Most business news focuses on the stories of high-flying entrepreneurs or the latest trends like cryptocurrency, AI, or new social media platforms. However, the reality is that most entrepreneurs are "solopreneurs" or part-time business owners. Rather than raising millions from venture capitalists and building large teams, many entrepreneurs start small, like opening an Etsy shop or, more commonly, joining the direct sales industry.
In fact, network marketing is a thriving industry, with estimated global sales of $180 billion. In the United States alone, it's estimated that between six and 20 million people work in direct sales. However, it's well-known that most independent distributors in network marketing companies never achieve a full-time income. For some, it's a side gig to cover the cost of their own product purchases, while for others, it's a way to fund family vacations.
But what about the elite few who do build successful businesses in direct sales? What does it take to rise to the highest levels of network marketing?
I posed this question to Fabiola Barinas and Alan Rodriguez, a married couple who have reached the "Executive's Club" level at Herbalife—the second-highest level achievable, placing them in the top 1% of all distributors.
Their journey began about a decade ago when Barinas was a struggling actress, and Rodriguez was working over sixty hours a week in multiple jobs. Frustrated by their lack of financial success and their limited time together, they attended a Herbalife Opportunity Meeting and decided to join.
Setting a Challenging and Specific Goal Psychologist Edwin Locke and other goal-setting experts have found a positive correlation between goal size and performance up to the point where you no longer believe the goal is attainable. They've also found that more specific goals, including timeframes, tend to be more effective.
After attending a Herbalife Opportunity Meeting, Barinas and Rodriguez set a goal to reach the top 1% level in at least five years, even though it typically takes those who do reach the top 1% between 5 and 11 years to achieve this elite level. They saw their goal as achievable due to the success stories shared by people like them.
Rodriguez initially had doubts about their ambitious goal but emphasized the importance of setting "micro-goals" or small milestones. With each milestone achieved, his confidence in the possibility of reaching their overall five-year goal grew.
Both Barinas and Rodriguez stressed in our interview that having a goal is not enough. They not only wrote down their goals but also emphasized the importance of documenting an action plan and focusing on it every day.
Extreme Efficiency with Time Blocking While researching for my book "15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management," I interviewed many entrepreneurs, independent millionaires, and even straight-A students. The biggest surprise was that very few of them relied on a daily to-do list. Instead, they managed their time through time-blocking.
Today, Barinas and Rodriguez use the same strategy to run their business while also being active parents to their young children. Rodriguez explained, "We share a Google Calendar, where we schedule everything, including date nights, haircut appointments, and our daily agenda. If someone wants to schedule a meeting, I send them the calendar link."
Mindset: What's Your Why? Many people struggle with procrastination or have dreams and goals they never act on. According to Barinas, the key difference is the right mindset. She realized that you must be uncomfortable with your current situation to "carve out the opportunity" and summon the energy to reach a better place.
Barinas said, "We didn't like how our present or near-future was looking. We needed a change. We became obsessed with making things happen." And distractions and challenges will come, even if it's as simple as wasting time on social media. Barinas recognized that posting on social media is part of their action plan, but she can easily get distracted and keep scrolling.
Rodriguez offered practical advice. When they started, and he was still working sixty hours a week, he had to "create extra time." He recalled, "We're in the health and wellness industry, so exercising is a daily necessity. We started waking up at 5:30 in the morning." Then, he'd go to his "day job" and continue working on his direct sales action plan into the evening.
The Ultimate Lesson? Goals Approximated but Held As our conversation neared its end, I was curious if their drive for success persisted. What was their next goal? They revealed that they're currently working toward the next, and equally challenging, level called the "Leaders Circle."
I asked about their timeline for this goal, prompting laughter from both. They admitted that their initial plan was to reach that level in 2023, but they were running behind schedule. "We faced some obstacles," Rodriguez admitted, "We're evolving as we go." They acknowledged the need to reassess their goal's timeframe, a confession that elicited further laughter.
For me, this was the key takeaway. We know from Dr. Locke's work that goals supported by hard work can yield incredible results. However, I've also seen people ruin their days—or even their lives—in pursuit of external validation, which they never quite receive.
In conclusion, Barinas and Rodriguez shared one last nugget of wisdom. In the ten years that they've climbed the elite ranks of Herbalife, they've only achieved their goal on two occasions! They demonstrated success and maintained their sense of humor despite falling short of their goals 80% of the time. Their approach embodies the right way to define and pursue your own goals. Your goal should be like a North Star—significant and directional, but reaching significant growth along the journey is not required.
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