What is it that all MAA Members have in common?
They all sell on a commission basis. And that’s about it! Some are one-man businesses, some employ many people. Some are Sole Traders, some are Partnerships and some are Limited Companies. They sell to retailers, businesses, hospitals, wholesalers, TV Shopping Channels, and to international distributors. In fact - almost anywhere there’s something to be sold there’s an Agent! Some work only in a few counties, some straddle the globe. Some make a lot of money, some only a little; most make a comfortable living once established.
So 100 years later and most make a comfortable living once established. I agree and with the help of sub-agents for some it will be an even better living.
The keys to success are having a product range that people will remark on or as I like to say about a word of mouth business it should literally be remark-able.
To ensure we make the most of our remarkable products and business is something I will cover in a later posting.
Last night I went out from our home in Sri Lanka, situated about 10 mins from the lagoon, 20 mins from the airport and a flexible time into Colombo (30mins to an hour) depending on the traffic.
Together with my wife Swarni, our travels took us into the centre of Colombo, to the home of Uncle Brad as Swarni calls him and what a great chap to talk with.
I brought a selection of Aloe Vera products as my good fortune is being a manufacturers agent or as the company call us an independent distributor for the largest producer and distributor of Aloe Vera on the planet.
Wandering around with this combination pack always gets some response and this visit was no different.
We talked through the whole range, which he pretty much took from us and then he was intrigued to know the business model.
If ever you get doubt about what you have I can only ask that you read the following and please try and remember it.
This wise gentleman asked if I would like to contact the Island main health product distributor and I said no thanks as this goes against our company philosophy.
On the other hand I said if you do come accross an ethical business individual who was
a well educated person looking for an opportunity they should write to the head office in Phoenix and ask to set the business up in Sri Lanka now the internal conflicts (LTTE) are more at peace.
Swarni and I were both enthused by his delight at the products and then we simply got blown away for his enthusiasm for the business opportunity.
He found it hard to believe that a major distributor was not what the company wanted, in fact the company wants any person from any walk of life to run this business and all they do is the same as me and make remarks about remarkable products.
Uncle Brad was intrigued, who are the people, is it one man he asked, I explained that it was indeed one man and Rex our founder had unusual principles and they worked.
Is it expensive to get started? No I replied a couple of hundred pounds is the limit in the UK and you could land yourself in hot-water if you sell any-more than that to a new distributor.
What kind of background should a person have and I said that our founder was more interested in where they wanted to be over what they do today or in the past.... Even the local three wheeler (tuc-tuc) rickshaw driver can join.
In a country that still operates in a style reminiscent of 100 years ago, so you would never go for a pint with your servant (yes they have servants and are still called servants) let alone sit down for dinner at the same table as your driver Uncle Brad was amazed.
He was so enthusiastic, was our founder old or young, which countries does it operate and so on. The concept of a micro business that anyone can operate and with little outlay amazed and delighted. This got me thinking are we overlooking a wonderful opportunity on our doorstep.
We then went for dinner at Galle Face which is so close to the sea you can taste the salt on your lips as the wave crash on the rocks as we sat on the verandah.
The strange thing was that people kept nudging each other and whispering. From the moment we got out of the car, whilst getting to the table and during dinner with one chap (unknown) coming over to say hello.
After working our way around the menu (well I do have my figure to think of), settling into a refreshment, conversation returned back to the Aloe Vera business and how I got started (17 years ago)....
I explained that my manufacturers agency got started after a pretty average job, escaping the family chicken farm, a friend/business consultant got me involved in perfume and diets (how did I ever become a diet salesman), that business over expanded.... going into recievership, leaving me with a great experience and nobody to represent. Several months later an American called Dusty was appointed as the UK managing director of our Aloe business. Dusty also followed in his fathers footsteps and knew this business will work.
My intelligence level was not so sharp as to see what Uncle Brad saw, I liked the fact the company was a success, although my thoughts about Aloe were overruled by my appetite for beer (getting married seems to have dampened or should I say quenched that thirst) as the taste was better that Aloe Vear and my late parents press-ganged me into the Aloe business.
IS IT PROFITABLE
Well I suppose that this question had to come in the end and I squirmed in embarrassment.
Much more comfortable explanation about getting started in May 93 my first bouns cheque was under $10 and the first years commission under $8,000
Uncle Brad had obviously travelled, he joked that recruiting other agents must be hard in the UK as they could get bigger handouts from Social Services than my years works and I thought how right he was.
Explaining I nearly quit with a cheque for $200 after months in the business and how the MD from the USA (Dusty) kept me in the business.
Just going back to the very start of this posting I trusted Dusty's belief and simply my transference of his belief went onto to change the lives of countless others
The harder part is going over the total commission's and bonuses as they could sound like bragging.
Even by the time we (bringing Swarni in to talk through the larger amounts) got to my best year at almost $400,000 he understood that this was not to impress and more to impress upon others how good the business was.
The concept of turning over about $500 personally and finding others who do the same and finding others to duplicate this was one he liked and picked up faster than I have seen in 17 years.
Ending up with my explanation of the income being just over 50% of the peak, the fact we spend several months a year on this wonderful Indian Ocean Island and I have not been to a business meeting about this for years was astounding.
Even more amazing was the fact you can Will this and my late Mother had done this 10 years ago (worth about $400,000 so far) to my Sister.
When you talk about this in a country that lacks opportunity unless you are from the right college or a good family it is amazing.
People still kept looking over and Swarni mentioned this.
I asked about his background and travels to find that the bright ones do tend to pick things up quicker than idiots. He explained that he had spent quite some of his time in Michigan and later at Harvard.
When asked about his visits to the UK he explained that he went to the same house twice and met the tenants.
The house in questions was 10 Downing Street, firstly to take tea with Margaret Thatcher and the next visit was a meeting with Tony Blair.
Uncle Brad was really called Bradman Weerakoon http://www.bradmanweerakoon.com
He worked with a unique distinction of serving nine Sri Lankan heads of state as Secretary and Advisor in a career spanning half a century.
In my mind this means he has probably been running the country but would be far to polite to say so.
When you believe in your business and transfer this belief onwards the constant work will pay dividends and do not give in.
Imagine if you lived in a country crying out for our kind of opportunity and it simply did not exist? Nightmares!
I cannot wait for another chat with Mr Bradman Weerakoon or as Swarni says Uncle Brad and hope to have tea soon.
See you at the top
Richard
