Exclusive: Why money is not everything to Longrich’s top achiever Happy Simelane

Despite having a formal job in the banking sector, Happy Simelane reveals to MLM Magazine that ensuring her children have a brighter future is what drove her to join network marketing.

The 30-year-old mother of two chats to MLM Magazine to share her journey, highlights as well as challenges in the female dominated sector.

Although the Star 2 Director in Longrich says the sector is similar to the career of a politician, she admits that there are challenges, but the ability to bring a positive change in someone’s life is an amazing experience.

“Happy is a 30-year-old woman, a mother of two and a married woman that grew up from humble beginnings. I grew up from a disadvantaged family in Vosloorus east of Johannesburg, lost my mom at age 12 and was raised by my grandmother who had to sell alcohol to make ends meet for us,” says Simelane.

“I went to school with no proper uniform and shoes and I can safely say I was brought up by a Shebeen Queen as we refer to it in the townships. I remember I would go to school with no food and end up eating from the feeding schemes,” she adds.

“I have two siblings and you can imagine how difficult it was for my grandmother to ensure that we were fed as a family in a family house. From all my childhood scars, That is why I launched a project called hermajesty foundation in January to give back to 150 disadvantaged kids, donating school uniforms, shoes and Longrich sanitary towels to ensure they are not subjected to the conditions I experienced,” says the 30-year-old.

Talking about one of the fast-growing network marketing initiatives, Longrich Bioscience International, Simelane says she had to leave her job and try something new because she wanted to provide and emancipate herself from financial burdens.

“I joined Longrich in November 2017, but was already exposed to the networking as I was a manager at another MLM. I was introduced to Longrich by an ex-colleague as I was working in the banking sector,” continues the businesswoman.

“I was comfortable working and getting paid monthly, but the idea of getting paid weekly influenced me to consider joining Longrich. Look, we know getting a salary on the 20th of every month, but the money is gone tomorrow and you are left with burdens on your shoulders, how do you feed your kids, pay bonds and their education?” she quizzes.

“I said to myself even if it is R800 a week, I will take it because that means I won’t have stress on finances anymore, it will not be about waiting for pay day,” adds the mother of two.

“Yes, it was not easy because there are incentives and some of them are too good to be true. I mean five months later I qualified for a car incentive worth R600 000 which was used to purchase a stand cash. I then qualified for more incentives So, I don’t regret taking the leap of faith,” asserts Happy.

Speaking about leaving her comfortable job where Simelane had a comfortable chair, an air-conditioned office, she says it was not easy at first, but it was worth her effort and courage.

“I had lots of doubts at first. I was comfortable, to be honest in my job and expected a salary every month, but I had the challenge of converting and shifting from a different environment to a new business as an entrepreneur she tells MLM magazine.

“It was not an easy transaction, to be honest, I had to win trust from people I wanted to introduce something new and different from the banking industry. I also had doubts regarding products from the Chinese, but I can tell you I even went to China to get more research and understand the business,” she reflects.

The most-traveled businesswoman says she never sold a single product for Longrich, but she has made millions, we asked her to unpack that and she says it wasn’t easy but it was worth it.

“Ok this simply means my job is to influence people to switch the products they use on a daily basis, and use longrich products and refer the next person to do the same which earned them money. I never sold any products to anyone, but rather sold them the business idea,” states the 30-year-old.

“To many, it as a pyramid scheme, but it is not until you come to us, research and get to see it’s totally different. The business is all about cutting the middle man and doing away with the traditional way of doing business, I grew my network and the more it grows, the more you benefit and get rewards or incentives. In my view, it is shaped like a pyramid, but it’s not a pyramid scheme. It’s not a push push business as people tend to believe it is,” she explains.

With the unemployment rate at an alarming rate in South Africa, Simelane says through her bravery to join Longrich, she has managed to help eradicate unemployment as she employs people in her office and in her trucking business.

“I want to make a call to people especially women that it is not too late to stand up and change your future. I was stressed in my job where I get paid and money leaves the account through debit orders, there were times where I lived from one loan to the other,” she adds.

“Yes you can have a job, but try other means of getting an income. I believe that with my business and through Longrich, I have managed to eradicate poverty because we employ people with my husband. We have a trucking business. And through that business we created employment outside of Longrich,” she notes.

“Look, we are going to buy a truck adding on the ones we already have, we buy diesel and that helps to boost the economy of the country. Financial burdens can lead to stress, domestic abuse, psychological and emotional abuse to our partners because we can’t deal or meet our day to day financial demands. To an extent it can cause divorce and a number of deaths through stress and related illnesses,” urged the businesswoman.

“Sometimes it’s not about beauty and having an intelligent mind to become successful and be able to plan and improve your future. This is not a get rich quick scheme, and I am going to Madagascar soon to launch a new business that side. I have gone to Asia, Nigeria, Congo, Swaziland, Zambia, Malaysia, Dubai and I was in Namibia, recently training future leaders, I can tell women out there that gone are the days of being a housewife and waiting for the husband to provide for you,” she pleads.

Taking a glimpse at her journey so far, Simelane says helping the children in her area is one of her major highlights since joining Longrich.

“I thank God because I have managed to change and bring a smile to many people through the initiative to donate school uniforms. I no longer need money to finance my business because I am financially independent now, but donating the school supplies in January stand out as the best highlight in my journey, it’s not about millions of incentives I have received,” she responds.

“There is drama in a world of women and the social media can make or break you. Look, I am saying this because you develop and groom someone, but boom that person is joining another networking firm, and that leaves you standing alone when people laugh at you and asking questions. However, it teaches that one must have strong leadership skills and I am currently involved in courses to improve myself as a better leader,” reveals Happy.

“I’ve been through the highs and lows of life in the business yet my scars have turned into my victory.  I am no longer the young girl from the dusty streets of Vosloorus but a business woman that sees herself as a leader for the future generation. I am Happy Simelane hermajesty. You also have the power to rewrite your story. Your dreams are valid,” she concluded.

These are some of the institutions Simelane has donated to:

?True unity family foundation Mpumalanga

?Nageng Primary school

?Indlovukazi Foundation in Mpumalanga

?Tsokolibane Primary School in the Vaal

?FEED THE MINER (The mines who were affected by the Gupta-owned)

phumzile@umehmedia.com