I am Pipe Arias
Diamond / Colombia
Champions are forged in difficult days.
My life before b:hip
8 years ago, my life was completely different. I was an employee of a company specialized in manufacturing cycling uniforms. My role was focused on graphic design, a task that fit my academic training. Previously, I’d lived the experience of working in the United States as an immigrant, a period that left its mark on my history.
Back then, although I had an income that gave me independence, my situation felt somewhat stagnant. I lived in a modest apartment that I shared with friends – and despite the stability, something inside me was looking for more.
Deep down I had a feeling of nonconformity. I began to long for a change and wish for different opportunities. Then the b:hip project came to me – and that’s how it all started.
My beginnings in b:hip
Interestingly, the b:hip opportunity happened through my parents, who had already been in the business for a while. At that time, the work model was very traditional, as they usually invited friends and family over for meetings.
My sister and I didn´t identify with that business model. We didn’t want to be calling our acquaintances in order to run a business. But then we learned about Michael Sarfelt’s system – and everything changed.
We traveled to Mexico to hear more, and we noticed the new system was exactly what we were looking for: it allowed us to work and grow in this industry with “unknown” people – not necessarily friends or family.
The b:hip project and us just “clicked”.
With b:hip we made a 180° turn
When my sister and I started at b:hip, everything took a 180 degree turn. Upon learning more about the project and business method, we made the decision to go all-in.
This meant we would be the first ones to implement it in the city of Medellín.
At that time, several people from Mexico came to work with us, among them Juan Carlos Medellín and Daniel Vázquez, who are still working with b:hip.
Being the pioneers in Medellín, my sister and I decided to immediately quit our jobs and dedicate ourselves full time to the project.
My challenges in b:hip
Our beginnings were overall a great challenge because we didn’t master the business model yet. We had no experience.
Even then, it still felt like an adventure. We were both very tired of our previous jobs, as my sister also had a job she didn’t feel happy with.
I was tired of working just to survive. I paid my bills, but at the end of the month I didn’t have much money to plan trips or think about savings, a car, my house. I wanted to start a new journey in my life.
The beginning gave us a lot of excitement – we had started a different path, an adventure. And although we had challenges, we went through our adversity. But at the time, we didn’t see it as adversity. We just had this great enthusiasm.
We met many people who joined the project and it created this amazing synergy. Everything was very cool. I don’t think the beginnings were difficult – they were actually very good for us.
Speaking in public and my first global convention
When I started the project, I had a very big personal challenge: I wasn´t used to speaking in public. And we do that a lot: giving talks, going to conferences, and having team meetings. It happens all the time.
When I went to school and university, it was very difficult for me to do presentations, because I was very introverted and a little shy.
Two months into the business, I traveled to Thailand to attend the first global convention. At that time, I still didn’t earn enough to pay for my trips, but I told myself: “It’s important to invest in my future and see what’s happening on the other side of the world.” So, I decided to travel, and it was the best decision I could have made.
A few years ago, my way of thinking and my personality were very different from now. But thanks to the b:hip project, my life changed. I overcame my fears and began to develop in a completely new way, very far from the Felipe of 8 years ago.
At first the economic changes were small, since they were pretty much equal to what I earned before. But I immediately felt an emotional stability that I didn’t have before.
Around the fourth or fifth month, I was surprised to notice that I had already doubled my income. This, as well as traveling and doing things I had never done before, gave me the conviction and certainty that I was in the right place.
How would you describe a b:hip leader?
I have always said that leadership at b:hip is a very special DNA. B:hip leaders have trained us and taught us everything. They are special people who are always up for anything.
Let’s say that at some point, in the process of overcoming my fears of public speaking, I avoided it occasionally. But I never did, because we were always recommended to do it despite our fears and accept the result – good or bad. This helped me face and overcome my fears.
There is no room for excuses when it comes to leadership at b:hip. It’s about always being at your best, regardless of whether you went partying the night before. You have to be there and lead by example – pave the way for others.
The most valuable thing we have is the way we lead – and the type of people we develop.
How do I motivate my b:hip team?
Sometimes, life doesn’t follow a straight path to success and it’s easy to lose focus. My team constantly strive for the well-being and unity of everyone – and to achieve this, we do not skimp on talks, workshops, and other activities that inspire and motivate.
We regularly share a dinner or just meet some place in the countryside to break the daily routine. We want to create a renewing synergy. We look for that fresh air that revitalizes and motivates our team, trying to do something different to have that break we need when things become somewhat monotonous.
Plus, we offer exciting incentives like stays at prestigious hotels. We do not limit ourselves to the local level – we also organize activities throughout Latin America with all the leaders of the region.
We want each team member to feel motivated to work, grow, and achieve their own goals. Every important event is accompanied by a promotion, a valuable recognition for individual effort.
The b:hip path and the Camino de Santiago have something in common
Fortunately, we have some very special leaders, like the Medellín family. They are spiritual people, who have done the Camino de Santiago in Spain several times. I had wanted to experience that for a while, until one day they invited me to do it.
We walked for 11 days, 20-30 kilometers a day – 280 kilometers in total. It was a very beautiful and challenging experience!
After having such an unforgettable experience, I began to compare it with the process of the b:hip project. They have certain stages in common: there is a physical stage, then a mental stage, and at the end there is the spiritual one.
THE PHYSICAL STAGE: The first days are very hard because you are not used to walking such long routes. My feet hurt!
Those first 3-4 days you wake up exhausted, your muscles very tired, your feet “weakened”. It’s like you step down and it immediately hurts. But the funny thing is, the fourth, fifth, sixth day your body starts getting used to it.
You no longer feel as much physical pain, you adapt to the process, and you start feeling a little more aware of where you are. And then the fatigue and pain go away, and you move on to the next stage.
THE MENTAL STAGE: At this stage you start noticing the landscape, you get to know the people who are sharing the journey with you, you listen to their stories. You really start to enjoy the road and everything that happens around you.
And then you approach the final part.
THE SPIRITUAL STAGE: This is where the walking takes place on its own, and you reflect on your life and how you project yourself. After having experienced this, I started comparing the stages on the Camino with my b:hip process.
When a person begins working with b:hip, the beginning can feel a bit like the physical stage, since you have to adapt to new schedules. You may feel tired, even exhausted, since the pace of life at b:hip is different from the traditional work pace.
For example, due to certain meetings, we work on weekends. Saturdays often have the most important events. There is also the managing of social media, which will be a new world to some people. All this combined will create a feeling of being tired – but in a good way. It means you’re developing.
Then they move on to the mental stage, which is where you gradually become a leader. You start building your own team, your organization. You acquire knowledge, you give talks, arrange events, and you gain all these new skills you never had before.
Finally, there is the spiritual stage. Here you use your learnings, your way of thinking, to inspire your team. You help solve their problems, and people start coming to you for guidance and advice.
My mission is to help my team by sharing my own experiences and helping them avoid the mistakes that I made in the past.
This is why I can relate the experience of the b:hip project to the Camino de Santiago. I see it as a journey you must take, and you must allow the journey to guide you, revealing the challenges and the changes ahead – showing you how your life transforms as you move forward.
Is b:hip a pyramid scheme or a scam?
In Colombia many unscrupulous companies have, unfortunately, scammed people. This creates a cultural atmosphere where everything is considered pyramidical, a scam.
I always like to speak about these issues face-to-face. In fact, we dedicate time in the events to let people express their point of view. I usually tell people to search the internet for information – and they will find both good and bad comments on certain blogs.
I simply tell them: “Check it out and make your own decision. Then you can follow the path that seems right for you. We are already telling you what b:hip is all about, so there is nothing more for me to do.”
We prefer to let people find out on their own that we’re not a pyramid scheme or a scam. We also touch on the topic in our workshops where people decide whether they want to begin the process or not. Here, we explain in detail what we are – and what we aren’t.
The impact of b:hip on my life – and the lives of other people
Thanks to b:hip I have seen spectacular places – extravagant and very luxurious locations. They have always shown me appreciation and gone all out for me. They give us the best, celebrate us for being leaders and part of the project.
It’s a million-dollar business and it really shows when we participate in the international events.
Regarding the impact of the company on other people, I have seen many types of cases. B:hip is not for everyone, there are also people who cannot succeed in this business, as is true of many others. But even when people don’t succeed, they often leave grateful.
They bring lessons with them which will help them achieve many positive changes in their lives. Through our training, we give them tools that improve their mentality, helping them overcome their limitations.
The people we work with today are extremely grateful for having made the decision to work with b:hip – and they´ve noticed how their lives have changed.
For example, I have a downline whom I appreciate very much. He came from a very poor sector of Colombia and used to go out fishing on his boat every day. He lived barefoot – he had no shoes…
Seeing him today I’m so impressed by the changes he’s made to his life. He didn´t have many opportunities at the time – but he still managed to enter the project. In the beginning it took him a while because it was impossible for him to get the money for the investment. So, he started working.
If you saw him today, you’d think he was an artist or a singer. He’s a completely different person. He dresses differently, talks differently, acts differently. This is the type of beautiful story that I wish for everyone in my team.
I didn´t come from poverty, more of a middle-class background, but I was neither going forward nor backward. I can’t say that I came from a bad situation, because my parents provided for our safety, upbringing, and education. But since joining b:hip my life has changed more than I could ever imagine.
Overall, this is a type of business that you have to like and feel good doing it. More and more of us decide to do it, and we all make the decision to push forward, overcoming limitations – and feeling invincible every time we celebrate our success!
