In addition, their communication materials have already been proven successful by other franchisees or members of your organization. You therefore have a tremendous head start over people trying to develop their own materials. These people won't know if their materials are successful until they use them and measure the results. As Robert mentions, the ability to speak is vital to building a successful business. The personal development and mentoring programs offered by select franchises and net- work marketing organizations provide wonderful opportu- nities for personal growth. Chapter 34 Systems Management The human body is a system of systems. So is a business. The human body is made up of a blood system, oxygen system, food system, waste system, etc. If one of those systems stops, there is a good chance the body will be crippled or die. The same is true with a business. A business is a complex system of inter-operating systems. In fact, each item listed on the B-I Triangle is a separate system that is inter-linked into the over- all business the triangle represents. It is difficult to separate the systems because they are interdependent. It is also diffi- cult to say that one is more important than another. For any business to grow, individuals must be accountable for each of the systems and a general overall director must be Systems Management 353 in charge of making sure all the systems operate to their high- est capacity. When reading a financial statement, I am like a pilot sitting in the cockpit of the plane reading the gauges from all the operating systems. If one of the systems begins to malfunction, emergency procedures must be implemented. So many small startup businesses or S quadrant businesses fail because the operator of the system has too many systems to monitor and take care of. When one system fails, such as when cash flow dries up, all the other systems begin to fail al- most simultaneously. It is like when a person gets a cold and fails to take care of him- or herself. Pneumonia soon sets in and if it's not treated, the person's immune system begins to break down. I believe real estate is a great investment to start with be- cause the average investor gets to tinker with all the systems. A building on a piece of land is the business-the system for which a tenant pays you rent. Real estate is fairly stable and inert, so it gives the new businessperson more time to correct things if something begins to go wrong. Learning to manage property for a year or two teaches you excellent business management skills. When people ask me where to find the best real estate investments, I say, "Just find someone who is a poor business manager and you will find a real estate bar- gain." But never buy a property just because it is a bargain be- cause some bargains are cleverly disguised nightmares. Banks like to lend money on real estate because it is gen- erally a stable system that retains its value.