Everyone has regrets in life and in business. To say otherwise would be a lie. I have several regrets from my life and business experience that I would change if I could.
Today, I want to share a personal story with you so you can learn from one of my biggest network marketing mistakes. I’ve done a few things right in this industry and a lot of things wrong.
I know hind sight is 20-20, but if I was to look back over the past 13 years in this industry and tell you my biggest regret, it would be this: my biggest regret is not picking one company and sticking with it for 20 to 40 years.
My first company was Amway. I spent about 2.5 years in that company and did pretty well. I didn’t get rich or build a massive team, but I did have a decent residual income. After spending a couple years in that company, I quit.
After that, I bounced around with many different companies over the next 8 to 9 years. I don’t even know exactly how many companies I worked with, but it was probably close to 12 different companies.
Yes, I’m embarrassed to admit that in this public forum. No, I’m not proud of it. It’s just a reality. I averaged a new company about every six to nine months and I had a few breaks in between.
I have to tell you that all of the companies were good companies. I don’t blame my lack of results on any of the companies. I simply did not do the work consistently and I did not stay the course with any of those companies.
I wasn’t looking to get rich quick and I didn’t have a lottery mentality. I never passed the blame to anyone but myself. If I am to be honest with you (and myself) I simply did not do the work I knew I needed to do to become successful.
Yes, I might have tinkered around with things a bit. Yes, I was one foot in. But I was never “all in.” I was “all in” with Amway, but after that there weren’t any other companies that I went all in with (until my current company).
How come I was never “all in” and “why did I keep switching companies?” Those are two great questions that I don’t know if I have a good answer to. I think the only answer is that I had a lot of baggage, I had issues with my self-worth, I lacked the skills and I needed a lot of personal growth. The guy you see now is definitely not the person I was when I first started this industry.
Most people with any common sense would have left the industry for good and moved on to something else. I couldn’t do that. I’ve always believed in the industry and knew I could eventually succeed, if I simply did the work and paid the price.
So, what was it that turned things around? It’s probably something I read in one of my favorite books, “Beach Money” by Jordan Adler. Jordan had a similar experience in the industry with more than 10 years of failure before he turned things around.
I don’t have the book in front of me right now, but he talked about the importance of picking one good company, recruiting 100-200 people, and sticking with one company for at least five to ten years.
Basically, you have to sell out to one company, you have to do the work consistently and you have to work the numbers. That takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it typically takes five years or more to build a successful business of any kind.
About 14 months ago I made the commitment to be a network marketing professional (thanks Eric Worre). I made a commitment to pick a good company, do the work and stick with it for the long haul. Things are really starting to pay off now. I definitely see myself as a top earner in my company before I hit the three to four year mark with my company.
Everyone has regrets. We can’t change the past, but we can all change the future. I hope you will evaluate every mistake you have made in life and in business, learn from it, and let the experience be a valuable life lesson. Do that and you really can achieve anything you want in life.
How about you? What’s your biggest regret in network marketing? Leave a comment below to let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
I have been with a couple of MLM companies and can truly say that I gave it my all except for one company where the timing wasn’t right. If you are fortunate to find a great company, hold on to it. If the timing isn’t right I think you should stay and do what you can until the timing is good. With the other companies I have felt that either the mentor-ship wasn’t there, or I was spending more money then I was making because the comp plan was difficult. I am happy to say that I have found a company that has everything I was looking for, great products, great comp plan, genuine people within the business and leaders who actually help and guide you. If people quit this company, they truly don’t want to make money.
Do you think of where you would have been if you had been consistent and stuck with one company rather than jumping around? It is natural to do so from time to time, but I am a huge believer in everything happening for a greater purpose. Now you’ve been able to turn your mistakes into learning lessons for others and that has been a huge benefit to me and I am sure many others too.
Hindsight is 20-20. I know one thing, my days of jumping from company to company are over.
By no means should you be embarrassed at all. We all have made our share of mistakes and it is through the many mistakes that we make that we grow.
In network marketing, my biggest regret is not trying out the program I had a chance to be a part of when I was quite young. I had an opportunity to get in with Herbalife when it was a very new company. I really believe if I would have jumped in then and gave it my all, I would have done very well.
I am not at this time involved with any network marketing companies. As an author, I find that selling and marketing the books I have wrote fall into a similar type of technique.
thanks for sharing your story. I believe you will have very successful days ahead.
Live in learn. As long as you learn from your mistakes, it is no big deal.