MARKETING INGENUITY
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007
93
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aul Orberson is not your typi-cal millionaire. In fact, youmight say he broke all the rulesto get where he is today.“People say, ʻYouʼve got to write your goals on a piece of paper.ʼ Iʼvenever done that,” Orberson says. “Mylife worked out by acting, then think-ing about what happened and how God blessed that.”When looking back on his life, Orb-erson has one phrase that sums it upnicely: “Nothing I ever planned worked out like I thought it would.”Orberson began his career as a highschool coach and then moved into net-work marketing. But things didnʼt fall into place. He struggled the first two years just to make ends meet, trying to jumpstart a new career while supportinghis wife and two children. It wasnʼt easy. In 1992, count-less hours, little success and even lesshope left Orberson wanting to quit. Heshouldered on, but overdue bills and an uncertain future left him with severe panic attacks that threatened what wasleft of his career.“I wasnʼt worried about doing won-derful stuff for God,” he said. “I wastrying to stay alive.”In time, Orbersonʼs work paid off,and he began receiving larger and larger checks from his network market-ing career. In 2001, he started Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing with a unique prem-ise: an unprecedented compensation plan that gave sales representativesmore money back than they invested.This upside-down plan ran counter tonetwork marketing practices of the time. But it worked. People joined in droves.Today, companies across the world want his killer sales force and multimillion-dollar business to represent them.Orberson is an incredible man with aunique perspective on life. And he agreed to share his experiences — and his les-sons — with
$1,000,000aire Blueprints
.
Tell me about your family.
My father was the pastor of a smallchurch in Harrodsburg, Kentucky —Beech Creek Baptist Church. He drovemy mother to a Lexington Hospital in1956, and I was born.
What schools did you attend?
I attended Boyle County HighSchool and graduated in 1974. I went tocollege at Western Kentucky Universityon a full baseball scholarship and gradu-ated in 1979 with a degree in history.
What was your first job?
I coached at Warren County in Ken-tucky. From there I went to Casey Countyand coached for eight years. Then I wentto my home high school, Boyle County,where I was the head basketball coach atthe age of 29. This was the fall of 1987,and I stayed until 1991.
You worked for a network marketingcompany, Excel. What is a network company?
A network of people that utilize word of mouth to become a powerful marketing“arm” for products/services. The networkis cheaper than typical media advertise-ments used to gather customers. Excelwas similar to Mary Kay, Avon, etc. Itprovided telephone service through indi-viduals building teams of distributors tocollect customers.
What was your first experience withExcel?
I went to an Excel meeting Novem-ber 11, 1990. My assistant superinten-dent, Bob Gorley, asked me to go. Oneof the people there was Jimmy Reed,president of the Kentucky Coaches As-sociation. I thought, “Well, if Jimmy isinterested, Iʼll listen.” I was 33, marriedand had two children.
When did you sign up?
I signed up that night. Jimmy Reed,Bob and Russ Nolan, and Brenda Hickeywere at the meeting. Brenda said, “Look,you could do this. You know a few coach-es.” I remember thinking, “OK, maybe Ican get a few customers so theyʼll get off my rear end.”
How much did you make coaching?
I was clearing almost $2,300 amonth, and I was as happy as I am today.It was never an issue of happiness.
Do you remember the first person youcalled on?
I called a guy named David Camic. Iremember being really nervous going upto his house. He was the coach at a rivalhigh school, but we were friends. Hesaid, “What in the world are you doing?Youʼve got a nice house.” I said, “Iʼm just doing extra.” I was apologetic andso embarrassed!
After you made your first sale, wheredid you go for your second?
I went to my mother and father.
How did your first year with Excel turnout?
I couldnʼt get anybody to listen tome. I finally got a few customers andmy first sales rep. He was a retiredfellow, Phil Morse, and he signed upthe former coach at Centre College inDanville, Kentucky. When Phil signed
Paul Orberson Turned Trials Into Triumph
By Stephanie Dube
“Nothing I ever planned worked out like I thought it would.”
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