MFL and MMI: Joint Ventures in New Corporate Culture

In a corporate culture flinching from the exposure of recent scandals, two companies seem determined to pioneer a new way of inter-corporate interactions. The basic approach to this rare partnership is based on principles of honesty, transparency, and mutual assistance, through the marriage of high-value ethics and the `everybody wins' approach to revenue sharing.

EUREKA, CA (PRWEB) March 8, 2004 --Metaphors For Life announced today a limited Joint Venture Partnership with Marketing Methods, Inc. (MMI) of Atlanta GA. Metaphors For Life will be holding one of it's 7 Mysteries in 7 Cities Seminars in Atlanta, June 26th, with MMI handling the marketing and promotion. What's more, both companies are bringing the very best of spiritual economics to the corporate world through the marriage of high-value ethics and the `everybody wins' approach to revenue sharing.

Marketing Methods, Inc. promotes New Age businesses, primarily through their "New Age Web Works" family of websites. They specialize in bringing quality information to the public about all spiritual paths, and their websites have enjoyed a strong Internet presence since 1995, surviving the "dot com" crash in 2000, with well over 1.45 million visitors a month. In addition, they currently host and manage over 50 other websites.

"We're really excited about the potentials," Metaphors For Life's co-founder, Rev. Dr. Alesia Matson said. "Even though our message isn't `typical New Age,' MMI is giving us a level of support on the ground in the Atlanta area that we wouldn't otherwise have. They define success like we do -- everybody wins."

Based in Northern California, Metaphors For Life is hitting the road in 2004 with fourteen seminars and workshops. The first seminar tour on the contemplative arts is "7 Mysteries in 7 Cities," followed closely by "Recovering From Fundamentalism" through the end of 2004. "It's a busy schedule, it's a hectic schedule, but it's important work," Rev. Dr. Michael Matson, another of MFL's co-founders, said. "Local partners are critical to the success of each event; so we work hard to make each relationship a `win-win' for everybody involved."

MMI's Laura Wandrie: "I believe it is a fantastic opportunity to be able to work with Metaphors for Life and help get their message out. MMI and New Age Web Works have always striven to bring viewers quality, informative spiritual information and I believe the teaming up with Metaphors for Life will greatly enhance our work. Its a definite `win win' situation."

Clearly, the win-win approach is critical to both organizations. In a corporate culture flinching from the exposure of recent scandals -- Worldcom, Enron, and Martha Stewart to mention only a few -- Metaphors for Life and Marketing Methods, Inc. seem determined to pioneer a new way of inter-corporate interactions. The basic approach to this rare partnership is based on principles of honesty, transparency, and mutual assistance that largely disappeared from American corporate culture thirty (some would say fifty) years ago. Deceptions, fake balance sheets and cut-throat competitions are being replaced by all-out efforts on the parts of both parties to see that the other benefits as much as possible from the arrangement.

"There's more to life than some abstract `bottom line' on a balance sheet. I want to see MMI do well. They want to see MFL do well. Together, we can provide more value and better seminars to the people of Atlanta and other cities than either of us could, alone. Wouldn't it be great to see AT&T and Dean Witter and Halliburton doing business that way, too?" Rev. Alesia Matson said.

Another aspect to the "win-win way" involves reaching out to low-income and disabled attendees. Metaphors For Life and Marketing Methods, Inc. are providing a number of seminar tickets at greatly reduced cost, or no cost, to those who can't afford the full price of attendance, as well as audio recordings of each event to shut-ins at low cost or no cost. Low income participants who are otherwise physically able are offered "work-ship" tickets, which consist of paying for part of a ticket (usually less than half) while working for the rest.

"The work-ships are a very vital part of each seminar," Dr. Alesia Matson said. "Set up, take down, ticket taking, handling books, beads and other products -- the assistance of those attending on work-ship is valued highly by everyone in both organizations, and we've streamlined the application process as much as convenience and necessity would allow."

Asked how MMI is approaching the marketing of the seminar project, Wandrie said, "We have already begun several ad campaigns on our family of Internet sites. For Atlanta on June 26th, we will be sending out advance press releases in the local area, and on the Internet. We've already been sending information out to all our many contacts to have them join us. So far, the response has been great!"

Metaphors For Life is an independent ministry of Church of the New Renaissance and provides a wide variety of seminars and products for spiritual education, self-improvement, and holistic health. Information about them, their seminar schedules, and their work can be found on the web at http://www.metaphorsforlife.com.

Marketing Methods, Inc. owns and operates a total of 9 separate sites dealing with many different spiritual paths. From from philosophy to travel, MMI offers a complete package of information for the Mind, Body and Soul. Information on their work can be found at http://www.newageinfo.com.