Helping Build Wealth

The last time I started on a 55% contract was in the late 70's with a large company as a captive... it was not a good starting contract then and it is not now.

I learned real fast how much I undercut myself, but even still, there was value there for the time I was with them. I received an excellent intro to the biz and got licensed through them.

You know, the life of a non-captive agent can be a lonely one. Our wives and/or girlfriends can take about 5 minutes of our ins talk from my past experience. Thats why this forum works.

Some newbies need that encouragement and comraderie, and the MLM companies definitely use the motivating techniques that will keep a new guy/gal motivated and enthusiastic. Problem is, it depends if you are on the top of the proverbial pyramid or near the bottom...

Been there done that...

Only my opinion, try want you want and you will know in your heart if you made the right move... wrong moves usually trickle down to whats in my pockets.
 
MLMs operate a lot like religion. You must "believe" and "have faith." They're trained that anyone who's not with 'em is against 'em and "negative."

Talking to someone who's really bitten down hard on the MLM concept is a bit like telling someone the religion they picked is wrong. You can argue until you're blue in the face.

Most of these guys make next to nothing yet run around like acting they're making $500,000 a year. They know all they have to do is just keep talking to more and more agents and one day they'll have this huge team and strike it rich. It's actually quite sad.

To anyone involved in any MLM, list to these words:

It doesn't matter what your manager makes, or what his manager makes or what his manager makes. IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT YOU'RE MAKING!!!

Everytime one of these guys tries to pitch me it's the same conversation:

MLM rep: "We have guys making $400,000 a year."

Me: "What do you make?"

MLM: "Ummmm, we have guys making $400,000 a year."
 
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Well put John... end of story on this subject as far as I am concerned...

Sometimes its live and learn... a good fighter learns to move to his left when he gets hit with enough stiff jabs.
 
There is no harder job on earth then running around trying to throw people in a MLM arrangement 98% of whom don't write business and you waste valuable years bascially not making anything. That's a job right there. Harder yet is trying to get the people you got in to recruit more reps. The guys making very good money in MLMs are pounding out insane hours.

I did indeed know someone very successful in Amyway. He legitimately made six figures. I guessed he worked about 70 hours a week with all the meeting, training, seminars, etc...

Is anyone really looking for something where you don't work, sit back and just make money? What an empty life.
 
I talked to Sti this morning. We had a good discussion, he mostly talked I listen. It was good for me. I apologize if you guys thought it was a soliciting ploy. It wasn't.

You guys don't like the compensation. You don't have to come in at the lowest level. If you are newly licensed then most likely you will. That is why I posted "Where is the independent greenie going to get the top contracts? No seasoned vet is going to train the greenie for nothing, "help me out" how is it going to work?" I thought someone was going to give some alternatives. I then told you what I believed "My bet is that the seasoned vet is going to give you a lower contract, generating an override for himself or split the commission with you." I was hoping again that someone would give their input.

I have been told a few times that "oh, I can get a higher commission somewhere else." If that is what they want, then go for it.

I also asked, "IF you own an agency what happens to your agent when he wants the top contract that you have? Do you give it to him or does he leave? That has been eliminated here.

With us, you can get to 100% contracts on your own or by building an agency. If you are at 100% and your agent is at 100% the carrier will still give you an override. I think that this kind of system will help you retain some of your agents. Like David C wrote, "The fact is most independent businessmen don't own a business, they own a job. They quit or get sick and the money quits. I need something that dosen't quit when I do."

I never brought income into the picture or said it wasn't mlm. I believe the system doesn't have the negatives of mlm.

Thanks again Sti for hearing my side, moving to Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Texas has been on the mines of my wife and I, but because you are the competition Texas is off the list.LOL

The best training I recieved was based on deals or sales, sure give up 50% but only on the deals that my mentor closed not all my sales! Yet though I suppose my question is going to go unanswered, what kind of training would a new agent expect to recieve from HBW? Then what kind of training can one expect to be ongoing? I agree good training is hard to come by and worth quite a bit but giving up nearly half of ones commission for all work perform is a bit hard to swallow.
 
Don't underestimate the capitalist spirit, though.

Everyone's defintion is different. And in what they *value*.

So what... someone works insane hours. If they enjoy it, are successful
at it, and it's right for them, so be it. That's their choice. They
value that form of work ethic.

On the other side, so what.... someone is lazy, sits back, and
is able to enjoy a lifestyle that affords them the money the need
to care for themselves and/or their family... so be it. They value
this form of work ethic.

To each their own.
 
Amazing how many aka "AL Williams" imitations there are. I was with ALW in the 80's, and yes, it was fun to attend those motivational mtgs, and go to your local office and get trained, inspired, meet new friends, etc.

But many did not make money and recruiting was endless and tedious. Now when you're young it's fun. But unless someone helps you to prospect and sell , those paychecks are paltry. So most people truly were part-timers. When ALW bit the dust, all those RVP's lost their renewals and downline. Poof....it's gone.

Then Hubert Humphrey came along(a former termite) and started Alexander financial which turned to World wide Financial...and same thing, he just sold it a few years ago for mega mills, and everyone else lost their downline and renwals. Now he is into the real estate mkt, mtgs, etc.

So try it, learn, make friends, and learn to move on. Nothing lasts.
 
Questions

I've recently come across HBW and talked with them. I didn't know much about them and still have a couple of questions that I figured I'd try here. I was told that I'd start out at 70%, which isn't great by any means and it's only with their main carriers...it's less with their carries that they place "sub-standard" clients with....and those commissions seems pretty bad. Anyway, what caught my eye is that people could start at different levels depending on their experience. I was also told that you could recruit people and put them at a higher level than you are at if they are better than you....you wouldn't get the overrides, but they would count toward your promotions. I was also told you are independent and you're clients are your clients, even if you leave and you're agents are yours as well if you choose to leave and they come with you. I don't know any company that likes you recruiting their agents after you leave. Also, can you have other life insurance companies outside what they offer? If you're truly independent, I would think they wouldn't care...but if you don't sell through them, you don't move up....can anybody elaborate if you can have more companies than they offer. I have E&O insurance through NAPA, but am looking to expand my base back into life insurance. I still need to call them and find out if I need to add any other life companies I have to them, or if my policy covers all my life and health transactions. Any help or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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