Fearless Networker Spotlight: Adam and Michelle Carey

In this Fearless Networker Spotlight, we're featuring Adam and Michelle Carey, proud parents of 2-year old Hannah Grace and inspirational leaders to 1900 consultants of which they've sponsored 175 personally.

The Fearless Networker (TFN):  Adam and Michelle, you started your business when you were young, 23 and 25.  How did that affect your success?

Adam Carey (AC):  My biggest struggle was my mindset thinking…”I'm too young to be successful in Network Marketing.”  I overcame that toxic thinking through personal growth and development.  The day I stopped allowing, “I'm too young” to be my issue, it was no longer an issue.

Michelle Carey (MC):  It was definitely mindset for me as well.  The difference is that I had a tremendous fear of rejection.  I just automatically though people would reject me because I didn't see myself as someone that others would want to follow.  I overcame my limiting self-beliefs through personal development.  The first personal development book I read was Jordan Adler's Beach Money.  Ever since then, I have read at least one page of a personal development book every night.  Well, maybe I didn't read the night I gave birth to our daughter, because I was so exhausted, but I have every other night since then.

TFN:  That's a great habit Michelle, I do the same.  Do either of you have a favorite business book?    

AC:  John Maxwell's Leadership Bible is, by far, the best resource on the planet in my opinion for life and leadership.  John takes the Word of God and includes leadership lessons all throughout the different books of the Bible.  Our greatest teacher taught us that before we can lead, we must serve.  And if you embrace that truth, you have the potential to be a great leader. 

MC:  Wow!  That is the same answer for me too.  Obviously, Adam and I spend too much time together.  Ha, ha!

TFN:  Love it.  When it comes to leadership and building your group, what have been some of the most effective actions you've taken?    

AC:  We believe the most powerful thing you can do with your team is to create a community that becomes as close as family.  A family that doesn't just work together, but plays together.  In order to grow your team, it's important that you have folks sticking around long enough for the magic of leverage to happen, therefore, it is so important for team members to feel that they belong and are valued.  If people are dropping out the back end as fast a they are coming in the front end, it's hard to grow a solid organization.      

TFN: What specific activities do you two participate in to create a team community?

AC:  We recommend anything fun from BBQ's, to road trips, to just meeting for ice cream.  Our gatherings are usually centered around food.  One year we held a catered Christmas party with our team at a million dollar home and had everyone dress up for the occasion.  We shared stories and goals for hours.

Last year we offered a 12-week accountability group. Many of the team members raised their hand, but very few stuck with the commitment. The ones that met our criteria were treated to a fun, fancy, exclusive dinner. All of those team members are still active today and we believe part of that is due to our investment in them.

“Investing in your team is vital.”  —  Adam Carey

Todd, I'd like to add that another area that is vital to team growth is giving your team leaders opportunities to grow through speaking, leading conference calls, organizing fellowship events, etc.  My biggest leadership hurdle has always been delegating and it's still a work in progress.  If we don't allow our teammates a chance to spread their wings and fly out of the nest, we are hurting them, not helping them.

MC:  To add to Adam’s answer, recognition is HUGE.  Recognizing people for big achievements, as well as the small ones is so important.  Many people can go days without any recognition, and when they find that they are praised and recognized on your team, they will be very loyal.

TFN:  Create a community, provide opportunities for growth, and recognize people for their achievements…that's good stuff!  So what’s your approach to recruiting?

AC:  While we were building our cold market skills and networking in a new community, we found that our greatest success started when we stopped pitching people the first time we meet them. Instead, we began to focus on finding common ground and building a relationship.  I much prefer asking someone to look at my business for me as a favor, (indirect) rather than asking everyone, and their mother, if they are open to an opportunity. You can only ask favors from people you have a relationship with.

I’ve found that most people will say “no” to just about everything, because they assume they know what it is, and don’t have the time for anything else.  So, if our number one objection is TIME, wouldn’t it just make sense to show them the opportunity first, as a favor to you, so they can make an educated decision if your business makes sense for them, too? We think so!

If you choose the direct approach with everyone, a high percentage will turn your offer down before ever looking, and he or she will never know how the business could have positively impacted them.  It’s our job to be effective at getting people to take look, but it’s even more important to do it with integrity.

MC:  For me, successful recruiting is all about posture.  Since I had low self-esteem, my posture was often very weak.  When my self-image started to improve, I no longer feared approaching people with our business.  The funny thing is, then I became “needy”.   The correct posture came about when I realized that I don’t want to work with just anyone that could fog a mirror.  Now, I look for people who have the qualities of someone I like to work with. The posture of “It’s not about me, it about helping you fulfill a need” attracts people.  It’s kind of like dating.  No one likes to date a needy person.  People are attracted to someone who is confident and knows what they want.

TFN:  Are their any strategies you’ve found to be exceptionally productive and can you share a bit about them?

AC:  Yes!  I have spent too much time on the wrong people.  If I had to do it all over again, I would have sorted faster and had a stronger posture.  Here is one example.  When I meet someone that is open to an opportunity, I will get their number and explain that I’m very busy, so if I get their voicemail when I follow up please call me back as soon as possible because I only call once.  I let them know I’m looking for people that are hungry and I don’t have time to chase those who aren’t.  I do all of this with a gracious attitude, not arrogant, but it gets the message across.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it saves me time at the end of the day.

MC:  Establish a “Daily Method of Operation”.  At the end of the day it is really easy to find yourself not having done the two things that make you money in this business, which are gathering new business partners and gathering new customers.  When I was new to Network Marketing, I did everything to make it seem like I worked our business, such as checking emails, printing business cards, etc. Then as months went by, I said, “I don’t get why I’m not making money? I work my business everyday.”  When I realized how often I did the activities that actually count, I had my answer. Often times when people complain about their lack of success, I have them track how often they do money-making activities. That’s often an eye opening experience.

TFN:  What's a meaty piece of advice you've received that has served you well in business?

AC:  Over the years several people have told me, “It’s not about what you know, but who you know.” I have always valued quality relationships and do my best to connect and network with like-minded people.

“Discipline your disappointments.”  —  Michelle Carey

MC:  I used to believe that failure was a negative thing.  In business, failure needs to be welcomed.  As Adam and I have expanded our training platform we’ve experienced some failure.  Instead of thinking that we failed, we used those opportunities to pivot and improve.  The same goes with building our Network Marketing business.  We messed up our first conversations big time.  But, we never gave up and used each awkward moment as a learning opportunity.  I’m glad we had those failures because it helped us grow and actually became the material for our book Don’t Be “That Guy” in Network Marketing.

TFN:  Congrats on the book!  What's one piece of advice you'd give someone entering into this profession?  And, how does one make this a successful business over the long-haul? 

AC:  When you start the journey ask yourself…do I care about my “WHY” or do I care about what people might think?  If you care too much about what others may think, you will fail in this business.  John Maxwell says, “If you do everything with integrity, you can defend yourself with passion.”

One of our mentors told us years ago that in life there will be choices that you get to make only once.  Getting married, saying yes to salvation, having kids, and also starting a business.  If you’re looking to start or have already started your business, make the decision ONE time to be successful. Don’t wavier based on your feelings.  No one ever changed the world by being lukewarm.  There will be days you don’t feel like it.  Plenty in fact.  But, all the great leaders discipline themselves to grind it out.  Be all in or get out; in-between is death by paper cuts.

MC:  Don’t play the comparison game.  It's easy to look at other’s snapshots of success and compare it to your own journey.  Adam and I run with a lot of top leaders, and I have caught myself looking at all the success they have and while doing that, I started to become less thankful for what we have.  It's important to embrace your own journey and look at your business as a marathon a not a sprint.

TFN:  You've given the readers so much juicy information.  If you could share anything else that would massively impact the people reading this, what would you say?

AC:  Know who you are and who’s you are (read this sentence slow and think about it).  I used to gain my identity from the praise of people, recognition and chasing stuff.  One day I realized that those things would never satisfy, because I was always left wanting more.  I believe we were created to be world changers by helping and serving others for God’s Kingdom.  When I encountered God’s love and discovered what He did for me, all of the temporal lost its flavor.  I still appreciate nice things and recognition, but I no longer draw my identity from them.  I could lose it all today and start my business all over again tomorrow and can confidently say, I would not lose my JOY.  Please realize that you are enough, you were created with purpose and a destiny.  Go make a massive difference; the world is waiting for you!

MC:  Look at yourself as a “professional encourager”, instead of a “recruiter”.  In Network Marketing we get to touch a lot of people.  In your day-to-day activities, take a sincere interest in people.  We have had so many opportunities to uplift the people we meet through an encouraging word or prayer.  Some have resulted in business and some have not; but just knowing that we were able to impact someone’s day is satisfying enough for us.  You will always be provided for, so freely serve others without keeping tabs.

TFN:  Well said.  In a nutshell, how has being involved in Network Marketing changed your life?

AC:  To say that Network Marketing has changed our lives would be an understatement.  The area that I value and cherish the most from this profession is the quantity and quality time I’ve been given with my family.  Our daughter just turned two and I feel like I have had more quality time with her these past two years than most fathers do in eighteen years.  There is nothing on the planet that I would have wanted more than this, truly a dream come true!

MC:  I completely agree with Adam.  The time we have to spend as a family is so precious to me.  I am also thankful for the mentors that believed in me before I believed in myself.  I am a different person because of this business.  I credit Jesus for changing me from the inside out, but I also believe that He put people in my life to help facilitate with my journey in personal development.  I look at Network Marketing as a way for me to pay it forward and help to others to know their value and identity as well.

TFN:  Thank you Adam and Michelle!  Obviously, you've got your hands full with a little one, an active team, and growing business.  Thanks so much for scheduling some time to meet with me.  Your input is insightful, encouraging, and up-lifting.  

Learn more from Adam and Michelle Carey and how they've succeeded in network marketing in such a short period of time.

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