Magaly Fernandez came to the United States from Cuba with a dream of owning her own business. But even working 60 hours a week she couldn’t get ahead enough to save money.
“I had the focus, but not the financial means,” Magaly said. “I never lost the belief that I could be successful with the right opportunity.”
She found that opportunity with Amway when she was visiting a friend and asked him about a product she had never seen before – an XS™ Energy Drink.
Magaly fell in love with Amway products, people and energy
“He told me about his Amway business, and I had to know more,” she said. She and her husband attended an Amway event and they were impressed – with the products, the people and the energy.
“I remember telling my husband that Amway was the opportunity I had been looking for,” she said. “I believed in the products and the people. It was the perfect opportunity for me.”
Still, when she joined in 2008, she did it on the side and kept her full-time job running a boutique with a friend, not quite ready to take the leap into full-time business ownership.
Tragedy triggers life-changing decision
But then tragedy struck: One day a car crashed through the storefront window, killing her friend. “It was life-changing, so tragic,” Magaly said. “She died, and I lost our boutique.
“I realized then and there that I had to start living a life I loved.”
For her, that meant Amway. She already loved the products and knew with hard work she could master the business.
“I believe focus is both preparation and action,” she said. “I studied and went to trainings as much as I could…I confronted my fears and learned everything I could about the products and the business.”
Mentorship of others is key to success
Within six months the success she realized inspired her husband, Jorge Munoz, to join her. “I knew we could be even more successful if we worked together,” she said. “We started looking at our Amway business as our legacy.”
They developed a passion for mentoring others who joined them in the business and took it seriously.
“We realized the magnitude of leading,” Magaly said. “We consider our group our family and know that the best inspiration comes from leading by example.”
And they know their story is a great example of how sometimes the nontraditional path is the one that can lead to success.
Magaly has friends who have earned degrees but have had challenges finding careers with the salaries they were promised in school. “I tell them, ‘If you don’t do something different, you don’t get a different result.’ They see it through my journey and how what started as a little extra money turned into a business.
“I’m working my passion and still have time for family, friends and travel. So many people are looking for that.”
Thanks for sharing your story, Magaly! Hear more from other Amway IBOs who are living a life they love.
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The average monthly Gross Income for “active” IBOs was USD $207 (in the U.S.)/CAD $186 (in Canada). Approximately 48% of IBOs in the U.S., and 52% of IBOs in Canada, were “active.”
IBOs were considered “active” in months in 2016 when they attempted to make a retail sale, or presented the Amway IBO Compensation Plan, or received bonus money, or attended an Amway or IBO meeting. If someone sustained that level of activity every month for a whole year, their annualized Gross Income would be $2,484 (U.S.)/$2,232 (Canada). Of course, not every IBO chooses to be active every month. “Gross Income” means the amount received from retail sales, minus the cost of goods sold, plus monthly bonuses and cash incentives. It excludes all annual bonuses and cash incentives, and all non-cash awards, which may be significant. There may also be significant business expenses, mostly discretionary, that may be greater in relation to income in the first years of operation. For the purposes of the calculation in Canada, individuals who were IBOs for less than the entire year in 2016 were excluded.
Before registering as an Independent Business Owner (IBO) powered by Amway, you should read and understand the AMWAY™ Business Overview Brochure, which contains important information for those interested in becoming IBOs.