Should I become a consultant?

[sue_h]

Thanks for the input Zarbos. It is good to read everyone's perspective so that I can go into with a realistic expectation rather than a sales pitch provided by a brochure or Thermomix member. I did the sums on the hourly rate the beginning and figured I certainly won't make any money. If I recoup costs I'll be happy. You raise a few good points that I need to be aware of. I do love the Thermomix and have an passion for cooking, healthy food and love cooking for people. I'm going to give it a go, but not with the expectation that this will make me lots of money, similar to a few other consultants on this forum. If I don't give it a go, it will always be something that's niggling at me, so better to take a chance and see what happens. I'll let you all know how it pans outs.

[zarbos]

Hi sue,
Give it a go, there's no harm in that. Just remember that it is time consuming and they do expect you to give a lot of yourself to them, irrespective of what they may say. So much of what is done is expected to be done voluntarily, and they will keep reminding you of this. Good luck, and I hope you have a good experience with it.

[baf65]

why would you go into a business and not expect to make any money out of it....it seems like a waste of time!  the only people that will benefit from it will be the company!  it all very well to say you love the product and want to spread the word but to spend hours of your week not to be better off for it, then you might as well just spread the word without working for them

[quirkycooking]

Well, it's definitely helped our financial situation, we're on the way to being able to buy a house now, and we were at a standstill with our savings before. I made a good profit in my first year, after tax, and that's more than a lot of new home businesses do!!! I love it, been a consultant nearly 2 years now, don't feel pressured, haven't had any bad expriences, and I'm hoping to be in it for the longterm! 

[sue_h]

 I really appreciate the frank discussion from Baf and Zarbos. Baf it was an option just to spread the word and work with my consultant. By being a consultant though I also hope to learn a bit more about the machine, attend extra cooking classes and meet other like minded people and learn from them. This discussion has prompted me to look at my motivation behind wanting to become a consultant and they are so varied. Since posting this weeks ago I've looked closer and the nutritional aspects have really sparked my interest and may be something that I will follow down the track.

As for why would I do it if not for $. Similar reasons (although the not in the same category) as to why I'm giving up 4 days of this week to volunteer for SES and 2 days every week helping out the school. I think I'll have fun and enjoy it. If you believe in something and think that people can benefit from it, then its worth giving and go and seeing if its for you. With Thermomix, there's always the added benefit that it may make $ but if I go in it just for the $ then there are plenty of other things I could do, such as go back to full time (I'm currently part time) employment. It also seems a fairly safe business as there is minimal outlay and flexibility in working hours, locations.

[zarbos]

The discussion is getting interesting.
I joined thinking I would learn to use the tm more efficiently, but you don't really learn that during training. As for the classes, I've had to pay to get into all the classes; the only ones you don't pay for are the ones you help at and if you're helping, you don't get to watch the class. The no free lunches rule applies.
If I had my time again, I'd like to do something with a consultant where I would provide leads and get a spotters fee rather than actually be a consultant. I think part of the incentive behind being a consultant is because people feel that they love the Thermomix so much that they want to be paid for every machine they hype up - let's face it, it isn't hard to rave about the Thermomix, is it?
I think it's great quirky is doing so well, but I don't think there are too many cases like hers around. Surely there must be more current and past consultants who can come into the discussion? It's easy to hear about the success stories, but what about the ones that don't make it? There must be lots of consultants who leave, otherwise, why is it there are so many owners on this forum who don't have a consultant? This is a huge area the company should address - what is the company doing to ensure all customers are being looked after, after all, customer care should be factored into the price of the tm. I realise the company knows they don't have any competition, but it's all a matter of time before there are competitors on the market. I'm going off on a tangent now, so I'll stop here.

[quirkycooking]

Funny that you didn't feel you learnt much in your training, Zarbos... I felt like I learnt heaps! I'd had a tmx for years, but until I did my training, I didn't use it near as much as I do now.  Maybe it was also the encouragement from my group leader - she taught us to do so much that I'd never tried, and the more I learnt, the more I wanted to try.  I'd come home from cooking training and make the recipes all again for the family, so excited at what I'd learnt. Sue will have the same group leader as me - I'm sure she'll find her as inspiring as I have.   

I've never paid to get into a class since I've been a consultant, but I guess I'm always helping with the class... If it was a specialty class that I wasn't helping at, but I wanted to see, I'd be happy to pay - the food and the venue and the speaker have to be paid for after all.

Like you, Sue, I've always done a lot of volunteer work, and I was thrilled at the chance to do a job that was also a help to other people - teaching them about healthy eating, helping people with allergies find ways to cook things they'd missed out on for years, helping people to be able to eat well while saving money... And it's just a bonus to me that I can also earn money doing what I love!   

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I know there probably aren't a lot of major success stories like Meagan and Quirky Jo, but I guess people do become consultants for different reasons.  Some people become consultants simply so they can earn their machine and sell a few to family members and friends. It is a means for getting a TM for people who may not otherwise be able to afford one.  They may not do it for long, but they have most likely achieved what they set out to do.

I don't think there is any problem with people giving it a go and we all know there is no such thing as easy money. It is a choice and people must be choosing to become consultants or HO would be forced to change their terms of employment in order to attract more consultants. It wasn't that long ago we were congratulating Meagan on her paid trip to Dubai.

[zarbos]

I think you've hit the nail on the head, quirky. You've been a consultant for 2 years, and your group leader sounds very experienced, as well. I don't think there's a group leader in my area who's had their tms for 2 years, let alone be a consultant for as long. Maybe that has something to do with it, and that's why what you and everyone else has to say is invaluable.
One thing I have found interesting is that it seems, in my group, it is the other consultants who seem to be really helpful when it comes to hands on knowledge, and that is probably to do with time and experience. When comes to the time when you become a group leader, your 2 years will hold you in good stead and you will be a great group leader.

[quirkycooking]

Thank you Zarbos.    I do think it would be harder if you'd only just bought your machine - I've had one for about 6 1/2 yrs. 

[earth mumma]

Hmm- interesting the varying experiences as consultants.  I've been a consultant now for just on one year.  Positives for me -  aside from financial gain have been: an increase in self esteem (I'd been out of the workforce full time parenting for 7yrs), increase in organisation (you have to be organised to do demos and the follow up work and run a house and family), life taking off in a different direction, like quirky and Sue and lots of others here I have a passion for health and nutrition.  I now have started my own business as a 'food coach' guiding people through Cyndi's 21 day program (we have the licensing rights through our Chiropractic office) and am able to show people how quickly and easily they can create whole foods using a TM - it's a great partnership.  I am now thinking I would like to become a nutritionist.  Negatives for me have been that most people want demos on the weekend or at night and the best time for me is during the day.  With a husband who works late (7pm) 3 nights a week, this just isn't an option.  I know I could be more successful with sales if I was willing to give up some of my family time, but it's not worth that for me.  I am lucky in that Thermomix is more of a side business and not a necessity.  If I was to finish with TM I wouldn't mind either way.  The bit I love more than anything is the client contact and this also makes me less effective as I spend way too much time with people when I deliver a Thermomix. I also email clients about once a month and love hearing what people have been making and encouraging them to make the most of their TM.  I am having a cooking session on Thursday with a client who is not making the most of her TM and love that I can do this.  Another negative ifor me is that the demos can be too prescriptive as to what you make.  Often clients want to see other things - strictly speaking as a consultant you are not supposed to change the menu, but I will often do special things that have been requested, or sometimes will have people come to me and we'll cook one on one - the things they want to see - to help them make up their mind (I have found this has been more sucessful than group demos on occasions).  With the things you get in your business kit when you become a consultant, even if you decided after training to not go ahead, you come out of it without speanding too much.  Oh and my average has been about 2 per month.


 

[quirkycooking]

I like your style, Earth Mumma!   I didn't realize you were a consultant - what area are you in? I've had the same experience as you - more confidence (after being a sahm for years), more organized (usually - lol) & loving sharing about healthy eating!  (Plus many other plus-es!) That's great you're coaching Cyndi's program!  I've often dreamed of becoming a naturopath - maybe one day.  I'm in the same boat with wanting to keep my family time - I think that's important, especially with young kids. 

[earth mumma]

Thanks Jo.  I'm in Bendigo - Central Victoria, we were lucky and escaped the worst of the Victorian floods.  I loe your blog and recipes and encourage all my clients to check out your blog.

[quirkycooking]

Thanks Earth Mumma    I was born down that way (Echuca) - haven't been back since I was 16 though. Glad it didn't get too flooded there - it's been awful! 

[sue_h]

Finally finished my training earlier in the week. I loved the training. My GL gave me so much more info on the Thermomix to understand it's properties and uses. There will be extra work with the cooking classes and other expo type demonstrations and I'm looking forward to them which I didn't think I would at first. I loved the training demo with my GL last week and the friends who attended there were blown away by what it could do. I got 3 bookings from that and a potential sale, so that's great. I have my first solo demo on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it. I'v even got up the courage to show some people at work and I can't believe the interest that has created. People seem to really want to be able cook nutritous food but don't really speak about it until given the opportunity. Once I've had a chat I find that I can give them so much more info not only on the Thermomix but on other sites that I've found along the way (such as QuirkyCooking and Whole Food Cooking to name just few). Thanks everyone for your input. Only time will tell how I go and if I can make the minimum 1 sale per month. Should be OK with that for now.