Claiming to provide low-effort income and flexible working hours, multi-level marketing (MLM) companies seem like a great opportunity for anyone who wants to work on their own terms. But for far too many, these businesses don’t live up to their promises, and people can spend a lot of time and money trying to make these gigs work.
Lesley Gao understands why some people get excited by MLMs, but she feels driven to find a better solution. As an expert in fintech, startup growth, and e-commerce marketing strategies, she’s worked hard to create a more profitable, flexible option.
Gao’s latest project, Pear, connects small-to-medium e-commerce shops with creative people looking to sell products they’re passionate about. There’s no upfront investment required, and it offers as much work as you want to take on.
Keep reading to learn about Lesley Gao’s approach and how her innovations make it easier for people to earn a little extra income on the side.
Thinking Beyond Current Commerce Models
After working as director of strategy for various international commerce companies, Lesley Gao has learned what marketing structures actually work. She knows what small e-commerce shops are up against, and she knows how some business models take advantage of people who want to work part-time from their own homes.
Granted, MLMs can make a lot of money for those at the very top. But these largely unregulated businesses aren’t dependent on sales to make their profits — they’re dependent on recruitment. This just doesn’t work for most hires as they struggle to compete with each other in a saturated market.
Smaller e-commerce companies are also facing an uphill battle right now. Online retail giants seem to get all the traffic, and while selling products on these platforms can get a company more sales, they often enforce restrictions on pricing and exclusivity that gravely impact a brand’s margins.
Confronted by these problems, Lesley Gao became motivated to create a better solution: a platform that matches up-and-coming e-commerce companies with enterprising people who have an interest in marketing.
An Easier Path
Gao’s latest venture, Pear, connects individuals with a marketplace full of products from small- and medium-sized retailers. Anyone can design their own storefront, list interesting products that they’ve found, and collect a commission check when an item sells. Pear users can also share products with larger sellers, get a cut of that profit, and get valuable exposure for their own shop.
Unlike an MLM, Pear doesn’t require users (affectionately called “curators”) to purchase company products before any profits can be made. Setup is free and easy, and the platform takes care of all shipping, handling, and customer service. This benefits the e-commerce retailers selling their products, too — orders are sent to existing Shopify accounts, which means there’s no extra step involved in the sales process.
Furthermore, Gao points out that in the world of social and influencer marketing, consumers are looking for transparency. To this end, curators on Pear can grow their own personal brand authentically, picking products they truly care about. Gao is confident that promoting products you like is a much safer strategy than working for an MLM, not to mention more profitable.
Gao also understands how e-commerce businesses on the Pear marketplace will also benefit from this kind of individual-forward sales technique, since they can get new audiences without the need for an extensive marketing campaign.
As a result, the sales potential is optimized for all parties involved.
Making the Right Connections: Success in E-Commerce Today
The outdated MLM model is being replaced by more flexible options. Gone are the days of one-on-one sales within your network. The digital age, the growth of direct-to-consumer brands, and the meteoric rise of social media marketing show how e-commerce companies need fresh marketing tactics to achieve success.
At the end of the day, there are better ways to build lasting connections that make for good business. Gao is determined to provide exactly this by creating a platform that establishes helpful and durable relationships, setting people up for success in a financially and personally meaningful way. And that’s exactly what she hopes to accomplish with Pear.
