Sharing the Business with Confidence
By Gary Hasson
We are in a enormous struggle for our freedom. From the dawn of mankind’s history, it has always been so. Good and evil have always been with us and so has the right to choose between them. I want to share some thoughts about the Network Marketing profession and standing firm for the truth. We don’t have to defend or justify anything when we base our position on the truth and the facts and history of our profession.
I observe how others view Network Marketing as I meet with people each week inside and outside our profession. I have long been interested in this subject ever since I started in the business back in 1990. Knowing how people see us is an important part of understanding how best to explain ourselves. One particular finding in my research concerns me. Some participants in Network Marketing appear very defensive to those who are not yet involved in our business. One friend of mine went as far as to say that when someone was explaining network marketing to him, their language and word selection suggested they were expecting criticism.
This was not the first time I had heard this observation. But the more I have thought about it, the more I understand how easy it is, if we are not careful, to convey a sense of defensiveness in our communication with others.
Amway's triumph paved the way for thousands of network marketing companies to follow. So momentous was the decision that for the last 30 plus years, the FTC has focused on deceptive practices of Network Marketing companies such as earnings representations or medical claims rather than attacking the actual structure of legitimate Network Marketing companies. We all owe Amway a debt of gratitude.
Yet there have been those who have reacted negatively, even with hostility, to our business over the years. The more our business grew, the more it seemed to attract hostility. And yet this isn’t 1975, and there aren’t just a handful of companies anymore. Could part of the defensiveness that others sometimes see in us suggest that we still expect to be treated as a disliked minority, still under legal attack? In our interactions with others, are we expecting always to have to defend ourselves? If so, I think we need to make a course correction.
Constantly anticipating criticism or objections can lead to an unhealthy self-consciousness and a defensive posture that doesn’t resonate well with others. It is inconsistent with where we are today as a profession and as a great body of professionals.
In my faith, I look to Jesus Christ as our exemplar. He faced tremendous hostility from the outset of His ministry. When He first preached in the synagogues at Nazareth, some wanted to throw Him off a cliff (see Luke 4:28–29). Yet He did not allow Himself to be intimidated. He knew that for the most part He would be misunderstood. Yet He was fearless in declaring His gospel, using such phrases such as “Ye have heard that it was said … , but I say unto you …” (Matthew 5:21–22). He knew what He wanted to say, and He said it without apology. As the scriptures say, “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:29).
If we want to be respected today for who we are, then we need to act confidently—secure in the knowledge of who we are and what we stand for and not as if we had to apologize for our beliefs. That doesn’t mean we should be arrogant or overbearing. Respect for others’ views should always be a basic principle for us. But when we act as if we are a persecuted minority or as if we expect to be misunderstood or criticized, people will sense it and respond accordingly.
I look forward and greatly appreciate every opportunity to share the benefits of our profession with others. The freedom that my family & I enjoy is something I could never measure in financial terms. And I cannot ever remember offending anyone in the process.
One of the reasons that this subject is relevant today is because our profession is getting stronger. The global statistics are impressive. Network marketing professionals are everywhere—in communities from coast to coast and from north to south. It is becoming more and more common for people to know someone personally who is having great success in our business. I believe that as we remain honest, open, forthright, engaging, respectful of others’ views, and completely nondefensive about our own, this growth and positive image will increase.
Members in our profession have often allowed others to set the conversational agenda. An example is the idea that network marketing is a “pyramid scheme”. This issue was settled in 1979. It’s now 2010! Why are we still talking about it? It was settled in a U.S. Federal Court that network marketing is a legitimate business and legal method of distribution. End of story. Let’s move on. If people ask you about pyramid schemes, let them know they exist, but to not confuse them with our business.
In ordinary conversations, don’t waste time trying to justify what we do. I think we simply reinforce stereotypes when we make negative comments a primary topic of conversations about the profession. Sometimes these conversations are triggered by stories that appear in the media. In September of 1991, 18 months after my wife Melissa & I joined NuSkin, Mr. Steve Lund, NuSkin’s General Counsel at the time was on Nightline defending the company, which had been wrongly accused of being an illegal pyramid scheme. Interviews with disgruntled distributors were aired and the interview was sensationalized and one sided. It hurt NuSkin temporarily, but the truth prevailed and today NuSkin is one of the most respected companies in our profession, publically traded and doing around 1.5 billion in sales each year.
If we allow critics and opponents to choose the ground on which the network marketing battles are fought, we would risk being distracted from the focus and mission we have pursued successfully for over 50 years. Instead, we will determine our own course and continue to spread free enterprise throughout the world.
When all is said and done, the most important thing we can discuss are the things that matter most to our candidate and the reasons you chose this profession. This is our foundation. Whenever we are having a conversation about the business, we should try to make this a point. We need to discover their dreams and goals and help them realize they are attainable here.
We don’t have to defend or justify anything when we base our position on the reasons why we joined the business. Please remember that you do not need to feel that you must justify your reasons or beliefs; you simply need to explain them in a spirit of professionalism and kindness. The truth always prevails when true principles are discussed.
Here are a few of the reasons I joined network marketing:
1. Leverage. In our business we get paid on the successes of others. The more people you help, the greater your income. One of my college professors was Stephen R. Covey. When I discovered this profession in 1990, I couldn’t think of another business where the Win-Win philosophy he teaches was more prevalent.
2. Freedom. The network marketing profession has allowed my family to live our lives on our terms. Yes, there’s a price to pay for freedom, as there is for anything of value. My wife Melissa & I value peace and serenity. So we paid the price. Thanks to this profession, we live where we want to live, with little traffic, smog, noise or crime. We value education and a safe environment for our children. So we paid the price. Our six children now all go to schools and colleges we choose. True freedom and balance in our lives is what we are grateful for most! Are you willing to pay the price for that which is of value to you?
And finally, I don’t know anyone who has ever achieved long-term success who wasn’t disciplined. One of the most successful leaders I know in our profession, Todd Smith in Florida, taught me discipline is: “doing the things you know you should do, everyday, even when you don’t feel like doing it.” It is just this simple.
May God bless us in our pursuits for happiness and freedom by engaging others in conversations about this incredible profession of network marketing without being defensive.
-Gary
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