In today’s world many of us find ourselves in need of a second job or sideline work to make ends meet. I like to call it a “side hustle”! I wish we all could enjoy life without having to do those type of efforts, but the reality is, most of us need to. I can’t imagine that God placed us on earth to work all the time and pay bills…but that is another blog post for another time!

If you find yourself in need of a side hustle and you choose to go a route different than just getting a job or selling your stuff on Ebay or Facebook Marketplace (which I recommend…rid your life of clutter and stuff you don’t use!) then you should arm yourself with a “measuring stick” to elevate the side hustle.

If you find yourself wanting to dive into the network marketing/multi-level marketing space then this blog post is for you! I make it no secret that I am a firm believer in network marketing. Look for my blog post that outlines the pros and cons of network marketing in the future.

This post will examine how to elevate a network marketing business for its legitimacy. There are hundreds of programs out there and more coming and going everyday! So how do you tell the “good” ones from the “bad” ones…and there is a difference!!!….. and NO!!!!….they are NOT ALL THE SAME!

#1 – How long has the company been in business? A long track record in any business is typically a good sign. That means their product or service has staying power, legitimacy, and the company knows how to adapt and adjust to market trends and conditions. Does that mean you write off those companies just starting? No, but you exam them a bit closer and proceed with caution. Remember, Apple and Facebook were TINY at one point and Multi-Level Marketing companies like Avon (1886), Mary Kay (1963), and Tupperware (1950’s) were too! As a side note….if you still are under a rock and think all MLM/Network Marketing Companies are pyramid schemes….don’t you think governments around the world (especially the United States) would have shut them down over the last 50-100 years!!!!!! No con or scam is that good!

#2 – Does the company actually produce a product or service? The obvious response is run fast and far if they don’t! Please don’t confuse this answer with an affiliate marketing business!

#3 – Do people actually use the produce or service? So many companies produce a product that is going to make you have an abundance of energy, slow the aging process, fix your skin issues, and lose a ton of weight. They get a doctor to give their recommendation that the company’s’ process of the guzzun berry (I made that up!) is a special process that extracts the juice that no one else ever have or could…much less grow or discover in the deepest parts of an African jungle! Customers end up purchasing these products only find out that it doesn’t work and taste like $H&#! The “product” I promote is travel…who doesn’t like to go on vacations? We certainly do and we ARE a “product” of our product! In other words…we use our product OFTEN, we love it, believe in it, have tested it, and we know the value. Because we treat it like a business…because it is a business!

#4 – Do you make commission when you recruit other representatives? To me, this is a biggie! When your commission check is tied to “getting people in” you should run…fast and far! This has the potential to be a pyramid scheme that people who don’t know the industry love to throw around…and that is topic for another blog post!

#5 – Do you make commission on the sale of a product or service? If your commissions and residual income isn’t being generated by the sell of product or a service that customers actual use, want, and like….well….move on to another “side hustle”! I have always felt looking at MLM/Network Marketing opportunities is really simple…first find something you like and passionate about….second, see if people actually buy the product or service. Like ANY business…someone, somewhere, HAS TO PURCHASE for any business to be an actual business!

#6 – Are you required to have a product “auto-shipped”? Ask around…how many representatives have boxes of wraps, pills, supplements, oils, potions and lotions laying around in their garage or bedroom closet? I can promise you I don’t have ANY Fiji in my closet or extra cruises in my garage! If you are forced to be on an auto-ship program you will eventually be hating life with all sorts of product you can’t “move” (sell). Why do you think those companies want you to be on auto ship? Oh I know, I have heard it before…you don’t want to be without product to sell do you?

#7 – Is there quality training opportunities? So many MLM/Network Marketing companies fail to offer any kind of consistent training opportunities. The ones that do, certainly help representatives have a much better chance for success in the short and long term. Amway, DoTerra Oils, WorldVentures…all have excellent training opportunities nationally, regionally, and online.

#8 – Does it promote “get rich quick” ? This were so many companies get into “trouble”, but of no fault of their own. In MLM/Network Marketing opportunities you become your own boss, you own business, and the company doesn’t have control over what you tell potential customers or potential future representatives! So many eger representatives mean well, but their excitement and ambition gets the best of them and they tell untruths…and some just plain, ole, bold face lies! MLM/Network Marketing is like any other business….it takes time, effort, discipline, courage, and skills.

#9 – Can you just be a customer or do you have to be a representative as well? This is another red flag, but not necessarily a deal killer. The business I am part of absolutely separates the two. To me, that makes everything “cleaner”. I don’t have to sell stuff for Wal-Mart to purchase an item from there….so why should we have to be a rep for a company to purchase from them. Again, not a deal killer….just a flag to dig a little deeper before joining.

In conclusion, I certainly think the best “side hustle” anyone can do is MLM/Network Marketing because of its very low start-up costs, little to no over head, flexible schedule, tremendous income potential, and most you learn as you go. All those factors make finding something you love to do into a extra income or even much larger over time extremely intelligent move! I didn’t write this blog to question the industry of MLM. I wrote this to help people make an informed decision before they join one. The most frustrating thing for me is when I talk with someone that has tried a MLM/Network Marketing program before, failed, and then decides every single one is bad, a scam, or too good to be true! Most of the time, it just wasn’t a good fit. Love the product or service first and the money will follow. Chase the “pie in the sky” money payoff first and you will eventually fail.