In 1988 (when Corporate America was laying off many workers), I attended a "Wealth Training" Workshop (in Orlando, Florida) presented by Robert G. Allen (click here to see who he is).  The cost of the Workshop was $5,000 (that's right, five thousand dollars) for the 1-week participation.  I came back from that Workshop "energized" and (for ten years) taught "everything I knew" FREE OF CHARGE!  When I would fly to places like Boston, Ma. (for example), I purposely would pay MY OWN airline ticket and hotel fees, etc.  Before accepting any speaking engagement, I would say, "I will pay for my own airline ticket, I will pay for my own hotel...but I will teach you what I jolly well please".  I did this because the first twenty minutes of my presentation would always be entitled, "God's Laws for Success, Happiness, and Peace of Mind".  Afterwards, I would conduct my seminar/ workshop.

 

    I would teach by EXAMPLE! I would teach people how to buy properties with little or no money down (or how to "keep their homes" during trouble times).  One of my students (who later became an instructor) had bought 10 houses here in St. Petersburg, Florida.  He had also built his own home in Tarpon Springs.  One day (when I was having a yard sale in "a little building in back of my home"), he came by and left a check for $1,500 [I was gone at the time].  When I telephoned him and ask why he did it, his reply was: "I don't want to hear it.  You taught us that we should always give back... I had one of my houses in St. Pete that I wanted to sell (not for a lot of money, but to also be a blessing to someone)... This is your cut (share of the money)."

 

    I said to myself, "What am I going to do with this $1500?  I know...I will open up a Thrift/Antique Shop."  The first Shop, I opened one day a week (for 2 years) and outgrew it!  I moved to another location and opened two days a week for about 2 years.  Eventually I moved to this current location.

The rest is history.