Business born when former nurse met motivator

The Saratogian/October 19, 2003
By Paul Post

People in today's technologically advanced society have settled into comfortable jobs and lifestyles with little or no challenge, resulting in a generation that's still unhappy despite having more wealth and leisure time than any civilization in history, she said.

Executive Success's goal is to make people want to achieve more, to become better personally and professionally.

Salzman, 49, a former nurse, said she spent 20 years studying human behavior, frustrated that she couldn't measure her work in quantifiable ways. Then she met Keith Raniere, 43, owner of a former multi-level marketingpyramid) business that made $33 million annually before going bankrupt when he ran into legal trouble.

"The multi-level industry, if you study it, is not an ethical industry," Salzman said. She said Raniere was attracted to its networking aspects and the chance to create such marketing in a new way. After achieving considerable success, she said Raniere wrote a paper critical of the industry that created considerable ill will and made him numerous enemies, which led to charges that his business, Consumers' Buyline, was a pyramid scheme.

At one point, attorneys general of 23 states including New York were considering action against him. Rather than pay exorbitant court fees, he agreed to a settlement in New York for $40,000, Salzman said.

"Keith settled with no admission of wrongdoing," she said.

Executive Success is the outgrowth of her human analysis skills and his business acumen. She owns and is president of the company. She said Raniere derives no income from it at all.

"Not a penny," she said.

Barbara Bouchey of Saratoga Springs has been involved with Executive Success for 3½ years and hosts a satellite school at her 48 Union Ave. business, Barbara Bouchey Asset Management Inc. She's one of 400 coaches working for Salzman who train other people throughout the country. She also handles some of the firm's financial services.

Bouchey mentioned Raniere in the same breath as Gandhi or the Dalai Lama and describes him as "one of the world's smartest men."

"He's not motivated by money," she said. "If he want ed to go make money, he could do it in a heartbeat. What Keith Raniere wants are people who have an existence that's noble, that's very joyful."