Let's imagine for a moment that you were going to start a new business. You'll have a fresh start, a clean slate, whatever business model you want. How would you design your new business model? Let me suggest the following:
What you sell
You will focus on selling another company's product by positioning yourself as a "middleman." You will get appointed by them to sell their product, but all the marketing and operational expenses will be covered by you.
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Of course, your "partner" will determine the product's design. When they decide to change the design, you will have no input. In other words, you don't control what you sell.
How much you get paid
Well, the great thing about this business model is you don't have to think about how you get paid; the company whose product you sell will tell you how much you are worth. Make no mistake, though, they will compensate you based on the value you deliver to them as a distributor of their product, not the value you provide to the actual client.
Oh, and if they decide you're making too much, they can reduce, or even eliminate, your compensation by however much they want. In other words, you don't control your revenue.
How you will price the products you sell
Again, you won't have to worry about how to set the price; that will be done for you by your partner. However, if they decide the price should go up by 30% or 40%, it will be up to you to deliver that news to your client. In other words, you don't control pricing.
Servicing existing clients
Wow, this model keeps getting better! Most of the services you will provide to your client will fix the problems caused by your partner. When they screw up in a way that affects your client, it will reflect as poorly on you as it does on your partner. But look at it this way, it will give you a chance to prove what excellent service you provide. In other words, you don't control when you get to help your clients.
Dealing with competition
You don't have to worry about what the competition is doing because you already know. They're doing exactly what you are doing! Your partner has given the same product, compensation, pricing, and service to your competitors as they have given to you. But don't worry, the competition also won't have any advantages over you; it's a completely even playing field! In other words, you appear to be exactly like your competition.
WTH?!
I hope that by now, you are saying, "That's one of the worst business models I can imagine! Why would I risk starting a business built on that model?!"
To which I would respond, "Exactly! If it doesn't make sense to start a business built on this model, why would you continue using that model for your current business?"
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