About Gary Dum

Hi, my name is Gary and the last name is Dum. Yes,  I have heard all the jokes and the teasing, but my mother taught me, it’s a name that most will not forget. They’ll go home or back to the office and make some crack about “Dum” they laugh or can’t imagine having such a name. She also explained that people may forget me but not the name. Actually, it’s a lot of fun. If you have a new one, I’d love to hear it.

I am in my 50′s, happily married, with 3 great kids.  My wife, my partner, my best friend,  and my team mate have owned and operated our own business for almost 25 years. The kids are mostly grown or  lastly in college now.  Though some of you will relate to ”empty nester” and we are finding that the kids never really leave home until they marry and have kids too.

In 1985 we made a radical change of direction we knew nothing about a business we were about to embark. Knowing nothing about running a business, nothing about employees, and definitely nothing about creating sales or making sales calls.  Shoot, I was a construction worker, blue collar and rough around the edges. My wife was a high school teacher and coach. Neither of us with an ounce of experience, but what did we have to lose. The 1st baby was due in 30 days, her job was over and I decided I could always go back and get another construction job if it didn’t work out. Now fast forward 30 years, we have sold almost 17 million in printed materials. We have become the leading strategic resource for printed materials and promotional products in the Midwest. Business is good and is getting better. Order activity seems to be up but quantities are down and many clients are comparison shopping. We always encourage the comparisons because we want our clients to recognize the value and partnership we bring to their business. Today, however, it is a struggle to make ends meet and you know very well what I mean, very competitive market place.

I have long since believed in multiple streams of income and passive income, but have not always followed my own best advice. However, 2 years ago I started looking for alternative ways to increase my family income.

I started looking into real estate investments and rental property. I spent many hours and days attending seminars, reading books, articles and learning from our local mentors. The real estate market collapsed the market changed and so did my cash flow. Nothing really to invest except time and sweat equity. I know, I know … sweat equity doesn’t pay the best but it is what I had. I had to do something and I did make a couple real estate investments that are paying small dividends.

That brings me to internet marketing, info marketing, network marketing and online marketing among some of the current relevant terms. Once upon a time we were very involved in network marketing with Amway in the early 80′s , and learned so much from our mentors. We have often said that we are better.. not bitter ..  for all the time, the trips, the events,  the days prospecting at the mall, the in home meetings etc, etc. Can you relate?

If we had not been around the network and the people, the positive reinforcement, we never would have started our own business from scratch. Early on our sponsors taught us how to listen to people, to relate to people and eventually to ask for the sale.  Asking for the sale, is not me,  I simply try to solve the challenges that the client / prospect need to resolve. I really enjoy helping them, sale or no sale. When you do the right things for the right reasons, good things happen.

In many ways I am much different than I was 30 years ago.  I have come to recognized my personal desire to make things better. My kids almost avoid my optimism and my constant quest for “better”.  Better doesn’t have to be much, but better is better than yesterday.  I have almost an obsession for finding a better way (not perfection just better).

Join with me in this blog , converse with me, and challenge me to do more , to become better and to find a positive way to over come the challenges of today. I’ll probably talk about a lot of different subjects, most with a income producing bent. Without the income we don’t have the means to share with friends, family and all of the charitable needs.

Become a “Why Not” in a world of “Whys”

May God show you his favor and massive abundance,

Gary