As much as it may seem otherwise, every network marketing company is different and provides different opportunities to its distributors. Learning what to look for can be the difference between failure and success.

Most people do not accurately research and do their homework on MLM companies before signing up under them. This is unfortunate, because in the Network Marketing business, this is the single most important choice you will make. On the surface, all companies seem like they would be good to work for – all of them have impressive sales figures, numerous successful distributors, and have become well-established over time.

So what makes each of these companies different? All of them seem like they are practically the same company. How can that be? The answer is simple: we haven’t looked at nearly enough information. All of the statistics above are nice to know, but they merely scratch the surface as far as what we need to know before making our decision. Knowing about a company isn’t enough – we need more than what they give us at face value to make our decision. Few people are aware of the significant information they need to consider before choosing a company to go into business with.

It's virtually like a home business war for distributors out there. The bottom line is, most people aren't going to give you the straight scoop because they're either ignorant or unwilling to let it be known that their opportunity really isn't that great. There are a lot of great companies, but not a lot of great opportunities. That may seem like a contradiction in terms, but it's not really. A company can be a successful, stable company, but it may no longer be growing.

Every company, although it may not seem so at the surface, offers a completely different opportunity. This is the concept you want to focus on – opportunity, or the lack thereof, can make or break a new business. You want a company where your talents bring you the greatest reward, where time is put to the best use, where you don’t have to put forth an above-average amount of effort to realize below-average success. Opportunity is determined by information that deals with you personally, not worldwide numbers or top-tier distributor income.

Forget about the flashy, impressive numbers these companies promote. Don’t worry about what the top earners or making, and definitely stay clear of any information dealing with distributors who’ve been involved in the company for years and years. You need to know how your business will develop, and none of that tells you anything. You want to find out how people just like you are doing. Look up their average stats – average distributors, average income at given levels, average amount of time to reach certain levels – this is a good judge of the opportunity presented by a company, and helps you figure out where you’ll have the easiest time growing a successful business.

Do you want to put forth above-average effort to achieve below-average results? Of course not – no one does. So how do you avoid this? What can you look for in a company as a sign that this won’t happen – that all of your effort will be paid off in full? The answer is growth. A company that is no longer experiencing growth ahs a poor effort-to-reward ratio. You see, the growth of the company as a whole translates in part to the growth of your business, and if the company is growing, this means that all of your hard work will translate into a business that is expanding just as well. Try to think about stocks – a stock that is not growing or falling is a safe investment, but will it ever give you a return? No. If you want a profitable investment, you have to catch a stock on the upswing, so that your money that is spent receives an appropriate profit.

Keep these things in mind when you’re looking at a company to start a business sin. It’s an investment, plain and simple, and you want the best place for your investment to grow, to experience success, and where all of your efforts will pay off in the future in the form of a lucrative, profitable business.