FUTURE CHOICE -- Why Network Marketing May Be Your BEST Career Move, is a book I wish I had written. It is a well-crafted tribute to the network marketing industry.
The writing in this book (by Michael S. Clouse and Kathie Jackson Anderson) is on a level with "The Harvard Business Review" or "The Wall Street Journal." The tone is decidedly professional and analytical, yet the excitement about network marketing comes through.
FUTURE CHOICE takes a serious look at economic trends, and explains the decline of the three traditional components of financial security for most Americans -- a private pension, Social Security and personal savings. The authors go on to show how home-based businesses are becoming more of a factor in the economy.
The book is full of good, useful statistics on the economy: Fifty-eight percent of people in a recent national survey said they would like to start their own business. More than 28 million people now work at home. Self-employment has gone from 7 percent in the late 1970s to 13% in 1990 and 25% in 1991. Fortune 500 companies eliminated 9 million jobs during the past decade. Corporations removed $21 billion from their employees' pension plans during the 1980s. And of course the authors explain how network marketing can give the average person a fighting chance in this age of economic turmoil.
There are plenty of inspiring success stories in FUTURE CHOICE. One of my favorites is the story of Dean and Priscilla Smith. When Dean joined Shaklee, it caused the couple's first argument in their 18 years of marriage. Priscilla was dead set against network marketing--good friends that they had involved in a previous networking business had lost money, and she was determined that it would never happen again. She permitted Dean to work the business only if he would do it away from their home. Without his wife's support, Dean worked hard to build his business, and after a few months came home and announced that he had won a trip to Hawaii and that Priscilla couldn't go. But she ended up going. On the trip, the people she met changed her mind about the business -- they weren't slick sales types, they weren't talking about money, they were talking about helping people. The Smiths have since built a successful business. "We've seen our dreams come true, and our expectations greatly exceeded," says Priscilla Smith.
There's a very interesting chapter on the history and evolution of the network marketing business, and a very good explanation of the lifestyle and financial benefits enjoyed by professional networkers. Throughout the book, network marketing is treated as the legitimate, powerful opportunity that it is. There are no wild claims or exaggerated statements. This is a book that you could comfortably share with a lawyer, doctor, CEO or any other professional.
There is a good explanation of what to look for in a network marketing company, followed by a very fundamental, very basic, very powerful formula for success. Anyone reading this will be tempted to say "I can do that!" and, of course, they would be correct.
For me, FUTURE CHOICE has helped to crystallize in my mind the reasons I have for being in this business. The stories of thoughtful, level-headed people who have achieved success are truly inspiring. The clear, well-organized explanation of the business is refreshing. Even the cover, the typeface and the layout are professional and understated. FUTURE CHOICE is a very impressive book, and I'm happy to have it in my library.
-- Ralph Marston
(EDITOR'S NOTE: FUTURE CHOICE, by Michael S. Clouse and Kathie Jackson Anderson, is available from www.nexera.com/fc Telephone +1 425 774 4264)