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Independent But Not Alone: Amway Business Owners Are Entrepreneurs, Not ‘Solopreneurs’
’Solopreneurs’, as defined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are people who build and run a business with an employee count of one, themselves. They do everything that’s required, whether it’s manufacturing, distribution, marketing or customer service.
When you hear stories about small business owners, it seems like so many of them are functioning like ‘solopreneurs’. To some, being a direct seller may also seem like a solo endeavor, but at Amway that is not the case.
Amway Independent Business Owners (IBOs) are in business for themselves, but not by themselves. They have the entire Amway operation behind them – Amway supports IBOs in building their business through high-quality products and dedicated people.
These IBOs can sell any of the more than 350 innovative nutrition, beauty, fitness and home products that the company provides. Amway handles all product research, development and manufacturing as well as warehousing and distribution. IBOs are set up with the digital tools they need to support and manage their business, including personal online storefronts through the Amway website.
IBOs are also supported by more than 3,100 employees across the U.S. Of these employees, Amway has more than 100 dedicated customer service representatives, available seven days a week to answer questions from customers and IBOs. These professionals offer support in five languages via phone, email, live chat or through a chatbot.
“Whether we’re answering questions about products, orders, promotions or the business, our goal is to remove any obstacles that prevent IBOs from building their businesses,” said Mike Myers, director of Delivery Operations and Customer Service for Amway North America.
“We share IBOs’ passion for the company and witnessing the positive impact our products and business have on the lives of others instills a deep sense of purpose and loyalty. We are in it together.”
In addition to addressing the immediate concerns of the more than half a million contacts these employees receive each year, Myers said they’re also gathering, analyzing and sharing data to look for ways to enhance the overall experience and success of IBOs.
“This practice fosters a culture of continuous improvement, enabling data-driven decisions and initiatives,” he said.
Amway IBOs also have access to free training and education to help them attain the skills needed to build their business. Amway Education is a free online and app-based platform offering more than 80 virtual courses in five languages. The topics include product information, selling strategies, company rules, business tips, the compensation plan and leadership skills.
When growing your business, the challenges can grow right along with it. Which is why IBOs who reach a certain level of business growth will receive even more personalized training and support from the Amway North America sales team. William Galindez-Flores, a Leader Growth Solutions (LGS) advisor, said that his team reaches out to IBOs every month to congratulate them on building their business and offer guidance and strategies to help them sustain it.
“We want to make sure people aren’t just working hard, but that they’re working smart,” he said. “We want to see sustainability in their business.”
That guidance can happen in multiple ways, including phone calls, virtual training, a trip to Amway World Headquarters for specialized meetings or having members of the LGS team visit them.
All the guidance is evidenced based, said Galindez-Flores. “We learn from what’s working and apply it to others so they can get better. And other times we learn something new from the IBOs we’re trying to help.”
A regular topic is the importance for IBO leaders to focus on goals – theirs and those of the IBOs on their team.
“If they can understand that to be able to reach your goal you have to help a lot of people reach theirs, they’ll be good,” he said. “It takes effort and perseverance, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, but if someone is focused and they really want to help people, then they can make it happen.”
Beyond dedicated employees, Amway IBOs are also a part of a nationwide community of 290,000 fellow business owners. Within this larger network of IBOs, individuals rely on each other for support, mentorship and guidance as they collectively go through their entrepreneurship journey.
Although IBOs may register for their Amway business alone, they are anything but ‘solopreneurs’. Backed by a widespread Amway employee base, robust network of fellow IBOs and a host of well-known, high-quality products, Amway IBOs receive an abundance of support in turning their business goals into reality.