Some entrepreneurs dream big from day one, setting big goals and never wavering until they reach the pinnacle of success. Maiko and Kulia Tuitupou place themselves in a different category: a couple who started with modest goals for financial flexibility, whose steady growth led them to Executive Diamond level. “When we started that we thought, if we could just go Platinum, we would have it made,” Kulia said. “That was our ultimate goal in the beginning.”

“We were struggling,” Maiko said. “I was working 80 hours a week, Kulia was going to school full time, working full time.” Maiko had been working in construction, and Kulia was studying to become a nurse when Kulia’s cousin shared the opportunity to start an Amway business in 2016. They saw a chance to steady their finances, and, more importantly, to have time together as a family.

“It was outside my comfort zone, but I fell in love with the business, I fell in love with the people, I fell in love with being able to really make a difference in other people’s lives the way my cousin did for us,” Kulia said. “We’ve been able to be a full-time family, and to design our life from the ground up.”

“We didn’t know if we could go Platinum, and here we are as Executive Diamonds. It’s mind-blowing when you think about it,” Maiko said. “What brought us here are the relationships that we’ve built with people as we grew our Amway business.”

Maiko and Kulia credit the competitive drive they developed as college athletes with sparking the dedication they needed to succeed in business. “We like winning, but we hate losing even more,” Kulia said. “It’s helped us not to get complacent, to always be hungry, to go out there and be consistent and persistent.”

“We both have that competitive spirit,” Maiko said. “What’s great about the Amway business is that you’re not really competing against anyone else, it’s just you against you. That has always kept us motivated, knowing we can always improve.”

Despite their intensity, one obstacle Maiko and Kulia faced early on was their reserved personalities. They wondered if it would hamper their chances to succeed as entrepreneurs. Instead, Maiko said, their style worked to their advantage as they built relationships with their team and customers.

“We’re quiet; we’re easygoing; we like to fly under the radar. That’s who we are,” he said. “But I’ve learned that, for people who are introverted, when they speak, people tend to listen, because they know you have something important to say.”

Now, when people listen, Maiko and Kulia talk about what they overcame to achieve what they have. “To get anywhere you want to go, you have to go through things,” Kulia said. “I think it’s important to be able to share those things and prepare people for the journey of building a successful business. Maiko and I wouldn’t change anything about our journey.”

“When someone is starting out and they make a mistake, they think they’re the only ones,” Maiko said. “I think sharing your failures is probably the best thing you can do, because everyone else who has made it has made those same mistakes. It tells people they’re on the right track and they can keep moving forward.”

For the calendar year 2021, typical IBOs in Canada earned up to $1,000 before expenses.

See www.amway.ca/income-disclosure for details. Earnings depend on many factors, including: customer base, business experience, effort, dedication, and quality and performance of an IBO’s sales team.