You said NO. Then you swore you would NEVER do it. You actually even promised yourself you would NEVER be “that girl”. And now, you find yourself actually wondering if you should join her (your friend, your aunt, your sister, your mom, your co-worker, your best friend from high school, your college roommate) because  

+ you just had a baby 

+  you found out you’re pregnant

+  your job is threatening another round of cuts

+  you have a profession you LOVE but you’re still struggling to pay the bills 

+  you are close to retiring and don’t want to become irrelevant 

And the people in your life who are doing network marketing are making money and seem pretty darn happy about it.

So, how do you make the best possible choice for you and your family? How do you figure out what company is the best fit especially if you don’t know much about the industry?

Don’t stress, I got your back baby!

About seven years ago, I took a HUGE leap of faith to follow the nudge God put in my heart to start my own business. Yes I was still working full time. I was working 70ish hours a week in my corporate job. Was a new mom, FIRST time mom at the YOUNG age of 42 and was teaching at the local University. Holy FULL plate.

Little did I know, that decision would lead to SO MUCH. Fast forward and I was able to leave that corporate career of 20 years, my husband was also able to leave his professional baseball career, we hit million $ earner at the six year mark, have traveled all over, and most importantly are super present for the things that mean the most to us like our daughter.

Based on my experience and through countless chit chats with women who have explored network marketing — some with crazy success, some with frustrating results — here are some tips:

Show me the MONEY. Can you make money with the company you’re considering? Think like a CEO and understand the numbers (even if numbers aren’t your jam). You’re looking to start a BUSINESS. Seek to understand the company’s compensation plan and exactly how to earn an income.

Network Marketing companies can range from offering 5% to 50% profits on your sales, and typically you can choose to have an additional stream of income through building a team. And most offer perks, the stuff I like to call icing on the cake. These can include trips, cars, cash bonuses, etc. So make sure to ask how you get paid. 

It’s great being a part of the newest trend, but not so much if you’re only earning $3 every time you sell a $30 item. There are tons of “shiny objects” that will pop but remember, not all compensation plans are created equal so it’s super important that you understand the basics.

Don’t be afraid to ask what the activity would look like to bring home $500 (or more) in your first 4 weeks under their leadership. Knowing the basics of a compensation plan is one thing; fully understanding how to earn money is another. So, get down and dirty with specifics and find out how many items need to be sold to earn $500 in your first thirty days.

You’re looking for a leader that can easily show you how because in this industry success is found in simplistic duplicatable systems. Earning your first $500 will teach you the steps you need to know to build your foundation. 

Know your NUMBERS and monthly requirements. What is your monthly cost of doing business? Does your cost go up as your income increases or does it remain the same? 

Don’t forget to ask about inventory. Inventory is expensive and I’ve seen too many of my friends get stuck with massive amounts of product. If you aren’t careful you can quickly dig a financial hole.

Ask if there are monthly sales requirements and if so, what happens if those requirements aren’t met? 

Leaders Build Leaders. It matters who you join. Just like compensation plans, not all leaders are created equally. This won’t be discussed often because we don’t want to admit that joining our best friend might not be the smartest decision when it comes to our family’s future so let me be the one to say it. Leadership matters. If the person you are considering joining is a hot mess, or untrustworthy, or jumps from company to company, they’re probably going to have challenges guiding you to success. 

One of my favorite quotes comes from the amazing Maya Angelou … If someone shows you who they really are, believe them.

So, if you feel there is no easy way around joining under a hot mess (like, maybe she’s a good friend or the only person in town who’s part of the company you’re considering), find out if there are strong leaders that have gone before her and learn from them — someone who is doing it successfully.

Consume the PRODUCT. Whatever business you choose; you are now a walking billboard for the line. So be a consumer of the product like it’s your J.O.B. (because it is). When people ask what you use or what your experience has been, you will be able to authentically share.

SIDENOTE — I’m super blessed and successful with my company and did not try the products before I joined. I was confident based on the product’s track record. Don’t get hung up on this either way. Just remember you are opening a business and the sooner you start to build a paycheck the better.

Choose a company with CONSUMABLE products  A consumable product is something that the customer uses over and over and over which means they will be coming back for more EVERY TIME they run out. Hello REORDERS! Think like a consumer and ask yourself if you would buy this product over and over. No matter how good the product is, if it isn’t consumable it will be HARD to build a significant foundation and stay ahead of natural attrition.

Set your EXPECTATIONS accurately. Network Marketing is NOT a get rich quick gig. It takes time to build your foundation and hone your skills. This industry is all about building a business that will give you a flexible life. It matches your effort which means if you treat it like a hobby it will pay you like a hobby. And if you treat it like a professional career, it will pay you like a professional career. It works when you do regardless of how awesome the company is. Work it, girl. Own it, girl and you will love the life network marketing gives you.

Think like a CEO. If you just opened an ice cream parlor or funky boutique, you would tell everyone about it, online and in person. You’d have grand openings and more. Treat this business the same. Use social media as part of your strategy not your only strategy. The more you serve the people in your life and authentically provide value that faster things will move for you. This is not a 9-5 job and sometimes it can feel like you’re all over the place, so prepare to be flexible. This is especially important if you’re used to a traditional job. The life of an entrepreneur is VERY different than traditional so settle in and get used to being fluid.

OWN it GIRL. You and you alone are responsible for your success and/or failure. As a CEO you are responsible for learning the skills you need to succeed and educating yourself on your company, the products and the industry. You are also responsible for motivating yourself. 

Reputable companies will give you the tools to empower yourself, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. The company tends to do things the way they do because they know it works. Trust them and trust yourself.

Introvert, Extrovert, or somewhere in between. Don’t worry about your personality type. Success in network marketing is about consistency, GRIT, determination, passion and personal drive. I’ve seen both introverts and extroverts find MASSIVE success in this industry. Follow your favor, use your gifts, be authentically you and serve as many people as you can. 

Set BOUNDARIES. It’s super important to be SMART about who you LISTEN to. It isn’t wise to seek the opinion of people who aren’t familiar with the industry. Sure, they mean well, but they don’t know what they don’t know and they could easily steer you wrong. 

Seek advice from people who have already gone where you’re headed OR that you would trade places with.

Choose FAITH over FEAR. I was scared out of my mind when I started and guess what, so is every single business owner when they start. EVERY SINGLE ONE. You are not alone in feeling fear. 

You are capable of WAY more than you think you are. You can DO HARD THINGS. And comfort zones were made to broken. If I can do this so can you. Trust me. You will learn new skills, learn how to lead and become the CEO your heart is tugging at you to become.

Network Marketing has TOTALLY changed my life in more ways than I ever dreamed. My dearest friends came through it (and they are still my closest friends today), it blessed my family financially, I became a much better business woman and, best of all, I came to know the Lord through it; and it can do the same for you. Give God a chance to work through you, give yourself a chance to become all you were meant to be, and take a leap of faith. You got this girl!

Each week I go live on my Facebook Page to dig deeper, so make sure we’re connected.

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Question of the week: What do you wish you knew before you started your business?