The Kiss of Death in Network Marketing

OPINION | By Todd Falcone, The Fearless Networker®

There’s a moment in many network marketers’ careers that feels like a promotion.

You’ve built a decent-sized team. You’re hitting ranks. You’re getting asked to speak on team calls or maybe even invited to the company stage.

And then it happens.

You stop doing the thing that got you there.
You stop prospecting.
You stop enrolling.
You stop acquiring customers.

You shift from producer to manager. And it feels like the natural next step — like this is what leaders are “supposed” to do.

But it’s not.
It’s the kiss of death.

I know it doesn’t sound pretty.  But…the fact that this move is so incredibly devastating to distributors’ careers, I’ve coined the term that way because it crisply breaks through the clutter.  

The Illusion of Leadership

Too many people confuse leadership with oversight.

They stop doing presentations because “my people need the spotlight.”
They stop recruiting because “I need to focus on team development.”
They stop selling because “I don’t want to compete with my downline.”

That all sounds nice. But none of it builds momentum.

This move into ‘management mode’ isn’t necessarily something you plan on doing.   It just happens.  Naturally.  

You see…when you begin building a network marketing team, you have no one.  It’s just you.  

Then…it’s you and a few.  Over time, if you keep the focus on new recruits and new customers…you end up with a sizable team.  

Here’s where the shift occurs.  You are ‘naturally’ pulled into other roles.  It happens to EVERYONE.   It is unavoidable.  The larger your team grows, the more you’re being pulled into team zooms, providing resources for your group…or being asked to train by the company or other teams.  Your days could be filled with people calling YOU asking for three-way calls or to hop on introductory zooms.  

The big miss is when you ALLOW yourself to be so pulled in that direction that it becomes the ONLY thing you do.  If you don’t think this can happen to you…be warned.  I’ve seen it done more times than I can count…and it is absolutely devastating to your check.  

Leadership in network marketing isn’t about pulling people along. It’s about leading from the front.

This business is built through example — and once you stop being the example, your team will stop too.

Let me be super blunt…

You can’t outsource credibility.
You can’t delegate belief.
You have to earn it — every month, in the trenches.

What Happens When You Stop Producing

The signs aren’t always obvious at first.
But they come — and they come fast.

1. Your team stops recruiting.
   You think they’re just lazy. But they’re actually just mimicking you. If you’re not signing people up, why should they?
2. You start losing your edge.
   You get rusty. You fall out of rhythm. You stop knowing what the field is actually experiencing — and your coaching becomes outdated and ineffective.
3. You lose your authority.
   Eventually, your team stops listening. Why? Because they can feel you’ve stepped out of the game.
4. Your volume drops.
   Attrition happens. Leaders fade. And without fresh blood, your business shrinks. Slowly at first. Then rapidly.

I’ve seen 6-figure earners lose their entire income in under a year because they moved into full-time management mode.  I’ve had to literally COACH people back into production because their check plummeted.  They stepped away from personal production for so long that they felt like they ‘didn’t have it anymore’.  If you never step away…you will ALWAYS have it.  

This profession doesn’t pay you for what you did.
It pays you for what you’re doing — right now.

Management Doesn’t Multiply

This isn’t corporate America. You’re not the VP of sales. You’re not getting paid to host meetings and run reports.

The network marketing compensation model is based on multiplication, not management.

And multiplication only happens when your team sees you doing the activities you want them doing.

If you want people to prospect — they need to see you prospecting.

If you want duplication — they need to see you creating a simple system and using it yourself.

If you want people attending events— they need to see you not only attending, but being attentive at those events. 

If you want belief — they need to see you earning the belief through activity.

Coaching has its place. Training matters. But they are not replacements for personal production.

The Trap of Over-Reliance on Builders

Let’s talk about another leadership mistake:

You’ve got one or two strong legs — a couple of “rockstars” who are driving volume. So, you convince yourself you don’t need to recruit anymore.

Big mistake.

When you lean entirely on your team to carry the business, you lose control of your future. If they burn out, slow down, or — God forbid — leave the company, you’re screwed.

But if you stay in personal production, you keep your power.

You’re not held hostage by any one leg or any one leader. You’re never dependent. You stay free.

Leaders who recruit always have leverage.
Leaders who manage always have risk.

How Corporate Can Encourage the Right Culture

This one’s for the corporate readers.

One of the biggest things a company can do is reward producers, not just rank holders. Don’t assume someone who hit a high rank five years ago is still the best example to spotlight. Look for the leaders still in the trenches — still building, still enrolling, still customer-focused.

Create recognition programs that spotlight current activity.

Set the cultural expectation that leadership = personal production.
Because once you normalize management mode at the top… it trickles down, and the whole field slows to a crawl.

How to Get Back Into the Game

If this article hit a nerve, good. That means you still care.
And here’s the good news — you can turn it around.

• Block out time this week to prospect again.
• Reach out to five old leads you’ve ignored.
• Run a Zoom for new people, not just your leaders.
• Personally sponsor someone this month. Set the tone.

And then keep doing it. Month after month. Quarter after quarter.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been inactive for six weeks or six years.
Start now.

Reflect on This Thought As We Wrap this Up

Let me leave you with one question — and answer it honestly:

If your entire organization mirrored your activity last week…
Would your business be growing? Or would it be dying?

That question doesn’t lie. And neither does your calendar.

The second you stop building, you start bleeding.

So stop managing. Start producing.

That’s how you lead. That’s how you protect your check.
And that’s how you build something that actually lasts.

About the Author:

Todd Falcone is a 35-year veteran of the network marketing profession. He’s built massive teams, spoken on stages around the world, and trained hundreds of thousands of distributors and leaders on how to succeed at the highest level. Known for his no-fluff, real-world approach, Todd is the founder of The Fearless Networker® and author of multiple best-selling training programs. Learn more at ToddFalcone.com.