Amway is one… Chpt.1 pg.1 "MOD" book LGTWO.com " Amway is one of the most effective marketing and distribution companies in the world. Motivation and concern for others set Amway people apart form the rest of the crowd. They know that if you can change one person' s life for the better, you have helped a community and changed the world." * - Robert R. Holcomb, M. D., PhD. Our journey into the darkness began uneventfully. As a young, newly married couple, Kathy and I were very much in love and enjoyed spending as much time as we could together. I had a job as a Federal auditor, working for a branch of the Department of Energy. The position provided a good salary for a recent college graduate. It was a nice upgrade for me, after working in McDonald' s, factories, and cafeterias for minimum wage for most of my life.
I had moved out of my home my senior year of high school and understood, firsthand, what it was like to struggle. The struggles of life had overtaken my parents' marriage many years before. They each, in turn, found and re-married very special people and began new lives. I grew up living with my mother and stepfather.
In terms of a home environment, we did not have much money. Too many of the decisions seemed to revolve around what we could afford, not what was the most important to us. Money seemed to be a master that controlled our most important decisions. My mother and stepfather were hardworking, honest people. Despite this, we always seemed to struggle. This had a profound effect upon the manner in which I viewed success. As far back as I can remember, I wanted to succeed and to be in a position to help the people that I loved.
I landed my first real job at McDonald' s. Working the grill was a great learning experience. Many other employees were just putting in their time, but I was learning how businesses worked. One night the owner came in, shook hands with the employees, and then left in a powder blue Jaguar. Most of the other employees mocked him for being the " rich guy," but I was excited. I had heard his story. He started as a waiter and then met Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald' s. Ray took him under his wing and mentored him. It wasn' t long before he owned several McDonald' s restaurants. I just knew that if I worked hard enough, one day I would be like my boss. Perhaps he would be my mentor. Somehow, I knew that I, too, would become an entrepreneur.
Although bored with school, I read constantly. The usual focus of my reading was about real-life, " rags-to-riches" stories. The Horatio Alger stories intrigued me. I had no interest in get-rich-quick schemes. My focus was on people that founded successful businesses on a shoestring, faith, and hard work. Because of this, I started a lawn maintenance service and soon had over 30 customers. Through this experience, I learned a lot about both the good and bad nature of people. Some were kind and encouraging, while others treated me like the " yard boy."
I worked hard and finished high school. Soon after graduation, I was off to a large state college. For far too long, I majored in fun, and my grades reflected that. I was still searching for the right answers for my future. Then, because so many of my relatives had served in the U. S. military, I thought I should explore that avenue. I attended Marine Corps Officer Training Boot Camp at MCDEC (Marine Corps Development and Education Center) in Quantico, Virginia.
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Theft by Deception