Bill & Peggy Britt

“You see that big hunk of blue sky up there?” asks Bill Britt, gesturing toward the upper atmosphere. “I own it.

Paid $10,000 for it,” Bill says flatly.

Bill grew up the oldest of eight children – and he grew up fast. He saw no other choice, with his father’s alcohol problem resulting in lost jobs, lost homes, and chronic chaos for the entire family. Bill even worked for tips when he was too young to be on anyone’s payroll. So much responsibility at such a tender age could easily have caused bitterness and regret. But, all Bill has to say about it is, “It made me tough.”

After serving in Korea, Bill earned an advanced degree in engineering, and spent the next 15 years as a city manager in various North Carolina cities. His work ethic was impeccable – arriving before anyone else; working hard all day to accomplish more than was expected; and usually the last to leave in the evening.

However, Bill soon discovered that the status of having a professional, highly visible job in the community simply did not make up for the fact that, no matter how hard he worked, the financial compensation for his job was not providing a comfortable life for Peggy or him. Bill knew he would need to diversify his efforts if they were ever going to have the financial security he had to have.

So, $10,000 worth of “blue sky” later, Bill Britt was a man on a very serious mission. The investment scam had simply added fuel to the fire already burning in Bill. He and Peggy had borrowed the money for the investment, and after three years of working hard to pay it back, they were still in debt. It was at this time that Bill and Peggy heard about a business that actually paid according to how hard you were willing to work! With each of them already adhering to a phenomenal work ethic – this was a perfect match – just waiting to happen!

Still seething from the investment fiasco, Bill approached this “new business” very cautiously. He recalls, “The night I went to see this business plan for the first time, I left my wallet in my car so I wouldn’t even be tempted.” Bill had learned to be more than just a little skeptical!

Bill looked at the business plan, and what he saw was an opportunity to control his own destiny. A business that he could take and run with as hard and as fast as he could, or simply work as a sideline for some extra income. For Bill and Peggy, the idea of owning their own business, setting their own schedules, and being compensated according to their efforts… were reasons enough to take this seriously. As the realization of what they had their hands on took hold, “Everything changed very quickly,” smiles Peggy.

When they began building their business, Bill was completing a master’s degree in public administration; serving as an officer in the national guard; and working fulltime as a city manager! He certainly did not have time to do this, but he was also absolutely unwilling to settle for anything less than total control of his own life – his money and his time. So, in Bill’s mind, he did not have the time to NOT do this. And now that he had a way to accomplish his goal of financial independence, there was no stopping him. Hard work and adversity were old friends, so there was no fear of that. The only fear – if there ever was one – was the fear of living a life of mediocrity – and that just wasn’t going to happen to Bill Britt.

Sometimes, adversity encountered along the way, especially early in life, can have a debilitating effect on one’s future performance.

For other people, however, it is that very adversity that drives them to rise above that life – to overcome – not succumb!

Bill not only overcame the adversities of his young life, but went on to become so successful in this business, that he is largely responsible for the development of a host of other successful business owners. A born leader, Bill led all who would follow – right to the well! Thirty years later, Bill is still sharing the dream – the dream of financial freedom that has become a reality for him and for many others.

“In college, I was taught to get a job and work hard,” says Bill.

“But, when we realized that we could apply the same effort to our own business and be rewarded properly for it, we began to develop an educational system to teach other people how to own and operate their own businesses. We take the knowledge we learned the hard way and give it to others. We help them develop their business until they become our peers, and then they pass their knowledge on to others, and that pattern just keeps perpetuating itself.”

Of all that Bill and Peggy Britt have accomplished during their stellar careers as business owners and business builders, they are probably best known and loved for being the ultimate mentors to thousands of people looking for the same type of personal freedom.
Their dedication to sharing their knowledge has resulted in one of the largest, most successful business support systems available anywhere in the world today.


Bill and Peggy Britt… From countless independent business owners who have been inspired by your lives – thank you for proving that all you really need is a dream, a goal, and the willingness to step up to the bat and go for it. You showed us another way, a better way, to live and enjoy life to its fullest. And, thank you for having the vision to groom other leaders who are also dedicated to spreading the word about a business so full of opportunity and promise. What an incredible legacy to leave to all those who have yearned for the freedom available through this awesome business!


The financial achievements depicted in these success stories may reflect income from sources other than Amway, such as earnings from the sale of Professional Development Materials or other businesses and investments.