Just Picture It Now: April 2008

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

It Just Keeps Getting Better...

April must have certainly felt like a long April Fools joke to a select few, but to those of us in YTB it’s been one of the most remarkable months in memory, even for this RTA’s 3 year history of the company.

First, the Annual Report comes out verifying $141 Million in revenue, $414.5 Million in Travel Sales, and $3.2 Million in profit. News of this prompted news of YTB being some sort of “Travel Darling”.

Then after combing through financial records once filed with the SEC, and having years worth of statements audited and then refilled, we submit our application to an FIRNA Member firm and are approved to move our stock listing back to the OTC.

Now to close out the month, we find that Burt L. Saunders, a Florida State Legislator who was actually announced at the National Convention was named to our Board of Directors.

But news I didn’t even know anything about, (and I chewed my up-line Director out for this) is the announcement of former Carnival President and Chief Executive Officer Robert H Dickinson to the YTB International Board of Directors as well.

Are you KIDDING ME??!!

Nope…Here’s the Press Release and we have also filed with the SEC as to their Compensatory Arrangements for being a Board Member.

Remember my 6 Month Checkup?

Looks like the test results have all come back in, and YTB has a very clean and promising Bill of Health! And what is the opposition doing about all this? Well, if you think the Traditionalist are a little worried...your right. Looks like they have their own Convention to discuss little ol’ YTB. Not surprisingly, it looks like not everyone is on board with this idea, and there’s already bickering and dissension within the ranks. How I’d love to be a fly on the wall right now.

By the way, if you want to find out what’s REALLY going on with YTB and how we’re doing, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. I’ll have the May monthly out tomorrow and with all this news AND our lead story has a video of a news clip that will give you a sneak peak at what will be unveiled at the National Convention inside the Edward R. Jones Dome.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Travel!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: Board of Directors, Burt L. Saunders, Robert Dickinson, YTB International

Posted by TravelPro at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments

Comic Relief

I was asked to fill in for my Second Level Director Monday night to do a YTB Presentation. We had a couple of guests who were running late and while we were waiting the subject turned to my “Dear John” post on Sunday with a basic line of question and answers about Anti-MLM’ers and this small group of Traditional Travel Agents which can be generalized as “What is their problem?!”

Being among friends and knowing that they obviously have a much higher level of understanding and appreciation for what YTB is really all about, I began to list the pile of myths, misconceptions, rumors, and flat out lies about our company in a very comical way.

While I had them laughing and shaking their heads in disbelief over how anyone could be so far out in left field after so much time, study and focus has been dedicated to our model and company, it paled in comparison to what was forwarded to me yesterday morning and the following comedy of errors.

Anti-MLM’ers have always tried to justify their position with examples and the experience of others. Of course none of it is their own, they have none, so they take the word of someone else as fact and try to parade that around as their proof that MLM just doesn’t work.

As of yesterday, I was introduced to a couple of “Ghost Writers” who claim to be well educated, intelligent people one inside and one outside of the Travel Industry who happen to agree that Travel MLM’s have had a horrible impact on society as a whole. The two have collaborated together and have “caught up with” one Robert Fitzgerald to get his take on Travel MLM’s. Mr. Fitzgerald was our “expert” and was quoted and referenced his book, “False Profits” discussing how we MLM’ers basically take advantage of you poor unsuspecting souls.

As it turned out, our Anti-MLM’ers may want to consider drinking our Kool-Aid because whatever they’re drinking is not only causing them to forget the names of who they’ve “caught up with”, but which company and industry they are actually talking about!

Check this out and get a tissue because it may bring tears to your eyes from laughing so hard.

You see, Robert Fitzgerald is actually Robert Fitzpatrick. Robert Fitzgerald was a Poet who died in 1985, Robert FitzPatrick is the one they “caught up with”. How someone could forget the name of who they “caught up with” is one thing, but it gets even better when you realize the referenced book they report as FitzPatrick’s “take on Travel MLM’s” was actually written back in 1997, four years before YTB was even founded!

Oh, but it gets even better in the comments section below the post. It turns out, John Frenaye didn’t actually write the post, a woman suddenly appears in this Bad Mix, who nobody has ever seen or heard of before by the name of Kate Holmes who comes to John’s rescue to take responsibility as a “Guest Writer” for this RICH piece of work, which has turned out to be nothing but a comedy of errors.

Being a HUGE NFL Football fan, I could just hear Chris Berman’s voice giving the highlights of this gem with his “Rumblin’ Bumblin’ Stumblin’”

I don’t think I laughed that hard in a long time. These pour souls try everything under the sun to try to maim and malign our Company, and this new found Anti-MLM Zealot they “caught up with” it’s just one more example of how stupid they think people really are.

I’ve been in MLM far longer than these minions have been researching the subject, and any Anti-MLM Zealot worth their salt knows who Robert Fitzpatrick is and he is the cause of so MANY of the myths, legends and lies that are simply regurgitated as fact by those who don’t have the experience themselves to make an informed, educated decision about Network Marketing.

The “99% of all MLM’ers fail” bit…FitzPatrick.

It’s going to “eventually collapse” theory…FitzPatrick.

You’ll “loose all your friends and family” business…FitzPatrick.

And because like John Frenaye, FitzPatrick has been published, we are suppose to take his word as being some sort of “authority” and “expert” in the field of MLM and Network Marketing. If you truly want to get a good, and accurate picture on just who and what Robert Fitzpatrick is all about, and why Zealots feel and act the way they do, you need read a great piece of work by one of the smartest and most effective communicators I’ve ever come across. Len Clements has some 16 years of full time experience in the Network Marketing industry and did an excellent investigative piece back in 2005 on not only FitzPatrick, but both of his propaganda books, “False Profits” (1997) and “Pyramid Nation” (2002).

There are other names you will find that Len takes on with in his piece “Anti-MLM Zealots, Me Thinks Dos Protest Too Much” and I encourage you to read if you have time, or you can just pick up some of the key names and the Readers Digest condensed version from a post I did when I was introduced to all of them during my days of posting on Scam.com.

After the tone and anger of Sunday’s post, I felt it was time to share some “comic relief” and give all of you a good laugh mid week. Some may consider this as only an attempt to poke and attack John personally, and you’re not that all that far off in truth. I still consider this guy a Zealot and when I have something this rich to point at him showing how he constantly trips all over himself day after day with his campaign against a company that I love and respect of course it becomes personal.

Now that he and this other “Guest Writer” have been exposed, John in a classic move is trying desperately to burry this gem with a couple of posts directed at two other former members of YTB.

One post brings “American Destinations” into question with some senior party trip down to Jamaica. Could it be an educational trip to Kingston to learn about the British struggles with Pirates in the 18th Century, you never know. And early this morning for good measure a telling tale of copy and paste of a couple of e-mails, (the last one mine) of how a “Professional Scum Bag” sells some fabricated story of how Coach flies him up to Wood River, only to be scam Coach himself and be kicked out.

I don’t know if it will ever end with John and his Chain of Fools. But I’d suggest that at least for the moment, have a good laugh over this one. It’s very therapeutic and since they enjoy so much misery at our expense, I think it’s fair that we have a good laugh at theirs.

By the way, if you want to find out what’s REALLY going on with YTB and how we’re doing, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. I’ll have the May monthly out tomorrow and our lead story has a video of a news clip that will give you a sneak peak at what will be unveiled at the National Convention inside the Edward R. Jones Dome.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Travel!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: Anti-MLM, John Frenaye, Len Clements, MLM Myths, Robert FitzPatrick

Posted by TravelPro at 5:56 AM | Permalink | Comments

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Dear John

WARNING: The content, topic and links in this post are not only inappropriate for children, but may also be extremely offensive to women. (And males with even an ounce of integrity or ethics.)

I’ve personally been called a lot of things in my life. I have also been ridiculed and scorned buy a group of individuals who are obviously upset I am involved with a company who is changing their industry without their permission. I don’t particularly mind the attention or ridicule; I’m a big boy and can handle anything that comes my way. If I didn’t like the heat, I should stay out of the kitchen.

Picking on me is one thing, but picking on an innocent, respectable, nurturing, woman, Mother, and Minister is another. With Mothers Day coming just around the corner, I’d like you to think of your own Mother for a moment. More than likely, if I or anyone else ever met your Mom, she would be much like the Mother I was introduced too some time ago. You can read about this Mother and Minister from her bio, and you like me, you would think that she is quite remarkable. As a Minister, you would believe that she is an honest, responsible individual with not only an understanding of the word integrity, but someone who lives with integrity and truth on a daily basis and certainly knows right from wrong.

However, she has one fatal, glaring blemish on her bio; that of being associated like me as a YTB RTA. That blemish makes her fair game to not only be called out, but publically scorned, ridiculed and dragged through the mud on a blog and forum by a bunch Thugs.

On Friday, April 25th, once former “friend” and “colleague” in the Travel Industry, John Frenaye posted an absolutely horrid article that called out this woman and accused her of being a liar. The post went on along with some 69 comments on Friday and Saturday until the comments got so out of line, even he closed them. Accusations ran ramped the entire day, as it so often does on the cesspool of bandwidth, that this Mother and Minister is someone without morals, ethics, or a shred of credibility simply because, like me, she’s proud of what our company has been doing in our industry. John and his band of Thugs used not only very belittling and demeaning language, but John himself used a very graphic picture of a child extruding his middle finger, giving this woman, Mother, and Minister “the bird”. Would you show your own mother the bird? We at one time assumed that John wouldn’t, but that idea or belief has now been proven wrong.

How anyone could get so emotionally charged concerning such an apparently innocent and non threatening woman may be in question right now, but evidently, John being the crazed, obsessed, and paranoid individual he is took exception of a post this woman made concerning YTB merging with a 27 year old company based outside of Clarksburg, West Virginia, American Destinations. Since this crackerjack Journalist couldn’t find a verifiable source to substantiate the post; that in his mind was justification to use a foul and offensive picture and words to match to drag this Mother through the mud.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of being introduced to John Frenaye, be truly thankful. He claims to be some sort of “New Breed” of Travel Agent and Journalist, and has been published over the years, and thus has gained the respect of a few followers and co-workers in the industry. As of late, John has lowered his Journalistic efforts and has spent an increasing amount of time researching (cough) and posting daily on his hideous blog of what he has found digging up what he considers “dirt” on our company and its Independent Contractors. I’m sorry, make that “RAT’s”, and no, that’s not a typo for RTA; it’s what he and his Goons call us. (Professional, don’t you think?)

John spent an entire week, (assuming that he reads all YTB Blogs like he does mine on a daily basis.) attempting to find any type of documentation or verifiable source of what this woman posted as having any truth. He made a “quick call” to American Destinations, and sent several very demanding and demeaning e-mails to this Mother, Minister and RTA demanding proof of her findings. She simply responded that a Director had informed her of this information.

As it turns out, not only did a Director inform her, Director Jeanie Sharpless informed the rest of the company of this merger on a Company Training call on Monday, April 21, with the owner of ADI and former RTA Curtis Edwards and his son Nicholas, on a Company Conference call. (It is my understanding that Curtis and his family had to resign as RTA’s as their role with YTB has now changed.) These are recorded and archived in our back office, enabling me (and you) to listen to the call from Monday night. Many of you not only know of Jeanie, but respect and admire all she does for us in Training and educating us how to sell more and more Travel. ($414.5 Million worth of Travel in 2007) Are we to assume that Jeanie could be in fear of being labeled in the same category as Regina then? What about Curtis’s wife and Mother to Nicholas?

After listening to the archived Company call and then going back to this hideous post and reading the comments from these arrogant yet oh so shallow group of Thugs, I began to wonder who in their right mind would do something like this?

Vultures do this, wild dogs do this, hyenas do this, parasites do this, but human beings should certainly not be categorized in this class of life form who rip and tear into someone who they think is beneath them. But somehow, there it was, for the entire world to see, and being from such a low class of life, they appear to feel justified in their actions and accusations towards this woman, Mother and Minister because try as some obliviously made to defend and help Regina, not one RTA was able to provide the proof John felt he needed to inform him that her post was accurate and true.

Anything associated with YTB by the way is automatically either suspect or in question, no matter how valid or solid the information may appear to be. It’s MLM, and we MLM’ers are the problem, NOT someone like John and his Followers.

To me, and this is strictly my opinion, I have to question how anyone could be so obsessed and paranoid over our company to get them so constipated about who we are and what we do that they can’t find a strong enough laxative, cleanse, or enema to cure what ails them. After watching and dealing with such arrogance and anger from this group for as many years as I have, I actually believe they truly enjoy their misery. Their anger and hatred towards anyone associated with our company, no matter what any individual’s motives are or how pure a human being may appear to be outside of YTB, if you’re in YTB, you are absolute scum.

While I understand that this class of life, especially John, feel justified in their actions, I have to wonder what single Moms would think of John’s post and graphic picture who have or are considering utilizing and purchasing travel services from Travels With Fred or his partnership with his Single Parent Travel web site and businesses. Did he ever stop to think how a Parent would feel about this post not knowing anything about YTB or this woman and Minister? Many people on the outside of his band of Thugs know nothing about YTB, although he is trying in vein to inform them. (With his false and misleading information no less.)

I’m betting he didn’t, but I’m also betting that the internet being the powerful source of research that it is, many single Mothers can and will Google John Frenaye and Single Parent Travel or Travels with Fred, and while they may not find the cesspool he calls a blog, (instead as of now finding something about the 10 Commandments of Travel??!!) they will begin to find this blog and post complete with a PDF copy of the post for download and a mirror of the blog’s source code as a copy of his handy work so the entire ordeal can be kept permanently for everyone to reference. (Just in case this post kicks him in the rear hard enough to relieve him of his apparent constipation.)

Again, I remind the readers how explicit the content of both links, as they are complete with graphic and comments but I firmly believe it may help his clients understand just what this man is made of. I think it’s only fair that John’s clients be allowed to judge on their own if John and Single Parent Travel might be a bad mix. Don’t you?

If they’re like me, or you, they would be terrified or at the very least ashamed to be associated with this filth, but not John, he’s standing by his convictions. He so certain this woman lied, and because she’s associated with YTB, anyone who finds this post will certainly side with him.

Are you as interested as I am to see how all this unfolds? Can you Just Picture It Now?

I wish I could express to John how badly he "stepped in it" this time. I’ve expressed to him personally when we actually communicated privately together how his anger, resentment, and obsession with this company have truly gotten the best of him. I’ve never been able to reach him in that regard, and now it appears that his unwillingness to listen could lead to some very unfortunate circumstances.

Going after someone like me is one thing, but going after a woman, Mother, and Minister the way he did with Regina is so far out of bounds, I can’t put it into words. (Imagine that, ME without words?!) I’m dumbfounded, stumped, and ashamed that I even associated with the likes of him and his band of Goons. This goes against every molecule, cell, and fiber of my being.

But that’s just me.

So, it’s come to this. It’s come down to me going public myself and saying to John, “Come here Boy…why don’t you come pick on someone your own size?”

By chance, you might be thinking that this Mother Regina isn’t capable of taking care of herself. Well, you might think again. I’m six foot and 215 pounds, and if my Mother who is five foot nothing found out that I picked on an innocent Mother and Minister the way John just did, she’d grab me by my ear, take me out to the back of the wood shed, and whip me with a long leather strap.

(Hmmm, anybody know John’s Mom?)

Dear John,

You owe this woman a public apology, and maybe you could even purchase and send her flowers for Mothers Day from her own web site if it you think it might help. But I don’t think your man enough… no make that human enough, to actually swallow that pride of yours and offer up something apologetic or sincere. You’re cold as ice buddy, and I have to question if someone like you even has a pulse let alone any remorse for what you have done to this Mother and Minister.

Furthermore, if you think you can offer up an apology just to get some sort of retraction or comment out of me, think again. You deserve every bit of what you have coming to you, and while Regina is a Christian woman who has forgiven you, you’re not going to be quite as lucky with me. I’ll still think you’re a “Tool” and you’re going to have to do considerably more than a simple apology or retraction in order for me to even entertain any idea of changing my belief that you are nothing more than the Coward, Fraud and Zealot that you are.

Just Picture It Now, I remind you that this woman you so blatantly attacked has the faith, character and strength to not only pray for you, but forgive you for what you have done. Kind of whittles down that big strong “man image” you try so hard to portray, don’t it?

I’ll leave you with this John…

I exchanged e-mail’s with Andy Cauthen earlier this week concerning your post and obsession over Hickory Travel Services, which by the way, you have absolutely no proof or documentation of. He has invited you and any of your other Thugs who care to up to the home office to discuss any issues you have with our Company. You have an open invitation to discuss directly with people who are responsible for and have lost complete control of rouge RAT’s like Regina Osei.

While I can’t promise, I bet they’ll even pick you up in the Company Jet. Not to show off, but to assure you that they’re on their way, since you are tracking every place this plane flies. This way you can be notified via e-mail just as soon as the flight plan has been filed.

Think about it…and if you’re man enough to take on someone your own size instead of a harmless, innocent woman, let me know. You know where to find me.

If not, you can go pound sand with the rest of your Goons. We’re taking over this industry our way, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it Pal.

To the rest of the good, decent, hard working RTA’s in YTB;

It is my belief that we need to send a very strong message to John Frenaye. Please excuse my French here, but John is so constipated the man thinks his shit doesn’t stink.

So, if you are as appalled as I am over John’s behavior, I invite you to let the general public decide if John’s business is worth patronizing and let the chips fall were they may.

And we’re going to do it the only way we know best. “Word of mouth advertising”.

If you have a blog I want you to write an article about how appalled you are over this lame stunt of John’s and his attack on an innocent Wife, Mother, and Minister, you’re colleague in YTB. I would also recommend for rankings that you point people to this very post. (The more links to this post and site, the more likely it will be found on the first page of the search engines.)

http://travel-pro.blogspot.com/2008/04/dear-john.html

If you know how to use tags, or keywords in you blog please insert the following:

John Frenaye, George Dooley, MSNBC, Tripso, Travels with Fred, Single Parent Travel, JVE Group, ASTA, Travel Agent Issues, Brick and Mortar, Home Based Travel Agent, MLM and Travel a Bad Mix.

If you participate in forums and other message boards, please post how appalled you are concerning John’s actions and in both cases let it be known to your Company is the “New Breed” of Travel Agent. Which happens to be legitimate and respectable business and can be found at http://www.ytb.com/.

I realize that many of you are Christian’s and may like Regina and Coach, turn the other cheek and simply pray for John, and forgive him. Please understand that praying for him will also help John and I commend you for beliefs and those actions as well.

This is your choice, but I also believe that something needs to be done concerning the Cancer we have among us.

To Regina and her family;

I’m sorry about all this. I can’t control John and his actions. Nobody can. I can’t tell you how much I admire and respect your decision to pray for and forgive John. I do agree with you, he is a troubled soul, and he certainly needs the hand of God to help him through his troubles.

I want you to know that you are not only remarkable, but loved throughout this company. I truly believe that. YTB is like family to me, and you are certainly part of it.

Please accept my sincere apology and feel the love and warmth I have for you at this very moment.

In closing, I’m not sure if I will post the rest of this week. I need to at least take a shower after swimming in this mud and filth of John’s. I also need to work on letting the anger and resentment I have towards John right now go. Airing my beliefs and feelings here certainly helps. We may find the “documentation” John needs to make the retraction he claims he’ll make. If so, I might inform all of you.

If not, try to have a great week in spite of the tone it has started.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: ASTA, Brick and Mortar, George Dooley, Home Based Travel Agent, John Frenaye, JVE Group, MLM, MSNBC, Network Marketing, Single Parent Travel, Travel Agent Issues, Travels with Fred, Tripso

Posted by TravelPro at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, April 24, 2008

To Recruit or Not Recruit - That Is The Question...

I received a comment on Tuesday from someone who was looking into YTB. While doing their due diligence and research on the internet they came up with an interesting question.

There is a ton of information out there concerning our company. Unfortunately, depending on who you find, you’re going to get differing opinions concerning just what YTB is, and what YTB does. It use to be that the problem was with our own rank and file, but there seems to be a new player in the mix, and it appears that this new player can’t keep their story straight.

Here’s our problem found in the comments section of Tuesday’s post:

“I’ve been doing some research on the internet and there seems to be a difference of opinion that I hope you can straighten out.

I’ve seen numbers from the Annual Report that the majority of the money made in YTB comes from recruiting.

I’ve also seen numbers from another report that claim that nobody makes any money recruiting.

I was assured that I did NOT have to recruit anyone into this business as our interest lie in selling all-inclusive vacations to family and friends.

Which is right?”

Anon,

I think I have a very special understanding of where you’re coming from. When I first joined YTB in January of 2005 all I wanted to do was sell cruises. While I was aware of the recruiting aspect of YTB, I avoided recruiting like the plague. I was always told by others that MLM was not a “respectable” way to make a living. Many people have a real phobia about recruiting based on what they hear from others who think they know what recruiting is.

So, I can appreciate your concern about being forced to recruit in MLM. It wasn’t until I actually got involved with MLM that I found out that this notion about “recruit recruit recruit” was nothing more than another one of many myths surrounding the industry. I actually commented on my first year anniversary about what I first thought about the recruiting aspect of YourTravelBiz.com.

“…I didn’t see the whole picture, now that I look back. Oh sure, there was a business and money to be made, but that kind of luck and opportunities go to other people, not someone like me.”

I continued a littler further down the post.

“…I heard about the money that could be made and the bonuses, I heard about the tax benefits, I heard about the leadership, but I listened to the "sell a cruise and get paid" part more than anything else.”

Like you, what caught my eye was YTB Travel Network not the recruiting aspect of the business. If selling cruises was a good enough reason for me, then certainly selling all-inclusive packages should be a good enough reason for you. Besides, both products offer the most lucrative commissions available in our industry.

Now on to which is right. Either all the money is made from recruiting or nobodies making money recruiting.

I happen to love this. I’ve been bombarded with comments here and elsewhere that our critics have YTB all figured out claiming “numbers don’t lie” but depending on which numbers our critics are using, both set of numbers seem to pitch different vantage points and tell a different story. It’s clear to me that while critics yammer on about how much they know, many are only confusing smart people like you who are truly looking at this company in an objective way.

If you look at both sets of numbers you will find that while there is a considerable amount of money generated from recruiting people into our business. These huge numbers are generated from a very small percentage of people who actually recruit. All this fuss about all this recruiting everyone is doing is being generated by only 20% of the people in our company. That’s not even close to the “majority” but somehow, they claim that all any of us do. “Recruit - Recruit - Recruit”! Both the company numbers and my own experience with my team can confirm that recruiting is not the focus of the most of our members.

So you happen to be in very good company.

The only reason it appears to be such a big issue is because of the fears and phobias surrounding “recruiting”. Because they fear it so much, it’s all they really talk about. But FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real based on what the numbers actually tell us.

YTB has two separate business entities and I receive two 1099’s from the Home Office. One from YourTravelBiz.com for recruiting, and one from YTB Travel Network for selling travel. You are free to work one, the other, or like myself both.

I also see and hear that while nobody is making any of this money recruiting, we are also loosing money to boot. Somehow we need to recruit in order to get our investment back.

You are not paying a dime for joining YTB to recruit anyone. The Rep position in our company is a FREE position. It’s on all our Marketing Materials and on all company approved web sites to Market the YTB opportunity.

“The YTB companies offer two unique and powerful opportunities, that of referring travel agent or "RTA" and that of independent marketing representative or "REP". The travel agent opportunity has an initial fee under $500 and a monthly license fee of $49.95. There is no fee or travel agency purchase required to be a REP. You may choose to participate in one or both opportunities.”

Not one dime of your “one time” investment or monthly fee is tied to recruiting. Your investment in the company is tied to the Travel side, and because no one invests into YTB to simply participate in the recruiting aspect, no one looses anything for not being able recruit. Kind of hard for people at the bottom of this so called pyramid to loose anything if no ones investing in it in the first place, and that’s why we’ve been untouched by any Government entity, State or Federal, for our entire existence.

Everyone is on the same level playing field with their investment into YTB Travel Network and that money tracks your Travel commissions, sends out weekly Steals and Deals to clients, and provides the proper documentation for the trips that you book for your clients.

I will further confirm for you that none of your “clients” need to know a single thing about the recruiting aspect of our company if you choose not too. My business cards only have the YTB Travel Network logo on them and the only web site on the business cards are for BandBVactions.com. If you look at this web site you will not find any mention of recruiting or joining anything. It’s a travel web site just like any other and its purpose is to sell travel, nothing more.

Don’t be surprised however if a client asks you “how did you get started”? If they ask, feel free to tell them, and while it may shock you, like it did me the first time it happened, they will want to join your team. They see how passionate you are, and they also see how much fun you are having doing what you do. It’s not recruiting when they WANT to be a part of what you are doing.

Lastly, I would like to close with this. This is YOUR business. Please don’t get caught up in what others want you to make it. This includes your Sponsor and Power Team Leader, and especially any critics who want to tell you that you’re going about this all wrong. Critics have never been involved with MLM in most cases, and I’ve learned from experience what they actually know. (I even wrote a book about it, which you can download for free!)

I’ve been told far too many times that I need to join a Host Agency to gain respect or to become successful. I’m not walking in anyone else’s shoes but my own, and unless I choose to let anyone else decide for me what makes me happy, successful or respectable, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. I’ve had some of the best success of my entire life with this company, and I also have far better friendships than ever before.

That being said, I can’t tell you that the answer to that question can be found in YTB for you. All I can tell you is that it is for me. I love this company, I love the leadership, and while I don’t like the critics, I’m glad to see you’ve caught on to the spin a lot quicker than I did. I count on people just like you who are smart enough to ask someone who can set the record straight.

When and if you do join YTB, please be sure to come back and sign up for our free newsletter and 7 Day Quick Start Guide. It is a very valuable resource to help you get off on the right foot and I do focus on a lot of Travel related topics and issues.

I sincerely hope I’ve been able to help you weed through all the garbage out there. I know there’s a ton of it, and most of it as you can see is pure bunk. Any negativity is purely based on fear and lack of understanding about just who YTB is and what YTB does. Stick with listening to those of us who at least have the experience and documentation to back up what they say.

Warm Regards,

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: Annual Report, Critics, MLM Myths, Recruiting, YTB Travel Network

Posted by TravelPro at 5:54 AM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

That Didn't Take Long...

Looks like the move over to the OTC-BB didn’t take very long. As of Monday, YTBLA.OB became the new ticker symbol for our Class A Common Stock.

I told you that some critics would be yammering that this was no big deal, or something is STILL fishy and like a book, I found many of the watering holes attempting to discredit what just happened. I even paid a visit to an old board that I grew tired of just to see how some of the old favorite Anti-YTB Zealots would try to spin all this.

True to form, I found one of the most obnoxious and outspoken critics of YTB steeling bandwidth over on Scam.com. I’ve mention this Zealot before. Or should I make that plural? I’m not sure, because this same cat went by the name of MJ363 before he was officially shown the error of his ways last summer and sent packing, only to come back as ChrisN to start his whole “YTB looks like a pyramid” theory all over again.

My guess is that because he could never find anyone who would agree with him as MJ363, he decided to create an alias of ChrisN to make it look like somebody actually agreed with what he was yammering about.

Apparently, YTB managed to slide under the radar of the SEC once again, and the argument is that if the Government would actually look at our Financials we’d be found to be an illegal pyramid scheme.

We’ve been doing this for years and the frustration is that even with all the attention and mud they try to throw up on the internet, the Government is just being slow to catch on. To be honest, I can appreciate that particular theory, but there are instances when it just gets a little too obvious that someone had to have looked at our financial picture and put two and two together the way these Anti-MLM Zealots have.

One of the favorite pieces, that got thrown up all the time, but don’t see much of any more is a Los Angeles BBB report from July 2005 which stated that they believe YTB to be an illegal pyramid. Many confused the BBB as an actual Government entity, and claims that YTB’s days were numbered were running all over the internet. One of the most popular threads that remain on the front page of Scam.com was started on July 14th, 2005. While pyramid theories are still going strong after more than 89 pages of banter and 3500 posts, YTB is still here.

Two years ago, they also came close in July of 2006, when the Attorney General in Florida opened up an “investigation” concerning one of our top producers. It was truly the first sign for them that the Government was finally catching on and our days were numbered. By November, YTB was told that the corporate entity had been cleared, and the investigation was closed concerning our Top Producer without any Civil or Criminal case ever being filed.

If we fast forward to Monday, April 21st, we find that someone of authority gave the all clear to upgrade our company listing from YTBLA.PK to YTBLA.OB. Last I checked the SEC is a Government entity, but apparently we’re back to having YTB slip through the cracks of obvious illegal activity once again, and questions are still swirling concerning inaccurate accounting practices, and questionable “Pump and Dump” by Directors in our company.

And yes, I have been told both here and on various forums that my post on Friday is nothing more than an “opinion” and I have no proof that the FIRNA Member YTB filed with even looked at the forms and paperwork in order to grant this move from Pink Sheets over to the OTC. For some, there are still questions and concerns that have been unanswered, and the frustration for them seems to be mounting, especially after yesterday’s development.

It’s my belief that part of that frustration may stem from the fact that many of the Critics used Yahoo link too, and while there have been years and years of messages, press releases, and financials tied to YTBLA.PK on Yahoo, none of them are working as of Monday morning. Now, when anyone finds a link or thread attempting to provide documentation to what they are talking about, they’ll find a dead link. All those years of posts and links just gone.

I was with my Second Level Director last night, and during the Opportunity Presentation he mentioned something that just made me laugh. With all the attention YTB has been getting these days, all the moves that are analyzed and scrutinized to death, when do you think the Critics might begin to simply tire of all the meaningless activity and just accept the fact that YTB is here to stay?

I guess you’ll have to ask them, but I got to warn you, don’t hold your breath for any answer. YTB is already in it’s 8th year of existence, and while we have only just started to expand Internationally to Canada, Bahamas, and Bermuda, and the OTC-BB listing is only the first step to moving to a National Exchange, some still want to hang on to unanswered questions in a feeble attempts to slow this company down.

All part of the FEAR tactics of the Anti-MLM crowd. Problem is that some are starting to figure out that FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real. Much like Royal Caribbean didn’t produce the onslaught of suppliers pulling the plug, and IATA didn’t stop us from selling, booking, or obtaining commissions on those bookings, now we find that the Pink Sheets didn’t destroy the company either.

One last note before I move on with my day.

I’m pleased to see that either nobody is reading, or that it simply doesn’t seem to matter one iota to any of us in YTB that John Frenaye totally missed the fact that YTB Cars now has an Authorized Dealer in Florida for YTB Cars program on Monday. (It’s archived in the Biz Report in your back office for 4/18/08)

I remember the days when this oversight would have produced quite a stir because John missed the mark, once again. Now it appears that like me, nobody really cares what this "Critic" pumps. Like RCCL, IATA, and the OTC listing, the truth eventually comes to light, and there's really very little anyone can do to help educate those that already know all they need to know.

Those of you who are subscribed to my free Newsletter are free to find an archived call on March 13th, and listen in on how this program is moving forward and expanding. (Just click the archived calls on my weekly newsletter.) If you’re not part of this Newsletter and are part of YTB, you’re more than welcome to sign up, it’s free and full of information about all that’s new with YTB. I have all the Newsletters archived through RSS.

I can promise you, it’s going to be a lot more worthwhile than reading any Anti-MLM or Anti-YTB dribble that quickly proving to be nothing more than a bunch of hot air.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: Anti-MLM, Scam.com, YTB Cars, YTBLA

Posted by TravelPro at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments

Friday, April 18, 2008

A Mixed Bag

Kind of mixed bag today on news and updates concerning the company everyone loves to talk about – YTB. I spent some of the afternoon yesterday reading between phone calls and e-mail’s on most of the favorite watering holes getting a pulse and latest spin on all the news.

If you’ve been stuck in some sort of hole and don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, you’ve come to the right place. Not to worry, and not to disappoint, I’ll fill you in.

For the folks in YTB, you might want to keep this post handy because it’s going to be loaded with some pretty powerful ammunition for some of the junk we’ve had to endure over the last few years concerning our stock, and will also debunk some of the spin out there concerning “it doesn’t add up” and “insider trading” that’s currently floating around by our Critics.

An official announcement has been released that YTBLA will move off the Pink Sheets and over to the OTC. Now for our “Critics” this is no big deal, and to be fair, it IS only the first phase of our intent to upgrade to a National Exchange like AMEX or NYSE. OTC isn’t all that big of a deal, and there is still some work to do to move over to one of the “big boys”, but this first step is crucial and also provides several key elements that I need you in YTB to know and also warn our Critics who are calling foul in several areas concerning our Annual Report and questions they have concerning our business practices and / or math.

If you didn’t know, or simply don’t recall, our Annual Report states the following:

“Because we have become current with our periodic reports under the Exchange Act, we intend to have our Class A Common Stock quoted on the OTC-BB once again and to thereafter apply for its listing on a national securities exchange, although no assurances can be given in this regard. Towards such end, on March 3, 2008, the requisite paperwork for the quotation of our Class A Common Stock on the OTC-BB was submitted to a FINRA member firm for filing with FINRA.”

For those that don’t know who FINRA is, they are the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and a firm who tests and authorizes Members. The FINRA looked at several key factors concerning our company’s business practices. The portfolio of regulatory services that FINRA offers includes member application processing, registration processing and disclosure review, financial and operational surveillance, examinations and audits, market surveillance, investigations, disciplinary actions, dispute resolution and regulatory consultation.

FINRA's regulatory clients include NASDAQ, American Stock Exchange (Amex), International Securities Exchange (ISE), NQLX and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).

By maintaining constant market surveillance - on both a real-time and post-trade basis, the FINRA helps ensure the fair and orderly conduct of securities transactions. FINRA oversees and regulates all trading on NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange, the International Securities Exchange, the Chicago Climate Exchange and in the OTC markets, as well as trades in New York Stock Exchange- and Amex-listed securities reported to NASDAQ.

What this means to you the RTA and / or stockholder is this:

One - While our Critics want to discredit our Annual Report with this bunk that it doesn’t add up, you can now politely suggest that they may want to consider a remedial math class and then some sort of Financial or Securities Course to help them with any errors or questions they have.

Two – While many are speculating that “insiders” are moving this stock price up – down – or pulling the preverbal “Pump and Dump”, the only pumping going on is by them, with mud they have loaded in the slings and arrows they are shooting all over the internet.

Any arguments directed at either “not adding up” or “insiders pumping and dumping” are now Null and Void.

Keep page 9 of the Annual Report, and the link to FINRA handy for anyone who wants to question the credibility of any of the financial statements. Everyone can be assured that all of our Financial Statements at this point are accurate, and our company is squeaky clean.

The second part of the news and spin floating around concerns YTB’s association with IATA. In an article posted in Travel Weekly on Wednesday, YTB will be able to continue to use the numeric code given to us by ARC, but it looks as if we will continue to do business without any type relationship with IATA.

I realize the Travel Agent community believes that an Association with IATA is crucial and like our listing the last few years on Pink Sheets, we will now endure the brunt of jokes about our lack of any association with what in their minds adds credibility. I’ve also heard spin that they believe this will hamper our International Expansion.

I could be completely off the mark here folks, and International regulations are not my area of expertise, but I do have a couple of questions.

Can IATA terminate based on guilt by association? YTB does own Sunrise Travel Services in Canada, and the Commissioner in Canada recently reinstated an Agency in Canada in which the US Association did not like, but couldn’t do anything about. Like the ARC numeric code issue, the US Commission “may” not have any input in any type of International IATA Accreditation, especially when the Agency was never even threatened with any type of termination or violations to begin with.

You can just imagine what the “critics” will say about that. (And I’m sure they will.) Based on all the “doom and gloom” about the swarm of supplies pulling the plug, the stock going bust, and how important IATA was here in the US and how they were convinced all these issues would crush us, I’d take just about anything you see or read from a “Critic” with a grain of salt. Chances of them being on mark about anything these days concerning YTB are sketchy at best.

The good news is this.

One – It seems critics have resigned themselves to the fact that IATA here in US concerning YTB really didn’t amount to much as they are now focused on hopes concerning our International Expansion. (We ARE still here, still booking travel, and still getting paid on that travel.)

Two – The numeric code was issued by ARC not IATA and IATA has conceded that the number is ours.

There’s still plenty of work to do and we’re certainly not out of the woods just yet. A lot can change in the weeks and months ahead, and from what I understand, YTB isn’t through by any means in becoming the Largest Travel Agency in the World.

Sign up for our FREE Newsletter for news and updates concerning YTB!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635

Labels: ARC Sales, FINRA, IATA, Stock Split, YTB International, YTBLA

Posted by TravelPro at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A New Perspective...

It never ceases to amaze me how certain things just show up in life. Late last week I came down with the flu and was laid out for days sick in bed. My wife almost dragged me to the Doctor, but you know us guys, we don’t need no stinkin’ Doctor. So I’ve been out of touch with the outside world and while my weekends are usually spent planning, which includes ideas and drafts on posts for the week I never got that done.

The combination of being out of touch with what’s going on, and not having anything planned for today’s post left me stumped for something to write about. I finally came up with one of these “We interrupt your regularly scheduled Blog to bring you the Pittsburgh Steelers 2008 NFL Football Schedule” since the schedules were in fact released yesterday.

While the post I had ready last night was fine, I went to bed last night uncertain because I really didn’t have anything topical to post about. I just let it go, and told myself that something would come to me in the morning. (Which often happens.)

When I got up this morning and finished up my morning routine of reading over goals, to-do’s, and morning gratitude, it was time to check e-mail before I posted my Steelers Schedule post, and low and behold, my story for today appeared.

Some time ago, you may recall that John Frenaye and I had fallen out of favor with each other, while we don’t communicate any longer, we do “check in” on each other from time to time via our blogs. As our paths have changed course, I find myself reading less and less of his negativity, and more and more productive positive material.

Even though we may have opposing views and strong beliefs about which direction YTB is going, I have to give credit were credit is due. John will at times, set the record straight and I’m pleased to see that is still owning up to some misinformation when the opportunity arises.

John found an article in Travel Trade which “assumed” Carnival was making a move towards Direct Bookings, which in turn, would eventually eliminate Travel Agent commissions much like what happened in the Airline Industry back in the late 1990’s. There are many in the Travel Agent Community who fear the worst with this, and are just looking for signs that’s going to happen.

You’ll see further examples of this paranoid mentality in the comment sections below the post. (More on the comments in a bit.)

As it turns out, Carnival caught the error in Travel Trade and forwarded this statement for them to post.

“In the Travel Trade email blast on Monday, April 14, the news item under the headline "Carnival Increases Direct Communications" was wrong because of an editing error that resulted in incomplete information. Carnival Cruise Lines is not moving to more direct marketing as the item wrongly implied. Rather, its contract with SAS technology, which the news item reported, aims to analyze the effectiveness of its existing marketing programs. Based on an editing error, a section of the Carnival quote within the SAS release, which discussed driving business to travel agents, was deleted. The full quote from Shannon Balliet-Antorcha, director of database marketing and customer data integration at Carnival, stated, "We increased berths and we want more cruisers to ask travel agents to book their cruise on Carnival. Customers appreciate Carnival's wide range of vacation choices. More effective marketing campaigns will build brand preference and contribute to filling this new capacity. Using SAS Marketing Automation, we expect a better return on marketing investment."

And John, like he has done in a few cases before, made the correction on his Blog. I’m not surprised that John stayed true to form with his “spin” of all this, that it’s Carnival who is back peddling, not himself. He and others in his community are still extremely paranoid that just like YTB, suppliers are also out to get them, and they aren’t buying the fact that the Cruise industry will eventually go NET just like the Airlines have done to them.

Why someone chooses to live in that kind of fear and negativity in their profession is beyond me, but it’s not my place to tell them how they should live or what they should do about it.

While I was there, I decided to catch up on what was going on and I pointed to the comments section before. It appears this community believes I’m posting “Anonymously” just to irritate them. I have seen a certain poster, Olescorekeeper, there for some time, but two of the Anti-YTB members there seem to be convinced that I’m hiding and posting under his name just to have my voice heard. He’s told them it’s him, but they are certain that I’m trying to trick them.

I wondered if posting under my “Travel-Pro” Blogger account informing them that I had been out of pocket for a number of days wouldn’t help the situation, even just a little, but who am I kidding. I’m just another one those lying, stealing, detestable YTB’ers who’s only trying to bring attention to myself.

I just find it ironic that I was ridiculed for working on letting this community go and allowing them to exist without any emotional attachment, and even though there hasn’t been a single post from me on that Blog for over a month, I’m still being talked to like I’m actually participating and playing with the rest of the kids on the playground.

Looking at this in the new perspective I have, I have to wonder why I ever entertained trying to help any of them in the first place, but we all make stupid moves, even me, from time to time. It’s just good to see what a little time has been able to do in obtaining some real growth and healing. I’m willing to bet that much like those who post daily on Scam.com, that same old same old will still being talked about, while the rest of us who want some true change in our lives, just let them wallow in their own brand of PMS. (Poor Me Stuff)

Thanks for the e-mail this morning! It was sent with a gift you didn’t even know anything about.

Labels: Anti-MLM, John Frenaye, MLM Myths, Travel MLM

Posted by TravelPro at 6:19 AM | Permalink | Comments

Monday, April 14, 2008

They Once Were Lost...But Now Are Found...

I’m sure it’s no secret that YTB isn’t the only Travel MLM in the industry. With all the attention YTB has been getting you’d be hard pressed to find anything out there about any other company.

While I do like to keep tabs on some of the others in the industry, none of them have really amounted to much, although one company certainly wants to amount to something much more than YTB.

I’ve heard it said that those of us in YTB happen to be an extremely arrogant bunch. I’ve often laughed at that notion because from my experience, YTB doesn’t hold a candle to the arrogance of a young, little known startup in the industry known as TraVerus.

With some of the “press” YTB has had over the last 6 months I have been inundated with offers from members of this particular company to make the switch to a (cough) “Real Travel Company”. There was a time when one out of every two or three leads I generated was from someone in this particular company. They would fill out their information in hopes that I would call or e-mail and when I offered up features, advantages, and benefits of YTB, I’d instead got a TraVerus pitch to come on over.

Some were quite shocked at my response.

Uncontrolled laughter.

Of course this would put many on the other end of the phone or e-mail on the defensive and while many attempted to educate me about the key differences between YTB and this little known “Wanna Be” in Travel it was always to no avail. I even had offers from some to actually pay my way into the business, just to bring me aboard.

That however was only followed by more uncontrolled laughter.

Knowing what I’ve seen from some of the members, so called “leadership”, of this company, I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole. Some of the mud and false accusations I’ve seen from this group make Traditionalists look like child’s play.

I can’t say the strategy of going after YTB RTA’s was all that unsuccessful, especially with what arose some 6 months ago. For many new RTA’s who don’t have the type of experience I do with YTB some were easily swayed over, including one of my own teams.

You really never miss what you don’t have until it’s gone. I got a call late last week from this same Team Member who once was lost, but has now been found and is now done with this “Wanna Be” travel company after only a few short months of giving it a go. While I only suspected what was going on before, my suspicions have now been confirmed and I wanted to share with the rest of the YTB Team that you too made the right choice in sticking with true Leadership in YTB. More on “Leadership” a little later.

While I’m not comfortable with a simple copy and paste of the e-mails forwarded to me, due to my friendship with this Team Member, I will however highlight many of the complaints and shortcomings that I was told never existed with this great and powerful company that will dominate the Travel Industry.

- Who is operating the new website? Some say its Travelocity while others say the new website is no longer Travelocity. It seems that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. Since nobody over there knows, it is a Travelocity web site. They even use Travelocity’s SOT numbers. (All except Cruise Bookings…more on that below.)

- Ticketing problems with travel booked on the new website. Bookings were mysteriously lost in the system, not just with the CTA, but more importantly with the Client! It’s not a good thing when a client tries to get home and the airline has no record of the Client’s existence, and is forced to pay $1000 out of pocket just to get home.

- Commission tracking on the new website. How do they know when travel is booked? And by whom? They changed Cruise Vendors a month or two ago because the field figured out that NOBODY was getting credit for cruises!

- And what’s with charging $9.95 for the new Cruise Website? TraVerus Agents already pay $99.95 and/or $49.95 a month, for what??? While YTB offers an all inclusive package for its $49.95 if you want to sell cruises, that’ll be another $10?

- Support tickets were none existent or at the very least extremely long, resulting in even more frustration and the promise of a Newsletter with company updates never became a reality.

- Nobody knows the CLIA approval process. No one seems to know the official process? All that training they claim and nobody seems to know how to qualify for a simple CLIA credential?

- Nor does anyone seem to know what Travel vendor website registration is. Most travel vendors require you to obtain an official registration from your agency. (YTB does in most cases.) However, when a support ticket was submitted to TraVerus they were told to do it themselves, but the vendors won’t always accept that. It could result in Travel Commission being sent to a CTA’s home instead of the Home Office when the CTA changes the Agency address to my home USA. (Lucky CTA!)

- The Global Money Card was announced in December, and with the deposit last month, the CTA was charged twice for a card, and still no card. The reply from TraVerus, "Hello You should have your card in a week or so."

- When completing the CTA training almost 2 months ago and sent in the requested photo and info, no travel card and the replies on the "support tickets" are about the same as the Money Card, "I apologize for the delay, I had the card put in the mail yesterday”.

These Team Members had faith, full of promises made by their up line, that Traverus was this awesome company with a much better compensation plan. Well, the up line has now quit. In addition, the issues stated above have made it impossible to market the company and encourage the rest of the team to endure the same frustration and runaround. Seems the problems keep growing, with no resolutions in sight.

But wait…it get’s better. These same Team Members sent these issues right to the top, David Manning himself in one last ditch effort to try to salvage what they truly wanted to believe in.

And here is David Manning’s response:

“From the sarcastic tone of your email, I suggest you go back to YTB. Obviously you are new to networking or there would be no comparison to the two programs. TraVerus is the long term company with huge things happening around the world. I tell my staff to tell anyone who threatens to go back to YTB, goodbye.

David”

Are you kidding me?

I can’t complain too much however, because they all took David’s advice and said “Buh-Bye” to this joke of a leader and travel company.

While I wanted to tell the team “I told you so”, why add insult to injury? I’m just glad they figured it out as quickly as they did, and with so many problems swirling around that I heard about, I knew it wouldn’t take very long. Besides, I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself, just ask my parents.

So it looks like the cats out of the bag now, and what goes around comes around. While there are some that may try to make the same claims about YTB, the difference is, YTB is still growing and expanding, and we can document it. With TraVerus being “private” with their proud, short history in this industry, to my knowledge they only have some 10,000 CTA’s world wide after some 16 months. I don’t feel as comfortable about them.

Mama always told me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I’ve never mentioned TraVerus here because of that. But there comes a time, just like I have with the Traditionalists who think they somehow have some control over the direction of my life and my company, that I have to stand up and tell you all.
Save it. We ain’t going anywhere.