John has a degree in finance. He was fortunate to get a reliable job after 2 temporary engagements. He worked in the accounts department of an international organization. The pay was fair and he could survive on it, though not as comfortably as he would have wished.
One day, Martin – a good friend of his – requested him to accompany him to some place. He tried to find out some details about the place they were going to but his friend would not volunteer any information. He trusted Martin and so he decided to wait and discover what the big secret was.

The two friends arrived at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). They walked into a big hall. The venue seemed to be all set for an event. There was a red carpet right from the door. There were balloons and other decorations on the podium. A few smartly dressed young men and women were speaking is small groups. Martin welcomed him to the event and told him to feel at home as he was going to enjoy the day. They two of them sat down somewhere close to the podium and engaged in small talk as they waited for the event to begin. It did not take time for the hall to fill up. Soon the event began.

John was definitely curious to know what the event was about. Speaker after speaker walked to the podium and spoke about their personal experiences. Many things were spoken but one speaker caught John’s eye; an immaculately dressed gentleman whom he assessed to be in his mid-30s. The gentleman spoke with passion. He was clearly excited about what he was talking about. He shared his experience about how he had struggled with debts for years, ranging from student loan to car loan, credit card debt, his mother’s medical bills and much more. He said that it was only after he discovered this opportunity that he was able to take charge of his financial situation. John sized him up and could see that he carried himself like someone who was doing quite well. A number of people – both men and women – were called to the podium and awarded. There was a lot of excitement in the hall.

John found himself questioning some things about his own life. He had a stable job with a regular income, but he borrowed a lot. He was still paying a car loan that he took 2 years ago. He wanted to undertake a Master’s degree but he was still not financially stable enough to be able to finance the studies. He definitely wanted to know more about the opportunity that was being discussed today. At the end of the event, Martin introduced him to one of the gentlemen who had been called to the podium for recognition. The three of them sat together. The gentleman introduced himself as George. “What have you liked about today’s event, John?” he asked. John could hardly wait to learn the secrets to transforming his finances, and he went straight to the point; he wanted to know how to be successful in this opportunity. That was how John got introduced into network marketing.

He registered for the opportunity at the end of the month and was ready to begin his journey to financial freedom. The journey did not turn out to be as easy and straightforward as he expected. He showed the opportunity to his brother who told him that he had been scammed. He could not agree with his brother’s opinion as he felt that it was wrong. It did not take him long to discover that most people had a very negative opinion about network marketing. Two months down the road and he had not sold a single product, had no one in his team. One day he was waiting for someone outside a building in the city, next to a book vendor. He decided to kill time by checking on the books that were on sale. He picked different books and checked them out. He fell in love with one book; The Business of The 21st Century by Robert Kiyosaki. He checked out a few chapters and he liked what he was reading. He bought the book. That day marked the turning point for John. He fell in love with what he read and that sparked a hunger for knowledge. He invested in more books and audiobooks. He always had a book in his laptop bag as well as in his office drawer. He would read over lunch break and in his free time. He would listen to audiobooks in his car as he drove from one place to another.

John did not make much money his first two years in network marketing but he already loved the business model and was not going to quit. He started seeing some results the third year. He resigned from his job after 4 years of doing network marketing part time. By that time, the income from network marketing was more than twice his salary. He was also enjoying other benefits such as training allowances and an occasional holiday paid for by the company. He was ready to give network marketing his undivided attention.

Build A Successful Network Marketing Business and Secure Your Future

There is a story I really love because it clearly brings out the journey of an entrepreneur. It is the story of the Chinese bamboo. A farmer planted seeds of the wonder tree. For 4 years he watered the ground where he planted the seeds but the ground remained bare. In the meantime, the farmer planted other crops to sustain his family as he waited for the bamboo tree to grow. He kept watering the seeds for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years. For all those years he earned nothing from the bamboo tree that he had planted. He had nothing to show for it, no results. Everything changed in the 5th year. You can watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nFDmrLGgYM

Many people join network marketing expecting to become millionaires within a few months. That is what I call unrealistic expectations. If it was that easy to become a millionaire, everyone would be one. On average, it takes around 20 years of sustained effort to become a millionaire, the field notwithstanding. If you are in professional sports, the process can take a shorter period of time than that, but the preparation will be intensive and only a small fraction of the population succeed in professional sports. My son plays professional rugby so I know how intensive the process to becoming successful in professional sports is. There are very many people who fall along the wayside, sometimes the body just gives way and the person has to quit because of injuries. I have seen my son unable to play for months as he recovers from injuries. During the preparation period, you put in but get no returns on your investment.

Not everyone who joins network marketing will become a millionaire, even if they stay with it long enough. Let us look at some of the factors that determine whether one will actually go on to become a millionaire or not. Learn the tips and create your own luck.

Work harder on yourself than on the business

Very many people in this world work hard all their lives and end up retiring poor and dependent on others. Working hard is important but is not enough. To rise to the top in any field, BECOME, and then DO. That means that you work hard at transforming yourself otherwise you become just another hard worker like everyone else. Invest in yourself. Get rid of limiting beliefs that hold you back. Master your thought patterns. Build your self-confidence. Become a person who attracts success. Become the person who believes that you deserve to become successful. Believe, really believe. It takes work to transform your mindset, and many never achieve it so they sabotage themselves over and over again even as they work hard.

Constantly Expand Your Networks

A baby is not born today then goes to university next year. The people you bring into your network marketing organization are like new born babes, they take time to grow and become competent in building the business. You become more successful as people in your organization get results. Think of a young professional who graduates from the university, probably as a lawyer or doctor. What are the chances of him rising to the top in his field? How long will he take to get there? Is it all about hard work? When he is starting out in his career, he is unlikely to have the who’s who as his clients. Why? The who’s who already have a long relationship with their lawyer or doctor, who was probably a high school buddy, a childhood friend or someone they have faced many challenges with over the years. They are not looking for such a professional. It takes time to build solid relationships.

Create your own luck. Have as many people out there who have nice feelings towards you, who would not hesitate to recommend you or your services to someone else. Avoid burning bridges. The Bible advices “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18). It is normally not possible to live at peace with each and every one because just about everyone has critics and people who differ with his position. But try as much as possible to live at peace with everyone, to the extent which it can be done. That security man or gardener in your neighbourhood might not seem like much, but one he might just work for someone who could open doors to greatness for you so don’t despise or mistreat him. Promote brand you to one and all. Let everyone know what service you offer. What good will it do for people to have warm feelings towards you yet they have no clue what service they can seek from you or recommend you for? Do more than you are paid for. Have a network of satisfied customers. Make it a habit to go the extra mile. You just might never know when one of the people you serve will put in a word in the right circles and give you the big break.

Be Persistent

Keep on doing good and don’t tire. A seed is not planted today and harvested tomorrow. It takes time for the people in the circles of a young professional to grow in their own fields and become successful enough to give him good contracts. Acquiring the necessary skills and expertise in order to attract the serious clients is also a journey; it takes time. The young professional will get there some day. His childhood friends and campus classmates will also grow to become successful, own some serious businesses and contract him as their lawyer. Rising to the top in any field is a journey and has a learning curve. So when anyone tells me that network marketing does not work because they tried it for a few months or probably a couple of years and did not make the big money, I would like that person to learn from the story of the Chinese bamboo. Just like the farmer described in that story, make your network marketing journey a 5 to 10 year journey. Continue watering your seeds even as you grow other crops to sustain yourself and your family till your Chinese bamboo finally grows.

My advice is; begin your network marketing business on part time basis. Keep doing whatever else you are doing until you double your current income, then you can go full time. Be persistent. Keep going no matter how hard the going gets. Don’t ever put yourself in a situation of desperation by expecting to earn a full time income from network marketing during your first one or two years. That is the no. 1 reason why many give up and quit; they want the Chinese bamboo to grow at the speed of beans; it does not work.

Susan Catherine Keter is a network marketing professional, personal development mentor, life coach and blogger. Catch me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc

Are you 100% satisfied with the life you’ve got? Are you living life to your full potential? How do you define success? Do you consider yourself successful? You can only know if you have arrived at your destination if you know clearly what that destination is.

Success means different things to different people. For some, owning their home is a sign of success while for others, achieving a certain income makes them successful. The unfortunate thing is that many people go through life borrowing someone else’s definition of success hence they do not know for sure whether they are successful or not.

Success begins with setting clear goals. I am at point A. Success to me means reaching point B. Once you know exactly what you want to achieve, then you come up with a road map about how you will move from point A to point B. You then invest in yourself to become the person who is able to achieve what you are aiming for.

For example, you want to become a public speaker. You then invest in your self confidence, knowledge and other skills that are in line with public speaking. You put in hours every day into activities that are consistent with your goals.

Unsuccessful people are those that have no clear goals in life. They follow the flow of things. They have no specific purpose in life. Life happens to them and they feel like victims.

All accomplishment begins with a clear picture of what is to be achieved. To live a purposeful life, you need to first decide what you want to achieve in life.

What is important to you? Maybe you want to make a difference in the lives of widows or orphans. Come up with a clear main purpose for your life then break it down into small targets.

“To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.” – Tony Dorsett

We are in the last few weeks of the year 2016. This is the perfect time to evaluate your achievements so far and examine whether you are working towards your goals or not. Do you have clarity about what you want to achieve in life?

Make 2017 your best year ever by setting clear goals and coming up with a road map how you are going to get there. Identify the skills you will need to enable you achieve your goals and how you are going to attain those skills.

Many people sabotage themselves by expecting to achieve big goals within an unrealistic period of time. You might not achieve much in a year or two, but with clearly defined goals, your life can be transformed tremendously in a decade.

Whether you plan where you would like to be in 10 years or not, the time will pass anyhow. So if you are not 100% satisfied with the life you’ve got, it’s time to bring about change in your life through clarity.

“All successful people, men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day towards their distant vision, goal or purpose.” – Brian Tracy We have a closing of the year 2016 offer, valid for the month of December only. Book now for your subsidized, goal setting session.

For reservations for the goal setting session, RSVP Susan on +254728999136 or email: catherine_keter@yahoo.com

Susan Catherine Keter is a network marketing professional, personal development mentor, life coach, blogger. Catch me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc

When I was a little girl in the 70s, the most prestigious job in the village was a school teacher. The teachers had a regular income, they were salaried. Majority of other people were either farmers or casual laborers. I learned most of what I know about money and career from my mom, a school teacher. She told me that while she was growing up, the only career options that were available was either teaching or nursing. When she completed her secondary school education, she had to choose between these two careers. First, she visited the local hospital to familiarize herself with nursing. She could not make it. She found that she could not survive in a hospital environment. Nursing was not for her. She took the next available option; teaching. She joined a teacher training college and had a successful career as a teacher, until her retirement. As we pursued our studies, more and more career options opened up. University education was very prestigious at the time and if you made it to the university, you were assured of a successful career. If you were lucky to land a good job, you could rest assured that you had job security and would retire with a pension.

The world changes really fast. Some changes have minor impact on humanity while others are revolutionary. First, university education in Kenya expanded very rapidly. Kenya had one university up to the 70s – Nairobi University. Things started changing in the 80s, with Moi University joining the scene and Kenyatta University becoming a fully fledged university. The years after 2000 witnessed a rapid growth in the number of universities in Kenya (both public and private). The universities also expanded their programs to accommodate self-sponsored students and parallel programs to take care of people who desired to further their education while keeping their jobs. Within a span of less than 20 years, numbers of Kenyans pursuing university education soared to 100,000+ at any one time. Not possessing a degree became a liability in the work place and many working people found themselves under pressure to further their education. Then came the Internet revolution of the 90s and it turned everything upside down. The Internet has brought rapid change in all areas of life, including in the work place. The Internet is swallowing up jobs at a faster rate than we can understand. Publications that were once very popular have lost out as digital content takes over and with that goes down some jobs. The job market in the media industry is constantly shrinking as more and more people turn online for content as well as for entertainment. There are softwares that can perform tasks that initially required employees. The Internet is closing some doors while opening up others, but we have to stop staring at the closed door for too long we miss all those that are opening around us.

With technology swallowing up jobs, holding on to the same old conventional thinking won’t keep you afloat in today’s fast changing world. Technology has opened up opportunities that we never dreamed of decades ago. Think of opportunities in graphic design, generating content for online platforms, software development, online marketing and so much more. When I first got started in network marketing, we built the business using offline methods only. We met our prospects at restaurants and took them to physical offices for everything ranging from getting enrolled into the business, being trained, ordering product, monitoring the growth of their teams and so much more. If someone was in a town where the company did not have an office, chances of success were really slim. The Internet is changing the landscape in network marketing. To build a successful network marketing business, you are going to need to learn how to work online. Companies are coming up with better and better systems, systems that enable you to prospect, enroll, make sales, train your teams and monitor your growth from the comfort of your computer or smartphone. A lot of the activities are going online. Online marketing is the future of network marketing. I don’t believe that live activities such as events will be done away with, but online efforts will be critical in growing large organizations. It is now possible to grow a global business from the comfort of your home so if your network marketing business is not online, be prepared to join the bandwagon or get left behind.

I have encountered all manner of misconceptions about the network marketing industry. Network Marketing is NOT:
> A get-rich-quick scheme
> A pyramid scheme
> Taking advantage of/using other people
> An easy route or shortcut to riches
> Lottery

Decades ago, information was not readily available. Everything we knew about network marketing was what we heard from someone; our neighbor, colleague, family member or someone else in our circles. Many joined this industry without any information. They would be given an impression that all they needed to do was to get on board and they would become millionaires. Many joined with a lottery kind of mentality, expecting to do the bare minimum and end up as millionaires. That is just not how life works. If it was that easy to become a millionaire, everyone would be in the millionaires club, even the laziest person on the planet! In desperation to make some money, many inexperienced people use lies and falsehoods to trick people to join their downline. That is why we have very many disillusioned people who claim that network marketing does not work. You cannot succeed in network marketing by having people who have no clue what they are supposed to be doing as your team. Who will get the work done?

Network marketing is one industry that gives everyone an equal chance to make it to the top. If you are hard working, creative, self-motivated; you are likely to discover that this industry will give you more satisfaction than the traditional career path. If you are in formal employment, what are your chances of overtaking your supervisors and bosses? Probably none. In network marketing, high achievers can overtake everyone and go to the top. You get a chance to receive full rewards for your exceptional performance. How long does it take you to get a raise in a traditional job? 2, 3 years? How much is that raise? An average performer might be ok with that but a high achiever definitely gets frustrated. If you put in the same work that you put at your job, your income after 5, 10 years in the network marketing profession might hit levels you never imagined possible, not even in your wildest dreams. That is not so with formal employment since there is a ceiling on the income.

With a shrinking job market, what are the options for the average person? Chase after nonexistent jobs forever? Get into a small retail business that has neither the capacity to grow into a big global business nor the aspects to give fulfillment to a professional? Network marketing is a profession like any other. If you are going to be successful in this industry, you are going to have to work harder at yourself than at your business. Top of the list is working on your mindset. You are building a big business. You have to work on yourself to be able to think and conduct yourself like the CEO of an organization, like an entrepreneur who is building an organization from scratch. You have to scout for the right people, bring them on board and ensure that they are properly trained. You have to acquire people skills as you have to motivate and inspire teams. You have to ensure that your business has the right systems and strategies in place. With the Internet revolution, we are going to see more and more people edged out of jobs and pushed into self employment. Building a traditional business requires a huge amount in start-up and running costs. It also requires experience or your business might not see the light of day. For those who are in a position to do that, well and good but majority will not be in a position to raise the capital to invest in a traditional business. In network marketing you acquire the skills as you build since you benefit from free training, coaching and mentorship from successful people in the industry. The small businesses such as hawking, kiosks, motorcycle taxi (boda boda) are available to many since they don’t require so much in start-up and running costs (though most of them require more capital than a network marketing business). The small business is unlikely to appeal to a professional who suddenly finds himself or herself edged out of the job market. For high achievers who are ready and willing to learn new skills and to put in the work to build a global business, network marketing definitely makes a lot of sense. The future for network marketing is bright.

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter; a network marketing professional, personal development mentor, life coach and blogger based in Nairobi, Kenya. Catch me on Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc

When I first read Napoleon Hill’s best selling book Think and Grow Rich, it transformed my life, forever. I come from a past of battling depression and I know the reality of being deep in the pit, with no hope at all. Our thought patterns determine our reality. What determines our thought patterns? Our past. My mother battled depression from the time she was expecting me and throughout my childhood. I grew up to battle depression too. Both my mother and I are well today. I still remember how my mother beat depression, after years of being incapacitated by the illness. She made a decision that she was not going to allow anything to put her down. She said that if someone said negative things to her, she would completely switch off and refuse to hear those things. She used to take sleeping pills to help her to sleep (something I also did). She decided that she would not used them ever again but once her head hit the pillow, she would shut out every thought and allow only colour black in her mind. She was able to transform her reality by taking charge of her thoughts. When I was down with depression, I was addicted to negative thought patterns. I always looked at circumstances from the point of view of what could go wrong. I forever expected someone to hurt me. If someone told me something negative, I would think about it over and over again, ask myself all manner of questions and think how unfair it was. Learning to tame my thoughts was a journey, and I conquered it. Do people still say negative things to me? Absolutely! Do I like it when I am told negative stuff? No. But those things cannot affect me for more than a few moments and I promptly replace them with positive thoughts. I pluck weeds in my mental garden as soon as they make their appearance. Transforming your thought patterns from negative to positive will not happen automatically; you will have to train your mind. Be conscious about what you allow into your mind. This might be a bit difficult if you have been addicted to negative thought patterns for too long. Give yourself some consequences for permitting a negative thought into your mind. You might need to take measures such as putting a rubber band around your wrist and whenever a negative thought shows up in your mind, pull the rubber band and release it. The temporary pain is a kind of a whip to train you. You have to learn what works for yourself as you take yourself through this training. You have to learn otherwise your life will not change.

All thoughts are processed by the conscious mind and held as truth by the subconscious mind. We therefore become what we think about the most. Our thoughts attract people, things and circumstances. ‘Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone can dream and make his dreams come true.” – Napoleon Hill When you learn to control your mind, you control your reality. We have thousands of thoughts every day. Like breathing, we are always thinking but we rarely notice it. What are your predominant thoughts? Worry about paying bills or something that could go wrong like loss of job? Regretting something that happened in the past such as money you lost, a relationship that didn’t work out or some mistake that you made? How about making a conscious decision that the past is just but a story and it cannot be changed so you will not waste another minute regretting anything? How about making a decision that you will focus on the life you want, not on what could go wrong, after all it might not go wrong anyway? Think of a perfect future for yourself. How would it be like? Where would you live? What would your house look like? The furniture, the carpet, the curtains, the compound? What car would you drive? What colour will the car be? How about the interior of the car? And your kids, what schools/universities would they attend? Give yourself permission to dream and you will slowly but surely begin to attract more of what you desire. “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha Learn to discipline your mind. Decide the reality you want and focus on that. Hate weeds so much that you uproot them the minute they rear their ugly heads. Nothing has gone wrong. Nothing needs to go wrong. Cleans your mind of impure thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. Transform your life by cleansing your mind of all negative attitudes, self destructive beliefs and ideas; and replacing them with positive ideas and beliefs about yourself and others. Always expect the best out of life, expect the best from others. Aim for complete harmony of thought, word and deed. Eliminate all contradictions from your life by purifying your thoughts. Thoughts are things; they have power to create so choose the reality you want to create. This article is written by: Susan Catherine Keter, Life and Health Coach, Trevo LLC, USA Website: http://trevo.life/susanwamucii/ Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc Telephone: +254728999136

I met Lizzie at a women’s forum that I conducted in Nairobi some years ago. She was working for a multinational company and had what many would consider a dream job. Most a single mom of 3 young kids, Lizzie was unhappy about being away from her kids most of the time; working long hours, attending workshops out of town, travelling extensively, etc.

Lizzie has a strong presence in different social media platforms. She loves her life and has no desire to go back to employment. She has grown the business using online platforms mainly.

Online Marketing

So, is it possible to make money from the comfort of your couch? Let us explore some of the winning strategies for successfully marketing your business online. 

I encounter many desperate cases in the course of my work with women. Some have been cooperative and have been able to transform their lives. I have seen cases of women who were once 100% dependent on someone else become financially independent in a few short years. Some have gone on to become very successful and can serve as role models to others.

I remember the day Irene contacted me through Facebook. She was very desperate and sounded suicidal. I told her that I would wish to meet her face to face rather than trying to get the whole story from her through chat, especially because she sounded so upset. I told her that I would be conducting trainings in the city in a couple of days and gave her the address.

She turned up at the training venue just as I was getting ready to begin training. I requested her to sit through the training and I would spend some time with her when I was done. I was conducting a leadership training for Trevo life and health coaches. The session went quite well. I sat down with Irene after the training. I asked her why she was so stressed.

Early Marriage

Irene’s story was heart breaking. She got married straight after high school. Her husband stopped her from going to college even though she had passed well, telling her that he would provide and she did not need to work. She had dreams of becoming a beautician but she shelved her dreams in order to obey her husband.

It was now 8 years since she got married by customary law. She had 2 daughters, both in primary school. She had just discovered that her husband was in a long term relationship with another woman and they had a 4-year old son together. He was building a house for the other lady and had met her parents to discuss the process of legalizing the marriage.

Business Trips

Irene’s husband is a successful businessman and he traveled extensively so she had never suspected that he could be using the frequent absences attributed to business as an excuse to be running a parallel family. When she confronted him about the other family, he beat her up thoroughly and threatened to throw her out. He told her that he would kick her out and remain with their two children since she was not even in a position to provide for them.

Irene’s mother is single and is battling a number of health complications. Going back home was therefore out of question as her mom could not cope with the extra burden. She had been following my posts about different kinds of programs I run, including women empowerment forums. That is how she contacted me.

Business Capital

I asked her to calm down as we explored the best way forward for her. I guided her to list down the different skills that she possessed and what she could do to become productive. She seemed to be convinced that the only thing she was capable of was becoming a house help; cooking, cleaning and other domestic chores.

That would be challenging with two kids since a house help normally manages to save by living with the employer’s family. Renting a house for herself and buying the basics for her survival on a house help’s salary was therefore a tall order.

I asked her to explore what else she could do. She said that the only option was for her to go to college and study what she was passionate about then get a job. She had no capital to pay for her studies and no one to finance her. That again hit a dead end.

Is Network Marketing Illegal?

I showed her the network marketing opportunity I am involved with and asked her if we could explore ways she could make it work for her. The start up cost is very low and I could support her to raise the start up capital by getting an order from a client.

Her reaction surprised me. She told me in no uncertain terms that she is a Christian and she cannot do illegal things no matter how desperate she is. I asked her what she meant by illegal things and she proceeded to tell me that network marketing is pyramid schemes and people take advantage of others so she would not even look at it because she is an honest person.

Traditional Career Path

Irene’s reaction did not entirely surprise me. I meet many people who are closed minded about network marketing, people who are not willing to do their research to get a hold of the facts.

Network marketing is an industry that has transformed my life. Whether we like it or not, the traditional career path is no longer adequate for today’s circumstances. Our parents would get absorbed into formal employment and work for 30, 40 years for the same employer and retire with a pension.

Today, people change employers every few years. They reach a point they are no longer attractive to employers so they get edged out of the job market. They find themselves retired before they are ready, and without a pension! And for many who are lucky to remain in employment, they find themselves overworked and underpaid. They are forever in debt and they also have no free time for their families.

You need to question the traditional career path. Is it what you really want for yourself? Can the traditional career path secure your future? Question the status quo; don’t follow the masses blindly. Have you seen someone you know retire from employment, even from a prestigious job?How is the person’s lifestyle 5, 10, 15 years after retirement? Is he productive in society?Is he able to maintain his previous lifestyle? Has he been able to give back to society? Does he contribute to the family’s well being or is he a burden? Is he independent or dependent on others for survival?

Network Marketing is a Better Way!

Years ago when the network marketing industry made its appearance in Kenya, most professionals shunned it. It became the route of escape for failures and jobless people. Many who got involved were not prepared to follow the right path to success. They lied to people, misrepresented facts, leaving many victims all over the place.

Today, professionals are struggling in a very hostile environment. They are highly qualified but the competition is too stiff and they are not getting ahead financially. The only thing some of them pride in is titles and being recognized by society, but they are really struggling to make it in life. Many qualified people are finding themselves jobless after retrenchment and retirement. People are looking for solutions.

What are some of the benefits of Network Marketing?

Network marketing has produced some of the most highly paid professionals in the world. There is no ceiling on income. Build it consistently for 10, 20, 30 years and you could attain incomes beyond your wildest imagination. On the other hand, there is a ceiling on income if you are in formal employment even if you work for 30, 40 years.

Chance to build a long term career that has no retirement age, no risk of retrenchment. Work hard for a number of years and build a big business, unlike small businesses that are very common in Kenya (which are dependent on an individual’s ability to work, have no passive/residual income, have no capacity to grow into big, international businesses). Establishing a big business normally requires a lot of capital (building your own company from scratch or purchasing a franchise). Work a full time job and build a secondary income, working part time from home.

Do you have dependents? Create incomes for some of the dependents who are hardworking but have no jobs, or have jobs that are not up to their level of qualifications. Don’t give them handouts; plug them into the system and get them trained to earn their own income.

Personal development

This will impact other areas of your life positively, including your job and relationships. Network marketing is a solution for hard working, high achievers who could have struggled all their lives in traditional jobs. Invest in yourself. Develop people skills then touch people’s lives.

Develop self-confidence

Become a pace setter as people seek solutions for today’s challenges. Show the way, that network marketing is a respectable profession for those who will invest in becoming professional. Become a lighthouse so that those who are seeking solutions to today’s challenges can look up to you.

This article is written by: Susan Catherine Keter, Personal development and business coach, mentor, network marketing professional, freelancer and blogger.
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Anne is an accountant by profession. She is a hard worker, a very dedicated employee. She had worked for an international non-governmental organization for 12 years. Life had been a struggle though she always managed to get by. She is a single mom of one daughter, who is in primary school. She also pays school fees for her younger sister who is in high school.

Anne’s world was turned upside down when the company she had worked for all those years restructured. She found herself among those who were declared redundant. Her employer was supportive to those who were retrenched. They were taken through a series of seminars to prepare them for life outside formal employment. They also received 2 months pay as a send off.

Anne quickly registered a limited company with herself and her brother as the directors. She took a loan from a sacco, to supplement what she was paid by her employer. She looked around for office premises, ready to go into business for herself. With the cash she had, she paid 3-months office rent and bought basic equipment such as a desktop computer, a printer, a second hand desk and office chair and a phone. She started the work of building her own company. Anne knew what she wanted to achieve with her business.

There are very many small businesses in Kenya and many of them are not legally constituted and they lack basic structures such as book keeping. She was going to offer these services to that market. She approached all the people she knew and told them about the services she was offering. Many seemed excited about it and promised to get back to her but 2, 3 months down the road, none had made good their promises. The first month passed; no job. The 2nd month passed; no job. She was getting desperate because she had paid rent for 3 months and did not have much in savings, and she still had bills to pay.

Luck finally smiled at Anne…. A family member – a businessman who operated a tour company – sought her services. They negotiated and agreed on the scope of work to be done and the pay. Anne was to begin working on the project immediately and as per the agreement, she would be paid 40% down payment upon completion of some deliverables. The work was a lot so Anne hired an assistant. The two of them worked long hours to beat the deadline. She really needed cash and this was her lifeline.

Anne learned the hard way the challenges that accompany start-ups, especially if one does not have the necessary experience in building a business. She delivered the work on time but the client gave excuses and failed to pay.

Anne learned her first lesson. She had accepted the work on trust because the client was a family member and she had known him for years. She had not insisted on a legally binding contract before embarking on the work. She had also hired an assistant to work with based on the promise of pay and not on cash-flow in her business. Big mistake.

She and the assistant worked for 3 months. Anne was able to pay her salary the first month but now her employee’s 2 months’ pay was in arrears and it was big trouble. Anne already had a loan she was servicing and no cash-flow. The rent for the office was one month overdue and if she did not pay up by the end of the month, she risked being evicted.

Reasons Why 80% of Start-ups Fail In The First 5 Years And How You Can Avoid It

1. People who start their own companies are usually led by passion about something. Their start-up is likely to be based on their area of expertise and not a realistic research of what the market needs. Anne is an accountant by training so it was very easy to for her to start a business offering accounting services. She did not start with an honest research to find out what the market needed but took the easier route of offering the service that she was comfortable giving.

The product or service you are offering is definitely important, but have you done a market research to find out if there is a real market for it? Do you have a unique selling point? Are you going to do a better job than the competition such that you can dislodge some of the clients from your competitors? Will you go the extra mile to do what the competition is not doing?

2. Are you focusing on the right market? Do you know who is going to pay for your product/service and how much they are willing to pay for it? How will you communicate with your target market? If you target the wrong market, chances of success are nil.

3. Cashflow: Most people go into business with limited funds, hoping to make money from the business. One major mistake many make is to assume that the business will soon generate income and become profitable. Sometimes it can take a year or longer before the business becomes profitable. Will the product/service you are marketing deliver enough income to keep the business going when your seed funding runs out? What are your alternative sources of funds should your seed funding run out before the business becomes profitable?

4. Accounting and book keeping: Many people start their own company driven by passion about a great product or great ideas. They are so passionate about what they have to offer the world that they put all their energies there and neglect the tedious financial records. The wake up call is usually when the business owner realizes that there is no money to pay bills. And that signals the beginning of the end. Without money, there can be no business.

5. Staffing: A business owner is normally driven by passion to give something to the world. There are aspects of the business he is not competent to handle probably keeping accurate finance records, marketing, etc. Working alone cripples certain critical areas of the business. Hiring is scary for start-ups, especially because there is no assurance that the cash-flow in the initial stages will be able to pay salaries.
There are ways to get round this one. Hiring temporary staff (who work a few days a month) is one viable option. Giving students who are good at what they do internships and working closely with them is also workable for start-ups. Students on internship do not have to be paid salaries but can be compensated in form of some lunch and transport allowance and training. Give them very clear instructions and supervise them closely. Starting your own company is a rewarding way to take charge of your future. Pay attention to all aspects of the business and be ready to go the extra mile. It is not an easy road but it pays big time, if you will work hard without getting weary. Be persistent because success can take time to come by.

This article is written by: Susan Catherine Keter;  life coach, personal development mentor and blogger
 Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc
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Imagine a scenario where you needed to travel to a place you have never been to before. You have no clue how to get there, no clue about the direction. Would you just get into your car and drive off, hoping to find your way somehow? Would you set out on a journey without a plan?

Here is a link to a note I have written about the lessons I learned from my mother, lessons learned from a young age: https://www.facebook.com/notes/susan-catherine-keter/my-mothers-secret/10152074713850618

Goals are the guiding light that get you to your destination. You need to begin by getting clarity about what your destination is. By setting goals, you will have a vision for the life you are trying to create and a plan for creating it. Life should not just happen to you; you should create the life you desire for yourself.

“A goal properly set is halfway reached.” – Zig Ziglar

Set Goals For Your Life Based on your Values

Are you employed and need to supplement your income? Are you out of job? Be creative; create employment for yourself. There are many good opportunities that you can take advantage of. Identify a need in your market and make money as you meet that need. Here are 15 business ideas to get you started.

Start small and plan to expand as word spreads and more and more parents entrust their little ones with you. Many schools and daycare centres actually begin in residential areas and move to more suitable premises as they grow.

2. Motor Cycle Taxi (Boda Boda) Motor cycle taxis (boda boda) are very popular all over Kenya. Most people do not inject creativity into running this business so they end up facing a lot of competition which keeps their profits low. 

 

4. Cleaning Services Many companies and building premises outsource for cleaning services. 

There is a big market for snacks so be creative and tap into that market. If you scale up to provide snacks and cakes for special occasions such as weddings and birthdays, you will definitely be into big things.

6. Freelance Writing Most people have expertise in specific fields and with a little effort, they can produce content in those fields. It helps to have a good command of the English language and to also get some training in journalism or English. 

Identify a need in the market place and prepare to succeed in that field by investing in training. With media houses retrenching qualified staff from time to time, this is definitely a worthy venture for journalists who find themselves pushed out of the job market prematurely. The field for freelance writing is big and you can create a lucrative career for yourself as a writer.

7. Graphic Design This is another field that is in high demand. You do not have to be formally trained in graphic design, as long as you are hard working and creative. 

Be creative. Use sacks and pots to grow vegetables. If you do a good job, you can grow enough vegetables to meet the needs of your family and still leave you with surplus for selling. You will need to get top soil and manure to fill in the sacks before planting the vegetables.

10. Second Hand Clothes (Mutumba) Second hand clothes (mutumba) are very popular in Kenya and there is a wide market for this commodity. With the opportunity that the Internet provides, it is easier to grow this business if you combine both online and offline methods. 

Being mobile helps a lot because many people are tempted to buy on impulse when they see something they fancy. Having a shop or stall where you sell your wares is good since clients gradually get to identify your stall with a particular line of clothing. Second hand goods that are popular in Kenya range from clothes, handbags, shoes and so much more. You will be spoilt for choice.

11. Soap and Detergent Making Soaps and detergents are normally manufactured by industries but this is one area where an individual can venture and prosper. 

I still remember the day I met Agnes for the first time. We connected on Facebook and she opened up to me about her financial struggles. She had a good job but her husband had been unemployed for over 3 years, making her the sole breadwinner. Both her parents plus her parents-in-law were battling some serious health complications and the responsibility for their treatment fell on her shoulders, on top of providing for her family of 5. She was up to her neck in debt and her family was about to be thrown out of their house because of rent arrears.

I invited her to a business opportunity meeting and she readily accepted. Agnes was among the first guests to arrive. She did not come alone but came accompanied by her sister-in-law. I welcomed them to the presentation and let them know that we would catch up once the program was over, since I was one of the speakers and would not be free until we were done. All went well and I spent some time with them after the presentation.

Six-figure Income

Agnes was clearly excited about what she had learned. Her sister-in-law was unsure about the opportunity though. Agnes told me that she was thankful that the opportunity had come her way. According to her, it was an answered prayer since she had been praying for a way out of her problems. She told me that she would attain a 6-figure income in her first year, no matter what it took. She wrote down the training schedules in her diary and we parted, agreeing to keep in touch.

It did not take a week before Agnes turned up ready to get started. The staff guided her through the enrollment process and she left beaming with joy, promising to be back soonest. True to her word, she was back before the week was over. She was accompanied by her sister-in-law who was ready to get started in the business too. Agnes now had one person in her downline, and she was barely one week old in the business!

The next few weeks were busy ones for Agnes and myself. She brought people to the presentations every week. She was keeping her word that she was going to do whatever it took to attain a 6-figure income in her first year in the business. I gave her the support she needed when I was required to. Two months passed, then three months. She still had that same one member in her downline; her sister-in-law. I gave her a book to guide her in the journey. I gave her links to online trainings and as far as I was concerned, we were headed in the right direction.

After 3 months, Agnes stopped attending presentations. Whenever I would call her to check on her, she would not pick the call but would send me a message that she would call me back. She never did. She continued receiving the regular email and sms updates about the business, but she completely went out of circulation. All efforts to either have a telephone conversation or a face to face meeting with her proved futile. She was never available. We bumped into each other almost 2 years later, at an unrelated function. We sat together during refreshments and that was when we got a chance to do some catching up.

When Agnes spoke, it became apparent to me that she was angry and bitter. She actually spat out the words, explaining how she worked so hard but never made the money and how she devoted so much of her time to a business that did not pay her.

Agnes’ story is not uncommon. In fact, it is very common. Many people join network marketing excited and expecting to become millionaires in a matter of months. They have the wrong mentality that network marketing is some sort of short cut to riches; which it isn’t.

Increase your chances of success in network marketing by setting realistic goals

A goal is an objective toward which an endeavor is directed. The reason goals are so necessary in order to achieve success is simple. Habakkuk 2:2 tells us to “write the vision, and make it plain so that he who reads it may run.”

If we do not know where we are going (our objective), it is impossible to know if we ever get there! Until you take the time to clearly decide what it is you want in life, specifically write down your goals and map out a plan to accomplish them, you will remain unfocused and largely ineffective in accomplishing them! We can learn the importance of goal setting from Apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians 9:26 Paul said; “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.”

Goal-setting is very empowering.

DID YOU KNOW THAT ONLY 3% OF THE POPULATION EVER PUT THEIR GOALS DOWN ON PAPER, MAKING THEM 90 TIMES MORE ACHIEVABLE? THAT SAME 3% OWNS MORE THAN THE OTHER 97% COMBINED. Jim Rohn constantly said; ‘Get away from the bottom 97%.’

Achieving your goals is not really the problem; it is the process of setting of those goals that is typically the problem. The no. 1 reason why majority give up in network marketing and quit is because of having unrealistic expectations.

They get excited about someone else’s journey they forget that we are all unique and our paths are different. ‘So and so qualified for a car in 6 months; I will get my car in 6 months…’ Sometimes they get excited about someone’s accomplishment but fail to look at the price that person paid to get there. The simplest way to map out (in writing) and visualize your goals and dreams is to ask yourself some specific questions.

Begin with the end in mind. Where are you currently; in terms of income, skills, personal growth, networks, etc. Project yourself into the future. Where do you want to go and what period of time are you working with? Who do you want to become?

Do you understand what it takes to move from point A to point B? For example, you plan to attain a monthly income of Kshs. 100,000. Do you understand how many people you will need to have in your team in order to attain that income? What skills will you need to master in order to grow your team to that number? Who will you need to work with; a mentor, an accountability partner, etc.? How many hours will you need to work every week in order to get those results?

Do you understand exactly what you need to do; invest in study to acquire the skills, learn from the experts (could be in form of books, videos, audiobooks, etc.), invite people to look at your opportunity, do follow-up, etc.? If for example for every 10 people you show your opportunity to, one will enroll, how many people will you need to talk to before you have the size of team you require to take you to the income you are seeking? How will you manage to show your opportunity to that number of people (will you shoot videos and post them to Youtube, will you hold home parties, have an advertised Facebook business page, etc.)?

* Ask yourself questions: What is important to you? What are your values? How important is achieving these goals to you? Why are you embarking on this journey? What will keep you going when you face challenges?

* Write down a list of your most important goals. Tick 10 of the most important goals.

* Come up with a clear roadmap how you will move from point A to point B. Indicate clearly the tasks that will enable you to make that possible. How frequently will you evaluate your progress?

* Break your bigger goals into small, manageable steps. Focus on accomplishing one step at a time.

* Keep going until you arrive at your destination. If you do not get the results you are looking for, evaluate your strategies and make modifications where necessary. Giving up and quitting is not an option. You have your WHY clearly written down (the reason why you are embarking on this journey).

Network marketing is a business; it is NOT a shortcut to riches. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and everyone would be rich! When you start a traditional business, you expect to work at least 6 months to a year before you break even, sometimes longer than that. Network marketing is no different.

Why then would you expect to become a millionaire in 3 months, 6 months? There is work to be done and it is going to take the time to realize your goals, but it is going to be worth it. If you work hard and are consistent, you can have a comfortable income in 3 to 5 years, just like in any other business. And if you keep doing what needs to be done and you don’t quit, you can be a millionaire in 15, 20 years. That is far much better than working a job for 30, 40 years and retiring broke.

This article is written by: Susan Catherine Keter, Network marketing professional, life coach, mentor, freelancer and blogger
Website: www.susancatherineketer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Susan-Catherine-Keter-MLM-Success-Coach-and-Mentor-370091803002239/?pnref=lhc
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