Armed with knowledge that he has gained from his education and the experience built in his journey as a working professional in the past, esteemed V Partner Cherian Mathew did not find it hard to believe in the long-term dependability of the QNET sales business model. His instincts always told him that he was in the right place, so, he worked on it. Now, he is one of our staunch advocates of education and training, as basic foundations of success in the QNET network marketing business.

How do you define network marketing?

It is a life-changing business opportunity, a business that changes you before it brings you success. Unless and until you change from who you are to who you can be, there is no way that you will succeed in network marketing. The life-changing part has more to do with your internal changes rather than the external changes. Those internal changes are what give you external success. The person who I was about 17 years back and today – you will see a big difference.

What is it about network marketing that you can’t find in other businesses?

There is no other business model in the world where you can become successful by making other people successful. This is the only business model where you can really help a lot of people to become successful without compromising your success, and that’s why it’s unique.

It’s very much fulfilling to be part of other people’s success. When they become successful, you too become more successful. So, you don’t need to worry about your own success. You just have to focus on others.

READ: How to handle rejections.

How do you promote or pledge to “Good business ethics starts with me”?

I have been a very strong advocate of ethics in business. And I can be very proud of saying that until today, after many, many years of being in this business, I haven’t had an ethical issue in my entire global organisation. As a leader of my network, I think I have to be responsible to inculcate that quality in the team. I strongly believe in building the business ethically. And I believe that ethics is one of the pillars on which your business can sustain for a long, long time. I have terminated many people whom I have discovered go against this.

I think QNET as a company – the Founders, the V Partners – nobody would allow anyone to mess up the business and practice it unethically anywhere in the world. Once it comes to our notice, we take strict action about it.

However, as we grow bigger and bigger and bigger, the control on the network becomes less, and that is why it is important that we have systems in place which ensure that ethics is part and parcel of our business-building strategy. I think education plays a big role in it.

As we grow bigger, we have less control over what goes around because it’s a business of duplication. What is your advice on how we can avoid this problem?

The only way to avoid misrepresentation about products and the business model is for organisations to ensure that people are led properly. Most of the teams are built on systems, and most of the systems are meant to educate and to guide their business partners to do this business properly. The only way to control this, is through education and bringing the leaders of the network back to the company and re-emphasising the importance of policing the network, and ensuring that the network is cleaned time and again, every year, so that we grow a healthy, sustainable, long-term network.

With all that you have mentioned, I can perceive transparency – the importance of transparency, of not overpromising. What is your opinion of its presence in the network-marketing business?

I have guided my network in terms of them understanding why their intentions should be right. Misrepresentation means your intention is not right. If the intention is to make that person successful, then it’s a totally different ballgame. But, if your intention is just to sell and then be done with the guy, then you may use any means to get him to sign up or buy your product.

Network marketing, when done right, offers unique opportunity for individuals to help and elevate each other to build success together.  The right intentions, ethics, transparency and continuous education are crucial elements of building a successful network marketing business that last.