Back To the Future—This Year’s ANMP Convention Is the New Tipping Point
OPINION | By Tom Chenault
The March 1992 issue of SUCCESS magazine was the first major national publication to give positive—much less enthusiastic—coverage to Network Marketing. (They still called it Multi-Level Marketing back then.) The headline was “We Create Millionaires.”
That edition outsold every other issue in the magazine’s storied near 100-year history.
It was a Tipping Point.
That flat-out endorsement of Network Marketing as a major league player in free enterprise from an esteemed business magazine helped establish our legitimate business model. We went from the “black sheep of business” to a respected leading-edge profession.
A New Tipping Point is Coming
There’s another Tipping Point like that coming.
This August. In Dallas.
At this year’s Annual ANMP 2025 International Convention.
As ANMP board member Alfredo Bala wrote— and I love this line like crazy:
“The ANMP Annual Convention is essential for the future of Network Marketing.”
Why? Because it’s a “Back To the Future” moment for our profession. And the people who are leading this shift—a transition that looks a lot like a transformation—will all be there. And so, should you.
Remembering What Made Us Great
Our industry was built on a foundation of human connection. People-to-People. Belly-to-Belly. Eye-to-Eye.
It wasn’t about algorithms or automation. It was about relationships, friendships, partnerships… and leadership. We were in the “people business” long before that became a corporate buzzword.
Then COVID hit. Fear took hold. Companies panicked. People isolated. And something fundamental shifted—we forgot who we were.
In our rush to stay relevant, we embraced digital shortcuts that promised quick results without the human investment. Venture capitalists and private equity firms saw opportunity in our vulnerability, entering our space with their short-term gain mindsets.
They pushed transactional affiliate systems where the illusion of simplicity and speed replaced the time-tested values of duplication, mentorship, and residual income.
We started valuing metrics over memories. Clicks over conversations. Data over deep connection.
And just like that, we lost our way.
The Rotation of Remember
What made Network Marketing revolutionary wasn’t fancy compensation plans or innovative products—though those do matter. What made us special was our ability to make people feel seen, heard, and valued.
As I discovered decades ago while running a restaurant with 75,000 monthly customers—success comes from connecting with people. Remembering names. Learning stories.
Those small details that make individuals feel important.
This is what I call the “Rotation of Remember” philosophy—where authentic connection and genuine caring create the foundation for all success.
When you remember people, they remember you. And that’s the bedrock of our business.
It started with the “Coffeeshop Conversations,” which evolved into ‘Contact Mapping’ and has become Nowsite (LegacyLeadership.ai)—helping networkers all over the world use technology to enhance true human connection.
Technology must enhance human connection, not replace it. It should help us remember the important details that strengthen relationships, not automate responses that feel sterile and impersonal.
High-Tech without High-Touch sucks!
Why This Convention Matters Now
The abrupt closure of Modere—a 23-year industry fixture—wasn’t just about one company’s failure. It was a warning shot across our collective bow.
The same fate awaits any organization that forgets our profession’s fundamental truth:
Relationships rule.
This year’s ANMP 2025 Convention is our industry’s rallying cry to return to those roots while embracing the future. It’s where the guardians of our profession’s legacy and the architects of its future will gather to chart a course forward.
And consider this…
The only way to leave a legacy is to live one.
Why ANMP Matters
The ANMP (Association of Network Marketing Professionals) isn’t just another organization. It evolved from what was once the Distributor Rights Association—a “gang of misfits with pea shooters,” as I fondly recall, standing up for the little guy against corporate giants. Today, it stands as our industry’s last neutral ground—a place where speakers buy their own tickets, pay for their own accommodations, and receive no speaking fees.
This is where leadership is forged. Where up-and-comers gain recognition among peers beyond their company bubble. Where networking transcends drinking the same company “Kool-Aid.”
Getting involved so many years ago with the DRA and ANMP made my career what it is today.
I go back every year to reinforce those relationships, friendships, and partnerships… and make new ones. It’s a place where we all “leave our guns at the door.” Leaders creating leaders.
What’s Really at Stake
Not attending this event isn’t just missing a training opportunity—it’s missing a movement.
When decisions affecting the future of relationship-based entrepreneurship are being made, will your voice be heard?
If you believe in a business model rooted in freedom, trust, and mentorship…
If you understand that every business is ultimately a people business…
If you’re ready to love like crazy—then love more…
Then the ANMP 2025 Convention is your appointment with destiny.
Your chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those committed to preserving what makes Network Marketing special, while at the same time, boldly embracing the innovations that will carry us forward.
This August in Dallas…
We’re not just attending a convention—we’re making history.
We’re creating our next Tipping Point.
Be part of it.
Tom Chenault is a founder and board member of the ANMP, host of the Legacy Leadership Show, and creator of Contact Mapping. With decades in Network Marketing, he champions authentic connection as the foundation for all business success.