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Dear AAN Member,

 

Why pursue a business education in college or university, when Chris Bell and the dynamic AAN team can give one an immediate, no frills, no holds barred, education in what makes this business so successful? I got just such an education.

A successful business must have the following ingredients:

1. Vision
2. The means to make that vision a reality

Chris Bell has the expertise, drive and vision to steer the company to heights most of us can’t even comprehend, and to put his vision into effect David Cheyne is one of the principal players at the table. The two men are closely connected, at times appearing to answer each others’ questions almost wordlessly. They have each others’ back. That may sound trite to you; nonetheless it’s true and it’s a beautiful thing to witness.

The entire team is made up of experts and I don’t use that term loosely. Ted Walthers is a techno-genius with a gentle manner and disposition. An example of how closely he is related to the inner exchanges in the office: - Chris was walking me through the online Admin back office, showing me how to enter an appraisal, change status to sold or unsold, upload inventory pictures and make allocations to members active or inactive and so on, when he came across a tiny glitch, and by the time he said “Ted, did you hear that?” The response was “Try it now” and voila, it was fixed.

The interaction and information going back and forth at lightning speed between everyone was like a different language, and although I had difficulty keeping up, they were all helpful in straightening me out, no matter how often I got turned around. Huge loads of intermeshing details that must be accurate for the whole to work correctly are in the final stages. They are right on the cusp, folks.

From Dwane Jenkins unpacking an item of inventory, staging, photographing and then uploading it into a folder on their dedicated server, to Samantha Migneault and Laura Cheyne doing the accounting to satisfy the BCSC (British Columbia Securities Commission) legal requirements, the staff is multifaceted.

James Rivers and Shane Harder do a great job in the marketing arena which has already resulted in many sales to the company as well as in membership growth. Advertising has been held back somewhat until launch to allow inventory to be allocated, but once AAN goes live, Shane has a team ready to flood Craigslist, Kijiji, eBay and UsedVancouver with around 150 ads per day.

Appraising an item accurately is important in this business, and David, Dwane and Samantha have a ton of knowledge and experience in this area, while Chris is still top gun in most fields. Each item is appraised by at least 2 staff members to ensure the best possible results. Details have to be precise in listing an item as well. For example let’s say you have a Vintage Fridge and just enter Fridge, you could lose out big time, and this applies to books, tables, sofas and every other piece of inventory.

While I was there, Chris took out a record album and walked me through the process on how to find out its worth. They have a library of reference material (which Chris doesn’t seem to need), and he explained what to look for on the cover, the record and the label, then look it up in the reference book. What a jaw dropping eye-opener!

Don’t be throwing out those old albums, folks! Or if you do, make sure you let Chris or Dave know. This particular album was a Bob Dylan in very good condition, and the label and reference book told me it was worth $350. Now the great part about acquisitions is that at auction you can buy boxes of miscellaneous items like books, records or toys for $5, or even get them thrown in free when you purchase other lots.

Who wouldn’t pay $5 to make $350, or even $50? An example that Chris showed me, was a book dated 1847, purchased for $100 and in poor repair on the outside. When I queried the cost, he grinned and I knew it was time for another lesson! The 116 undamaged pictures in the book were worth between $25 to $250 or more each. The scope is unlimited in the acquisitions business model.

I saw tons and tons of collectables from many different eras and genres, and enough furniture for a large town of wall-to-wall homes. Things that are not in good order are either auctioned off or given to charity, so that inventory sold is in good shape.

When the official launch takes place, this inventory that is now stacked high and wide in stores and kiosks, will be unpacked and displayed throughout the Mall. If you live in the area or within travelling distance, be there. Chris or David would love to show you around and answer questions.

The search for larger premises is still ongoing, and Chris has a meeting with a team of realtors early this week. His vision to have a turnkey location incorporates the following:

26’ High industrial storage racks
A cleaning and maintenance section (so that if a tabletop is damaged it will be repaired in-house etc.)
Loading bays
AAN retail stores
A shipping department
Central podium-like staging area with a drop camera above and a digital & video stationary camera in front
Office space

If you think that everything I’ve told you encompasses the complete AAN business model, you would be happily mistaken. Chris has a scope of vision far exceeding the norm, is able to succinctly explain what he wants while David and the rest of the team make it happen. Numerous times Chris said that they have scalability of personnel and processes; an important formula for success now as well as for dynamic growth in the future.

Chris Bell is without doubt the go-to expert in this industry, with an undisputed reputation for integrity. His contacts are spread far and wide, and this is one of the reasons he knows where to buy, how much to pay, and when to walk away. A few of these contacts became joint venture partners when they were introduced to the AAN business model. That in a nutshell says it all.

During the three day visit I was able to spend one-on-one time with most of the team. They believe in Chris and AAN 100% and it shows in their tightly focused, can-do attitude, dedicated to making this company exceptional. The office environment appears relaxed, but there is no 9 to 5 here. Everyone works as many hours as it takes to get the job done and we, the members, couldn’t be in better hands.

The majority of my time well spent was with Chris Bell. Kind, patient, passionate, informative, businesslike, friendly and with a great sense of humour, his stature in my eyes grew every day. It is obvious that he is held in the highest esteem by everyone who comes into contact with him, with special emphasis on the diverse AAN team. He wholeheartedly reciprocates by giving unstintingly of himself.

Now, more than ever before, I know our funds are in safe hands, and I’ll go so far as to say, forget the stock market, forget forex trading, forget online HYIPs, MLMs, banks and savings accounts, and max out your membership funds in this company as soon as you can. Then sit back and reap the rewards, and do remember to tell everyone you know and love about this.

Many of you who know me well are aware that I don’t pull any punches in telling it like it is, so I want you to realize there was no looking through rose coloured glasses during my stay. AAN is solid and operates like a well oiled machine with scalable personnel and processes, under a blanket of respect, camaraderie and family.

It was an honour to be invited to Vancouver to learn the inner workings of AAN, and get to know everyone. I was touched by each one’s acceptance of me and my sometimes quirky attitude, and go so far as to hope I’ve made friends for life. Thank you David, Sam, Ted, Laura, Dwane, James, Shane and Chris M. Very warm and special thanks to Chris Bell for making this possible. I am truly blessed.

Jen

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