Network marketing has been a huge blessing in my life.
I’ve learned so many valuable life and business skills that have shaped many other areas of my life.
If it wasn’t for this industry, I’m not sure WHERE I would be today!
What I want to do in today’s post is share some the top 30 life and business skills I’ve learned in this great industry over the past 14 years.
They are listed in no particular order.
# 1 How to Motivate Others
This business taught me how to effectively motivate other people, without being their boss.
I’ve learned that everyone is motivated by different things, and as leaders it’s our job to figure out what makes a person tick, and then motivate them accordingly.
# 2 Leadership
This is the best leadership business in the world.
Network marketers are all volunteers.
They don’t have to listen to you or follow you.
It really is a volunteer Army.
Leadership is about influence and getting others to take action.
It’s really about inspiring other people.
# 3 Conflict Resolution
When you deal with people there will be issues from time-to-time.
Network marketing taught me how to be a diplomat and solve these problems without creating a bunch of drama in the process.
# 4 Bookkeeping
I’ve been managing my own business finances for 14 years.
I’ve learned how to do an income statement, a profit and loss statement, and financial projections for my business.
# 5 Tax Preparation
This goes hand in hand with bookkeeping.
I’ve learned how to do my own business taxes and keep a close eye on my business finances.
# 6 People Skills
To succeed in this industry in a big way you need great people skills.
This business helped me go from being an arrogant jerk to being someone with great people skills.
It’s taught me how to get along with different types of people from all walks of life.
# 7 Time Management
Network marketing taught me how to manage my time effectively.
Most of us waste a lot of time.
It taught me how to plan out my day, schedule my work, and work on the first things first.
# 8 Goal Setting
Network marketing taught me the importance of setting specific, written goals for my life and business.
It taught me to put them down on paper, give them a specific deadline and then formulate a plan to achieve them.
# 9 The Power of Association
MLM taught me to surround myself with people who have already achieved what I am trying to achieve in life.
It taught me to associate with people who uplift me and encourage me and bring out the best in me.
# 10 The Power of Incremental Growth
Network marketing taught me the importance of simply getting a little bit better every single day, and repeating that process for the rest of my life.
# 11 Organization
I am not the most organized guy in the world.
You would look at my office and laugh.
However, when it comes to my business itself, I am extremely organized.
# 12 How to Talk to People
This business taught me how to start conversations with people.
It taught me to be more likable and to be able to get along with people.
# 13 Prospecting Skills
Network marketing taught me how to prospect people by starting a conversation with them, asking questions, listening to their answers, and identifying a problem that I could offer a solution to.
# 14 Marketing Skills
During my time in network marketing I learned marketing, specifically direct response marketing.
I learned how to generate leads and get people to reach out to me.
# 15 Business Planning
Network marketing taught me a lot about business planning.
It taught me to create my own business plan for my network marketing business and life itself.
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# 16 Overcoming Objections
This business has really taught me how to overcome objections.
I know that most people will have some type of objection before they buy or try something new.
Now, I know how to deal with this when it happens.
# 17 Identifying People’s Personalities
I’ve learned that everyone is different.
The quicker we can figure someone out and determine what makes them tick, and how they are hard wired, the easier it will be to see things from their perspective and get along with them.
# 18 Sales
We are all in sales, whether we realize it or not.
Every day, we all must sell our ideas and influence to other people.
Network marketing taught me how to sell.
I am eternally grateful.
# 19 The Power of a Mentor
MLM taught me the importance of having a mentor and the importance of learning from them.
It taught me to surround myself with people who have already achieved what I want to achieve.
Prior to this industry, I had no realization about how important mentors were.
# 20 The Power of Personal Development
One of the most important things I’ve learned in this industry is the power of personal development.
We all have a responsibility to become the best us.
Most people float through life and have no personal development plan.
Because of this industry, I read daily, have mentors, listen to positive tapes and attend powerful events.
# 21 The Importance of Reading
Prior to joining network marketing, I hated to read.
Now, I love it.
I credit most of my success in life and business to my love of reading.
I’m not sure who I would be today if I hadn’t become an avid reader.
# 22 Money Management
This industry taught me how to manage my personal and business finances.
Prior to this business I never had any instruction on how to do this.
Now, I keep records for my business and personal finances that I update every single month.
# 23 Tracking My Progress
Another skill I learned during my network marketing experience is the importance of tracking my results.
This business has made me analytical about everything I do.
I track every part of my business to see what is and what isn’t working and what I can do differently to improve it.
# 24 Leading by Example
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in network marketing is the importance of leading by example.
People want to follow a leader.
People want to follow someone who knows who they are and where they are headed.
# 25 Being Accountable
Network marketing taught me to be accountable to myself and to others.
In other words, you must do what you say and say what you do.
When you lead a team, people expect you to be accountable.
# 26 Asking Questions
Network marketing taught me how to get good at asking questions and listening to others.
It taught me that whoever is asking the questions is in control of the conversation.
# 27 Dealing with Discouragement
Network marketing taught me how to deal with temporary failure, temporary defeat, setbacks and discouragement.
I now know that success is never a straight line.
Instead, there are zigs and zags, ups and downs.
You must fail your way to success!
# 28 Handling Rejection
Network marketing taught me not to take rejection personally.
I’ve dealt with a lot of rejection and disappointment through the years.
Now, I actually look forward to it, because I know that every NO I hear makes me one step closer to a yes.
# 29 Developing a Positive Attitude
When I first started network marketing I had a horrible attitude.
I was arrogant and had low-self esteem.
Over the past 14 years I have done a complete 180 and now have a great attitude.
I am still a work in progress, but I am night and day from what I used to be.
# 30 An Attitude of Service
Network marketing has taught me to be a servant leader and to keep the hopes, dreams and goals of my team members as a top priority.
I have truly learned that by helping others get what they want in life we will naturally get what we want.
Final Thoughts
In review, these are just a few of the valuable life and business skills that I learned during my time in network marketing.
Considering I am only 39 years old and I’ve only been doing this 14 years now, I’m really excited about what I will learn over the next 30 to 40 years of my life.
Network marketing really is a personal development course disguised as a business.
The personal development I have received from this industry has completely changed my life.
How about you?
What business and life skills have you learned from network marketing?
Leave a comment below to let me know.
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.
Awesome post, Chuck!
Network marketing is one big self-development course in disguise. You covered many aspects here, including skills that can carry over into our everyday life. I thought I was pretty cool, until network marketing laid the groundwork for my true self-development to begin. I have since learned how to become more of a selfless leader who truly wants to help others. It truly is a “giving” industry, rather than the cut-throat world of Corporate America. Thanks again!
It is. I credit this industry for making me the man I am today. I am eternally grateful.