Interviewed by Yudarwita Dahlan
The incredible story of Gita ‘Tobing’ Hartanto, a QNET Independent Representative from Indonesia, is not only inspiring but also perfect example of how hard work always pays off. Tobing has gone from selling coffee at a local market to becoming a big name in the network marketing industry in Indonesia. Read on to find out about his extraordinary QNET journey.
LIFE BEFORE QNET
Before I knew QNET, I was nobody. I had no job, no skills, and no self-esteem. I was living in a small town called Trenggalek, a 5 hour drive from Surabaya. My parents were badly in debt that they had to migrate to a far-away island with my elder siblings. I was left in to take care of a house that was about to be confiscated by the banks. To survive, I started selling coffee at a nearby wet market. In those days, I earning even IDR 10,000 (USD 1) was a huge struggle.
HOW I JOINED QNET
One day, a friend tried to describe an odd business opportunity to me. We were waiting for his motorbike to be fixed at the workshop and he explained the mechanics of a compensation plan using pebbles found on the street. I didn't understand a word of what he was saying. The next, he brought his upline to my house and gave it another shot. This time, my curiosity got the better of me. I had a lot of questions that I kept asking until I understood the basics fairly well. I started to get agitated because I really wanted to get into this business. I strongly believed that this was the path for me but I had no money at all and no one to borrow from. When I almost gave up hope, I found out that certain local authorities offered soft loans for small businesses. Gathering my courage and a set of 5 friends, I sent a loan proposal.
While waiting for the loan, I tried to organise a business presentation. It was a lot of hard work and I ended up inviting over 200 people. When the day finally arrived, only 5 people showed up. I was very embarrassed and upset - everyone mocked me and my friends deserted me. Even my family was against the idea of joining QNET. I knew I would eventually be successful so I never gave up and continued prospecting. After 4 months, I suddenly got the news that we had received the loan. I informed my friends immediately and reminded them that the money was to join QNET. Instead, they used the loan to buy consumables.
In the deepest recesses of my heart, I knew I needed to be resolute. I went to Surabaya to attend a business presentation and immediately signed up. I later took my siblings to the city as well and they signed up as my first downlines. Despite that small success, the road was very tough. One day, I heard about a Re-VCon in Yogyakarta. With whatever limited resources we could gather, my brother and I attended the event. We travelled for hours and hours on a bus and slept in a nearby mosque. Re-VCon changed my life forever - it answered all my questions about QNET and instilled me with a great passion to succeed. When I returned to my village, I was on fire. From that moment on, I was unstoppable.
THE QNET DIFFERENCE
With the income I made from QNET, I paid off all my parents’ debt in full and extended my help to my cousins, nephews and nieces. I was also able to help a lot of people who had worked hard for years, faced dead end prospects and were deeply in debt. Most of them are now successful in the QNET business. What makes me the happiest is hearing from my downlines about how I have been able to help them provide for their families and stay out of debt. This feedback is like a precious melodious song to me.
My QNET experience helped me change my mindset. I now strongly believe that there are ways to find success, if you are willing to fight for it. If you are looking for stable support, you lean on a strong bridge. QNET is that safe bridge to a better life.
By not giving up, I am able to demonstrate that there is a stable network marketing organisation in Indonesia and its numbers keep growing in strength year on year.
FUTURE PLANS
My vision of 100 cities, 1 million leaders is a goal I will fight for, for as long as it takes. This goal is not just about money but also about leadership, changing mindsets, building relationships and grooming a better way of life. I will never stop working towards this dream.
SEE ALSO: I Went From Being Young and Jobless to Having 7,000 Followers