I have always had an entrepreneurial bent to life. Whenever there were problems, the solution would ‘most of the time’ easily appear. As a child born in Walnut Creek, California, I had always been resourceful. Both of my parents worked and so I became very independent and self reliant. I taught myself how to cook at the age of 12 from the Betty Crocker cookboook , which I still have. Cooking was a self nurturing thing. Plus, my cooking and baking made other people happy. I was a ‘pleaser’ in my younger years, as I’ve grown older I have become more discretionary about who I choose to please.

Childhood Years

Back in the 1960′ and 70’s Walnut Creek had lots of orchards and rolling country hills. As a kid I would take off from my Grandparents house which bordered the hills, with my cousins and go exploring for hours. My cousins and I would roam through the hills discovering bugs, bees nests, snakes, herds of cows and one time even a dead horse. I was a tom boy and loved the outdoors. We would go cardboard sliding on the golden hills. We would be exploring until the sun went down. Then me and my cousins would go back to my Grandparents house for dinner and to watch the Walt Disney show. We also watch Bonanza and sometimes The Ed Sullivan Show.

I went to the same Elementary school my Mom and Uncle went to in Walnut Creek, named Parkmead. From there I went to the new school named Del Valle. In high school I hung out with both the ‘jock’ and the ‘grovers’. I started earning money babysitting kids in the neighborhood at the age of 14. I was a B student and was really drawn to Art classes. My folks didn’t allow me to take Art classes because they said you couldn’t get a job doing that. They said that I had to take typing and shorthand so I could be a secretary. I didn’t like that, but couldn’t agree with my folks who were very strick. My best friend was Kevin King. He and I would go over to eachothers’ house and cook or bake something after school. When my folks divorced in 1975, we would walk over to my Grandparents, where I lived for a while, house to cook or bake something. Kevin and I would walk downtown, go to See’s candystore and buy pounds of chocolate. I had two major boyfriends in high school. One of them, Mike Barnes, taught me how to fly fish which I still do to this day. I went to summer school and had a job as a dishwasher at the Walnut Creek Convalescent Home during the summers. I graduated in 1976, the Bi-centennial year. The next summer, Mike and I applied to work at at fly fishing camp up in Katmai National Park in Alaska. I got accepted to work as a cook, but Mike didn’t get accepted. I left home for the first time at 18 on a red eye flight from Oakland to Seattle with all my belongings, while my family waved goodbye with tears. It was toughest on my Mom. When I arrived in Katmai after taking four more planes to get there, I saw a double rainbow over the lake. I knew that I was in the right place. Robbie was the head cook and I was her sue chef. I made all the desserts and salads. We worked 7 days a week. But it was a great time. Mike made his way up there and became a fishing guide.

Young Adult Years

From high school I went to the nearest JV College-DVC or Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. My folks didn’t overly encourage me to go to a major college, because they never did. It wasn’t until my Mom got re-married to Marvin Starr, a famous tax real estate attorney, that I even thought that I could go to a major college. I went back to school, San Diego State University, at the age of 25. I was scared to death as I was the only person on both sides of the family to go to a ‘Real College’. I took General Studies, and art classes. I lived in an apartment in Mission Hills which was a beautiful area. From SDSU I transferred to Cal Poly, San Lusi Obispo and studied Horticulture. Before going back to school I worked as a private cook and gardener on a beautiful Spanish Hacienda in Orinda, CA. That is where I developed an appreciation for gardening and the finer things in life. During that time at the Hacienda I got married at the age of 22 to Jim Rease.

Disaster Strikes

We had a fun first few months, but then I had a stroke only four months after we were married. I was in a ballet class when the stroke happened, and had just moved up to the second level, I felt a horrible headache on my right temple. Six hours later I woke up in the hospital with Jim by my side. I kept my eyes shut, staying inside my peaceful world, realizing what had happened. When I opened my eyes, the nurses got busy poking and prodding me. Everyone was thrilled that I was conscious. But the only problem was, I couldn’t move my left side of my body. I was completely paralyzed on my left side from head to toe. But, in my heart I knew I was going to be okay. I trusted in God. Although I have never been religious, I’ve always had a very deep connection with God or the Universal Spirit. Religion has always intrigued me, and I’ve studied a few different religions, but felt more at home with the Buddhist Religion. The stroke made me realize how life is like a veil, as death is just on the other side. I slowly recovered from the stroke after 8 months. I had to learn how to walk again. I stayed in a ‘Stroke Convalescent Hospital’ for two months during the first part of recovery. I was the youngest patient since most people who have strokes are in their 60’s or more. Since my stroke I have taken more risks, traveled to great places and enjoy the finer things in life. Unfortunately, my marriage with Jim did not work out, but I will always cherish our few years together. So, I went back to school at the age of 25.

Graduation, Career and Love

I graduated from Cal Poly with my Horticulture degree in 1989. One of my favorite teachers, Thomas Ellesroth, took me under his wing when I expressed an interest in landscape photography. I became his best protogee and was published in several books and magazines. My best photo was a full two page spread in Horticulture Magazine, of the Buchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada. Tom’s photo of a squash was on the other side of the page. This was a classic case of the student outdoing the teacher! After graduating from College I took a job with a couple of different landscape architects and then started my own landscape company named Alamo Gardens. The company did well for a few years until we had a long, wet winter which left landscapers out of a job. I applied to Environmental Care Inc, (ECI), a large, private commercial landscape company and got accepted as the Interior Plant Manager. Also at that time I went through the MBA Entrepreneurial program at John F. Kennedy College in Walnut Creek. That was my favorite time in all my College days. At ECI it was fun working with other people in the office. And it was fun being in charge of the accounts and associates under me. During a weekend meeting in Orange County I noticed the dynamic speaker, Mike Carter, who was the head of the Interior department of the whole company and wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. After his talk, he came up to me and introduced himself. I almost fainted because he was one of the most powerful people in the company. He said that he wanted to ‘talk shop’ with me the next time he visited the Bay Area. I was taken back. He called me at my office the next week where we set up a dinner together. We met at the California Grill on California St. in Walnut Creek for dinner. Mike was so professional I had no idea he was interested in something other than talking ‘shop’. Our first ‘date’ at the restaurant lasted four hours. It turns out that we were both family orientated, liked to travel and enjoyed life. After one year of a long distance romance, we got married in 1998. We have had 16 happy years together and have traveled the world. I stayed with the company for a total of five years, then joined another landscape company in Silicon Valley to be their head sales and marketing person. I then worked for Land Services also for five years and tripled their clientele and employee base.

Entrepreneur Takes Hold

During my time of working at Land Services I was getting antsy to have my own business, be in control of my own destiny. Plus, I was competing with my new husband for the same commercial landscape contracts in Silicon Valley. Mike got transferred to San Jose as an Account Manager for ECI quickly becoming a Branch Manager. The joke was that I was sleeping with the enemy. During my lunch breaks at Land Services I read books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki; Good to Great by Jack Collins; Donald Trumps books; Real Estate Books, etc. I started a business named Jar Art which consisted of large decorative clear glass round jars filled with vibrant plastic fruits or vegetables that had a red wax top. My vision was to have all the Chilies and other similar restaurants use them as decorative pieces. I sold a few jars, but was too cautious about investing too much money into doing trade shows (which is what I should have done). I still have lots of jars and fruits in my garage. From there I learned about flipping real estate. I did a couple of contract sales, then the market got dicey in 2008 and I pulled out due to the recession. During one of my last real estate deals I was in Kinko’s getting some legal copies made when I noticed a cool book on the shelf. It was this guy laying in a hammock strung between two palm trees. It was Tim Ferriss’s first book, The Four Hour Work Week. I bought it and devoured it within a few days. That was my ticket. I had been working hard all my life and now with the internet I could build a business that makes sales on autopilot! Wow, that is what I wanted and that is what I am now doing to this day. But, it’s been a bumpy ride to say the least.

Online Marketing And My Book

On day I was looking for travel items on the computer and up came Ty Coughlin lounging in his hammock at his home in Hawaii. He said that as he was laying there, he was making money. I thought, “Wow, that is nice!” Ty was promoting the Reverse Funnel System which is a system to sell Global Resorts Network, a Private Travel Club. I bought the RFS and GRN. I am still a proud owner and promoter of Global Resorts Network. The RFS has gone by the wayside, but GRN is going strong. In fact, GRN has partnered with the Internet Lifestyle Network as their high ticket item. I have been an online promoter and student for four years. I have been in four other network systems, have attended many online marketing events and feel that I have the equivalent of a pH D in online marketing. I have spent a ton of money on things that have worked and haven’t worked. My knowledge is deep on with online marketing. And I am still learning. I teamed up Jay Conrad Levinson the father of Guerrilla Marketing and wrote my first book, Guerrilla Marketing to Baby Boomers. The book has done well and is available on Amazon.

In Closing

I know how it is to be an online marketer. The time freedom is awesome. I play tennis, look after our home, pets and garden. I work from my home office. I am never in commuter traffic unless I’m going to pick up my nephew from school or have to be at a tennis match. I shop went I want during the week and never have to stand in line. My stress is minimal and I am happy. I have a growing online income thanks to all my tenacity, to the Internet Lifestyle Network and to my patient husband. Mike is still a Branch Manager, but with all of my work, he will soon have the option to retire.

What I have to help you with your online business is :

*Proper mindset

*Realistic goal setting

*Social Media Training

*Getting the Right Leads

*Youtube Marketing Strategies

*Facebook Marketing Strategies

*Free Online Tools

*And much, much more

 

Let me be your guide in this vast online world. It can be a jungle of the worse kind, but it can also be a beautiful paradise if used correctly.

Together we can discover your paradise!

Click here for more information:

 

http://ILNwithkristi.com

https://www.facebook.com/kristiacarter