Business Opportunity Or Just Another Job? Take Matters Into Your Own Hands
There is a distinct difference between business as an entity and business as an activity. Doing business is NOT the same as owning a business.
I know a lot of people who are avid network marketers. A few of these people generate a nice income by referring others to their opportunity system, but most do not.
For purposes of this article, let’s focus on the network marketer or MLMer who actually does create a profit with their venture. Just so you know, we’re talking about less than 10% of the millions of people on the planet who try their hand in this field.
Often these starry-eyed entrepreneurs talk about running their own business and how you can have a lucrative business of your own if you’ll only join them on the path to prosperity. But the simple truth is in most cases even successful network marketers aren’t running their own business.
I have met a few MLM distributors with a registered enterprise, a business license, etc. But even most of these folks focus the entirety of their energies and resources into the building of their opportunity network.
For the record, there is nothing wrong with being an independent sales representative. Many people in many fields make great money as commission-based agents who work for retail companies and manufacturers.
But let’s call a duck a duck shall we? Being an independent sales rep does not necessarily make you a business owner.
Consider this crucial yet seriously downplayed fact: If you spend all of your time, energy, and ad budget building a network to move product and recruit sales reps for a third party company, what will happen when this company decides to change their compensation structure?
Statistically speaking, the average network marketing company alters their pay plan once every five years. This is done to keep the scales from being tilted too far from the favor of the board members or company owners.
I’m not saying this is wrong. Clearly the founding members of the company have every right to manage things to their favor.
But where does this leave the hard working distributor?
And do you realize some network marketing companies even put their products on the shelves of popular retail centers?
I won’t even get started on how common it is for a network marketing company to simply dissolve altogether.
The point I’m making is this: If you rely solely on a company you do not own to fulfill your dreams of prosperity you have yourself a j-o-b.
I urge you to avoid putting all of your eggs into one basket, to borrow an old cliché.
Develop and focus on a business plan that promotes you first, and build on this model. Business opportunities will come and go, but a true following will stay with you for a lifetime.
Tim Whiston is an entrepreneur who lives in the southeastern U.S. He provides