Guaranteed ROI

When my father passed in 2008, he left my Mother well cared for and a business that supported a Foundation of scholarships for schools, homeless shelters and missions groups.  He left us with no debt and the tremendous opportunity to generate money for those who need it. He did not leave money to his children, which was a wise decision. What kind of return on investment (ROI) would he get giving it to people with whom he had worked to instill the importance of earning your own money and giving as much as possible back to those who need it? That would not have made sense. Everything I give, every cent, every smile, every word, every opportunity, no matter how great or small, is credited “to my account”. That means that all the good and hope and love that is linked back to my contribution is credited to me. Talk about a return on investment! As a child I can remember putting loose change and sometimes a dollar bill in the plates passed when missionaries would speak at our church. As an adult, it seems silly how something so small could make a difference. That dollar may be the one that enables financing to commence on a new university; that smile may stop a person from jumping off a bridge, that one word may be what a child needs to really convince them of their supreme self worth. When I deposit money into my retirement accounts, there is no guarantee that it will be worth anything in the future. I can remember listening to the financial analysts state how amazing it would be if the DOW hit 2000 by the year 2000. What’s amazing is that here we are a decade later basically at the same point! So now I have a different attitude towards my investment strategy. I give as much of it away as I can versus saving as much as I can. Every great act or influence that my dollars are involved in is credited to my account with a guaranteed ROI. Robert Townsend said, "A leader is a person with a magnet in his heart and a compass in his head."  I love making profits, I love helping others, but I most love directing my profits to the aid of those who will get me a return on investment a million times over.  It’s the most powerful and lasting investment a business can make. Our first fiscal year we were able to give $100,000 to the Books for Tremendous Living Foundation thanks to our supporters all over the world who feel the exact same way we do. Henry Ford put it best: “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” And on this Fourth of July week, we celebrate our return on investment in helping others achieve their own prosperity and independence!