An interview with Andre Vaughn

 We're excited to introduce our new recognition article series, MANA (a Fijian description of power and achievement). Each article features an interview with an Ambassador who has achieved the rank of Sapphire or higher. 

His story is positively uplifting. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and now Pennsylvania-based, Andre is all about living life to the fullest. Happily married to his wife Monique and father to two beautiful twin girls, Logan and Londyn, Andre worked as a second grade school teacher. Teaching, coaching and positively impacting children, and people in general, was a core part of Andre’s DNA. While he found his job fulfilling, he was confident that his natural born leadership skillset could be applied to positively influence a greater number of people. In typical Andre fashion, he set out with a purposeful step towards a new path, one that led him to making many of his dreams come. Click to read more...

Before I began in the network marketing industry, I was a second grade school teacher at the same school where my wife Monique taught. The Baltimore Ravens are our favorite team and one year, Monique and I attended every single playoff game as well as the Super Bowl, watching the Ravens victorious win. When we were flying to Tennessee to see the first playoff game, a gentleman on the airplane graciously announced he was buying everyone on the plane a drink. This thoughtful gesture really stuck in my head and I began to give serious thought to having the ability to “ give” really meant to me. Then one Sunday morning while attending church with my family, there was a sermon titled “If you want to walk on water you have to get out of the boat”. It was then that I knew I had to make a move.

I left my teaching job and started my own business in my Mom’s basement. I then got my real estate license and opened a real estate business. We had a lot of success in real estate but it’s a feast or famine business. You are literally living closing to closing and I learned very quickly that you couldn’t count the money until you get up from the table. I knew that I was destined to influence people by sharing my positivity and I also knew that I could shape a better lifestyle as a result. It was then that I discovered my path in network marketing. Some people say I am lucky, but I believe that luck is what happens when preparation and opportunity meet. You make your own luck. It’s all in your perspective.

Early in my Network Marketing career I was blessed to have great mentors. At the start of my new career I was fortunate enough to work for a company that had great leadership and that enabled a kind and thoughtful culture for all. I was sheltered from the negativity commonly associated with the network marketing industry. However, when we merged with another company, our positive culture completely shifted and I was exposed to a new culture that believed in negative practices and was lacking in something so precious to me, integrity. Sadly, I experienced firsthand the negative experience that can drive people out of network marketing. I had lost a little of my fire so I set out to explore a new challenge to get my positivity back on track.

When I discovered Wakaya Perfection and I looked at the incredible leadership, driving such a life changing wellness mission, I knew that this was something that I had to be a part of. My biggest passion for Wakaya Perfection is its people. Todd Smith is a great leader and a man of true integrity. Its wellness focus is so important because living a long, healthy life is a true gift. I want to be on this planet a long time to see my daughters grow up, walk them down the aisle on their wedding day and enjoy my grandchildren. At the end of the day wealth without health is not wealth at all.

I have experienced financial independence in network marketing on a level that has exceeded my initial dreams. I constantly tell my team to “be ignorant on fire and knowledge on ice”. Stay positive. Drive past the people who are roadblocks and inspire the people that are brave enough to take a chance. Once you let go of negative people, positive ones appear. Supporting each other, maintaining a team mentality and surrounding yourself with positive energy only makes for the best outcome. My financial independence has afforded me the ability to enjoy my favorite sport of Basketball on an entirely new level as a co-owner of a Semi-pro Basketball Team. I use the same principles in Network Marketing that I do with my Basketball Team. Every game we go into, I know we can win. Winning is a lifestyle. It’s this mindset that helped me to achieve the Sapphire Ambassador level so quickly and it’s a mindset that will help me achieve my life goal of leaving an incredible legacy for my children.

I’d like to say thank you to my amazing wife, Monique and my two girls for their incredible patience in understanding the time it takes to build a business. I also want to thank my Mom, twin sister and my brother for helping to shape who I am as a person and of course, my incredible team Members because teamwork makes the dreamwork.

FUN FACTS ABOUT ANDRE

• His success strategy in 3 words: “Winning is a lifestyle”
• The top of his travel bucket list? Monte Carlo
• The three words that best describe him? Driven, Family oriented, team player
• The top 3 Wakaya Perfection products he can’t live without?
  • The Bula Hydration Nutri-Cap System with Daily Detox caps
    
  • Calcium Bentonite Clay Powder
  • Ginger, Caramel, Sea Salt Popcorn