A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to Re-Building My Downline

Five years ago, I decided that I wanted to become known as someone who makes great connections between people. I wanted to be woven into the fabric of the business community - someone who would be sought after because she was both a leader and a team player who played well in the sandbox.

If your business sponsored a fundraiser, I wanted to be asked to join your committee. If there was someone you wanted to meet, I wanted to make that introduction for you. If you had a great marketing idea, I wanted to be that person you called for advice.

Ultimately, I wanted to practice the life-lessons I'd learned as a multi-level marketing distributor. I wanted to find out where all of the personal development "stuff" that I'd mastered in the six years I'd been building my home-based business distributorship would take me. Could I deliberately step out into my community to make a difference? Could I also jump-start my downline that was in serious need of a small spark to ignite it? Let me be frank: I wanted to build a forest fire underneath it. That was my two-part plan. I turned off the computer, opened my front door, and, with a gleam in my eye, stepped out into the world.

Over the next two years, a funny thing happened on the way to re-building my downline. I joined a Chamber of Commerce and got on a committee. I liked the 3PM start time that the Tourism Committee met every month so I volunteered for that one. During the first year, I did a lot of listening and contributing my time for projects, joint ventures, and fundraising events. And, I had fun.

My work on that committee brought me into contact with the Executive Director of a non-profit, classical chamber music organization. She asked me to be on that organization's Board of Directors, a position I held for one year. It was the very first time I'd ever served on a Board and I don't expect it will be my last.

This experience led me to still another non-profit organization. I was asked to help out on a major fundraising campaign. And, finally, the local owner of an international business networking organization asked me to come on board as one of her Assistant Directors - a leadership role I held for almost two years.

That funny thing that happened? I got really good at connecting people. I absolutely loved being the "master match-maker". In fact, I was able to introduce Jillian Middleton, a well-known multi-level marketing coach and professional trainer to George Madiou whose online multi-level marketing publication was in its infancy. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than to bring Jillian to George's attention.

My reputation for introducing like-minded people for their mutual professional gain became well-known in my city. When I walked into meetings or attended networking events, I walked in as a friend, not as a stranger.

I became a collector of stories. Everybody had one. My goal was to hear them and then to pair them up with someone else's story. Inevitably, I was able to make masterful introductions. Making quality referrals became my joy and passion.

Less than three years from when I deliberately stepped out into the world, I reached my tipping point as a savvy networker. I had connected so many people to each other in that time period, that my name popped up seemingly everywhere. Attitude and developing the right skill set helped me to reach that goal.

Attitude. Giving with a servant's heart. The first time I heard these words was at a multi-level marketing company event. Putting other people ahead of yourself. Helping them to get what they wanted and never expecting to be paid back for your efforts on their behalf. I learned these things as a distributor with my first multi-level marketing company. I heard them and then I internalized them. Made them mine so that now, I don't consciously think about leading with a servant's heart attitude. It's a part of who I am.

Leadership. I learned the principles of leadership in my early multi-level marketing years. I practised them and honed these skill sets, developing my mental focus until my clarity and vision sharpened. I'm farther along as a leader today, but, I am grateful to know that leadership is always a process of becoming. Learning leadership will be my lifetime goal.

And that downline I thought needed to be re-kindled? I learned that you can't rebuild what you never had. You can build anew by falling in love with multi-level marketing rather than with just one company. That recognition has made all the difference.

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