Adapted from a talk by Bonvera CEO, Robert Dickie at a St. Louis Regional Training Event
Many of us when traveling, whether near or far, long to be at home. We feel discombobulated being out of our normal routine and space. We don’t feel at peace. I know, for me, I love to travel, and I’ve traveled a lot in my career. But I love that feeling of landing on my home turf. Many times after traveling overseas in my career, I’d land back in the U.S., and someone from Customs would say, “Welcome home,” and peace washed over me. I’ve always loved that feeling of being at home, and I know that many of us are longing for that feeling. We’re looking for that feeling of home. What I want to share with you today is that Bonvera is a place to call home. It’s a place where everyone can feel safe, secure, loved, and encouraged, and here are 12 reasons why.
No matter where you are or where you go, there is always a Bonvera community or family there for you. It’s a real community with authentic and genuine connections, unlike many other communities out there. There are unique and distinctive traits that Bonvera offers that other companies don’t, and that’s why Bonvera feels like home. Let’s dive into each of these unique and distinctive traits.
Bonvera is owned and operated by field leaders.
Similar companies in this industry and space are owned by private companies. These private companies have management and leadership teams that aren’t involved in the day-to-day operations of what it looks like to run a small-business and work in the field. They aren’t actively building a team or running their own home-based business. Without direct exposure and experience to the field, these private company leaders don’t know the pain points their representatives experience.
With Bonvera, the company is owned and operated by field leaders. What’s so unique and distinctive about this is that the company is able to make decisions with field leader’s input and perspective. This means meeting pain points, fixing common problems, and making improvements that are effective for all leaders and teams.
If that’s important to you, then welcome home.
We have an incredible ICAA board.
Bonvera has an independent board that we call the ICAA (Independent Community Advisory Association). Bonvera field representatives, or as we call them entrepreneurs, get to elect these board members. These board members represent the interest of entrepreneurs within the company and give them a voice. This board advises Bonvera on issues affecting the community and field. They promote, protect, and represent business interests for future generations. They advocate to the company on behalf of the community, and they provide a systematic way to gather feedback to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.
If that’s important to you, then welcome home.
We have a strong board.
Many strong companies in our space will hire industry leaders, experts, and insiders that lack diversity. This lack of diversity results in limited perspectives and experiences. With Bonvera, we have a very diverse board. We have industry icons, top field leaders, successful business owners, and executive leadership that bring a variety of experiences and perspectives to the table.
You can find more information on Bonvera’s board and each member’s experience here. Truly, we have incredible leaders serving on the board. If this leadership is important to you, then I want to say welcome home.
Our compensation plan is one of the best.
Many people will be looking for the latest and greatest compensation plan to maximize it for a short time and then move on. I, personally, think ours is one of the best, if not the best out there. Our compensation plan pays out more than most companies; we pay out 50% of BV with no breakage. Many other companies secretly work in breakage, so they don’t have to pay out everything to the field. Our plan is designed to always pay out 50%, and as our margins and profits get better with size, this translates into greater profitability for the field. This is huge! We are always working on ways to improve and update it to make sure the compensation plan is the best for you and our entrepreneurs.
Some companies out there never change their compensation plan; it’s been the same for years. But here at Bonvera, we’re constantly looking at ways to improve and update the compensation plan with our field leaders, board, and ICAA board to represent the entrepreneur’s needs and wants.
If that is important to you, then I want to say welcome home.
Our customer service team serves you.
Many companies out there have policies in place that restrict and limit their entrepreneurs. Their entrepreneurs, or representatives, don’t have much control, ownership, or freedom. When that is the case, a company can treat their representatives however they want to. Customer service goes out the door.
With Bonvera, it isn’t like that. We don’t own you or control you. You aren’t stuck in a contract with no freedom, control, or ownership over your actions. You are free, independent business owners. In fact, you as entrepreneurs are my bosses. I have to ask myself, “How am I going to serve you?” If I don’t serve you, I’m not doing my job. That’s why our customer service team is dedicated to serving you. We want to help remove barriers, make things easier for you, and streamline your experience. For example, we have the best return policy out there. Most companies only offer 30 or 60 days to return something, we offer 90 days!
So if customer service is important to you, then I’d like to say welcome home.
We have an affordable, easy to start registration kit.
Many companies in our industry will allow you to get started with a $1,000 registration fee, kit, and products. People get slammed with every product they offer, expensive kits and packages, and excess sign up fees. With Bonvera, you can get started with only $200-$300. We get you everything you need in this “business in a box” system for a low startup cost with low barriers to entry, so you can get started easily and quickly.
If that’s important to you, then welcome home.
We have free enterprise.
Bonvera is not a monarchy nor a dictatorship. We don’t have leaders who are issuing orders behind closed doors. We are truly a meritocracy. We have an independent board at Bonvera. We have an independent ICAA board. We are field run and operated. We’re a team, we work together.
If that’s important to you, then welcome home.
We have mainstream partnerships.
Many companies and products out there say that they partner with this nonprofit or that organization. However, when you really press them about it, they can’t tell you where the proceeds go or anything about the partnership. With us, that isn’t the case. We have real, mainstream partnerships with real organizations. We are making real differences in the world. When we say Thrive Farmers, we’re helping real people. They are real farmers, real families, and real communities in Latin America that are growing and supplying the coffee we offer.
When we say I Was Hungry, we’re helping real farmers in Africa, we’re helping real pastors in communities, and we’re teaching stewardship and agriculture practices. We’re empowering entrepreneurship, changing communities, and diminishing hunger and poverty in these communities in Africa because of our Kutano moringa products.
We’re community minded and globally conscious. We have real impact. We’re teaching entrepreneurship and stewardship. We’re teaching empowerment. We’re helping female entrepreneurs who are some of the most important entrepreneurs in Africa. We’re helping children in Latin America get education and access to healthcare.
If it’s important to you to really make a difference and have an impact, then welcome home.
We’re a company that is retention-focused.
Many companies have a model to sign up as many people as they can and make as much money as possible. It’s essentially a “churn and burn” model. These companies are so worried about profit, but they aren’t building or fostering a healthy community that will grow sustainably and invest in its people. At Bonvera, we are focused on building a community. We want to foster growth and invest in our people. We want people to stay with Bonvera and feel community. We want to offer products they love and can use every day for their family and their health.
One unique thing about Bonvera too is that we treat people differently. Many companies, when you leave the organization, you aren’t welcomed back, you aren’t treated well, and you are left with a bad taste in your mouth after being with them. But, with us, we understand that sometimes there are seasons in life where you have to pause and step back. When one of our entrepreneurs or someone in our community has to do that, we respect them on the way out. We treat them kindly and warmly, and we welcome them back when they reengage and reconnect.
I, personally, want Bonvera to be known for the way we treat others. I want us to be a community that is focused on treating people the right way at all times. It’s what separates us from the competition. When you’re with Bonvera, you feel at home. You feel welcomed.
If that’s important to you, then welcome home.
We have a team approach.
Many companies tell you to be “on your own” or OYO. That’s not how it is with Bonvera. One of the elements that makes this such a great company is that we have a team approach. We have great team members, great mentors, and great leaders. Leaders like Cody and Tara Newton, Tim and Brandy Jarvinen, Chris and Danae Mattis, and Kirk and Nicole Porter and so many others are leaders that build up, equip, and empower their teams.
Great things happen with small teams that are very committed. We have a small team at the home office, but it’s a Navy SEAL team. We are all-in. We have leadership teams that are 100% committed that are building, leading, and mentoring. We are building something great that is going to change lives, change culture, and make a difference.
If being a part of a team that’s accomplishing big things is important to you, then welcome home.
We are revamping our education system.
Just a little while ago, I was sitting down with a young Princeton grad. He’s only about 28 years old, but he is very well-versed and accomplished. He’s attended prestigious university programs, and now he is working on creating a tech startup in Silicon Valley. He said that out of everything that he’s done, what has been most essential to his success is his reading and mentorship.
That’s what the basis of our New Way MBA program is about. Every month, leaders pick out an essential book to read about leadership, finances, character, or other various topics. Plus, with the Bonvera team approach, you easily get set up with a mentor who can provide guidance and direction. New Way MBA also offers audios, podcasts, articles, events, and so much more.
If you want real education that you can leverage in every area of your life to become a successful entrepreneur, then welcome home.
We want you to succeed.
We know that no one wants to fail. Everyone wants to succeed. Everyone has a dream, and everyone has a purpose and plan for their lives. Everyone at Bonvera wants to see you succeed. Everybody at Bonvera corporate, on the board, at the ICAA board, and every one of you are a part of creating this community and family. You’re creating it as much as I am. Everything that you do is part of us creating this culture together. We’re doing this so that whatever your masterpiece of a great life is, you can create it and make an impact.
As a part of Bonvera, I want you to be so excited when you wake up in the morning to when you go to bed at night. I want you to be so filled with enthusiasm about what your teammates are doing and about what you are doing. This is the opportunity to live the life you always wanted to live, and this is the opportunity to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. That you have the joy in you to chase after your God-given dream, whatever it may be. Everyone at Bonvera is rooting for you to succeed.
And if that’s something that is important to you, then welcome home.
With all of these points, I want to welcome you home to Bonvera. In the Bonvera community and family, you are a part of something bigger than yourself – you are part of an entrepreneurial movement to leave an impact and make a difference with your side-hustle or full-time job as a Bonvera entrepreneur. If you want to learn more about joining Bonvera, talk to your Bonvera entrepreneur to learn more about joining the family. If you aren’t connected, contact support@bonvera.com or call (316) 260 – 2225.