BUT ….I’ll Hold the Mayo

Network marketing is a strange profession — unique, misunderstood, and filled with people from every walk of life.

But today, I’m focusing on two specific types who sit on opposite ends of the psychological spectrum. Together, they make up a huge portion of MLM participants.

One of these types actually does succeed… at least for a while. But their success often comes at a cost — short-lived, hollow, and sometimes destructive.

Then there’s a third type. The kind these first two can become if they go through the right transformation. The kind whose success is deeper, longer-lasting, and far more impactful — both for themselves and for the lives they touch, directly or indirectly.

I’ve always loved movies for the way they highlight turning points — those moments when a character’s life pivots. How they react in those moments shapes their future. It’s the same in real life.

Two films from the 80s, surprisingly, mirror MLM participants almost perfectly.

The New Recruit — a.k.a. The Deer in the Headlights

In Private Benjamin, Goldie Hawn plays a spoiled, self-entitled, undisciplined woman tricked into joining the U.S. Army by a recruiter who should have been selling used cars.

He paints a picture of yachts and luxury apartments. “If you don’t like it, you can quit,” he tells her.

She buys it.

She has no clue what she’s really signed up for… but she’s about to find out.

The Heavy-Hitting Program Jumper — a.k.a. The Fox Guarding the Henhouse

Then we have An Officer and a Gentleman. Richard Gere’s character, Zack Mayo, is the seasoned hustler — street-smart, self-serving, and skilled at working the system. He’s got talent, but it’s all aimed at one target: himself.

He knows the game inside out. Or so he thinks.

What he doesn’t expect is a drill sergeant (Lou Gossett Jr.) who’s smarter, tougher, and fully committed to humbling him.

Two Recruits. Two Mindsets. Two Destinies.

Judy Benjamin enters basic training kicking, screaming, and complaining. Who could blame her? She’d been lied to.

Within eight days, her influential parents have her release lined up. Problem solved. Escape complete.

But then — her father’s lecture hits her like a gut punch.

She sees, maybe for the first time, the shallow, self-absorbed existence she’s been living. Goldie Hawn delivers this realization without a single line of dialogue — you can see it in her eyes.

In that moment, she decides: she’s staying. Salute. About-face. Back to the barracks.

The structure and discipline she once resisted become the foundation of the independent woman she never could have become otherwise.

Zack Mayo? He wants to fly jets — the MLM equivalent of making seven figures. Officer training is just a hoop to jump through.

He hustles his classmates, breaking the honor code for personal gain. When he’s caught, Foley gives him an ultimatum: quit, or endure an almost impossible training gauntlet.

He chooses the gauntlet.

By the end, the cocky lone wolf turns back on the obstacle course to help a struggling teammate over the wall. His transformation is complete.

The MLM Parallels

Most MLM “new recruits” are Judy Benjamins — sold a fantasy, crushed by reality, and quick to quit when friends and family voice their doubts.

Most MLM “foxes” are Zack Mayos — exploiting their skills and charm for short-term wins while burning bridges and people along the way.

The tragedy?

Most “deers” never develop the backbone to stand up and stay in the fight.
Most “foxes” never get the humbling they need to change.

The industry’s biggest foxes — the ones running the show — have no incentive to change. The churn keeps their profits flowing. And so, the cycle repeats.

I’ve been both the deer and the fox. I learned from foxes, and became one myself. Not maliciously — but driven by utility, not integrity. It disgusted me enough to step away from my business for over a decade.

But here’s the good news: the churn is eating itself. Junk companies and fake gurus are collapsing. When the dust settles, there’s a chance — just a chance — for a model the public can actually respect.

The Third Type

The third type of MLM participant isn’t born — they’re forged. They’ve had their Judy Benjamin awakening and their Zack Mayo humbling.

They build ethically. They focus on systems, not personalities. They remove the very obstacles that drive people out of this business.

My promise is simple: give me four hours a week, and you’ll learn my system. From there, building a profitable business isn’t rocket science.

Think of it like a McDonald’s franchise — but without the million-dollar buy-in — and with the added bonus of passive income.

Want in?

If you can see yourself as an entrepreneur in a system built to last —
Watch my free video here.