My background is that I own a wholesale fruit
& veg business near Plymouth.
This is a family business that I have been in for 40 years, joining after doing
National Service. We have twelve employees and an annual turnover of £800 000.
I had been looking for another business
opportunity for some time because of
* the long hours I have to work (I need to get up at 3 am, six days a week)
* the headaches of managing the employees
* the fact that the business is contracting: we supply independent outlets and
these are getting fewer all the time because of the competition with
supermarkets, so it's a continual struggle to keep the business going. I wanted
a business that was more congenial and as both my children have successful
careers of their own I wasn't worried about passing it on to the next
generation.
I first heard of Herbalife when I got a green book through the post from my
sponsor in February 1999. After talking with him on the phone I got the
information packs, which interested me enough to buy an International Business
Pack. I started taking the products myself and I went to a Regional
Organisation Meeting at Bristol. This was an impressive meeting: the trainers
were terrific, it put the picture over very well, gave me all the information I
needed and I decided to come in at the supervisor level and signed up with
TouchFON. I work the business part time, on my own, my wife Cathy being a full
time teacher.
I think the potential of the Herbalife business opportunity is really limitless: there are so many possibilities here. Because of my long working day I have very little time to work my Herbalife business but I am really happy doing it and I can see that I can really go somewhere with this. After being with Herbalife for 6 months, I have decided to sell my fruit and veg. business and go full time in Herbalife.
I found most of my customers through circle of influence and local newspaper advertisements. My son lost 2 stone on the products, & I have sold a program to my family doctor and the lady who runs Slimming World in this part of the country (who lost 1/2 stone in a month). I run two or three ads each week and this gives me all the customers I have time to deal with. I have sold eight programs in one day of these newspaper ads alone! I have about 25 customers now and I'm getting a little customer base of people who reorder each month.
I sold my supervisor order within three months and I now have to reorder products on a monthly basis (about 2000 volume points a month).
As a businessman I've been really impressed with Herbalife. You couldn't get any more help from your upline - it's just wonderful! It certainly makes a heck of a difference because you'd be really floundering sometimes without that backup. I think anyone can do the business; you're selling a terrific product, a product that works.