Discovery Toys opportunity comes to Chicago

Chicago Opportunity Blitz! Join our team April 21-26th

Discovery Toys, the foremost direct sales / network marketer of educational toys, is offering an opportunity for those passionate about children and education and a desire for extra income. The goal: to help parents help their children learn through play, and help parents, grandparents, and teachers supplement their current income or even start a new career.

We are going to be in Chicago from Wednesday April 21st until Monday the 26th. The purpose of our trip is to grow the Chicago area Discovery Toys team. We'll be exhibiting our products and marketing materials in a swank Oak Brook hotel. Easy access and parking for everyone.

Advance RSVP required: email Billie -- billietoy@gmail.com
Please email for additional details.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
Who do you know in the Chicago area who you think might be interested in a fabulous home based business they can do around their family's needs? Contact them and invite them to attend or give us their info and we'll do it for you.

OUR PART
You may have your prospects contact us directly, if you prefer, or we would be happy to contact them, answer any questions and invite them to our showing. When they decide to join, they will, of course, become YOUR team member. We are sharing this with all of you because if you have any connections with people in the Chicago area who might consider joining Discovery Toys, please let us know! We have teamed up with Sherre B. (longtime leader in our family from Chicago) and are available to meet and greet, show prospects our fabulous toys, answer any questions--and schedule Success Start trainings for those who are ready to go.

We will schedule a time all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday morning that is convenient for them.

THE BACK STORY
We started brainstorming about building up the Chicago area -- especially with the Discovery Toys Convention being in Chicago this summer. This is an area that has supported many huge organizations in the past and is ripe for growing. The opportunity to "success start" a lot of folks this spring and early summer who could then quantum leap their business by attending Convention in their backyard just made sense!

We are really excited about this trip! We hope to hear from you so we can help you build your teams. Call your Chicago area prospects today!

Mother's Guilt

This summer I had the privilege of meeting Suze Orman at the Discovery Toys convention. She admonished me, and many of the other women in the audience, about not putting ourselves first, taking care of our own well-being before children, spouse or aging parents. She reminded us about what the flight attendants tell us on airplanes, "In the event that oxygen masks drop down, please adjust yours first, then help your child." You may find yourself feeling less guilty when you realize if you burn out, you won't be able to be there at all for the people you love.

Tough Times call for Fun & Games

"So, how's business?" I'm asked this question virtually every day, either by customers or friends. I'm happy to report, "Business is fine, despite the recession." Direct selling services usually survive tough economic times. We can provide a level of customer service that is unparalleled in retail because we're like the mom & pop store of yesteryear, small and friendly. Plus, our products are irresistible to new grandparents who want to hold that grandbaby and see them react to a rattle or soft toy. Moms still want to sit on the floor and help their preschooler assemble a jigsaw puzzle. Dads know how important it is to help their 5 year old build with a construction toy.

For those who are temporarily out of work, opportunities like ours are a godsend. There's a low start up cost (usually $125), and voila, you're in business. We'll even train and coach you.
Watch the video of the Chairman of Discovery Toys, Jeremy Hobbs, being interviewed on the ABC News affiliate in Denver. He talks about how Discovery Toys has revamped its compensation plan to give consultants more cash right up front, where they need it. Anyone concerned about separating scams from legitimate companies, can research our 30 year old company online and check the website of the Direct Selling Association, which has a tough code of ethics for its member companies.

And, by the way, playing games is a great way to take your mind off the stresses of the uncertainty of today's economy. Play on!

Autism journey of Leslie & Joe

Leslie St. Jean had joined Discovery Toys as a consultant several years back. One year at the Discovery Toys convention she shared her story with us, which she gave me permission to share with you. I wanted you to hear it in her own words: Discovery Toys helped her child!

"Our Journey with autism began on June 24, 2004. My husband and I spent our 9 year wedding anniversary in a neurologist’s office looking for answers.

This is what we shared with the doctor:

'Our 2-year-old son Joseph is as cute as a button and a joy to be around, but we cannot overlook his odd behaviors. For example, when we call his name, he does NOT look at us. He does not seem to hear us. We had his hearing tested and the results were “normal”. Why does he walk on his toes? Why is he not aware of the world around him? For example, he does not acknowledge a new person walking into the room. Joe cannot play with toys appropriately no matter how many times we show him. Whether it is a ball, car, shape sorter or book, he does the same thing, spin them. When I sit down next to him to read a book, he immediately stands up and walks away. Why doesn’t he talk? Why does he not seem to understand me? He cannot follow any direction. Even simple ones like “Where’s Mommy?” Why does he jump up and down and flap his hands when he is excited? Why does he cover his ears to certain noises? Why does he make high pitched screams when he is “playing”? If kids are playing on the left side of the room, Joe moves to the right side of the room. Why does he laugh uncontrollably at nothing?'

The answer to all these questions and behaviors was AUTISM.

Autism impacts 1 in 166 children. 4 out 5 children diagnosed are boys. There is no known cause or cure for autism. It is, in my opinion, a silent epidemic. Maybe Discovery Toys can help, not just by supporting parents of children with autism like me, and children with autism like our Joe with wonderful products, tips and testimonials, but by helping us to feel able to talk about it. That’s why the foundation, Autism Speaks, must have selected its name, to bring autism out into the open.

From the moment DISCOVERY TOYS® products began arriving at my door, the door to my son’s mind began to open. But these products mean more to my family than most would ever understand.

Did Joe immediately begin to use the products like they were meant to be used? No, not even close, but at least he was interested. And interest goes a LONG way for children on the Spectrum. Because he was interested in the products, he was motivated to learn how to use them. A BIG positive!

Whenever I meet a parent who has child on the Spectrum I recommend the following products, BUSY BUGS, ROLL & PLAY and IT’S A MATCH!

BUSY BUGS was the first DISCOVERY TOY® product I opened from my Rocket Start Kit. Every child with autism has their little quirks or “stims”. Joe’s is picking up items that are the same and dropping them one by one. It actually is very impressive. Even his Occupational Therapist (OT ) has marveled at how many objects Joe can fit into his cute little hands. As I opened up the box for the first time, he screamed in excitement. His hands literally dove into the box as he picked up bugs and began running around the house dropping them. I brought him back to the table, this time only giving him 6 red bugs and the all red square card. With my hand over his, (known in the autism world as “full manual guidance”, or “hand-over-hand”), I showed him how to match the red bug to the red square. For 3 months I worked with Joe on this skill and one day he just did it; independently. He can now independently complete up to card 3!

In my opinion, ROLL & PLAY is the best “floor time” therapeutic product for children on the Spectrum. Most young children with autism are unable to talk and have audio processing issues. This means they are unable to decipher or decode what we are saying. However, many are successful at understanding and interpreting a picture. For this reason, many children on the Spectrum begin communicating through PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). When my son was younger and wanted a drink, he was unable to verbally express his need in the form of the spoken word, “drink”, “cup” or “juice”. Instead he removed a wallet sized picture of a sippy cup from our refrigerator door and handed it to me. He was “exchanging” a picture for the item. He was communicating through pictures. ROLL & PLAY is “PECS in a box”. We have used ROLL & PLAY to teach Joe the parts of the body, gross motor skills imitation and how to follow directions, (“find something yellow”). Gross Motor Imitation is a prerequisite to expressive language (spoken words). This is also a game Joe’s big sister Renee (age 5) can play with him. Imagine having a brother very close to your age (they are 17 months apart) who has no idea how to “play”. With this product it is bridging that gap and providing a means for my children to interact!

I recommend to EVERY FAMILY of autism IT’S A MATCH! When Joseph was completely non-verbal and we had no idea what he was capable of in an academic sense. Well, through IT’S A MATCH! we found out he knows his letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and animals. It also reinforces matching, which is a HUGE educational program for children on the Spectrum. From that moment on, we changed the programs in Joe’s therapy, we kicked it up a notch and that has made all the difference. He has progressed more in the last 18 months than I thought was possible. Joe not only can identify his letters, numbers, shapes, colors and animals through matching, but he can SAY THEM!

SPLASH ROCKET has become Joe’s favorite DISCOVERY TOY® product. Therefore, it has become Joe’s “most preferred reinforcer”. What is a reinforcer? A reinforcer is the reward that Joe earns for doing what is asked. Most of this summer you could find me in my back yard with flashcards and a SPLASH ROCKET. I would show Joe a flashcard, if he was able to identity the object and say the word, (“expressive label”), I would blast off the rocket. It is his reward for doing something he finds very difficult to do. Through the efforts of Joe’s dedicated teachers and SPLASH ROCKET as a reinforcer, he is able to identify and verbally express close to 200 words!

I share my stories today to give you an opportunity to learn how autism can affect a child and how important it is to support the child and their FAMILY. [If you sell Discovery Toys] you are making a difference! You are providing these families with affordable educational products, potential reinforcers, and fantastic therapeutic tools.

Are you providing the families with a cure? No. But we are showing them that we care and we want to make a difference in their lives. And this means more to the Autism Community than you will ever know!

So how is Joe today, 2 years after his diagnosis? Well, he is a different kid. He is a child that all the preschool girls and teachers fight over. He is a quiet cute, kid with the “all teeth showing” smile. He is no longer considered to be non-verbal. My son has words, however, he is still considered non-conversational. He is just starting to put 2 words together. My favorite is “Luv Ya.” His favorite is “Sit Down!” And why is he asking me to “sit down”? …to play. And what do we play with… DISCOVERY TOY® products. Because playing with Joe everyday is the best investment I have ever made in my son’s life."

Today, Leslie is the Director of Finance of Huge Possibilities, Inc. a 501(c)(3) charity that helps teach parents and caregivers of children with autism about the huge possibilities for their child who's been diagnosed on the spectrum. Visit their site to donate.

Discovery Toys Opportunity Session

Discovery Toys Brings Opportunity and Play to Central Jersey Sept. 12

Who:

Discovery Toys, the foremost direct sales / network marketer of educational toys, is offering an opportunity for those passionate about children and education and a desire for extra income. A refreshed company with new learning products, a new engaging website and a new compensation plan to stimulate immediate earnings, all designed to help their Educational Sales Consultants reach more consumers and create more viable job opportunities than ever before. The goal: to help parents help their children learn through play, and help parents, grandparents, and teachers supplement their current income or even start a new career.

What:

In Central New Jersey, Discovery Toys Fall Kick-Off is opening its doors to the public. All are invited to come discover an income opportunity in a friendly community environment, meet the company Chairman and others who work with DT, and get more information about becoming part of the Discovery Toys team.

When:

Saturday, September 12

Public invited: 9:30-11:30AM. Information session begins promptly at 9:30.

Where:

Clark, NJ

Public RSVP:

Advance RSVP required to: Billie billietoy@gmail.com
Please email for additional details.

Background:

For over three decades, Discovery Toys has been the most trusted and respected direct sales company for quality, award-winning educational toys. It all began when an early childhood educator first brought together a group of dedicated teachers, mothers and parents to take on the important topic of early education for children through play. Today they remain the premier home-based business for those wishing to balance family life with a fun, flexible career that encourages families everywhere to spend time playing with their children.

Details:

From President Obama to TV personalities, everyone is raising awareness on the need for parents to engage young children in the love of learning from early childhood. Discovery Toys creates a unique opportunity in the current economic climate for new income and career opportunities while it helps further the education of the coming generation.

The tagline Teach. Play. Inspire. reflects the company’s core beliefs and very reason for being: teaching and inspiring through play every day.

About Discovery Toys

As astonishing as it may seem to those of us who have been working at building this brand for many years, there are still a couple of people who don't know us. This is for them.

Discovery Toys is an educational/developmental toy company that's been around for 30 years (I've been with them for 14, since my son was an infant). There are no stores; toys are sold by moms (and a few dads) like me who work from home. We build teams of educational consultants who we coach and train (and also earn on). There are educational consultants in all 50 states (and Canada), but we can each sell anywhere we choose. Many consultants have home parties. I, personally, sell product at church/synagogue boutiques, in hospital lobbies, private schools and daycares and wherever children, parents, occupational therapists are found. I hand deliver gift baskets (I ship, too) and also make house-calls and do personal shopping appointments for busy executives at their offices. In other words, I bring the "store" to my customers and offer unsurpassed customer service. The company stands behind each of us with their unconditional guarantee and quality safety/testing procedures.

These developmentally appropriate toys (for birth to age 10) build self-esteem, cooperative play, social and emotional intelligence, while being wholesome and fun. Many of the toys are not language specific (e.g., a French child derives the same play value as a Chinese child). They encourage a love of learning and literacy that lasts a lifetime.

Established in 1978, Discovery Toys has received over 165 awards from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy, and other highly recognized educators and parenting organizations, for its original products such as Marbleworks and Tangiball. In addition, many products have been acknowledged by Dr. Patricia Krantz, of the Princeton Child Development Institute, as being useful in addressing the six weakest developmental areas in children with autism.

We are having an "opportunity session" at a hotel in Clark, NJ on Saturday, September 12, if you would like to meet us. We'll be explaining how it all works and signing people up on the spot. Our starter kit, usually $125 (+shipping&tax) is only $99 right now (August). You get $370 in product and business tools, 60 catalogs, and can start with as little as $25 down. Contact Billie at billietoy@gmail.com

PiTTi, the pied piper of Jam

On July 16 at the Discovery Toys toy fair/Denver convention, a new musical toy set called 'Jam Session' was launched. It includes easy-to-grasp castanets, hand drum with mallet, tambourine, and a guiro with mallet. There to take us through the range of sounds and methods of using each instrument was this "wild and crazy" German, PiTTi, seen in the video. It may be a toy, but you can really make percussion like the big boys. This product will be available to order in September.

Sounds Like Fun

Here's Barbara Milne, the creator of Discovery Toys classic product Sounds Like Fun, singing to a small group of us before our convention began last week in Denver. (over 1 million sold). Her CD is great for naptime and bedtime, with over 60 minutes of soothing voice and guitar music that will calm your child. Use it in the car or at bath time, too; an invaluable tool for auditory learners. The tempo is slow and non-frustrating, allowing children to hear and learn more easily. There is plenty of repetition, which may bore adults, but provides comfort and security to children. Follow along on the ABC chart when playing "Alphabet Sounds," and see the letters in lower case. This product promotes pre-reading skills, math skills, and auditory and language development.

Suze Orman speaks at DT convention

Once a year DT educational consultants from across the U.S. and Canada gather to learn about our industry, attend seminars and preview the toys for the coming season.

How exciting it was to have THE Suze Orman (financial guru and 6 time Emmy Award winning host of the Suze Orman Show on CNBC) at the Discovery Toys convention in Denver, CO last week! She helped us see the importance of our mission of helping parents connect with their children through play, and told us there's never been a better time to be your own boss. Because education is being cut from state budgets, our products are more important to parents than ever before.

Pearl Team Kudos!

It's official! Lisa S has earned President's Club. In addition to having earned the trip for 2 to Acapulco, she will have an extra night on the trip, a limo ride at Denver's convention next summer, a free hotel room during convention and the coveted gold and sapphire President's Club ring. If you are on her team, keep an eye out for the challenges she'll offer for you to ride in style alongside her. Congratulations to Lisa on a job well done. Her team continues to flourish and grow.

Please welcome new Pearl:
Lisa L of NY sponsored by Lisa S

Rocket Starters:
SALES
Level 3 - kit refunded!!- Lilian W, Teresa G, Melissa R, Laura G, Krista K
Level 2- 2nd $50 coupon - Olga B, Linda R, Angela H
Level 1- $50 coupon - Lisa K, Jen A, Julie N

RECRUITING
Level 1- $50 coupon - Jen A !!

Suze Orman to speak at Discovery Toys convention

Suze Orman is coming to Convention 2009!

Suze has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one-woman financial advice powerhouse” by USA Today. AND, she is speaking at our Discovery Toys Convention in Denver!

Convention 2009 Denver

Discovery Toys announces July 16-18, 2009 Convention in Denver, CO.
Come visit the Mile High City and see the majestic Rocky Mountains.

The House of Blues, New Orleans

Each year, Discovery Toys holds its convention in a different city; this year we were in New Orleans. Here I am at the House of Blues, in front of my namesake: Billie Holiday. Just next to me is Isaac Hayes, who coincidentally died while we were there.

Lane Nemeth, Founder of Discovery Toys

Lane Nemeth is the founder of Discovery Toys. She currently serves as founder and chief executive officer of Pet Lane, a direct sales enterprise. Lane has received numerous entrepreneurial awards and recognition of her accomplishments from such organizations as the Small Business Association, Inc. Magazine, Working Women, NBCs Today Show and Nations Business.

She is a regularly featured speaker at national child development, business leadership seminars, including the Stanford Leadership Academy and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Lane is a member of the Womens Executive Leadership Council, an organization that provides counsel to the United Nations World Food Program. Her recent book, Discovering Another Way, Raising Brighter Children, While Having a Meaningful Career, has received national recognition. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Arts degree in education from Seton Hall University.

Lane will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Discovery Toys convention in New Orleans next month.

Philly Kickoff

Philly Kickoff attendees


(l. to r.)Ramona S-G, Sue C-Ds, Hallie W, Stacey M, Michelle K, Laura P, Cindy N,
Danit R, Vicki R, Lynn L, Lisa S, Eileen O’C, Billie Elias (not pictured Simone W, Beth B)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 2007-8

As 2007 comes to a close, we celebrate a sensational year. Despite all the buzz in the news about toys made in China and safety issues, sales were up for our team. We reassured our customers of the independent testing that is done to insure that our toys are non-toxic.

Lisa S earned the incentive trip, and she, Simone W and I will all be receiving lots of free toys and $500 in cash at the Spring DT Kickoff in Pennsylvania March 7/8, 2008. Contact me if you'd like to join us there.

Starting January 1, we kick off our big sale event. Many of our favorites will be blowing out at 60% off to celebrate our 30th year! Board games like Timing it Right and Totally Tut will be selling for $9, Doubles Wild for $12, and a "nostalgia" version of the 1956 Chutes and Ladders game will be $12.

Orders at my site for over $50 can receive a refund on shipping cost if you email me your order confirmation.

Fall Kickoff

Get ready for our Discovery Toys fall kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 16. in NJ. Email me billietoy@aol.com if you'd like an invitation sent to anyone. We'll have many of the new products available for you to see and play with. We'll also have Diamond Sales Director Emily Krisko, DT President Jane Leitch and Chairman of the Board Tony Calandra on hand.