I have a special place in my heart for entrepreneurs, probably because I am one. I know
what it feels like to take a leap of faith to start your own business, and what it feels like to be pulled in a million different directions as you embark on the journey. I’m blessed to have met some amazing people as they navigate their entrepreneurial journey and continue to be inspired by their stories.
I would like to share with you an interview with a couple that I consider to be both clients and friends – Jay Miranda and Amanda Wilson. I’m sharing this with you not only because they’ve shattered my personal stigma of multi-level companies but also because both of these individuals have innate charisma. Their genuine love for what they do is magnetic – and continues to inspire me as I continue my journey!
Here’s their interview…
You both have such an incredible story regarding how It Works! worked for you. Would you care to share it again with an audience that maybe hasn’t seen it?
Amanda: I owned a salon for five years and it was torn down for road construction. I soon started working for someone else, which wasn’t as lucrative as owning my own business. At that point, I began competing and was spending a lot of time at the gym. Even though I had six pack abs, I still had stretch marks and loose skin, which led me to seek a tummy tuck consultation. They quoted me $7,000 for the operation. I didn’t know where I was going to come up with the money, but I was willing to find a way.
That was when Jay suggested ‘wraps.’ I said no, but he encouraged me to try it. I had phenomenal results from first wrap so I thought: why don’t I get into this business? I’ll promote it to my salon and boot camp clients. I wasn’t thinking about the big picture, at first. So, I took money that I would have used to pay a bill and bought my start-up into the business. All I cared about was paying rent, my car payment, and putting food on the table for my kids. Things were bad. Jay moved out and I had to contend with paying $1,200 in rent, by myself. I started with a new church and began to pray about it. It hit me that the company could be the resolution to my money woes.
I hosted party for seven people and five of them came. I invited Jay, and he refused to come at first but chose to come out of respect for his friend. Jay wrapped some people, and those people had great results. It was then that Jay decided to join the business, too. Because of the way the business is set up, It Works! requires spouses to sign on under each other. So Jay signed up under me, and at the time, we still weren’t on talking terms. Shortly after, Jay started going to the same church. The church and It Works! brought us together.
My kids never spent a summer vacation outside like other kids; they were always at the salon with me. It Works! changed that for them, and now my daughter wants to “do something” every single day.
Jay: We were looking for something bigger and we didn’t know where to find it - and we were looking in all the wrong places. This company is all about team building, fraternity, and togetherness. Getting in touch with God brought us back together.
Jay, you’ve mentioned that It Works! has similar principals of Harvard Business School. Can you elaborate on this?
Harvard has added network marketing to their business school curriculum and they have five rules to follow when getting involved with a network marketing company. Number one, they say the company should be at least two years old. Secondly, the company should be paid off for two years in addition to the two years they’ve been in business. Third, the product should be a simple one that no one else carries. The fourth point is that they should have some sort of reward for loyal customers. Finally, Harvard says the company should have less than 500,000 distributors. If this is the case, the company is considered to be on the cutting edge. If they have less than 100,000 distributors, the company is thought to provide a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Amanda, your transformation seems not only to be all about what It Works! has done for your body but for your soul, as well. Tell me more.
The company is Christian-based, and we start the sessions with a prayer. The company is also family based; it was built from the ground up by word-of-mouth. I truly believe a higher power led me to finding this business
We’ve all heard the horror stories about multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses. Can either of you provide a real world example of how someone has snubbed the business only to find out that this incredible opportunity can actually be a life saver?
Jay: Yeah, me. I am a skeptic, an open minded skeptic, but a skeptic nonetheless. I want to see concrete figures. I thought with MLM’s you had to spend more money than you’d ever actually make. Then I saw the business with my own eyes. I saw that they were making an affordable product that truly worked. This business has opened by eyes to network marketing and I’m no longer as cynical. When I see someone who works for another company, I wish them the best.
Can you also tell us what you believe makes It Works! so successful compared with other MLM’s you’ve worked with?
Amanda: They treat all of us like we are truly part of a family. They make an effort to know every single one of their distributors. At this point, they know us by name. They make a point to come into the audience during meetings and greet everyone individually. The key to making It Works! work for you is perseverance, but you don’t have to be a slave to your business.
Jay: In this company, you have the ability to make as much if not more money than the person who signed you up. I determine what I’m going to make.
Amanda: I’m at the same level as the person who signed me up. It all depends on how hard you’re willing to work. The business is always on my mind. Even when we go on vacations, we call them ‘paycations’ because we are still able to operate our business while spending time with our family. There is nothing more important than that.
What can the two of you tell us to alleviate the stigma associated with this type of business? I know there are certain factors regarding the business that both of you appreciate, can you share those with us?
Amanda: Like we’ve said before, it is a Christian-based company and that was important to us. The best part of it, to me, is the effort the company makes make to get to know people. I was discussing a person on our team that wasn’t performing as well as we’d like and the co-founder of the company told me “you can’t want it more for them than they want it for themselves.”
Jay: You’re not just a face in this company. They know your first name. They tell you that you’re family and you really feel like you are.
Is there anything you’d like to share about your experience?
Amanda: We’d like to add that because of It Works!, we have both been able to retire from our full-time jobs.
Jay: I worked for the University of Pittsburgh before working with It Works! I am 36 years old and I was able to retire in May from my full-time position of 10 years. Amanda is 32 and she is down to only one night a week in the salon. This company has truly brought us closer together, not only as a couple, but as a family.
For more information about It Works! or to get in touch with Amanda and Jay, you can check out: their website, Facebook fan page, Twitter handle, LinkedIn account, and Pinterest boards.
