Professional Development and Amway North America Accreditation
One of the strongest marketing points of an Independent Business powered by Amway North America is that you are never alone in the business. Your sponsor is there to mentor you, to support you. In fact, your sponsor and your upline organization is obligated by the Rules of Conduct to provide you training and education. This can take many forms and it is often referred to as Professional Development.

Because every organization is different, each has its own Professional Development program and Professional Development materials. To optimize training, an Accreditation program was developed.

Accreditation Sets Standards
The IBOAI Board, IBO leaders, Amway North America, and a Business Support Materials Task Force created the Professional Development Accreditation Program to set standards and recognize leadership in professional development, setting an example for others to follow.

The first accreditation was awarded in April 2006 and the program continues today.

Program Overview
Accreditation is a recognized and proven way that many businesses and organizations ensure their products, programs, or services possess specific attributes.

IBOs and IBO organizations who have achieved accreditation focus on business and “treat others as you would like to be treated,” satisfying specific program criteria:

• Provide a professional development curriculum that includes business-building, product training, and personal development components.

• Use professional development compensation plans that are transparent, written, and contractual.

• Engage in communications that reflect compliance with the IBO Communications Platform.

• Demonstrate a commitment to best practices and ongoing education.

• Be in good standing and compliance with Amway North America's Rules of Conduct.

Criteria and Process
Independent Business Owners (IBOs) interested in pursuing accreditation apply to the program, their applications are reviewed by Amway based on the above criteria and accreditation is awarded to individuals and/or organizations meeting all requirements.

IBOs/organizations are accredited for a two-year period and must renew annually. IBOs/organizations are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they remain in compliance with Accreditation Program criteria. Any breach of Amway North America's Rules of Conduct or actions that threaten an IBO’s or organization’s good standing could result in revocation of accreditation.

What is Professional Development and Why Does it Exist?
Professional Development is a recognized way to acquire knowledge, gain skills, and improve performance and is available in all areas of today's business world. You will find Professional Development programs in nearly every industry, including sales, marketing, publishing, information technology, financial services, and manufacturing, to name just a few.

Professional Development programs are tailored to your business, and come in many formats: video, audio, digital, print, and interpersonal education programs. They involve technique training, business building tips, product spotlights, and motivation sessions, among other topics.

Costs for the programs vary, depending on the format and length of the course. In some instances, attendance is free as in the case of one-on-one meetings and initial group meetings. Experts in their fields are often the main feature, and they sell their own materials as part of Professional Development programs.

Professional Development programs can help provide you with:

• Effective business-building techniques

• Interpersonal and communication skills

• Specific product and marketing information

• Valuable leadership principles

• Time management expertise

• Presentation techniques for prospective business associates

Professional Development programs are also important in our industry. You can take advantage of the power of IBO Professional Development programs from those who have already built successful Independent Businesses.

4 Key Facts About Professional Development Programs

Here are 4 key facts that Independent Business Owners should know.

1. Professional Development programs are everywhere.

Teachers, doctors, mechanics, and countless other professionals rely on training and motivation to learn industry trends, stay focused, and keep skills up-to-date.

2. Professional Development programs can be effective.

A good doctor is an educated, motivated doctor. A good engineer is an educated, motivated engineer. Professional development and continuing education is found in virtually every field, and it works.

Through Professional Development Programs, Independent Business Owners learn more about business, products, marketing, time management, and more. They learn these techniques from the experts—other Amway-powered business owners—who have built successful businesses.

Recorded media, books, and seminars can be a valuable and effective way for more people to gain the skills they need to achieve their business goals.

3. Professional Development programs used in an Amway-powered business are part of the growing training and motivation industry.

• Professional Development and education is an international multibillion-dollar business. Authors such as Dr. Stephen

Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) profit from the sale of books and other materials. Book stores everywhere offer hundreds of “how-to” books, tapes, and videos on a variety of topics.

• A number of Amway-powered IBOs also operate companies that produce and market training materials to help

others build their own independent Web-based businesses. The fees from Professional Development programs help these business owners pay for a multitude of expenses, including: production facilities, equipment, technicians, accountants, attorneys, employees, leases, taxes, insurance, transportation, union charges, and convention hall rentals and commissions.

• They incur the expenses and, of course, realize profits from their efforts, as with any other business.

• Moreover, many Amway-powered business leaders are compensated for promoting and selling Professional

Development programs to their customers, as is the case with other sales businesses.

• Most money made through Amway.com is from the sale of products associated with its business ownership

plan. Profits from the sales of Professional Development programs are generally invested into building the Amway-powered businesses of those involved in making those sales.

• Most Amway-oriented meetings are actually free of charge. In addition, leading Amway-powered

business owners typically provide free mentoring to those people in their respective organizations.

4. Investing in Professional Development programs is an optional way to build your future.

• As an Independent Business Owner, you’re free to choose how much time, effort, money, and training you want to

spend on your future. In fact, it is your responsibility.

• Through Professional Development programs, you can learn from those who have “gone to the head of the class.”

You can learn a great deal about building an Amway-powered business from those who’ve been there and done that.

• The option of using Professional Development programs is yours to choose—only you know what might work best for

you.

Professional Development programs are one way for a sponsor and an organization to provide training, education, and support. Most are very proud of the materials they create and enthusiastic about the results they feel the materials produce. However, you are never obligated to buy these materials and should only buy what you feel will benefit your business.

Preserving the Past, Enriching the Present and Inspiring Hope for the Future!