Today, I am fortunate enough to do an interview with my good friend and Reliv International success story Mike (Mitch) Michelozzi. Mike and his wife are Ambassadors with Reliv International, a MLM Company specializing in health and wellness products.
Mike and I conducted this interview by email. The questions that I asked him are in bold. His response to each question is immediately below it. Nothing has been edited. Enjoy the interview.
Reliv International Success Story Interview
Mike, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. I know your answers will provide a ton of value to our readers.
Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself, such as where you are from, where you grew up, your education, etc.?
I grew up in Detroit then Madison Heights, MI. I was a terrible student – never studied – majored in Motown – barely got into college. But I was a good sprinter. Set two records which lasted ten years. Ran all state. Played football three years. I graduated from high school in 1964.
I went to Western Michigan University earning BS and MA degrees in liberal arts/English. I was a terrible student there too – kept not reading assignments and reading everything I wanted to read instead. Bought a guitar and in a few years was performing locally. Did that for ten years made a local name for myself – folk, blues. Wrote some songs.
What did you do prior to network marketing?
Solo singer/guitar player, odd jobs, teaching in the public school system when I began network marketing. I did a lot of writing. Had a few things published.
How did you learn about network marketing?
A guy from church stopped over and fanned a hand full of check stubs in my face and told me I was at the top of his list.
When did you first get involved in network marketing and what was your first company?
Early 1990s EXCEL Communications
How many companies were you with prior to your current company?
After EXCEL joined Paging America and another both were gone fast.
What is the name of your current company and when did you join the company?
Joined Reliv International in 1996.
What do you love most about your current company?
The products and the loyalty of the corporate team and the compensation plan. The core values of the company – the culture.
What is your favorite product with the company?
NOW is one. ReversAge is another. And ProVantage
What strategies did you use to build your network marketing business?
In the beginning classic nwm personal contacts, invites to local presentations, one-on-one presentations. Lots of product sales.
What was your daily routine and schedule with your business those first few years? How about now?
Daily routine was calling people, setting appointments, following up. Now is the same only mostly on line via social media.
Approximately how many people have you personally sponsored in your current company?
Five hundred, mostly for product consumption at a wholesale cost.
Approximately how big is your team (customers and distributors)?
A few thousand – mostly consumers.
What is the biggest monthly check you ever earned with your company and what is your average monthly income?
$9,000 – yearly income is low to middle five figures today.
Are you still actively building the business or not?
Yes.
What do you love most about network marketing?
The results people get using our products. The challenge of building the network.
What do you dislike about network marketing?
When I’m down it’s everything – which doesn’t happen much. A: I never liked cold calling.
If you knew what you knew now and you were just starting overall all again with your current company, what would you do and why?
Everything I did in the beginning – no difference.
Who has mentored and helped you the most in your business?
My up line – and many other people and resources in our company and others.
What are the top three books you’ve read and recommend to other network marketers?
Being the Best You Can Be in MLM, You Can Be Rich By Thursday, The Dip
If you could share your top three success tips with other network marketers, what would they be?
Love your company and products, have a vision of what you want and set goals, enthusiastically serve people every day.
About Mike (Mitch) Michelozzi
My wife and I are a team. We were able to leave our teaching careers in our mid fifties because of our network marketing business. We’ve literally traveled the world and all over the USA with our company.
Our vision was to be able to have time freedom and enjoy our friends and family which we’ve done since 2002. We like the simple things in life – gardening, going to grand-daughter events.
I do a lot of exercise hiking, biking. I began taekwondo two years ago and I am getting close to my black belt – the beginning of the next ten years toward higher dans [levels or degrees.]
To get in touch with me you can send me an email to msmreliv@yahoo.com. Or, you can connect with me on Facebook.
About Reliv International
Reliv International was founded in 1988 by Robert and Sandy Montgomery. It’s headquarters is in Missouri. As of 2014, it does business in 16 different countries. It specializes in health and wellness products. You can visit the company’s website to learn more about it.
Disclaimer: Reliv is a registered trademark. Mike is an independent rep. This is just his story. Individual results will vary. This NOT a sponsored post. Mike is my friend and I chose to interview him.
Sincerely,
Chuck Holmes
Network Marketing Professional (21+ years)
Top Recruiter & Top Rep
mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
Something else I noticed about this interview is the biggest percentage of where his income comes from. It isn’t down line, it is wholesale and retail customers. This goes to show that a network marketer’s first priority should be getting customers. In time, customers will become distributors to save money, or get products for free.
After looking into Reliv, I believe they do have great products. Their prices are a bit high, but you do get what you pay for. I am surprised I had never heard of the company since it is from Missouri.
I am going to visit Mike’s website and check it out even closer.
Yes, customers are a big part of his income. That is the way it should be.
Insightful interview. I love how he says his daily routine consisted of calling people, setting appointments, and following up. It is this process that is really essential in the beginning to get the ball rolling. The ground work is what can either make you or break you- depending upon how invested you are in the initial process. Some people like to underplay the role that this initial work played in their success, so I like that he addressed it. No one in MLM can succeed (as far as I know) without it.
Thanks for the comment.
This was a very interesting interview. It just goes to show that you do not have to be a great student or have a degree to be a success in a network marketing business. Personally, I have never heard of Reliv and I moved to Puerto Rico from Missouri. I am going to look into them a bit closer. Thanks for this great interview. I learned a few things.
I’m glad you enjoyed the interview.