Jeremy T. James – Origin Story – Part 1
Origin Story – Part 1
I’m not sure if you can relate, but I was recently at a point in where I “swore I would never do network marketing again“.
Does that sound familiar?
Let me go back a bit to explain…
When I was in college, a friend invited me to his buddy’s place to talk about a new business venture. As a nearly starving college student, who sold valued possessions just to get books and food, I wasn’t even close to my goal of becoming a millionaire before 30. So, naturally I was interested.
We met in his bedroom, in the attic of a fraternity house. There was obviously a party there the prior night. Other kids were passed out all over the enormous room on mattresses spread around amid tons of dirty socks and clothes. Not what you would expect for a booming business.
His friend was there and well dressed, in a nice business suit, and there was a white board next to him. He had a huge smile and was ready to present the new business idea. He looked sharp, so I assumed…smart and successful guy. And he was. It just so happened to be the first time I ever saw someone “slinging circles”. You know…you get three and they get three and so on. If you have never seen a presentation for network marketing done the old style way, let me know. Anyway, I was hooked!
I loved the idea of working really hard for a short time and then never having to work another day in my life. That was what I took from the conversation at least. I went to work right away, made a list of everyone I knew, paid to get started and began a long process of learning about rejection.
I didn’t know anything about building a business or networking. I was a University of Michigan engineering student. A very socially awkward and not very out-going by nature person. I was much more comfortable behind a computer. I thought though…if I can learn in general, why caouldn’t I learn to be more out-going, more business like, maybe even some day talk in front of people. I starting reading self-help, business and sales books, listened to tapes (yes, I am dating myself), went to meetings, training, seminars, you name it.
I had to sell a ton more of my “stuff” to afford all of this and then had to deal with distributing products to the few who bought them as well. I quickly went from broke to destitute.
Granted, I was traveling the country…and learning a TON. I was basically paying for a second education on top of my college career education.
To top it off, I had to find more people to talk to. I learned about the three foot rule. Any one within three feet was a prospect. And if I didn’t talk to them, someone else might get to them first. I thought…everyone should join this business knowing what I know about it. But I, like most, did not have success with the methods I was taught.
Many are successful, but they know or meet other people who “get it” or are already very good at networking with people.
In the end, I had to chalk it up as a great learning experience:
- Relying upon “warm market” to build your business doesn’t always work in network marketing.
- It is possible to learn more than knowledge, but also “how to be a better person”, how to get out of your comfort zone and SO much more.
- Selling is very different than marketing
- Lack of training leads to burning bridges with people who don’t want to be “sold to” (as much as they like to buy things…).
Continue on my journey to understand marketing better in the next article: