Working With Friends And Family
The idea behind this blog post stemmed from a feeling I got—and I’m sure many entrepreneurs do—about the perception people have of my Arbonne business. I found myself trying to justify what I do and the importance of it all.
Although taking the time to “sell” my business interests to friends, family, and customers seems necessary at times, I’ve quickly realized that it takes away from what I’m actually trying to accomplish, which is to highlight the health and wellness benefits of integrating Arbonne into the lives of my clients and potential consultants.
Questions people have asked me with doubt in their voice, and the way I hear them talk about my business to others, made me realize that I needed to stop and think. I started to evaluate how and why people doubt the lifestyle and the business I’ve built. This has helped me develop answers to the questions people don’t always ask but often think.
Through this exercise, I found assurance to counter doubt and have identified some of the reasons why some consultants succeed and others fail. I’ve gained a better understanding of why I’m in this business and why it is that some people just don’t believe in me or themselves.
Questions About My Business
I looked around online mainly, to see what people were saying about Arbonne. I read some great success stories, but I also read about people who lost it all. Paying close attention to negative stories and experiences from clients and consultants, I looked for answers to the following three questions:
- Why don’t they like Arbonne?
- Why have they passed up the opportunity to become a consultant?
- How can I set my consultants up for success in this business?
I Found Answers To My Questions
In many of the blog posts, articles, and comments I’ve read, I noticed some recurring themes:
- This is a business opportunity, not a job. People who fail tend to think that becoming an Arbonne Independent Consultant is a job opportunity instead of a business. Often they expect a salary/consistent earning, little to no initial investment, and strong direction from someone higher up.
This is a business that is built by you and only you. Your sponsor will help guide you but you call all the shots when it comes to how you run your business, how many hours you work, and how you plan.
Many people fail because they don’t do their research on the products, the market, their clients/audience, and they do not understand the Arbonne success plan or the MLM business model. They also fail to develop concrete business objectives, communication strategies and effective marketing campaigns to help them achieve their goals.
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- Failure and risk. This will sound harsh but it’s truthful; people who don’t succeed are by definition, failures. You can see their terribly unpleasant comments and experiences all over the web. They are not the ones that you want to have as mentors or influencers when you start your business. Instead, be mindful of the lessons they learned and mistakes they made which led to their failure.
Learn to mimic the people who have succeeded and partner with them when you can. You’ve heard the saying: no risk, no reward. The biggest risk in this business is yourself. Keep your head up and be prepared to persevere. “You CAN do it,” is something you must learn to tell yourself…and then you have to take action.
- Looking good vs. feeling good. Arbonne is a Swiss company that has tailored a line of high-quality products for people who want to maintain or improve their already healthy lifestyle. Many people are infatuated with looking good. Although these people may be great customers at times, they are not necessarily your ideal clients.
You will find it hard to sell Arbonne products to people who are branded and/or looking for cheap ways to look good. Arbonne is for the health enthusiast looking for world class products that will help them achieve their ultimate goal: a healthy lifestyle. You’ll want to target people who care about looking good but ultimately want to FEEL good.
- Learn, grow, and you will succeed. There are people out there who are naturally good at network marketing and sales. I’m not one of them. In fact I’m terrible at it. But there is one thing about me that makes this shortcoming a challenge instead of a fundamental problem. I am absolutely, wholeheartedly, and passionately interested in learning. People who aren’t prepared to learn and grow as their business grows eventually fail and falter.
I’m a teacher by profession so I recognize that I will need to continuously learn and grow if I’m to go anywhere with my business. The best advice I can give new consultants is to be prepared to learn and develop skills. You must be ready to change yourself and embrace the flow of ups and downs as your million dollar business grows. Yes, a million. Don’t sell yourself short or you will fail. Even if you build a $500,000 business, that would be great, right? Right.
- Find your rock. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve read about consultants who have left their business behind when things started to get difficult. Becoming an Arbonne Independent Consultant is easy; pay your small fee and you’ve got the title. Being a successful business owner is another story altogether.
Don’t kid yourself, this is a business, not a job. It will be difficult at times and you won’t be able to blame your boss. You’ll show doubt and someone (in many cases it’s your spouse or a close friend) will tell you to give up before it’s too late. That person is not your rock. Your rock is someone or something that keeps you motivated, gives you hope, helps you out, and makes you stronger. It can be your fundamental reason for starting your business or it can be someone that makes you feel like you can do anything. Whatever or whoever it may be, you need a rock. Without someone or something to motivate you emotionally when things are tough, you will find it hard to go on. If you become a consultant on my team, I guarantee that I can be your rock…keep that in mind.
Conclusion
After all of this scampering around and reading of terribly negative things about Arbonne, I’ve come to the realization that the reasons behind my decision to start this business are still valid and very much an important part of what helps me persevere in the face of doubt, negativity, and sometimes envy.
It seems to me that almost all of the scary stories and negative discussions going on about being an Arbonne Independent Consultant are mainly seeded in poor choices, unfortunate circumstance, a lack of perseverance, and more importantly neglecting to understand that this is a business!
Doubt is natural for everyone but I’ve found that to be successful I have to plan, evaluate, change and learn every single time I’m confronted with doubt. It’s tiring and many people just give up or neglect to create a formula to counter setbacks. To be successful you need to face doubt head on and you must always find a way to overcome it.
I truly hope that my insight and experience will give you the confidence to persevere and look past the bad experiences that people have had in this business. I know you can succeed, all you have to do is convince yourself.
I’ve started building my million dollar business. “You CAN do it,” too.
4 Comments
I just wanted to thank you for answering some of my questions. I can’t believe how I came here first. As I was considering becoming a consultant for quite a while, I looked on line and for good reasons why I should and could do it. The negative stories turned me off, being pushy turns me off. Now I know that I can do this for the right reasons and still succeed: To help others thrive physically and be beautiful inside and out without compromising anything. I do this every day in my own life, why not help others find that same joy? I will be reading this again and probably again for encouragement. One of my favorite singers is Basis, who is Polish. God bless and thank you. May I eventually help others as,I figure all of this out.
Elizabeth,
I am so glad that I was able to answer your questions and reservations. It makes me happy to know that I am helping you achieve your dream in a small way! Wishing you the best of luck on your arbonne journey!
Take care
Thank you SO MUCH for this article AND the video. I am a brand spanking new consultant and I am super excited about Arbonne. I have my first spa in two days but I am still nervous about failing. My heart is in it and I believe in the products as I am beginning to use them myself. I am determined to make this work. I have disabilities and this opportunity is a perfect fit for me. I haven’t worked for 10 years. I am eager, willing to learn and SO hopeful! I am a military woman so I am tough as nails, too! Again, thank you. I really needed to see this today!
Respectfully,
Angela
Hi Angela,
I am so glad to hear that my article spoke to you and is helping you in your Arbonne career!
Wishing you the best of luck! Your passion and your drive is all you need to reach your goals!
Sincerely
Basia Downs