Let me back up a little. As mentioned last week, I ventured into the network marketing in the fall last year. I did the "home business/direct sales" before, and despite quitting it 5 years ago after failing forward year after year (and I still have product lying around - see below), I was intrigued by this company, its product and format, mainly because I didn't need to carry inventory. I don't have to schlep product to and from home parties, and I don't have meet minimum sales targets. Not to say that I don't like what I used to sell, because I still do. My pantry is also full of everything I love to use daily. This is just what I had on hand for demonstrations, customer one-off orders, product changes, etc. It was EVERYWHERE.
Fast forward 5 years, and I think I've definitely grown as a person and am looking at this industry differently now. But I still may not have fully "bought-in" at the beginning. I've read the books, I go to the team events and weekly Zooms, and yet I struggled. The odd customer purchase here or there, but I had yet to really build my team. I watch others do it, seemingly with ease, and I was still here, stuck at Go.
I do have 54 years of my parents drilling the employee mindset into me, as most my age do. Get a good job, do a good job, retire from that job and die happy. But that whole world is changing, and it's not quite that cut and dry anymore. Companies come and go at an alarming rate. Industries that don't evolve cease to exist. Technology moves faster than most of us can keep up. Hell, Sears, the store that practically invented "online shopping" with their Wish Book have closed, citing online shopping as the reason. Ironic. I know more people that have changed jobs/companies/education, not because they wanted to, but because the change was forced upon them. I still flashback to the utter shock of having the rug pulled out from under me last spring. The lure of a steady, consistent pay-cheque, benefits and pension is that fat, juicy worm on the hook most of us bite at desperately. But is that our reality these days? Most get hired as contract, so that corporations can avoid the high benefit/pension costs associated with salaried staff. Loyalty from either employee or employer is low (not to be confused with engagement) - it's rare to hear of anyone who has worked for only one employer from start to finish. Heck, you get excited when people hit the 5 year mark, rather than 20, 30 or God forbid, 40 years of the past.
So how is Network Marketing different? Tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit that lurks in us all (who hasn't had the lemonade stand, or charged for a magic show in the backyard?), and using the technology that scares most brick and mortar industries, it gives those ready for a change the opportunity to drive that change. Residual income replaces pensions, and while there are no benefits per say, the desire of a high enough income that those costs don't matter. Loyalty can still up in the air, as many change companies or focus, but I learned earlier this year that my team have my back and believe in me, even when I don't. We are, after all, pulling in the same direction. There isn't that nagging feeling of someone out for your job or promotion. We celebrate each other victories and help out when we struggle.
{the Canadian team representing in Vegas}
It may have been the cold virus, or the glow of three days of laughing, crying, screaming, laughing even harder, and more "ah-ha" moments then I can count, but I feel like I came back a different person. I'm no longer shy about saying I'm a network marketer. For the first time, I had more customer sales than ever. I still have a lot of work to do, but it's not work that I'm really that afraid of anymore.
{face of determination}
My goal for this week: review my notes from Vegas, start one of the many books I have stacked up (maybe Beach Monday, by Jordan Adler, who also spoke at GoPro) and continue to build my business. I want to be Platinum ranked by conference in March, and also have a good amount of funds in the bank by then to have some fun. I vowed I'd ride the Freemont Street zipline then, and I'd also like to get some new clothes for the spring and summer months.
It's been busy week, with another fun-filled day of training yesterday and cheering on all the fitness at the Battle at the Barracks today. No volunteering this time around, just went to watch. And it was fun! I've made soup for the week and oatmeal with PB and banana, so meals are also ready to roll. I like being able to grab and go in the morning. Makes changing someone's life for the better that much easier when I don't have to worry about what to eat!!
Much love and thanks for reading,
Carol
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