Business

GROSSE ILE TWP: Economy causing people to key into networking opportunities

Thursday, May 14, 2009

By Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling

GROSSE ILE TWP. — In a soft economy, more people are turning to network marketing, according to Kim LaChapelle.

The 48-year-old holds the title of independent consultant and national vice president with Arbonne International.

Six years ago, LaChapelle began selling skin care products for Arbonne.

Founded nearly three decades ago and based in Irvine, Calif., Arbonne is best known for its anti-aging Swiss skin-care products, but also has products for weight loss, personal care, aroma therapy, nutrition, baby care and hormone balancing.

The company relies on a network of sales consultants who recruit other people to sell the product, as well.

LaChapelle said the more people a sales consultant recruits, the bigger the potential earnings are.

It’s called “network marketing” or “multilevel marketing.”

Companies such as Amway, Avon and Herbalife work under similar arrangements for most of their sales.

“There’s a world change going on,” LaChapelle said. “A lot of people like to refer to it as the economy, but in my opinion it is not a recession, but we call it that. We see a world shift going on. We see companies downsizing and outsourcing. From the automotive industry to corporate banking, jobs are being condensed. Network marketing has become the darling. It’s a way people can take back their lives. They can get time freedom and financial freedom.”

LaChapelle recalled her 16-year employment as a banking analyst.

“It wouldn’t have mattered how much schooling I had,” she said. “I was never going to be the president of the bank. There was a glass ceiling, and I could only earn so much.”

She said now that she has partnered with a network marketing company, her potential for income and growth is unlimited.

“Here’s the bottom line — no matter what is going on in the world, people have hair and people have skin,” LaChapelle said. “I don’t care how bad things get, women are always going to wear their lipstick.

“You can see it anywhere you go. Women are wearing their mascara, their lipstick and foundation. They are still looking for anti-aging skin care.”

LaChapelle said the responsibility of a consultant is to book parties and one-on-one appointments.

“They need to share these amazing products with family and friends,” she said. “As a consultant, you can sell at both retail and wholesale. At some point, your retail clients will want wholesale, and when you flip them over to a wholesale status, every time they order, you will get a 15 percent commission off their sales, plus at consultant level, you’ll get 4 percent and that keeps bumping up as you move up the management level.”

She said district managers receive 8 percent commission, and compensation builds as they climb the ladder.

“The compensation plan is really vast,” LaChapelle said. “It can sound a little complicated at first, but it’s only because it’s so generous.

LaChapelle said the company gave consultants a 15 percent raise this year.

Something else that’s new is consultants need to sponsor two people in two out of three months after joining the company.

“As of Feb. 1, Arbonne enhanced our success plan,” LaChapelle said. “It’s putting more money on the table for people working the business.”

She said active consultants can be enthusiastic without being annoying.

“Arbonne products sell themselves, so all we want to do is share them,” she said.

LaChapelle suggested that consultants give out product samples and ask potential clients for a commitment to try the product.

“That’s it, just getting the product into their hands,” LaChapelle said. “Once they have the product, they fall in love. The product literally sells itself.”

Anyone booking a home party receives free products.

“Very successful people who understand the concept of creating residual income typically are the ones that make it in this business,” LaChapelle said. “Whether it’s a woman who scrubbed toilets in a day-care center or a doctor, teacher or lawyer, they get it. They want their life back. They’re tired of trading hours for dollars. They want to spend time with their families.”

Since joining Arbonne in 2003, LaChapelle said she has become a national vice president and earned a Mercedes-Benz.

To maintain that level of management status, LaChapelle and her nation of consultants and managers must maintain a minimum group volume of $160,000 in monthly sales.

LaChapelle said an income of $50,000 to $100,000 a month is not unusual for those at the national vice president level.

She estimated that there are 15 national vice presidents in the Detroit area.

According to www.arbonne.com, the average compensation for a national vice president is more than $23,000 per month.

Consultants’ monthly compensation averages about $70, district managers average $242, area managers average $1,214 and regional managers average about $5,030, she said.

Carrie Reaume of Brownstown Township joined Arbonne nearly three years ago.

Reaume, director of behavioral health at The Guidance Center in Southgate, found out about the network marketing opportunity at a fund-raiser.

“I researched the company, the compensation plan and what they were doing in terms of global expansion, and I got really excited about the company,” she said. “This is a way you can make some substantial money.”

Reaume said the company’s compensation plan and quality products helped make her decision to become a consultant.

She spends 15 hours a week outside of her full-time job promoting the products, and schedules four home parties a month. In about eight months, Reaume reached the level of district manager. She has close to 50 consultants on her team and said the income she receives each month helps to pay bills.

Her income as a district manager averages $400 to $500 monthly.

“Arbonne is a great company for people looking to replace income or pay a few bills,” Reaume said.

LaChapelle said anyone can achieve the same success she has with Arbonne.

“There’s nothing special about me,” she said. “I knew nothing about network marketing. I only knew I was dissatisfied and tired of trading hours for dollars, and I wanted my life back. When you have hope like that, when you want something and you have a strong ‘why,’ you can do anything.”

For more information, contact LaChapelle at kim_lachapelle @hotmail.com.

URL: http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2009/05/14/business/doc4a0cd3d0a0c41974262908.prt

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