The Market America Convention 2017 was next-level training for UnFranchise owners. Held in Greensboro, North Carolina, there were over 20,000 people in attendance. Market America didn’t hold back for the 25 year celebration. It was jam-packed with highly-uplifting talks and big name celebrities. And if you missed the tour-de-force presentations, fear not! They’re available online through YouTube and on the UnFranchise training website. Just be sure to go to future events, because there’s no substitute for in-person attendance.
President and COO Marc Ashley spoke about the Market America legacy during the event. He started by addressing the entering the game – from Market America exclusive products to augmented reality. In the 1990s, JR Ridinger was ahead of his time and even ridiculed for his prediction that online shopping would be the future. Now, decades later, Market America is still ahead of the curve. They don’t just predict the future. They make the future. “What we had 25 years ago was basically believe” says Marc Ashley. Now, the system has grown so efficiently that UnFranchise owners are put into prime position to begin succeeding in their business by simply following the system instructions.
With training materials galore and endless community support, UnFranchise owners are poised to make the best decisions for their business. Even people who don’t have any prior experience in business can learn. UnFranchise owners come from many different industries, and have been able to succeed by following the system. Marc Ashley reminds UnFranchise owners that one of the resources available is an individual site. Each UnFranchise owner can have one. Market America has spent millions of dollars creating the infrastructure that enables UnFranchise owners to sell their products. Other franchise systems don’t provide nearly the same amount of training and tools as . When you become an UnFranchise owner, you’re given what you need to succeed. But you need to put in the work and dedication to make it work. Market America doesn’t work unless you do.
Part of the Market America legacy is making mistakes. Marc Ashley talks about a time when Loren Ridinger was in charge of marketing and they came up with a weight loss product. The pills came in glass bottles and many broke upon arrival to the homes of the UnFranchise owners. They had to get smarter and come out with some revolutionary new products. They came out with a series of products that really weren’t up to the Market America standard, but they learned.
The big takeaway was that at that point in the business, they had to believe. Without the belief that Market America would succeed in those early days, the business wouldn’t be where it is today. His driving message throughout a large portion of the presentation was that we all come from somewhere. Marc Ashley pointed to some of the current top level executives who’d been distributors and coordinators in the 1990s.
The culmination of historical trials, mistakes, and achievements drove the lively atmosphere of the Market America . Coming from such a rich past reinforces the company’s strong connection with each of its members. It’s not just nostalgia, Marc Ashley’s presentation really shows that people stick around. And that fact really displays the power of the Market America system. Beyond the people involved, Market America has also consistently created new ways for people to earn more. “Companies are always taking away, we’re always given” says Marc Ashley. Continuing to give to the UnFranchise owners epitomize their goals of community-building.
Marc Ashley touched also on one of the pivotal points in Market America history. JR Ridinger’s dream was always to have the UnFranchise owner actually own a share of the company. He thought to do this, he would make the company public. And so people were able to buy ownership of Market America on the stock market. Though the financials were impeccable, as Marc Ashley put it, the stocks weren’t going up. So JR Ridinger decided to buy the company back from each of the investors. When he did so, he actually payed out double what each of the investors had paid per share. Marc Ashley showed a picture of JR Ridinger signing a 30 million dollar check to regain the company he’d built from nothing.
Being a private company proved far more beneficial to Market America, who can now collectively make decisions with the UnFranchise owners. This was opposed to letting the influence of people who knew nothing about Market America dictate the company’s moves. Marc Ashley says that even though Market America is private, they still publish their yearly financials for all of the UnFranchise owners to see. These are certified audited financials. By doing so, they foster company-wide transparency. Marc Ashley says “we don’t have to” but they do it to keep an open book about what this company actually does. He says “you’re entitled to receive that for your hard work.”
“What we offer you is a company that’s both profitable and stable” says Marc Ashley. The two-to-three year plan works when you set up your residual income for longevity. It’s about getting that residual income not just for you, but for your children, and your children’s children. You can rest assured knowing that you’ll continue to receive weekly checks once you’ve properly established your Market America UnFranchise business.
The Market America Convention 2017 traversed time and place, leaning back into the past and eagerly jumping forward into the future. It was the perfect balance of dreaming and doing. And that’s what Market America’s all about – walking that line of believing while making real-life steps to accomplish your goals. Future-driven and innovative, Market America is the fuel of the American Dream. “We are continually investing in your future” says Marc Ashley. The team is strong and personally invested in the success of each UnFranchise owner. So, what’s a simple Market America Convention 2017 takeaway? There’s a legacy in place. Step up and hold your place among the dreamers and doers.
