Lost Graves

The children and I finally made it the cemetery! We were so excited to finally capture the gravestones that held so much precious information about ancestors - ours and those of so many others.

Mom and Dad's Gravestone

The pictures turned out beautifully, AJ was a pro at capturing every detail with his phone camera. We took about 35 pictures, completing the north side of the cemetery.

After i took the children home, AJ went right away to email the pictures to me. He sent me a text telling me they were done. I couldn't check for them right then as I was busy with someone online, so I told him I would look a bit later.

A "bit" turned into two hours, and when I checked my email for the photos, I found three. Three out of 35.

I called Aaron (my son, AJ's dad) and told him what happened. He wasn't at home, but promised he would have AJ call me and resend the photos.

No call, No photos.

When AJ came for class the next morning, I told him I needed him to resend the pictures. He gave me a look of disgust and informed me that he didn't know I hadn't gotten them, so he deleted them. All of them.

Oh, well, there's always another day.

A DIFFERENT SET OF PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT MINDSET

 

Caleb Mwendwa Ngui is a young man from Kenya who came to America when he was 15 years old looking for opportunities he could not find in his home country.  

In 2021, he was working for a company that packaged meal kits. It wasn’t the most pleasant job for him. The work was good, but the atmosphere was traumatic.

“It wasn’t a good fit for me,” Caleb admitted. “Personally speaking, the colleagues I was working with were harassing me, mistreating me, making fun of me, always making jokes about my size (and build).

Caleb put up with the harassment and tried to concentrate on his work, but he had sent out applications and his resume in the meantime to find other opportunities.

“I was contacted by Jessica Brown,” said Caleb. “It was my break time (at work), and Jessica sent me texts (about the LegalShield opportunity), and I thought ‘Wow this is interesting, an opportunity to do something different, work from home, have the experience of working with new people, (and) building something great (that will) help other people build something great.’

“I called her on Friday, and we started (training) on Monday.”

Many times, when someone joins the company as an associate, they continue to work at their first job, sometimes part-time, until their LegalShield business begins to blossom. Sometimes that can be several weeks; for others, it’s been a matter of days. A lot depends on the amount of effort you put into the development of your career.

Caleb left his regular job right away. “I stopped working at my job because the harassment there was not healthy.”

Caleb said it has been nice working with a different group of people with a different mindset – not bullies like at his other job, but helpful, kinder people who are ready and willing to help whenever you need it.

Caleb said his biggest inspiration in the company has been Chris Shepherd, his Executive Director.

“He’s been there every step of the way,” said Caleb of Chris, “even during the challenging times. I am making a lot of progress.”

The challenging time Caleb speaks of is what happened in the Fall of last year (2021), only a month into his new opportunity, he had to return to Kenya for his mother’s funeral. He was gone for a month and could not communicate with anyone in the USA on a regular basis. He learned of other new associates who were taking off with their sales, recruits, and promotions while he was unable to even watch the training videos or the online meetings.

Once he returned, however, he was able to pick up right where he left off. He still had his standing as an associate and the same mentors who were there to help him get his business going again.

“Everyone was supportive. Jessica (Brown) was hands-on, and her words gave me strength. ‘We’ll always have your back’ she told me.”

Once Caleb became a member of LegalShield/IDShield, he learned about many of the benefits offered by the company. But, he said, he never realized what that meant until he got on the websites and learned about all the benefits offered to both Associates and Members.

“It’s more than I thought,” said Caleb. “Discounts for cars (and other merchandise and services), business information, and so much more. As an Associate it’s great. I can’t complain. So many great people, so much positivity, working to help others change their lives.

“On top of that,” he continued, “it’s all the support. LegalShield is the first company I’ve worked with that all the people are supportive. All the people want you to succeed. No backtalk, no politicking.

Caleb is a quiet-speaking, thoughtful person who seems shy at times and admits he is no salesperson. But he has been working harder to find people willing to listen to the LegalShield story.

“The very first approach, if they are interested, is introducing them to the company website and the orientation videos so they can make a decision for themselves. I’m not too much on convincing (people), but I believe the way everything is structured with the company websites, anybody could go there and look at it. One person (I talked to) looked at the website and said, ‘Wow, this is great. It’s definitely a 4.5.’”

Caleb shows the videos to potential members and associates whenever he can.

“A person can learn a lot from the websites. You don’t have to do a lot of talking yourself. Just show them the websites.” All the information a potential member or associate would need is there.

When asked what helps him stick with the company and continue working on his career, Caleb spoke of the inspiring words of our colleagues and their dedication to each of us.

“Listening to our bosses and associates about how far they have come in the business, they are such an inspiration. Chris especially has been a big influence. When the 50^th anniversary (of the company) was coming up, he was receiving an award, and he stated the most important thing was about the anniversary and how important it was for us to have more people there.”

Caleb said the principal advice he can give to people interested in the business (at LegalShield) is, “Just get started, and there are so many benefits when you follow the system that is in place. A well-soiled tree bears its fruit.

It’s been an awesome experience. I want to say thank you for this opportunity – Chris, Jessica, the “big bosses” for letting work and helping us along the way, for being supportive. I’m really excited.

For more information about the benefits of LegalShield Membership, click here: https://www.planoverview365.com/130617996 

To learn more about the LegalShield Opportunity, click here: https://businessoverview365.com/130617996

"IT'S WHO I AM"

Rt: Melissa Peterson; Lt: Edna Siwak

In January of this year (2022), Edna Siwak was working a full-time job and caring for a family with young children. She was not actively pursuing a new career but was open to new opportunities as a way to supplement her income. Because of her children, she preferred something she could do online.

She was contacted by Chris Shepherd, an Executive Director at LegalShield, who found her information on one of the many job sites she had sent her resume to. Having been in sales before, the prospect of getting back into the vocation caught her attention.

“I was intrigued. I had been in the legal field in college before I switched to psychology, so when I heard the name (LegalShield), it piqued my interest. I thought this was a legal position. That’s what drew me in.” Once she and Rich met and he explained the program to her, she was anxious to get started.

“I haven’t quit my full-time job,” she explained, “but my current role is not very responsive to my abilities. I was looking for instant recognition as a person as well as pay.” She was looking for a change from feeling unappreciated in her current job.

She found that fulfillment and appreciation right from the start when she joined LegalShield.

“The biggest benefit (to being a part of this company), beyond financial, is the community where you feel supported and appreciated. I had the opportunity to go to a convention two months into the business and I was just in awe of the positivity and support of the people. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. To be in a room with all these people I’ve met online (was unbelievable). They are all so positive. And it’s not a “fake” positive just to get through the conference and once we get to the hotel, I forget who you are. It’s genuine. They are like, ‘I see you, I’m excited (for you), what can I do to help you? What do you need?’”

On the first day of the convention Edna attended, she was making her way into the building where the convention was taking place with her hands full of bags. Her shoe slipped off her foot and she couldn’t get it back on with her hands full.

“Someone was walking by and was nicely dressed because we were going into one of the sessions; they stopped and helped me put my shoe on rather than walking on by.

“It’s being seen for who you are,” Edna remarked, “not just as another person but being seen for who you are and being appreciated, (happy to be) in the same presence as you. It’s not a façade. They are like that in real life.

“(One of the trainers) said ‘you are in business for yourself but not by yourself.’ It’s true. You are doing something to improve your life, but you never have to do it alone. There is always someone there to help you along the way. The highs, the lows…it’s all celebrated. It’s all acknowledged. It’s not like you did something wrong, it’s ‘hey, I’m here for you. Tell me what you’re going to do next. Tell me what I can do to help you.

“I will lift your foot up and you can lift my foot up, and we’re all doing it for the next person and the next person. And if there’s someone who can’t lift their foot up, there are five people behind them who can help lift it for them. It’s the community (at LegalShield) that is so profound I’ve never seen it (anywhere) before. It’s not forced; (helping others) is not a stipulation. But, even if you are not able to do for anyone else, they are still there for you. They treat you like you are part of (the community), not like you are below them.”

Part of the support associates are given is through meetings and training sessions. Every Monday morning, there is a training meeting online, and Monday through Friday every week, there is a “Meet and Greet” at which new associates are introduced and welcomed, and associates, managers, and beyond encourage others with their stories of how they began with LegalShield and the amazing experiences they’ve had since. All of this and more is available to encourage associates, new and seasoned, to continue working toward their goals. Always receiving constant encouragement – that’s what a community is about.

Edna exudes such enthusiasm in both voice and body language when she speaks about LegalShield and the benefits of being both a manager and a member; it is hard to capture her exuberance in words. But listening to her, it is easy to see why she has been so successful in the program.

Edna shared an experience she witnessed with a colleague at her full-time job. This person was facing an issue with her landlord; her daughter had left the water running in their apartment, and it had leaked through the wall. The proprietor threatened to have her evicted. When Edna told her to call her lawyer, the colleague asked, “How do I do that?” Edna quickly explained the procedure, and the colleague was immediately signed up as a member, received access to the benefits, and contacted a lawyer that day. This was on a Friday.

“On Monday, she called me,” Edna beamed. “She was so excited. She had already spoken to an attorney, a letter had been sent to her landlord, who backed off immediately.

“’ How is this possible?’ she kept asking,” Edna said. By the time it was all over, the colleague was relieved of any responsibility for the damages caused to the apartment and was given a new place to live; the attorney she was working with had discovered that the building in which she had been living was not up to code. It took less than a week and nothing out-of-packet for the attorney.

She thanked Edna profusely for her help. Edna then told her if she ever needed to make more money, she could become an associate. “She said, ‘Where do I sign up?’” Edna continued, “It’s something (good) you’re doing, letting (people) know that (the services) are available and giving them the details.”

Edna has sage advice for new associates or those thinking about becoming one.

“I would never recommend someone to leave their current job. When you start anything new, there will be learning curves. If you go into this with the idea that you’re going to hit the ground running, that is the case many times, but not always. And if it doesn’t happen that quickly for you, you could become disappointed. If someone is looking for a change, try it out. Follow the world-class system (LegalShield has developed), and see how it works for you. Do the steps. Doing a few things right is better than trying to (make) a big leap.”

Edna’s story is moving forward every day, as are those of thousands of other associates. The theme of Edna’s story? Pace yourself, learn the system, and everything will fall into place. “LegalShield is not just a job. It’s who I am, and who I’m becoming. It has become a part of my life that I make time for every day.” Perhaps one day it will become her full-time career.