According to figures from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the number of registered online businesses drastically jumped to 75,000 in September 2020 from just about 1,700 in March 2020. This means that more people have decided to put up their online business amid the pandemic when many lost jobs and the authorities implement stricter measures to contain the spread of the virus.
One of the popular home-based businesses these days is direct selling of a product or brand. There are two ways to earn from this practice—through earning retail profit and building your own group of resellers or distributors.
Santé Barley is one of the uprising companies that are providing direct-selling opportunities to Filipinos. The firm produces a wide selection of barley-based nutritional products, which have proven to be viable and sellable over the years.
Do you want to be a millionaire even while staying at home? Here are two successful Santé direct sellers who have proven that it is possible to become multi-millionaires just by reselling or distributing promising products.
Millionaire widow
Shirley Reginaldo of San Juan City, a widow and mother of four girls, has been into direct selling since 2012. She first learned about Santé on TV. She was instantly interested to resell the company’s barley-based products.
“I first learned about Santé on TV, and I was amazed by its benefits. But when I learned that they distribute them through direct selling, I lost my interest until my sister, who, at that time, got sick, needed to take some food supplements to help her maintain her health and wellbeing. And so, we bought Santé Barley and, eventually, decided to become a part-time direct seller. Two years after, I became a full-time Santé business owner,” she recalled.
Now on her eighth year as a Santé direct seller, Reginaldo said having a home-based venture has allowed her to be in control of her time. She raves about being able to sell products via social media or online—enabling her to have a good income source despite the pandemic.
Millionaire nurse
A nurse by profession, Gershon Gallego from Mindanao was 25 when he put up a small business. He was then inspired by a brother—a former overseas Filipino worker. From there, he got into direct selling with Santé, together with his then-girlfriend, who is now his wife. The couple became Santé business owners in 2015.
“I remember us borrowing money because we have nothing back then,” Gallego reminisced. “All we have is our dreams. My wife and I started as part-time Santé business owners with a promising opportunity in mind and a vision to earn more. We did it consistently with focus and determination. A few years later, with God’s grace, both of us earn seven digits, and now doing it full-time.”
Now at 30, Gallego aspires to help others find success in direct selling. He is thankful that through this business, he is able to earn income, even while staying at home.
Tips to succeed in direct selling
Reginaldo and Gallego share some practical tips that can serve as a guide to all aspiring millionaires who are decided to take the direct-selling path:
• Understand the product you are selling. Know its components, ingredients, and benefits. You can sell better if you are properly equipped with such knowledge.
• Be confident about the quality of the product you are selling. It would be better if you are a consumer yourself of the product.
• Know the relevance of your product. These days, most consumers prioritize maintaining a healthy immune system.
• Choose a company that can facilitate ordering of products remotely or online and ships those conveniently. Fortunately, Santé now makes it easier for entrepreneurs to get into the direct selling business through its online resources.
• Lastly, both Reginaldo and Gallego emphasize that there is no need to wait until the pandemic is over before getting into direct selling. For them, now is always the best time to start a home-based business.