Gordon Attard on Escaping 70 Hour Weeks with Network Marketing
Gordon Attard was a Chef working 70 hours a week and was still broke. Then, he discovered network marketing and his life transformed. Read this.
Wow! Gordon, you have an amazing story that I want to dive right into. I’m sure you have a lot of value to provide my readers, so let’s get started!
You were born in Malta is that correct? How is it living there? What was growing up like for you and when did the Entrepreneur spirit inside you begin?
I was born and brought up in a small town called St. Lucia (around 3,000 habitants) in the beautiful Island of Malta in the heart of the Mediterranean sea and living in here is let’s just say comfortable as everything is closer and not expensive to live in as many think.
Growing up in a small town with very limited or slim opportunities I was very adventurous, creative and a crazy dreamer since I was a kid but as I was growing up those dreams were being shut down constantly as the mentality of the people I was surrounding myself with won over, so I followed what my parents knew and guided me to do… to go to school and get good grades (although I did get good but not great grades… I didn’t like school but I always loved learning and education).
Eventually at the age of 13-14 something inside of me clicked and it was when I saw a local cooking show after school, where this chef was showing how to do simple dips and I rolled up the sleeves and after school I started to replicate his recipes in my mom’s kitchen and after I used to go to my neighbour’s house to sample my dips.
That was when the entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I knew, that this was just the beginning of something bigger and meaningful.
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You began working in the Restaurant/Catering industry (I was a line cook for 16 years myself.) Did you start as a dishwasher and work your way up, like many chefs do?
At the age of 16, I was nowhere near of knowing what I am going to do with my life (just like many teenagers around the world).
I used to play football (soccer if you are in US) and I must admit I was obsessed with that sport but I knew I couldn’t make a living out of this back then so I took a decision to apply for the catering collage in Malta for 3 years and 1 year apprenticeship abroad in Scotland, UK to become a professional chef.
So, entering in the working force as a commis chef, I made sure to compress time frames (something I learned from one of my tutors at the catering collage) so I always had a notepad and a pen with me to write new recipes and new techniques with me and that facilitated my learning process quicker than any other student in my year.
Work ethic, respect, loyalty and focus helped me move up the ranks in the kitchens where I worked in and these are key factors that work in any activity, sport, business or community.
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You worked gruelling 70+ hour weeks. How did that affect your body and spirit, and when did you start looking for a way out?
The more years passed the more responsibility I had and yes eventually I was working 70+ hours a week (not counting the time at home creating and designing new menus) 13-14 hrs shifts a day for 6 days a week.
You know when you are young you do not think that much of it but as the years went by my thoughts started asking these questions ‘Is this what you want to do all your life?’, ‘Is this what you want to do for the next 10-25 years from now on?’ at first I was ignoring them but once I saw a veteran chef (in his late 60s) lifting heavy stuff and working same hours as me… reality hit me.
I said to myself I do not want to end up like this person… I had to find another way… another way that I did not know what it was, when it is going to happen and how I will encounter it.
So in 2009, I started a Food Blog with no experience in computer or internet at all but I found a way. I was creating new simple to do recipes that started to take traction which led me to be featured in local food magazines and international food blog interviews.
It was a juggle between my work and my food blog that is was a hobby but I saw the internet potential at that time and I wanted to dig in more how to monetize that.
Then in 2011, when the global recession hit and the restaurant that I was working in as a Head Chef closed down its doors and I ended up without a job along with 7 others.
I had two options… option one is to call a hotel and go back working for 70 hrs a week (which was the easy way) or to do something different, something that has a purpose.
So, I had to remove the blinders as I couldn’t take it anymore by just existing and not living. I was overstressed, overworked and underpaid.
I missed a lot of birthdays, a lot of weddings and a lot of family activities (many chefs or people who are reading this and work in the catering industry would resonate).
I took a decision to go against all odds and I listened to my guts rather than buying people’s opinions who were against my decision. That was the day I will never forget as I felt free and open for new opportunities.
You wrote on your blog: Network marketing appeared, “as if a prayer was answered.” I like that you reference God when speaking about a better life. How has a “higher power” helped you through adversity?
After working for 13 years as a professional chef (the only job/profession I did since finishing my catering college) and then being laid off, I was praying for something and I was asking around and it was few weeks after that I received a call from an old friend of mine Carl.
That was the call I was waiting for that changed my life and my lifestyle.
It wasn’t the first time I was approached for a Network Marketing opportunity but this time I was introduced to a concept that I loved the product in fact I still remember that half way of the presentation I was already in and couldn’t wait for the presenter to shut up so I can sign up ☺.
I am catholic and I believe that God exist and he is watching over us. So whatever we do, if we put faith of the size of a mustard seed we can conquer anything by demolishing our limiting beliefs.
Look, everything happens for a reason so the moment I stumble into obstacles, challenges and adversity I know for sure God is putting me up to the test and there is no testimony without a test.
Adversity either breaks people or create record breaking results.
Statistics prove that by the age of 25, people pass over at least 2 opportunities to become millionaires and that’s why I always tell people that “Opportunities are not lost but they are taken by others”.
I grabbed the opportunity of Network Marketing as I was open to learn, I was coachable, I was hungry and I was ready to follow people who have got what I want rather than listening to average people that are waiting for the moment to see me fail (even if they do not say it out loud) they want me to prove that they are right.
You wrote a beautiful sentence on your blog that I just want to address and you can add to it if you want. “God puts dreams in our hearts that we shall pursue and achieve.” God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle, is that true?
Every single individual from around the world have dreams especially when we were kids. The thing is that as we grow up and get older those dreams fade away.
We become like a sponge of what people think, what people are going to say. All I know for sure is that you do good and you do bad people still are going to talk about you so let them be.
God puts dreams in our hearts that we shall pursue and achieve. We only got one life… guess what? This is not a dress rehearsal this is your life. Go live it doing what you love doing period.
Stop listening to your dream stealers but take action and delete them from your phone and make sure you spend little or no time hanging around them.
Instead follow your dreams, hang out with dreamers and achievers like you. Work hard on yourself each and every day to become better… to be more, to have more, to do more.
God doesn’t give us anything we cannot handle, the question is… are you ready to fight?, is your mindset strong enough to move forward? Are you ready to overcome whatever you are gonna be facing?.
This is life and you WILL encounter a lot of challenges. One of my mentors Johnny Wimbrey, always taught me… Do not entertain obstacles… what you focus on expands. Every time you face a challenge you must focus on the solution that will enable you to move forward.
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What was the first two years like in network marketing and what was the biggest lesson you learned from that time?
My first years in Network Marketing were tough… very tough, as in Malta it is a totally new concept compared to other big countries. We did not have big companies back then and it seems that now people are getting involved more as they see the potential due to being more educated about the industry.
So there was a lot of learning to be done. As I see it, Network Marketing is a self-development platform wrapped around a product or a service.
Once I understood and I saw top income earners in our company mentioning that they were working hard on themselves by reading great books, listening to audios and going to events, I knew what I had to work on.
I wasn’t that type of guy who read books before… I was reading and following recipes from top chefs like Gordon Ramsay & Marco Pierre White but now I am reading and following the recipes from top networkers like Matt Morris and Ray Higdon to impact people’s lives.
The biggest takeaway I learned from when I started in the industry is to go way faster through the No’s. I had 29 No’s before I got my first Yes and another top lesson is to never ever get emotionally attached with the outcome.
It was hard in the beginning to overcome as many new people in the industry will experience but that’s what keeps you in the game. As you increase your skills you will increase your ratio of closing.
I simply follow and live by these 3 Rules:
1) Pay Attention to those who have what you want.
2) Get enthusiastic and excited using your product or service.
3) Never Ever… Ever… Ever Give Up! You either Win or You Learn.
You invest a lot in yourself by reading, training, and attending networking events. What was your first event like and how did it affect you?
In the last few years I learned how to split my income/profits and I have an account that I put money each month for my personal growth to buy books, attend seminars that will allow me to go to another level in my life.
I suggest each and everyone who is reading this interview to pay yourself first if not you will always find an excuse for not going to your next company event or couldn’t have money to buy great books that lift you up.
You can decide what percentage you put into this ‘Personal Development Account’ it doesn’t matter how much but what matters is that you must do it, if you want to grow and become a better father, mother, brother, sister, networker, leader and business person.
My first event was around 5 ½ years ago, few weeks after I joined my current company. It was a big challenge, first because of the days off I had to take and secondly the money issue. But I made that happen!
I got creative so I sold my guitar, some games that were on the shelf and that I did not use to have the funds for the event, the flight (as it was in another country) and for accommodation + expenses there but oh boy it was an eye opener… it was a breakthrough! It was the right thing to do.
I’ve never experienced anything like that before… hearing inspirational stories from all walks of life and to be able to mingle with top income earners was amazing. You will never forget your first event!
That is when I had installed BELIEF in the company and in the industry. I always say that there are 2 times that you join a Network Marketing company. 1st when you sign up and 2nd when it gets into you. The latter is the best and what matters.
After the event I was all in and started to dedicate more time and effort to build my organization that is now in over 17 different countries.
What is your 4% group about?
The 4% group is community of entrepreneurs who are keen to learn different ways on how to generate traffic, get more leads using online methods for their opportunity, affiliates, conventional businesses and more.
By not offering overwhelming information and focus more in actions and doing we are helping more entrepreneurs implementing systems that create multiple streams of income.
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You have an awesome blog and are consistent in posting new material. How old is it, how many blog posts are on it, and what is the traffic like to it daily?
I started my blog in 2011 with little that I know how important was going to be in the future. It is really an asset nowadays.
So far I have 225 blog posts to date and in the last 2 years I started to commit by blogging consistently 3 times a week and that allowed me to increase viewership (I have over 3,000 views a month and increasing month by month).
My blog continues to evolve since I have started and I am glad that I am generating daily leads and I am monetizing my blog nowadays which was one of my goals since I started this blog.
What’s the best method to get free MLM Leads these days?
Without leads you cannot have a business.
So I am a big believer that you have to generate leads every single day and starting off with free methods like social media was a big thing for me.
Living in Malta (where only 410,000 people live), my vision always has been to reach hundreds of people who could live 6,000 miles away to show them what I am working on by building relationships on a constant daily basis. It is simply fantastic!
Yes start local but make sure you go global… that was always my vision from day 1 in Network Marketing that is unveiling.
It is great to be on every social media to increase attention but you need to focus on 2 and make sure you master them. Get good at something it is worth getting good at… then teach it to others.
I use Facebook (Facebook Lives too) and YouTube (I love doing video trainings) to get free MLM Leads. Video Marketing is huge and its potential is massive because it create an instant engagement.
Here is a simple formula I can share with you to get free leads using videos:
Introduce yourself
Ask a question (which is your topic/problem/solution)
Value (answering/solving the problem)
Call to Action (guide them to your blog NOT to your social media pages)
Value, Value, Value then profit!
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What is your favorite business book and why?
I have a lot of books that somehow added more fire power to myself and my business but one of my favourite books is ‘The Compound Effect’ by Darren Hardy because I learned how to compress timeframes and how better to use my time which allow you to focus more on your goals and things you prioritize in your life.
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What are your goals for 2017?
These are some of my goals for 2017
I will add 3 multiple streams of income
I will quadruple my residual income in my Network Marketing Business
I will travel to Asia expanding my vision
I will take 8 vacations
I will hire a virtual assistant to take care of things I can’t focus on but needs to be done
I will read more great books than this year
I will launch 2 products to help more people
I will help a minimum of 10 people earn residual income in their business
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What is your favorite quote and why?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”
Marianne Williamson
Author, Lecturer
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Wow! This is incredible Gordon! That’s one of my favorite quotes as well. It’s easy for me to feel some failure. I’m used to that, but to feel ultimate success is new and completely scary.
For more information on Gordon, please visit his blog HERE.
Other Awesome Interviews:
Jordan Adler on a Beach Money Sequel
Jackie Ulmer on Blogging for Profits
Kathleen Deggelman on Powerful Women in MLM
Phil Cooper on Running a Million Dollar Business
Keith Everett on Six Figures in Network Marketing
Angela Boswell on Affiliate & Attraction Marketing
Rick martinez on 10x Success and Power of BINK
Sincerely,
Erik Christian Johnson
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