[00:00:00] Christine: Hey friends, here at the MilSpouse mastermind show, we talk all things, life, mindset, and business for military spouses. And the one thing I hear all the time is, how do I bring in extra income without sacrificing my time freedom and flexibility?

Every time I see somebody post, “how can I make money from home?” Inevitably, you’ll get the flood of, “Join my network marketing company.” Now, I know network marketing has a bit of a stigma, but it could also be a source of extra income for your family. So I decided to devote an entire episode to the question of is network marketing, a good fit for me and for my family? And if so, how do I find the right company and opportunity?

I’m not currently in the network marketing space, so I decided to bring on my friend, Michelle Castro, who is the host of the Growth Against the Grain podcast, which is a podcast devoted to learning how to build network marketing your own way. Without the hustle, without the copy/paste culture, and really helping women in the network marketing space show up and lean into who they are and the value they have to offer. I am so excited to share this conversation with you. So grab a pen and a paper and let’s dive into today’s show.

Now, before we dive into my conversation with Michelle Castro, I want to remind you that today is your last day to enter to win a free copy of Chrissie Kenaston’s new book, What If I Name Her Grace. All you have to do is join the Milspouse mastermind Facebook community, a free community for military spouses. A community designed to give you encouragement, support, to share what you’re going through, and help us speak life into each other.

[00:02:45] So you can do that by going to milspousemastermind.com/community. Or by searching for it in Facebook groups, the milspouse mastermind community. You’ll get five bonus entries to win this book if you will simply go to iTunes and leave us a review If you are confused how to do that, I’ve made it super simple.

[00:03:10] You can go to my Instagram @milspousemastermind and there is a step-by-step guide to walk you through how to leave a review. If you need the shortcut link, I’ve created a link. All you have to do is go to milspousemastermind.com/show. It will take you to iTunes, scroll to the bottom, where it says ratings and reviews, and then leave your review there.

[00:03:33] This is so important for us to get found by more military spouses. Once you’ve done that, just pop into our Facebook group, let us know that you have left us that review, and you will get five bonus entries into the drawing to win Chrissie Kenaston’s new book. All right. Let’s pop into my conversation with Michelle Castro where we discuss how to know if network marketing is a good fit for you.

[00:03:54] Guys today I’m so excited to bring to you Michelle. Michelle is a podcast host and in the network marketing space. And I really wanted to share with you guys today, a framework for figuring out network marketing.

[00:04:22] I know so many of us are looking for some way to bring in extra income, that’s still going to give us that time, freedom and the flexibility that we need. But there are so many options out there. Perhaps you’ve tried one or two companies and it’s just not working for you. And you’re not sure why it’s not working. If it’s that you’re not cut out for it, what the problem is, all the things. So we’re going to dig into this with Michelle today. So, Michelle, thank you so much for being here with us today.

[00:04:48] Michelle: Hey there, thank you so much for having me. This is so exciting. I love doing interviews and being in other parts of the world and being able to talk.

[00:04:59] Christine: Well, can you share with us a little bit about yourself, your journey and what you are doing today?

[00:05:06] Michelle: Yes, absolutely. I am a girl mama, just like you. I have three daughters. Mine are older than yours. My oldest is an adult. Oh my gosh. She just turned 18 and just graduated from high school. And then I have a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old. I am an elementary school teacher by education. Loved it, had so much fun.

[00:05:28] And then got my first taste of owning my time. I got into real estate with my dad. It was so much fun. And I remember that first morning waking up while all my friends were back into the classroom and they were tied to their desks and I was like, Ooh, do I want to make a nail appointment at 10 o’clock? Yes, that sounds great!

[00:05:47] So once you get that first taste, you’re like, Ooh, yeah, I can’t go back. And so then we started having kiddos and I always wanted to be home. And so I started searching for some way that would allow me to really have that time flexibility, to be available. So I could be at the class parties and do all the things, but yet also contribute in a financial way.

[00:06:12] We live in Los Angeles, which is darn expensive. And so as you bring kiddos on and girls, holy cow, can we just say hair bows? You know, like you could go bankrupt on those things alone. So, um, I’ve I found myself into the network network marketing space, loved it. And I’ve been here for over 10 years.

[00:06:42] I actually just recently switched from one company to another and I love what it allows. Just exactly what you said. that time freedom, that financial flexibility that is possible. And I feel like it is such a great space for so many people.

[00:06:56] Christine: That’s so wonderful to hear, because I know so many people listening today are just searching for that same thing and really wanting to figure out how do I do this.

[00:07:06] So what advice would you give people to help them figure out first of all, if network marketing is the right fit for you? How do you know? Hey, I tried this, it didn’t work. That’s just not me. Or, you know, how do I know if that’s something that is for me?

[00:07:25] Michelle: Well, that’s a great question. And I think what you have to frame it more. Look at it just like any other industry. There’s going to be those people in network marketing. Just as there are those people that give it a bad name in real estate, in law offices, in the health and beauty, any industry. And so you have to look at it and go, okay, is it really, does the company align with me?

DO YOUR RESEARCH

[00:07:53] Is that what I’m looking for? Are they really solving a problem that I’m passionate about? Because you have to love it. Like the products can be amazing, but if you don’t want them, there’s no point in that. So you really need to do your research.

[00:08:14] And I think one of those ways is if I can jump right into it is truly those products. Looking at that. There are a few things that I think you need to look at.

One of the greatest books that I ever read about network marketing was GoPro by Eric Ware. And I had been around the network marketing space for years, but. I think, unfortunately, network marketers tend to give network marketing a bad name, because they don’t take it seriously and treat it like a business. And in reading his book, all of a sudden it turned this light on. Like, oh, it’s a profession, just like any other profession.

But you want to do your research. Just like you’re not going to go and take the first job that comes your way out of college. You want to do your research. Does this align with you?

THE PRODUCTS

[00:08:58] What is it that you’re offering? So when it comes to products for me personally, I feel like you want something that’s consumable, something that’s innovative, something that’s relevant, something, you know, a company that offers a wide variety of products. And are they, um, do you have to carry inventory?

[00:09:16] You know, so thinking through a lot of those different things. Is it a one and done? Do they have one product and that’s it. And if you don’t mind. And thinking of the long-term effects too, you might love that they have this one product. That’s amazing. But what about the rest of those people that are going to join to your team? Is that going to be a problem for them?

[00:09:36]  So just kind of looking at that whole scope of things. You know, Starbucks doesn’t just offer dark roast coffee. They have so many different options. What if somebody walks in and they don’t like dark roast coffee? Well, they’re going to turn around and walk out. No. Basically you don’t have to like coffee to go to Starbucks. They’ve made it so that you can find anything. Same thing.

Does the company that you’re looking at, do they offer something for everybody? So that you can say, oh, okay. You don’t like coffee? Well, what about, we have tea or we have, you know. So you can go along the line and really find something that fits for them.

[00:10:14] I think really, looking at that consumable product. Because leggings are great. Not knocking leggings. If you sell leggings, that’s fantastic. We all have far too many leggings, especially this last year. I think our drawers have filled with more leggings than we possibly need.

[00:10:34] Absolutely. But the reality is what did you buy more often? Products that you washed down the drain or products that filled your drawer? More than likely those things that you consumed. Whether it was you put it on and then washed it off, or you ate it and drank it, whatever. Those are the ones that you are more likely to reorder.

[00:10:57] So just kind of thinking, putting your business brain on and going supply and demand. There’s a reason why that’s such a big, big concept, you know? So are you, are you thinking of those things? Is it innovative? You know, are they really on the cutting edge of what everyone wants right now?

[00:11:14] Christine: Going back to your first part of really just learning how to treat this as a business. I think so many people, partly because we see it on social media a lot. Oh, this is so easy. You can make money in your sleep. And you think that, oh, this is just going to happen. But you actually have to treat it as a business. And whether we’re doing network marketing or whether you are just working from home, from anywhere, if you don’t have that accountability, it’s going to be hard.

[00:11:43] You actually have to do get up and do the work. If you’re just looking for something that you can say that you’re in a business, but then you just wanted to go get your nails done with the girls. Um, it’s, it’s never going to be a business. So I love what you said there about really treating it like a business and then really starting to look at the company and the products and figure out if this is something you can use, that others are going to use. Do you love it? Really helpful information right there. What else do you got for us?

THE COMPANY

[00:12:16] Michelle: Oh, good. Well, you mentioned the company. Definitely looking at the company. So this probably is, we’ll get into this a little bit later too, but I feel like this goes right on this too. Often, we join a network marketing company because our friend is doing it.

[00:12:34] And I think that’s great. You want to support them. But really my philosophy is there are people that you buy products from, and there are people that you build a business from, or with. I personally might not build a business with the same people that I’m going to buy products from, if that makes sense. Because I want somebody who sees this as a business. How are you looking at it?

[00:12:58] Like you might not want to get to the top and that’s totally fine. Success is completely how you want to define it. But I want to be with somebody who is striving to constantly be bettering themselves. And that is going to give me that mindset. And so when you’re looking at the company, thinking about that as well. Who is this person I’m talking to? What is their mindset?

[00:13:22] But then also looking at the company itself. The structure, what is the comp, the compensation plan? Is it something where everyone can win? A typical network marketing structure?

[00:13:43] You often hear people say, oh yes, you know what? Everyone can win here and you don’t have to sell. You don’t have to build a team. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to do that. But that’s not really true. Take a good look at their compensation plan. It’s a super easy search. And you know, if you can’t find it, talk to them. They will pull it up for you. And if they’re not giving it to you, that would make red flags go off for me.

[00:14:00] But look at that. Is this something where only the top of the top are winning? And that is truly one thing that drew me to the company where I am now. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Because we’re used to this typical structure where you’ve got, you know, you have your products, you have your team. If you really want to maximize it, you got to do both of those.

[00:14:23] Well, I know 90% of people, in fact, more than that. Let’s just say 90% of people in network marketing don’t want to build a team. They just want to share the products. That’s where they feel most connected. So can you truly build a successful business only selling products. Look at the comp plan, see if that can work for you.

[00:14:42] So when I say, is it something that everyone can win? Like truly, if you don’t want to build a team, can you earn money? If you only want to build the team, can you earn money? Do you want to use bills? You know, so looking through all of those avenues, what does that mean? Does the company encourage you to brand you.

[00:15:00] Or are they encouraging you to really only to brand the company? Which, I mean, as a company, of course you want them to brand the company. But really if the company cares about you and your long-term benefits, because let’s just be super honest, your, your husband’s in the military, he’s not planning to be there for the rest of his life.

[00:15:25] There are chances, you know, he’s, he’s given a certain amount of time that he’s going to do that. There’s a really good chance that he’s going to leave the military and probably do something else. Well, the same is true in network marketing. We have this feeling that when we sign up, that we’d signed in blood and we’re there for that.

[00:15:43] Well, that just doesn’t happen everywhere. And so just have that mindset that like, while you’re in it, you’re giving a thousand percent. You are totally in, but there’s a chance that you’re going to go somewhere else. And what if, when you leave where you’re at, like, what do you leave with? Do you leave having heavily marketed another company, or have you built a brand for yourself?

[00:16:05] Which I know is something that you talk about. So much about that personal branding. So you can totally do that. Sell the products within the company, but do it in a way that you are branding yourself and building your own brand. So should you decide to go somewhere else, you’re not starting back at square one.

[00:16:24] Christine: I think that’s something that’s so good because you don’t hear people talking about that a lot. You hear, you know, most of the time, it’s somebody that’s trying to get you to join their team. And so they’re telling you, you know, sell the product, promote the company. Um, and you, you don’t hear, brand yourself and the idea that, Hey, you may not stay with the same company forever.

[00:16:47] It’s so good to get that advice from somebody who is in the network marketing space, but is not trying to get you to join a specific company.

[00:16:58] Michelle: Totally. It’s really a foreign concept to me and something that I’ve learned through some personal pains. And I came out of one company that I had been with for a long time.

[00:17:11] And I was like, I don’t remember selling my soul to them. Like I don’t, I don’t know why I have to be here forever. My husband entertains other business opportunities. So why can’t I entertain other opportunities that fit me best. And again, if I had somebody from my team who leaves, I want to support them a thousand percent.

[00:17:30] Absolutely. Thank you for being here. My only request is while you’re here, while you’re in your business, be in it, don’t be in it searching for something better. Like be. Until you’re not in it, and then be in that a thousand percent. So yeah, I know it’s unpopular and I’m sure a lot of people are like, don’t listen, she’s telling you to leave.

[00:17:52] No, no, no, no. Love what you’re doing. If you love it, awesome. Stay, keep doing it.

[00:17:56] Christine: So here’s a question. You recently switched companies. Can you talk a little bit about really trying to figure out how, what company best aligns with you and really helps you come alive?

[00:18:10] Michelle: Uh, yeah, sometimes you don’t figure that out until like, after the fact. You’re like, oh, okay, this is what everyone was talking about.

[00:18:20] Um, again, I was having this conversation with our mentor, with staff earlier today and talking about in every other industry, you are encouraged to invest in professional development. You are encouraged to grow if you are inpretty much any industry. When I was in real estate, we had to do professional development.

[00:18:44] When I was in teaching, we had to do professional development to, um, continue our licenses. So that’s awesome because now you’re constantly learning new things. And as you’re learning new things, you’re, you’re either confirming that. No, no, no. This is exactly where I need to be. This is aligning with who I want, what I want to do.

[00:19:02] So why is that not the case here in network marketing too? Often, we get into a network marketing space and it’s like, no, no, no, no, no. Don’t look outside. We’re going to show you everything that you need. And that’s fantastic for product knowledge. But the reality is you need some outside eyes that are going to show you flaws and holes that you would not otherwise see.

[00:19:25] And so. That’s what happened for me. I started seeing my own holes and realizing that the company I was with was not really supporting my growth. And so sometimes it’s not really, it’s not really until you’re into it, that you go, okay, wait a second. Yes, we align. No, we don’t align. We did for a while. Um, but now I’ve learned new things and I want to, through that change, I’m realizing maybe it’s time for me to, to find something else.

[00:19:56] Christine: So what was that process like of coming to that realization that, Hey, maybe this isn’t the best fit for me. What would be the best fit, a better fit for me?

[00:20:07] Michelle: It was one of those things that I didn’t really even realize I was looking for until it hit me between the eyes. And I was like, oh, it can be done differently.

[00:20:19] It can be done. Um, in a, in a more efficient way. It can be done in a more effective way. It can be done in a more relevant way. So not only do you want products that are relevant, you want a company that’s relevant. That’s moving with the time. So what I’ve said, so here in California, March 13th, everything closed down.

[00:20:39] And what my philosophy was, if, when things opened up. So March 13th, 2020, the world stopped here. If, when the world opened up, you continued as though it were March 14th, 2o20, you missed an opportunity to grow and change. What I feel the last year gave, for me, was a realization that I need to be constantly growing with the times, what is going on, what’s happening.

[00:21:11] And if that’s not happening, then I need to find something different. I need to find something that’s supporting that change. So for me, it was this light bulb moment of, of like, whoa, the world is changing. I need to do things differently. I see this industry that I’m in staying and staying the course they’re doing it.

[00:21:32] It’s great. That’s fine. But they’re not there. They’re not seeing the trajectory of where things are going. I want to be over there. I want to be where things are moving. I want to be over there ahead of the curves.

[00:21:46] Christine: That’s so good, because I feel like that is true of every business and industry out there. You have the businesses that really capitalized on what was going on and how they could pivot and shift and adjust to move forward. And you have those that were like, okay, we’re just going to ride this out. And I think especially moving forward and in the long run, you will see the businesses that shifted and changed and evolved; those are the ones that are going to be successful in the long run. I’m so, so glad that you recognized that and that you were able to see that in yourself. And then be able to know what to do to move forward, to help you continue to grow.

[00:22:31] Michelle: Me too. Let me tell you one simple example. I was talking to one of my favorite florists out here. She’s awesome. I picked up, for my daughter’s graduation, a pretty bouquet. And so I was talking to her really quickly and I was like, Hey, how have you been surviving?

She was like, Michelle. Oh my goodness. We are not a flower shop. She has this tiny little cute little place, but she’s not a flower shop. Like Conroy’s. Like I just aged myself, big time. But you know, they used to be on every street corner. You go in and grab whatever.

 So I was like, so what did you do? She goes, Michelle, we learned really quickly. She said, I cried for like the first week or two and then realized, I need to evolve with what’s going on so quickly.

[00:23:15] She created a website that had opportunities, she kind of went like the farm girl flowers route with, you know, where you can have a bouquet and have it delivered and whatnot. She goes, we’re not a florist, we’re not a delivery, but she goes, I recognize we needed to change. We needed to adapt. She goes, that is the only thing that kept us alive over the last year. So brilliant. I love that.

[00:23:38] Christine: Yes. Yes. And really that’s for so many companies out there. You either evolve or you die and, what we’ve been able to see, like which companies were able to pivot and really make that change.

[00:23:55] So we’ve talked about you looking for a network marketing company that is the right fit for you. We’ve talked about the products and whether it’s a consumable product, how the company is innovating. We’ve talked about the company itself and whether they are focused on helping you grow as a person and really continue your development.

[00:24:19] We’ve kind of talked a little bit about the team that you’re building with. Is there anything else that you would say is an important component to find a good fit?

THE SYSTEMS

[00:24:30] Michelle: Absolutely one last thing I would add is systems. I had no clue what a business system was until I partnered with this company. I think every company will say that they have some sort of systems, but it’s so consultant or distributor dependent.

[00:24:51] It’s something that you have to come up with. What I’ve found is just three quick things that you can kind of use as your barometer. Does the company or your team help you get customers? Really does the company, does it help you get customers? Does it help you maintain customers?And does it help you get your team up and running? Is it truly plug and play?

[00:25:11] So for us, we have a system that no joke when somebody joins my team. I’m like here, Christine, I’m going to tag you in this first post. Follow it, that’s it. You do it because you know what, here’s the thing at the end of the day. And if you want to grow your business, you’re going to have to put in 99% of the effort.

[00:25:33] I am here to answer questions. Absolutely. But I cannot hold everybody’s hand. You have to have a company that is doing all of the hand-holding for you. Are they helping you get customers? Are they offering a referral type program that is so simple to use? Are they making your life easier? And that’s what you want to look for in a company.

[00:25:58] Christine: That’s so good because I have seen so many systems or companies really that, really, it’s just, you’re on your own to figure out how to sell the product. And, you know, you may love the product, and it may have gotten you results. But if there’s not that system, then you’re constantly beating your head against the wall, trying to figure out how to make it work on your own.

[00:26:26] Michelle: Yes. And that’s just super frustrating. It is because also, network marketing is, again, one of those unique spaces where, if you’re a lawyer you’ve gone to school. So you come into a law office and you have some knowledge of what you need to do. If you’re in the beauty industry, you’ve gone to school. You come into that space with some knowledge.

[00:26:41] Network marketing, nobody went to school for network marketing. So we have this hodgepodge of backgrounds and people and all of these things. So we come to this space and all of a sudden it’s like, well, you work. So you should know how to do your taxes. You know, that’s like, no, I need to know how to do this.

[00:27:04] Well, I can’t teach everybody, but it needs to be a company that truly is making the average person look amazing. And if you can find that in a company, it’s so rare and so unique, hold on to it and run and they’re out there. They’re absolutely out there.

[00:27:26] Christine: Okay, two more questions before we wrap this up. Number one, I know, especially in MLMs and network marketing companies, there is this idea of you just have to hustle harder. It’s so common. And I just hate the idea of hustle culture. I want all of our military spouses to be able to build businesses that work for them, that work for their families, that they don’t feel like they have to sacrifice time with their family, their well-being to make it happen. What advice do you have for combating this idea of you just have to hustle harder?

[00:28:03] Michelle: I hate that and I hate it because I was that. I had this feeling that if I wasn’t on my phone constantly, then I wasn’t making sales and I have to go back to, I was raised by a self-employed father and he was not tied to his desk.

[00:28:25] He made time for us. We have a choice that we can make every single day, we get to choose how we’re going to spend our time. You get to choose what you want to do with those hours. And it goes complete. You want to show up authentically, you go against the grain. You go against what everybody else is doing, and you show them how you can build an audaciously successful business without being tied to your phone 24-7.

[00:28:52] I keep my phone on do not disturb 90% of the day. My husband will call and he’s like, was I on do not disturb? I’m like, yep, I’m working. This is my time to work. You know, like I got to get stuff done because I have about a four hour block every day that divided up between my podcast and my network marketing business, so that I can get to all of those things.

[00:29:14] I want to use that time wisely. So it really just comes back to how are you using your time? Because heaven knows, we squirrel away enough time scrolling on all kinds of things. You just have to choose, and you have to treat your business like a business. Clock in, clock out and give yourself permission to turn off. You do not need to be on 24-7.

[00:29:37] And I come from the belief that God is going to bless my business, but I have to be responsible. I have to put in my work and then I can shut it off. And if somebody messages me at 10 o’clock at night and I’m like, Nope, I’m in bed. I’m done. And if I don’t get back to them and they order through somebody else, okay. That’s fine.

[00:29:58] Because I know that God has got me and he’s going to bless when I’ve been responsible with. So it’s making a choice. When you go into your nine to five, your boss doesn’t expect you to be answering their phone calls at 10 o’clock. And if you do, that’s your fault because you’ve answered them. So they think that they can keep messaging you. You just have to set up those boundaries.

[00:30:29] Christine: It takes a lot of effort to really set those boundaries up, but those boundaries are so important. And, and that’s really what we talk a lot about is, you know, setting up those boundaries and realizing that not everybody is going to understand or appreciate your boundaries. But if we really want that life that gives us that freedom, that gives us the control we want, that allows us to live the life we want, then we have to make those hard decisions and be willing to accept the consequences. What really matters in the long run?

[00:30:47] The last thing that I want you to do is perhaps encourage some of our listeners who are new in the network marketing space. There’s a lot of time and energy that goes into a business in the beginning where you’re probably not seeing a lot of return on investment. And if you were to go to a typical nine to five, you are getting paid as soon as you start working. Network marketing tends to be more of that long game. So what encouragement would you have for somebody that is starting out and really not seeing a whole lot of return on investment right now?

[00:31:44] Michelle: Oh, that’s a great question. So much of it comes from setting realistic expectations. And a lot of that comes from your upline. Are they setting realistic expectations for you? Just because they, you know, hit the top 2% in month four does not mean that that is the norm. So really thinking about what is it that you want. And I mean, I recommend every one not follow people in their industry.

[00:32:13] Not follow people in their company, because what ends up happening is you have comparisonitis. You’re like, wait. We enrolled at the exact same time and she’s here, but I’m here. What’s going on here? So set your expectations in a realistic manner. I am all about audacious, like crazy, insane goals, but then you also have to set them in such a way where you’re like, okay, well, but what do I want?

[00:32:42] $300 a month would be fantastic. What does that mean I have to do to get there? Then you get that $300, and then you go, okay, well, 300 is great, but could I get 500? Okay, what do I need to do to get there? I love to reverse engineer my goals. If you say that you want to earn $300 a month, figure out what does that mean within your company?

[00:33:04] How much, you know, what is the commission on X product? Okay. Is it $10? Okay, great. How many of those do you need to sell? To get to $300? Okay. 30 of those. Okay. Well, we’ve got 30 days in the month. That means you need to sell one of those every single day in the month for you to earn that particular amount. Well, all of a sudden, you’ve taken 30 items to bite sites.

[00:33:30] Like how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, little by little, and then once you do the 30, then you’re like, oh, well, okay. Maybe I can do make me, I can do 50 of those. Maybe I can do, you know. And so just really setting those things in a way that, that make sense to you. That makes sense for your network, who you’re dealing with and figuring out how to not just be constantly talking about your product all the time.

[00:33:54] Putting value in there, you’ll have a lot to share. I don’t care who you are. You’re alive on this earth. God has created you with value. You’ve got a lot to share. So figure out how you can use your personal branding. You know, who you’re talking to, what pain point they have, how can you share those things and be willing to give yourself six months to a year?

[00:34:19] Build those relationships. It would be far better if you didn’t make a sale in those first three, six months, but you built some amazing relationships. I mean, you want to talk about going against the grain? Build relationships in network marketing and don’t ask for a sale. I mean, that’ll rock the boat.

[00:34:38] Christine: This is so good. This is so good. I love this because this applies to all of us as military spouses. It’s so easy to look around and compare ourselves to everyone else that has those systems in place, that has the family that can watch your kids, that has all of these relationships. And you are spending so much of your time trying to get through a deployment or prepare for your move.

[00:35:03] And you’re like, I am not growing at the same rate that somebody else is. We cannot compare ourselves. We have to be able to set the realistic goals for ourselves, then reverse engineer it and say, what does this mean on a day-to-day basis? What is my next step? What do I need to do today? And then just give yourself a timeframe. It doesn’t have to happen overnight.

[00:35:27] Just be aware that it’s going to take time to build something. Even something like this podcast, you know, it takes time to grow a podcast. Most podcasts are not an overnight success. So many military spouses can find this, whether it be today, if you’re listening to this when it comes out, or a year from now, when it’s still there, because more and more people are going to find it over time.

[00:35:56] Michelle, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us today. I know my listeners are going to find this so valuable. How can my listeners connect with you and learn more about what you do and get in touch with you?

[00:36:11] Michelle: Thank you so much. This has been so much fun. I could talk network marketing business all day long.

[00:36:21] You can find me over on Instagram at Hey.its.michellecastro. There are a lot of Michelle Castro’s so I had to get super creative there. So Hey dot it’s dot Michelle Castro, and then over on apple podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts, growth against the grain. And a website growth against the grain.com.

[00:36:35] Christine: Perfect. Thank you so much for being here with us today.

[00:36:39] Michelle: Thanks for having me.

[00:36:39] Christine: Hey guys, I hope you found this conversation super valuable. I know how many military spouses are wondering, how can I find a way to bring extra income into our home without sacrificing the flexibility, the time freedom that I need to be there for my family. So I hope you found this encouraging.

[00:37:00] I hope that this gave you some ideas to think through about how you can make a contribution without sacrificing what matters most to you. I will have all of the links to get in touch with Michelle on the show notes below. So please take a look at that. Head over to see what she is doing. The growth against the grain podcast is a great podcast to listen to if you are in the network marketing space.

[00:37:22] If you found this valuable, please hop in the Facebook group, let me know, or share this episode in your stories and tag me so that we can continue to help more military spouses thrive. And don’t forget today is the last day to enter, to win a free copy of Chrissie Kenaston’s book, What If I Name Her Grace?

[00:37:45] All you have to do is join our free Facebook community for military spouses. You can head over to milspousemastermind.com/community. Or just search for the milspouse mastermind community on Facebook. And for five bonus entries, just leave us a review on iTunes about what you love about the show, a favorite episode or whatever it is that is on your heart, that you have taken away, whatever that nugget of truth.

[00:38:18] If something I’ve said has transformed the way that you think about things, or that has been helpful to you in some way, come share that message so that more military spouses can find us, and we can build this community that helps each other. Encourages one another and helps us on our journeys to living lives of purpose today. Until next time may you live filled, fueled and full of joy.