Toni Vans is a woman of many titles. She is an entrepreneur, mentor, mother, CEO, educator, wife, network marketer and the founder of her brand, Effing Simple. To boil her down to just one title would be to dismiss her vast list of accomplishments and experiences.
By focusing on her strengths and values, she has built a life of freedom and fulfillment. She has also built a community of more than 400,000 people around the world that she has inspired through her speeches, training and best-selling book series. For many, Effing Simple has become another name for personal growth and transformation. When you talk to her, you can see the principles that have propelled her to consistently earning seven figures a year, building a beautiful family and creating a massive network.
Network
Before finding her success as a networker, Vans and her husband tried to find success through several other industries. “We had tried in restaurants and in lawn care, but nothing seemed to work,” she says. After years of hoping to make it as an entrepreneur, Vans heard about a new opportunity from one of her clients—it was MONAT, a new multi-level marketing company that sold hair care, skin care and wellness products. At first, she was hesitant to listen because she had been on the bad end of a business deal before, but something inside prompted her to give it a chance.
“We sat down as she explained the MONAT model to us. It sounded good,” Vans recalls. Little did she know, but from that day forward, Vans would become a crucial component of MONAT (just a startup back then), eventually helping millions to improve their lifestyle and financial situation by sharing an incredible product with the world. Less than ten years later, Vans has built a network of nearly 500,000 marketers and generated more than a billion dollars in annual sales. How? By focusing on her network. “I spend a lot of time connecting to people, providing them value and finding people that can elevate me as well,” she says. “It’s crucial to building a career, not just as a network marketer, but in any line of business.”
Be present
The hardest part of having multiple titles is finding time to be present for everyone and everything in your life. For Vans, being the best mom, wife and friend is equally important as it is to succeed in business. The ability to be present is a crucial part of her success, and it stems from this idea that you only have one shot to make a difference. “There is no reset button in life,” Vans says. “You can’t take anything back. All of your actions have consequences, and will have a lasting impact on the rest of your life.”
So, whether she is connecting with her social media followers or spending time with her loved ones, Vans is intentional about being present and making the most of right where she is.
Build partnerships
“For me, I have always had a partner in [my husband] Jay,” Vans says. “Even before the success, we were committed to doing life together, and that’s been huge.”
Although many entrepreneurs are driven by a strong sense of independence and freedom, there comes a time when you have to find partners that push your vision forward. Throughout her entire career, Vans has surrounded herself with individuals who helped her rise to the top of her game.
Most recently, she has created a new product offering for the networking market, and that was only possible because of a partnership. After spending $100,000 to manage her vast network, she wanted to create a CRM that met her needs and the needs of other networkers. As a result of partnering with a master developer, she was able to launch her own affordable software that she says will be the “last CRM anyone will ever need,” and it was made possible by a partnership.
Find what you love
Vans believes that life is more about what you give than what you receive. That’s why she made the choice to go with the startup MONAT eight years ago. It was a model that was clearly designed to help people, not trap them. “When I look back over the last 8 years, I see more than $2.4 billion in revenue. But more importantly, I see millions of people that have improved their life financially,” Vans says. “I also see customers that have found confidence in their life through our products. That’s amazing to me.”
Her advice to anyone looking to build their legacy is to find what they love and find a way to give. Those two combined will help you to keep going even when life throws trials at you. “Share love and kindness,” she says. “The rest will follow.”
Toni Vans is many things. Ambitious, kind, generous and unapologetically passionate. She lives the life that she wants. As a mom, she is present. As a business woman, she built amazing partnerships. As a leader, she enables a community of networkers. And as a human, she shares kindness and love wherever she goes.
