As rewarding as it is to be one’s own boss, business owners can often find themselves with no playbook and having to learn via trial and error. However, that need not always be the case with direct selling, especially not at QNET, where entrepreneurs or Independent Representatives (IR) learn from and lean on those who have previously walked in their shoes.
With that in mind, here are 25 lessons on hitting your targets, growing your business and prospering, from the QNET Success Stories we’ve witnessed through the years.
1. Start with a dream, then hold on to that vision
Every entrepreneurship journey begins with a dream, and it is important that IRs never stop visualising the future they want.
2. Success comes to those who are patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and as we’re reminded time and time again, neither are great direct selling businesses. So, don’t look to rush to the finish line. Instead, take it slow and steady.
3. Great gains come with sacrifice
In direct selling, when, where and how much one works is entirely up to the individual entrepreneur. But to ensure great success, you will have to invest both time and effort and make some sacrifices.
4. Commitment is key
Regardless of whether you’ve taken up the QNET business opportunity full-time or as a side hustle, you must be committed. This means you’ve got to make concerted efforts to succeed and stay the course.
5. Nurture your network
You may want a big network. But what’s more important is that you strive to help the team members you have to prosper and be the best they can be. Remember, a strong team means a strong business.
6. Don’t fear rejection
Prospects and customers may turn you down, ditto friends and even family. But know that rejection is part and parcel of success, and every QNET superstar has had to face it in some form or another.
7. Be open to training, coaching, and mentoring
You don’t need a fancy degree or business experience to score big returns in direct selling. But entrepreneur-focused development courses, like the kind offered by qLearn, can put you in good stead. The opportunity to be mentored by business owners who’ve seen it all before is also an important one.
8. Negative views are views, not facts
Those closest to you may occasionally rain on your parade. But unwarranted negative opinions aren’t facts. So, keep your eye on the figurative prize and pay no heed to pessimism.
9. Duplicate your success
Just as you’ve benefitted from the know-how of your mentors, your duty, once you’ve attained your goals, is to transfer that knowledge to your downlines. This helps inspire all-around achievement and create more QNET Success Stories.
10. Leadership is not a choice
Newbies or veterans, we’re all called to lead in the way that we practise what we preach, communicate our vision to team members and prospects, and care for and show interest in others
11. Consistency wins races
You don’t have to live and breathe your business 24-7. However, success is only possible through consistency of focus and action. It’s about maintaining the momentum in your entrepreneurial journey.
12. Strive to strengthen relationships
Direct selling is a people-oriented business. Hence, building and sustaining professional and personal relationships sincerely and honestly is crucial in good and challenging times.
13. Stay curious
Many of us lose the childlike sense of wonder and inquisitiveness as we grow older. Yet, it’s that same curiosity and desire to unlock doors that will propel entrepreneurs further and higher.
14. Confidence can be built
Few of us are naturally confident. But when you do right by your customers and team, and keep learning and being inspired, what you’re actually doing is becoming more confident day by day and slowly but surely.
15. Embrace creativity and innovation
Direct selling has changed over the years by adapting to trends and staying ahead of the curve, and so should individual direct sellers. The message here is to be open to new possibilities, both for you and your team.
16. Never give up
Entrepreneurial success never follows a straight path. And there may be potholes aplenty on your journey. But stay resilient, and if/when you fall, get back on that horse.
17. Break free from expectations
Get a degree, secure a good job, and start a family… society is packed with preconceived notions and people dishing advice. But it’s only when entrepreneurs choose to rock the boat and chase that dream that they truly come into their own.
18. Maintain your motivations
Despite patience being a virtue, staying motivated over time can be difficult, especially when faced with doubt. Try to recall the reason you began this journey, and allow that memory to guide you.
19. You are the product
QNET has an extensive product portfolio. However, you, as the focal point of your business, are the “product” that prospects and customers actually say yes to. Hence, ensure that you reward their faith in you.
20. Change the way you think
Entrepreneurship necessitates a mindset shift, more so if one has been used to being a wage earner. So, endeavour to be humble from the start, and listen to and learn from those who’ve succeeded.
21. Quality over quantity
Success isn’t always determined by how many hours you put into your QNET business. Rather, it’s about the quality of the time you invest and whether or not you’re totally focused on your tasks and goals.
22. Don’t be ruled by fear
Fear of the unknown is so powerful that it can cripple us, and keep us from realising our dreams. But as that oft-quoted adage says: nothing ventured, nothing gained. So steel yourself, and take that first step.
23. It’s not about getting rich
It’s possible to gain large financial returns through direct selling, but true success is about more than how much money you make. It’s about helping others and sharing this journey with those around you.
24. Always be ethical
Never aim to make a quick buck. Instead, seek to maintain the highest ethical and professional standards, regardless of whether you’re dealing with customers, prospects or team members.
25. Keep things simple
Don’t get bogged down by the nitty-gritty. Rather, focus on the basic things that your prospects would want to know about. Importantly, always remember QNET’s legitimacy and that direct selling allows individuals to take control of their lives.
