[Editors note: This article contains information about a multi-level marketing system. There are generally two ways to look at these programs. If you like the products, you usually get a discounted price if you are a reseller. If you are looking at some sort of income, understand that marketing is a skill and not everyone excels at it. There is generally a “buy-in” to a sales program and if you are not motivated, you will lose your investment. Multi-level marketing in particular depends on people selling below you. If you don’t recruit sellers, you have to work harder for your money. For some, it works well, for others, it is a dismal failure. Consider yourself warned.]
About a year ago my wife and I got started using essential oils. During this time, we have enjoyed countless benefits and improvements to our health. In addition, a home-based business also emerged using only our spare time and creating some additional income for our family as well. Below, I’ll share with you some basic information on essential oils. I will also tell you about how the business opportunity works.
Essential Oils
Essential oils play an important part in supporting your body. They are about vibrant living and helping your body to function at its maximum capacity. In today’s day and age, it is all too easy to get caught up in the rat race and fast food.
What are essential oils? Essential oils are plant extracts that contain healthful properties. When a plant is injured, it releases compounds that are intended to repair and heal itself. The act of harvesting the plant releases these compounds, which can then be extracted and used for the human body. Extraction methods vary from distillation with steam to the use of chemical reactions. The essential oil is then bottled up and sold. The oil is not a thick, fatty, sticky substance, like olive oil, but instead it’s rather a thin, watery fluid that is readily absorbed into the body.
How do essential oils work? The human body is controlled by 11 systems– skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, nervous, respiratory, immune/lymphatic, urinary, reproductive, and integumentary. Click here to read more at www.innerbody.com. I believe there is an oil for everything. Many oils contain properties that are relevant to multiple systems. Most of the time, all you need to do is provide some additional help to these systems to keep them functioning optimally, and that is where the oils can save the day. There are ample reference sources available in print and online. There is an absolute ton to learn, but my wife and I are part of an organization that provides or directs you to all of the necessary tools and resources. There are both live and online classes going on nationwide. These classes provide the personal touch and plenty of Q&A time.
There are multiple reasons why essential oils would appeal to a preparedness-minded individual. I’ll give you my top three reasons:
- Most of the oils have many uses. Lavender oil, for example, is often referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of oils because it has so many uses.
- These oils have a virtually unlimited shelf life, which means that you could buy them now and build a stockpile to last you many years.
- A little bit goes a long way. A small, 5ml bottle of this potent stuff could provide months of daily use. Of course that will depend on your usage, but the point is that it is a compact form of goodness that supports your body when you need it most.
Brand Matters
There are a number of companies out there that sell essential oils. My wife and I chose to go with Young Living because they have the reputation of offering the highest quality oil. Young Living only uses distillation, shunning the chemical reaction methods because with distillation they can guarantee that you are only getting the essential oils themselves and not also the chemicals which are toxins to your body. Young Living provides something called the Seed to Seal Guarantee. The Seed to Seal Guarantee sets Young Living apart because the company is vertically integrated, allowing control of each step of the process. They are the only company that owns all of their means of production: farming the plants, distillation, and finally distribution of the oils. Other companies either purchase raw materials on the open market or purchase oils that have been extracted by someone else, even cottage scale producers with limited means. By controlling the process from beginning to end, Young Living is able to offer the highest quality oil that is available. This multi-billion dollar company was established in 1994 and has been the pioneer in bringing this industry to scale.
Business Opportunity
Disclaimer: Let me say this right up front. Some people are very turned off and closed minded when it comes to network marketing. If you are one of those, then feel free to skip past this part and have a nice day. If, however, you would like to learn how you can create a fun opportunity that can be financially rewarding, read on!
What do you have to do and how do you get paid? This is a pretty simple process. You are paid a commission for each person you bring to become a new customer of Young Living. In addition, you also earn a royalty on their future purchases. There are no requirements that you sell anything or buy anything after your first purchase. Becoming a customer does not mean you must also become a business builder. The option is there, though, for those that choose to pursue.
One of our business leaders recently gave us the following quote: “Treat your business like a business and it’ll pay you like a business. Treat your business like a hobby and it’ll pay you like a hobby.” Too many people have become disenchanted by businesses like this, because they think it is a get rich quick scheme that requires minimal effort. You have to work really hard, just as you would if you got a wage paying or salaried job somewhere else in the workforce. The only difference here is that you will realize your full pay potential rather than being capped by a wage or salary.
My wife and I have found that the group of people that we have become associated with as a result of pursing this business with Young Living are quite stellar! They are an amazing support network, both for essential oil usage knowledge and also helping on the business side of things. It really is a team effort, and we all benefit from it. You gain the ability to tap into the resources and experience that these seasoned leaders possess, and they in turn will benefit from additional commissions when you grow and become successful. Surprising to me and my individualist tendencies, the copy cat approach is strongly encouraged. Your leaders have figured it all out. Just do as they do; there’s no need to re-invent the wheel on marketing strategy, and so forth.
At first, the business side of Young Living was something to start on the side. If you are without a job and are worrying about how to pay next month’s rent, don’t do this. Instead get a job, any job. Start this once you have a couple of hundred dollars saved. You need to be able to float this on your own for several months. The reason for this is that it takes time to get up to speed on the learning curve and also on building your network of happy customers. After doing this for a year, my wife and I are making consistent profits every month. This is where the “taking control of your pocketbook” part of my title comes into play. That extra cash can be used for debt reduction or whatever else you need to do in your personal preparedness.
The typical business start cycle looks like this. You get your starter kit in month one and immediately begin researching how to live a more vibrant, healthful life. At least for me, I attributed our initial health successes to the placebo effect. You can only do this for so long before you are forced to admit they work! Once you get to that point, you’ve got some personal testimonials that help you in sharing with your network of contacts. A couple of months down the road, you’ll have several new member sign-ups, which generate commissions for you. They, in turn, keep doing the same thing, and the success keeps growing.
I’ll admit that I was skeptical at first, as I am with just about everything. My wife started this endeavor with my support, and although I wasn’t completely sold on the idea I liked the concept of possessing your own tools with which to live healthy. As I began to see the light, we decided to try the business so that we could generate some income to support our “oil habit”. The business grew, and we started working together. My wife and I spend time together discussing strategy and comparing notes from books we’ve read on the topic. It has become a fun process that we both enjoy, and it is strengthening our marriage as a result.
If any of this sounds interesting to you, please do more research. Take care, and God bless.