7 MLM Skills That Actually Pay in UGC (No Recruiting Required)

If you’ve spent time in network marketing, you’ve picked up skills that can build you a real income in UGC—without the recruiting, the drama, or the downline dependency. Here’s the truth: the best parts of MLM translate beautifully to creator work. The toxic parts? We’re leaving those behind.

I spent nearly 11 years with Beachbody (aka BODi), and I was part of that 0.01% who actually found success in network marketing. But here’s what I learned: the skills that got me there—storytelling, showing up on camera, building trust, understanding pain points—those weren’t MLM skills.

They were business skills. And now I use them every single day in my UGC business, except I’m making better money, working with better boundaries, and not depending on anyone else’s success for my income.

Let me show you exactly which skills transfer, how to apply them ethically in UGC, and what to leave behind.

Storytelling: Your Secret Weapon for Authentic Content

The “share, don’t sell” mantra from network marketing? There’s actually truth in that—but it applies even better to UGC because you’re not manipulating someone into joining your downline. You’re creating relatable content that helps brands connect with real customers.

Using Personal Experience Without Oversharing

In MLM, I watched coaches share deeply personal struggles—miscarriages, mental health crises, family drama—all for the sake of making sales. That always felt gross to me. In UGC, you get to use storytelling skills without exploiting your own pain or anyone else’s.

For example, I’m currently on retainer with a brand that makes a 30-foot extension pole with different attachments. When I create content for them, I talk about being short, having high ceilings, not wanting to drag out a heavy ladder, having little kids who climb on everything. Those are relatable stories that sell the product without me having to share anything that crosses my personal boundaries.

Before and After Without the Manipulation

In network marketing, I used to taste-test new Beachbody flavors live on Instagram so my audience could see my genuine reaction. That authenticity is exactly what brands want in UGC. They want to see tired skin in the morning, then those eye patches working their magic. They want the real before and after, not some manufactured transformation.

The difference? In UGC, you’re not convincing someone to join your team or buy into a “lifestyle.” You’re just showing how a product fits into real life. That’s storytelling without the icky factor.

“Storytelling is huge. And that is definitely something that you do need to do in network marketing as well as in UGC because you want to be relatable. That’s what sells.” – Maren Crowley

Showing Up on Camera: Practice Makes Confident

Here’s the brutal truth about network marketing: if you don’t show up on camera consistently, your sales go to someone who does. Full stop. And you know what? That actually prepared me perfectly for UGC.

Building Camera Confidence Through Repetition

In my 11 years with Beachbody, I went live constantly. Weekly team calls where I was asked to speak as a guest. Instagram stories. Posts. All that face-to-camera time built a foundation of confidence. I got pushed out of my comfort zone over and over until I could just be myself on camera.

Now when brands hire me for UGC, they’re getting someone who can look into the camera and speak with confidence. I know how to riff, I know how to pace myself, and I’m comfortable whether my hair and makeup are done or not (spoiler: usually not).

The UGC Advantage: No Daily Treadmill

In MLM, showing up on camera daily was exhausting. But now we have tools—you can batch content in a day and schedule it out for the week or month. You’re not tethered to your phone. And in UGC, you’re creating specific content for campaigns with deadlines, not trying to maintain constant visibility to keep your team motivated.

Practice makes perfect, and all those years of camera time in network marketing? That’s your competitive advantage now.

Building Trust and Community (Without the Cult Vibes)

One of the biggest skills I developed in network marketing was learning how to nurture relationships online and create a loyal audience. My people knew me. Even when I got shadowbanned for months, people were checking in: “Are you okay? You just showed up in my feed and you’ve been gone forever.”

Authentic Engagement vs. ManyChat Robots

Here’s what I refused to do even in my MLM days: I never used ManyChat. I personally responded to every DM. When someone messaged me, it was me, not some bot sending them a recipe link or an auto-response about my Amazon storefront.

If you’re messaging an influencer and all you ever get back is auto-responses, you’re not friends with them. You’re just being sold to. That’s not real community. That’s taking out the human element, which is already walking a thin line with AI.

In UGC, brands absolutely look for creators who have genuine community. They want to know that when they run ads to people who follow you, that audience actually likes you and trusts your recommendations.

Being Real About What You Don’t Love

I couldn’t stand when Beachbody coaches pretended to love every single product the company released. You cannot tell me you love everything. I was very open about which programs I didn’t connect with, which flavors I didn’t like, which trainers weren’t my vibe.

That honesty built trust. People knew that when I recommended something, I genuinely meant it. And that’s exactly what brands want in UGC creators—authenticity, not fake enthusiasm for everything.

“I was very open as well with the fact that there were certain programs in Beachbody that I didn’t love because I didn’t connect with the trainer. I didn’t love every product we put out there. I couldn’t stand when coaches did that. I thought it was so gross.” – Maren Crowley

The Skills That Transfer Beautifully to UGC

Let me break down the specific MLM skills that actually make you better at UGC—and how to apply them without the shady tactics.

Consistency and Discipline

In network marketing, you had daily non-negotiables: post on social, share your workout, check in with your team. That consistency matters in UGC too, but it looks different. You’re reaching out to brands, delivering content the day you receive products, hitting campaign deadlines, submitting professional work on time.

I always joke that I was one of the only top Beachbody coaches who had consistent results for an entire decade. Why? Consistency and discipline were already in my DNA from being a professional athlete. But if you built that muscle in MLM, you can absolutely apply it to UGC—except now you’re not depending on other people to show up. It’s just you, your work ethic, and your results.

Understanding Pain Points (Ethically)

Network marketing teaches you to identify pain points—loneliness, post-baby body struggles, financial stress. The dark side? A lot of people in MLM prey on those vulnerabilities to recruit or sell.

In UGC, you use that understanding to create content that genuinely solves problems. Brands give you angles: busy moms, people working from home, holiday gifting stress. You’re creating content that addresses real needs without manipulating anyone’s worst moment for profit.

Social Selling (The Future of Income)

This is where UGC gets really exciting. Remember watching the Home Shopping Network as a kid? That model has moved to TikTok Shop, Amazon Live, Instagram Live shopping. People are buying while they watch.

If you’re in network marketing and you’re not on TikTok Shop or exploring live selling opportunities, you’re already behind. The future is UGC creators going live, showing products, and earning commissions—except you’re not recruiting anyone. You’re just showcasing products people can buy right there.

I love going live because I can riff. I have notes, but I don’t need everything scripted. I’ve built that skill over years of practice, and now brands will literally pay me to go live on TikTok and promote their products. That’s social selling without the MLM baggage.

Self-Motivation and Working Independently

Here’s the beautiful part about UGC: you’re working independently, but you’re not depending on a downline to hit your goals. When a brand says “we need this by Friday,” it’s on you—and only you—to deliver. No one else can mess up your income.

In network marketing, you were constantly relying on other people. Your team had to recruit, your customers had to buy, your upline had to support you. In UGC, campaigns have deadlines and you’re the only person responsible for meeting them. For someone like me who values independence, that’s absolutely fantastic.

The Mindset Shifts That Change Everything

Making the leap from MLM to UGC requires some serious mindset shifts. Let me walk you through the biggest ones.

“No” Actually Means No

In network marketing, they literally teach you “no doesn’t mean no.” What? We teach our daughters that no means no, we teach our sons that no means no, but in MLM it’s somehow different? That’s bizarre.

In UGC, rejection is just business. If a brand says no, you move on. You don’t “follow up” five more times. You don’t try to convince them. You respect the no, and you pitch the next brand. Timing matters more than you do—maybe they don’t need your specific look right now, but they might circle back later.

Resilience Over Perfection

In network marketing, you’re stuck in analysis paralysis because you’re constantly comparing yourself to the Type A coaches at the top who have these perfect marketing plans and color-coded calendars. But those weren’t the only people succeeding—I succeeded by being myself, by taking imperfect action, by posting consistently rather than waiting for perfect content.

I spent so much time recording 30-minute workout videos, editing them, posting them to Instagram stories—and people would just skip through them. What a waste of time. Done is better than perfect.

In UGC, you learn to just hit submit. Don’t overthink your pitches. Don’t second-guess every word. Submit the content, get feedback from the brand, learn, and move forward. Action beats overthinking every single time.

Building Systems vs. Building Teams

The biggest shift? In network marketing, your income depended on building a team. In UGC, your income depends on building systems. You create pitching systems, content creation workflows, client communication templates. You use tools like ChatGPT to speed up repetitive tasks without losing your authentic voice.

If something takes you 10 hours because you’re overthinking a podcast title or email subject line, use AI to get a first draft in 10 minutes. Then make it yours. That’s working smarter, not harder—and it doesn’t involve recruiting a single person.

“Time is the only currency you can’t get more of.” – Maren Crowley

What We’re Leaving Behind (Good Riddance)

Not everything from network marketing gets to come with us to UGC. Here’s what stays in the rearview mirror:

Manipulative Urgency Tactics

“Only two spots left!” when you’d really take 20? We don’t do that. UGC doesn’t require fake scarcity or pressure tactics. Brands either want to work with you or they don’t. You pitch, they respond, you create great content. No manipulation needed.

Overselling and Empty Promises

In network marketing, there was constant pressure to promise unrealistic results—lose 20 pounds in 21 days, replace your income in 90 days, achieve financial freedom by next year. In UGC, you can’t make empty promises even if you wanted to. Platforms like TikTok and Amazon have strict rules about claims you can make.

You’re creating honest content about products, and the brand handles the closing. You’re not responsible for whether someone buys. You already got paid for creating the content.

Treating People Like Numbers

The whole “message 50-60 new people a day” approach in network marketing was gross. It was quantity over quality, and it didn’t work. I tried it for about three months in 2019-2020 when I was pushing hard for rank advancement, and I hated every second of it.

In UGC, you’re focusing on the brands that are the right fit. You’re building professional relationships. You’re attracting the right opportunities rather than convincing everyone you meet to work with you.

Prioritizing Recruitment Over Real Help

The entire MLM model depends on building a downline. Even if you loved the products, you had to recruit to make real money. In UGC, there’s none of that. You’re just you, your skills, and your content. No one working underneath you, no one else’s success or failure affecting your income.

That’s freedom.

Your First Steps: From MLM to UGC

If you’re ready to make this transition, here’s exactly what to do:

Pick One MLM Skill and Apply It This Week

Don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Pick one skill from this episode—maybe it’s storytelling, maybe it’s showing up on camera, maybe it’s building trust through authentic engagement—and intentionally practice it in your UGC content this week.

Start Building Your Portfolio

Begin creating sample content. Show before-and-afters with products you already own. Practice talking to the camera about everyday items. Build up a portfolio of 5-10 pieces of content you can show brands to demonstrate your skills.

Learn the UGC Business Model

This is not network marketing. You’re not recruiting. You’re pitching brands, negotiating rates, delivering content, and getting paid. If you want structured guidance on exactly how to do this, I have my UGC Blueprint course that walks you through everything.

Learn How To Become a User Generated Content Creator

The UGC Income Blueprint

I’ll show you the exact method + tools you can use to start making money through User Generated Content right away. No gatekeeping or withholding info from you here.

enroll today

Embrace Social Selling Platforms

Get on TikTok Shop. Start exploring Amazon Live. The future of online income is UGC combined with live social selling events. Start building that skill now so you’re ahead of the curve.

Reach Out to Me

I’m always on Instagram @macrowley. DM me, tell me you listened to this episode, share what skill you’re working on translating from MLM to UGC. I actually respond—no bots, no assistants, just me.