Okay, deep breath, because this one’s going to ruffle some feathers.

I already know some people will stop reading after this sentence, but I’m going to say it anyway:

If you want to start an employee-based business, you should seriously consider joining an MLM first.

I know. I know. That statement alone is enough to get me side-eyed at a business brunch and maybe even canceled in certain circles. MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) have a reputation — some of it earned, some of it exaggerated, and most of it misunderstood. But before you slam your laptop shut or start composing a rebuttal in your head, hear me out.

This isn’t me defending the entire MLM industry. This is me telling you, as someone who has built an employee-based business from the ground up, that getting into an MLM was one of the best “training grounds” for leadership I’ve ever experienced. It showed me, without any ambiguity, whether I actually liked managing people, mentoring personalities, and building something beyond myself.

And spoiler alert? A lot of people think they want to build a team…until they actually try to lead one.

The Difference Between Dreaming of a Team and Actually Leading One

So many entrepreneurs romanticize the idea of “building a team.” We picture it like a highlight reel: hiring bright-eyed people, mentoring them to success, watching our business scale while we sit back sipping oat milk lattes. But the reality? Leading people is messy. It’s emotionally taxing. It’s communication breakdowns, accountability conversations, and celebrating small wins that sometimes feel like they cost more than they gained.

It’s not for everyone. And the sooner you figure out if it is for you, the better.

When you’re running a traditional business, experimenting with leadership comes with high stakes — salaries, taxes, compliance, HR, morale, overhead. If you find out six months in that managing a team isn’t your jam, you’ve already spent thousands of dollars (and probably racked up a fair amount of stress and shame). You can’t just peace out without consequences.

That’s why I believe MLMs, for all their flaws, offer a rare and underrated opportunity: a low-risk environment to learn high-stakes skills.

How I Accidentally Got a Crash Course in Leadership

Let me back up and share a bit of my own experience.

I joined an MLM (specifically in the haircare space, no surprise there) during a time when I was craving more freedom, connection, and growth. It started as a side thing. I was already successful behind the chair and running my business, but I was intrigued by the products and the potential to earn a little extra.

What I didn’t expect? How quickly I found myself leading a team.

People started joining under me, asking questions, needing mentorship. Suddenly, I was teaching other women how to build confidence, how to sell without being salesy, how to stay consistent even when life was chaotic. I was setting team goals. Creating resources. Hosting coaching calls. Navigating conflict. Helping someone bounce back after their first “no.” Celebrating a payday for a mom who dreamed of making a little extra cash that meant everything to them.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly what I do now with my employees.

The muscle memory is the same. And MLM gave me a low-cost, low-risk, real-time training ground to build it.

The Basics Are No Different

Here’s what no one wants to admit: the core skills required to succeed in MLM are the same ones required to succeed in a leadership-based business.

Let’s break that down:

Skill	MLM	Employee-Based Business
Recruiting	Attracting new teammates	Hiring team members
Retention	Keeping people engaged & motivated	Building employee culture
Mentorship	Coaching people through mindset and sales slumps	Supporting employees through growth and challenges
Communication	Leading team chats, Zooms, check-ins	Hosting meetings, giving feedback, resolving conflict
Accountability	Helping others stay consistent in their own business	Holding employees to performance standards
Systems	Creating tools and templates that duplicate	Building SOPs and training systems
Vision Casting	Sharing goals and direction with your team	Leading the business through seasons of growth

Honestly, the only real difference is the business model. But the day-to-day leadership work? Same emotional labor. Same energy. Same skill set.

The Ugly Parts Taught Me Just as Much

Now, I’m not pretending MLM is some magic utopia. Let me be very clear: there were parts of it I didn’t like. Some people are predatory. Some compensation plans are broken. Some teams use toxic tactics and call it empowerment. I had to unlearn a lot of noise and figure out what kind of leader I wanted to be.

I experienced the pressure to constantly show up “high vibe” even when life was lifing. I witnessed women being encouraged to post curated highlight reels and pretend it was authenticity. I saw burnout. I felt burnout.

But here’s the thing: that happens in traditional business too.

People assume employee-based leadership is somehow “cleaner” or more legitimate. It’s not. It’s just different packaging.

Every industry has bad actors. Every leadership path includes disappointment, awkward conversations, unmet expectations, and growing pains. MLM taught me how to stomach that without folding. It showed me what kind of culture I never want to build, and gave me the chance to practice building a better one.

Why This Is a Hot Take (But I’m Saying It Anyway)

Saying something good about MLMs is basically like announcing you’re a vegetarian at a barbecue in Texas. It gets people fired up.

Why? Because there have been real harms done in that industry. People have lost money. Been manipulated. Felt used. I’m not dismissing that.

But the louder narrative, that anyone who joins an MLM is gullible or greedy or desperate, is lazy and sexist. Let’s just name that.

Most MLMs are built for women. Many women join them during seasons when they’re looking for something more: flexibility, purpose, community, growth, income. The ones who stick around and treat it like a business often learn to lead better than some people with MBAs.

So why do we treat it like a joke?

We tell women to start businesses, but we mock the ones that do it in a way we don’t personally value.

We say we want more female founders, but then act like leadership only counts if you have payroll and a storefront (unless your last name is Kardashian or you have 10k followers of course).

It’s elitist. And it’s wrong.

You Can Outgrow It and That Doesn’t Mean It Was a Mistake

For me, MLM was a chapter. It gave me the courage and clarity to take bolder steps in my salon and boutique. It gave me practice leading people when the stakes were low, so I was better equipped when the stakes were high. It revealed to me a passion for teaching other women to make money which lit the passion that became the next step in my career.

Eventually, I outgrew it. I still sell the products because they’re great, but it’s never been a significant supplement to my income. And yet, I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t be the leader I am today if I hadn’t had that experience. I’m not sure that I would have taken the leap I did into mentorship.

I still use some of the systems I built there. I still approach team mentorship with the same heart. I still believe in teaching women how to advocate for their goals, not just in business, but in life.

If You’re Considering Leadership, Ask Yourself This First

So here’s my challenge to you:

If you think you want to lead a team, mentor people, build something bigger than yourself — test it out. Not in your head. Not on paper. But in real life.

That could mean starting an MLM side hustle.

It could mean leading a community group.

It could mean managing a small project with volunteers.

But please, test your desire before you invest thousands of dollars and years of your life into a version of business you might not actually love.

And if MLM is your starting point? That doesn’t make you less than. It makes you smart.

Final Word: Respect the Process

Leadership isn’t built in a day. It’s built in the trenches, in the awkward DMs, the shaky voice notes, the first time someone looks to you for guidance and you realize, “Oh, sh*t. I need to show up for real.”

MLM gave me that moment, over and over again. It made me question my motives, sharpen my message, find my voice, and most importantly, it showed me that I do love leading people. I just needed a place to learn that without risking everything I had.

If you’re already in an MLM and feeling ashamed about it, stop. You’re learning real business skills that translate. If you’re a business owner judging people in MLMs, maybe pause and ask yourself what they might know about community, courage, and consistency that you haven’t had to master yet.

I said what I said. And I stand by it.

Warmly,
Kendra

P.S. If you’ve been thinking about starting something but aren’t sure where to begin, I’m always happy to share what worked (and didn’t) for me. This space is for the real ones, MLM or not