In this Fearless Networker Spotlight, we're featuring Austin Zulauf who combined desire and consistent hard work to build a steadily-growing organization of over 13,000 in the past 14 months.
The Fearless Networker: Austin, you have built a massive organization in a short amount of time! I'm curios, what were you doing before you got involved in Network Marketing?
Austin Zulauf: I was a Divisional Sales Instructor for Combined Insurance Company for about six years and did outside sales consulting for multiple Fortune 500 companies. But, I got burnt out on sales and ended up in a factory for about two years.
The Fearless Networker: So, how did you first get introduced to the Network Marketing profession and what was that experience like?
Austin Zulauf: I found a fella who looked successful on FaceBook and reached out to him. He did everything exactly how he should’ve…the whole process. I was LOOKING! We ended up meeting, however, I was broke and living with family so coming up with the start-up took me about two weeks. I was pretty bad when I first started, but took massive action and studied my ass off and ended up becoming okay after a while.
The Fearless Networker: How long have you been involved in the Network Marketing profession?
Austin Zulauf: I’ve been involved going on seven years now.
The Fearless Networker: You've been with your current company for about 14 months. How long did it take for you to go from being a part-time Network Marketer, to taking the leap and going full-time?
Austin Zulauf: It took me about seven months of gut-wrenching hard ass work! Then I ended up having to get a job again for a bit because of a company change, but only for a couple months.
The Fearless Networker: How many people have you personally enrolled into your company in the past 14 months?
Austin Zulauf: 82 personal enrollments.
The Fearless Networker: What is the current size of your organization?
Austin Zulauf: There are 13,947 total in my direct enrollment tree.
The Fearless Networker: Great work man! What was your biggest challenge on your way to achieving success in this profession and how did you overcome it?
Austin Zulauf: My biggest challenge was that I’d take my foot off the gas and quit building aggressively after I got my business launched and therefore had a little growth. I overcame that by setting daily and hourly goals for activity, holding myself accountable, having an accountability partner and finding ways to enjoy the process.
The Fearless Networker: What, if anything, was your biggest fear as you started your Network Marketing career?
Austin Zulauf: My fear of failure. I overcame that by becoming obsessed. I decided to take MASSIVE, consistent action and put my dreams before my fears. Obsession can be good.
The Fearless Networker: When it comes to working to help build your group, what have been some of the most effective actions you’ve taken?
Austin Zulauf: I believe systems are EVERYTHING. If people know 100% for sure what to do, step-by-step, in order to get to their goals, then they're more apt to go after it. So, I designed systems to follow and I also work with my peoples’ people, level by level, to “force” duplication.
The Fearless Networker: What does your typical day look like in terms of what you do in your business?
Austin Zulauf: I have my schedule emailed to me the night before so after I wake up and catch up on messages and social media, I follow my schedule and find time to prospect and follow-up throughout the day. Even though I do calls, coach and assist the squad all day, I believe you need to personally produce consistently for multiple reasons, so I still make time to prospect a little each day. And, we have a weekly call schedule so I adhere to those calls as well.
The Fearless Networker: What have you found to be the most effective means of recruiting new distributors into your business and how do you go about doing it?
Austin Zulauf: I’m big into attraction marketing by means of providing massive value to whomever is looking for it without asking for anything in return. If they’re open, a lot of times, they’ll ask to partner up.
The best way I’ve seen is to simply prospect and have an hourly goal of people to talk to and stick to that without prejudging folks…just focus on the numbers and let people sort themselves out, whether they want to be a partner, a customer or not are interested.
I have a system on how to LAUNCH a business as well that helps get folks’ businesses off the ground.
The Fearless Networker: Are their any specific actions that you’ve implemented into growing your business that you’ve found to be exceptionally productive?
Austin Zulauf: Yes, the launch call. I’ve got it down to a science and it produces results every time if followed to a “T”.
The Fearless Networker: What’s one solid piece of advice that you’d give someone entering this profession for the very first time?
Austin Zulauf: Make the decision to be consistent and accept the position of leader. If you’re in Network Marketing, congrats, you’re now a leader! The formula for success is: sincere desire + study + consistent positive action = success.
You can’t cheat the formula, be consistent!
The Fearless Networker: How has being involved in Network Marketing changed your life?
Austin Zulauf: Well, of course the income is great, but the profession has helped me become more understanding and compassionate for others. When you deal with people so much, you gain a better understanding of why people do what they do and it helps you in so many different ways, even by helping you understand YOURSELF better.
Between the incredible income it can provide, the vehicle to help others move from darkness to light and the ability to work from my phone or laptop, Network Marketing is the best thing that’s ever happened to my family’s life.
The Fearless Networker: What is your favorite business book or books of all time, and WHY?
Austin Zulauf: The Success System That Never Fails by my first real mentor, W. Clement Stone. There’s so many life-changing techniques, ideas and principles in that book. I believe if ANYONE read that book from cover to cover and applied the principles, they'd find it would change their entire existence for the better, forever.
The Fearless Networker: Do you have any suggestions for people to ensure that they make Network Marketing a lasting and successful business to pursue for a lifetime?
Austin Zulauf: Decide to stick and stay, period! Stick with it and stay in consistent activities. Track your activities daily, it’ll help you with giving yourself an honest self-assessment and knowing yourself is essential in success in ANY chosen vocation.
The Fearless Networker: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received that’s served you well in business?
Austin Zulauf: A fella told me, “There’s no glory in giving up and you can’t beat the man who refuses to quit.” Because of that, I became relentless in the pursuit of my dreams and encourage others to become relentless.
“The Formula for Success: Sincere desire + Study + Consistent Positive Action = Success.” Austin Zulauf
The Fearless Networker: If you could share anything that would massively impact the people reading this, what would you say?
Austin Zulauf: Develop a cause…a movement…a magnificent obsession that compels you, then decide exactly what you’re willing to do in order to achieve your goals and what you’re willing to NOT do. Then get yer ass to work and become the leader you want to have on your team. Never, and I mean NEVER, give up!
The Fearless Networker: Powerful stuff Austin! Thanks so much.
