The Best Ingredients

Sometimes, our customers and IBOs wonder if we use organic ingredients. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. A government agency must inspect and certify the farm before the food can be labeled “organic.”

Many of our products use herbs and plants that grow in the wild in their natural environment. I believe nature is the best “farmer”—man cannot successfully duplicate many of nature’s best creations. That’s why we prefer using ingredients grown by nature rather than organic farms.

As a manufacturer of health foods, I am especially concerned about the environment. Because of pollution, many foods, even organic foods, may contain unacceptable levels of heavy metals. We monitor the heavy metal content of our herbs and often reject hundreds of pounds of herbs that do not meet our strict standards.

In addition to the heavy metal content, I also care about how our foods are handled. All herbs and plants, whether grown in the wild, in an organic farm, or in a traditional farm, have dirt, pests, and other contaminants. We take the extra steps of cleaning the herbs by hand and machine rather than grinding and/or irradiating the herbs along with their contaminants.

We also use a trade-secret manufacturing process to extract and concentrate the beneficial essences from our herbs. This makes the final product much more powerful and effective than just mixing the herbs on the ingredient listing.

I want all of you to have confidence that Sunrider uses the best ingredients and makes the best products.

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen
Founder and Chairman of the Board

The 2008 Regional Leadership Conference Cruise—an Amazing Experience!

I must admit that when it was decided that this year's Regional Leadership Conference will take place on a cruise, I was a little disappointed. I am only telling you this, since it turned out much better then I expected and you really should keep reading…

After months of preparations, 270 IBOs from Hungary, Western Europe, Israel, Russia and Eastern Europe reported to the dock of the cruise ship "Navigator of the Seas" in Barcelona, on a rainy noon hour of May 10, 2008. When we saw the 15-storey (above water) structure that was about to sail us, we were astonished, and seeing the enormous ship made us unbelievably curious and filled with anticipation for things to come.

After our passports were checked, we entered the ship, and I felt like a little boy that has to see it all without missing a thing. I found myself wandering among the luxurious mall, the theater halls, and the basketball and softball courts. I couldn't miss the amazing gym and dining rooms, the ice skating rink, the children's deck and much more, until we were called to attend the luxurious dinner and were already on our way to our first port stop in Marseille.

On the first night, Dr. and Mrs. Chen hosted a private dinner with 6 IBOs from Western Europe. During dinner, the Chens took the opportunity to teach and train the attending IBOs and emphasize important points about business building and how Sunrider has developed a unique and innovative model for building a franchise-like business for the benefit of its IBOs.

On the next day we woke up to the sound of the announcer welcoming us to Marseille, a typical port city full of seafood restaurants and coffee shops. After a big breakfast, we went on a short tour of the city and visited its fascinating fish market (the smell was certainly not fascinating…). Watching a live octopus trying to sneak away from the display shelf it was placed on, and the fish merchant forcing it back into place was definitely a unique experience.

That afternoon we were already on our way to Sardinia. On the ship, the last preparations for dinner were already being made, and the chamber men gave us wonderful service and cleaned our rooms for the evening. One of the Israeli IBOs met me on my way to dinner and she asked me wonderingly, “Why do we deserve all this? And without paying for it…"*

On the second evening, the Chens had dinner with six Israeli IBOs and, of course, used the time between courses to train and teach the participants.

The Western European and Hungarian IBOs started their third day attending training sessions, in small 30-people groups. During the sessions Dr. Chen emphasized the importance of the 4-points approach meeting and 6-points opportunity meeting. Dr. Chen also stressed how crucial it is that all IBOs use the same terms and send out the same message.

After the Chen's training, the groups dispersed, and we all went to shore in Cagliari, the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia. In spite of the slightly bleak weather, we went to tour the city with an Israeli tour guide that lives there. Our guide took us to the “Elephant Tower,” from which we had a beautiful view of the entire city and port, and to the largest local church. We finished our tour with a taste of excellent Italian ice cream and went back on the ship. One thing that truly amazed me during the tour is that although over 3,000 tourists came to the city on our ship, local businessmen still closed their businesses in the afternoon, for their famous siesta. We left Sardinia and set sail towards Sicily.

That night, after another luxurious dinner, which the Chens shared with 6 Hungarian IBOs, we all watched a spectacular ice-skating show, which generated heavy applause from the amazed audience.

We arrived in Palermo early on the fourth morning and went on a long tour day. Most of the Israeli group went sightseeing together. Palermo is beautiful; it has modern shopping squares as well as a lovely old city, and the people of Palermo are very welcoming and hospitable.

The Vucciria open market place was impossible to miss; we were pulled in by the wonderful smell from the food stands, the fresh fruit and vegetables, the Italian cheese delicatessens, with cheeses you can smell from a mile away, and of course, the daily masterpiece of the market—a freshly caught swordfish put on display.

After an exhausting 7-hour tour, we went back on the ship, and I met another IBO. She told me that she met a friend from Israel on the ship, and when her friend asked her what she was doing there, she answered that she earned a full-expense-paid cruise, working with Sunrider.* Her friend could not believe her ears. She said she always heard about Sunrider, but she never thought the stories were true. That woman joined Sunrider and became an IBO that night.

On the fourth evening the Chens had dinner with 5 IBOs from Eastern Europe. The Chens emphasized to the participants the great earning potential of the Sunrider business, and told them that many people have already achieved their optimal goals working with Sunrider.

We spent the fifth day, during which most of the training meetings were held, sailing back to Barcelona. That morning, Israeli and Eastern European IBOs met with Dr. and Mrs. Chen in small groups, for an almost personal training. During the meetings, the Chens emphasized how important it is to train your downline and teach them how to talk instead of just letting them listen to you. The Chens said it is important to correct your downline while they are talking, in order to help them present the 4-point approach and 6-point opportunity meeting fluently and professionally. The Chens encouraged everyone to keep training to make their approach believable.

At noon, the Chens held a general session for all 270 participating IBOs, during which they stressed the importance of duplication. Dr. Chen said recruiting 10 IBOs a month is not enough, you have to teach them how to duplicate your actions, so they can recruit 10 more people per month themselves.

At the end of the training session, Mrs. Chen asked several IBOs from different countries to come on stage and answer questions about subjects learned during the convention.

In conclusion I would like to say this was an amazing experience for me, one that I will no doubt repeat with my family.

At the end of the fifth day, the Israeli and Eastern European groups had a meeting to sum up the convention, and all IBOs said they had an extraordinary experience, an experience that they could only have thanks to Sunrider.* Some of our IBOs even asked to stay on the ship for its next cruise…

Sincerely,

Oved Levi
Director of Regional Operations
Sunrider Israel and Eastern Europe

*The earnings stated are not necessarily representative or typical of the earnings Sunrider Independent Business Owners can or will earn through participation in the Sunrider Compensation Plan. These statements should not be considered as guarantees or projections of your actual earnings or profits. As with any other independent business, success results only from dedicated sales efforts, hard work, diligence, and leadership.

2008 Sunrider Leadership Conference—Mediterranean Cruise, May 10th to 15th

We really wanted to make this year’s Europe Leadership Conference something very special. An event that would truly show the Sunrider Lifestyle! After discussing it last year with Mrs. Chen, we both agreed that a Mediterranean cruise would be the way to sail, as we could enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean coastline and countryside.

No other part of the world is so richly imbued with history and culture, and blessed with such spectacular scenery as Europe. The cruise vacation brought us to some of the most exciting ports in Europe. The days ashore presented an invitation to adventure, education, and enjoyment, discovering the beauty of the Mediterranean and over 25 centuries of history, art and culture. Some of the IBOs had never been on a cruise and were not sure about the idea, but on the last day, I was so happy when so many came to see me to say that the cruise was amazing and that they had already called their downline to let them know what they had missed!

Want to know more?

The first port: Provence (Marseille), France. Some of the IBOs went on a city tour that was a journey through the historical and maritime past of Marseille, known as the melting pot of Europe. They passed Marseille's large industrial harbor after departing the pier and headed towards the city center. En route to the Notre-Dame de la Garde Cathedral, they viewed the historic, older section of the city. Notre-Dame de la Garde is a beautiful basilica set high atop the hills above the Old Harbor, and its interior is finished with multicoloured marble mosaics. The journey from the Cathedral to Longchamp Palace took them along a road that runs alongside the sea with a stop to take photos and to view the beautiful islands guarding the entrance to Marseille. The final stop was at Longchamp Palace, a monumental castle adorned with magnificent fountains, waterfalls and gardens.

The second port: Cagliari, Sardinia. Some IBOs went on a sightseeing tour that allowed them to discover the hidden beauties of this magnificent city. It began with a drive from the pier to the city walls where they admired the Roman amphitheatre. Then they visited the National Archaeology Museum to discover many archaeological finds like the typical Sardinian small bronzes and the Nora Stone (ninth century B.C.), where Sardinia is mentioned for the first time. They also walked in the heart of the medieval city and explored its beauty.

The third port: Palermo, Sicily. Italy, probably the most beautiful country (my Italian roots might be affecting my judgment). Palermo was named by the Ancient Greeks as “Panormus,” meaning “all port.” Its beauty, history and elegance were revealed as some of the IBOs decided to travel the streets of Palermo. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, which played an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old! They walked along the Via Liberta, considered to be the most important street in the city because of its size and the double row of plane trees that line this majestic way. They admired Teatro Politeama, the main theatre of the town built in the 19th century and strolled along the Via Ruggero Settimo, also known as the salon of Palermo because of the elegance of its shops. What an experience!

It was such an exciting week that I forgot to mention that the conference, hosted by Drs. Chen, was held onboard the impressive ship “Navigator of the Seas.” Over 270 Independent Business Owners from all over Europe, Hungary, Israel, Russia and South Africa enjoyed the Sunrider Lifestyle while sailing through the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.

The Navigator of the Seas is one of the biggest vessels in the world, with so much to see and do onboard. She offers amazing features like a spa, gym, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, an indoor shopping mall-like promenade, as well as fine food in the magnificent three-storey dining room. Every night finishes off with top-class entertainment in the elegant theatre.

The Leadership Conference meetings were held in the ship’s Conference Centre and provided attendees with inspiration and motivation. Dr. Chen shared his powerful Business Advice by explaining the 4-step Sunrider approach and the 6-point opportunity meeting. He reminded everyone to train their Downlines in this method, to practice the various steps with them and to talk about the income potential that Sunrider can bring to every Independent Business Owner. Sunrider has already helped many people around the world achieve their optimal goals.* Mrs. Chen followed with her special energy and enthusiasm as she conducted the New IBO Training and tested the Business Leaders on Frequently Asked Questions. Drs. Chen also presented new products that will be launched at the upcoming Grand Convention in Anaheim, California. Mrs. Chen ended the meeting by surprising everyone with a raffle where happy winners received samples of the innovative new products.

It truly was a memorable week and another example of how Sunriders from all over the world can enjoy the fantastic Sunrider lifestyle and optimize their lives.*

Next is the event of the year—the Grand Convention in Anaheim, California!

Come and join thousands of other IBOs for another unforgettable experience. Register on-line and mark your calendars, July 21–26.

Looking forward to seeing you in beautiful Anaheim, California!

Angelo De Fabrizio
Director of Regional Operations
Sunrider Central & Western Europe

*The earnings stated are not necessarily representative or typical of the earnings Sunrider Independent Business Owners can or will earn through participation in the Sunrider Compensation Plan. These statements should not be considered as guarantees or projections of your actual earnings or profits. As with any other independent business, success results only from dedicated sales efforts, hard work, diligence, and leadership.

IBOs Meet with Success at SR HQ

Business Leader training meetings were held at Sunrider World Headquarters April 23–25. During this time Dr. and Mrs. Chen shared their knowledge and hospitality with two groups of specially invited IBOs who arrived from around the world. In addition to attending meetings, IBOs from Canada, China, Malaysia, the USA, and Taiwan were given tours of the Chen Art Gallery, the Botanical Garden, and the incredible new manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles. The invitees were also treated as guests of the Chens—dining with them at a local restaurant and at their beautiful home, where they enjoyed great food and company.

When they got down to business, the meetings were fast-paced, full of energy, and packed with practical training. As always, they were also punctuated with insights from both Chens.

Dr. Chen got everyone thinking when he posed the following question:

“When a lady goes out shopping, what does she think about first? When you shop for a new car, what do you consider first?”

Personally, I was stumped. My wife wasn’t there to help me with the first question. And it had been years since I bought a new car…

Dr. Chen quickly provided the answer though: “The Brand.”

Dr. Chen elaborated by saying, “Brand is first, style next, and material last. Likewise, “When you buy a car, first you think of the brand.”

Dr. Chen went on to describe how it’s up to all IBOs to increase the brand recognition of Sunrider. He stated the importance of presenting “a unified look, approach, and communication,” which helps establish a strong, readily identifiable brand image.

Dr. Chen had this to say about the Sunrider opportunity:

“Why is Sunrider’s franchise-like business the best? Let’s compare it to some other ways one can try to make money:

“Buying and renting out real estate property is too much hassle. And the rent may not even cover the interest on a bank loan. Stock markets have too much fluctuation, too much risk. A franchise business can be good but it takes a BIG initial investment.

“Sunrider’s franchise-like business is the best. Sunrider takes the hassle out of owning a business. No inventory, virtually no risk—you simply use Sunrider’s time-tested [26 years!] system and support. You can build an enterprise like McDonald’s, but without the trouble and at a low cost. And Sunrider is different from other network marketing companies because as a Sunrider IBO, you’re the boss—the owner of your own franchise-like business—not a salesperson.”

Mrs. Chen covered a range of topics, including the need to develop a 2^nd generation of business leaders:

“Have your business continue into the future. Building a strong support system will enable you to have financial freedom when you retire. We need to do better about explaining the income potential of Sunrider to the 2^nd generation. Encourage your kids just like I’m encouraging my kids to take over the business someday. Have them choose Sunrider, because we have the greatest income potential and you can help people everywhere improve the quality of their lives. Bring your children to the Grand Convention in July—my daughters Sunny and Wendy will be teaching a workshop especially designed for the next generation.”

Dr. and Mrs. Chen also talked about the importance of setting big optimum goals and the power of having a big dream. Dr. Chen helped wrap up the training by providing a personal example of how through having a dream and working hard, anything is possible:

While growing up as a child, his family was poor and they didn’t have much. His prized possession was a broken toy airplane that he’d found. He loved that plane though and fixed it up the best he could. He played with the plane every day and dreamed that someday he’d be able to fly on a real plane and see the world.

Today he does fly on an airplane—the Sunrider Corporate Airplane—which he uses to fly around the world with our IBOs, living the Sunrider dream.

Bob Seawright
Sunrider International

Sunrider Has Lots in Store!

Sunriders everywhere are starting to feel a buzz in the air, as the biggest, most important Sunrider event of the year is now only about two months away—the annual Grand Convention! Attracting thousands of Sunrider IBOs from around the world, this mega-event never fails to educate, inspire, excite, and entertain all who experience it. This year it’ll be held in the attraction-packed, sun-drenched city of Anaheim, CA, July 21–26. Everyone’s looking forward to great weather and great times in Anaheim.

This year’s convention is also special, as it’ll feature the grand opening and tour of the new LA Manufacturing Plants, which are around 850,000 square feet. They contain state-of-the-art equipment and our technologically advanced 10,000 square foot research & development lab. You can experience some of the excitement that these landmark facilities are generating by watching our “Grand Convention Welcome Videos” on our new YouTube Sunrider channel and on our Sunrider website. To really appreciate the immensity and grandeur of the plants though, there’s no substitute for seeing them in person. Make sure to register for the convention so you don’t miss out.

Another thing to look forward to is the unveiling of new Sunrider® products, which will be available on Shop Online in just a few days. One product that’s already causing a stir through word of mouth is MetaShaper™. Dr. Chen originally developed this product for himself, but after a decade of research and refinement he’s now eager to share this exclusive formula and its extraordinary benefits with Sunriders. In short, MetaShaper™ is designed to make you feel healthier and more energetic. Combined with a healthy diet and exercise, it can help you achieve fantastic body-shaping results.

Another highly anticipated product is Dr. Chen™ Brightening Serum. The effects of time and sun overexposure spare no one, damaging the skin, and causing dark spots and a dull, uneven appearance. Don’t worry though, help’s on the way! This revolutionary formula is gentle, yet intensive, and is designed to even out skin tone and improve suppleness. Antioxidants will also help protect skin from future harm. This product promises to be extremely popular so get yours before we run out!

We know you’ll like these and the other new products that’ll be available soon. And we’re looking forward to seeing you in Anaheim for what’ll be a most memorable event.

Bob Seawright
Sunrider International

IBOs from Korea Enjoy Leadership Tour of Japan

Japan is known to most Koreans as “a country that is near and at the same time far.” Albeit Japan is only a couple hours’ flight away from Korea, I never had the chance to visit Japan except for one short business trip in 2000. I didn’t have a chance to see much of Japan then; all you normally see during a business trip is the hotel where you’re staying, the office where you conduct your business, and airplanes (lots of them) at the airport. Thus Japan indeed had been a country near and far to me until I took 180 IBOs to Japan for our Leadership Tour 2008 from 30th March to 03rd April. This time I even brushed up on my Japanese language (though it was only “survival Japanese”).

Contrary to our expectation, the weather was not on our side when we arrived at Narita Airport on the 30th March. Because of the rain and heavy wind, the wind-chill in Tokyo was very low that day, making us almost shiver without a windbreaker. But even this bad weather couldn’t stop our IBOs who were eager to explore Japan as much as possible. After having managed to warm up their bodies with hot oden soup over lunch, they got impatient to “hit the road” again in the rain. Our first stop was the Toyota Automobile Showroom, located at Odaiba Island, where our IBOs made trial rides in various new models of Toyota cars. After having tried a “virtual drive” on the stage, I could overhear a few IBOs talking about “buying that baby soon” with their Sunrider money.

People got soaked in the heavier rain during the walk back to the tour bus and their minds were already immersed in taking a hot spring bath. All of us changed into traditional Japanese bathrobes called Yukada (they had various colors and designs available for us to choose). To confess, I had a hard time breathing; I tied a Yukada belt too tight to hide my “potbelly” in front of our IBOs. Before reaching the bath, there was an area like a market place where many kiosks were arranged in rows and that were selling very tempting munchies and cute little souvenirs. Though dinner was expected right after our bath, many people had to wrestle with the temptation of those aromatic foods while moving into the bath.

As an old Korean saying goes, “People become great friends after taking a hot bath together naked,” because there’s nothing to ‘hide’ in that bath. Accordingly, I think I’ve created even stronger bonding with our male IBOs from this experience. It was so relaxing to soak our bodies in an open-air hot bath, and I almost fell asleep in the water but an IBO let me know that it was time to go. Before I move on to our dinner part, I must tell you about a “culture shock” that I experienced in the bath: The body-scrubbers and attendant in the men’s bath were women! Of course they were in work uniforms, but we were all naked. The other Korean male IBOs and I were busy trying to cover ourselves, but the workers simply acted calm in front of us so we realized it was no big deal. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”…Right?

The dinner was just spectacular! Dining tables were arranged in a huge room with Japanese Tatami floor. All 180 IBOs sat on the floor and were decked out in a dazzling display of colorful Yukada robes. And the dainty food was almost too beautiful to eat! Because New Year practically starts on 01st April in Japan for businesses and schools, they traditionally have a ceremony called Kakami-Hiraki literally meaning “breaking a wine pot” to open the New Year. I invited four of our most senior IBOs (two males and two females) to break the wine pot together and to propose a toast to “Sunrider Money” for everyone. After dinner, we arrived at the New Otani Hotel.

The Monday morning of 31st March was rainy and windy, even worse than the previous day, during the long drive to Yokohama. Fortunately though, the weather cleared up by the time we arrived in Yokohama, and bright sunshine welcomed us when we started a sightseeing tour of the city. The tour included beautiful Yamashita Park that stretched along the shoreline of Yokohama Harbor, bustling streets and shops in China Town, and the modern and clean Minato Mirai 21 area. Upon our return to Tokyo, we visited one of the symbols of Japan, the Imperial Palace. Though allowed to see only the outer wall and garden, we appreciated a tasteful garden that was classical and tranquil. The Palace definitely had something peculiar that appealed to our artistic sentiment even just from outside. Next stop was Ginja Street, one of the most popular streets for tourists because of the latest fashion, energetic young people, neon signs, restaurants, bars, and galleries. Our IBOs ventured into the busy streets of Ginja for a while to stroll around and to find good bargains.

Bright spring sunshine blessed us on 01st April, the day we were to climb Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain (3,776M) in Japan. Instead of saying “to climb Mt. Fuji,” I should say “to visit the mouth of Mt. Fuji,” which still allowed us to access and enjoy the splendor of the mountain, as tour guides had worried in previous days about the weather affecting accessibility. Japan is a polytheistic country believing that deities or divine spirits reside in all things in nature. And after experiencing this majestic place, we all surely believed that there must be a divine spirit in Mt. Fuji. The mountain was fully covered with snow and stood against an emerald-blue sky shrouded in mystical layers of clouds. The indescribable striking beauty of blue, brown, green, and white in harmony made us not only inspired with awe but also fascinated with the grandeur of Mt. Fuji. Leaving the holy mountain behind us, we went for a sightseeing trip of Hakone— riding an excursion boat in Ashi Lake (the lake was 723M above the sea level), which is located in the Owaqutani Valley, and another hot spring bath at Morinoyu Onsen (one for the road!).

After a thrilling tour program and fun activities for three days in Japan, there came the day for us to get even more excited, as we got the chance to learn from the ever-passionate Drs. Chen about how to succeed big and quickly with the Sunrider business opportunity! The seminar took place at the Toshi Center in Tokyo on 02nd April. During the seminar, Dr. Chen delivered an impassioned message to 180 Korean IBOs about how Sunrider offers the best business opportunities, which are even better than opportunities offered by conventional franchise businesses. Thus, in order to realize our dreams and achieve success, Dr. Chen stated that IBOs should focus on promoting Sunrider’s income potential, selling product, setting optimum goals, and building your organization through the Starter Pack. His powerful speech filled Korean IBOs with enthusiasm and motivation.

When Mrs. Chen took over the stage for the second session, I could see that some IBOs started to get nervous because they were aware that Mrs. Chen would ask them randomly about how to conduct New IBO Training and how to answer the FAQs. However, Mrs. Chen relieved the tension in the room with a joke, saying, “Nobody wants to make eye contact with me, but it’s fine because Steve gave me a name list of 180 people in this room.” Everybody laughed hard, and it was a very useful session for existing IBOs to learn how to train their downlines efficiently. It was a very fun and enjoyable session after all, because Mrs. Chen first picked one IBO from the name list to answer a question and then she went on from that IBO’s uplines by asking, “Who’s your upline?” rather than picking other people from the list. Korean IBOs were quite good in answering her questions but they also felt very grateful in learning more professional ways of handling such FAQs.

The finale of Sunrider Korea’s Leadership Meeting 2008 in Japan was the Gala Dinner held later that evening at the New Otani Hotel. It kicked off with a traditional Japanese taiko drum performance, and Drs. Chen and Sunny Beutler entered the room to the majestic beats of these drums and a standing ovation from the Koran IBOs. Then we all enjoyed a fantastic buffet dinner, followed by performances of different IBO groups. The performances included a Taekwondo martial arts dance featuring a breaking demonstration of thick pine boards (all performed by female IBOs—tough Korean women!), a very cute replica of “Tell-Me Dance” that has won sweeping popularity among Koreans, and a “Rap & Dance” that used the Starter Pack as the theme.

The highlight of the evening when Dr. Chen went on the stage to sing “Can’t help falling in love with you” while fixing his gaze on Mrs. Chen, sitting below the stage. With warm-hearted applause from the audience, Dr. Chen then invited Mrs. Chen and Sunny onto the stage for another song together, followed by karaoke songs by various leaders from the VIP table. During the karaoke, In-Ja Park did very comical performances in front of the singers, making us (and the Chens) shake our sides with laughter. The memorable night came to an end with Drs. Chen’s new product introduction and lucky draw. Various new products were introduced and given away (well before the official new product launching at the Grand Convention) to Korean IBOs. They looked forward to the launching of these new products and at the same time they were proud of Dr. Chen’s expertise and the way he continually develops such wonderful products for them.

As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And, Korean IBOs were given a chance to work hard and at the same time to have fun through this Leadership Tour and Seminar in Japan.

Steve Kim
Operations Manager
Sunrider Korea

Dr. and Mrs. Chen Host a Truly Korean Experience at the 2008 Leadership Training Seminar in Korea

I had visited Korea a number of times, and as the saying goes, you never get tired of falling in love with something beautiful. Korea is such a place in my heart. And I talk a lot about “love” in this blog because love was the subject of our theme travel. For our 75 IBOs from Singapore and Malaysia, my colleagues and myself, the minute we touched down on Seoul, we were transformed into young lovers of Korea’s culture, film stars, beauty, kimchi …. and not forgetting the friendship that bonded us as one Sunrider family.

We started off on a blissful Sunday morning on 16th March, to Chuncheon and Namiseom Island, which are the location places for the shooting of that famous Korean drama, “Winter Sonata”. This is one of the most popular TV series in Korea, Hong Kong, China, Japan and even Malaysia. The series is built around the romance of falling in love for the first time….. and for all time (sigh …) Well, you should have been there to see, touch and experience all the lovely mementoes, souvenirs, pictures and the actual settings where the filming was done. I’m quite sure you would be just as swept off your feet by the romance of it all!

We were brought back to reality when we were told that there is a small ostrich farm on Namiseom Island, and one could race with the ostriches while riding bicycles. But we didn’t take up the challenge!

Our next stop was the Aqua World, which is an indoor water park with numerous therapeutic hot springs such as pine-tree spring and fruit-extract spring, saunas including Jade Sauna, Charcoal Sauna and Amethyst Sauna. We loved the Health Pool Zone and Amusement Zone. There was also a Water Slide for our young-at-heart IBOs, a massage corner for women and even a Couple Bath for couples.

The Monday morning of 17th March saw us at Mt. Sorak National Park. It was really the most awesome experience for all of us. Everything was covered with snow (well, almost everything!). The Park’s spiky mountain peaks, crystal clear ponds, rock formations, valleys and waterfalls were so serene, just like a Korean painting.

We explored Abai Village, which is the filming location of another famous Korean series, “Endless Love”. Abai Village has the distinction of being the heroine, Eun-Seo’s hometown. As we walked along the quaint homes and stores that were reminiscent of the ‘60s and ‘70s, we felt really connected to the tragic heroine and how she must have felt when she had to leave her lover.

We also visited the majestic Shinheung Temple, a massive and beautiful architecture which was built by a monk named Chanjang during the Shilla Dynasty. We easily agreed with our Guide that this is by far the most impressive temple in the Sorak Mountain area!

From romantics, we were turned into children (albeit BIG children) on Tuesday, 18th March at the Everland Resort. This is South Korea’s largest theme park and it has been ranked sixth in the world. We had lots of fun, starting at the European Adventure and enjoying the thrills and spills that took us through the vibrant themes of Magic Land, American Land and Global Fair. It was a great opportunity to snap photos, enjoy the spectacular shows and the rides.

Well, all this made us pretty adventurous ……. for some retail therapy! Our guide took us to Dongdaemun Market, one of the major markets in Korea with over 20 shopping malls that specialize in wholesale clothing, and we found some very good bargains for clothes, accessories and shoes.

On Wednesday 19th March, Dr. and Mrs. Chen hosted a leadership training seminar for a small group of selected IBOs. They were given very extensive training on business concept, the importance of setting optimum goals, business building, and duplication. They also were trained on frequently asked questions, new IBOs training, leadership and recognition.

Concurrent with this training seminar, the rest of our IBOs toured Sunrider Korea’s new office. They were very impressed with the office and took many photos to share with their downlines.

Later, this group of IBOs continued with the last day of the tour and visited a Kimchi factory for an inside look at Korea’s most relished food. Kimchi, as many would know, is the country’s national heritage and the main staple of Korean daily diet. We learnt that it is traditionally prepared with Chinese cabbage, red pepper, garlic, salted fish, ginger and other natural ingredients, then stored underground in clay containers to ferment for at least four weeks.

Did we say that this was the last stop for our IBOs? Hold your horses! Our IBOs would never return to our hotel without one last shopping spree, and this time they went to Myeongdong Market. Our IBOs had a fantastic time shopping at what is tagged as the trendiest, most fashionable shopping district in the country. They found a variety of stores from upscale boutiques and fashion malls to small stalls, and bought quality brand-name fashion wear, accessories and luxury items. They were so proud and happy to pay for everything with their Sunrider money and said that they truly enjoyed the Sunrider successful lifestyle!*

Finally, after all that shopping, sightseeing, photo-taking, having fun and enjoying Korean food, we were all ready to settle down for what everyone had come for: Dr. and Mrs. Chen’s Leadership Training Seminar. Our IBOs joined more than 400 IBOs from Hong Kong and Taiwan at the prestigious Imperial Palace Hotel, South Korea.

Our IBOs were excited and thrilled with the Chens’ presence. They found Dr. Chen’s advice on promoting SR’s potential income and SR's products, aiming for the optimum goal, and recruiting more than 10 IBOs every month particularly useful. They also felt that they understood more clearly why Sunrider is better than a franchise business and the role of IBOs in the Company.

Our IBOs were nervous when Mrs.Chen took over the rest of the session as they were aware that Mrs.Chen would ask them how they conducted their New IBOs Training as well as the FAQs.

However, Mrs. Chen put everyone at ease, and when she called participants to answer her questions, they actually found the experience fun, enjoyable and challenging, albeit slightly nerve-wrecking!

In fact, our IBOs were grateful when Mrs. Chen pointed out their mistakes, as they felt that they could remember better this way. Under Mrs. Chen’s training, they understood why such training should be conducted regularly especially for new IBOs.

At the Gala Dinner later that evening, it was truly a glamorous Korean finale to a wonderful week. Dr. and Mrs. Chen got everyone to join in the celebration with their friendliness. Dinner was absolutely delicious and everyone loved the Classical Music Performance by the Korea Tourism Board, as well as the various performances put up by the different countries’ IBOs. From Malaysia, we had two IBO performances and from Singapore, there was one. They were really spectacular to watch as our IBOs danced and sang, and got everyone into the party mood!

Another highlight was when Dr. and Mrs. Chen went on stage to sing, and were greeted by overwhelming applause. The Chens also invited the leaders from the VIP table to sing on stage, and our leaders did just that! Our leaders drew a lot of support from the audience for their hearty, albeit slightly off-tune, singing and everyone enjoyed the fun of it all.

The Chens were very generous and gave the new IBOs valuable gifts of Sunrider’s new products, which will be launched at the Grand Convention in July 2008. The new IBOs were really touched by the Chens’ generosity. The magical night finished off with a karaoke session and disco, and as the saying goes, the sun never goes down for those who work hard and play hard!

Shirley Tay
Director of Regional Operations
Sunrider Malaysia

*The earnings stated are not necessarily representative or typical of the earnings Sunrider Independent Business Owners can or will earn through participation in the Sunrider Compensation Plan. These statements should not be considered as guarantees or projections of your actual earnings or profits. As with any other independent business, success results only from dedicated sales efforts, hard work, diligence, and leadership.