We recently caught up with Network Marketer and business owner Tina Rigg.
Since starting in 2003 with a product order of under £200, Tina and her business partner Debi Daniels have built a business that spans 13 different countries with over 1000 people in the overall team. Tina has replaced her full time business income and achieved most of the incentives her network offers including global travel incentives, the car plan as well as many more incentive rewards, that have all come from helping others.
PRB: Hi Tina, tell us a little bit about your professional background and how and why you got into network marketing.
TR: I was very fortunate to set up my own hairdressing business when I was 22 and ran that very successfully for 20 years. What I found as a small business owner was that I was spending 60-70 hours in the salon with all the responsibilities of running the salon, with 20 staff and legislation bearing down on us as salon owners. Although I was earning plenty of money, I had absolutely no time to enjoy it, my lifestyle was on the floor. So I decided to do something about it in 2003.
I was looking for a different way of working but had no idea what I wanted to do. Soon after, I was offered the opportunity to join Forever Living through someone I had known for a while. I thought it was a fantastic way to create a residual income so went away and did some research in other network marketing companies, and Forever was the one that ticked all the right boxes for me. It was a consumable product which I could get lots of benefits from which would give me a platform to build a customer base.
I loved the fact that I could continue with my mentoring and coaching skills as that’s something I really enjoy. In the past I had coached lots of people to become successful hairdressers, and I wanted to continue with that. I really love taking people from zero to being very successful.
That’s what I saw when I saw the network marketing opportunity, and along with that, the ability to create a pensionable style income for my future with that flexibility that just wasn’t in my vocabulary before.
PRB: Which parts of the network marketing industry do you enjoy the most?
TR: I enjoy the whole thing – I love the product we sell, the industry is growing really fast and as such it’s a really exciting time to be a part of. I’ve had the same customers for over 14 years and feel it’s an amazing way to help people. I also love being able to offer people the opportunity that I had, to get away from whatever challenges people have, either financially or from a professional point of view. Having done it myself, I can show people how the industry works.
I also love the personal development side of things, when people first start out they have no idea how to run and build a business because most people have never done it before. I love that you can see people growing people in confidence and see them get healthy and fit and just enjoy life again. I have some disabled members in my team who are absolutely loving this because it gives them a purpose.
PRB: As a business owner, what would you say are your biggest successes?
TR: The biggest successes are growing and developing a really successful team. I love the fact that in network marketing it’s not just about me, it’s about the team. There’s very little you actually do on your own. And yes, we’ve had fantastic recognition, we’re part of the company’s car programme and we’ve achieved pretty much everything there is to achieve on our particular marketing plan. The income is fantastic and allows you to build real financial security, but the thing that really gets me out of bed in the morning is helping my team have those successes as well. Our success has been through the success of other people which is what I love the most about the industry.
PRB: What do you respond to the sceptics and people who do not believe in network marketing as a business model?
TR: The first thing I ask people is whether they have ever been involved with a network marketing organisation, or whether they are talking from someone else’s experience. In my experience, people’s opinions are not necessarily based on anything factual, they are based on something they heard on the grapevine many years ago before the industry really polished up its act.
I can see parallels between network marketing and franchising – franchising was almost banned in America when it was first introduced as it was considered a really bad and unethical way to do business. And look at the industry now, it’s hugely successful! I think some industries just take time to come of age, and for people to really understand how they work.
PRB: What changes have you seen in the industry since you first started out in 2003?
TR: The main change has been from a compliance point of view. The whole industry has had to get a bit tighter on what is being promised, and quite rightly so. You’ve got to work hard to achieve the higher income and incentives, this is no get rich quick scheme.
The industry has become much more aware of itself in terms of leadership development. This is a people development business, so a lot of companies have really had to think about their leadership training and up their game.
I feel like the industry has really grown into its own shoes. They call this the business of the 21st century because it allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results. You’re combining the efforts of all different people with a different skill set, without the constraints of a traditional business.
PRB: What does a typical work week look like for you?
TR: I tend to do my customer facing meetings at the beginning of the month. Our business relies on lots and lots of people doing a little bit so I need to make sure that my customers have what they need for their personal use of products throughout the month.
The rest of the time I am looking for new talent, new people to join our team so there are lots of conversations to be had. I show them the business information and set up planning meetings and strategy sessions. My team are all at different levels so it’s important that I support them individually and make sure that we’re planning their business to get to the next stage.
I also make sure there’s time for me because that’s the flexibility that network marketing offers, it’s about planning my week so it works for me as well.
PRB: What are your top tips for people starting out or considering joining a network marketing organisation?
TR: My first bit of advice is to put in some proper time and effort. This is not something that’s going to happen overnight, not for anybody. Everyone has different goals and is in a different situation so you need to be clear about what you’re trying to achieve. You need to take it seriously, at least as seriously as you would any other part- or full-time job.
You need to be prepared to learn the system and follow it as network marketing works on a duplication system in the sense that I will pass on my knowledge and skills to my team, they will pass it on to theirs etc.
Be prepared to look at and approach things differently, because this is a very different way of working. You need to be ready for success and really focus on what success is going to look like for you and your family. Set specific goals and have a clear agenda as to what you want to achieve and then give it the time and effort. Be prepared to learn new things. If you’re prepared to work hard, have the skills required and have a supportive organisation, you cannot fail in this industry.
Choose your network marketing company wisely and really look at their track record and systems. You need to be able to communicate with and talk to the people who have achieved the level of success that you’re looking to achieve, within your organisation. I’d stay well clear of organisations that don’t allow this.
PRB: When did you start working with PRB and what services do they provide for you?
TR: Pretty much when we set up in 2003. We attended a talk by Chris Whitley-Jones at our headquarter, just to find out what was involved in setting up a new venture. He really outlined what type of paperwork was required, was really easy to talk to and had the most amazing way of conveying tax advice in layman’s terms. Within the first two or three months of starting out we had engaged PRB to look after our accounts.
They’re always a pleasure to work with and get things done well in advance. When we’ve had questions or queries before they’ve always been able to help us out, so much so that I recommend that all my team have a conversation with PRB as soon as they get started. At the end of the day, you’ve got to learn how to run a business so you need to know about tax related things as well.
PRB: Do you have any parting thoughts?
TR: The main thing for me is for people to understand what a powerful industry this is. It allows ordinary people with very little money to get started in running their own business. It cost me £30,000 to set up my salon and a long time to pay it back. You don’t have any overheads because you run your business from your kitchen table and you can run it from anywhere, with very little start-up costs.
People need to learn what network marketing is, and more importantly, what it isn’t. It isn’t a get rich quick scheme, it’s not about spamming your friends and family and being a nuisance. If you have the right company behind you, this is a legitimate business. This is as professional an industry as any other. There’s going to be thousands and millions more people working in network marketing over the next 10 or 20 years.
I’d never do anything else, it’s been an absolute revelation for me.
PRB: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.
You can contact Tina on Facebook, LinkedIn, website or via email.
If you’d like PRB to assist your network marketing business with tax and bookkeeping advice, contact us today on 01444 458252 or email network-marketing@prbmp.com.