For Marc Ashley, the journey to build Market America with the founders, JR and Loren Ridinger, was an extraordinary one filled with magic moments. Specifically, with JR, who would forever be his mentor, the path from a business out of a garage to a global success story was marked by innovation, determination, and a shared vision for business success.
In a recent interview with Wayne Morehead on The Direct Approach, an exclusive podcast by DSN (Direct Selling News), Marc Ashley, President & COO of Market America Worldwide, walked through the start of Market America. He shared personal anecdotes, including a moment as a teenager when he wanted to quit school after graduating high school, but JR wouldn’t let him.
Marc reflected, “One of the things that JR told me from the beginning, when I was 17, was ‘Make sure whatever you do, make sure that the time you spend pays you for the rest of your life.’ It took me a while to get there and understand it, but it’s something that has guided me throughout my career.”
The interview also delved into the company’s innovative strategies to adapt to the changing landscape of direct selling and e-commerce. Marc explained how Market America has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to appeal to the gig economy and ensure ongoing business success, with a focus on enhancing efficiency and supporting distributors.
He described the development of a distributor-centric AI system, loaded with 31 years of company data, to assist distributors with tasks such as answering questions, crafting social media posts, and even writing code. This AI integration within their back office is not aimed at replacing people but rather enhancing efficiency and speeding up the delivery of essential tasks.
Marc further elaborated on additional ways Market America is integrating AI, highlighting the company’s commitment to protecting the brand and ensuring that distributors are always credited for their sales. He explained, “We’re integrating AI within our call centers for training people. We’re integrating it within our marketing teams for social media. We’re integrating it within our multimedia video division. AI is a way to get out of the gate. We’re even using it for some programming languages. So it’ll write code. It’ll write code for you.” Marc sees these technological advancements as vital steps in maintaining business success in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
The interview is a testament to the vision, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence that has marked Market America’s journey. Marc’s insights provide a valuable look into the strategies and philosophies that have shaped the company’s business success.
The entire interview with Marc Ashley, filled with insights and reflections on Market America’s extraordinary journey, is available to enjoy by clicking here.
Earnings depicted are atypical, and the success of any UnFranchise Owner will depend upon the amount of hard work, talent and dedication they devote to building their Market America business. For typical earnings, see www.market-america.info/mais.