“Does networking give you a higher chance of succeeding in a business of your own, in the same way that franchising does?” That’s what you’d like to know this month. Some networks, rightly describe themselves as “Franchising without the capital investment” That said, one of the biggest things that affects potential success is the personalities involved. Some types of people generally fail and some have a much better chance of success than most. As we’re approaching the summer holiday season I thought we might look at this in a more light-hearted way than usual.
Classic networking failures include Dolly the easily Distracted and Delayed. Dolly wants to be a successful networker but she can’t start her business until .... the kids go back to school, the audit’s over at work, etc. She should realise that a good part-time networker can earn themselves a substantial amount of money in as little as 5 hours a week. The timing to start a new business will rarely be perfect so perhaps she should consider General Patton’s maxim, “A good plan, violently executed right now, is better than a perfect plan carried out next month”
Terry the Totally Trained. He attends every training session his company put on no matter where it is or how much it costs. He’s there, in the front row taking notes and taping the entire proceedings. There’s nothing wrong with that -- if he enjoys it. However, Terry fills all his time transcribing his notes so he has no time to put what he’s learnt, into action. Result -- income earned none. Money spent -- lots. Now some of the companies are to blame for this syndrome. They encourage attendance at trainings without ensuring, that the skills learnt, are put into practice in an income producing way.
Peter and Polly the Pass the Parcel Partnership
This couple have heard that many successful networking partnerships are husbands and wives. Unfortunately, to them, a partnership is where your partner does the jobs you hate. The result -- they endlessly pass any actual work between them so that it slips down the gap in the middle. They talk a great network but they haven’t got one yet, and never will have, until they decide who should do what. Couples should both do everything, until they decide who’s better at it and who enjoys it the most. Doing something twice rarely does any harm. The results of doing nothing are usually obvious!
Bob the Buoyant Butterfly has been in many networks. And it’s not his fault he’s failed! He knows that the next one (his 10th) will be the one he makes his million in! Endlessly enthusiastic, Bob believes the grass is greener in the next company. He should consider that although many successful distributors do change companies during their career. They stay in a company for some years, build a successful network, usually in many countries and move on for a good reason. However many people do succeed and Ruth the Realistic and Steve the seriously Successful are typical of networkers who understand how to make an excellent income. Ruth started her network to earn a £1,000 a month in about 10 hours a week. A very achievable aim for anyone. She learns about her company’s products by attending a few training sessions or joining the ‘home study’ programme. She sells a few products making a satisfactory amount of retail profit. Some of her customers recommend the products to other friends. Ruth suggests that some of her happy customers could start a small business themselves. She would help them and they could earn a little extra money too. Before long she’s got a small group of happy distributors, with happy customers and she’s reached the target she set herself of an extra £250 a week income. Now she can decide whether to do a little more and progress to a higher income or continue as she is and enjoy spending what she’s earning.
Steve the seriously successful. Steve understands that networking is a business and applies himself consistently. He learns the new skills necessary to expand his business, he helps his distributors to succeed by teaching the skills he’s learnt and within 2 or 3 years he is earning on a monthly basis more than most people earn in a year. So could you if you were prepared to do the same.

This article was originally published under the title “Short-cut to Freedom” in Business for Sale magazine August 1997. ©ESG 1997.

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