Do you feel like your sponsor is getting a free ride?

It’s not uncommon to hear direct sales consultants lament how irritating it is that they’re doing all the work and their upline just gets a free ride. Generally this is not the case; it only seems that way because some downline members don’t see the big picture. That said, there are indeed some cases where an upline should provide more training to downline members. In most direct selling companies there is a systematic approach to solving these situations. However, this kind of genuine lack of responsibility is not what I am referring to today.

Rather, today I am referring to the entrepreneurial, self-motivated consultant who has the inner drive and goal to build a successful business, but has chosen to sign up with someone who does not share the same level of career aspirations at this time. Blow is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. After reading it you may have a different perspective.

disgruntled consultant: It’s frustrating because she does it more for personal use and also has her best friend under her. Heck, I even asked her if she could join. But now I’m here working and in return she gets a free ride and a promotion. Isn’t that good for her and she has never sent me anything in return?

Upline Response: Well, as far as your sponsor goes, a few things to keep in mind, you’re definitely welcome to be a part-time vendor, occasional user. The company does not require her to be a business builder. And it looks like she didn’t actively recruit you, because you said, ‘you asked to join.’ Sometimes I hear from third parties how some are upset because they think they do all the work and pay me for it. Actually, that’s partially true, because that’s how our compensation is set. It’s just a given with a two-tier compensation plan.

However, it’s mostly an inaccurate statement because I had to do the work to get to this point and I also need to continuously do the work to get everyone paid. The same goes for your sponsor. Your leg numbers may be pushing it forward right now, but that’s how it works sometimes. That’s why direct sales is a bit of a numbers game. Sometimes you get gems in your downline that go gangbusters (like your sponsor and my sponsor received when we joined his team) and other times you get occasional part time users.

Occasional part-time users make up the majority of consultants in any direct selling company. Of all those who join, only a small percentage stay long enough to obtain high positions and run large organizations. The fact that building a successful business isn’t your personal goal right now shouldn’t be an area that frustrates you, it’s just a fact of direct sales life. Some will; some don’t; so what.

Also, she may be being pushed to some degree right now, but as long as you and your sponsor have the same title, you and your group won’t be paid, so it’s really no benefit to her. In theory, if she’s not doing the bare minimum of it, you could become a Manager before she does. You’ll always be the front line for her, so you don’t actually pass her, but you might promote before her. Or if she goes to Manager with her sales volume, then once she splits, she won’t be able to keep it without a serious rebuild of a new leg, so she again won’t get paid.

Lastly, as to what his hopes are for his direct involvement with you, he also has additional upline support and a great group of teammates who are more than willing to help him with whatever he needs. So, does she really feel that something she needs for her business is missing because she has chosen not to build a strong organization on her own? Or is it rather something that bothers you?

Don’t let what she does or doesn’t do rob you of your joy. She focuses your energies on what is within your span of control. She is doing very well and has shown that the decisions she makes for her own direct selling business need not affect her one iota. Stay ahead.

See you at the top!