Marcia Victor had never considered becoming a business owner. She had her sights on the traditional path of college, career and family.
She was on her way, landing a plum position as a purchasing agent right out of college. “I earned a degree in business and was making good money,” Marcia said. “I was excited to start climbing the corporate ladder. Becoming a business owner wasn’t at the forefront of my mind.”
Learning about Amway
But life doesn’t always go as planned. Marcia met her future husband, Steve Victor, in class and the couple dated all through college. Steve’s grandparents were among the original Amway Independent Business Owners (IBOs) and his parents had followed their path into the Amway™ business.
“I had heard of the Amway name, but didn’t know much about the business other than his parents were second generation,” Marcia said. “I knew it was a big part of their lives, but I didn’t see the impact right away.”
Her father-in-law changed that when he painted a very clear picture for her while he was sharing the business plan.
“I remember him talking about the 40-year-plan,” she said. “He called me out and named my retirement date – 2036 – and asked me if I was prepared to work for someone else for the next 40 years. That made me think.”
Changing gears
Suddenly climbing the corporate ladder didn’t seem as important as paving her own path. She soon became her husband’s first team member, diving in to learn everything she could about Amway products and the business model.
“Unlike Steve, it was all new to me,” Marcia said. “I respected the family history and felt a huge responsibility to do things right. Being third generation, we were lucky to have incredible mentors to guide us. I was motived to make the most of that gift.”
Less than two years later, Marcia tossed aside the corporate ladder and focused all her energy on her Amway business. When she and Steve decided to start a family, she was easily able to adjust her hours to meet their needs.
Owning your schedule
“That flexibility of being able to work from home while raising my kids motivated my success,” she said. “I loved that I could sleep in with them, work when I wanted to and really enjoy quality time with them.
“We also got to travel a lot as a family. In a traditional job, you typically don’t own your schedule like that. It was such a blessing.”
She carries that blessing with her when she mentors other women in the Amway business looking for a balance between career and family. “I tell them that motherhood is the most important job they’ll ever have in life, however, nothing feels better than being an at-home-mom while creating income to help achieve great things for your family.”
Positive role model
She also credits her Amway business for allowing her to set a good example for her children. They see her selling products, mentoring new IBOs, attending training meetings and preparing presentations to show others the Amway business opportunity.
“They know how hard I work, and that’s the example I want them to have,” Marcia said. “My Amway business helped make me a positive role model of a working mother for my kids.”
She also enjoys the fact that her children see their parents happily and effectively working together, something they plan to do for a long time.
“That’s the beauty of the Amway business,” Marcia said. “The potential to grow is great. We have so much more to do with so many people who are looking to start their own business. It keeps me focused.”
Check out our YouTube channel to see why other IBOs started their own businesses.
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. Following are approximate percentages of IBOs in North America who achieved the illustrated levels of success in the IBO Fiscal Year ending August 31, 2017: Platinum (0.4156%).
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