Keeping a secret can be tough – you want to share it with someone, but once you do, it stops being a secret. However, the secret we have is worth telling, because it’s going to help every member of Club Asteria who takes advantage of it!

Our latest secret is that we’ve teamed up with internet marketer Nate Bloom, who’s going to show our Gold Members how to earn additional income.

As the owner of Auto Marketing Pros, Nate is an experienced leader in internet marketing, and his secret is showing you how to take advantage of our Affiliate Program. This program rewards members who refer their friends and business associates to Club Asteria – when that person becomes a member, you receive a monthly financial reward!

You can join Nate’s growing group of successful followers by visiting this Facebook page and completing the online form. Please remember that you first have to be a Gold Level member of Club Asteria.

Once you’re signed up, you’ll have access to Nate’s personal coaching, training videos and other resources. He’ll hand you tips, tricks and strategies that unlock the door to success with Club Asteria!

We’re happy to be partnering with Nate Bloom, and his resources and experiences are going to help out Club Asteria members who are interested in succeeding. The extra income you generate with Nate’s guidance will improve the lives of your family members, friends and members of the community.

Going out on your own in the business world is quite an undertaking – there’s nothing like succeeding and growing a business that benefits you, your family and the community.  One drawback to entrepreneurship is you don’t have someone providing advice – and that can be a lonely feeling.

Luckily, you’re not alone – you’re a member of Club Asteria! Club Asteria provides a variety of resources for our members, many designed to generate income through the internet and online. We also provide training and job coaches to provide you with real world advice and business lessons.

We’d like to offer these tips and tricks to first-time entrepreneurs – and if you’re already an experienced business owner, there might be ideas here you can use.

-  Invest in yourself – the goal of a business is to generate profit through a product or service. As    your business begins to grow and you profit, remember to allocate a decent part of the income to the business. Whether it’s machinery, technology or even additional help, the money you put back into your business will generate more money.

-  Monitor your progress – this might sound simple, but it’s easy to get caught up in the daily challenges of running a business and lose sight of where you’re going! Dedicate part of each day to tracking sales, purchases and other related items – this daily task will create a full understanding of your business, and keep you abreast of the details.

-  Use your network – you probably know hundreds of people in the real world, and many more online. Don’t forget to alert them about your business, and keep them updated. Having word of mouth spread your message is key to succeeding!

-  Be flexible – the only change that is permanent is change! As your business grows, you’ll be presented with challenges that might require you to refocus. Don’t worry, that’s normal. If you can anticipate the change, and bend when the wind blows, you’ll have less stress and might discover a new market for your business.

-  Take a chance – this doesn’t mean taking a foolish risk, but as your business progresses, take a chance that’s within your means. And remember, it doesn’t have to be impulsive, do your homework. Taking a chance can yield surprising results.

Living the life of an entrepreneur is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Use the resources we’ve provided on our website, and take the time to review the services and products available to you. All of these tools were designed to help our members grow their business and become financially sound.

As always, if you haven’t become a member, you can join Club Asteria today for FREE!

Both in the United States and abroad, in economically mature countries and poor or “emerging” nations, there’s one constant you can count on: Computer literacy helps to lift people out of poverty. The Internet economy has broken down barriers and borders, for the first time making it realistic for somebody in rural Thailand, in Kolkata India, or even in sub-Saharan Africa to begin the path towards self-sufficiency. Because of the available technology, it’s possible for the first time to realistically work at home in your own cottage industry, and more people are doing that every day. It’s no longer a pipe dream—it’s realistic, and the technology is here to make it happen.

The challenge of course, is to get computers in the hands of the world’s poorest people, to provide Internet access and electricity to rural villages, and to educate them on how to use the technology to their benefit. It’s already happening, on all fronts. Thailand’s well-regarded rural distance learning program pipes in first-class education to the most remote villages in the country, from the “King’s School” in HuaHin—the best school in the country. Satellite Internet access provides coverage to nearly all of Southeast Asia, no matter how remote. In India, even the poorest citizens have been able to get computer literate, and go into business providing services on a telecommuting basis to Western countries.

The innovative “One Laptop Per Child” (OLPC) program even has a solution to help get computers into the hands of young people in poor villages. This program isn’t just about providing computers to people—it’s about alleviating poverty. It’s about giving children a skill that they can use the rest of their lives. The goal of OLPC is to create very inexpensive, minimally configured laptops, which can even be used in a village with no electricity (remarkably, it’s powered by a hand crank). Thailand was actually the first country to sign up with the program, and Nigeria has also made great strides with it. Rwanda has made a commitment to provide laptops to all school children.

There’s no disputing that technology is the key. When Nehru established the Indian Institute of Technology, India was deep in poverty. There’s no doubt that poverty is still rampant there, but India has made great strides—and it’s largely due to the country’s focus on developing a framework for technological education. What has become known as the “Asian miracle” can be replicated around the world.

Microfinance has a role to play in establishing this technological base. While it’s up to NGOs like OLPC, and local governments, to provide the framework and the educational infrastructure, microfinance can actually give poor people the tools they need to become self-sufficient.

Take the case of a teenager from a poor family in Delhi. Through hands-on learning and some low-cost direct training, he has become very proficient at web site design, and he’s quickly discovered he has a talent for graphic arts. He’s already created the web site for his school, which has become widely recognized as one of the best school web sites in the country. But until recently, he has always relied on using computers at the school, or even paying to use the local Internet café. A small microfinance loan enabled him to buy a low-cost laptop and Internet service at home—and how he’s building web sites for schools and small businesses all over India. This small, home-based business has turned around his own life and the lives of his parents and siblings, and he’s just received some very good news. He’s been accepted to attend the Indian Institute of Technology, and because of his work, he will be able to afford to put himself through school.

Cambodia has a turbulent history and is still struggling to establish stability and peace, though it has a democratically elected government and a constitutional monarchy. During my visits to the country, I have never ceased to marvel at the amazing cultural heritage of the country and its imposing architecture. Juxtaposed against this is the daily life of the common people, who literally fight a battle for survival.

Kolab lives 40 kilometers outside Phnom Penh the capital city with her husband and 6 children, 4 daughters and 2 sons. She is 35 and her husband just 4 years older and like most of the local people, their livelihood is from rice farming in the small plot of land adjacent to their humble home. It is a struggle to feed and clothe her family and obviously there is no money left to send the children to school. The eldest son helps in the farm while the younger ones fend for themselves.

I met Kolab on one of my visits and saw how the family was struggling to survive with a little dignity. Kolab, as is usual in Asia, was the pivot around whom the others revolved and I noticed her desperation to give her children a better life. A chance encounter with a friend in the capital was the proverbial coincidence that did just that. Kolab and her husband had gone there to the government center to buy some seeds and fertilizer with the meager money they had and their farmer friend was also there. He started talking about the NGO that had advanced him a loan without any collateral and how he had expanded his farming land and bought a tractor with the money. Kolab felt a little hope blossoming in her heart, perhaps they could try?

A few days later the representative from the micro-lending NGO came to their home and the formalities were completed. Pheakdel, her husband, signed the papers and the loan amount of $700 was sanctioned with a monthly repayment plan starting from the 3^rd month. Kolab and Pheakdel bought seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and a water pumping machine with the major portion of the money. They also managed to buy a small additional plot of land for planting more rice and potatoes.

My recent visit saw a changed scenario; Kolab’s entire personality had changed as she wore a colorful dress and the children looked well-fed and happy. They were all going to school, including Sovann, her eldest son. They had repaid the earlier loan and applied for a new one. Now, Pheakdel wanted to branch out into the fishing business and decided that he would buy the necessary equipment with the new loan. More land acquisition was also planned as Kolab brimmed over with her enthusiastic chatter about how good the yield was with all their hard work.

Microfinance is an effective way to help the poor and marginalized in many countries to generate income and find a way out of grinding poverty. Club Asteria finds a ray of hope in such stories of revival and will continue working for such communities around the world. We trust you will join us on this voyage of discovery to support the many that need a helping hand.

For many people, traditional lending institutions and governments do not offer assistance to informal businesses or potential small businesses. Based on the fact that many of these prospective entrepreneurs do not have the skills or know-how to apply for the strict licensing requirements or tax filings that most of the cities require, many low-income citizens are limited because of a lack of capital, education, or resources to start a business. Particularly included in this segment of the population are women, who have the creativity and desire to begin a business but do not have the money to do so.

At Club Asteria, we assess local resources and connect our financial expert team with potential business clients for maximum success not only in the area of finance but in skills building as well. By evaluating the sustainability of the business model and the effectiveness in the community, we can set women up for achievement.

Many times we find that the proposition, while worthy, will not work in the economic environment in which the entrepreneur lives. Failure is not an option we want to entertain. While the idea for a business brought to us will not do, we encourage our partners to look into the many business opportunities we have for working through the internet. A daunting and overwhelming task for someone with limited education, we hold their hand, so to speak, offering training and support every step of the way.

By joining our team, our members become productive network marketers, using their own websites which we set up for them. It is an innovative idea that is supplying our members with additional income to fund their families’ needs but also gives women the opportunity to earn money at home while caring for their children.

One of the strongest testaments to our services is when one of our members spreads the news about Club-Asteria and the work we do to eradicate poverty and disease in areas almost forgotten by the outside world. Women are becoming the enablers in society and bringing hope to communities and to their families.

In Puno, Peru I met with a mother of three who joined our internet business team. She attended our entrepreneur educational seminar and appeared to be a good candidate for our program. Today she is making $200 to $300 per week. Such an income for her and her family is extensive and is more than she made in a year. We are currently finding ways to improve Club-Asteria’s marketability so that our members can make even more money to support their families.

I’m often asked why I would leave my prior career at the World Bank to join the Club-Asteria team. My answer is quite simple actually, “I wanted to give admittance to those who had little or no ability to capitalism. Opportunity should not be a monopoly but a chance for all.”

If I give you a bag of seeds but you know nothing about tilling soil, fertilizer, weeding, or watering, will I change your life if you are hungry? If I give you gallons of paint but you don’t have a brush or a ladder, will you transform the house in which you live?  If I give you money to start a business but you know nothing about management, budgets, marketing, or strategy, will you revolutionize your community?

Microfinance dollars are only productive when aligned with education. For most of the clients that I work with on a daily basis, lack of money is not as pressing a problem as lack of knowledge. Many of the women have very low self-worth. When we organize educational meetings (sometimes in the middle of town or at someone’s house), one of the first opportunities we have available to impact lives is to convince women they can do it. They have what it takes to build a business and maintain it.

Often as I am listening to one of our advisors explaining how Club-Asteria works and its ability to benefit the community, I catch the eye of a little girl. Maybe she is 8 years old – maybe she is 10 – but she is listening. Her mother thinks she is playing with the other kids just outside of the meeting but she is not. And as one mother pulls her baby to her breast to nurse and another struggles to hear over the sounds of the village animals, I know that little girl is paying attention.

When we empower women to believe that they can manage an income, live a healthier more productive lifestyle, and teach their children that poverty is a state of mind, we can change whole communities and redirect the cycle of destitution.  So much effort must be placed on learning and encouragement. It isn’t about one meeting or one seminar held in a hut somewhere in Thailand. It is about a relationship that grows between the loan officer and the entrepreneur or should I say the Club-Asteria friend and the entrepreneur friend.

We train women to plan a business strategy, to balance a budget, and to create a stable environment to maintain a healthy company. We teach them about employees, discrimination, and security for the future. While at times it seems a daunting task, a mountain that cannot possibly be climbed, it is then that I remember the successes that Club-Asteria has had with other entrepreneurs because of educational programs such as this one.

Studies have shown that borrowers who realized the importance of education and diligently learned how to manage their businesses had a higher repayment rate than those that did not attend the meetings or were not interested in learning business development. Wherever I go, Russia, Thailand, or the Philippines, I am constantly reminded that in order to alter a person’s state of being, one must be accepting of change. Change in the way of thinking, in the way of doing things, and in the way of learning. Only when a person is willing to seek a new idea or foster concepts can micro financing truly impact lives.

It isn’t so much who we are or what we have to say, it is all about what is learned that will make a difference in the lives of these women. If they can successfully operate a business, their children will understand that opportunity comes to those who seek it. My eye catches the big brown ones of the little girl as she moves closer to the words of the instructor. Today she will learn of the possibility to make a better life for herself and such knowledge will change her destiny.

I am often asked why I believe our micro financing programs are successful, and the answer is quite simple – education. Being in the business of financing, I have realized that a loan in and of itself cannot impact lives anymore than a band aide can repair a broken leg. Loans can only change lives when combined with the watchful eye of our lenders and the dedication of our business teachers.

In Moscow, very close to Red Square, there is a large market place for vendors to sell their products. There have been many days that I have strolled down the aisles sampling foods. It is a marvelous experience for the untrained tongue as well as the discerning one! From strings of pickled garlic to dried fruits, breads, and fresh salmon, customers find delectable viands at reasonable prices.

Sveta Starkova came to one of our educational seminars in Lobnya, a small city near the airport. She had a talent for raising bees and producing honey. So specific was her trade that she grew flowers separately, keeping the bees isolated to only those particular plants such as buckwheat, sweet clover, and sunflower in order to create a unique and flavorful honey like no other.  As a child in the Caucasus Mountain region near Georgia, Sveta learned the process of producing specialty raw, pure honey from her Great-Aunt. For medicinal purposes, those who have allergies to particular pollens, can eat a spoonful of honey pollinated by that flower and be relieved of the allergic reaction. Her family was known through the region for their honey. Because of her limited education, Sveta could not have implemented a system to bring her product to the world or to stand in one of the busiest markets in Moscow and sell her family’s honey.

At Club-Asteria we teach women such as Sveta about inventory techniques, cost-of-goods, budgeting, marketing, and management of money. Sveta now ships honey all over the world. Her company is named lovingly after her Great-Aunt.

Like Sveta, many women have the possibility to provide a stable income for their families but they lack the know-how. Even if they have the finances, their limited knowledge regarding business puts them at great risk to be taken advantage of by someone who realizes the money making potential. We want to be an encouragement as well as a useful tool to insure that the talents and creativeness of others are not stifled by the inability to run a business or by poverty.

The loan recovery rate in micro financing is high when compared to the banking industry, and loans made to women are paid back at an even higher rate. It is an answer to the elimination of poverty, an avenue to generate income and create jobs, and most importantly to educate individuals on the proper way to manage their money, time, and business. Through educational seminars and observation, people are learning the intricate details of operating a business on a daily basis and incorporating those skills into their community and family. More and more individuals become employable so that a rural sector of the world becomes a vital, economically stimulating environment.

Sveta often returns to the Caucasus Mountain region to consult with her family on the progress of their bees. It has become a business of which the entire family is involved. Club-Asteria mixed with education, effort, and the love of many generations has made Sveta Starkova a success.

Every day, Club Asteria generates income that provides our members financial freedom. A regular income means that members of the latest generation can build their own businesses, and communities, not remain hostage to poverty.

The end of 2010 was marked by an announcement that Club Asteria had contributed more than $50,000 to the philanthropic programs listed below. These organizations share our goal: to eliminate the cycle of poverty which enslaves the majority of the world’s population.

• -Grameen Foundation
• -World Concern
• -Heifer International
• -Living Earth Institute
• -Opportunity Now
• -Kiva
• -Gospel for Asia
• -Water Aid and World Vision

Another result of our member involvement was funding for our microfinance and microcredit programs, which enable dozens of entrepreneurs to expand or start their own businesses. Microloans allow farmers to purchase seeds; shopkeepers to pay the lease on their store; and women entrepreneurs to make clothes and sell them so they are able to support their families.

Club Asteria members donated money and made significant contributions to the ownership of animals, which play a vital role in the lives of millions. Animals provide protein rich sustenance like milk, eggs and meat – they also function as a source of labor, making it possible for farmers to expand their planting fields and gather crops at harvest time.

Donations, microloans and the purchase of animals were all critical contributions – and thanks to our members Club Asteria reached another important goal: providing access to clean water facilities. Money donated by our team contributed to the construction of a machine which drills deep fresh water wells for villages in Kenya and Somalia.

The wells improve the health of entire communities and allow the women to do other jobs and spend more time taking care of their children.  In addition we contributed towards a rainwater harvesting tank that, when completed, will serve over 1000 people in Tanzania with fresh water.

This year is already on track to top 2010, as our members continue to provide the underserved families of the world receive the financial help they need. Club Asteria provides opportunity and the tools and resources for people to create better lives for themselves and their families.

Becoming a member of Club Asteria couldn’t be easier, and the benefits you’ll receive, added to the resources of knowledge available, will change your life.

And the lives of others.

The goal of Club Asteria is to help the people of the world experience positive economic growth by giving them the tools, services and resources. Every member has access to these excellent resources, and their success has translated into life changing scenarios for themselves, their families and communities.

One story of success recently posted on the Club Asteria Facebook page was from Alexander Shestakov, a pensioner living in the resort city of Yeysk, Russia. His pension wasn’t giving Alex the kind of lifestyle he desired, and after losing money and faith as a result of internet scams, he decided to try Club Asteria in December 2010.

Now more than a month later, Alex is a Gold Member and already ranked as a director! “I feel part of the big team, the big business,” he writes. The confidence Alex has gained from his association with Club Asteria has translated into helping himself and his close friends.

Another story posted on the Facebook page came from Astrid Flamand, who wrote, “Since I’m a Gold Member and Network Director of Club Asteria, my life has changed.” Astrid’s involvement with Club Asteria enables her to afford health bills for her autistic children. In addition, part of the money she earns each month pays the monthly fees for 18 other members!

“Club Asteria gives me an enormous potential to meet people, to take care of them and at the same time, to build a better life for my kids, my family members and so many people in the world,” she writes. “I’ve done a lot of “business” in the past, but never participated in a
business with a real heart.”

When you join Club Asteria, you’ll quickly learn that membership allows you to supplement your income – or generate an entire new income stream. The tools and resources we provide are part of our goal of helping people from around the world.

Take the first step on the path of financial freedom, join Club Asteria today!

One of the many perks of working with Club Asteria is the opportunity to travel and meet some of the world’s finest people. Because we venture into many areas of the globe, I have experienced a variety of cultures, food, and lifestyles. It is one of the highlights of my life.

Recently, I flew to Managua, Nicaragua. If you’ve never been to Managua, the country surprises me every time I visit. From the Masaya Volcano to the undisturbed beaches, Nicaragua is blessed with beauty; but, the people are whom I enjoy the most on my visits.

A project which has been underway at Club Asteria for some time involved a piece of land just outside the city. My intent in visiting this area was to check on the progress of a pump for a new well to a small community of about 5,000 people. When I first learned of the conditions in which these Nicaraguans were living, I was horrified – (this coming from someone who has seen many impoverished places). This community once lived in a dumping area so to speak before being moved by the government. The residents of this garbage area were able to build tents out of the debris and waste of other people, had access to fresh water, and were in walking distance of the town, so finding and getting to work was possible. While living in a landfill site may seem unbearable to most of us, this group managed well there. They even had a church constructed of used pipes and cardboard.

The government removed them from the dump area to a new location – several acres of land which had once been a toxic waste disposal. The private well was contaminated and fresh water existed four miles away. I remember the first day I arrived. Many members of the community were sick because they had been unaware of the toxicity of the private well on the site. One mother brought her dehydrated toddler to me because her husband had been ill and she could not make the eight mile walk to bring the water to the family. I knew I had two bottled waters in my backpack but was afraid if I pulled them out it might cause hysteria. What appeared to me was these precious people were left to die on this waste land.

Through joint efforts and the help of our sponsors, we were able to install a pump system to bring the water to the area. Although it is still not enough to satisfy the needs of this many people, it is a step until a well can be drilled with a purification system. Many changes had been made since the first time I visited. Families had found ways to make homes and the rampant sickness that had filled the area before over the contaminated water, was gone.

Before I left, many of the people invited me to their church, a tarp covered dwelling supported by strong tree branches. They wanted to pray for me and Club Asteria.

In living conditions which we would consider destitute, this group of people found hope in a water system. It is ironic that when I had the vision about Club Asteria, I wanted to make the world a better place…to make lives better for people. What I didn’t realize is that my work would benefit my life more because of the blessings experienced in the lives of such amazing people.