Direct Sales and Network Marketing Archives

A Washington Post article making the rounds right now claims that multi-level marketing (MLM, or network marketing) organizations are ruining female friendships. The author cited a few specific stories of bad examples, and those who don’t see the value in the MLM business model quickly shared it with glee while relating their own stories about that one time someone misled them with a sales pitch.

I’m not going to deny that some people in network marketing businesses operate without morals and use tactics that, quite frankly, suck. And when that happens, it makes everyone in the industry look bad.

But there are people in EVERY industry who do their jobs in a way that makes their field look bad. Ever heard a lawyer joke? Know any lawyers who aren’t ambulance-chasing snakes? Yes? Me too. In fact, most of the lawyers I know are honest and moral business men and women. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever actually met an ambulance chaser. Ever.

Similarly, despite the Washington Post portrait of people in MLM, I have met many honest, hard-working, strong, wonderful women through my experiences with network marketing. I joined my first network marketing company after the birth of my third child. My family had relocated to the Philadelphia area a year before, and I worked from home prior to his birth. I knew very few people in the area, and I was lonely and looking for a way to get out of my house.

That first company opened a door for me. It got me to step out of my comfort zone. I signed up to be a vendor at community events, and I joined networking groups. Most importantly, I made friends — most of whom I’m still connected with now.

After a few years, I moved on, but my friendships remained because they were built on more than just a sales pitch. I had built real relationships with good people both inside and outside the industry. And when the time came, when one of those friends presented another network marketing opportunity that fit with my life and values, I jumped on it.

I can’t speak for all network marketers, only for myself and how I coach my team to succeed. My philosophy is pretty simple: don’t be a jerk. Treat people the way you want to be treated in business and in life, no matter what business you’re in. It’s a simple philosophy that has helped me simultaneously build my business and my friendships.

Never Say Never

When I started this blog I talked about how Network Marketing brought me to Networking. While that initial business, and a second, had both gone by the wayside, I still loved the community I built through it, and I continued to support my friends in their network marketing businesses. I honestly never though I would return to it, but never say never!

Last spring I was having coffee with a good friend when she told me about being approached to join a soon-to-be-launched company called Color Street. She told me a little about it, and while the thought of being part of something from the beginning intrigued me, I didn’t think the opportunity was for me. But I was truly excited for her and promised to support her in any way that I could!

A few weeks later, after she had officially signed on as a Presidential Founder, she hosted an exclusive preview party of the new product. I kept my promise and went to show my support.

And then I actually tried the product, a strip made of real nail polish that went on dry, and I went from intrigued to sold!

A New Adventure Begins

In June of 2017, Color Street officially launched with me as one of their Independent Founding Stylists. I was so excited to get started because I truly loved the product and knew that it would appeal to busy moms like me, but also because I knew this business had potential. In my opinion, for a direct sales product to be successful, it has to meet three criteria:

1) Be Marketable

2) Be Consumable

3) Have Perceived Value

Color Street met all my criteria! The product appeals to anyone who likes to have their nails painted, which according to Statista.com is over 105 million women in the United States. The nail industry is an almost $9 billion industry. Is there a market for this product? YES!

Second, I wanted a product that was consumable. In my past experience I had partnered with a company that had a super-fun product that I loved selling, and for my first few months in the business, I was a top seller in the company. But the product was a one-and-done purchase. Unless you were buying for others, or wanted a slightly different style, repeat buyers were difficult to capture. While you should always be looking for new customers, repeat buyers are an important part of any business, and the constant prospecting for new customers can be daunting. Nail polish doesn’t last forever, and our nail polish strips are fun, fast, and easy, so repeat buyers are the bread and butter of my business!

My last criteria is value. I was only going back to direct sales if I could stand behind the value of the product. A one-time-use package of Color Street nail polish strips costs $11 – $14, but with the ongoing Buy 3 Get 1 Free special, you can get four sets for less than $40, averaging at less than $10 per manicure, which is about the same price as a bottle of nail polish. But it is way less than a traditional salon manicure, which averages around $20 in the United States. And many customers are able to do a complete manicure and pedicure from one package. Also, what’s your time worth? As a working mom of three, I don’t have time to wait for my nails to dry. With Color Street, I can do my nails in 10 minutes before I go to bed. And with no dry time, I can pull up the covers and go right to sleep without worry that the bedding will mess up my polish.

A Year Later

It’s officially been a year since I launched my Color Street business, and what a year it’s been. There were unexpected challenges in my personal life including the unexpected passing of my father, helping my mother navigate her new role as a widow, the hospitalization of my oldest son, and a diagnosis of dyslexia for my daughter. Despite these things and others, my business has thrived! I have grown a team of over 500 amazing Stylists and in July of 2018 our team’s lifetime sales volume surpassed $1 million! And we are just getting started!

Also in July 2018 Color Street held their annual conference in Las Vegas. I was invited to share my story of how Color Street has affected my life. In a nutshell, it gave me my groove back. I never intended to be a full-time stay-at-home-mom, but life had other plans when it gave me my son Bobby. Over the years, I’ve struggled with my identity and self-worth. My business has allowed me to see myself as more, to regain my prior confidence, to find purpose in helping other men and women succeed, and to be the women I know I’m meant to be while still being the mom I need to be. (To see my full speech, click here.)

Curious? Ask Me About My Nails!

Half of you are reading this and thinking, “Oh, great, now all the content is just going to be about her business. Girl, bye!” Let me assure that won’t be the case. The blog started as a forum to share badassery and celebrate moms who get shit done, and this business is just one aspect of my badass life. I’ll still be talking special needs, sandwich generation, raising little humans, and all the things. But yes, there will be a few posts about this business too.

The other half of you are reading this and thinking, “What if?” And to you I say, “Why not?” If you want to learn about the business without actually talking to me, join my Facebook group, Ask Me About My Nails, and start stalking the business there. If you’re ready to learn more, let’s chat. I promise I’m not pushy or salesy. I’m real, and I’m honest, and I’m the first to understand if you say it’s not for you. I’d love you just as much as a customer or a hostess as I would as a Stylist on my team.

If you take nothing else from this post, don’t overlook an opportunity in front of you, no matter what it is. Don’t let your circumstances allow you to pass by something that could be amazing. Don’t let fear stand in your way. The most amazing things happen on the outside of our comfort zones. That thing you’ve been thinking about doing that you just haven’t pulled the trigger on yet could be the one that helps you get your groove back too!

Dear Washington Post: I Built a Business and Lasting Friendships with Multi-Level Marketing