It's all about the numbers

(Original Post: August 24, 2006 - Thursday)

Ever since I was a young lady I have wanted my own business. The lemonade stand, the car wash, the homemade donut dozens that only grandma would buy, the 'buy candy at the gas station for $.10 and sell it for $.25. I was the queen of 'can do.' I had spirit and personality, and like my mom would say, I had a face that was hard to say no to.
Well, I can honestly say I still think in terms of my own business. I have sold Avon and Mary Kay Cosmetics, I was a lady deserie lingerie consultant and I even started my own Jewelry Company at one point. I aspire to sell the music I write and earn a living on it one day. But one thing has changed. People have learned to say no to my face.
Now, I'm not talking about supply and demand here. I'm not even saying that people don't want to buy the material items I'm selling. Trust me, for every seller, there is a buyer. Just look at Ebay. When someone can trade a paperclip for a house, well, you get my point.
What I'm speaking of is relationships. Big Shocker. I mean, in truth, it is ourselves we are trying to sell. Now don't get me wrong. I'm obviously not talking prostitution. Although I have heard of married couples who struggle in the intimate areas of their relationship and in turn have come up with a Menu of sorts. Husbands are allowed to 'order' off the 'menu.' The menu includes items like, rump roast. I'm sure you can imagine what that translates too. And I'm sure you can also imagine that item being pretty expensive and seasonal.
I also read in a book that if a man wants to have the best sex of his life then he should lay $300 on the table prior to getting started. Nothing motivates a woman like money. But I'm off focus.
When we get dressed, put on makeup, dye our freakin hair, choose a scent...all we are doing is increasing our chances at a sale. Why do you think they call it 'on the market.' You are, in a way, looking for a buyer. And like the pyramids schemes I have come to love, it's all about numbers. In this case, possibly phone numbers. You may already have 6 members on your team, but who knows what could happen to them. One will head back to his wife. One will decide he's not ready for a relationship. One will admit he's gay. One lives with his parents. One calls 'too much.' That really only leaves you with 1 committed member of the team, but you cannot rely on that person to carry the entire project. After all, you're trying to drive away in that pink caddy!
So, you keep putting up the numbers. Eventually building a solid team full of winners, and when it comes time to make a choice, there is actually a choice to be made. You won't even remember the ones that fell to the side during the process, because you were too busy collecting new additions.
It worked for Mary Kay Ash, and it will work for us. Hey, you get to the top of the pyramid and you get to retire an Emeritus. What could be better?
Maybe if we spent more time 'getting the numbers' and less time working with that one struggling 'on the fence' team member who bought the kit, but then stalled, we would spend less time in divorce court.
Divorce has become the morning after pill for adults of the 'till death or something better' generation.
An old married couple sits on a bench. The wife slaps her husband. He says, what is that for, she says, 50 years of terrible sex. Then he slaps her. She says, what is that for? He says, for knowing the difference. She now owns half his shit and he lives in his car.
Numbers people. It's all about the numbers.