Hi, My Name is Dave by David Banta

What do you do when the unexpected happens? Why, join your spouse in their network marketing business of course! A few years back I was sitting front row at a comedy club when the comic looked at me and asked “what’s your name and what do you do?” I replied “I’m Dave and I’m a builder” “A builder? Oh, so people say ‘where’s Dave?’ and someone says ‘out in the garage, building something.'” Funny. Building things is what I’ve done for a living for the last 30 years, getting established, raising a daughter, being a husband and giving back to our community. But often it has felt like I was a stranger in my own life. This might explain the “he’s doing something” puzzlement I occasionally get from folks. So why am I writing this article? Let’s see.

My dear wife of 21 years is Maran. Yes, sounds like Karen. Her motto is “who you really are makes a difference!” (Really, it does!).

 NULL Some of you who’ve been hanging around here for a while may know her, and of her dedication to the Network Marketing industry. She is a most amazing woman and I have been gifted beyond measure to have her in my life and humbled to be considered her partner on our journey together.

So I’m writing to you from “the other side”. The spouses’ point of view. The guy (gal) who is scratching their head as their beloved leaps yet again into another one of those “pyramid thingies” (official name of the industry).

Brief but important background. I grew up in Ada, Michigan in the late sixties and early seventies. I went to school and hung out with Dick DeVos Jr. He was (is) one of the coolest rich kids I ever knew. Heck, he was the only rich kid I knew. His dad, Richard Sr. and his partner Jay Van Andel had done very well with a little start it in your garage business called Amway. Well, those were the early days, and folks around town tended to have strong opinions about Amway and that whole pyramid ‘thingie’ thing. Let’s just say that while I really enjoyed Dick’s company, I didn’t really want to have a lot to do with his Dad’s company. And to Dick’s credit, it never came up. People grow and get involved in their lives, so over the years I’ve lost touch with Dick. I think things are going ok though. Last I heard he was running for Governor or something. Congratulations Dick! So when my beloved wife Maran brought her first MLM opportunity to me about 15 years ago I think I might have said something like “Honey, I heard there was this really great streetwalking job on the west side.” At least Mar says that’s how I was looking at her. It’s been a long road for me folks. But the things I’ve learned along the way. When I look back now, it just blows my mind. Maran joined her current company about two and a half years ago. Great company, great product, great plan and she is in love with it. And so am I. Up until two months ago I was still working my job building things (big things, out of concrete!) and telling myself (selling myself?) that I could keep doing it as long as it took for her business to take off. I was working hard at feeling good about working hard.

And then it was gone.

I came home on a Thursday afternoon, a little early, and waited for Maran on the patio, with a cold one in my hand. “Hey babe, you know that job I used to have?” I really have to give her credit. I mean all this stuff we’ve been studying must really work because she only spent about 30 seconds with this “Oh no!” look on her face, and then I actually witnessed the dawn of realization rise in her eyes. Sparkling, twinkling she said “So what do you want to do? I’ve got your back babe.” I have got to be one of the luckiest guys on the planet, I swear. “You mean we could go” I asked? I had been dreaming of this for years, and suddenly, very suddenly, it was here. Now we may be rich beyond our wildest dreams, we are, we are, we are, but that isn’t necessarily reflected at all times in our bank account. We took a quick look at our money and realized we had a simple choice to make, and make quickly. Stay or go.

Funny thing was, it was simple, really. We felt it calling us. We KNEW.

We wanted to be reasonable, you know, adjust to the shock, and sleep on it. We said we would wait until Monday to finalize anything. I ordered the POD Friday morning, it was delivered on Monday and we just packed all our stuff away, put a little road kit in the Passat, turned in our keys on Saturday and hit the road. That was easy! And the past 60 days have been an amazing ride. We headed to the company convention in mid August and we’ve traveled over 8000 miles, been to 20 cities, enjoyed the most wonderful times visiting family and friends and especially getting to meet heart to heart with so many really cool people in Maran’s business. We’re not there yet, so light a candle for us if you’re so inclined. But for all those spouses out there, who are scratching their heads at this “pyramid thingie”, be patient and open yourself to the possibilities too.

It’s an honorable thing to support one another as we learn and grow. And you just might find yourself realizing your own dreams, too.

Namaste, David (aka The Tall One)

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