Internetwork Marketing Training

"What if my spouse (or other family members) are not supportive of my involvement in mlm, how do I handle this?"

This question is a tough one for mlm success training, with no "cut & paste" answers since every home, marriage, and situation is different.  Having said that, there are some guiding principles that can help navigate these dangerous waters.

#1.  Always be totally honest.  Lies or deception about your involvement with network marketing will not help.  (Ex:  Telling your spouse you are going out with friends when it really is a meeting connected to your business.)  (Ethical side note:  If you have been building your MLM business by spreading the one or some of the 7 Lies Ann Sieg addresses, it is a slippery slope than, even for a sincere Christian, to be less than honest in other aspects of their business.)

#2.  Work your business "smart."  If your loved one(s) are extremely negative, try to work your business in such a way that it will not impact their lives.  (Ex:  Set up a desk in your bedroom instead of the TV room.)

#3.  Set goals and deadlines, and share them with your loved ones.  When they see you are taking your business seriously and are willing to be accountable, they may become more supportive. 

Ex:  When my first company started to head south and my income dropped a few years back, my wife wanted me to go out and get a "real job."  It was a stressful time for both of us.  With the help of some godly counselors (who were mostly on her side) I set some goals and promised her I would seek a job outside of network marketing if my goals were not being met.  yes - I made my goals - and now we are both happy I did!  (For more on the Renegade System principles I used to find success in two different companies, follow this link to Renegade System and Renedage University.)

#4.  Reward them.  Be creative in bringing them into the business.  This works especially well with children when you ALL share a reward when you achieve a certain goal, or get a specific bonus.  Let them be a part.  I have seen mlmers do this, and kids who were once opposed to their work, now happily provide time and even house work so Mom or Dad can work their business! Ex:  When you make the level of super-duper-manager you will all take the fun vacation you've wanted!

#5.  Follow your heart.  You probably noticed this advice applies to men or women.  I am not of the opinion that a spouse has to blindly "obey" their partner.  The overall scriptural exhortation in marriage is to be submissive to one another.  (If you are the wife of a controlling husband with a religious spirit - you are in a difficult place; BUT you should no more forsake the calling on your life than you should obey him if he wanted you to cheat on your taxes or lie to your parents.  Make sure you are called to what you are doing, and pray hard for wisdom.  One-on-One mlm coaching may help also.)

#6.  Retreat is not giving up.  Sometimes a retreat is the only logical step to preserve a potential win in a war.  Battles can be lost, with the war still winnable.  You may need to take a season to scale back your network marketing, or let it go completely for a season.    Don't toss in the towel though - set up some agreed upon parameters of what needs to happen in the family for you to pick the business back up or full steam ahead again in the future. 

#7.  Seek the Lord.  The Bible is very clear that we as Jesus' disciples can hear the voice of the Lord.  When you get clear direction from Him, it will come with the grace, wisdom, and love to see you through, and provide the confidence and posture needed to stand strong. 

Disharmony and lack of unity can be heart wrenching.  I remember going to a sales training seminar for network marketers years ago when I lived near Chicago.  Overall they had some good stuff, but when it came to spouses, it was horrible.  Basically they taught how to overcome the objection of someone saying they needed to talk to their spouse first before they could join your business.  In this case the trainers were promoting disunity with heavy handed sales techniques.  Deception and forcing yourself on your spouse or family is never the answer, either at the start or at any season in your business.

If you find your strife in your house over your network marketing business in the season, ask the Lord to examine YOUR heart, and how you can work your business and communicate with your family in more effective and loving way.  Seek godly counsel.  Pray hard.  God can and does change hearts - I've had it happen in my marriage, and have helped others see it through with theirs.

Blessings,

Coach Curt

 

The main water pipe outside my home broke one day.  My basement was flooding fast.  As I was bailing water, I called the water department to come.  A capable man arrived and shut down the flow, and  most everything was saved from the cellar. Thank God I was home when it happened.  At that point in time the thought never crossed my mind whether the guy was a Christian or not.  It didn't matter.  I wanted a service performed fast and well.  This is a microcosm example or our life in the world.  We are in the Lord, but not of it.  The business world is just another sphere of society that Christians should engage in and let their light shine.  We not only have to, but we should and are called to engage in the live of those around us - neighborhood, work, and family; saved or unsaved.

Sometimes we get far from what Jesus modeled and taught his disciples.  He mingled with the world and was criticized for it.  In fact, the only ones He ever got angry with were part of the religious group.  We are called to be "light & salt" to those around us.  Paul did this as an apostle, but also as a tent maker.  Christian network marketing provides an incredible opportunity for us the share the love of God with others.  As long as your company or team isn't engaged in unlawful, immoral, or illegal activity, you can enter the market place with a clear heart and conscience.    

We must be careful not to take a verse out of context and build on it, while ignoring the whole view of scripture:

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?"  I Cor 6:14

Paul's letter to the Corinthians was exhorting them not to engage in evil, especially in any committed way.  "Yoke" was when two animals were bound together to pull a load or plow.  Both were engaged and committed to a task.  This letter was instructing us not to make such covenants.

I've had the joy of working with agnostics, atheists, cult members, new agers, etc, etc.  If we withdraw from society into a "church subculture," how will the hear the Good News?!?"

Oh, by the way - my flooded basement, let me give you the rest of the story.  I was on duty as our cities Police Chaplain a few days later.  I got a call to assist some officers with a man in his home that had a gun and wanted to kill himself.  We were both surprised when it we saw each other - the guy from the water department who saved my basement!  After a long talk in which he agreed to get help instead of shooting himself, the thing that got through to him is when I said:  "Joe, God loves you.  He saw a long time ago that you would get to this point.  My water pipe broke so He could bring you to my house so we could meet.  God knew I would be on duty today so we could talk."

Doing business, internetwork marketing business, as a Spirit-led Christian can be an exciting adventure that will impact far more than your personal finances!  Business coaching and mlm coaching can increase your chances of success.

Coach Curt 

In establishing a home based business, it is imperative that the foundations are properly laid for a Christian business person.  Your business is an extension of your life and testimony.  Whether you are looking for an internet business opportunity, seeking Biblical prosperity, or wanting the best mlm success training available, if the foundation isn’t in place, you may end up building on sand.

The doors have flung open wide for internet business opportunities.  The internet has truly levelled the playing field where an individual working from home with good computer and internet marketing skills can compete in the open market.  Coach Curt has built three successful Christian home businesses; two were in network marketing, on in the medical industry.  In each case, he attributes his success to the Lord - and following sound Biblical principles in which to build upon.

So, here are The Ten Commandments of a Christian Home Based Business:

I. Thou Shalt Dedicate Your Business to the Lord.
II. Thou Shalt Choose Affiliations Wisely.
III. Thou Shalt be Disciplined.
IV. Thou Shalt be Accurate.
V. Thou Shalt Master the Tools.
VI. Thou Shalt Humble Thyself.
VII. Thou Shalt Invest.
VIII. Thou Shalt Serve Others.
IX. Thou Shalt Disciple Others.
X. Thou Shalt Never Give Up.

Coach Curt elaborates on each on his site dedicated to assist Christians looking for a home business or wanting to learn the professional skills to take their current business to  a full time income or beyond.

I'll never forget the anger and energy that some well intentioned "brother" rebuked me with when I had this scripture as part of my sig file (a sig file is a signature file at the end of an email that contains your name and other information like a website, phone, url, etc.)

"But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth . . . " Duet 8:18

He was so upset that I would apply this to making money, and was convinced the scripture wasn't addressing material things. This verse is very straightforwardly talking about material wealth, and I would encourage you to look at it for yourself. I share this story to relate how dysfunctional the church often is in regards to money.

Of course we should be careful and always ask God to examine our hearts. I've known many men of God, some good friends and comrades that have forsaken the high callings on their lives to follow money: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13 (side note: There is a free eBook on my missions web site regarding "Why Good Men Fail" - which addresses this topic and others. - Johnson Family Missions)

We know that money isn't evil, it is the LOVE of money that will ensnare us. Money is just a resource. Many of the great things we are called to will require great resources including MONEY. There is nothing noble or spiritual about want or poverty - in fact the Bible clearly tells us that poverty is a curse. I look at it this way: Truth sets free. Scientists discovered the truth about aerodynamics and thus airplanes are able to fly. It doesn't matter if you are a Christian, Hindu, or atheist, the principles of aerodynamics work for all of us as we fly around the world. The same is true for principles that lead to financial blessings. My definition of blessing is simply to have the resources to fulfill the call of God on my life. 

Researchers have shown that there are principles that are understood and followed by the vast majority of millionaires. If you want to learn something - go to those who are successful! These are principles that I have gleaned from the many books, seminars, and materials (Christian and "secular") that I have studied and practiced through the years. (At the bottom are links and some suggested resources.)

So, I submit the following thoughts to you for further consideration and study, not intending to replace YOUR personal study of the whole counsel of the Word of God. I'll give you my conclusion now: Even though there has been bad theology and abuses at both ends of the spectrum in understanding wealth and the Kingdom, I believe the Lord desires to bless us with everything that we need to fulfill our calling and destiny, including money. "...give me neither poverty nor riches..." Proverbs 30:8

The Lord is looking for faithful network marketers who will acquire wealth and allow it to flow through them into the Kingdom. Avoiding money or being poor is no more spiritual than hoarding it and spending it on worldly pleasures. Can you be trusted by the Lord for incredible riches to flow through your life? "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" Luke 16:11

Principles of Money for the Christian NWMer

 

1. Desire: The first characteristic noted regarding the wealthy is very simple - they want and chose to be wealthy. This of course lines up with scripture: "You do not have, because you do not ask God." James 4:2b. Fatalism is not a Christian principle, although I hear it from some - it sounds like this: "If God wants to bless me with (a blessing), He will put it in my life." If we desire any blessing of the Lord (health, good relationships, etc.) we need to seek Him and the principles He put in place to enjoy them.

2. Responsibility and Accountability: The second characteristic of the wealthy is that they know where their money is coming from, and where it is going. This goes beyond just simple budgeting, which most Christians are weak at even that! Those successful with money usually can account for every dollar - but not in a greedy way! We would applaud any emphasis on good stewardship, but do we budget and account for our spending? Is it paradoxical that the wealthy can account for their massive cash flow, but many NWMers couldn't tell you how they spent their small marketing budget last month?

3. 80/20: The third characteristic of the wealthy is that they live on less than they take in. Despite stereotypes of the rich, studies show that most do two things that the average person does not do:

a. They take a portion of their income and invest it.

b. They take a portion of their income and give into charity.

The 80/20 rule is a good one to guide you. Live on 80% of what you take in - whether that be much or little. Take 10% and invest it. Take 10% and give it away to worthy causes. Of course, for us Spirit led believers, by far the most worthy cause are those that are involved in building the Kingdom of God. 10% is a guideline - start there. The Old Covenant law of tithing was simply a foreshadowing of the New Covenant believers who would give everything to the Lord - only personally keeping what they would need to fulfill their destiny.

4. Power of Compounding Interest: The fourth characteristic found among the financially successful is that they have interest working for them, rather than against them. Simple. Get out of debt, and save and invest. Easily said, but few do it. Like many aspects of our cultures, the Christian does not often differentiate from the culture they are from. Credit Card debt is especially counter-productive to financial success. Although borrowing and lending are clearly not anti-Biblical, it seems that Jesus modeled and taught us a debt free life would be a high calling to aspire to: 8 Let no debt remain outstanding . . ." Romans 13:8

5. Freedom & Giftings: The fifth characteristic noted among the financially free is they have multiple streams of income. The Lord desires us to use our gifts and talents to advance the Kingdom of God, and to provide income for our family. "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." Proverbs 22:29 The Word of God teaches us that the Lord desires to reward diligent and creative work.

Please add any insights you have that help you achieve success in mlm as a Christian.  Be glad to discuss further as I am a professional mlm coach also.

Coach Curt

You might wonder what Divorce Recovery has to do with MLM - actually there are many things I could address in this cross-section, but I want to mention just two for now:

#1.  Network Marketing is a great business venue for someone going or coming through divorce.  Besides the obvious of increases their income (I've never yet met a person who was better off financially because of a divorce) - the mlm industry is a great place to hang out with positive people!  Most marketers have goals and like to assist others on their journey to success.  This environment is awesome, particularly for those whose divorce is messy and dragging on the emotions.

#2.  A clean heart is essential for success in any arena of life, including network marketing.  Unforgiveness can be a barrier towards growth, including business or financial  I published an article regarding this.  Click here for a potent key to divorce recovery and success in mlm.