We catch up with Arbonne business owner, Naomi Morgan Tolworthy, to find out more about her journey in Network Marketing and working with PRB Accountants.
PRB: Hi Naomi, tell us a little bit about your professional background and how and why you got into network marketing.
Hi, well my background is very corporate. I was in Financial Services Marketing for about 20 years and was made redundant in 2016. At the time I was still on maternity leave with my youngest son, and I was pretty devastated. Redundancy is harsh and although logically it’s ‘just business’, it’s also tough not to feel it personally too.
I quickly realised that if I wanted to stay in the same type of role within Marketing then I would have to go back full time and I just felt like I wasn’t prepared to do that at the time.
I really wanted to be present with my young sons and that’s when I was introduced to Network Marketing. I’d never EVER considered it before – it wasn’t even on my radar – but I trusted the person who introduced the idea to me, and I reluctantly agreed to listen to what she had to say.
And I’m so pleased I did because 7 years later it’s had a huge impact on my life. Not just in monetary terms – for me it’s been about the personal journey I’ve been on during that time, the skills I’ve learned and the person I’m becoming.
PRB: Which parts of the network marketing industry do you enjoy the most?
Network Marketing has given me so many skills – ones I never knew I had in me, or even needed, and others that I thought I could never do! It’s given me the confidence to accept new challenges, get out of my comfort zone and move forward.
I love the products, the industry, the people. I like being able to show people there is a different way of working. It’s not always easy but it is simple.
PRB: As a business owner, what would you say are your biggest successes?
Learning to be a business owner!!! It’s been a huge learning curve for me. I’ve never owned a business, and I was never really prepared for what that entailed. When someone said to me “treat it like the scalable business it is” I really didn’t know what that meant.
But over the years I’ve learned that if you treat this business like a hobby, you make hobby money. If you treat it like a business – put the work in, stay consistent, continue to learn, grow and move forward every day – then your business will grow with you.
I always wanted to do something else, something more with my life – I daydreamed about being a business owner but never knew what I could do. I was stuck in this pain point of wanting to do something else, not knowing what that looked like and being reliant on a regular income to pay bills etc.
But this is a different way. A different path and what I love about it is that it doesn’t matter where you start from – regardless of gender, education, background, skills – everyone is on an equal playing field. What matters is your work ethic, your drive, determination, and ability to move forward in a profession that is wildly misunderstood. It takes grit and determination. And it’s not the mythical get rich quick scheme that draws some people to it – they don’t stay long! It’s about learning, upskilling, digging deep and working hard.
PRB: How do you respond to the sceptics and people who do not believe in network marketing as a business model?
There will always be people who don’t believe in what you are doing – especially if what you are doing goes against their own belief systems. And we are taught from a young age, through our parents and school, that the best thing to do is go to school, get a good job, work hard, rise through the ranks and then retire.
One of the biggest lessons with Network Marketing is that there will always be people who don’t get it, who don’t see what you see. And that’s ok. That’s just life – it’s not for everyone.
I just look for people who do get it and share the same vision, morals and ethics as me – people who are willing to turn left when everyone else is turning right and be the evidence that this business works.
PRB: What does a typical work week look like for you?
Well, I work as an Account Manager for this amazing marketing agency, I’m also a freelance makeup artist and I’m a full time Mum to 2 full on, active boys. So, my days are pretty busy with life in general. So, I block out small pockets of time in my days to work on my Arbonne business. 20 minutes here and there – but I am strict with it. I know it’s all about being consistent with it, not constant!
PRB: What are your top tips for people starting out or considering joining a network marketing organisation?
- Find the right company that aligns with your own moral compass
- Understand the compensation plan – it’s important to know how you get paid (not all Network Marketing companies have the same structure)
- Treat it like a business
- Be consistent
- Be in it for the long haul – it’s not instant gratification
- Know what you want out of it
- Do the personal development
- Know what you have in your hands
- You are your biggest asset in life – so learn the skills & take action
- Keep going… until!
PRB: When did you start working with PRB and what services do they provide for you?
I started working with PRB when I first set up my Network Marketing business. I had no clue what I was doing tax wise, but I did know I needed people who knew what they were doing! So, I went in to speak to Chris Whitley-Jones and he just made it super simple.
I love that they offer me different levels of service; from doing everything for me – where all I do is literally hand them my receipts and they do the rest, right the way through to the tax return. I personally work with Cherylin Brooker and cannot rate her highly enough. My questions get answered and she’s really helpful.
It’s so important to get the right tax advice, especially from people who specialise in Network Marketing as it is such a niche industry. And it also allows me to concentrate on my business, knowing that the tax side of things is taken care of.
PRB: Do you have any parting thoughts?
The most important thing for me is to encourage people to take the time to understand what Network Marketing is, how it works and be open to seeing if it could be for them – it may not be, it’s not for everyone and that’s ok. But don’t dismiss it before getting all the facts and really answering all your questions.
So many people have pre-conceived ideas about what it is, or isn’t, based on hearsay – like their mothers’ friends’ aunty who did something similar way back in the day and it didn’t turn out great!
The fact is this business has no overheads, you can work it around your life and build it alongside whatever else you do. People are successful in this business and there’s no reason you can’t be too – it’s a level playing field and the only variable is you. It takes work, grit and determination.
To find out more about Naomi or connect with her, you can visit here Facebook page here.
If we can assist you and your Network Marketing organisation with tax and accounting advice, please get in touch with our friendly team.