Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). Direct Sales Representative. Independent Sales Consultant. Network Marketing. We've seen and heard all of these terms from our friends who've started their own businesses. Our Facebook, email, and phone inboxes have been filled with friendly messages from these friends. You may have even been invited to get a coffee and chat about the business. What you may not know is that accepting this invitation could teach you how to further your singing career. I've interviewed a few great singer/consultants from various MLM companies about how their businesses have helped build their careers, and I'll share my own experience as well.

What can we learn from hearing out our MLM friends?

As singers, we are our own businesses. As private teachers, we run businesses. Unfortunately, many performance programs don't offer any marketing or business courses for aspiring artists or teachers, so we're left to fend for ourselves once we graduate. I did not receive any business training during my collegiate experiences. All of my training in marketing came from my Arbonne experience and from working as a restaurant server. Jenny Beauregard, an opera singer, Beach Body Consultant, shares her experience: "I did not receive any business training as part of my education. It was only when I started working with Beach Body that I received buisness training within MLM." She explains that she "learned as much as [she] could from [her] mentors, YouTube videos, and through trial and error."

Adding to the list of singers without business training, Jacqueline Skinner, a singer and Beach Body consultant, explains that formal business training might not be a must if you learn through network marketing. She states, "My company is full of men and women who have built strong personal businesses without formal business training. We receive free access to excellent training from people who are successful in the business, and I have learned a TON of business skills in the process. Because of this business, I have sought out other training books and materials."  MLM training offers singers an outlet to learn business training without pursuing a full-blown business degree.

Singer and Lularoe consultant, Lauren Frick, shares a slightly different perspective on her training: "In my undergrad, we had a senior capstone class that talked about the business side of singing, but I think [preparing for the business] definitely needs to be an entire class in and of itself." Jenny echoes Lauren's opinion stating, "It would be incredible if universities could start taking away some of the [lesser used] graduation requirements, especially for voice performance majors, and start adding in classes such as business for singing." In a perfect world, all of our classes would prepare us for life after graduating, but since the industry is contantly changing, we're left looking for other ways to learn.

How MLM Fills the Gap

My time spent with MLM companies taught me tons of valuable lessons which I have applied to my music career, the most important being that you MUST believe that what you're selling is successful. Through that lesson, I learned teaching is my best fit. Arbonne prioritizes teaching and mentoring a team, and being a part of this company taught me to sell myself as a teacher. I learned this is what I felt confident doing, rather than trying to be an opera star. Don't get me wrong - being an opera singer is phenomenal! But truthful marketing means finding what you feel great doing, whether it's singing or teaching, and selling it.

Once you know your goals, you're faced with the next set of challenges. Jenny explains the courage it took to take the next step came from her Beach Body experience: "The most valuable thing I've learned from MLM regarding building and marketing a business is fearlessness. I think it was just like ripping off the Bandaid and getting stuff done." We've all been there. Wanting to reach that next opportunity, but not sure how to get there.

Jenny discovered how to reach her goals through MLM: "I learned so much about social media and how valuable it can be for singing and for my business. I learned how to use and conduct my personal page as well as my business page." Social media is a huge part of marketing in today's society and is useful to any singer or teacher. When building your page, it can be difficult to decide what to showcase. Jacqueline adds, "You are what people are really interested in. Your product could be the most amazing thing ever, but it doesn't matter if people don't feel a connection to you or your story. Share authentically, and learn to find your own voice. Business is about relationships." Our acting teachers were right after all: we have to bring ourselves to the table. Of course, relationships can be scary and uncertain, but Lauren learned through Lularoe that "you just have to put yourself out there knowing that you aren't for everyone. Those who embrace your business and your singing are out there, and most of the time they are extremely enthusiastic about it. You have to find your tribe in both MLM and performance and be ok that you are not everyone's cup of tea." Understand your worth as an artist and know that casting can be more about a vision for the character, vocal color, or a specific energy than talent. This lesson is important and can help you keep auditioning and interviewing without taking results personally.

MLM Prepares Singers for Music Business

Though I identify as a teacher, my administrative work is primarily in marketing and public relations - the business side of music. Without my Arbonne training, I never would have known what to do with this position, and I certainly don't think I would have been hired to do it. I'm an introvert, and as such, I have a fear of phone calls. My mentor taught me to make the phone calls anyway because the worst you can hear is no, and it's not the end of the world.

As a private teacher without a group classroom setting, I've also been able to assert myself as the authority on my subject with much more confidence. Similarly, Lauren notes, "Not only am I better equipped to handle the financial burdens that come with being a singer, I'm much more confident in presenting myself. I do live sales every week where I have to stand in front of a camera and hold my own end of the conversation. This part of the business scares the crap out of me, just like talking to donors and patrons about my singing. I feel like I'm learning to just get up and own this product that I love and speak about it for hours. This confidence is starting to creep into my singing and persona."

The "just do it" approach of MLM companies is something all singers can benefit from, especially since there's no boss keeping us in line. Until we're cast, we're our own bosses, and we are responsible for maintaining the business side as well as our technique. Jacqueline mentions this of Beach Body: "It taught me to work smart and be disciplined. In a good MLM company, there is no 'get rich quick' option. It takes focus, discipline, passion, and pouring a lot of hard hours into your business to make it flourish. This has helped me hone my networking skills and has given me the discipline to work harder and smarter, even when the desired result is far away."

Most of us know the road won't be easy after graduating, but no one is ever truly prepared for the different, and long, paths to success in the music industry. We devote our college years to perfecting technique, gaining knowledge, and thinking like artists. Thinking like business people may not even be on the radar. Jenny adds, "MLM has changed the way I think, and it has changed the way I approach the business of singing. It all ties into the fearlessness that I've learned: fearlessness is reaching out to anyone and not being fearful of the outcome. I feel like I am confident enough, and I am a good enough singer and person to reach out and ask questions to whomever. That has led to so many new opportunities and connections."

The bottom line

We don't get enough business training in our collegiate programs, and MLM is a great way to fill in the educational gaps and grow as a person. No, you don't have to sign up, but having that coffee might earn you bits of knowledge and inspiration to help you keep going in your chosen musical career. You might even find a favorite audition dress, lipstick, or workout!