Contributor: Elle Corazon

My 20's were spent in and amongst artists, politically passionate people and radicals that were intent on changing their world and I considered myself kind of a quiet revolutionary. Though I wasn't a good fit with the anarchist scene, and I was so far from the in your face protestor that it's difficult to mention us both in the same sentence, I was hungry to be around passionate people who had hope for their own dreams and held positive visions for their community.

Early on I became alarmed at a trend I witnessed amongst those who were "fighting the good fight". They tended to be flat broke living on creativity, trust, and chance, and they considered anyone who had money to be part of the problem. How could there be organic farmers, alternative health care practitioners, and artists in the world if the very people who valued these services the most couldn't afford them? If I was to follow Gandhi's advice and be the change I wanted to see in the world then it seemed wrong to me to be creating within my own life financial desperation and self-righteous indignation. I was self-employed as an organization development consultant specializing in conflict resolution within non-profits so I was very conscious that I was the underpaid idealist that I was critical of.

Deciding one is going to live in financial abundance and doing so are two different things. I learned that when it comes to abundance there are two basic issues one has to address. There isn't lack of anything including money in the universe but there needs to be a way for money to get to the individual, a bridge if you will. And so the first thing to look at is the construction of the bridge itself. Is what you have a footbridge when the amount of income you want requires a super highway? The second issue is in many ways more complicated and that is to get rid of the blocks that you yourself are putting up. It's never more clear how one is standing in their own way than when they have a great business plan.

Though I run 3 businesses in all including Elle Corazon LLC and Purest Light LLP I surprised myself, and many others close to me by building my most substantial bridge out of interpersonal marketing. I had already been using SunRider products for years since I was extremely picky about my diet and skin care due to previous health issues but I didn't take the business portion of it seriously. In fact it would be fair to say I had an above average resistance to it. Even though I personally knew many people who were successfully making a good living through the company I held onto many negative associations with network marketing.

I am now a firm believer in the possibility of interpersonal marketing to level the playing field and give everyone who wants it a chance for financial freedom. However, I do want to point out that all companies that market this way are not equal and all the lines within any given company are not the same. So below I've laid out the things that I would urge you to look for if you're considering this kind of business.

1. Products you like and believe in.
2. Good and fair pay.
   If the person you are signing up under isn't yet making a substantial living through the company look to someone in the company that is making the kind of income you'd like to make. Don't be afraid to ask. It may also be a good idea to run the numbers by a financial planner that you trust.
3. A business plan, in place, that's known to work.
   It's important to be able to duplicate your success with the people who sign up under you to make a stable income. You need a clear plan for your success and also how you can mentor others towards the same success.
4. Consistent residual income.
   If your income is mostly based on how many sales you personally make or how many parties you give, you should know this going into it.
5. A successful mentor you enjoy and trust.
6. If the company you are considering is in the wellness industry and you are not a practitioner find practitioners who do have experience with the product.
   You do not want to be in the position of giving health care advice that you are unqualified to give.
7. Make sure the company is financially stable.
   If this information is hard to find out then assume it's not.
8. Find out if the company is privately owned or controlled by a board of directors.
   This is important because if the company is run by a board then they are very likely making product decisions which may or may not be what's best for the consumer. Supplement companies are infamous for coming out with great formulas and then changing them later.
9. Imagine yourself successful in your business venture. What is your life like? Do you like it?

While it was clear to me from the beginning that, financially, interpersonal marketing was a good idea what finally convinced me to invest in it myself was how well it fit into my values. Integrative Business Systems is the training that teaches one how to be successful as a SunRider distributor through building good relationships and a top-notch mentorship program that produces good leaders. After seeing the dysfunction of many organizations as a consultant it is such a privilege to work with people who support and edify each other. And counter to my fears of needing to become a pushy salesperson to make a living the training in IBS is mainly about how to listen. It's about other's needs not about your greed is a company motto. Who wouldn't want to make a living going about their life helping others attain health and financial freedom? Well more to the point, would you want to make a living this way?