Book Review on Ken Dunn's Book "From Here to Having It All in Network Marketing"

Network marketing, aka direct sales or Multi-Level Marketing or MLM or short.

Ever wondered what it's all about? When you think of network marketing, do you conjure up negative images of door-to-door sales or home parties or illegal pyramid schemes?

Ken Dunn, author of "From Here to Having It All In Network Marketing", had some of those same types of negative impressions of network marketing too. His introduction to the profession was as a police officer charged with investigating network marketing companies for illegal activities. Imagine a couple of male police investigators sitting through a Mary Kay meetings listening to the leaders promote their business and products.

Even though Ken has a negative impression of network marketing and he swore he would never join one of "those" organizations, he has been successful at making a serious full-time living through network marketing. And he has done it in a relatively short period of time.

Within a year of signing on to network marketing, Ken was making a 5-figure monthly income. But it hasn't been all rosy. During the first third of the book, we get to know Ken and learn about his struggles throughout his life. He is a self-made rags-to-riches story. He grew up in Atlantic Canada in the face of severe poverty. He vowed early on that things were going to be different for his children.

Going back to his childhood, he had every opportunity to be a product of his environment. If he wanted anything, the easiest way to get it was to steal. Fortunately, Ken had a brush with store security at a young age that changed is life. Instead of making a life of crime to try to beat poverty, Ken became an entrepreneur.

In the book, we learn about his various businesses. Sure he made mistakes, but he learned valuable lessons about leveraging. He took on the maintenance of an apartment complex and quickly saw the bigger picture – if he hired people to do the work, he could get bigger contracts.

Unfortunately, although he had the right idea, his expenses were almost as high as his revenue which left him very little for himself.

Ken barely graduated high school and did not pursue any post-secondary education. He started a career as a police officer upon graduation and spent the next 15 years doing various police assignments.

Like a lot of people in this day and age, although he made a good wage, he found himself broke and in significant debt. The birth of his first child made everything change. He had vowed to make a better life for his children.

Now he really had a reason, a "why", to look at where he was in his life and make some significant changes. Eventually he was able to quit the police force. Ken is an advocate of finding your WHY so that you can find the drive inside you to pursue your dreams, even when times are tough.

Between the police investigator career and his change to network marketing, Ken operated a company as a mortgage broker. During his mortgage brokerage stint, he was pursued to join a network marketing company. Even though his impression of network marketing had been negative and he had resisted the network marketing business for some time, there was a pivotal point where it was the right time for him to get involved.

Once Ken embraced network marketing, he never looked back. Within his first year, he was at the top of the pack and leading a large organization in his network marketing company.

Ken had approached network marketing the same way that he had approached policing. After all, his frame of reference started with policing. He was pushy and demanding. He pretty much forced people into the network marketing business. Being a dictator over his organization soon backfired on Ken.

He quickly learned what can happen when you have a mutiny within the ranks. As soon as his senior leaders decided to quit, it started a chain reaction within the group that quickly led to 90% of the organization quitting. As a produce of this tyranny, Ken as left alone with a shattered skeleton of what was a prospering business.

In network marketing, as your representatives quit, your revenue walks away with them. That referral income stopped in a heartbeat as almost everyone in his "downline" quit.

After spending a few days shell-shocked, Ken picked himself up and dusted himself off. He started a learning process to make himself a better person and a better leader. Ken used the school of hard knocks to start his own examination and studies on world leader. He also took the time to learn more about his style issues from his former leaders.

Over the course of the next several months, Ken engaged in a process to rebuild himself. He read many books and interviewed many people to learn more about effective leadership.

Ken learned a valuable lesson the hard way. Effective leadership is about giving. Whether the leaders are business owners, politicians or spiritual leaders, they all have some essential qualities that they share.

As he came to these conclusions through this research, Ken used these learnings to make himself into a better person. One thing that Ken recognized, within network marketing, as with any entrepreneurial venture, leadership is an important aspect of success.

Ken outlines the key qualities of effective leaders and how you can adopt these qualities within your own style. In network marketing, as you go from an apprentice to growing the number of people within your organization, it becomes critical that you are a good leader. Your job moves from introducing people to the business to supporting your new representatives. Your success with depend on how well you are able to support your organization with information, training and incentives.

As a successful network marketer who has admittedly made mistakes that have impacted his success, he offers a number of strategies for success.

What I liked about his book "From Here to Having It All in Network Marketing" is that his writing style was conversational which made it easy to read. In addition, he provides a list at the back of each chapter with the highlights from the chapter. For example, when he talks about the ways that you can prospect, he provides a listing of 12 prospecting methods at the end of the chapter.

When you are finished reading the book, the information is organized in such a way that you can easily take away the information and put it into practice. It's all in the list at the end of the chapter!

Ken Dunn's story is inspirational. It provides a moving account of his journey to network marketing. Born into poverty, he could have easily taken another path. His determination and focus on making a better life for his family has been a powerful motivator for him. He has taken all that he has learned over his years in network marketing and he has become a leader and mentor in the industry.

You will learn the ABC's of prospecting and building your network marketing business along with a number critical behavioural traits that are important in the business. If you don't work on your own personal growth, you will not be able to see big success.

As Ken believes firmly in continual education, he provides a list of recommended reading items to assist you in your own journey.

Debbie Saidyfye promotes working smarter - not harder with smart home income opportunities. You can earn extra income from home without trading your time for money.

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