Country Focus
November 2009
Book publisher MLM leads by example
MLM International Romania is a company that leads by example. As a publisher of educational books on network marketing and other forms of direct selling, founder Dan Marius Dumitras not surprisingly chose this as the perfect route to market.
Complementing the core business of translating and selling some of the best technical and motivational books around, Dan also offers a training and consultancy service helping direct selling organisations (DSOs) to set up and develop their business.
He has over 20,000 registered Home Clients representing almost the entire spectrum of direct selling companies in the country. “Everyone is eager to learn, firstly when they join a DSO to learn the basics and then to help them develop their business to greater advantage,” said Dan.
With his wife, mathematics professor Dr. Daria Elena Dumitras, he set up his company in 1992 as the industry was just starting to gain a profile in this part of Europe. “From the beginning our plan was to educate people about direct
selling through promoting the concept and providing the tools to learn and perform this activity,” he said.
Having started by publishing some of the most fundamental books on multi-level marketing their portfolio now includes more advanced works by authors such as John Kalench, Tom Schreiter, Peter Clothier, Edward Ludbrook, Ben Nogradi and John Milton Fogg. The top seller remains ‘The Basics’ by US entrepreneur Don Failla, and Dan has written some books himself. Over 400,000 books have been distributed over the past 17 years with expansion underway into Hungary, Republic of Moldova and Serbia.
Direct translation is not always easy in an industry full of jargon and acronyms. Dan and his team of professional translators came up with new Romanian terms which have now become accepted into local language. New products
in development include training CDs and DVDs as well as e-books and a magazine spotlighting personal and company success stories due for launch in January. Their latest book, ‘The Formula for Success in Network Marketing’ by UK
author Chris Taylor, is described as a ‘must-read’ and full of practical advice.
Dan’s own experience dates from 1987 when he worked as a Distributor for a German insurance company. In the early 90s he spotted the gap back home in Romania and in line with the advice contained in many self-help books, he took a calculated risk and set up his business since when he has never looked back.
MLM International remains unique in Romania and has built a reputation as a proactive supporter of the industry whose energy and commitment reflects many of the qualities of direct selling. Since 1997, close contacts with several
universities has seen the introduction of specialist courses and research projects, an initiative which was subsequently adopted by the Romanian Direct Selling Association, RODSA, of which MLM International is a founder member.
“The biggest challenge is to give people confidence that this industry offers the biggest opportunity in the world to achieve success as an individual business person,” said Dan.
“We encourage our Home Clients to promote the benefits of self-development through studying the experience of others and putting into practice their successful findings. Combined with our seminars and conferences, this professional education has had a great impact on thousands of Romanian Distributors regardless of which company they work for.
Success will come for those who combine study with practice, and work ethically and consistently.”
