Cofounders Dr. Josephine Gross Chris Gross Publisher Bob Proctor Publisher Emeritus Frank J. Keefer Founding Editor John Milton Fogg Consulting Editor John David Mann Editor in Chief Dr. Josephine Gross Creative Director Yan Z. Hughes Digital Content Manager Ramya Chandrasekaran Contributing Writers
Amy Applebaum, Dr. Sven Goebel, Julie Henderson
Global Prosperity through a Philanthropic Economy® Gabriel Media Group, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Chris Gross Chief Operating Officer Reed Bilbray Chief Technology Officer Brad Morrison Controller Yan Teng Board of Directors Michael Cunningham Chris Gross (Chairman) Dr. Josephine Gross Glenn Head Don Karn Bob Proctor Networking Times is published by Gabriel Media Group, Inc. Copyright © 2017 Gabriel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Cover: One Source Photography
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editors@networkingtimes.com
PRESENTS
Lower Your Taxes Big Time!
CONTENTS
5
PERSPECTIVES
LEADOFF The Experience of Community
Dr. Sven Goebel People everywhere are looking for communities where they feel validated and empowered to achieve their dreams.
FEATURES 6
NT INTERVIEW From Mass Marketing to Me Marketing
Denis Waitley is one of America’s most respected authors, keynote speakers, and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. With millions of audio programs sold in over a dozen languages, Denis is one of the most listened-to voices on personal and career success.
16
CEO CORNER From 8-Figure Earner to CEO
Armand Puyolt is a legendary network marketing leader and company owner whose goal is to help as many people as possible raise their quality of life a. At age 40, he was making an 8-figure income as a distributor, when with his wife, Dr. Esther Ramos, he decided to start his own wellness company.
26
CORPORATE VIEW Leading a Movement
Antonio De Rosa is Chief Design Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing for a fast growing network marketing company specializing in technology and wellness. Antonio is also a visionary leader who applies creative genius and expert design skills to the innovative products he brings to market.
34
MASTER NETWORKER Under Promise and Over Deliver
Based in Houston, Texas Edwin Haynes is a multimillion-dollar earner leading a network marketing organization of a quarter million people worldwide. Yet this is only one of the multiple businesses in Edwin’s portfolio. While he’s all about diversification, he has a special love for the network marketing profession.
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1
CONTENTS
FEATURES
44
MASTER NETWORKER Business as a Ministry
Dr. Luis and Evelia Arriaza are top producers in an established network marketing company. Leading an organization of over 160,000 people internationally from their home in Southern California, Dr. Luis and Evelia have developed a community they call the Spartan Culture, teaching everyday people how to master the “philosophy, art, and science” of network marketing.
54
COUNTRY OVERVIEW Nigeria: Network Marketing Is Here to Stay
With David Olowe A federal republic in West Africa with 188 million inhabitants, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. According to Google Trends, Nigeria is the country where the most searches for “network marketing” take place. David Olowe is a cofounder, master distributor, and corporate trainer for a one-year-old network marketing company based in Lagos.
64
RISING STAR Never Prejudge
Just four years ago, Sonia and Doug Magruder were successful real estate professionals in Florida who had no time for or interest in another business. What started out as sharing a product they fell in love with turned into a side income that quickly outgrew their six-figure real estate earnings.
70
RISING STAR Don’t Let Challenges Hold You Back
Originally from California, Raychel Stokes Small is a 38-year veteran of the network marketing profession. Together with her husband Glenn, she is building a global business from their home in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
74
RISING STAR The Brave Will Prosper
Caius Hale is a Millennial leader in the UK who is building an international team by “serving the underdog,” meaning people like him who “don’t fit in anywhere else.” He joined a US-based wellness company a year ago, reached six-figures nine months later.
2
Networking Times
CONTENTS 78
FEATURES
RISING STAR Spiritual Entrepreneur
Leah Coleman was a corporate executive based in New York City looking for more time with her family when she found network marketing. She used her talent for multitasking to build a side business, which after a few months allowed her to quit her job. Today she leads a global team from her home in New Jersey.
82
RISING STAR Paying the Price of Success
Based in Fresno, CA Jose Luis Pastrana was one of the minimum wage workers you see in the fields when driving through Central California. Looking for a better life, he stumbled upon network marketing. Today he has a real sense of urgency to help other Latinos improve their finances and achieve their dreams.
RESOURCES 86
INTERNET TV Grow Your Team with the “New TV”
By Amy Applebaum DirectSales.TV unites network marketers worldwide by featuring leaders on this niche, global TV platform, providing a hub for opportunity seekers around the world to learn what the business can do for them.
88
THE CLOSE Laying the Foundation for Community
Julie Henderson When your focus is on engagement and connection, it’s easy and natural to build rapport, which creates meaningful conversations that lead to real connections.
Income Disclaimer:
The success stories in this issue feature extraordinary leaders and do not portray the typical results of the average network marketing professional. Everyone’s results in network marketing will vary, but basically it takes consistent work to make a substantial income in this profession. Many people make little or no money at all. Earnings are dependent on—but not limited to—skills, effort, commitment, leadership capabilities, and market conditions. Common sense suggests that in most opportunities, one would find exceptional individuals performing well above average. Choosing a particular network marketing company does not guarantee any level of income or success.
NT INTERVIEW
From Mass Marketing to Me Marketing
Denis Waitley 6
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Networking Times Times
What’s your memory of The Secret, 10 years later?
D
enis Waitley is one of America’s most respected authors, keynote speakers, and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. With millions of audio programs sold in over a dozen languages, Denis Waitley is one of the most listened-to voices on personal and career success. His most popular audio program, The Psychology of Winning, first released in 1978, has generated more than $100 million in revenues. Denis is also the author of 16 non-fiction books, including several international bestsellers—Seeds of Greatness, Being the Best, The Winner’s Edge, The Joy of Working, and Empires of the Mind, to name a few. Denis has helped top athletes to win bigger and is a former chairman of psychology for the US Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine Council. Perhaps you remember Denis Waitley’s name from the movie The Secret, even though he had only a brief appearance in it. We recently sat down with Denis and asked him about some of the biggest changes he sees happening in the global marketplace, and where he sees network marketers play at their best.— J.G.
Volume Volume 16, 16, Issue Issue 44
I was totally surprised at the unbelievable viral nature of the video. It came out the same time as Daniel Brown’s Da Vinci Code. It had the same magical and mystical feel to it. Next thing you know, it became the phenomenon that it was, and then the book came out afterward. A lot of people did not see the video; they just read the book, which is a compilation of all the interviews. I thought it was creatively done, provocative and memorable. I went to China last year, and I got tired of signing the books. I said, “Wait a minute, I only had this little tiny part… I’m not one of the gurus of The Secret. I’m just somebody who happened to be around when it was conceived.”
The Secret also led to some misunderstandings.
Yes, I was interviewed by a German magazine, and they said, “So, you go down to the dealership, you sit in the BMW, you smell the leather, you get the feel of it, and next thing you know, it shows up in your driveway.” I said, “No, that’s exactly what it isn’t. Unfortunately, that’s what the Law of Attraction has appeared to be: some passive concept where you just use your imagination to throw out what you want to the Universe, and the Universe answers you.” Then they asked, “What does it take?” I said, “The Law of Attraction helps you take the action necessary to bring the intent of what you have in mind to your driveway—in this case, by giving at least $86,500 worth of service to the dealership that will park it in your driveway. You have to apply the Law of Attraction by creating the action behind it, and the action steps, so The Secret was just part one.” It was only the beginning, not the answer. It
7
CEO CORNER
Dr. Esther Ramos
ARMAND
PUYOLT From
16
8-Figure Earner to CEO By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Networking Times Times
A
rmand Puyolt is a legendary network marketing leader and company owner whose goal is to help as many people as possible raise their quality of life and create a better future.
Having experienced poverty and lack as a child, Armand committed himself from an early age to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Thanks to the vehicle of network marketing, he was able to buy his first home at age 18, became a million-dollar earner at age 20, and a five-million-dollar earner at age 25. At age 40, he was making an eight-figure income (in 2015) as a distributor, when together with his wife, Dr. Esther Ramos, he decided to start his own wellness company, which he launched in September 2016. Ten months later 400,000 distributors had joined in 33 countries and within a year they reached USD$100 million in sales. Armand and Esther faced many obstacles, but their tireless dedication to their family and team helped them beat the odds and continue to fuel their passion to help those in need. Armand and Esther live in Southern California with their six children between the ages of 14 and 26. Their business and family motto is #LeadWithLove.—J.G.
Being a successful field leader, why did you decide to start your own company?
I’ve helped launch over 20 MLM companies in the past. I’ve helped create comp plans and product launches. I’ve been a consultant to many network marketing companies and mentor to thousands of leaders. We’ve helped a lot of Companies reach over $100 million a year in sales. With the last company I was in as a disCelebrating with family tributor, I noticed things that often happen when owners start thinking of money more than the people in the company. Decisions I’ve seen this in multiple companies I’ve been in. were being made to grow, which is not wrong, but I I was not happy with the way people were being treatdon’t agree with forgetting about the people who got ed, especially the minorities. When people were doyou there. I don’t believe in using people as stepping ing the work and creating results, and all of a sudden stones, and then discarding them after they worked they’re no longer acknowledged for how they helped hard to build the foundation. the company grow, that doesn’t sit well with me.
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17
C O R PO R AT E V I E W
Leading a
Movement
Antonio De Rosa
Network Marketing is “Democracy Applied in Business.”
A
ntonio De Rosa is Chief Design Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing for a fast growing network marketing company specializing in technology and wellness. Antonio is also a visionary leader who applies creative genius and expert design skills to the innovative products he brings to market. Rather than following trends, he believes in driving change by listening to consumers’ needs and wants. After a very successful career in the IT sector, Antonio finds it refreshing to work in the network marketing business environment, because he now has direct contact with large numbers of product users who provide him with immediate unfiltered feedback. While criticism can be challenging, he loves how it keeps him on his toes and forces him to stay ahead of the curve.—J.G.
26
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Networking Times Times
Volume Volume 16, 16, Issue Issue 44
27
MASTER NETWORKER
EDWIN Haynes UNDER Promise & OVER Deliver 34
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
E
dwin Haynes is a multimillion-dollar earner in network marketing with a growing organization of a quarter million people worldwide. Yet this is only one of the multiple businesses in Edwin’s portfolio. While he’s all about diversification, he has a special love for direct sales: he knows the value of residual income, but what he values even more is how the business requires people to change and grow.—J.G.
Tell us about your life do prior to net- friend who lived in my neighborhood. He would work marketing. always catch me outside doing something and then I grew up in Greenville, a small town in Mississippi. My mother worked for a large corporation, and when she was transferred to Houston, we moved there. This gave me a big city view and increased my already strong desire to be successful. I didn’t have a privileged childhood. I thought I was going to be an attorney, because I liked the prestige. In high school I used to carry a briefcase when other kids had backpacks. I knew I was destined to make money somehow. After high school I looked for something to do and was introduced to the music industry. I got started in concert promotion and moved up to artist management and eventually owned my own label. I went to college for one year, but I knew that I had more in me than what I was going to get from having a degree. When the music industry changed from physical to digital products, I had to look for other ways to generate income. I had made pretty decent money in that industry for 13 years and enjoyed a good lifestyle. I tried everything out there, including the nomoney-down system, because I ran out of money. That’s how I came across direct sales. I had heard about it, but I didn’t know anybody who had any real success in it. I was hungry and looking, so I began dabbling in network marketing for a little while, without any major success. I was actually tricked into the business by a
Volume 16, Issue 4
ask me to go take a look at an opportunity, but he would never tell me what it was. I knew what he was trying to do, so I told him I was not interested.
How did he trick you?
He invited me to a cookout at a good friend of his in the next neighborhood to us. When he asked if I wanted to go, I thought, “Free food, a little drink… I’ll go with him.” He picked me up, we went over there, and the first thing I saw was a board on an easel. I wanted to leave but couldn’t, because I had come in his car. I walked over to the kitchen, because I didn’t want to be in the living room. I asked the host, “Who’s going to do the presentation?” He answered, “Holton Buggs.” I had met Holton before, and when he came in, he recognized me. He asked me to take a look at his company and I reluctantly signed up. I wrote everything wrong on that paper except for my name. They could not process that paperwork. At that time, I had a partnership in a medical case management business. Holton visited me at that office and spent about three hours with me talking about his vision and what he was going to do. He said he’d show me how to do network marketing the right way, because he had been making money.
35
MASTER NETWORKER
BUSINESS AS A MINISTRY
Dr. Luis & Evelia
ARRIAZA
44
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
Tell us a little about your background.
D
r. Luis and Evelia Arriaza are top producers in an established network marketing company based in San Diego. Leading an organization of over 160,000 people internationally from their home in Southern California, Dr. Luis and Evelia have developed a community they call the Spartan Culture, teaching everyday people how to master the “philosophy, art, and science” of network marketing. With over two decades of success as entrepreneurs, Dr. Luis and Evelia see their business as a ministry, helping people find their calling and live their God-given purpose.—J.G.
EVELIA: I was born in East Los Angeles to immigrant parents, who came to this country looking for opportunity. People think the immigrant dream is a big house with a white picket fence. It really isn’t. It’s a dream of possibility, hope, and change. My parents left their homeland Mexico to build a better future for my four brothers and two sisters. I came as the last of seven children, when my mother was 47 years old. My parents taught me hard work at an early age. My father was a talented landscaper who had his own gardening business. Even at a young age, I recognized his exceptional work ethic and the love he had for people—and how his employees and clients loved him. He always told me to focus on people’s eyes, because they express someone’s truth. My mother was a loving homemaker. My father, besides providing for our family, constantly helped new immigrants and often they would stay with us till they found stability. My mother didn’t mind taking care of house guests in addition to our family. I have a degree from Azusa Pacific University and have worked full time since I was 17. Even while in high school, I worked 40 hours a week. Unfortunately, my father had a stroke when I was 13 and became paralyzed. He couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk, so I became the breadwinner for my family. All these circumstances—from being born to immigrant parents and seeing how they forged ahead, to watching how they loved and served people—made me realize network marketing was a perfect fit for me. I thought, “I can actually do what I’ve witnessed my parents do all their life, and generate wealth in the process? What a great concept!” I fell in love with network marketing because it spoke to my essence. LUIS: My parents migrated from El Salvador to California 57 years ago, looking for a better life.
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45
COUNTRY OVERVIEW
Nigeria
Network Marketing Is HERE to Stay
N
A Conversation with
DAVID OLOWE
igeria is often referred to as the “Giant of Africa”, owing to its large population and economy. A federal republic in West Africa with 188 million inhabitants, it is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh-most populous country in the world. Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Christians, who live mostly in the southern part of the country, and Muslims in the northern part. The official language is English, but there are over 300 local languages. As of 2015, Nigeria is the world’s 20th largest economy and considered to be an emerging global power. According to Google Trends, Nigeria is the country where the most searches for “network marketing” take place—five times more than in the US. In other words, for every 20 Americans who type “network marketing” in the search box, there are 100 Nigerians searching for network marketing related information, education, companies and opportunities. One reason Nigerians are wanting to learn about the network marketing business model and eager to get involved is that they love to sell by referral and earn commissions based on performance. It took some time, but Africa has fully embraced multilevel marketing as an efficient form of affiliate marketing. Our spokesperson in this article is David Olowe, cofounder, master distributor, and corporate trainer for a one-year-old network marketing company in Nigeria’s capital, Lagos. In this interview David explains why most US-based companies fail when coming to Africa, and what they can do differently to thrive in this wide open and growing marketplace. David also shows how the network marketing business model is permeating different business sectors and industries. He believes that 10 years from now 75 percent of Africans will be involved in some form of multilevel marketing. He sees the business model as the perfect vehicle for alleviating poverty and self-actualization.—J.G. 54
Networking Times
Nigerians are hungrier for network marketing opportunities than any otherNIGERIA nation in the world. Yet most direct selling companies fail in your country. Can you enlighten us on this paradox?
Network marketing companies opening in Nigeria typically come either from the West or from the East. They are based in the US, China, or Malaysia. These company generally bring a unique product or service designed to work mostly in the country where they were founded. For instance, American companies design products that solve a problem the American people are having—because every business is supposed to solve a problem. When a business meets the need of a society, it makes sense to say, “Let’s export this opportunity to the rest of the world so more people can benefit from this life-changing product or service, or business idea.” However, there are some factors that come into play in regions like Africa. Number one is the purchasing culture, meaning people’s purchasing ability and consumer orientation. Let me give you an example. The American society is built upon credit facility and a credit system. Even when you don’t work or you don’t have a good job, you can still eat and stay healthy. You can get food stamps, Medicaid, and Medicare. These are support systems the Founding Fathers put in place. In Africa, we don’t have any of this. What are considered rights in America are not rights in Africa. You have to fight for things yourself. When designing a network marketing opportunity for America, companies require distributors to buy $100 or $200 of product every month, depending on the company. It’s called “automatic shipment” in the West.
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Nigeria
Here in Africa, our purchasing culture is vastly different. The majority of Africans who are candidates for network marketing cannot afford to pay $100 to $200 a month, as this is the equivalent of the average salary in most African countries. Africans like to buy things in small quantities. Even if an African “entrepreneur” decides to invest $100, it’s more convenient in his mind to be able to spend less than a dollar, consume the product or sell it to the end user, then buy more product for less
55
R I S I N G STA R
NEVER Prejudge
SONIA
&
DOUG
Magruder
Stretch Outside Your Comfort Zone
J
ust four years ago, Sonia and Doug Magruder were successful real estate professionals in Florida who had no time for or interest in another business. What started out as sharing a product they fell in love with turned into a side income that quickly outgrew their six-figure real estate income. Today Sonia and Doug have found time freedom and the joy of helping others achieve their wellness and financial goals.—J.G.
64
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
A Life-Changing Product
Sonia and Doug both have roots in south Florida, but they come from totally different backgrounds. Sonia’s dad was a Greek immigrant and her mom was a first generation American with Greek immigrant parents. “As long as I can remember,” says Sonia, “my parents were entrepreneurs with an incredible work ethic. They taught me that with hard work, focus, and perseverance, one can achieve anything.” Doug was born in Miami, and as a small child until his teens, he lived in Asia and Europe. His father is a retired army colonel, and as an army brat, Doug loved living abroad and learning about different cultures. Doug and Sonia got married in 1998. Both had long careers in retail, but their entrepreneurial spirit was tugging at them inside. Sonia went into real estate and was able to triple her previous income in her first year in the business. Several years later, she opened her own brokerage firm. In the 15 years to follow, Sonia and Doug enjoyed being entrepreneurs in the real estate and investment arena in the Tampa, Florida area. One day in 2013, Sonia’s cousin Eric, a health and fitness buff, was posting on Facebook about some clean, organic nutrition products he was in love with. “I was intrigued and asked him about the products he was so sold on,” says Sonia. “At that time, we were also caregivers for my elderly mom, who had dementia and was living with us.” The Magruders were actually looking for a nutrition solution for Sonia’s mom, and they also wanted to lose some extra weight. They decided to try the product, which not only solved the nutrition problem for Sonia’s mom, it also helped Sonia and Doug with their wellness goals.
Crown awards with Amy Venner-Hamdi & Dave Sandoval
On stage at company convention
such a life-changing experience that they wanted to shout it from the rooftops and share it with as many people as possible. “Our company has a $50 gift card marketing program, so it was fun and easy to give out these cards,” says Sonia. “The people we shared them with in turn had great experiences, and they shared gift cards with their friends, and it multiplied from there.” Sonia was so busy with her real estate brokerage and being a caregiver that she was just casually sharing. From Sharing to Earning “It was more of a fun diversion for me at that point,” The Magruders’ friends and business associates says Sonia. “With so much already on our plates, I restarted telling them they looked great and asking ally wasn’t open to another business venture.” them what they were doing. Sonia and Doug had
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R I S I N G S TA R
RAYCHEL Stokes Small
DON’T LET
Challenges
HOLD YOU BACK
O
riginally from California, Raychel Stokes Small is a 38-year veteran of the network marketing profession. Together with her husband Glenn, she is building a global business from her home in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Raychel loves applying her experience to mentor, coach, and inspire others for success.—J.G.
70
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
Tell us a little about your background.
I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, nor did I carry one in my pocket. My mother, Rodjie Stokes, wholeheartedly believed in being an entrepreneur and I caught the bug early on, having had all kinds of business ideas since I was very young. When I was 15, my mom joined a direct sales company and began selling plastic containers because she wanted to win a Country Squire Station Wagon for our family. I remember she would pack up a brown bag, take it to people’s homes, come back with orders, and then we would have huge boxes full of plastic arrive at our house. I was the oldest of five, so we would form an assembly line in our barn and each one of us, ranging in age from 6 to 15, would have a job to complete for packaging and delivery. Needless to say, my mom made the rank—she received the station wagon and a bonus. What I saw was a way to get a free car and make money without working too hard. I never forgot this, and I became even more determined to be an entrepreneur. Today my best friend and husband of 13 years, Glenn Small, works our network marketing business faithfully with me. We both hail from large families and every day we have the honor to impact even more people globally with a message of change, hope, and vision. I’m also a Minister, and God has blessed us with a new ministry where we teach and help people to build legacies for their families.
Can you give us an overview of your network marketing career? Volume 16, Issue 4
Over my lifetime, I have been a part of 20 different network marketing companies, ranging from home care, skin care, and makeup, to travel, clothing, and my favorite—health and wellness. From each I have developed and maintained many wonderful friendships. I believe each experience was a stepping stone allowing me to achieve the next leadership level and ultimately brought me to where I am today. Learning from your experiences, being coachable, taking constructive criticism, and just knowing when to listen was challenging at times, especially when I was inexperienced. As I became more mature and seasoned in this profession, I came to realize that every day we can learn something from someone, somewhere, who has walked this path, and that I am never too old to increase my knowledge. One of my biggest challenges was convincing my husband Glenn Small that network marketing was an income replacer, as this profession was new to him. Once we hit the six-figure-income mark, Glenn really caught hold of the dream, the vision, and the plan. He was hooked. I was able to retire him from his job in July 2016 and he is now taking on the world with his personal message that investing in yourself and in the network marketing profession is your best Plan B.
How do you build your team? What’s your daily mode of operation?
I believe in personal development, team and relationship building, and communication. I read about 10 books a month for personal development. This allows me to always bring something new and excit-
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R I S I N G STA R
the Brave
Will Prosper
C
aius Hale is a Millennial leader in the UK who is building an international team by “serving the underdog,” meaning people like him who don’t fit in anywhere else. He joined a US-based wellness company a year ago, reached six-figures nine months later, and is well on his way to become a six-figure monthly earner with a mission.—J.G.
Caius HALE
Less Complication, More Love
74
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
Where do you hail from?
I was born in England in 1981. I’m one of those people, the misfits I guess—the geek in school with no friends to speak of, the one with a home “bowl” haircut. The quiet one who knew his spellings words, but couldn’t speak a sentence to anyone. My father owned a yellow “three-wheeler”— basically an upgrade from a motorbike, but not quite a car. We lived in “The Project” with my five sisters, and yeah, it was a place fitting of the name. My siblings and I had an abusive childhood—not pleasant, but it gave me the resilience to tough out anything life could throw at me. I don’t say this for any kind of sympathy, but to paint the picture, the reality of my background: I am regular, run of the mill. Average or below you could say was my setting. My teenage years were again fraught with bad crowds and poor decisions. I tried to fit in, but became an outcast— from both my family and social circles. I ended up in foster care and “the system,” a tough place for most, but one thing humans are is adaptable. In 2002, with no qualifications to speak of, I joined the fire service, for which I am thankful. I persevered for 14 years in that job, which was wonderful for the five minutes a day I got to help people and extend myself. The rest of the time I had that itch to be more, knowing I could be more, and not wanting to die without trying something bigger. I realized I would never reach the pinnacle position of chief officer in the fire service–I don’t play politics too well. I knew something needed to change.
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Thankfully you found network marketing.
In January 2016 I partnered with my first company. I was broke, in debt, depressed, medicated, and I was at yet another gloomy low point in my life. We all live through these repeated lows, and the key is to make the decision to change the course of your life, not to repeat the same actions but to rather act new. My only mistake was joining a team full of glitz, but no reality. Looking for help and nurturing, I was instead once again alienated because I wanted
Training in Manchester
to do things differently. It’s this tribal and limiting ethos that so often creeps into network marketing that I wanted to make my mission to change. A few months after joining, I left that company and team. In August 2016 I joined my current company. I watched a 20-minute video of Eric Worre on YouTube and had an epiphany. I realized there was one thing standing between me and success: work. I mustered up relentless focused ambition and ridiculous work ethic. Going to bed at 2 am, waking
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R I S I N G S TA R
LEA H
n a Colem
SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEUR: Let Prayer Empower & Propel You
L
eah Coleman was a corporate executive looking for more time with her family when she found network marketing. She used her talent for multitasking to build a side business, which after a few months allowed her to quit her job. Today she leads a global team from her home in New Jersey.—J.G.
78
By Dr. Josephine Gross
Networking Times
Born in Staten Island, New York Leah grew up with a stay-at-home mom who had a direct sales business. “My mom used to run around our apartment complex delivering skin care products and collecting her money,” Leah remembers. “As a little girl, I watched her make household items and sell them at the summer flea markets with her skincare products.”
Leah was working 9-to-5 with a newborn and two older children at home. Each day she spent five hours commuting back and forth from New Jersey to New York City. “Five days a week I faced time poverty and missed precious memories with my family,” says Leah. “Every day, I would dread the long commute
With team leaders at Circle of Sisters, New York, 2016
At company event, CA 2016
Observing and helping her mom every summer taught Leah the principle of profit and demand. “The thought of making a profit off something people liked excited me,” says Leah. “My mom would have many customers who came back for more.” After Leah finished school, she got started in a corporate career and became a sales executive for Walmart. “For years I was a buyer overseeing million-dollar accounts,” she says. “It was a nice career budgeting these large accounts, but the long days and nights away from my family were no fun.” Even when her workday was over, Leah took her company laptop home to finish up her work. “At the time I was married with two children,” she says. “When we moved to New Jersey looking for a better life, I realized that to keep my lifestyle I would need to continue working in New York City, which meant a long daily commute.”
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and say to myself there had to be a better way. I was simply chasing the NYC money to pay the bills, and I was unhappy. I missed my family and could not understand how anyone could work 40 or more hours a week for 40 years to retire on only 40 percent of their income. How could people do this every day and enjoy a healthy family life?” Every day Leah would ask God for another way, and one day He answered her. “In 2009 a church friend invited me to a home party,” she says. “My friend did not tell me what it was about. She just said to come and hang out with the ladies. She knew I was home with a newborn and needed to get out for some adult conversation.” Leah agreed to go because she wanted to have some fun and be with other women. Little did she know she would be introduced to a home-based business and everything it had to offer.
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R I S I N G S TA R
Paying the Price of
Success
Jose Luis PASTRANA
B
ased in Fresno, California, Jose Luis Pastrana was one of the numerous minimum wage workers you see in the fields when driving through Central California. Looking for a better life, he stumbled upon network marketing and saw it as an option to pursue his dreams. Today Jose Luis has a strong sense of urgency to share what he has found with hungry Latinos who are willing to pay the price for success.—J.G.
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Networking Times
Where were you before you got into this business?
I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico in a humble family of hardworking people with great values and many limitations. From an early age, I started working in agriculture and in 2006 I immigrated to the United States to do the same thing with the hope of having a better lifestyle. A friend had sold me on the American Dream, but when I arrived in this country I found that it was not as I had been told. I started working in the fields, picking and packaging strawberries, grapes, and almonds, but I was underpaid because I did not have work papers at the time. I was earning the minimum wage of $480 to $500 per week, which was limiting what I could do with my life. I felt frustrated because I knew I had skills for which I could get paid much more. The people around me had no ambition, so I felt alone and depressed. Dissatisfied with my income and lifestyle, all I wanted to do was get to the weekend so I could party and drink to forget my problems. I did not like being this way, but I did not see a way out. Not speaking English, with my immigration status limiting my options, I had no opportunity to find a better job. I was in a dire financial situation, living pay check to pay check. I felt terrible towards my wife and children, who were always lacking and desiring things we could not buy. The work in the field was hard because of the heat (often more than 90° F or 32° C) and stressful because of the managers, who never gave me time to play with my baby or go on vacation with my family. I was constantly in a bad mood, took refuge in alcohol, and was about to throw my marriage overboard. In 2010 I met a person by chance as I was asking for an address. We quickly became friends because he was from the same place I am from. Knowing that I was seeking different opportunities, he invited me to a network marketing presentation, during which my mind was opened to other possibilities.
Volume 16, Issue 4
With his mentor Armand Puyolt
with team at company event
In 2011 I joined network marketing and that’s how my life changed “from tragic to magic.” I finally have the time freedom I wanted so much for myself and my family. My boss at the field told me not to quit my job to do MLM, or that I would be returning begging. Once he saw my success, he was impressed and asked for information about the business.
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