My MCA (Motor Club of America) Experience Thus Far!

I'd like to briefly share the good, the bad, and the ugly of Motor Club of America, popularly known as MCA and sometimes TVC Marketing.  Mind you, I am still very new but the experience has been mostly positive.  I hope these thoughts will help other fledgling MCA associates and those still considering if they should take the leap of faith.

First and foremost, the Motor Club of America suite of benefits is very much worth it.  I believe in the product and that is almost the sole reason I did it.  Sure, my sponsor's [initial] responsiveness and enthusiasm helped but I knew I wanted to share something I truly believed in.  The marketplace is vast since everyone owns/rents cars or uses prescription meds at some point in their lives.  The easiest "sell" here is for drivers looking for more peace of mind at a greater value.

It is unfortunate that there is a significant majority of referral agents/associates that misrepresent MCA.  They focus too much on the money and not enough on the benefits.  We all like to have a little extra spending cash and of course it would be great to end the corporate rat race, spend more time with our loved ones, and be financially free..  But those points are beaten to death, in my humble opinion.

Everyone sets their own pace..  just don't overthink it to the point of missing out! ;)

This image is cute and perhaps effective for sparking impulsive decisions but it focuses on material things and money, not the dreams, vision, and the benefits that keep people engaged in entrepreneurial pursuits.  Sadly, you see a lot of what I like to call hip-hop mentality (mind you, I love all types of music, including hip-hop and R&B so please do not take any offense) in home-based business groups.  Hey, for some, all you need to hear about is bling and "mad money" (yo) but, for those of us that are seeking to truly change the world or at least the lives of our loved ones, there's got to be more than that.

You will see that we (co-author/admin Yomar Lopez and I) will revisit the topics of empowerment, enchantment, and excellence through it's many facets.  Often what you will see in the entrepreneurial community in general, not just work-from-home or MLM organizations, is that there is a great degree of negativity, dishonesty, and selfishness.  Some of these so-called gurus are just plain nasty!  The qualities these less-than-wonderful people display stand in stark contrast with what good personal development will teach you.

I have only start to really scrape the surface but I agree with a lot of what thought leaders like Guy Kawasaki, the Empower Network team, Jim Rohn, Paul J Meyer, and Kim Klaver share.  The common threads seem to revolve around inspiring and helping others, being likeable or enchanting.   Seems like some of my fellows in MCA missed the memo: they are far from it..  For now.  I do believe everyone has good in them and the potential to be great but it takes a conscious effort to get there.



What I have noticed is that some folks taste too much success too fast or they are barely turning a profit.  Both scenarios breed frustration and angst.  A common exchange I see on Facebook looks like this:

New Associate:  My sponsor isn't helping me and I am so lost.  I have yet to make my first sale.  Is this MCA thing even legit??  I knew it - this is a scam!!!

Veteran Associate:  Quit your whining!  It's your business.  Do the work and don't try to blame anyone but yourself if you are a failure.  I have been doing this for 8 years.  I bought three new cars, a new house, and blah blah blah..  It's easy but you have to stick with it, quite making excuses, and start making money!!

For those exploring what MCA is really all about, this is very off-putting.  The truth is both sides make valid points in these types of debates but all parties are stubborn, selfish, or perhaps just oblivious.  With a proper team spirit, this kind of verbal vomit can be reversed into a very positive experience.

I would say that every associate should help others out, regardless of whether they are in the same organization, team, group, or whatever.  The same applies to irate customers.  The attitude of "it's not my problem" only makes MCA and countless other MLMs as a whole seem shady, perhaps evil.  No one wants to be a part of something like that!

There may very well be a lot of lazy people out there that just can't cut it in a self-employed role or opportunity of any kind but gross generalizations and assumptions help no one - not everyone is struggling because they are lazy!  There needs to be more of a balance between personal and sponsor accountability since, really, you will succeed or fail together regardless of whom you want to place to blame on.  Where's the team spirit?

Again, this sort of thing is not by any means exclusive to MCA.  The sad truth is that successful people often forget how they got there or, worse, they simply have dumb luck (in some cases quite literally) and don't ever embrace the principles that make that success replicable and teachable.  Here is a very compelling business success truth I saw somewhere:

It's easy to become accomplished and tout your own victories, but making others accomplished and being proud of our fellows is where real success starts.

I am paraphrasing but there are similar thoughts out there.  If I am not mistaken, Empower Network has this principle as their #1 core belief.  The idea is simple: duplicating any success[ful] formula in others is where the real magic happens.  This is the foundation of network anything.  Helping others is where we really start to get a sense of fulfillment - it will keep you fueled on those bad days, believe me!

Giving some of these veteran sponsors the benefit of the doubt, I am quite sure that they have had plenty of bad experiences with new associates.  Chances are the recruits started off very interested so they invested their time into the budding team members.  At some point, interest faded or the sponsors realized their new recruits were not "coachable" enough, and then they parted ways.  That can make anyone bitter but that doesn't mean you stop helping others all together.  Tsk tsk...

Moving on...

Another big issue I will reiterate is this whole notion of how easy this network marketing thing is.  It's SO easy - NOT!  MCA is not merely "copy-paste-done".  You need to build an audience.  You either have a massive audience and play the numbers game (i.e. spam) or you try to build small, tightly-knit groups and engage people.  Whatever your approach is, you need attention and action.  If you have one and not the other, your team will not grow and there will be no sales.

Now that we have the bad stuff out of the way, I want to urge anyone exploring Motor Club of America to at least try out the service.  Use all the perks and benefits you can.  There are heavy discounts and savings that essentially make the membership pay for itself - and then some!  The product really does beat AAA.  I finally have used my membership more and I may be upgrading soon.

Carefully choose your sponsor.  It's just like looking for a job: you want to interview your interviewers as much as they interview you, if not more.  I am sure there are plenty of people in your area or online groups doing MCA.  Choose the person that shares similar values as you.  If you like to work independently, then just about any sponsor will do but, if you expect someone that will work closely with you, I am here for you and I am sure there are other honest, caring folks out there you can join, too.

The difficulties with MLM opportunities are rooted in the unique challenges working from home in general will introduce.  You have to be committed to consistent activity and personal development.  Following up on promises and commitments is huge.  There will be no boss to hold your hand or bark orders.

Depending on your sponsor, you may have some daily or weekly direction as well as tips/tools provided but don't expect this.  Heck, if you are not in the business yet, now may be a good time to interview your sponsor and get a 100% hype-free account of what to expect.  Make sure it is a right fit!

For those already in the business and struggling, don't give up!  It is an absolute MUST that you remember why you started with Motor Club of America to begin with.  You need a powerful WHY that goes beyond being rich and/or famous.

If your purpose does not make you cry or outweigh all the struggles you encounter, it is not powerful enough.

By the way, MCA just happens to be one of the many opportunities I am sharing with others but it's one that I am particularly excited about.  I see a great need here and the timing is excellent.   There are countless opportunities with comparable business models, compensation systems, and structures out there.  I chose MCA.  It felt right when other things did not but that is a personal choice.  Ultimately, choosing the right business opportunity for you comes down to answering these key questions:

• Is the product truly exciting to me?
• Would my friends be excited about the product(s)?  Could I share this without feeling ashamed?
• Is it profitable and useful?  Is there a real need?
• Is the timing good?  What's the competition and product/brand awareness like? 
• Is there sufficient business support and tools?
• Am I ready to do whatever it takes to break free from the vicious cycle or rat race?

Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.  The last item is absolutely crucial.  Regardless of how amazing, useful, affordable, entertaining, fun, or just plain awesome a business opportunity may be, none of it really matters if you are not ready or willing to sacrifice.  There is certainly a price to be paid and, for many, the lifestyle change can be quite drastic.

For me, the biggest sacrifice is spending a little less time doing the things I enjoy most (i.e. spending time with my kids and playing social games online) so that I can have more time for them later.  There is always time we can reallocate so that a routine can be established.  I spend more of my time networking and building relationships because I want to avoid building a revolving door business; that is, I want to avoid customers and team members leaving as soon as they come in.

Anyone that tells you "all you have to do" [insert empty promise here] is full of it.  It's never "just" copy-and-paste or sharing with friends.  You have to use the product and become a product of the product, building up testimonials and developing as a master storyteller.  I am still getting there but I look around and I see so many bloggers making a living by reviewing products and sharing opportunities just like what MCA offers.  They connect with people every day and keep content going out steady.  Again, it's all about consistency!

Don't let a lazy sponsor keep you from your dreams.  If they truly fail you, you can always switch to another sponsor; after all, they do not deserve commission overrides if the only thing they did was bring you into a business and throw a few links your way.  It's a shame but even though the sponsor-recruit relationship is full of win-win scenarios, not everyone sees or treats it that way.

I'd like to close out my thoughts here by saying that the income potential is very much real and it is significant.  Just don't let it be purely about the money, because that comes and goes (also, money itself makes for a very boring, cliche story).  MCA is what you make it.  If you believe in the product and you dream big (not just in material things), go for it.

What do you have to lose, really?  You owe it to yourself to try something different and bring about some positive change in your life and the lives of others!