Karen Kruppenbach – Direct Sales Personal Name: Karen Kruppenbach, 49 (www.mannapages.com/klk) Education: Education major, 2 minors in nutrition Family: husband Dean, Michael 14, Tara 10 Business: Network Marketing (Glyconutritional supplements) Hobbies: Swimming, ballroom dancing, reading, travel (Dean likes golf)   How it started: Karen was in poor health suffering from fibromyalgia, arthritus, severe allergies, menopause symptoms and excess weight.  While Dean worked at a bank she was starting a company called Destiny Conference and Education Center.  They also had a non-profit organization, Freedom Center Ministries.  But everything was on hold because Karen was so sick. They decided to dedicate a month to prayer and fasting in August 2003.  Then a friend Ramona Dicks (Olive Brance Ministries) that had originally introduced Karen to Dean 18 years ago in Israel suggested she try a nutritional supplement.  After using the products for only one month Karen and her family had amazing health changes including weight loss.  After learning that these were glyconutrtionals with worldwide patents they started sharing with their friends and family who also saw amazing results.  They now have been using the products for 2 years and over a year ago they started working the business by  helping build teams of people to share this gift to help people get healthy.  Recently they relocated to Baton Rouge, LA and receive most of their personal income from the network marketing business.   Personal Passion: Karen has always been a natural entrepreneur to the extent Dean originally wondered if the motivation was greed or a gift from God.  She started several businesses (ballroom dance school, a home-based day care center, Destiny Conference and Education Center and helped her husband with his music school).  She also has an intercessory gift to pray others into prosperity.  In a phrase, Karen is all about helping people get healthy and wealthy.  Her greatest burden is for ministers and churches.  She also places a high value on a business that keeps her home with her family.  Now her husband and their children are involved in it as well.  Last year they won a family trip to Cancun and this year they won the cruise incentive, as well as help 3 others couples win the trip.   Personal Benefit:  The network marketing business is rooted in a Christian parent company that is publicly traded on NASDAQ.  It provides an entrepreneurial outlet that is financially lucrative and affords opportunities to be mentored and have fellowship with other successful Christians.  Added to that, Karen has the personal satisfaction of seeing health issues healed through both prayer and nutrition.  Her down line is an opportunity to minister to others… healing, personal growth, and the knowledge of how to run their business successfully.    Value to others: Some of Karen’s team are church leaders/ministers placing her on the cutting edge of helping the Church connect with marketplace ministry.  Her local church is affiliated with CI (Christian International – Bill Hamon) and her local church pastor Larry Bizette, is instrumental in CIBN (Christian International Business Network) an organization that trains business people to be ministers in the marketplace.  The product has shown remarkable impact with chronic health problems such as multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, cancer, crohns, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.   Marketing health supplements to the unsaved provides natural opportunities for evangelism outside the church   Business Potential (upside): Network marketing doesn’t necessarily have a cap on the income ceiling.  Karen and Dean derive most of their personal income from the business after about one year of involvement. Their up-line mentor helped them double their business recently by taking Karen with him on several business trips.  They hope to be at a “presidential” level in a few months.  People at that level make 6-10K monthly, and more.   Complexities, failures (downside):   Network marketing requires teamwork.  You have to learn to work with your team members and use the tools.  Also, personal development and consistently sharing the gift with others is a must to succeed.  Learning to effectively communicate, willingness to be flexible and a desire to help people is necessary.   Vision for the Kingdom: Karen has a vision to supply the glyconutritional supplements to kids in orphanages in Africa and other countries.  The company president and his wife are committed Christians with a strong vision for missions.  So strong they have started a non-profit that sends over 15K yearly to sick children around the world.   Karen has a vision to support Worldcast Ministries (Harold Eberle) with his work in Africa.   Impact from Releasing Kings:  Karen owns and has read every book Harold has written. Releasing Kings is one of only three books that articulated what the Lord has been speaking to her for years (The other two are God@Work by Rich Marshall and Anointed for Business by Ed Silvoso).  She is busy giving away copies of Releasing Kings, forwards the email newsletter to friends and has given a copy of the book to her pastor who wanted the book on her recommendation.