I'd recently given birth to our second child, Molly, and was busy being mum at home to both her and our two-year-old son, Harry. During July that year, I'd made a huge decision to sell my business of three-and-a-half years. I'd been busy running a bridal boutique and absolutely loved what I did. However, once I'd had my little ones I was then having to pay full-time staff on top of all the other overheads, and there just wasn't enough left for me at the end of each month – yet I still had all the stress and responsibility.
As much as I loved being mum at home, I soon realised that I needed something more. Forever had been in my life for the previous eighteen years as my mum had built an amazing business during this time. Eleven years later, my sister also joined the business and has been a real inspiration. I've always seen how hard they have both worked to achieve a fabulous lifestyle and I really wanted to be part of that too. It still makes me giggle though, as my sister and I both swore we'd never join! I even banned any Forever conversation between them in my presence as it was all they seemed to talk about!
From making the decision that the time was right for me, my business flew pretty quickly. I had a sense of urgency as knew that I needed an extra £600 per month to replace my shop income. In three months I'd achieved this, had built an amazing team and made some wonderful friends. Six months later I made Manager position; I couldn't quite believe it! My income is more than I'd thought possible when I started and I've also achieved Earned Incentive thanks to an amazing and supportive team. It's amazing what happens when you set solid goals!
It's not always easy, and yes it is a balancing act, and sometimes you do need to give up a few other things in order to make the time to grow your business.
I have some fabulous people in my team who I know aren't far behind me, and helping them is just so inspiring. We all make sure we are at every event, whether it be a Success Express, the Global Rally, or the BPs and trainings. This has been so important in helping to keep everyone motivated and excited.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to my mum and my sister for not giving up on me and for being such fantastic role models. I see the wonderful lives they live, and being able to do the same for my family is my greatest achievement.

Kyra was working as a Deputy Director at a Women’s and Children’s Charity…
I had worked in this career to a high position after twenty years of investment and study when I was introduced to the opportunity. My job role took up fifty-to-sixty hours a week and by the time I got home to my beautiful daughters and husband I was exhausted.
I was passionate about the work I did and wasn’t looking for another option, but I knew my life wasn’t in balance and the mounting debts we had indicated that the job wasn’t financially or emotionally meeting our family’s needs.
With great trepidation I took a look at the business and saw a way of earning an additional £300 that could ease the pressure. I took a chance and got started in August 2015.
What happened next still feels surreal; I was able to get the financial return on my investment of starting the business within ten days and by the end of the month I could see the profit in my purse.
As a family we began to breathe. Working in the pockets of time around my demanding job I was able to build my business from home and within six months matched my corporate income. Ten months later I had cleared any debt we had. I was in a position to leave my job, be a mum at home and have an income where we didn’t have to reduce our family requirements.
Almost four years on, I am still a mum working from home. I am there for my children every day, I never miss an Irish dance competition, a school event, or have to leave them when they are unwell.
I have the privilege to work in the leadership team in Ireland, but my business now spans the globe. World travel is part of my year as Forever provides incredible opportunities to those who work hard in their businesses. My family and I were gifted with a Mediterranean cruise, my husband joined me on a trip to America and I have travelled to the Middle East, Europe and the USA numerous times as a thank you from the company.
The positivity and the integrity of this business is refreshing. I have made lifelong friends and supported others to bring another income stream into their homes. It offers you an opportunity to create a life that you deserve. I am thankful every day for the TIME it has given me for my family. I am Forever Proud.

When I first joined Forever, I thought I would be able to operate it through a beauty blog I had and almost be ‘faceless’ to it. The first few weeks I read and watched as many of the trainings as I could. This quickly gave me a realisation that I wouldn’t have a successful business being faceless. By the end of that first month I majorly stepped out of my comfort zone to become the face of my business.
As a manager within an HR department I was a little fearful over how people might react to my new business. I was SO relieved to actually experience positivity and excitement - so many work friends came to my launch! I hadn’t needed to be scared at all. The negative comments I did get made no impact as I was just so engrossed in getting into a rhythm with business, that I had no time to care about negativity.
After a series of launches and a huge burst of energy, I hit the supervisor position and truly felt like I was capable of reaching further promotions. I remember a training event focusing us on Eagle Manager and seeing the reward was a 5* trip to Cancun at the Moon Palace, I was determined to achieve it. Working towards that was fast, tough, exciting and rewarding. I will never forget that Christmas Eve when I hit the incentive. The best Christmas present ever.
Behind the fast pace of my business at the beginning was a vision to create space in my life to have children. I knew that I would need IVF but what I didn’t want was to have to talk to anyone about it, least of all my boss. I didn’t want to be putting in time off requests and I wanted to limit the impact stress would have on me. On my one-year anniversary with Forever I left my job and hit the Senior Manager position.
Success kept coming, I felt unstoppable at one point and was so happy to be coaching and leading teams of amazing women and men who wanted to achieve for themselves. I haven’t been a perfect leader, I have been a learning leader, learning from my mistakes, growing and adapting and also letting go when I have needed to.
By the time I had my daughter Ivy, I was a two-time Global Rally qualifier, a two-time Chairman’s Bonus achiever and two-time Eagle Manager. I was insanely proud of that, but most of all I was proud of my team for being self-starters, self-motivated and determined to enable me to be fulfilled as a new mother. I was able take time off and, on my return, dramatically reduce my working hours with my team. This did mean a drop in income, like anyone reducing their hours would expect. At first this was uncomfortable until I reached a new level of stability in my business.
My desire to achieve goals didn’t disappear and when I realised my volume was close to achieving Global Rally, I increased my working hours so that I didn’t miss out. I also kept focus on my New Zealand team to see them make history as the first Manager business over there. I feel so grateful for my experiences and I know that my connection with Forever will be lifelong. This is the only business I know of where you adapt your work around your needs, ramping up and quieting down when you need it. What I have massively appreciated in the last two years is the global scope of my business and what it has taught me in terms of being more efficient and focused. The way I run my overseas business is different to how I have run my UK one, and I am excited about the change in my UK business to align these. It’s going to take time, but I am in no rush!

Network marketing was not a new concept to Annie as her parents had started their network marketing business alongside another company when she was six years old…
A few years in, my parents were both able to leave their jobs and work their business really flexibly from home around myself and my two sisters. This gave us an amazing upbringing with unlimited time and lots of memories as a family, so I have a lot to thank the industry for!
It never crossed my mind that it could be something that I could do also, as my experience of network marketing stopped at their company and that just wasn’t for me.
After studying fashion design at university, I landed what I thought was my dream job as a designer in London. At first this was a whirlwind of excitement, however, as the time went on, I started to feel less and less enthusiastic. I didn’t feel fulfilled, I worked really long hours, had a long commute, and I hated that I was constantly wishing time away until home time or the weekend. From this job I realised a few things - I didn’t want to have a boss, I didn’t want someone to be in control of my time, and I wanted the freedom to not be tied down to one place.
It was finally a phone call with my mum and me voicing this when she said, ‘Annie, why don’t you take a proper look into network marketing and find a company that’s right for you that you can get really passionate about…’ So that night I did some real research and it finally clicked! I realised that network marketing was exactly the answer. I researched companies and when I found Forever I knew it was right for me. I searched on the Forever events Facebook page for an upline and got started the next day in October 2016.
When I started, although I had full belief in the industry and the company, my belief in myself took a while to build. However, the incredible training and support I received helped me grow and develop. I attended every event, read every book I was recommended, and my business started to grow. Early in 2018, I hit the position of Manager giving me so many more choices. I was able to leave my full-time job and also move to and explore a new city altogether!
It’s creating that time freedom I’ve witnessed first-hand that drives me. Building my business has been an absolute rollercoaster ride and really hard work, but I wouldn’t change any of it! I’m completely obsessed with what I do now, I have met the most incredible people, love working with my team, and I am so excited for my future with Forever.

JAYNE’S JOURNEY WITH FOREVER
Diamond Managers and Executive Global Leadership Team founder members Jayne Leach and John Curtis, started their Forever business over twenty years ago in the summer of ’93. They have since achieved consistent and phenomenal success over the past two decades, including receiving the top UK Chairman’s Bonus cheque this year. They’ve witnessed incredible change and growth in Forever, both globally and here in the UK.

Forever Business Owners today can thank Jayne, John and their leaders for sustained major input into some of the core literature and training materials used globally, and the couple continue to inspire and motivate generations of FBOs across the world. In this intimate interview, Forever’s Editor Kate Hodge asks Jayne to reflect on her Forever journey and to share her accumulated wisdom with other FBOs who aspire to build life-changing Forever businesses.

KH: What was life like for you when you began your business?

JL: I was a single mum, and whilst I had loved and was good at working in farming, after eighteen years of hard work, working with livestock and show-jumping horses, I still didn’t make any real money. Finances were a ‘challenge’ and we were literally surviving from day-to-day. Then I met John, also a single parent experiencing doubtful financial prospects. Together we realised that we couldn’t carry on doing work that didn’t give us what our now combined family needed. Friends in America advised us to find a really good network marketing company, and that if we did, and worked hard, we could build a strong long-term business and income of our dreams. I clearly remember not understanding what they meant by network marketing, but we did as suggested and looked at companies in the UK. Having given it much thought and discussion, we decided to look for a company that had consumable, benefit driven products; a marketing or compensation plan that would outlive us to leave a legacy income to our four children; preferably a private company with proven management, and international possibilities; but almost above all else, to be associated with an honest opportunity we could be proud of. A lot to ask? Of course, but remember, we were looking to get it right first time.

So, we looked at every single network marketing company we could find in the UK, but didn’t particularly like any of them. After attending their meetings, we couldn’t relate to either the distributors, their products, the management, or their ‘style’, so we almost gave up the search. This changed with a phone call from a friend, telling us about a company called Forever Living. Intrigued, we got together and he showed us everything he had on the company, literally a few pieces of paper, a few pictures, and a couple of products. Cautiously excited, we didn’t want that excitement to cloud our judgement, so ‘due diligence’ led to meeting with the then UK Country Manager Dusty Green. Very open and direct, he answered all our questions, so we registered, got some products, and got started – that was the beginning of our long-term ‘love affair’ with Forever.

KH: Why were you determined to succeed?

JL: We didn’t join just to ‘give it a go’; we joined to be successful. We felt that network marketing was the way of the future, and possibly the only way open for us to build a big life and achieve big goals and dreams whilst helping other people. We were ready to be successful; mentally we wanted success. It was never, ‘we’ll see if this works’, even in the early days when there was nothing in place in the UK – no meetings, trainings, Success Express events, Advisory Board, Head Office of substance, literature, manuals, brochures, internet – there was nothing. But we were committed to Forever’s founder Rex Maughan’s vision, philosophy and mission statement, and reassured that although it was brand new to the UK, it already had a sixteen-year track record and the company was enjoying success in the USA, Japan and a host of other countries. If it was working out there, it could work in the UK as well!

However, in the early days of our business, network marketing did not have a great name. It was almost seen as the thing you did when you had exhausted all other options, but because this company was built on values, integrity and ethics, John and I had decided that we were going to help make it the best network marketing company in the UK. We knew that if we worked with quality people, we could make it the best, so that became our vision and mantra.

We also listened to Dusty: he always advised us to do the right thing, go the extra mile, and remember that when you help someone else, you create a ripple effect. He also talked often about the need to remain modest in the face of increasing success, and to accept responsibility for being role models that others want to follow.

KH: What was Forever like in the beginning?

JL: When we first started, John and I sat down and had a planning meeting, deciding that if we were going to build a business, we had to implement a system. So, we got a Forever flipchart and drew out a very basic Business Presentation (BP) – this has since been developed by the leaders into the BP that everybody enjoys today. We started having BP meetings in our home every Wednesday night and Saturday morning so we started inviting people along. Most didn’t come, but the common reaction amongst those that did was that we were somehow crazy; they would tell us not to waste their or our time, to get a ‘proper job’, or worse, but we just knew that it would work, so we kept on asking.

Alongside asking people to look at the business, we also began to use these times as opportunities to sell products. We had no success stories to share, and almost nobody had even heard of aloe, so we simply shared our personal experiences. However, in the first two weeks, we developed a retail base of over 8CC. The first six months of our business continued in much the same way: John, our box of products, a Forever flipchart, and me! We then started training on Saturday mornings after the BP, and the First Steps to Manager Planning Manual that you use today began to develop from one we made twenty-three years ago!

We achieved Manager in fourteen weeks, but every single night I was either doing a launch, one-to-one, or BP. At that time, Head Office was based in a tiny office in Selly Oak, Birmingham. We drove there to get products, and the paperwork for orders had carbon copies. The only way we could work out our case credits was to gather the carbon copies from the orders, add them together manually, and constantly check them at the all-important month end. But it was such fun – we would all get together and often stay up really late counting and checking case credits on those pink slips. There was a lot of team spirit and I loved that we all came together – there was a real closeness.

KH: What are some of your fondest memories?

JL: I remember qualifying for our first Rally. Dusty spoke so fondly of the American Rallies and even though we had only been in the business for nine months, I was already a bit obsessed with wanting to go there – I had never travelled further than Europe at the time.

One day we received a phone call from Dusty, but he sounded quite stern. He said, “Jayne, I need to come and see you immediately.” When I asked why, he replied, “I’m not prepared to discuss it over the phone, but it’s very important.”

I honestly thought I had done something wrong so cancelled the following day’s appointments. The next day, after dropping the kids off at their schools, we went to the office and turned the phones off in anticipation of some unforeseen ‘bomb shell’. Dusty duly arrived on time, but still with a somber demeanor. I’d lain awake worrying all night and couldn’t cope any longer, and half expecting termination for something, I asked him to be straight and tell me what the problem was. He looked at me for a few seconds, but then he couldn’t contain himself any longer and burst out laughing. He opened his briefcase and pulled out two tickets for America before running around the room whooping.

That was to be our first ever trip to the States, and I will never, ever, forget it. We actually had no idea that we had qualified – keeping on top of case credits when it was all done on paper was quite difficult, and unbeknown to us, we had achieved 1,500CCs. The Rally was in San Francisco and we came back as changed people. Meeting Rex and the Vice Presidents, and seeing the enormity of the company; the values, the ethics, the vision, the people, it was all ‘mind-blowing’. Back then, Forever had an American Rally as well as a World Rally, but the only people open to qualification for World Rally were the country’s top distributor and the Country Manager – fast forward to 1995 and we achieved just that and another long-term ambition, to go to Peru and Machu Pichu.

Another outstanding and fond memory of the early days involves Rex. He was due to come to the UK and there was an incentive whereby you could have aloe ‘mocktails’ with him. It was a recruitment incentive, and if you won, you also got a television and VIP access to this exclusive ‘mocktail’ event. I knew I wanted to be at that party. The week before, a Head Office meeting declared the qualifiers and winners, and when Dusty called out the qualifiers, then third and second places, I was becoming despondent at the thought that we hadn’t managed it. But when he called out our names for first place, my jaw dropped open and I thought two things: firstly, that the kids were going to love the new TV, but more importantly, that we were going to meet Rex.

Yet another striking memory was when Dusty phoned to tell us that Rex was coming to the UK with Rjay Lloyd (a long -term friend of Rex and the Executive Senior Vice President), together with Dusty’s dad, Harold. Rex was touring the UK and wanted to come to our (tiny) office, and he wanted us to hold a Business Presentation. When I heard this, I said, “Dusty, our office is minuscule, and so is our training room, what am I going to do?” He just said that we’d work something out, so we did – I remember going to the local junior school and borrowing small children’s chairs so that we could get more seating in the room, and on the night, we filled sixty chairs with overspill guests in the hallway and down the stairs. Rex spoke and signed a book for me, which I still have, and the whole thing was just incredible.

KH: Why did you decide to go global with your business?

JL: Travel is a major passion for both of us, and we felt that it would be brilliant to go to countries where Forever had, or was planning, a presence. For us, it made sense to go there, do some work, and then enjoy different cultures and experiences. It was also obvious to me that building a multiple income stream with a global-based business meant taking advantage of everything Forever offers.

Our first ever global business foray was Italy: one of my dearest and best friends, Maria-Louisa Di-Pinto, asked if she could build a business even though Forever was not yet in Italy. Dusty advised us to consider whether we could personally send the products to Italy, but he backed our decision and told us to go for it. So, every month, we arranged for a freight company to collect a shipment for delivery to Maria-Louisa in Milan; she then distributed the products to her customers. After six months, we learnt that someone based in Spain was doing much the same thing, and eventually, between us, there was enough business being conducted for the company to officially open in Italy. We were already in pre-launch overdrive, and literally every five or six weeks, John, me, or both of us would be over there, without mobile phones, but in a car driving to do endless one-to-ones! When the company finally had their great big grand opening, we had about 200 people in attendance and business in Italy boomed! From that modest success, we focused on Africa and went into Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, East Africa and many other English-speaking areas. We also started an African BP every week in London, with average attendance of around 400 people!

However, at the time, although we had a global business, it wasn’t global as it is today. Case credits didn’t count towards Chairman’s Bonus or anything else other than local income, but we didn’t do it for any of this, we just wanted to build a legacy in other countries.

In those days, if you wanted to work with somebody, you got in your car and drove – we regularly did 60,000 miles per year between us, literally driving all over the country to work with teams. These days we can do webinars, Skype calls, deliver online training, group meetings, and Business Presentations – this change has been fundamental in allowing people to build a global business. Now you can do a lot of ‘groundwork’ before even stepping on a plane, but, as good as it is, technology can never replace a good old-fashioned ‘heart-to-heart’. When you get together with people who share your passion, when you feel the emotion in the room, that’s when things change.

KH: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt as an FBO?

JL: If John or I could ‘turn back the clock’, we would not have spent so much time with ‘time-wasters’ – people who talk the talk but do very little, who have great intentions but never make a call, who hardly ever show up at BP, training or Success Express event. They give you every excuse in the book as to why they can’t do something, but still insist that they are going to be successful. When you spend time with people like this and they don’t perform, all it does is bring you down, rob someone else deserving of your time, and make you question their lack of success as down to you, but it’s not, it’s down to them.

To be successful, you must do more than you think you have got to do, and you must be absolutely 100% consistent every single day, even when you’re not getting results. Always be the student, and always stay humble. Even today, I still learn off others – I want to constantly bring my best game to the table, but I can’t do that if I stop being the student.

KH: You are a founder and trustee for the DABW Foundation charity – how did that begin?

JL: My mum and dad (Dorothy and Bill Wood) joined the business shortly after us, and within a few years had climbed to second position in the UK. By this time, the UK was doing over 10,000CC and this meant the top two Forever Business Owners were to be invited to World Rally – my mum’s goal and dream was for us to attend together, but then she got sick – a little mark on her leg turned out to be aggressive skin cancer.

She was admitted to hospital on a day when the usual nurse was on leave, so a different one turned up. Nurse Otilia was from Malawi, from a little village called Kanyenda which was in the middle of nowhere with no main roads nearby. Otilia told mum that her family was still in the village, but she had come to the UK to make money to send home. The biggest challenge there was a lack of clean water, with the local small river serving as the only source of washing and drinking water for the animals and villagers. When mum heard about the number of children dying from cholera, and that the village had been saving for twelve years to try and raise the £2,500 needed to install a borehole pump, she decided to raise the money from her hospital bed. Sadly, mum died before it was commissioned, but just before she passed away, she asked me to carry on the work in the village. John and I flew out to Malawi and officially opened the well – that’s when we realised that there was a lot more work to do – kids were going hungry and the school was falling down, so our next project was to rebuild the school and kindergarten, and to put in place a feeding programme.

The villagers’ staple diet is maize, but with no means to grind it, the maize had to be carried by village women and children who would walk ten kilometres to the nearest corn mill, have the corn ground, and then they’d walk back. It was just too much, particularly with little kids, so once the school project was complete, we built a corn mill. But there was still one thing missing…

When John and I go to Malawi, we live amongst the villagers in a mud hut and local children always want to come and sit with us. We were sitting outside in the dust one evening, surrounded by over twenty kids, when I noticed one little boy, aged about two, sitting in the corner all by himself. He had a runny nose and looked so unhappy. It turned out he had malaria, but two days later when I asked after him, I was shocked to learn that he had passed away. I felt so angry at the thought that a little boy could die for the sake of a £2 injection, so I decided, there and then, that our next project was to build a medical centre.

The medical centre now treats about 100 kids daily, with families walking many miles to come to it. We have an inoculation programme, two doctors, a pharmacist, a receptionist and a nurse.

"I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be."

I wanted to create something of beauty, because life is really harsh in Malawi, often just day-to-day grind. We built the centre with a terrace and veranda, with a garden fronting filled with roses and plants – roses because of my mum’s love for them, and plants and other pretty things because when a woman has walked for miles carrying a sick child, sometimes she just needs to sit and breathe.

That whole village is now self-sufficient and supported, with kids rarely dying of cholera or malaria, and instead receiving a good basic education. We’ve also taught the villagers how to grow their own micro-vegetables and they’ve started to grow things like tomatoes, onions, cabbages and green beans. We donate the seeds and have shown them how to grow their own gardens. Some of the money raised for the charity now goes towards maintaining these projects and ensuring they remain at a certain standard.

KH: You’re an inspiration to many for various reasons, and one thing I love is your generous spirit. Why do you think it’s important to give back?

JL: Right from when I was a kid, I was brought up to understand that you can never truly receive until you have learnt to give, but I was also taught to get as much happiness out of giving, as from receiving. Forever gave us the opportunity to build phenomenal personal lives, and it would be wrong not to share that with others.

You also never know what impact kind acts may have on someone else. When we were first starting out, a casual friend of ours owned a shop with a room above it, and he said we could use this as our office and training space. He knew we had no money so he let us have that building at minimal rent for one year. Someone’s kindness is sometimes what gives you a leg up in life, and I don’t know how we would have got started in our business without his kindness – I’ll never forget him. I also strongly believe that you should always come from a place of contribution – that’s who Rex and the Maughan family are in their actions, and that’s how I’ve been brought up.

KH: What makes you excited about the business all these years later?

JL: I am just as excited today about recruiting a phenomenal young couple or individual who wants to change their life, as I was the day I started. I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be. It’s quite inspiring and motivating to be in that environment, although nowadays I try to be more prudent with my time as I also still like travelling and being with my family.

When you join Forever, and you develop a Forever mentality, you’ll find that there will be many people who try to tear you down, but I promise you that Forever will never let you down. You can build a legacy for your family like no other, so don’t listen to the opinions of other people, just do what you’ve got to do. Put a plan in place, and continue to work at it until you have achieved the goal that is important to you. Make sure you have a well-rounded approach to marketing and don’t just sit behind a computer. Build relationships, nurture others and be the kind of leader that others want to follow. Understand that you will have tough days, but it is what you learn in those moments that shape you into the person you will become, and that is the person who has the power to define your future.

"I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be."

Don't miss Jayne's exciting new training at June's Success Express event. 17th-18th June at Genting Arena, Birmingham. Book your tickets today at foreveruktickets.co.uk.

FOREVER BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
Samantha and John have been Forever Business Owners for over ten years and they have had the privilege of watching the company grow along with their own business over this time. For them the business has always fit in the nooks and crannies of their life and they are looking forward to seeing how it unfolds over the coming years…

My older sister and I grew up in a loving home, but in my eyes, my sister has always been the ‘successful one’. She was a talented athlete and swam on the GB Swim Team from a young age! The feelings of inferiority I developed affected the way I saw myself as an adult, and as I started to build my Forever business I was faced with the challenge of overcoming that belief I had of not being good enough. We started Forever in September 2006 so last year we celebrated our tenth year of working with Forever. Over the years I’ve realised how important it is to work on self-development, and through the people and training Forever’s offered, I’m finally beginning to realise my worth! During our first year as FBOs, we immersed ourselves in the company. I literally worked the business in the pockets of time around my full-time job, and then again around my babies. We achieved Manager in 2010 and although we don't have a huge business with a life-changing income, we do have an income that allows me to be a stay-at-home mum to Henry, five, and Jasmine, four.

Our first exposure to Rex Maughan was at the Stockholm European Rally and Profit Share event in 2007. After this we committed to attend these events every year and we have since travelled all over Europe. When the events went global, my very best friend Toni Hall asked me to join her as her Global Rally guest and I accompanied her to Johannesburg. It was a complete privilege and an awesome event, and I’m so thankful and amazed at how Forever brings people together.

When the children start going to school full-time I intend to use my spare time to focus more on my Forever business, but having the opportunity to increase my income whenever I choose is truly humbling. The ability to make a difference in people’s lives every day is also a fantastic feeling and I thank Rex for this amazing opportunity.

"I’ve realised how important it is to work on self-development, and through the people and training Forever’s offered, I’m finally beginning to realise my worth!"

Gary always had a passion for music and entertaining others, but after years of dedicating himself to the industry, he realised he needed to find something that offered him a better life balance…

I started singing around the pubs and clubs at the age of eighteen. My mum helped me to get started by paying for my first PA system and managing me, and through this I built up an amazing career entertaining crowds under the name of Gary Marsden.

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of singing alongside some well-known artists like The Vengaboys, Lisa Scott-Lee from Steps and Alexandra Burke. I absolutely love singing and I'm also part of a duo called Fascination! I had dreams of becoming a pop star and of having a lifestyle like a rich and famous person, but, at the age of thirty-four, these dreams seemed less likely.

Alongside my music career, I worked as a presenter at my local bingo. For the past twelve years I've worked split shifts and my working pattern began to take its toll. Gigs and bingo took up most of my time, any kind of social life was rare, and I knew things were only going to continue unless something changed.

I came across Forever when I noticed one of my friends had achieved impressive results from completing the C9. I wanted to know more so got in touch with a friend of over fifteen years who I knew sold the product. After completing the programme I felt amazing and was very happy with the results. A few days later I received a message from Jo saying how great I'd be at the business – I didn't even know the business opportunity was available to me but after seeing the Business Presentation I was amazed! After much discussion, I realised that this opportunity would give me the chance to finally turn my dreams into reality.

I couldn't afford the Business Owner Box so my mum came to the rescue; she knew how passionate I was about it. I joined Forever and after two months I'd managed to recruit three people and not long after this I hit Supervisor. The feeling was amazing but I wouldn't have done it without the hard work and support of my team. Forever is now my focus and I can see a big future ahead. I know, hand on heart, that I will be successful and I urge anybody who is looking for change to pursue this amazing business; it could transform your life like it is mine.

"After completing the programme I felt amazing and was very happy with the results."

Ex-professional footballer Darren was on top of his game having played for premiership and championship team Blackburn Rovers (and other clubs) from the age of fourteen. However, when he was in his mid-twenties, an injury caused everything to change. His partner, Charlotte Hawes, shares his story…

Darren’s life was football, football, football. Every day was about working on his fitness, training and being healthy, and if he wasn’t on a football pitch or in the gym, he was on the golf course! Darren played with and against top players and he would visit and play in various countries – he was ‘living the dream’. But, in 2008, Darren suffered a snapped cruciate and problems with his knees, and although he is still playing local football, his professional career had to come to an end.

Darren was devastated as football was all he knew from such a young age. He had to have four knee operations and it was becoming a daily struggle for him to work and walk, never mind trying to play football!

Darren discovered Forever whilst working at a client’s house and soon realised, without knowing the details, that there was a very good opportunity available. Darren recommended the business to me as he knew I was at a crossroads – I had very little spare time and no work-life balance, and we instantly saw an opportunity to earn (in time) a substantial income alongside a flexible lifestyle.

We signed up and I currently play the lead role whilst Darren shares his product experiences and the opportunity to everyone he meets. So far the business has given us amazing friendships, it’s allowed us to set goals and get excited, and we can now start to build a career together and plan for a future we didn’t think was possible.

Darren and Charlotte on F15…

Darren found Forever's products to be of great benefit to him and he is now keen to use the products to help him get back to the level of fitness he was pre-injury. Darren and Charlotte are currently part-way through the F15 programme. Here is what they have to say:

“F15 is fantastic and having a programme to follow for diet and exercise is giving me the best chance to get in shape and stay in shape. My motivation to be at a high level of fitness is back and I will reach the goals I’ve set. Since starting the programme, I’ve started to see definition and I’ve lost some weight in the process. If you’re doing F15, don’t give up, dig in and get it done – the end goal is always worth it.” – Darren Dunning

“Being a keen sportsperson myself but having struggled to get back into a regular fitness regime, the structure of F15, along with the brilliant workout videos that Forever produced, has given me the kick and the support I needed to get back on track.” – Charlotte Hawes

Bethan wanted more from her working life but as a young mum she found it difficult to progress. Then she discovered Forever…

In 2011, at the age of twenty-one, I was a single mum to my little boy Tyler who was two years old, and I was working full-time for a large retail chain. I dropped out of college at nineteen when I became pregnant and two years later I was feeling like I hadn’t fulfilled my potential. Retail became something I was good at and even though I adored being a mum, I didn’t want to be just another young mum in the system.

There was never anything wrong with my life; I had great friends and family, and a job that paid a wage that paid my bills, but there was always something missing – I just didn’t know what! My bosses were amazing but working full-time had no flexibility for me as a mum with a young child, and I really struggled to pay for childcare costs. I was working for the pride of being able to say I was, but I had no money once everything was paid. I had no qualifications other than my GCSEs, and no real life experiences. Even if I did want to do something else, I didn’t know where to start, but that’s when Forever found me. I saw a chance to shineand earn a corporate income with full training and support, so I jumped.

For the past six years I have built a global business and a corporate income that surpasses anything I could have ever imagined. My Forever income has allowed me to privately educate my eldest, travel the world, drive dream cars, have our dream wedding, and it’s given us time to have two more children: Miles, one, and we have another on the way! I love being a stay-at-home mum, but I also love that I don't have to sacrifice a career to do that.

I have spent the last few years building myself up, something I know is invaluable, and although I have a lot of friends who are sceptical, once I talk people through the Marketing Plan and the stability of the company, even if it isn’t right for them, they seem to come around.

I started this business as a baby and have become someone I’m truly proud of. Forever will never just be a job for me, and the people I work with will never just be people I work with; Forever is my life, and I will always be passionate about sharing this opportunity.

"For the past six years I have built a global business and a corporate income that surpasses anything I could have ever imagined."

I came out of school with a D as my highest GCSE and I was incapable of committing to even one year of college. At sixteen I went straight into an office administration role, but I only lasted a week! I picked myself up and tried again and landed a customer service role. This time six months went by, but then I was in the same situation, booted out for the better of the company! This pattern lasted for the years that followed.

I have dyslexia, ADHD and I’ve suffered with depression for a number of years. I can articulate and hold a good conversation so I don’t often come across like someone diagnosed with dyslexia, but I've always struggled to stay on task. I get distracted easily and time slips through my fingers. Writing is difficult and takes me a long time, and to concentrate on something is really hard work for me. These things, along with terrible time-keeping and a worse attitude, put a strain on me progressing in life.

When I was twenty-two I decided I was better suited to self-employment. I entered a modelling competition and for the first time I knew what I wanted. I moved to London to pursue it properly and through the jobs I received I met some incredible people, gained great experience and it was something I could pick up when I wanted. Unfortunately I just didn’t have the drive to push myself so I ended up returning to the office. After a year and a half I had had enough; I was tired and underpaid and I was also slipping into deeper depression.

I went to Bethan as a shell of my former self. For the first time in three years I was ready to listen to her. I had no idea if I could do it and I lacked self-belief, but I had nothing to lose. I wanted to learn and see if the business could do all the things it promised.

The more I worked the business and developed myself as a person, the more obvious it became that I had to make some serious life choices. In the space of a week I left my relationship, my home, a mortgage, the city, attended a funeral, and I helped my Nan through depression. Forever became a focus away from everything else, and I put all my efforts into helping, advising and guiding my team. My upline’s advice and dedication to me and my team kept me strong and excited, and I absolutely adore where my life is headed. I chose to believe the impossible was possible and now I’m proud to say I’ve found something I can, and will, commit to.

A BUSINESS THAT’S MORE THAN MONEY...

Mohammed and Shomirun have been Forever Business Owners for many years and they have recently achieved the coveted position of Sapphire Manager. Sapphire Managers have at least nine personally-sponsored Managers in their downline and are able to earn an additional 1% on their income. This percentage may sound small, but it can actually make a significant difference to an income!

Forever’s Editor, Kate Hodge, caught up more about his journey to Sapphire…

KH: WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE BEFORE FOREVER?

MA: My sponsor and I were in another network marketing company for about a year before we found Forever, and although we were excited about the business opportunity, the products weren’t consumable. We therefore decided not to continue and instead I used my time to focus on my traditional businesses; this included running a transport company.

KH: HOW DID YOU DISCOVER FOREVER?

MA: After a few years, in 1997, Shareef called me to say he had found another exciting company which was well established. We arranged to meet and I joined Forever immediately after listening to his one-to-one presentation. However, I started to lose interest in the idea after talking to my friends and family as their reaction was fairly negative. Despite this, my sponsor had recommended several products to me so I gave them a try anyway and, in a short period of time, I was surprised to find good results. I was so impressed that I sat down for a planning meeting with my sponsor, made some serious commitments, set goals and became Manager within two months! That’s when I decided to give up on all the other businesses I had so that I could focus purely on Forever.

KH: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?

MA: Over the course of the last nineteen years I have been approached by many people from other MLM companies, but none ever captured my interest as they were all just about the money. I feel extremely lucky to be a Forever Business Owner because I am not only receiving an income, but I am also blessed to have access to products that benefit my wellbeing. Today I drive the car of my choice, I can earn a slice of the company’s profit, I have travelled the world, and I have an income that I can save for my pension. The business really is so simple, and the best advice I could give new Forever Business Owners is to use all the products, attend all the meetings, and share the products and opportunity with absolutely everyone you meet.

KH: HOW HAS FOREVER YOUR LIFE?

MA: Forever has given me back time with my family, and it’s given me stability – before I was finding it hard to make ends meet! I want to thank Shareef for giving me courage, making me believe that I can be successful, showing me the light when I couldn’t see, and for travelling with me everywhere just to make me successful. We will certainly be friends FOREVER! I want to tell everyone in my team that I love them so much; without them I wouldn’t be where I am today, and I would like to thank Rex for creating a profitable environment where individuals like myself, can become, with dignity, what they want to become – thank you!

"I feel extremely lucky to be a Forever Business Owner because I am not only receiving an income, but I am also blessed to have access to products that benefit my wellbeing."

FUELLED BY FITNESS

I joined the business through my love of the products and at that time I was also training to be a personal trainer, a job which I thought would fit around the children and mean I didn't have to give up my passion – fitness! I'd been a stay-at-home mum for six years at this point; I was lucky as I didn’t have to work, but I really missed my financial independence and that sense of providing for the family.

I spent the first year retailing, mainly the sports and weight management products, and I built a great retail business, but I was petrified when it came to building a team. I had little belief that anyone would listen to me and I worried about their opinions, so I sat happily at Supervisor for about ten months. Then, in February 2014, my third child was born and everything changed.

I met up with my upline who gave me a small nudge and I left that meeting with self-belief, a fire in my belly and a huge desire to have something more. I spent a lot of time working with my team, working on my self-development and learning to get better in all areas of the business, and I’ve developed a passion for helping others and seeing in them something they don't. I have recently separated from my husband and it’s been incredibly challenging, but Forever has given me the financial stability to start my life again. I now work Forever around three beautiful children and I've still not had to give up on my fitness passion. In fact, Forever has enabled me to achieve more. The products have changed my performance in the gym – I use Forever Aloe Vera Gel, Forever Arctic Sea and Argi+ daily, and Forever Pro X2 bars and Forever Lite Ultra are also staple snacks in my life.

I use my attitude to training in the gym to benefit my mindset in the business. When you want to achieve a goal in the gym you have to dedicate time to learning how that’s done, you have to be passionate and fired up enough so that the goal is tunnel vision, and you have to take daily consistent action! There will be tough days where you feel it’s not possible, but you just support yourself with a good coach who encourages you, and when you are training in the gym at times when others are out socialising, you hear things like 'lighten up' or 'you're crazy', but you go even on the days you don't want to because the goal is that important to you – my success in Forever has been down to applying this exact mindset to my business!

FITNESS, FREEDOM AND FOREVER

After seventeen years in the military, Dewi Winkle from Ripon, North Yorkshire, took the decision to embark on a career in sport and event management. It was a difficult decision but, alongside working as a triathlon coach, he wanted to be involved in creating events that challenged people.

The last eleven years have seen him working in a variety of posts including roles at the Asian Games in Doha, working for British Triathlon, operating as an open water swim coach in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, and co-ordinating challenge events for a military charity. Eventually Dewi settled down in North Yorkshire with his partner Dawn where he manages The Wattbike Studio, trains triathletes and organises the annual iconic Scilly Swim Challenge on the Isles of Scilly. With a passion for motivating others and guiding people into a healthier lifestyle, it was perfect timing when he met Global F.I.T. Ambassador Mike Butterworth and his partner Lindsey Jackson…

Dewi says:

I recall Mike saying, “You come across as a personable and enthusiastic coach, might you be interested to learn about a business that might suit you?” Obviously I answered yes. I was really intrigued and excited; the business model, products and team-building hit a chord with me as I wanted to sell products that tied into my work at the studio. Forever’s products were perfect for my varied customers and the more I learned the better the opportunity seemed.

I’ve been in the business eighteen months now and I still ensure I achieve my 4CCs every month. I want to continue building my retail business and team, and I’ve recognised that the only barriers are the ones that I put up myself. I am really appreciative of having an opportunity that allows me to work when and where I want, at the pace I decide. Stepping out of my comfort zone has been essential, and I’ve come to realise that this will be a business that continues to educate me.

Living in the Yorkshire Dales, being surrounded by loyal people and deciding how I choose to work really suits me; having a job that allows me to improve people’s fitness, self-esteem and wellbeing has made me very grateful. There aren’t many jobs that allow you to give people a business, and that’s a real privilege – thank you Forever!