Anna Andrea on Creating a MLSP Home Business Empire
Anna Andrea was aimless in college and turned off by Corporate jobs when she discovered network marketing & MLSP. Here’s her story.
Anna! I’m honored to have this interview with you. You have a great story that I am curious to learn more about. So, let’s get started!
First off, how was your childhood, and what did you want to become when you “grew up”?
Wow.. my childhood? Okay let’s start at the very beginning. My parents got divorced when I was 6 months old, but I did have a very cool childhood. First born in both mom’s and dad’s side I was super spoiled.
Heck, I still am! LOL But also being the eldest comes with territory. No one is born a parent, so you will make mistakes… I get it now.
I was not allowed to do so many things, now that I look back I thank my parents for that strict parenting. But as you are growing up you really do not understand why.
For the most part, my childhood was super fun, went to the American School of my country, El Salvador and pretty much surrounded by entrepreneurship, millionaires, and their spoiled kids.
Needless to say I was bullied in Elementary and Middle School, it went on as well in High School. This is not a sad, poor Anna Andrea story but it was tough being the queen of my family and being mocked by my classmates.
I do not have a clear memory of what I wanted to become when I grew up, all I knew was I had to be a business owner to have time freedom. I saw that in my mother, a resilient latina, who since I was in kindergarden decided to become a mompreneur to be able to take me to school and pick me up.
I learned about anything my mom would be selling or building. She did it all, she still does now. I remember clearly about 21 years ago my mom and step dad would wake me up around 5am on a Saturday morning to drive to Guatemala for the day (that’s a 5 hour drive one way!) so they would be the first ones at the Corporate office of Amway!
There are no memories in print or verbally (I’ve asked my mom about this last year) that we can both recall that I would say I would so and so when I grew up.
I was never the kid who had this immense passion for something (dancing, karate, painting, singing, etc) all I was good at was writing. That is what I found out in Middle School! I was a pretty decent essay writer and poet.
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You come from a family of Entrepreneurs, what did your parents and grandparents do for a living and how did that inspire you?
I do, most of them at least are self employed. My Grandparents, it’s a complex story. From my mother’s side, we had an Electrodomestic Empire.
My great grandfather had built from scratch, but failed to give financial education to his children and grandchildren, so after he passed away… the company was being managed by the grand kids (my mom’s brothers and cousins and at the end of the journey my mother also worked there). That company filed bankruptcy and everyone went their own ways.
From my father’s side, the one who was the entrepreneur was my grandmother, my grandfather was in the military in the war and then retired. So, who brought home the bread was my grandma…
With her it was a very different world as well. She sold clothes in El Salvador from High End Brands, all bought in USA. Specifically Miami.
I would come with her every summer for years, and I would get a prize for being such a good kid, since sometimes my cousins came, while they (my grandma and my aunt or uncle, sometimes my father too) were shopping for the store, they would take us to Disney World. I am serious about this spoiled situation LOL.
So I can bet I am one of the very few human beings that have been to DisneyWorld and Universal Studios more than 12 times! And it is still my favorite place in the whole wide world.
Yes, I would go EVERY year if I could. They always have something magical that’s absolutely new! I do believe in hope and dreams 🙂
My father also ventured into the entrepreneurial world and also had failed attempts, now he does consulting and teaches at one of the most prestigious Universities in El Salvador.
My mother and stepfather have been network marketers since I was 7 years old, my mother has always had her small business.
She was the first one in the country to Import Mini Blinds, she has had the representation of Merillat Pantries, and still has the full representation of Central America for Gametime Playgrounds plus she is basically the only one that sells in Latin America (besides Mexico).
My mother has remodeled offices of big companies like United Airlines, Laboratorios Lopez (med labs), and other offices.
She has done so many things, I have learned many skills by her side. Like how to always say yes to business even if you don’t do what the customer asks because you can always hire someone that knows and get a cut!
Smart mother of mine, has been the one to follow in her footsteps. She is now a published writer in both El Salvador and USA in both languages Spanish and English (books come out this 2017 and we are so going on a book tour in USA).
She was picked up by a Editorial House after she self published her first novel. I am a very proud daughter. She is now my sponsored affiliate in my new network marketing company (roles have changed :)) and is one of my students in Online Marketing. She has a Blog up and running and she is dabbling in Social Media!
My step dad on the other hand is a medical doctor, specialized in Elderly Care. One of the best in my country.
Has a Retirement Home Business, that my mother manages, I know she’s a octopus lol…. This business has given us lots of happy and sad tears, we’ve learned how to deal with death and deficit, has given us so much love as well. So I am basically born in entrepreneurial blood.
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University was a requirement for you, strongly encouraged by your parents, what was University like, and what did you finally focus on that you enjoyed during this time?
Truth be told I NEVER saw the real benefit of going to College/University. I hate going to classes especially in El Salvador, I tried I swear one semester… and I was done.
I do not like the way they teach classes, the curriculums and that’s all in spanish. I refused to apply. I decided to work instead but my mother sent me 1 year to France as an au pair (nanny) to get a taste of what really is to live far away from home. Hardest 3 months of my life, then I was in love with living away from El Salvador.
Long story short after my first real job breakdown and my biggest heart break as well, my mother sat me down and said: “You Need to go to College, Pick where in Latin America you want to go, make a budget and let’s make it happen.” or something to that effect.
I ended up in Buenos Aires, Argentina… with a girl who used to be a very close friend in a one bedroom apartment. Many roommates, apartments every 6 months to 1 year. No real relationships with boys.
I ended up living on my own the last year and I did switch careers after my first year from Bachelors in Tourism to Event Planning. This has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. I absolutely LOVE event planning and all the “stress” that comes with it.
College was super fun, relaxing & stressful, full of failures, lots of friendships, unfriendships (do not know if that is a word LOL) and weird people, amazing food and well of course the wine, the crafted beer, the hot boys and amazing girlfriends.
My career was 2 years but not all the credits transferred so I had to stay 2 years and 6 months. Last semester in I had one class I did not pass the final exam. The class, I loved it and Aced it, but the final exam is an oral question and answer type. I was so nervous I forgot EVERYTHING.
Teachers sometimes want you just to repeat things like textbooks instead of actually letting implement the answers in exams. It is not an excuse I take full responsibility because I was sick and I had a wedding that night… I went fully dressed to the exam coughing. I should have worn other clothes and I should’ve studied way more!
There was a cat and a dog living where I was staying, had no meds and hadn’t called the local doctor. I failed!
Long story short, took me almost 5 years to get back to Argentina to finish my last class to graduate. I felt stuck in El Salvador with having taken so many wrong decisions like not saving from my job I was making real good $ for Salvadorean standards.
I finally went back in 2014. Best 6 months EVER. Besides completing college, turning 28 and the Soccer World Cup. Although I did work part time online as a Virtual Assistant. Here is where I started making money online.
30 thousand dollars later… I can tell you the college experience was incredible! And I understand after traveling all around US this past few months have taught me that some countries to get a job at Fortune 500 companies or to move up rank they require SO MUCH studying a Bachelor is not enough you need to be specialized, with a doctorate and so much degrees. It is super competitive and they aren’t enough spaces available for everyone to win.
This is why I LOVE network marketing and affiliate marketing. Because there is no ceiling or amounts of degrees to be at the top with the big dogs. Yup, I was definitely going to go there ;).
So I do thank my Upper Level education and I am an advocate to NEVER stop learning, in fact learning should be part of your weekly if not daily schedule.
I love all the Events I got to do while I was at my University, the eternal and not so eternal relationships and the frugal Buenos Aires Nights.
I was very competitive and my teams won two awards and I won one by myself. I do love learning and all these skills I learned I apply them in my businesses today and in the future.
When did you discover network marketing, who showed you the opportunity, and what was the first year like?
Like I said before, I’ve always known about network marketing since I was a child because my mother and stepfather were involved in the industry… my first experience with it was in the Travel Company and it was… let’s say, a learning period.
Saw the vision, understood the concept but failed miserably at signing up my warm market and I hated that part of it.
I do not remember the first year, it’s a blur. I made 300 dollars in like 2 years and a half.
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What was the hardest lesson you learned from network marketing, and how should new network marketers begin properly without making the same mistake?
You really had me thinking for a while on this one. As I look back to all my 12 years since I started on my entrepreneurial journey, I can’t pinpoint a hard lesson.
I’ve had hard lessons from friendships, love interests, parents, hanging out with the wrong crowd, but network marketing and business is for me easier to think it as leaving me a scar.
But the biggest mistake I’ve made is when I started to promote my business in social media and the internet. I tried it all. Clickbank, Surveys, sending messages to friends on facebook I hadn’t talk in 7 to 8 years… with “will you please like my new fan page message” it was never a full speech unless people requested information. Still not good to spam scripts.
In my jobs, as a call center professional, we always had to memorize “scripts” I even memorized a whole terms and conditions when I was selling PCs because I was the best at getting people in debt with the financial plan.
So, I thought I could just send messages and post about my products and people would be coming asking me. WRONG. Most people, not the really close ones, those support me on everything thank God, wouldn’t respond to my message at all. Worse they didn’t like my Fan Page nor buy from me… LOL.
DO NOT SPAM. It is annoying and the results you will get is people alienating you.
When did you discover MLSP, what is it exactly, and how has that platform helped your home-based business?
Struggling on my previous mlm I was trying Facebook ads but had no real money and I had quit my online job I got in 2014 in Argentina. That was a mistake because it was an income that was keeping my business alive.
I was googling and scrolling facebook, looking for answers and solutions to my lack of skills. Wanted a all in one stop for tools and training and that’s how I started to show up to MLSP Wednesday Webinars. The day I paid my $10 trial for 10 days I was crying, my sponsor really pushed my pain.
What it is exactly is a platform that gives you the tools, training and community you need for building your business online.
For me after 16 months, MLSP is family, it’s my college, it’s my business platform and it’s my Mentor Pool. It has made my life change 180 degrees.
It is a place where I can be myself, if I am having a bad day I can express it and I know I got my communities back, cheering me on, being #noexcuse sergeants, quitting is not an option, whatever tough or soft love you will get it, if you ASK. If you have a win, like let’s say your very first online lead.. Or your first ever commission online, you share it and everyone celebrates you.
Yes, my dream world exists. It’s called being a human who wants to get better together with other humans who are doing it. I could show you screenshots of genuine interest for one another, but it’s a secret group haha You would have to join to see 😉 I learned to speak up, that I have a voice and that who cares if others talk, learn from lessons and keep getting better and better.
Sorry… I get passionate about this subject. They have changed my life. Hype is included, but it’s real … I am very passionate about community, friendships, love and leading as a positive culture. That’s what I want to pass down to my team and legacy. The spirit of help and love.
I have raised my income to a 4 figure month and achieved Leadership Level 1 in MLSP.
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I love your blog and see that you blog in both English and Spanish. Impressive! Which language gets you more traffic and what is your traffic like daily?
Thank you!! I’ve worked lots on it… it has been quite a ride. I had a sprint with starting in both languages and then I switched my focus to only English for a while. A few months ago I decided to add more to my spanish market as well.
Until I joined a webinar with Norbert in MLSP and he showed us how one post we can use it for ever making it the center of attention of your whole blog.
It’s called Pillar Blogging so I’ve been working on one right now focused on Branding for Network Marketers. So that goes to my answer on the traffic, since I’ve stopped blogging daily working on my Pillar Blog, traveling to Vegas, waking up to a computer that does not charge and not in El Salvador… my traffic has been steady. Very low unless I send it traffic (Facebook Ads). Dropped the ball these weeks, have to admit.
What is your favorite social media platform right now for generating leads? And, can you give us a little bit of your secret technique? 🙂
Facebook has always been faithful, but I am obsessed as a user with Snapchat and Instagram. Might switch it a bit and focus only on Instagram & Snapchat for a few months and crush it. But my faithful Facebook and it’s ads generally best place to find hot qualified leads. Depends how fast you want to get leads, if you will get them with both paid and free strategies, always faster when you pay, just would take you a bit to figure it out.
A secret technique: I do not copy paste, I share if I agree with a fellow marketer or friends. I think that actually being social and not afraid to delete requests, block, unfollow or unfriend.
Learn to build rapport, that’s my secret technique, I am pretty good at the chit chat that builds like and trust with the person you just met. Humanize the process, there is always someone behind the screen, cat fish or not. Be careful with fake profiles!
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How do you do Facebook Live effectively?
I love Facebook Live, right now I am not going Live every day but almost every other day. The most important thing to keep in mind when going live is, not to make people wait so you get started, people who watch replay hate that and to always be yourself. Just be you, relax you are talking to your friends.
But please keep your dirty laundry at home, bickering, pettiness, jealousy all that stuff. I am not saying do not open up, just do not do it for revenge or for the wrong reasons. Remember you are being watched. How do you want to be remembered?
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I love your YouTube. How has video helped your brand and should network marketers do video for Leads?
Videos changed my business period. It made me reachable to my audience and since then I have been having better results.
I get leads from everywhere though, videos are just a way to make you real to people and feel if they like you and keep watching or hate you and keep watching. Funny how that works. It attracts those who are attracted by you. Simple.
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What are the 3 easy tips to have a breakthrough?
- Understanding that life doesn’t give you grades or diplomas. It gives you lessons, love, happiness and whatever you want to make it. YOU are the one that creates your life.
- Always have a learning mentality. Even if you have already heard that strategy or new update, if you want to dig deeper and guide by example (those who show up to Learning platforms and teaches in them too will make their teams do the same) you need to SHOW UP, Invest, Apply and Teach it. I invest in myself yearly with my time and money as well to learn new skills and become better at my business and life. Coaching is part of my investments, and I have a mentor in almost all areas of life. Spiritual Coach and a Networking Coach. I have Mentors for Business, Life, Relationships, Sales Mentor, Marketing Mentor, Marketing of Attraction Mentor. Also I have a budget for Facebook Ads and I love doing Video.
- You are only looking for people who are looking for you. You are not here to convince, you are here to give people the good news. If you inject value and honesty to the market the people that need to be in your business and be your partners or clients will come to you.
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What is your favorite book right now and why?
10x Rule by Grant Cardone and I am currently Reading Vibrational Money Immersion by Ray Higdon. I have listened to the 10x Book
(yes I do both written and audio books. I prefer audio when the actual writer is doing the voiceover!) in fact listening to Grant Cardone has made me love sales again. Plus it ignites me, it’s a book to read every year. Every time you feel you aren’t having the results you want.
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What are your goals for 2017?
Career wise, I will be making 5 figures by end of the year. Launch a couple of products and add to my weekly schedule a webinar. Master Copywriting and Facebook Ads, achieve L5 in MLSP and in my MLM I want to rank up to level Diamond.
Spiritual Life, I will add to my daily routine meditation and keep also the prayer.
To name a few, read 12 self development books, go to 4 to 5 different types of big events.
Travel to UK and Ireland, Vegas and Austin.
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What is your favorite quote and why?
“Try not to be a man of success but a man of Value.” – Albert Einstein
Because that is basically the definition of our purpose in life. Being of value to the world, your family, community and environment. This is also applicable for Business. If you aren’t of value then, why would people consume your products?
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Thank you so much for this interview, Anna! This has been epic!
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