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My Background

More Details…

I may be a successful Network Marketer now, but I haven’t always been one. Here’s a little background on how I found this amazing vehicle for freedom.

I grew up in College sports…

Rose Bowl 1975 My Dad was a Division I college Football Coach, Wrestling Coach, and Athletic Director. The kinda stuff people pack stadiums for, paint their faces and yell at the TV on Saturdays.

My Mom was an Operating Room Nurse which was a great profession to have when your husband is in college spots. She always landed a great job every time we moved.

I grew up around the gyms, football stadiums, locker rooms, coaches, players and spent my summers going to work with my Dad and usually having the equipment managers act as my daycare.

So I got to see a lot of great athletes, incredible coaches, and the fun addicting atmosphere of being involved in major college sports. We moved around a lot, but I thought it was cool plus we got to see a lot of different areas of he country.

Some of the places I lived as a Coach’s son

I was born in 1970 in Santa Barbara, CA lived there while my Dad was working for UC Santa Barbara (yep they really did play Tennessee in football), moved to Eugene, OR when I was 7.

We were now Oregon Ducks. Was standing on the sidelines when John Elway was chucking the ball all over the place for Stanford. Got the Ducks into some winning football seasons but nothing like what that program is today.

We even knew the guys that started Nike. Pretty crazy stuff.

Then we moved to El Paso, TX when I was 12. Culture shock to say the least. From the forest to a place that looked like the moon is what I liked to say. My Dad was now the Athletic Director at UTEP.

We stayed there a couple of years and then he became the Director of Football Operations for The University of Illinois Fighting Illini. We made it to the 1984 Rose Bowl.

Focused Dedication Pays Off

In High School Sports…

I went to high school at Champaign Centennial High School where I was the starting quarterback for 3 years.

The school was rated the worst high school in America for sports by Sports Illustrated the year before I got there (not joking…0-10 Football. 0-22 in Basketball. 2 years later we were in the playoffs.

I was basically a football “gym rat”. In the off-season I would drive my red Honda scooter over to the Illinois football facility and throw to the college players who were getting drafted, etc.

They always needed someone to throw to them. And I was that someone.

Time To Hang Up The Cleats…

At 5’10” I wasn’t the biggest quarterback, but I still wanted to play so I went to California to play in junior college…I went to two schools Delta College in Stockton, CA and then Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA.

I quickly realized I wasn’t going pro anytime soon and the dream of playing football came to an end…It was time to hang up the cleats. I felt relieved actually.

I just didn’t know what I was going to do.

I was kind of lost without a team, I didn’t know anybody at Orange Coast College so I got straight A’s and transferred to UC Santa Barbara where my Grandma lived.

But I was still lost on what I was going to do.

I wanted to be part of a team. Just never thought it would be the team I was about to join.

“I’m Never Joining The Army”

Did I Say That?

My brother, Rob, was an Army officer. I saw all the stuff he did and I was stuck in the mindset that I was not going to be going into the military.

I was fresh off chasing my football dreams. Wasn’t really sure I wanted to do ROTC at all. But I went to basic training (hated almost every second of it), refused their offer of a scholarship because I didn’t want to commit.

I still decided to be a part of the ROTC program and after the first quarter…I decided to commit and they gave me a scholarship.

There I learned from some great officers and senior non-commissioned officer on what it took to become an officer. It grew on me plus they paid for college and I knew what I would be doing after college.

The Surfrider Battalion was awesome and played a big part in who I am today…

The Day I Graduated UCSB…

The day I graduated from UC Santa Barbara, December 10,1993, I was commissioned as an Officer in the US Army.

Welcome To South Korea

Me on the DMZ with a North Korean soldier peering in on us…creepy for sure.

Tank Platoon Leader

I spent 12 months in Korea as an Armor Platoon Leader (Tanks) and Tank Company Executive Officer (2nd in command of 14 tanks).

2nd LT Swartz – South Korea, 1995

1994 With SGT Marchand In A Tunnel Between North Korea & South Korea

The Guy Who Would Later Introduce Me To My Wife! Crazy!!

From Korea I moved to Fort Hood, TX and served for six more years in an Armor Battalion (2nd in command a headquarters company of 300 soldiers and 150 vehicles) and later Division staff.

Wooing The Girl From Belize…

Stayed In After My 4 Years…

Army From Behind A Computer

Life As A “Staff Puke”

But all Army officers are groomed for moving up the ranks by serving on various staff positions. Affectionately known as “Staff Pukes.” All Officers loathe being “Staff Pukes” but unfortunately that is where most all officers spend their time. Someone has to plan everything…enter the officers. I found myself making elaborate power point presentations on antiquated computers for two and three star generals. It was literally “death by power point” as we use to like to say. Only it was killing us! I saw a future of making power points for generals

Why Not Try Out For Special Forces?

I knew I was not going to stay in the regular Army. While on a deployment to The National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA I hosted a US Army Special Forces Team. I bonded with them and they totally talked me into trying out for Special Forces (The Green Berets).

I returned from the deployment, put in my application and started training like a maniac. We’re talking 4AM 15 Mile Ruck marches by myself. I was in awesome shape. I partially wanted to get out of the Army, but I wanted to see what this would be like. So I went for it.

I spent 12 days of the 22 day course. The Land Navigation portion was tough, and I was doing terrible. My heart wasn’t in it so I walked up to one of the instructors and said, “I’m outta here!”

Went back to Fort Hood, TX. I didn’t owe the Army anymore time so I decided it was time to out…

I Got Of The Army September 1, 2000

I spent a total of almost 6 years and 8 months on active duty in the Army, I set out to do what I was ‘supposed to do’…find a J.O.B

Only Problem Was

I Didn’t Want A J.O.B.

What Were My Options?

Stay in the military and do 20 years.
Get a job in corporate America
A Government Contractor
Join one of the 3 letter agencies (you know FBI, CIA, etc)? (I even interviewed with the CIA…can you say Homeland anybody).
Go back to school.
Buy a franchise
Teach and Coach Football
Start my own business

Exit Strategy – No Plan Is Not A Good Plan

Honestly I didn’t really want to do any of this. I wanted to not have to answer to anyone and make a lot of money. Is that so wrong? I had the dream. I just didn’t have the vehicle to fund it. So I tried a few things…

Football, Gift Baskets, And The CIA?

So I decided to go with my passion. Follow your passion right? What color is your parachute and all that Wayne Dyer type of stuff. That’s what they say! See I was the son of a Division I College football coach and athletic director. I grew up around college football, played quarterback, coached high school football, and still loved the game. So I was thinking of going into football.

Corporate America? No Thanks…

All my peers were going I went through the JMO (Junior Military Officer) recruiting services to help you land a corporate America job. I went to like three of their conferences.

I was clueless. I was going for “Sales Jobs”…But I had no idea what that even meant.

I had no interest in any of these jobs. I wanted to be special. I wanted to be elite. I wanted to do something different…I didn’t want to work at some “Job”.

I Thought, “Man, This Totally Sucks!” I Am Going To Go Coach Football!

Sidebar: My Personal Development Journey

At 19 Years Old in 1989 I was watching informercials for Tony Robbins

Led Me To Charles J Givens Books and Tapes

I was putting their knowledge into practice. Heck I was a college student in ROTC and I was buying Janus Mutual Funds…

Led Me To Becoming The Real Estate Investor

I bought 2 houses and a 4-plex with land while I was stationed at Fort Hood, TX. Never figured out how to do it with no money down….but I thought I was going to become a real estate investor full time and never need a job after the Army.

Walked On Hot Coals With Tony Robbins

Made The Decision I Wanted To Be A Millionaire

I didn’t know how I was going to do it. I just knew I thought it sounded better than make $57,000 a year.

Lost $9700 Trying To Swing For The Fences With Terrible Stock Tips!

Sold Some Real Estate And Made $25,000 For A Little Financial Cushion

So thee I was a volunteer football coach and was making no money. Plus we were pregnant with crazy expensive COBRA insurance payments. I was a bit of an idiot at the time looking back.

I Figured Out My Passion With No Money Was Not Really My Passion

But I had to make the move. I was in a bit of a panic. But I still had a dream of being my own boss…no more taking orders, no more being told what to do…but I had no idea what to do which proved that I was the typical…

Not-Preneur

But I Read This Book

Kiyosaki Said The Wealthy Had Businesses And Didn’t Have Jobs

That sounded perfect to me…only minor detail was…what business was I going to do? And then there was the whole “I need money right now thing!”

I Searched Business Opportunity Magazines At Barnes & Noble

Couldn’t Afford A Subway Franchise

Spent $3500 On A Gift Basket Franchise

Wasted $5000 On Little Candy Vending Machines (#$@&%”!)

It wasn’t pretty. I was not going to be able to make enough to keep from getting a job.

Football was out since I couldn’t afford to coach for free, I didn’t have a teaching certificate and new high school teachers pay was so pathetic I would be making what a private in the Army made.No thanks.

I spent over $18,000 on business ventures and was no further ahead. I guess that is what they call experience.

Then I got a call from…

The CIA- I Didn’t Think They Would Actually Call…

I even applied to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and found myself at their secret interview.

Let’s just say they kept saying that we would have millions of dollars to recruit foreign assets to help us spy. I would be making like $47,000 starting out…less than I was making in the Army and all I could think about was that I wanted the millions.

So instead of creating an international spectacle of myself, I self selected myself right out of that process. I knew I wasn’t a good candidate. No matter how much I like Homeland now. I am glad I didn’t do it. At the time I was still not happy because…

Corporate America Looked Like It Was My Only Choice

But I Still Held On To A Glimmer Of Hope

That Residual Income Was Real…

And Then it appeared in November 2000, I read a book by a NY Times Best Seller, Robert G. Allen, who said Network Marketing was his favorite stream of residual in come.

I thought he had lost his mind.

The image was still burned into my mind of me peeling in my Z-28 Chevy Camaro as I left the parking lot of a hotel because my friend tricked me into going to a “financial seminar” AKA hyped up, network marketing hotel meeting in Killeen, TX.

And then there was my other army buddy begging me “to do him a favor” and switch my cell phone bill and electric service. I thought begging is not a business. Pathetic.

It all seemed a bit ridiculous and nothing that would get me out of having to get a job “in the real world.” But this author was convincing because he wasn’t just generalizing about doing something like so many financial authors do. He was ACTUALLY doing it. So I got started. I was ready.

I Did Get That Job…But I Had A Plan

So I ended up applying for Dell Computer (now they just call it Dell) and got a job as a Operations Supervisor. 30 seconds standing on the Dell factory floor…I was slightly panicked. “How the heck did I end up here?”

I now worked in a freakin’ factory!! This is exactly what I didn’t want. Me as an insignificant cog in a big wheel.

Dream Job? I Worked In The Picture Below

Over Qualified And Under Motivated…

Even worse I had been in charge of 350 people and over 100 vehicles in the army and now this lame, civilian boss was giving me council on how to lead my group of 20 employees. It was a bit underwhelming to say the least. But the J.O.B. gave me stability financially. So that was good.

Working Full Time On My Income

Part Time On My Fortune

My mindset was this. I was an Operations Supervisor at Dell working in Server Manufacturing. It all sounded important…but to me I treated it in my mind like I was “waiting tables” like an actor does waiting on their big break. Only I wasn’t working to be an actor. I was working to have residual income and not have a job.

My big break was to be full time in network marketing. I kind of believed it was possible but not 100%…not even close.

Military leadership 101 is make a decision. Don’t waffle back and forth- this is where you get everyone killed. Make a decision and move forward.

I still held on to the idea that I could do something better for myself so I…

Took My First Paycheck At Dell And Got Started In Network Marketing

I was suppose to buy a crib for the soon-to-be born baby.

I got nutritional products and skincare that I quickly hid in the closet. My wife was not impressed.

I was sort of doing nothing in my business and busy working at Dell…

After Two Months In I Made This

But two and half years later I doubled my Dell salary with my network marketing business and my wife was quite okay with that situation.

Quit Dell in 2003 – Never Required A J.O.B. Again

When I started, I had no idea what I was doing and ran into S-E-V-E-R-A-L road blocks along the way but bottom line through network marketing I was able to create a part time, six figure network marketing income that allowed me to quit my job at Dell in 2.5 years.

Network Marketing Millionaire In Five Years

Since 2003 I’ve averaged over $5000+ a week through network marketing.

Searched For Non-Hype Training

I had heard of the all time classic video Brilliant Compensation.

In 2004 Listened To Professional Inviter

Moved To Clearwater Beach, Florida

Professional Relationship Turns To Real Friendship

Pitched My Network Marketing Company On A New Division

The ownership of that company initially said yes and then decided they didn’t want to do it. However their management team did…that team left and offered me a very rare opportunity. Quite frankly I was bored with my company and was looking for something new and exciting. It was not an easy decision but it was the best move I ever made…

Major Decision Turns Into MASSIVE Opportunity

I was invited to a meeting with 13 other people to hear about the launch of this new company. I already knew what was going on so I didn’t miss it. We moved from Tampa, FL out to San Jose, CA and went to this meeting on the way…