Before I became the Hope Man, before Synergy Collab, before HOPE.dev—I was a young entrepreneur trying to figure out how to build a business through network marketing.
I was 22 years old, fresh out of college, and convinced I had found the path to financial freedom. What I actually found was something more valuable: lessons about human connection, communication, and resilience that would shape everything I built afterward.
This post is adapted from a video I recorded back in 2012, when I was teaching other network marketers how to invite people to presentations. The specific context has changed, but the principles are timeless.
The Invitation Problem
Here's what I learned early on: most people are terrible at inviting others to anything.
They either come across as desperate and pushy, which repels people. Or they're so afraid of rejection that they never ask at all. Neither approach works.
The "perfect invite" isn't about manipulation or clever scripts. It's about understanding human psychology and communicating in a way that respects both yourself and the person you're talking to.
The Three Elements of a Great Invitation
1. Genuine Enthusiasm (Not Hype)
There's a difference between enthusiasm and hype. Enthusiasm comes from genuine belief in what you're offering. Hype is manufactured excitement designed to manipulate.
People can sense the difference instantly.
When I was inviting people to business presentations, the invitations that worked came from a place of genuine excitement about the opportunity. I wasn't trying to convince anyone of anything—I was sharing something I believed in and inviting them to take a look.
The lesson: If you're not genuinely excited about what you're offering, fix that first. Either find the authentic enthusiasm or find something else to offer.
2. Respect for Their Time and Intelligence
Nothing kills an invitation faster than treating someone like a target instead of a person.
The worst network marketers I knew would corner people, refuse to take no for an answer, and use high-pressure tactics that made everyone uncomfortable. They might occasionally get a yes, but they burned relationships in the process.
The best approach respects that the other person has their own priorities, their own schedule, and their own judgment. You're not trying to trick them into anything—you're offering an opportunity and letting them decide if it's right for them.
The lesson: Make it easy to say no. Counterintuitively, this makes people more likely to say yes, because they don't feel trapped.
3. Clear Next Steps
Vague invitations get vague responses.
"We should hang out sometime" leads nowhere. "Are you free Thursday at 7pm for dinner at that Italian place?" leads to a decision.
The same principle applies to any invitation. Be specific about what you're inviting them to, when it's happening, and what they need to do to participate.
The lesson: Clarity creates action. Don't make people work to figure out what you're asking.
The Script That Worked
Back in my network marketing days, I developed a simple framework for invitations that consistently got results:
The Hook: Start with something relevant to them, not to you. "I remember you mentioned you were looking for ways to [achieve goal]. I came across something that might be interesting."
The Bridge: Connect their interest to your invitation. "A few of us are getting together to look at [opportunity]. Given what you told me about [their situation], I thought you might want to check it out."
The Ask: Make a specific, low-pressure invitation. "We're meeting Thursday at 7. Would you be open to joining us? No pressure either way—I just wanted to make sure you knew about it."
The Out: Give them an easy way to decline. "If the timing doesn't work or it's not your thing, totally understand. Just wanted to extend the invitation."
This framework works because it:
- Centers their interests, not yours
- Provides context and relevance
- Makes a clear ask
- Removes pressure
What I Got Wrong
Looking back at that 2012 version of myself, I can see plenty of mistakes.
I was too focused on the transaction. I measured success by how many people showed up to presentations, not by the quality of relationships I was building.
I sometimes let enthusiasm tip into pushiness. When I really believed someone would benefit from what I was offering, I'd push harder than I should have.
I didn't always listen well enough. I was so focused on delivering my invitation that I missed signals about what people actually needed.
These mistakes taught me as much as my successes did.
The Principles That Endure
Thirteen years later, I'm no longer in network marketing. But I use these invitation principles constantly:
When recruiting speakers for summits: The same framework applies. Lead with their interests, make a clear ask, remove pressure.
When building partnerships: Every collaboration starts with an invitation. The principles of enthusiasm, respect, and clarity still apply.
When growing communities: Inviting people to join a movement requires the same skills as inviting them to a business presentation.
When fundraising for Hope To Light: Asking for donations is, at its core, an invitation to participate in something meaningful.
The context changes. The principles don't.
The Deeper Lesson
Here's what I really learned from those network marketing years: business is about people.
Not products. Not systems. Not strategies. People.
The entrepreneurs who succeed long-term are the ones who genuinely care about the people they serve. Who build real relationships, not transactional ones. Who create value first and trust that the business results will follow.
I didn't build a lasting business in network marketing. But I built something more valuable: a foundation of skills and principles that would serve me in everything that came after.
Those early videos—awkward as they are to watch now—represent the beginning of my journey. The beginning of learning how to connect, how to communicate, how to invite people into something bigger than themselves.
Your Invitation
If you're building something—a business, a community, a movement—you're going to need to invite people to join you.
Don't overthink it. Don't manipulate. Don't pressure.
Just be genuinely enthusiastic about what you're building. Respect the people you're inviting. Be clear about what you're asking.
And remember: every great thing started with someone extending an invitation and someone else saying yes.
What are you inviting people into?
