Doc Bunkum
01-04-2019, 01:56 PM
Not sure if you caught it, but Amway co-founder Richard DeVos died recently - Sept. 6, 2018. ( His partner, Jay Van Andel, died in 2004.)
From the articles I've read, he seemed like a real interesting guy.
I like a NY Times story that relates the advice DeVos's father gave him at an early age:
“Own your own business son,” his father advised him. “Own it. Work hard at it. Set high goals for yourself and never give up, no matter what.”
You network marketers might like to read that advice again and pay attention. His father didn't suggest he join a MLM company and harass his friends and relatives to the point they no longer would have anything to do with him, or to work for 70 cents an hour - before expenses, or to max out his credit card and go in financial ruin stock piling over priced junk that no one wanted and had trouble even giving away.
No, his father gave him sound advice that was as good then as it is today - start your own business. It's difficult but that's where the real rewards are. Not being a fool and building someone's business for them working for 70 cents an hour.
Anyways, in 1949, he and Jay Van Andel took $49 and invested the modest amount into manufacturer and vitamin direct-seller Nutrilite. They became independent vitamin distributors and later used the company's person-to-person selling approach when starting Amway with an all-purpose household cleaning product - soap.
They parlayed that $49 into a multi billion dollar company.
Forbes estimates Richard DeVos & family net worth at $5.4B and #351 of the wealthiest Americans. That's a lot of soap!
While I might not approve of the business DeVos started, I have to give him credit for using his wealth wisely . He gave a lot of money away helping humanity - a lifetime contribution of nearly $1.2 billion. The DeVos foundation spread their donations to more than a hundred organizations under the categories of community building, education, health care and arts and culture.
Good for him!
From the articles I've read, he seemed like a real interesting guy.
I like a NY Times story that relates the advice DeVos's father gave him at an early age:
“Own your own business son,” his father advised him. “Own it. Work hard at it. Set high goals for yourself and never give up, no matter what.”
You network marketers might like to read that advice again and pay attention. His father didn't suggest he join a MLM company and harass his friends and relatives to the point they no longer would have anything to do with him, or to work for 70 cents an hour - before expenses, or to max out his credit card and go in financial ruin stock piling over priced junk that no one wanted and had trouble even giving away.
No, his father gave him sound advice that was as good then as it is today - start your own business. It's difficult but that's where the real rewards are. Not being a fool and building someone's business for them working for 70 cents an hour.
Anyways, in 1949, he and Jay Van Andel took $49 and invested the modest amount into manufacturer and vitamin direct-seller Nutrilite. They became independent vitamin distributors and later used the company's person-to-person selling approach when starting Amway with an all-purpose household cleaning product - soap.
They parlayed that $49 into a multi billion dollar company.
Forbes estimates Richard DeVos & family net worth at $5.4B and #351 of the wealthiest Americans. That's a lot of soap!
While I might not approve of the business DeVos started, I have to give him credit for using his wealth wisely . He gave a lot of money away helping humanity - a lifetime contribution of nearly $1.2 billion. The DeVos foundation spread their donations to more than a hundred organizations under the categories of community building, education, health care and arts and culture.
Good for him!