Hello, ntwrkrs! I’m absolutely thrilled to introduce you to this collection of extraordinary journeys written by the Leading Ladies in the Network Marketing profession. With nearly half a century in this field—yes, I started before some of you were even born—I’ve seen this profession flourish and grow from the pre-computer, meeting-in-living-room days to the social-media-fueled online arena it is today. I joined my first company as a teenager, left after a decade, and have been with my current company for thirty-seven years. 

In that time, I’ve built one of the largest sustainable global businesses in the organization—all while raising a family, gaining substantial personal and professional growth, and traveling the world. Based on my experience, and the experiences of so many other women I know in the field, I firmly believe that the Network Marketing profession is the ultimate career path for women who want to balance life’s priorities. Any woman, anywhere, can optimize her career for family, finances, and freedom.

What makes this career path so unique for women is its equitable playing field—there are no glass ceilings here! Compensation plans are impartial: you meet the criteria, you reap the rewards. This profession is a meritocracy—it’s a system designed to deliver success based on what you do rather than your race, gender, or educational background.

Before I entered the profession, my career confidence suffered. I had only minimal experience as a swim coach and a secretary. I didn’t have a college degree. But as soon as I transitioned into Network Marketing, I became determined never to confine myself to a desk or let others determine my worth again. I reveled in the entrepreneurial spirit, and loudly declared myself “unemployable” by traditional standards! 

I’ve fallen in love with knowing exactly what I need to do to be successful, and earning in direct proportion to my efforts—and I believe you will, too, once you truly understand your company’s compensation plan and income disclosures. This is a profession where you can choose your own pace: you get to decide whether you walk, jog, or run, and whether you’re looking for some extra pocket money, or substantial career income. The possibilities are truly limitless.

And, despite what the uninformed public may think, it’s important to point out that Network Marketing isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a platform for genuine enterprise, complete with all the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, and it comes with something extraordinary: relationships. This profession is about building hope, not hype. Women, in particular, excel here due to our innate strengths in relationship-building, networking, and fostering community—skills that align perfectly with the ethos of the Network Marketing profession.

When Christopher approached me to write this foreword, I was overjoyed at the opportunity to support a project that promises to transform lives through its honest and vulnerable storytelling. This isn’t just another social media facade of perfect women with perfect makeup and perfect lives. It’s a no-holds-barred, genuine collection of personal lessons from twenty-two women who have faced the good, the bad, and the ugly of personal and professional life, turning challenges into triumphs and becoming the heroines of their own stories.

So, dive into these pages, arm yourself with a pen and paper for notes, and prepare to build your own legacy through the Network Marketing profession. I hope that one day, I get to read your story—the one about how you read this book, did the work, and became a fellow Leading Lady in this amazing field.

—Donna Johnson