International Men of 
Mastering Network Marketing!

Interview with 
Dave Hawkins and Noah Sifuentes

By Alan Rothman 

Dave and Noah were kind enough to relay their remarkable success stories, and the Step-by-step details of their incredible Quantum Leap methodology that unleashes the techniques for building mega-wealth in the International market! Their strategies work! Read this article to find some helpful business-building ideas to help you get off to a great start in the new millennium!

Alan: How did the two of you first connect?

Dave: Noah was one of our competitors when we first opened Enrich, Mexico. He was the General Manager of a company called Neways. Noah came in and interviewed with Enrich, and that was the place of our first meeting. Ultimately, Noah was hired as the General Manager, and he ran the company for a while until management decided a new arrangement would be necessary because the Mexican peso had lost much of its value in a devaluation. A lease agreement was set up under Noah, who sold Enrich products. I acted as the liaison between Noah and Enrich corporate management in the United States. 

Alan: How did you develop your skills in building the foreign market?

Noah: I started off 7 1/2 years ago in marketing and advertising. I initially worked for a national advertising agency in New York, handling accounts like McDonald's, Western Union, and AT&T. My first exposure with Network Marketing was in the early 90's with NuSkin. I was their Director of Marketing and Advertising. Nuskin jumped from $70 million a year in sales to $230 million in year one and went on to $496 million in sales in year two during the time I was with them. Understanding that a group of independent distributors made these numbers happen for the company was a true eye-opener. I later became a consultant to Nature's Sunshine, Lifetrends, and several other companies in their start-up phases. Morinda was the first company, where I decided to go to the distributor side of the table. 

Alan: What do most corporate departments look for as products to market on an International basis?

Dave: Most corporations like something light and cheap that won't break or freeze. Many companies are scared of a liquid in a glass bottle because of the chance of breakage or spillage. The weight can increase the freight cost. Many corporations did not have a laboratory sophisticated enough and capable of testing the active ingredients in Noni and determine if it really worked. It took John Wadsworth and John Story three years for them to figure it out and get it ready for market. 

Alan: What made you decide to switch from management to the distributor side of the business? 

Dave: I always said that if I ever received the right opportunity to become a distributor, I would do it in a heartbeat. After eight years of being on the corporate side, I decided to become a distributor for Enrich. I still would have been a distributor for them, if they had not changed their compensation plan. I had a "Presidential" position with primarily a Russian downline, and the company doubled the volumes I would need to stay qualified. When you start messing with the compensation plan, it is like you are messing with the scriptures of your church. You are going to lose your congregation. 

Alan: Based on your years of experience, what should both the experienced and new distributor look for in a company?

Dave: You look for the very best product in the marketplace that is connected to the very best compensation plan and join that company; it is your best chance for success. The only caveat is that the management must have integrity and care for the distributor. 

Noah: Irrespective of what your product or service is, this is a people business. If and when you lose perspective of that 'people factor', your business will begin to take a turn for the worse. Founders and/or management of a company must be people-oriented, and that is the greatest strength and success of a company, which wants to be around for the long-term.

Alan: Can you give me the name of a specific company and some of its leaders?

Dave: I consider Morinda to be the very best company today in multi-level. The Coconut Group (that includes Gary and Ann Wilson, as well as Del and Sylvia Williams) is heads- and-shoulders above the other two legs that are direct to the company. Your upline team has to be the best of the best. 

Alan: What are the major differences in opening up a foreign vs. the domestic market?

Dave: There are legal, cultural and language differences that you must understand and work within. You can't take the American pattern and overlay it on a foreign market. You must do it their way, or they will not accept it. For example, in Mexico, their people only want to do business with someone they trust and consider to be their friend. You must get to know the people: they must feel good about you, and they must trust you. In the foreign countries (especially the third world countries with a lower standard of living) their nutritional needs are far greater than ours, and their economic needs are far greater than ours. In the U.S., you might sign one out of ten; in foreign markets you may sign nine out of ten. 

Noah: You must understand the culture, be sensitive to their needs, and then adapt yourself to that particular country. A company's management team must be patient because success does not occur overnight. You need both a short-term and long-term strategy. In Mexico in 1993, they were going into a new 6-year political election, an assassination of a major political front-runner and then a currency devaluation of 200-300%. A company must have a contingency plan to prepare for any of these type of events. The company may need to make a price adjustment. 

Alan: What five foreign markets would be your top choices for Network Marketing companies?

Dave: Japan seems to be the #1 market place in the world. All the countries in Latin America are prime entry points, especially Mexico, Brazil, and Chile. I would also put Canada on my wish list. 

Alan: What is your #1 recruiting tool?

Dave: A business opportunity meeting, where people bring their friends. 

Alan: How did you feel when you were part of the grand opening in Mexico?

Dave: It was very exciting-almost electric-being part of a historical event with 2,000 people at the opening in Mexico City. They saw a product that was unique and not a "me too" product. Seeing the new distributors is like an extended reunion of friends and family. The friendships that you build are the glue that keeps the business together. 

Alan: What efforts do you do in preparation before the grand opening? 

Dave: You have to ship product through the freight system so you have something for recruitment and sales. You have to sign people and process the applications in the U.S. You have to get the checks from the U.S. and distribute them in the foreign market. You also have to handle all the problems of support. Once the country is open, you get to do the real business: finding leaders and building an organization. 

Alan: What does the company need to do to open a foreign market?

Dave: The company needs a permit for the introduction of each of its products. They betsation plan that will allow leaders to potentially double their paycheck on the same amount of effort. One 'sizzle product' is better than having to learn about 300 products. Once you have your leaders you want to provide superior training and provide a lot of support. 

Alan: Why does Noah make an ideal partner for you?

Dave: He is very dedicated; he works well with people; he takes care of their needs; he puts in the hours and does a good job. Between the two of us, we will find a way to relate to and cover the varying needs of different people. 

Alan: Why does Dave make an ideal partner for you?

Noah: We both speak Spanish fluently. Dave has had experience in Brazil and I speak Portuguese. We can basically be in two places at the same time. Between the two of us, almost 20 years of experience in network marketing at both the corporate and distributor level. 

Alan: How can this experience assist our readers? 

Noah and Dave: What sets us apart is our experience in foreign markets. We have an infrastructure in place that can help any distributor for the first time plug into building a global organization by piggy-backing off the time, resources and talent that we have already put in place. We have a bonus pool that pays out 3% of gross monthly sales. The big dollars will be made in the international market, and we would like your readers to get their fair piece of the pie. 

Copyright (c) 2000 Alan Rothman. All rights reserved. 

Alan Rothman (arothman@fea.net) is an author, columnist, speaker, and consultant to the Network Marketing and Communications industry. For info, call 949-362-9233 or leave a message at 800-593-9234. Author of Power Networking, LocalNet, and Secrets of the MLM Millionaires. Visit http://www.hgionline.com Look at What's New?