Up close and personal with Santé Barley business owner Mark Ferranco

Pasig City, Philippines — Born poor, Mark Ferranco knew what it was like to have a tough, struggling life. When he was a child, attending school in his home province of Ilocos was an arduous journey from his home in a far-flung area to the town proper. Food, he remembered, was also sometimes scarce. In college, Mark worked for various leading local fast-food chains to support his education until graduation.

Amid his struggles, Mark had nurtured a dream of having a better future for him and his family and he did not doubt that he would make it through sheer persistence, hard work, and dedication.

He landed a job as a bartender after graduation but the comfortable life he was aiming for remained a distant dream. Mark said he was first introduced to direct selling via a friend during this time. He left his job to go full time but his foray into the direct selling business was off to a rocky start. He lasted for only three months and from there, decided to return to look for new work.

I was also confident about my chances of becoming a successful direct selling professional because I knew deep inside that I am a hard-working person.

“Once you get involved in the direct selling profession, however, it would be difficult to fully leave the industry. This friend of mine who convinced me to join my first direct selling company invited me to be part of his business again. That time though he was already connected to Santé. As I was looking for an extra source of income then, I decided to give it another go,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Mark’s previous training as a direct selling professional had served as a foundation as he began his journey at Santé. His experience in the company though was by far different and completely life changing.

“In one of the lectures I attended, I met several inspiring and successful people, including a certain business owner who is not a college graduate but whose earnings were way more than what I was taking home. I did not take my Santé business seriously for two months but then I realized that if I were to achieve my dreams, being an employee for the rest of my life would get me nowhere.

Mark said Santé products are highly salable as such, it did not take him long to find buyers and have repeat orders. To grow his business, he started with his relatives and friends. The first few months of being in the business were nonetheless replete with challenges as he faced stumbling blocks like any other business owners. There was even a point where he almost quit.

After a year, though, Mark’s business began to pick up the pace. His business was expanding, and his income started to grow. His monthly income reached P30,000, grew to P50,000 then P70,000 until it hit the P100,000-mark. Since then, his earnings are going nowhere but up and Mark is now targeting a monthly earning of P300,000 by 2018.

Aside from his considerable income, he also got a taste of driving his own car and travelling to Hong Kong, Singapore, and other beautiful places outside the Philippines. As a high-performing Santé business owner, he was awarded with the latest gadgets as well. Through Santé, one of his dreams came true — that was to drive and take his parents and entire family to Tagaytay.

Santé Barley and direct selling are an integral part of my life now.

Mark is now in the business for five years, ceaselessly inviting people and talking to them face-to-face about the business and the wholesome goodness of the Santé products. He has also taken advantage of social media to sell the products online, convince new prospects, and reach a wider group of people here and abroad.

“Without Santé, I am probably either a struggling employee here or an overseas Filipino worker but still unable to achieve my dreams. Santé and direct selling are an integral part of my life now. Even when in vacation, I cannot help but do my business. Furthermore, the best thing about being with the company is that my parents, my wife, and my in-laws — all of us — have experienced the health benefits of the Santé Barley products… My wife, who was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, recovered faster than her doctor’s expectations by drinking Sante Pure Barley every two hours,” he shared.

Throughout his experience, Mark realized that helping other people and making a difference should take precedence over money and profits to succeed in life. This is also the reason he is continuously gaining headway in the business. With the guidance of his mentor and as he remains focused and consistent in his efforts, Mark is all set to aim higher and achieve more.