The story begins in May 2016 when I was asked to join a speaking tour teaching seminars on entrepreneurship in Iran. It was the first time in the history of Iran that a Western woman was permitted to take the stage to educate Iranians on the topics of network marketing business, personal development, and leadership. The experience was absolutely life-changing. I’ve always felt drawn to the Middle East and I also feel that this part of my life is about empowering women globally, as well as inspiring them from within.
Before visiting, I was under the misconception that the Middle East was an area of the world where women were repressed, where their voice wasn’t heard as powerfully as it could be. I discovered the opposite of what we in the West tend to think. Women in Iran are determined, driven, passionate, and they DO have a voice. I was delighted to learn that I was wrong about one of the very reasons I agreed to go there.
The demographic that’s most drawn to network marketing in Iran is the younger generation with the average age being 24.
They are about 60 percent male and 40 percent female. Women are graduating college with honors and in even higher numbers than men do. However, youth unemployment is rampant. Even with post-secondary education, careers are hard to come by. Network marketing is the answer for many, giving them a vision for their future.
In Iran, network marketing is a fairly new business model. It felt very humbling to be there at a time when the business is so new, so unformed, yet so full of promise. Individuals are finding their purpose and leading fuller lives. Network marketing is creating global connections and being in the beginning stages, it took me back to network marketing in its simplest form. Essentially, people are sharing their products and services and getting compensated, while growing themselves and their teams.
There are a lot of skills to master in network marketing such as: getting started right and fast, inviting language, following up, the duplication model, the compensation plan, how to leverage systems and tools, how to get people to events and train them well – it can be overwhelming! Being there helped me to re-embrace the simplicity and peel back the steps to the basics. What was important was people coming together to create a better life.
Building a network marketing team is also about finding those with common goals who also want to make a difference in their own lives and in the world.
Being in Iran, I felt an energetic alignment. I was connected with my purpose of empowering people. Even in my preparations before traveling to Iran, I felt an instant resonance. As I started learning more about the country, the history of network marketing there and where they are right now, it became crystal clear why I was so excited to share my knowledge and passion of network marketing with them.
We had two sold-out events in Tehran and several events in Isfahan.
There was such a hunger for learning as well as leadership training. When all was said and done, we had spoken to several thousand people. Despite the business being so new, there are amazing men and women who are making $30,000 – $50,000 per month.
They’re also doing it in such a pioneering way without even the most basic tools. Their raw energy has propelled them to a point, and now they can learn so much from the historical perspective we have to offer. For example, we can share what works and what doesn’t, and how to fine-tune their approach.
One of the most interesting aspects of my time in Iran was a segment I did toward the end of my presentation on ethics.
I knew from the input I received that many of the teams were more or less in violation of some of the concepts I was teaching. However, they were hungry to learn and ready to raise their standards of professionalism.
It was very meaningful to train them at a time where they can develop from the decisions they make and the actions they take, as well as the ethics they adopt. It is changing how network marketing is viewed in their region of the world. It’s in their hands to change things because the general public is still a little suspicious, wondering “Is this a legitimate business?” The leaders recognize that they can be a beacon of ethics and morality for business in the Middle East.
From a global perspective I was reminded not to lump the whole Middle East together, but to view Iranian entrepreneurs as a pivotal force that is using network marketing as a platform for unification. I’ve learned that the freedom this business provides is phenomenal. Nothing compares to being able to live life on your own terms.
The relationships that occur in network marketing are beyond words.
Network marketing creates a unity and a oneness that is unparalleled in any other business. With all of that considered, the best thing that comes out of it is who we become. I am also a firm believer that “the biggest idea always wins.” Being there, I got the sense that this region is so ready.
The hearts and the minds of people are ripe for growth. They’re hungry to know how to do things correctly and ethically, to make a bigger difference, and to grasp onto whatever they can to move forward. I truly believe that network marketing can be a platform that brings us together and closer to mutual understanding. It feels like this is what’s in our hands as network marketing expands in the region.
The fact that they are open to our influence is touching and powerful.
I met people there whom I hugged, and we just cried. We could feel the warmth and the strength of the connection. No one could deny that. I came home different. It changed me, and my perspective and they were changed too. The glue that holds us together is our connection, our empathy, and our yearning to make a difference.
Finding a network marketing platform, that enables that to happen, starts right in our own homes with ourselves. It then reaches out to others to eventually create a global family. I’m beyond honored that I was the first Western woman to bring this message of network marketing, entrepreneurship, leadership development and personal transformation to Iran. It brings me to tears and inspires me to continue on my journey.
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