ability to attract others to build a customer base. You must be so committed that you are willing to put your credibility on the line, but such commitment often invites criticism and skepticism.

Developing your UnFranchise® business just got easier. Market America just deployed an incredible new feature to the UnFranchise ordering system which is sure to be a game-changer. This amazing new technology supports our growth, and makes the process of developing the UnFranchise business bigger, better, faster, and easier.

The following is an excerpt from “Living By Your Why,” which can be found in the May 2011 issue of Powerline:

Once you figure out what your why is, you have to figure out what you have to do to make it happen. For some who have been in the business for a while, it’s important to take the time to reevaluate your why and reshape your action plan for getting there based on new technologies, social networking tools, and better ways to reach people. This goes right along with your two-minute commercial that you created in the Getting Started Guide. What is Market America, and why are you motivated to keep going? Make sure both are up to date because the company must stay on the cutting edge.

With the constant improvements we are bringing to you every day, most notably our acquisition of SHOP.COM, we are on our billion-dollar roll and it is easier than ever to succeeding this business. You just have to reprogram your brain for success. With the right thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and feelings, you’ll program yourself to take the correct actions to see your goals and make your why a reality. With the right attitude, you can do anything. Just as Nietzsche so eloquently stated, you can bear anything if you have a reason to. Do you know your reason?

It’s amazing to think that just a few years ago texting was considered a high tech endeavor. But now, as smartphones continue to evolve and the applications they run continue to improve, mobile technology is advancing at an amazing rate. Smartphones are quickly emerging as a crucial tool, central to the way we operate in this fast-paced modern world. With the help of cutting-edge applications, smartphones are evolving into something far greater than mere tools of communication. In an effort to stay ahead of the social shopping tsunami, Market America’s mobile team is developing some amazing, game-changing features for our MA Mobile application. A few weeks ago, I discussed the incredible new barcode scanning feature and the deal-finder we developed – and now the word is getting out.

The following is an excerpt from “Living By Your Why,” which can be found in the May 2011 issue of Powerline:

Some people might think that, at this point in my life, I no longer need a why – I have everything I could ever hope for and dream of, right? You couldn’t be more wrong. Everyone – from the man who was just approached for the very first time about the business, to the top business leaders in the field who have been at this for years – needs a why. If you don’t have one, the next obstacle that steps in your way could be the one to break you.

The world’s simplest idea explains why things are the way they are. At the center of everything we do is the reason why. If you understand and communicate the why, it makes all the difference. Market America is simply making things bigger, better, faster, and easier to change the way people shop and change the economic paradigm where anyone can become financially independent by creating our own economy. The world’s simplest idea explains why Market America will not and cannot fail.

As we sit back tonight and watch what promises to be yet another great game in the NBA Finals, it’s easy to appreciate the raw ability and talent these guys have. From Taj Gibson’s ridiculous put-back, to Manu Ginobili’s incredible half-court buzzer beater against Memphis, the NBA playoffs have been filled with one jaw-dropping play after another. Time and time again these remarkable athletes make the impossible seem routine. While it’s easy to see the talent and ability on display, there is much that goes into winning a championship that we never witness. From the comfort of our couches or a cramped booth at a raucous sports bar, it’s hard to fully appreciate what these amazing athletes endure in the name of sport.

Between preseason workouts, practices, and a grueling 82 game regular season, NBA players have already endured a great deal before the playoffs ever begin. So just imagine how tired you would be by Game 6 of the Finals, after playing about 100 games and participating in scores of practices and workouts. Now imagine you had thrown your back out…

The following is an excerpt from “Living By Your Why,” which can be found in the May 2011 issue of Powerline:

I am asked all the time what my motivation was for founding Market America, and what my inspiration is to keep going every day. From day one, I have always known that Market America was the perfect system for time and financial freedom with an infallible model, and I have wanted to introduce that to every person with an entrepreneurial spirit across the globe.

Although we are reaching new heights every day, we still have more people to reach, people who do not yet know what it means to be an UnFranchise Owner. That’s what motivated me 20 years ago when we were operating out of our three-bedroom rented home, and that keeps me going to this day.

The following is an excerpt from “Living By Your Why,” which can be found in the May 2011 issue of Powerline:

Several times throughout each year, I like to recharge, take a step back and reflect on where I’ve been and what I need to do next. At this time, I like to evaluate what I have done, what I’m not doing, and the reasons behind the decisions I have made. Halfway through the incredibly successful 2011 Blitz Tour, I did just that – it was time to take a break to recharge my batteries, get creative and get organized.

I’ve come to believe that we need to work at not getting into a rut, especially as entrepreneurs. A rut can be any routine that becomes drudgery; a pattern we repeatedly grind through without moving forward. There’s no doubt that I am a believer in “work hard, play hard” but even that mentality can eventually become somewhat of a routine. Time is our most valuable commodity and I am passionate about making it count and getting the most out of it.