Network marketing NZ — an honest, 30-year perspective on why it works, why it gets a bad rap, and why the truth is a lot simpler than people think.
Last updated: May 2026 | By a Shaklee NZ Ambassador | shopwellness.co.nz
Okay, I need to rant for a sec. ☕
Why is network marketing the Vegemite of business models? You either love it or you hate it.
Call it what you want — network marketing, direct selling, community marketing, or *whispers* MLM 😱 — somehow it’s gained this strange, murky reputation. The kind where people lower their voice when they say it, like they’re confessing something.
Meanwhile, I’ve been doing it for 30+ years.
I started as a SAHM — stay-at-home mum — with zero spare time, a load of washing that never ended, and the distinct feeling that “having it all” was something that happened to other people. Network marketing gave me an income I could build around school runs, nap times, and the chaos that is just… life with kids.
Now I’m an empty nester with a business that has paid bills, funded holidays, and quite literally kept the lights on. Not a side gig. Not a little hobby. A real business. One I built from my kitchen table.
Some people get it. Some don’t. And in my humble opinion, a lot of the ones who don’t are simply misinformed.
“Rather than pouring billions into corporate retailers and massive advertising campaigns, network marketing companies reward everyday people for sharing products through real relationships and word of mouth. It’s social selling. It’s sharing. And you know what they say — sharing is caring.” 😂
The Clouds Need to Part
I think it’s about time we had a more balanced conversation about what network marketing in NZ actually is — versus the caricature version that gets dunked on at dinner parties.
The traditional business model works like this: a company makes a product, spends enormous amounts on advertising and retail shelf space, marks up the price to cover all of that, and the profit flows upward to shareholders. The person who actually recommended the product to you? Gets nothing.
Network marketing flips that. Instead of spending on billboards and TV ads, the company pays the people doing the recommending. Real people. People who actually use the products. People who can answer your questions at 9pm on a Tuesday because they’re your neighbour, your friend, or someone you found on Instagram.
Is that really so scandalous? 😂
Let’s Put a Few Things to Bed
I’ve heard every objection. Here are the ones I hear most often — and my honest response to each.
🚩 “Uplines benefit from downlines!”
Mate. Your CEO benefits from you. Your manager benefits from you. Every shareholder in every company you’ve ever worked for has benefited from you. That’s just called a business with more than one person in it. We don’t call that a pyramid — we call it Monday.
🚩 “It’s just recruiting!”
No — it’s building a team. The same thing every company on earth does. We just don’t dress it up by calling it “talent acquisition” and charging $15,000 for a recruitment agency. When a Shaklee Ambassador invites someone to join their team, no commission is paid for that recruitment. The income comes from product sales. That’s a meaningful distinction.
🚩 “Network marketers are pushy!”
Some are. Some retail workers are too. Some real estate agents are. Some yoga teachers are. People are people. The pushiness isn’t a feature of the business model — it’s a feature of some individuals who haven’t figured out that genuine relationships are more valuable than a quick sale. The good ones — and there are many — never push. They share. There’s a difference.
🚩 “The products are overpriced!”
Sometimes that’s fair criticism. Sometimes it isn’t. With Shaklee, the price reflects 110+ published clinical studies, 350+ quality tests per product, EWG Verified status, and a 100% money-back guarantee. That’s not overpriced — that’s what quality actually costs when a company invests in science instead of celebrity endorsements and Super Bowl ads.
Here’s What I Actually Love About It
Instead of a faceless corporation funnelling profits to shareholders, the money goes to people like me. Ordinary women (and men) who got up every day, shared something they believed in, and built something real.
I have customers who’ve been ordering from me for over a decade. Not because I twisted their arm. Because the products work. Because they trust me. Because when their mum had a question about collagen at 8pm, they texted me and got an answer.
That’s social sharing. That’s community marketing. That’s a relationship. That’s a business.
And in New Zealand in 2026, with Shaklee having just launched here in September 2025 — bringing a 70-year-old, clinically backed wellness company to a completely fresh market — I genuinely believe this is one of the best network marketing opportunities in NZ that has existed in a very long time. Possibly ever, for this country.
Is It for Everyone?
Honestly? No. Neither is sourdough. Neither is running a café. Neither is being an accountant, or a teacher, or a tradie.
Network marketing suits people who:
- Genuinely love the products and use them themselves
- Enjoy connecting with people and building relationships
- Want flexibility — to work around family, travel, or a day job
- Are patient enough to build something over 12–24 months rather than expecting overnight results
- Can handle the occasional eye-roll from someone who “doesn’t believe in MLM”
It doesn’t suit people who want a guaranteed weekly wage with zero effort. No business does. Anyone who tells you otherwise is the actual scam.
Rant Over. Cuppa Made. ☕
If you’ve made it this far and something in here landed — maybe you’ve been curious about network marketing but talked yourself out of it, or had someone talk you out of it — I’d love to have a proper conversation with you.
Not a pitch. Not a pressure. Just a chat about whether Shaklee NZ might be the right fit for you, your lifestyle, and what you want to build.
Because after 30+ years, I still believe in this. And I think you deserve to make that decision with accurate information, not an outdated story someone told at a barbecue.
I truly love helping people on their wellness journey. I genuinely believe in these products — my family and I use them every single day. There’s nothing quite like getting a text from my 83-year-old customer telling me that Immune Health helped her shake off the flu, or a monthly check-in from someone who’s lost another 1.5kg on Shape, or a knock at the door from my neighbour asking for another bottle of Liquid BioCell because she can feel the difference in her joints.
That’s why I do this. Not just for the income — though that matters too — but because the products are real, the results are real, and the relationships are real. That doesn’t feel like a controversial business model to me. It just feels like caring.
Most of all, I love building a business that fits into my life — not the other way around.
Curious about Shaklee NZ?
Join as a Founding Ambassador for $49.95. I’ll send you everything you need to get started — no pressure, no hype, just the honest truth about what it takes and what’s possible.
To Success & Health. 🌿
— Your Shaklee NZ Ambassador
Disclaimer: Shaklee makes no promises or guarantees regarding earning additional income. The success of each Shaklee Ambassador depends on individual skills and personal effort. Ambassadors do not earn compensation for the recruitment of other Ambassadors. Income results vary significantly. Please review the official earnings information at us.shaklee.com/earnings before making any business decisions.
P.S. Yes, I do prefer Vegemite, even as it sits in the shadow of a fierce, long-standing rivalry with local Kiwi favourite Marmite. I prefer that salty umami flavour. ☕
