Building a Legacy After 50, When the Decision Is No Longer About Money, But About Values

Levente Okos, Zinzino Director – a conscious shift that also shapes his children’s vision of the future.

“Dad, I want to be a networker, because I want to be a free and healthy person.”

Few sentences give a parent stronger feedback than when their child not only sees, but truly understands what they are building. For Levente Okos, the stakes of the decision therefore went far beyond business: close to fifty, with more than twenty years of experience in network marketing behind him, after the closure of a company in Romania, the question was not whether he would continue in the industry, but which company, which corporate culture, and what kind of leadership were worth committing to for the next ten to fifteen years. When you have to make a change, there is no time for evasions. Either you continue out of habit, or you consciously rebuild on new foundations—so that what you create also contributes to your children’s vision of the future.

“I went out for a run, and as I often do, I was thinking about whether I really want to keep doing this, or if I’m just continuing out of habit. Network marketing itself was never in question—I’ve always loved it—but rather which company and which values I want to tie the coming decades of my life to.”

After his previous company ceased operations in Romania, Levente consciously evaluated the network marketing companies on the market. Nearing 50, he felt this was more than a simple career change. Beyond money and position, it mattered that what he was building would show his children a direction centred on freedom, health consciousness, and responsibility.

Brutal Honesty: The Questions of Starting Over That Cannot Be Avoided

Levente does not idealize starting over—there was fear involved. Especially the fear of choosing wrong again, and the feeling that around fifty it is harder to “reopen” a professional path. But instead of slowing him down, this fear disciplined him.

“Fear is not an enemy, it’s a signal. I didn’t suppress it; I turned it into questions. I wanted to be brutally honest with myself and with the situation. Do I want to be working here in 10–15 years? Does it work long term? Does the product deliver real value, does it genuinely help? Are the leaders those ones I would follow even if there were no business?”

He looked for answers based on data and professional analysis, not emotion. When Zinzino approached him, Levente did not rush—he was already mentally prepared for a change. He analysed the business model, the marketing plan, and the management, while his wife, a pharmacist, reviewed the product portfolio from A to Z. Together, these perspectives created the solid foundation that, for an experienced network marketer, matters more than momentum.

“One thing I knew for sure: I couldn’t afford another mistake. That’s why who approached me mattered so much—a person I trusted, a credible entrepreneur who had never been involved in MLM before. And my children—perhaps not consciously—helped me the most by reminding me that they are watching. Today I’m no longer chasing quick success; I’m building a legacy.”

Where Many Would Have Given Up, He Rebuilt His Team

The hardest part was that he didn’t arrive with a team. After a company shuts down, starting again from zero is a serious mental challenge, even for someone experienced. Still, Levente approached it simply: if the product and leadership are solid, the process will work. The question was never if it would succeed, only when. In a pioneer market, consistent presence is decisive. Once they recognized this, they worked more structurally: more communication, more education, faster responses—and the growth of the team visibly accelerated.

First Understanding, Then Decision making – This Is What the Growth in Romania Is Built On

According to Levente, education is clearly the key in Romania right now. A test-based mindset and conscious decision-making are still new for many people, so they first need to understand what they are being offered before they can choose well.

“What I see is a lack of education. Something entirely new has arrived on the market, and it’s completely understandable that people are still learning what a test-based, conscious decision means when it comes to health. This gap is also our greatest advantage, because we can be pioneers in a market that we already know well from a network marketing perspective.”

When real product value meets consistent education, the market matures quickly. In team building, remote presence alone is not enough—fieldwork and professional background are also needed. Kristofer Kamras, Zinzino Royal Ambassador, played a very important role in this as well, even moving to Romania for several months to build the market together.

“The Hungarian market entered Zinzino’s life eight years ago thanks to the bold decisions and determination of Ria Kamras, Zinzino Global President, and her son, Kris. The fast and sustainably stable results they achieved are clear proof that they are capable of launching and stabilizing new markets. They are now passing on this experience through their mentorship in building the Romanian market. We discussed our plans, and they immediately stood by us. Our shared goal is to turn momentum into lasting, stable growth.”

One Sentence That Made Everything Fall Into Place

After a while, Levente no longer waited for external validation that he was heading in the right direction. He did the work, built trust through conversations, meetings turned into partnerships, and daily effort brought a new rhythm into family life as well. Then came a completely ordinary moment—one he will still remember: his daughter looked at him and, without any preface, said:

“Dad, I want to be a networker, because I want to be a free and healthy person.”

In that sentence, Levente heard everything he had spent years striving to live rather than explain: that freedom is shaped by our choices, health by what we pay attention to, and responsibility by living the same values as people that we represent in our work. And when a child articulates this on their own, it is a stronger answer than any title or rank achieved. It means the example has gone through. At that point, it became completely clear to him that in starting over, age is not the decisive factor, but the skills you bring with you: understanding people, perseverance, systems thinking, leadership.

“I learned to learn again. To stay open. I know that networkers of my age and experience are cautious when it comes to switching or starting over—which is a wise approach. What I learned about starting again is that having a conversation over a coffee with credible, respectable people about a good business opportunity was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Because we never know which coffee will change our lives.”