Joining a wellness company can mean different things to different people.

Some people are mainly interested in using the products. Others naturally begin sharing products they enjoy with friends and family. Some see the possibility of building a serious product-based wellness business.

All three are valid.

The important thing is to understand the company, products, business model, and team before deciding whether the opportunity fits you.

I have spent more than 20 years building businesses in manufacturing, retail, distribution, sales, consulting, and coaching. I built one company for 16 years, and I have used wellness products for more than a decade.

When I first learned about the dōTERRA business opportunity, I was skeptical. I knew what dōTERRA was, but I had no interest in what I assumed network marketing involved.

What changed my perspective was the way my friend and mentor, Kenny Anderson, presented it.

He did not pressure me or ask me to begin promoting essential oils to everyone I knew. He encouraged me to evaluate three separate parts of the opportunity:

The company, the products, and the business.

Kenny had followed the same process himself. He initially dismissed both essential oils and network marketing, but he began looking more seriously after examining dōTERRA’s leadership, products, retention, and business model.

That framework helped me look beyond my assumptions and evaluate dōTERRA as I would any other business.

Before joining dōTERRA—or any product-based wellness company—ask these seven questions.

Begin with the products.

Would you purchase and use them if there were no compensation plan attached?

You do not need to use every product a company offers. However, you should be able to identify products you genuinely value and would feel comfortable discussing based on your own experience.

Before I became interested in building the business, the products needed to make sense for me and my family. One example is the Foundational Wellness Bundle, which has become part of the daily wellness routine my family and I use.

Review the ingredients, directions, prices, return policies, testing information, and official product guidance. Consider how easily the products fit into a normal daily routine.

You should also pay attention to the company’s claims. A responsible wellness company should teach its representatives to share products accurately without diagnosing conditions, promising outcomes, or exaggerating personal experiences.

The first question is not:

“Can I make money selling this?”

The better question is:

“Would I personally use these products and feel comfortable recommending them to someone I care about?”

When the answer is yes, the business conversation becomes much more natural.

Customer retention is one of the most important measurements in a product-based business.

A company can attract attention with strong marketing, but retention helps show whether customers continue ordering and engaging after the initial excitement has passed.

This was one of the dōTERRA statistics that caught Kenny’s attention when he first evaluated the company. He repeatedly emphasized that dōTERRA’s retention was dramatically higher than what he had seen reported for much of the direct-selling industry.

dōTERRA has published retention rates ranging from approximately 65% to more than 70%, depending on the company source and measurement. One official fact sheet explained that retained participants include customers who reorder, continue sharing the products, or build the business. dōTERRA compared that with a direct-selling industry average near 10% in the same material.

The larger point remains important:

People appear to be staying connected to dōTERRA at unusually high rates because they continue to see value in the products and customer experience.

That matters to me because I do not want to build a business that depends on constantly replacing dissatisfied customers.

Before joining any wellness company, ask how retention is calculated, what time period it covers, and whether the number includes customers, business builders, or both.

A high retention rate does not guarantee your individual success, but it can be a strong indicator that the products are creating genuine customer loyalty.

You are not only choosing products. You are choosing the company whose name will be connected to yours.

Research its history, leadership, product standards, financial stability, customer policies, sourcing, charitable work, and long-term direction.

When Kenny first evaluated dōTERRA, meeting the company’s leadership changed his perception. He describes being impressed by the founders, their values, their long-term vision, and the company’s humanitarian focus.

Those were also important considerations for me.

I wanted to know that I was working with a legitimate, established company rather than something built around a short-lived trend.

Ask yourself:

Does the company communicate clearly? Does it appear committed to its customers? Does it invest in product quality and testing? Does it have policies designed to protect both customers and representatives? Would I feel proud to associate my name with it?

No company is perfect, and you should complete your own research rather than relying solely on a presentation.

But you should feel confident that its direction and values generally align with your own.

A business opportunity should be explained as a business—not as effortless sharing.

Building a product-based wellness business may involve:

It does not have to mean hosting product parties or approaching everyone you meet.

That was an important distinction for me.

When Kenny explained his approach, he focused on finding people who might genuinely value the products or have the qualities to build a strong business. He would introduce the company, products, and business, provide information, follow up, and allow people to decide without pressure.

That felt much more aligned with how I wanted to work.

I enjoy entrepreneurs, leaders, and people who want to build something meaningful. I wanted an approach that allowed me to have professional conversations instead of feeling like I had to become a stereotypical salesperson.

Before joining, ask what your first 30, 60, and 90 days would look like.

What activities will you perform? What skills will you need to develop? What support will be provided? What costs may be involved?

Those expenses could include enrollment, products, shipping, samples, events, websites, software, training, or marketing.

A responsible mentor should explain both the advantages and the work.

For a complete starting framework, read How to Start a Product-Based Wellness Business.

You do not need to hide the fact that dōTERRA has a business opportunity or a compensation plan.

That is an important part of what someone is evaluating.

dōTERRA uses a direct-selling model. Rather than relying only on traditional retail shelves and conventional advertising, it allows Wellness Advocates to educate customers, share products, and potentially qualify for compensation based on the company’s current plan and requirements.

Before joining, learn how that plan works.

Ask how customer orders are recognized, how qualifications are calculated, what volume requirements exist, what expenses may be involved, and what activities create eligibility for compensation.

Do not evaluate the opportunity only through stories about its highest earners.

There are people within dōTERRA who have built very large businesses, and their examples demonstrate that the model can be scaled significantly. But those results should not be presented as typical, guaranteed, or easily achieved.

Building at a high level requires leadership, customer development, consistent activity, team-building, persistence, and time.

The appropriate way to evaluate the business is to review:​

The opportunity should be compelling enough to stand on accurate information rather than promoses.

This may be the most overlooked question in the entire decision.

Two people can join the same company and have completely different experiences because they joined different teams.

The company provides the products and compensation plan. Your team often provides much of the practical coaching, onboarding, accountability, presentation help, and day-to-day support.

One of the strongest advantages I see in our dōTERRA business is the experience of our team.

Kenny’s explained that when he was new, he regularly brought experienced leaders into his early conversations. He listened to how they explained the opportunity, learned from them, and gradually developed his own style.

That same support is available to the people we work with.

Our leadership line includes several of dōTERRA’s most experienced builders. That gives new team members access to people who have built in different markets, developed leaders, overcome challenges, and learned how to communicate the opportunity effectively.

But access to experienced people only matters when they are willing to help.

Before joining, ask:

Who will help me get started? Can I meet that person before enrolling? Is there an onboarding process? Will I receive personal guidance? Can experienced leaders assist with my early conversations? Is there accountability after the initial excitement wears off?

I have coached athletes, entrepreneurs, and business leaders for years. I have repeatedly seen that information alone rarely creates progress.

Progress is much more likely when someone has clear goals, meaningful action steps, and a system for following through.

People improve when they have a clear plan, meaningful action steps, feedback, and accountability.

That is why I often use The 4 Week Win Challenge to help people develop consistent routines, accountability, and follow-through.

The person who brings you into a company should not disappear after you join.​

There is no single personality required to build a wellness business.

Some people enjoy classes and events. Others prefer one-on-one conversations, social media, educational content, professional networking, product consultations, or leadership development.

Kenny openly explains that he never wanted to build by leading with bottles of essential oil or approaching everyone he met.

His approach was to take a genuine interest in people, learn about their background, explain what he did concisely, and share more when they showed interest.

That approach resonated with me.

I do not believe you need to become someone else to build the business. You should be able to identify a style that fits your personality, relationships, experience, and strengths.

However, authenticity should not become an excuse to avoid growth.

Whatever business-building style you choose, success still requires routines and habits you can follow constantly.

You may still need to improve at:

The best team will help you find an approach that feels natural while still teaching you the skills required to build effectively.

I originally hesitated because I was focused on the label of network marketing.

Once I began evaluating the company, products, customers, retention, business model, and team separately, my perspective changed.

I chose dōTERRA because of the combination of:​

None of those things guarantee a particular result.

They do explain why I believe dōTERRA is worth examining seriously.

Should I use the products if I'm going to do the business?
​
Yes! Personal product experience can help you evaluate quality, ordering, education, and customer support. It can also make future conversations more genuine because you are speaking from experience instead of repeating promotional language.

Is dōTERRA a network marketing company?

Yes. dōTERRA uses a direct-selling and network marketing model in which Wellness Advocates may share products, serve customers, and build teams under the current compensation plan.

Does joining guarantee that I will earn money?

No. Joining does not guarantee compensation or profit. Results depend on customer activity, skill development, effort, leadership, expenses, market conditions, and many other factors.

Why is retention important?

Retention helps show whether customers and Wellness Advocates continue ordering, sharing, or participating after joining. dōTERRA has published retention measurements ranging from approximately 65% to more than 70%.

Does the team I join really matter?

Yes. Your team may provide much of your onboarding, product education, business coaching, presentation support, accountability, and leadership development.​

I am willing to talk openly about the fact that I build with dōTERRA.

At the same time, a public article cannot show you everything you should understand before making a decision.

During a private conversation, I can walk you through:

There is no pressure or obligation.

The goal is to give you enough accurate information to decide whether the products, business, and team are worth exploring further.​
​
​Use the links below to learn more or reach out to me directly at jeff@jeffheggie.com

This article is provided for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical, legal, tax, financial, or business advice. Participation in a business opportunity does not guarantee compensation or profit. Products, policies, qualifications, costs, and individual experiences vary. Review current official dōTERRA materials and consult qualified professionals when appropriate.