
10 Year Anniversary: 5 Powerful Lessons w Josie Tong
This week was the 10 year anniversary of MLM Nation's podcast and I want to thank you for listening.
We launched in March 2015 with a mission to provide inspiring stories and valuable lessons from around the profession to help you achieve network marketing success.
A lot has changed in the last 10 years but the profession is still around and new leaders are born everyday.
This is a special anniversary episode to celebrate YOU and our profession.
To make this episode special, I wanted to bring on Josie Tong, who's a successful leader and helped the launch of MLM Nation in 2015.
Who is Josie Tong
Josie Tong is a multiple 6 figure earner who has made over 7 figures in lifetime commissions.
She's a dear friend and has been featured on MLM Nation multiple times and lives in Sydney, Australia.
šļø What We Talked About:
In this special 10 year anniversary episode, Josie and I have a real, raw, and casual conversation.
We talk about how MLM Nation got started (hint: it involves a flight to Australia), what was going through my head back in 2014, and the steps we took to get the podcast off the ground.
Josie shares her perspective on how the show impacted her and her team during a very challenging time in her life.
Over the years, sheās watched it grow into one of the longest-running, most consistent podcasts in the network marketing profession.
š” I Also Shared:
Time flies. I share on this 10 year anniversary:
⢠How the idea for MLM Nation came to me while flying to a workshop in Sydney
⢠What it really takes to stay consistent after 845 episodes (and why I donāt always feel like doing it!)
⢠The biggest mistakes I see network marketers make over and over again
⢠Why duplication is a myth and what actually creates momentum
⢠How I built a business that still pays me six figures a year in residual income
⢠Why giving without expectation is the foundation of leadership
⢠My thoughts on being a present dad, raising my boys, and building a legacy off the field
⨠Special Moments from the Episode:
⢠Josie cooking up one of my favorite Filipino dishes (salmon head sinigang!) and having it delivered to my hotel when I was in Australia
⢠Our meetup at a flower garden café in Sydney back in 2014
⢠Josie recalling how she supported the launch of MLM Nation during a time she was transitioning her life and career
š§ Top 5 Lessons From 10 Years of Interviews:
I want to highlight the top 5 lessons that keep coming up on this 10 year anniversary show.
1. Consistency is a skill.
This is probably the most important lesson of all.
And itās something I wish more people truly understood.
People often say to me,
āSimon, youāre so consistent. You show up every day. How do you do it?ā
And I always say the same thing.
Consistency is not something youāre born with.
Itās not a personality trait. Itās a skill. And like any skill, it can be developed.
When I first started MLM Nation, I didnāt have it all figured out. I had fears. I had doubts.
There were so many times when I wanted to quit.
Even today, if Iām being honest, there are still days when I donāt feel like recording another episode or going live.
But I do it anyway.
Why?
Because Iāve trained myself to be consistent.
Consistency isnāt about feelings.
Itās about making a commitment to the person you want to become.
I donāt show up just because I feel like it.
I show up because I want to be the kind of leader who shows up.
Thatās the secret.
Start seeing yourself as a consistent leader.
Then build a routine, create a system, and get accountability.
If you do that, your results will catch up.
The problem is, most people quit before the results show up.
They stay stuck in the āIāll do it when I feel like itā loop.
And thatās a recipe for failure.
Consistency is what separates the amateurs from the pros.
2. All leaders invest in themselves.
Every single successful person Iāve interviewedāwithout exceptionāhas been a lifelong learner.
They read.
They attend events.
They hire coaches.
They join masterminds.
They are always growing.
And that includes Josie.
She invested in coaching with me before she even had major results.
Thatās what impressed me so much about her.
She didnāt wait until she had a big check to start acting like a leader.
She made the decision to be one and started learning how to lead.
Thatās what top earners do.
They invest in their growth before theyāre at the top.
They know that the greatest investment you can make is in yourself.
Thereās no shortcut here.
No oneās going to come along and do the work for you
If you want to get better at closing, study closing.
If you want to get better at content, study marketing.
If your mindset needs work, study personal development.
But youāve got to do the work.
If youāre not growing, youāre shrinking.
So keep growing.
3. Management mode kills momentum.
This is one of the most common mistakes I see, especially with newer leaders.
You recruit a few people, maybe hit a company incentive, and suddenly you start shifting into āmanagement mode.ā
You stop prospecting.
You stop inviting.
You stop doing the basics.
And instead, you spend all your time training your small team.
I call this the kiss of death.
Duplication doesnāt happen because you train people perfectly.
It happens because you stay in production mode long enough to find your leaders.
Let me say that again:
You donāt build your business by training.
And guess what?
Your team watches what you do more than they listen to what you say.
If they see you stop recruiting, theyāll stop too.
Iāve seen so many people plateau and even crash their income because they stopped doing what got them there.
I made that mistake too in my early years.
You recruit a few and think youāre done.
But this business doesnāt reward the person who slows down.
It rewards the person who keeps building.
Stay in momentum. Stay in the trenches. Be the example.
4. Your prospects are not the destination.
This lesson is a game-changer.
Most people look at prospects as the end goal.
Like, āIf I can just sign up John, Iāll be good. Heās the one.ā
But what if John isnāt the one?
What if John is just the bridge to the person who is?
This is where most people get it wrong.
They give up when someone says no.
But youāve got to stop looking at prospects as the final stop and start seeing them as a gateway to your next opportunity.
Iāve seen this happen over and over again.
You talk to someone, theyāre not interested, but then they refer you to someone else.
Or they invite you to a party where you meet their friend.
Or they share your post, and someone else sees it.
The dots connect in ways you canāt predict.
I remember talking to someone years ago who said no to the business.
But she introduced me to someone else who ended up being one of the top producers on my team and it only happened because I stayed in the conversation, stayed curious, and kept giving value.
Always remember this:
You are never talking to just one person.
You are talking to their entire network.
So treat every prospect with care. Plant the seed. Keep the door open. You never know where it might lead.
5. Purpose > Money
If youāre in this business just for the money, itās going to be a rough ride.
Yes, the money is great.
But itās not enough to keep you going when things get hard.
And trust me, they will get hard.
What keeps you going is purpose.
Itās knowing why youāre doing this.
Itās having a vision thatās bigger than the paycheck.
For me, that purpose has always been tied to freedom.
I wanted the freedom to be there for my kids.
To coach them. To show up for the important moments.
To break generational patterns. To be the dad I never had.
Thatās what drove me.
And when youāre fueled by purpose, youāll push through the rejections, the dry spells, the setbacks.
Youāll do the hard things, the uncomfortable things, because youāre not just chasing a checkāyouāre chasing impact.
Ask yourself this:
What are you building this business for?
Your answer to that question is your fuel.
Let that purpose drive you every single day.
š Thank You
To every guest whoās come on the showā¦
To every listener whoās tuned in, shared, reviewed, or messaged meā¦
To every leader whoās been part of this journeyā¦
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
And Josie, thank you for being part of this journey since the very beginningāand for making this 10-Year Anniversary episode so meaningful.
š Resources and Mentions
⢠Get My Free Network Marketing Guides
⢠Grab My Book The Consistency Pill ā Amazon Bestseller
⢠Connect with Josie Tong ā See Her Past Interviews
Josie Tong's Contact Info
Josie Tong on Facebook, Instagram
Summary
Let this 10 year anniversary episode be a reminder:
Be the leader people want to follow.
Give without expecting anything in return.
Show up. Stay consistent. And make an impact.
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