Stacey Schultz takes a peek inside the insidious world of some multi-level marketing organizations that make big promises to stay-at-home moms.
Like they say, if it sounds too good to be true...
Talk to us, baby.
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85 comments:
Perhaps the author of this article should look at some other MLM companies besides make-up and health supplements. I know the President and CEO of our company does NOT want us buying a bunch of inventory to sit around in our garage. He says, "I don't want anyone to have a garage full of books, unless they WANT a garage full of books."
I have been with my company for almost five years and I have NEVER been told that I needed to buy more product so that I could turn around and sell it. I TAKE ORDERS for product, and then deliver it
It is wrong to paint all MLM's with the same brush.
Debbie Woolsey
GreatBooks4All.com
I belong to one of those "direct marketing" companies and experienced much the same results during my first year. My company did not require any frontloading or building of inventory - and yet I still managed to accumulate more than $30,000 in debt during my first year... How? Postage, trainings, advertising, events, you name it. I was bound and determined I was going to succeed - and devastated when the end of the year revealed the horrible truth that no amount of passion, zest, drive, time, energy or amount of money was going to created the necessary downline needed to create the flow of positive income. I was crushed. After all those promises - and dreams of having the "good life" I thought I deserved... I was told "the product sells itself, you don't have to be a salesperson to be successful" - which was as far from the truth as one could possibly get... The real truth cut very deep and hurt smartly.
I am shocked to see that there are Arbonne consultants who build their businesses that way! The company is absolutely against front loading. It's in our policies!
Yes, when you first sign up, you need certain products if you are going to be doing presentations or dropping off samples but it doesn't cost thousands of dollars nor is it something you do every month. If you start your own business from scratch, guess what, you are going to have an investment. It's much less this way if you are smart about how you start.
I am doing well with my business and don't have a room full of products to show for it nor am I racking up debt. I'm using my head about building my business. Perhaps that is what has happened with some of the other consultants is that they are not!
Every company is going to have consultants who are dishonest. I have had personal dealings with one of the other companies mentioned and I can vouch for how dishonest almost every consultant I've met with them has been. I still hear the same claims made by consultants. It's frustrating because I worked hard for them too but I did get into some debt with them.
Arbonne has not been that way at all. By the way, I do not collect orders and then deliver them either. The orders go directly to my customers. Another incorrect thing I noticed is the article talks about how "you must recruit" to make money. That is NOT true. With Arbonne, you can build your business any a number of ways. Trust me, I've been with businesses where you MUST recruit. Arbonne is not that way. You can build a team of business builders or you can build a customer base of people who really do just buy what they want when they want.
I think it's really sad the ladies mentioned had the experiences they did but can guarantee those are not Arbonne methods nor are all the groups within the company like that. Ours certainly is not.
Lisa
isis297@msn.com
I believe the author has given too narrow a view of MLM, just mentioning two companies. I guess it fits with today's journalism of 'let's knock 'em down' but I don't think that's a healthy approach.
I have been with my MLM company for 13 years ( they've beeen operating worldwide for 30!!)
You couldn't find a more ethical, supportive company anywhere.
It's wrong to tar all MLM companies with the same brush.
Maybe the author should have researched the topic more thoroughly.
In comparison, has the author checked on the cost of a University / High school education and found how many are failures after that? How many failed lawyers. doctors, internet businesses etc
It's true-the more you put in the more you get out and this is a BUSINESS not a job, effort,time, focus and vision is needed.
I love MLM. I still have friends and family and I wouldn't want to be earning an income in any other way.
I joined Mary Kay a few years ago and quit after my Director suggested that I take out a personal loan to buy inventory. About two years after I quit, I googled my name and found a document that showed that my Director was not only still reporting me as an active Consultant, but orders were being placed in my name!
Crooked! I can't believe i got suckered in by her!
I also am with a direct selling company and mine does not ever do any of the things mentioned in the article. In fact I know many direct sellers in many different companies who would say the same thing - this is not, cannot be, as common as this article implies.
There is an organization helping to change the way direct selling is done, encouraging sellers to conduct business in a principle-based manner. All of the direct sellers I know, including my own company owner, are involved with them. It is the Direct Selling Women's Alliance. Maybe the reps mentioned need to get some training on ethical business practices. I imagine if their company knew how they were operating they'd be appalled. I highly doubt the company endorses that kind of behavior.
I have been with my company for 10 years and frankly am shocked at what I read.
Please don't knock home party businesses. I do not know much about Herbalife or the juices etc. but I do know that my company and my success with them is ethical and legitimate and I would hate for someone to base their opinion about the entire industry on a few sour grapes experiences which is what this sounds like.
Karen Clark
Story Time Felts
I can't believe that the author would base all her information on 2 companies - both of whom expect and want you to keep inventory.
I have been in direct sales for over 17 years with 3 companies - the current one for 3 years and have NEVER had to carry inventory.
I have taken orders, placed them with the company and had the products delivered to the customer. And I have extremenly happy hostesses and return customers who love the way our company works and the value they get.
Home parties are a great source of fun, entertainment and a way to have a girls night out and do some shopping without driving from store to store wasting gas at the prices they are now. You can relax, visit with friends, enjoy an evening out and shop all at the same time.
Deal with reputable companies and you shouldn't have to feel "pressured" or have to recruit to make money, or take out a loan to pay for your inventory.
Research into the company you are interested in the most important thing there is. In this day and age there are plenty of ways to research a company BEFORE you join it.
Do not lump all direct sales, home party plan, or moms businesses into the same MLM category - because they are not all the same.
Don't evem lump all the MLMs together! Man I feel sorry for the Consultants for the companies you mentioned.
I am with Shaklee and we have been around 50 years. No inventory needed, no empty promises, and certainly no income guarantees.
Seriously, I worry for the people that fall for the $10,000 month speech....let's get real!
MLM is perfect for moms. Nobody says you have to fork out tons of money or make big orders, you certainly don't with my company.
MLM is fun, rewarding, and you can find products you actually have a passion for...toys, books, cosmetics, health, gardening, clothing, you name it!
I am a college graduate, I have a Bachelor's Degree, and a single mom, I work Shaklee FULL TIME and love it! I never ask for huge orders, I never give the "$10,000 a month" speech, and I don't even blow smoke up someone's butt.
I do however expect you to WORK! MLM is just like any other job, you must work at it. MLM is like owning your own business and you must put work into it. The rewards are GREAT!
SOOOO, the author of this piece needs to speak to REAL moms that work a MLM business and see the other side of this great business.
IT WORKS...but gosh...you actually do have to work it.
Maybe the author should go and talk to the people have been successful in this business, instead only focusing on the people who weren't.
And to lay claim that NM & DS companies are all schemes, based on two companies and perceptions from past consultants is ridiculous.
And does the author realize that Corporate america is the biggest scheme of all. Everyone works day in and day out to make the CEO of the company rich while they get paid crap. And I don't see anyone bashing insurance salesman- who work on straight commission, need to cold call hundreds of people everyday, are taught to start with their family and friends... where are all the articles claiming this is a scheme?
People need all the facts before making a decision. PT and this blog are a one sided view of how Direct Sales can impact your life. How about focusing on the positive.
I have happily been with my DS company for over 3 years and I'm shocked that the author would lump all MLM/ DS together! We have a low kit price to start and NO INVENTORY. You get more in free products than you pay for the business kit. I take orders and the products get shipped to my customers. Now if I chose to spend too much money on expos or advertising or someother item- that is not the fault of the business model.
I have never pressured anyone to start their own business with my company or to host a show with me. I do let each of them know this is their own BUSINESS and they will have to work to earn money. You can't go open a store front and then not advertise yourself and go to the store and work on a regular business. The hours are flexible but not optional if you want to make an income. As with any job choice it is important to do your research about just what the company expects of their sales force and just how you earn your commissions. Not all companies are run the same!
I am shocked that the author would only report one side of the story and ignore those of us who are WORKING our businesses and making a financial difference for our families.
Interesting that all the comments appear to be pro MLM. I have a friend who joined and started promoting a couple of different direct selling companies. It's basically all she talks about and she seems to bombard everyone she meets with a sales pitch. I know several folks who avoid spending time with her now because of this...myself included.
For the folks dogging the author of this piece, lay off. She's only showing the potential of what can happen within MLMs - a warning sign for the buggery that goes on within, if you will.
If you're not experiencing the tactics described by the author of the article, good on you. But it doesn't mean that those tactics don't exist and aren't happening around you. Women still need to be warned of the dangers out there.
Give women some credit. Not all of us would pursue a business that doesn’t even mention its name or plunk down thousands of dollars on inventory.
I don't believe husbands are villians at all. In many cases they are very involved in the business, which is nice. I guess it depends on who you associate yourself with.
I think some of us are grown up enough to decline to purchase something at a party if we are not interested or even to decline the invitation to attend in the first place.
I do believe that women can fail in these types of businesses as I believe many brick and mortar businesses fail as well.
I probably come off sounding pro MLM when really I’m pro making smart business decisions and doing your research before you get involved in a business.
As with anything, there is good and there is bad. It is so important to do a thorough research yourself before joining any business.
While there may be some companies who want people to frontload inventory and spend whatever it takes to get to the top, there are many, MANY direct sales/network marketing businesses that are wonderful!
Don't let this article scare you away. Do your homework. There are many legitimate home businesses to choose from; many with no to low investment to start up.
I love supporting WAHMs(work-at-home-moms). I would MUCH rather support them than to support the "big boys" for example, "W" (you know that big discount store that is everywhere)!! And heaven forbid I would ever have to go back to the corporate world ... I was there and it is/was cut throat ... and I'll stop right there before I get carried away :)
I was with an mlm company for several years. The only years where I made a small amount of money were the years where my recruits were selling. I agree that the products are pretty much overpriced; I'm embarrassed at all the times I convinced people that those products were worth 3 times what they would cost in the store. Now that I am out of the MLM world, I have a real job I enjoy and I make real money!
It is great to see a well written article about the cons and deceptions in MLM. I focus on the American Scam: Amway. It is too bad that many companies attempt to pass themselves off as direct selling companies when they are really a recruit and dupe outfit.
Woman are the target for many of these businesses. Where a product is being sold and inventory loading isn't par, then I basically have no problem with these businesses. Most people have bought Tupperware at a party at one time or another.
I do have a big problem with all the get rich quick dream selling that some companies do. Instead of selling product, distributors (really customers) go on one extended recruitment drive in hopes of building that huge downline to success.
Truthfully, the promises of mansions, luxury automobiles and vacations on the Riviera are really bunk. If someone wants to become involved in a direct sales business, please take the time to learn all the truths, not just the ones you hear from the company shill.
Wake up folks, most of these companies have a track record for making losers out of believers. There may be exceptions to this as Funfelt describes her business, but there are so many companies only interested in dollars, not your customer's dollar, but yours, the representative.
As a long time Mary Kay consultant and director I have some questions for the author. A balanced article should include views from all sides. How many successful consultants for these various companies did you interview? The names that you mention, Coenen, Ryan, Taylor, have all been around now for a few years spewing their anti-Direct Sales talk.
Did you ask Coenen to provide you written data to back up her numbers? She depends on statistics from Canada for some of her claims.
Jon Taylor is flat out wrong in his claim that we are not allowed to advertise in the local paper. Wrong, period. And, our products do not cost double to triple the price of comparable products. Go to the mall and check.
Ryan admits in your article to lying. Why would you depend on her word now?
Fitzpatrick claims that these type of companies have a 99% loss rate, and many anti-direct sales people apply that statistic to all companies, including Mary Kay. He has yet to provide any data that I could find that the loss rate in Mary Kay is anything of the kind. He is making generalizations that others jump on. When contacted about his "research", he didn't respond.
If you read the stories of those who are now so anti-direct sales, many of them admit to lying, deception, overspending, keeping secrets from their spouses, etc. With that in mind, what makes them such a credible source now?
I am surprised that with your background in credible journalism, that you would present such a one sided article and that you would depend on such flimsy sources.
Did you contact any of the companies listed for a comment? Did you read any of their literature for yourself? Do you realize that inventory is not required to operate a Mary Kay business?
Those of you have posted as representatives of other companies, don't believe what you read about Mary Kay here or on these anti-direct sales sites. They will bash you just as quickly as they do us. I have inventory because I want it and I sell it, period.
This is one arena that the direct sales industry needs to stick together. If it were up to those mentioned above, by their own admission, they would put us all out of business.
addendum to above comment:
As an "at home" mom, Mary Kay has been the best possible thing for my family. Many women are able to supplement their family's income and also raise their own children through direct sales opportunities. I would think that a magazine of your kind would support that, as we all know that one of the biggest problems in America is that no one is home with the kids.
I hope that your one sided article does not keep one single mom from taking the opportunity to be home with her children through such a business. That would be a shame.
It looks as though your magazine would want subscribers like the many work at home moms who are in direct sales. You just isolated hundreds of thousands with this article.
It's always interesting that people involved in MLMs are so adament that this type of deception, debt, and failures don't happen in these "businesses". If you have experienced success, good for you. But please, don't essentially call those who have had bad - sometimes devastating - experiences with these companies liars. If your experience is so great and you expect us to believe you, then you should offer the same to those whose experiences have not been so great.
The Anonymous Director at 9:31 pm said the following:
"I am surprised that with your background in credible journalism, that you would present such a one- sided article..."
And the candy-coated recruiting interviews that you gave to become a director aren't one-sided in any way? Never mind that those interviews paint the company in the best light possible, or are designed to learn and push a woman's hot buttons; it'd be an icy day in Hades the day a Mary Kay recruiter says to her prospect, "You know Sally, I really don't recommend that you come in with inventory. Oh sure, I need your qualifying order so it'll count towards my pink caddy or my Seminar title, but since your credit is shabby, you may wish to wait until you've worked to clear that up before considering Mary Kay. Your future is more important to me than earning the use of a pink car."
Hey, I think I just heard the alarm clock chime!
Anonymous Director at 9:31 also said:
"I hope that your one sided article does not keep one single mom from taking the opportunity to be home with her children through such a business. That would be a shame."
You know what's REALLY a shame? The fact that Mom's going to be at home a LOT less if she jumps on the Mary Kay career path. One active IBC told me that her upline had admonished her with, "You can't meet people when you're at home, you know!" A quote from a director training document backs this up: "New people are NOT going to knock on your door while you stay at home!"
Yes, you are BASED in your home as a Mary Kay Consultant, but guess what? A new consultant best be prepared to spend hours out and about, warm-chatting and offering "sincere" compliments to people so she can offer them the Mary Kay Opportunity, especially if she has to recruit 30 people (or sometimes even more) to make and maintain directorship.
This MK Husband's Oath (taken from an NSD's website) really drives home the reality of Mom being away from home. Husbands pledge to "...do my utmost to support...my wife in every way, including eating bologna sandwiches when she is conducting skin care classes, doing the dishes, packing the car for her success meetings, taking the kids for pizza when she is conducting her trainings..."
So to review: According to the Husband's Oath, Mom's not cooking, doing housework, or spending much time with the family unit because she's doing all things Mary Kay.
I'm not dogging the women in MK who choose to simply sell and not recruit; I AM calling out the ones who are hot on the career ladder and using the backs of their family members to get there.
You go, scrib!
I respect all of the comments here as Direct Sales is not the same as MLM, but I was an Arbonne Consultant for over a year..a DM (first level manager) for most of the time as a matter of fact. I sighed up because of the claim of an average $20K per month after 2 years (as published by the company in the 2006 ICCS). This is inaccurate and misleading.
These numbers were inflated because of alot of frontloading of 'puppie dogs'..anybody can google Andy Inman's EOA to see for themself. Arbonne Consultants can check the TOPS numbers to see how well their family is doing because of other peoples failures. Take a look at the amount of Arbonne for sale on craigslist in Atlanta. If you need more info look at the arbonneanonymous.typepad website for yourself. Arbonne knew about this terrible scam and obviously did nothing about it because the 4 family members that ran that show have been members of the 'million dollar club' for quite some time!
There IS a high turnover rate..why do you think that the team that gets you to district will not be the same team to get you to area...to region...to nation...?
Look at a comparison of the demographics. Over 2007 you will see an astonishing attrition rate of over 50% of DMs during the year of 2007 (12-06 51,671 05-08 25,345 and still dropping) and this doesn't account for the PROMOTIONS..factor in approx 15,000 DM promotions and that is some serious drop out of MANAGERS (not consultants). They even lost some NVPs which is the top level/big bucks for those not familiar with Arbonne!!
How about the pay cut that even the NVPs took in 2007 DESPITE the price increase???? In 2004, the average quarterly bonus for an NVP was $87K, in 2007 it was $49K and the time to promote went up. That's a $10K PER MONTH decrease!!! This information is straight off of the ICCS published on arbonne.com.
Of course if you are so caught up in the smoke and mirrors (great RESULTS!) you might miss all of these very easy to find facts...
You can make some pocket change in this business, but not the way that we were told to work..sign everyone as consultants and recruit. 'I give away the farm' was one of the quotes from a training session. How can you make money that way???? I can't imagine burning up all that gas at $4 per gallon!
My experience of working a good 50 hours per week at the business was a $6K loss. The products are too expensive to sell at retail..toward the end I was taking a loss to get them off of my shelf. NOBODY is interested in home parties anymore, and no amount of bribery will change that. I was sickened when I figured out that the only way to 'get to the top' was to recruit others into being a 'product of the product'.
I checked out pinktruth.com, which helped me so much...the stories there are so familiar that one has to believe that it is the industry as a whole and not just one company!
It is sad when people jump into something without thinking about it - we are all taught if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. If you join any direct sales company, to get rich quick, you will probably not do well. If you joined to help out your family earn a little extra money, you probably will be able to. If you get caught up in wanting a white mercedes or a pink cadillac, you better do the work to get there because you aren't going to keep it if you do it all as if you are running a legalized pyramid scheme.
As for sales, if you don't know the product, don't use the product, and don't love the product, I don't know why you would think you are going to be able to sell the product. How credible are you going to be if you know nothing about what you are selling.
Just trying to sell something because you want the money is not going to help your crediblity. You are going to end up getting the same reputation as one thinks of when referring to "used car sales people".
This article would have been far more beneficial to the readers if it made suggestions on how if you are looking to make "some" money how to do it without falling victim to people who want to exploit. It could have helped others to make them aware of the pitfalls. As it is written, using just comments from disgruntled people that didn't succeed in the particular business, is more like slander than informative reading.
If I want gossip, I will turn to the blogs, if I read a respected publication, I want fact.
Mixing stories with different companies with different complaints is also confusing as even if they may all be direct sales companies, some still operate differently than others.
And reading comments that sound like fact from posters that were never in the Company, don't carry much credibility either.
Scrib makes some interesting claims, they may be true for her, but they are not true for me. That husband's oath is not from Mary Kay corporate, it is something that someone has made up. Yes, you do need to get out of the house to meet new people, but that does not mean without your children. I go about my day, and I meet lots of women that way, (many of whom approach me!) and no, I do not mean stalking them in department or grocery stores. And yes, I have told consultants that they did not need to spend more than $x amount on their first order, depending on their situation. I held 4 appointments last week, 2 of which asked me for the appointment when I let them know that I had the new products, and 3rd has asked to come over next week.
Recruiting appointments are not journalism, would you not agree that a journalist should present ALL of the story? We could argue our different perspectives and realities all day, but the fact is that this was a one sided article and it was suspiciously laced with the voices of the anti-Mary Kay Cosmetics brigade.
The direct marketers association recently defeated the FTC's proposal to have them substantiate any earnings claims.
Most of this debate is about the reality of the average distributor's gross earnings.
It is quite instructive that this industry's trade association wants that information to be hidden.
Anonymous at 8:02 am:
Luv, if you're not experiencing the practices and teachings described in the article, good for you - you're fortunate and probably one of the few! I personally have never been in MK - I decided to do some extensive research on the recruiting practices after a friend tried to convince me that I needed MK. All my info comes from the documents your leaders teach and put on their websites and trust me, it doesn't just speak for itself, it SCREAMS for itself.
As I've said, it's vital that women are aware of the potential stumblingblocks of MK because the recruiting interviews sure as heck aren't going to tell women about them. Recruiting interviews are tethers meant to loop women around the neck and coax them into MK using very little and very skewed information. Those leadings are generally backed by an ulterior motive (need to make directorship, need to make Queen's Court of "Sharing", and so forth).
If that Husbands Oath isn't from Corporate, then why is an NSD freely teaching it to her downline? That Oath has reached hundreds (if not thousands) of women in MK - teachings from NSDs are scattered farther than my toddler's peas at lunchtime. Why isn't Corporate coming down on her and saying, "No, that's crossing the line. That's not what we're about. Take it down immediately?"
Nice try. If something's bringing in the dough for Corporate, I don't expect it to change anytime soon. It is a business, after all, and the primary function of a business is to make money, not "enrich women's lives."
I have been a Mary Kay consultant for a year.
I did order inventory when I began.
I've sold that inventory 3, maybe 4times over this year, and am not in debt. I paid down my initial investment and then restocked from keeping tight books.
Everyone has their experiences. Mine has been perfect for my family. The majority of appointments are held in my home, I'm routinely selling $300 a week and thus making the profit I need to pay some extra bills.
I never set out to get rich.
I never set out to recruit. Although, here again, I have three women who decided to join me. They chose to join me.
I did not take a loss last year on my taxes.
I am not in debt.
I am, once again, pretty well on the way to being out of the products on my shelves.
It's never great journalism to base an entire article on one point of view.
Not all republicans are exactly alike, nor democrats, nor Christians, nor Muslims, nor those of us in a direct selling business.
There are bozo's in every bunch.
This is going just fine for me and my kids love seeing me home as opposed to working a Part Time job outside of the home, as I had been doing, afterschool and evenings - granted, making a bit more money, but at the expense of my not being present for several family dinners and bedtimes.
This is my experience in Mary Kay.
Your article basically concluded that my experience is null and void, that I'm obviously not using my brain, and that I have the wool pulled over my eyes.
In an economy where it is taking me $70 to fill up my tank with gas every week, a little Mary Kay sale goes a long way.
You've interview the naysayer's. How about checking in with the other side?
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For those of you speaking about doing the research, how about beginning with the documentation at the Federal Trade Commission website. (www.ftc.gov)
95-98% of those involved in MLM's will not only fail, but will lose money doing it.
It's the marketing plan, not a specific company or product, not the salesperson, it's the MLM marketing plan.
The MLM companies know it and they use it to their full advantage.
Look at the comments on the this site alone - in defending their companies, the commenter's substantiate comments made in the article by the author.. The anger, the name calling - they're "bozo's", "not very smart", not "doing the research" they're "liars".
I find it all very sad.
It's the exact mindset and "training" methods that the author discusses in her article.
Anon poster @ 12:14 pm 6/25
I would like to see something backing up your statement"
"95-98% of those involved in MLM's will not only fail, but will lose money doing it." and not just a quote from someone else.
I have been a MK director for 14 years, I have made money every year - I must pay quarterly est. tax statements because I own tax on my income. I have a good size unit, almost all my unit members show a profit, and that is after taking deduction for mileage, and we can admit that is a very generous deduction. Now, I will admit, many are in to just earn a little extra money because they have a full time job but they aren't failing because their goal is to make a little extra money and they are doing that.
and last point, when I said earlier people should research something beofre they jump into it. That isn't insulting anyone, it is just protecting yourself. Even when you go to a doctor's office and they recommend surgery, you are always told to get a second opinion. Woman usually go shopping in pairs, if they try something on, many look for a second opinion on how it looks, so please why would you invest your money and time into something without doing some research just because someone told you that you could make $20,000/month because someone else they know did it??
And noone has answered my queston, why would you want to sell something you don't use, love, or believe in? If the answer is just to make money, my guess is you probably wouldn't make much as you would have no passion for what you are selling and no credibility selling it.
Do you not test drive a vehicle before you buy it? If you didn't and it broke down as soon as you drove it off the lot, who's fault is that?
I personally did not insultant anyone, my advice was sound, however, because I run an ethic business and run my business as a business and make money, I am called all sorts of things, ..a liar, a manipulator, oh, and I am in the "fog", I have been drinking the kool aid, we are a cult, well, just excuse me, maybe some of us have enough backbone and intelligence to make wise choices and sound business decisions. I will not be sorry for not allowing greed or the desire to get the recogniton cloud my morals and ethics. The one thing I have that noone can take away from me is my integrity.
Treat others as you want to be treated and not only mlm's/direct sales companies would be better but the entire world.
For those reading, what Triunity's just whipped out is what Mary Kay folks call an "I-Story." It's designed to tug at the hearts, pull in the recruits, and features prominently in most (if not all) MLMs.
A MK training document entitled, "Creating an I-story with Charisma and Passion" tells it like it is:
"Prospects do not sign because we make 50% profit. They make their final decision on the emotion that was gathered during someone's story...if you do not take the time to create a story that will have them coming out of their seats, you may never spark an interest...you need to learn to show emotion in developing a powerful success story. You need to make people laugh and have emotions of wanting more in life."
It's all about evoking and subsequently manipulating that emotion in order to bring in the bodies. Granted, it doesn't always happen like that (as in Cuppa Jo's case where individuals joined of their own accord) but most of the time, potential recruits are heavily quizzed so their "hot buttons" are discovered and in turn, that recruiter sells the potential recruit the very dream she expressed to her in the interview.
The MLMs have already presented their glittery sides a thousand times over; it's about time that the other side of the story was looked at.
"Why would you invest your money and time into something without doing some research?"
With the utmost respect, mk4me, most of the time it's because that extra "research" is frowned upon or discouraged. The upline recruiting teachings don't help, as in the case of one training document from a senior sales director:
"When following up on an interview, it must happen within 24 hours. The reason is this: she is going to seek out advice. She will ask for counsel from others in her life and they can provide opinions, but you are THE ONLY ONE in her life that can provide her with facts."
The "faith" card is played big time too, as in this case from top director Amie Gamboian's "Close Like the Pros - Vol 3" CD:
"I want your decision to be 100% based on faith, not 100% based on fear. Faith decisions are made on instinct. Is there any reason why I can't call you tomorrow with your decisions?"
If the higher ranks of Mary Kay are promoting and teaching this stuff, it makes it quite the challenge for the downline members trying to run their businesses ethically.
Nice comment.
But, The story is actually TRUE.. really.
Real people, real results.
Read more REAL SUCCESS testimonies HERE!
In all respect for every director in Mk that you can point out that uses "faith" etc.. I can just as easily point out ones that are ethical. Except these are never pointed out.
All of us have been put under pressure to make a decision, especially if we are looking at buying something, we as adults, need to use our brains and not our hearts when making a decision that involves money and time.
If I am forced to make a decision by a deadline, I opt to not make the decision, if it is a valid offer it will be there when I am ready to make the decision.
Maybe that is why my experience is different. I read all of the literature and thought about my decision before signing the line, my Dad taught me well. I also knew my recruiter and director from my community and knew what kind of people they were (ethically) and the success that they had in Mary Kay. I've never regretted my decision to join, and have always made money at it.
The problem with the 95, 99, whatever percentages that you present is that they are not based on Mary Kay data. You are throwing in every single direct sales or MLM company out there, and there have been some doozies!
The individual company does make a difference.
LOL - Failure rates apparently apply to every MLM except Mary Kay. Awesome argument.
mk4me,
The statement came from documentation on the Federal Trade Commissions website, I gave the web address in my comment.
I did my research.
BTW, I was anonymous at 6/25 at 12:14.
Looking at the comments coming in theres a lot of positive feedback coming in to such a negative article, I think that the article is negative because it just wasnt investigated properly, the proper way to write an article is to go out and investigate people who have been scammed, get their story and then investigate people who are maing a living at mlm, yes expose the scam merchants but also praise the do gooders. There is two sides to every story. And in case you dont know, mlm is an industry, without it thousands would be on the dole !! Patrick in Dublin
One of the biggest problems?
People join business opportunities without selecting the right sponsor.
We, as sponsors, realize that WE will not have success, unless YOU have success.
Our goal is to help those we sponsor every step of the way through 3-way calls, email tips, and even doing live opportunity meetings for YOUR BENEFIT.
When you are on OUR team...You are in business for yourself, but not BY yourself!
Visit the The DIAMOND team is HERE!
"I can just as easily point out ones that are ethical. Except these are never pointed out."
And I think that's as screwed up as you do, mk4me. I've come across VERY few recruiting-related training documents where I read through them and thought, "Wow, that's pretty ethically sound; how come I haven't seen this one more?"(because as you may know, MK training docs do get passed around quite a bit)
It pains me to see that the ones who are being glorified and worshipped in MK are the very ones who are promoting frontloading, teaching some of the slimiest practices I've ever seen, and filing it all under the powerful-sounding "If you're a decisive woman, you'll "find a way and make a way" to make XXX happen!"
For example...
"Small orders handicap new consultants. $3600, $3000, $2400 -these are the three (inventory) levels to explain." (NSD Stacy James)
"Pull inventory as soon as they sign. Have a sense of urgency." (NSD Dacia Wiegandt)
How to overcome the objection, "But I need to pray about it" courtesy of NSD Rena Tarbet: "In Mary Kay, you have the greatest opportunity to touch people for the Lord as well as for Mary Kay. Is there any reason why you would not like to help make this a better world?"
On getting your husband to approve of your doing MK: "Tell your husband that you want to purchase a starter kit, then tell him that you're interested in the business opportunity, so after you order your kit, you'd like him to come to orientation with you and get his opinion of the business." (NSD Rena Tarbet)
Frontloading, religious manipulation, and complete disregard for the husband (get his opinion of the business AFTER you purchase the kit? It won't matter anyway because you've already joined!); all being actively taught by MK's top leaders and willingly followed by more women than I care to ponder.
Frankly, I think it's high time that every IBC and director out there striving to work the business ethically needs to stand up and call out the leaders preaching this garbage. Being positive doesn't mean accepting all upline teachings without question.
As Edmund Burke put it, "The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing."
While I think it is good to make people aware of what they should look out for, I also think it would be a great idea to share the other side of the story about people who are honest and ethical and are succeeding in their home-based businesses. There is a huge industry of people who work from home in direct sales and network marketing and are doing it honestly. Those of us who are doing things right are in a position to help other people who want to do the same thing. Most companies nowadays do not encourage or even allow front loading of inventory or product and any reps that would encourage others to do so could easily be terminated from most companies. My philosophy is to treat others the way I would want to be treated.
There is a lot wrong with this article, but it does have some points.
You should never join a company with the intent to get rich. You should join a product because you love the products, and want to share it with others.
I also am with Usborne Books, and I can say that our president is very much about "You should not have to invest a ton to get started. On our last trip he was asking for help in stopping the mentality that you need a bunch of books to sell. They help out by offering consignment if you choose to do a larger event, which you can then return if you'd like.
I'm highly about passion. You can be successful if you are passionate about your business. Be careful of jumping into something for the wrong reasons, with the wrong person. You can really get hurt if you don't do your research.
Best of luck all!
Debbie L
Owner, Passion to Success
MLM/ Direct Sales are not “bad” or “pyramid schemes” in fact it is a viable way to do business. You just have to be smart about it! Don’t spend money that you don’t have and don’t hound your friends and family. Don’t be pushy, let your products sell themselves and stay consistent.
Scrib posted: Frankly, I think it's high time that every IBC and director out there striving to work the business ethically needs to stand up and call out the leaders preaching this garbage. Being positive doesn't mean accepting all upline teachings without question.
I totally agree with you (never thought I would be agreeing with a PTer) -(and I do, I teach loud and clear what I believe, and maybe that is why I make money and my unit members make money and my consultants stay consultants, they are not here today and gone tomorrow) - there is no need for large inventories like that when starting, inventory is great to have on hand for immediately deliver but... until a consultant figures out what they are going to move and sell - there is no reason to start with a huge inventory, I believe staring with some and then build your inventory as you build your customer base and stock what you know will sell.
Treat any direct sales company as a business, whether you want parttime money or big bucks and you will have a far greater chance of being successful.
Good HOT topic as usual from Brain, Child. I have never sold MLM/DS but I've had many family & friends attempt to sell me products that are very similar to those available retail but at much higher prices. I like supporting local family businesses but I don't think it should be "you buy my overpriced product and I'll buy yours."
Well, first of all I take extreme offense to the term used in the introduction of "insidious." C'mon, give me a break. The author paints all NWM/MLM with such a broad stroke she could do the same approach with any industry.
There are so many things wrong with this article it would take pages to respond properly. This is obviously a very biased article with a very limited scope.
Yes, there are some improprieties in the industry as there is an all industries. No, this does not make the right or acceptable. Companies in DS/NWM/MLM are becoming very tight on their procedures/policies due to FTC regulators and self survival.
This article would have had so much more legitimacy and worth had both sides of the industry been presented. Why would that have been to hard to provide? I know, because controversy is "news" and anything otherwise would just be boring.
As you can see from the comments, not many people agree with the author on the presentation and slanted bend to this subject.
This so reminds me of the biased and slanted reporting of shows like "60 Minutes" and others.
Craig Mattice
Richmond,VA
http://www.aboutcraigmattice.com
Stephanie from Brain, Child here.
There were two sidebars to "Seller Beware" that appear in the print issue that weren't originally posted on the website.
I have just added the first of those sidebars, titled "The Industry Talks Back," to the bottom of the original piece. It addresses some of the criticisms brought up in this discussion so far.
Check it out. http://www.brainchildmag.com/essays/summer2008_schultz.asp
Even if you believe that ever direct sale company is an mlm, and that they are all evil, this article could have been far more useful if it had been objectively done.
Somehow that seems like writing everything in big bold print and then putting the "other" side of the story in super small print that nobody would read at the end of the article when a person is probably getting too bored to read the entire article.
I think the sidebar is OK and I appreciate Amy for contributing to it but it would have been nice to not wait 9 days to add it to the online version. It's almost as if you never intended to post it at all? That's kinda icky.
Re industry talks back sidebar
The guy in thsi article to me is not industry and is not talking back
I thought the article would have been people in mlm talking back
The industry watchdog in the sidebar article says
"Out of hundreds of MLMs I have reviewed, Pampered Chef is one of those extremely rare MLM/network marketing programs that can be classified as a legitimate ‘retail MLM.’ ”
This guy is still slating mlm
You`s want to snap out of it as this website is been discussed on other forums
Ive been involved in mlm for years and made plenty of freinds,
its an industry
I want to see success stories published in the sidebar and put a link to it in the sidebar not hidden at the end of the page
talk about going from bad to worse
Patrick from Dublin
Tink said...
"mk4me,
The statement came from documentation on the Federal Trade Commissions website, I gave the web address in my comment."
oh, I read it but I didn't read where it said Mary Kay is considered in those stats, as many of our items of sales and commission don't work the same way as an mlm is described. (I will not go into it because it isn't worth the debate)-
So first, I don't see MK as an MLM, so then those stats wouldn't apply, right?
anyway, just in , another report, shows the info here:
Pyramid scheme expert and multi-level marketing expert Robert FitzPatrick has been studying these schemes for years. He is an absolute expert on how they operate, the pay plans, and the failure rates of distributors. Last week he produced a report on 11 MLMs , including Arbonne, Cyberwize, Free Life, Herbalife, Melaleuca, Nikken, Nuskin, Reliv, Usana, Your Travel Business, and, Amway/Quixtar.
Notice no MK in his report either.
Maybe it is leftout because it would scew their numbers.
Also many woman join Mk not to make money but to save money, by buying there products at cost.
Now if she decides it is easier just to get it from her consultant instead of ordering in bulk, does that mean she failed? quit? didn't make money? She didn't join to make money, she joined to save money, she didn't loose money.
So they can continue to mispresent the facts but the figures would change if they looked at the situation as oppossed to assuming all situations were the same.
I am not in Mary Kay but feel the need to defend my direct selling sisters.
In my mailbox today was the latest issue of Direct Selling News. In it is an article called Top Desk - Living the Mary Kay Values. The article outlines some of the basic principles that company was founded on, and which have stood the test of time:
1 - The Golden Rule
2 - Balanced Priorities
3 - Make Me Feel Important
4 - Go Give Spirit
You can read the whole article which explains each of these, written by Mary Kay Ash's grandson who is the President and CEO at:
http://www.directsellingnews.com/article_app.php?articleid=352
My point is that this is a company whose values and business principles should be emulated, not trashed and misconstrued. I am honored to be in the same profession, direct selling, and I hope Mary Kay reps stand tall despite the bad press!
Karen Clark
Story Time Felts
Sorry, the link didn't work in the above comment. I've made it my "name" here so it is clickable. Simply scroll down to the Mary Kay article. Maybe read some others while you are there, you might learn something about the profession.
Karen Clark
Story Time Felts
Hey funfelt aka Karen on behalf of Mary Kay Directors and Consultants thank you for your support and linking to an article to show the values of the Company!
Karen, while the values given in the article you offered sound noble enough, I'm afraid it leaves me with more questions than answers.
For example, if those values are key to MKC, why do we have MK leaders teaching things that are quite contrary to said values, such as...
The Golden Rule: "Smile and nod your head at appropriate times as you are speaking. This puts her in a "yes" mode too." (NSD Cindy Fox on recruiting)
I don't know about NSD Fox, but I sure as heck don't want to be treated like that. The world has enough fakes in it as it is.
Balance: From a Senior Sales Director: "Balance does not always mean EQUAL. My theory has always been "short-term sacrifice for long term gain...I get my family's support by telling them what's in it for them..."
Horsefeathers. That only means her family took the bullet while Mary Kay got the front-row seat.
Make Me Feel Important: Most of this concept falls under sales and booking, which I don't generally have a problem with in MK. If women want to sell product, hey, may you sell a truckload and then some this month - I truly mean that! It's the recruiting and everything that goes with it that I find absolutely no virtue in.
Go-Give Spirit: To me, being Go-give does not mean repeating "That's exactly why you need Mary Kay!" to every objection a potential recruit has. Being Go-give means not manipulating your downline by threatening them with the blatant lie of, "One of the reasons you can be terminated as a consultant is for negativism." (NSD Rena Tarbet) Go-giveness does not involve teaching the downline that encouraging customers to lie to their husbands about their purchases is okay, as in:
"I understand you like to ask each other, but sometimes husbands don’t understand the value of cosmetics…If you ask him tonight and he says no, you won’t get it. If you buy it today and he has a fit, you still got it!" (NSD Lynda Jackson)
If Mary Kay Corporate wants to succeed at presenting a wholesome image, they would do well to begin with a thorough purge of their leaders.
Most articles are written with either one side or the other glorified, and this is no different. Network marketing is a great industry and just like traditional business, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. To totally dump on network marketing isn't fair, and neither would a total glorifying praise of the industry either. In traditional business, people are losing their jobs by the thousands, we still hear about crooked boards and shareholders, and let's not get into CEOs that are unethical. How many people do you know get screwed by a traditional business? But we already know this about traditional business, accept it, forgive it, and consistently compare it to network marketing.
I would have been more impressed if the writer was mature enough to present the good, the bad and the ugly.
Donna Valdes
FindFreedomThroughNetworkMarketing.com
Well the only thing I can add, is that in every profession there are bad seeds, but we don't hold them up as a generality.
Look at teachers. I was one. If someone wrote an article about 3 abusive teachers and told a magazine for mothers that not only should they never send their kids to school because of the evil there, but certainly don't ever go into teaching as a career because they are all child abusers and that is what you will become, too, wouldn't that be a mistake?
The direct selling profession, just like teaching, is changing people's lives in a positive manner by the THOUSANDS every day. To devote an entire article, in a respected parenting magazine marketed to educated women, to glorifying a few "bad seeds" was irresponsible and unfair.
I wonder how many moms reading the article might have discovered the joy of personal growth, service, contribution, and yes financial freedom, if they were instead presented with a more balanced article. There's enough negativity in the world, who needs this?
Karen Clark
Story Time Felts
I am an attorney in Toronto,Ontario and I litigate this business opportunity frauds, under legislation which is similar to the FTC Franchise Rule.
The characterization of the direct marketing industry in this article is largely accurate.
The industry had a chance to disclose the average earnings under the New FTC Business Opportunity Rule but chose darkness instead.
Not one of the individuals posting here, except the Arbonne rep, can point to public information about gross earnings.
I wrote about the pathetic earnings of the average Arbonne rep here:
http://www.bizop.ca/blog2/due-diligence/arbonne-how-much-money-can-you.html
Start posting objective information, otherwise you will be ignored as shills
The scary part is that we're not talking about one or two women at the bottom of the totem pole preaching the filthy lessons I've mentioned; these are the TOP leaders in Mary Kay - the leaders that consultants worship, glorify, fawn over, and hope to be like someday.
NSDs preside over entire national areas, which can number up to 5,000 consultants and even higher. That's potentially 5,000 women alone - in a single national area - being taught to encourage their clients to lie/disregard their husband. And those 5,000 can potentially teach the women under them to do likewise. And on it goes.
Karen, you say that it's just a "few bad apples," but those bad apples are sitting in positions of influence, power, and leadership and reproducing themselves at an alarming rate.
While I don't deny that companies in corporate America are engaging in the dodgy, too - Mary Kay is the one that's claiming that God is first in their hierarchy. Such a claim demands a walk that matches the talk - there's a difference between actually putting God first and continually name-dropping Him in those emotionally-charged "God wants you prosperous!" teachings the upline feeds the masses.
Like many that have already posted, I feel this article was far from being "fair and balanced".
My experience with the company that I'm with has been nothing but positive. Before I commited I did my research and knew that with ANY business either, traditional or entrepreneurial, it was going to take time to build my business.
Unfortunatey, there are people who are involved in MLM/Networking Marketing who are unethical and make false claims. The same things happens everyday with traditional businesses as well. We do not support those who conduct themselves in this manner, however, those who do, make it difficult for those of us Network Marketing Professionals who work within our companies guidelines and pride ourselves with being honest, hard-working people.
In addition, one must take personal responsibility for the success or failure of their businesses. It is important to research the company BEFORE you commit. Be smart enough to look beyond the hype.
Network Marketing is a wonderful business model. It is unfair to paint a negative picture of it because of those who are unethical.
Blessings & Success!
Bonita Schrader
www.WorkAtHomeUnited.com/Bonita
Interesting article. I work for Mary Kay and have not experienced the issues mentioned here. I am sure some people have had those experiences, but I did a lot of research before I joined, and I have a smart, saavy husband who helps me keep my finances straight, which is wonderful.
My question, to the author, is:
Did you contact Mary Kay, or Arbonne to get their comment for the story?
I was a writer before I became a mom and a Mary Kay consultant, and I noticed that you didn't mention if you had tried to get comments from the companies themselves. Thanks for the interesting read. (I did read the side bar, but that references the DSA, not Mary Kay or Arbonne.)
Hi Erin,
To your question about whether or not I contacted MK or Arbonne, the answer is yes. Arbonne never responded to my inquiries and MK directed me to the Direct Selling Association. This was after I asked pointed questions about MK.
I gave the Direct Selling Association the opportunity to respond to the criticisms of MLM's in the article. The response was published in one of the sidebar articles.
I am curious if since you spoke to individuals that had bad experiences with these Companies, did you speak to any individuals that have had posetive experiences with these Companies?
That seems like it would have provided a more balanced view.
"Peck is a smart woman, a Princeton graduate who also earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Virginia. I wondered how she could fall for this."
This comment wreaks of arrogance. The author is brazen enough to conclude that smart women should not fall victim to such "scams". She makes the assumption that women who do are misguided or stupid. There are smart women who have done very well for themselves in MLM. There are also women who have tried selling for these companies and have failed miserably. The bottom line is this: No one forces anyone to do something they don't want to do. If someone choses to blow away their life savings to stock up on Mary Kay inventory, they have no one to blame but themselves.
If you truly want to write something about MLM companies put the good and the bad. One sided journalism is never profitable for anyone.
Unfortunately, as in any business, any industry there are unethical distributors and companies out there. You can get scammed in the corporate world too - remember Enron? How about all those mortgage companies here lately? MLM as a business model is legitimate and you can make money, but you have to realize this: products don't sell themselves, this isn't a 'sharing' business. It is a sales and marketing business. If you learn those skills, you can succeed. There is a large group of network marketers that are working to change the face of mlm and teach people how to market themselves without using all the harrassment techniques we were taught early on. I would suggest the author read Ann Sieg's The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and perhaps get a different perspective on the issue. I personally love MLM, I think it is a great way to start a business. But I also realize it takes work and it's not a get rich quick scheme.
This article read like a play book of my wife's experiences with Nikken. Now, 8000 in debt with nothing to show for it but some stressed friendships and overpriced products kicking around our home, we are working through the stress it has placed on our marriage. Sure, maybe 8000 is a cheap course in business, but she didn't sign up for that... she signed up for the wealth and freedom Nikken promised... and did not deliver!
I wonder, how many of you people slamming Stacey for this article are currently in a MLM business? (as opposed to formerly being in it and having had a positive experience)
And how much are you and the others in your group REALLy making at it? Be honest. Don't talk about the potential of what you think/hope you will be making if only you work hard, dream, and believe. What are you making right now?
At your next rah-rah meeting when you're trying so hard to convince yourselves and each other how great the business is, why doesn't everyone bring their last year's 1099 form to share with each other? If its so great then why not?
For you Mary Kay women, instead of just trumpeting the earnings of the tiny percentage at the very top, why doesn't the company release the complete sales/income statistics? (such as the average/median numbers, the 90 percentile figure where 90% are making less than that and 10% are making more) (BTW they only release the Canadian statistics because they are required by Canadian law)
Doesn't it make you go "hmmm"?
As far as I see it, you have two choices when it comes to an MLM business. You either join or you don't. Again, no one is forcing anyone to do this business. People have a great knack for blaming someone else when something in their life fails. "Hey, I blew my life savings on Arbonne. Arbonne is to BLAME!!! Aargh." The reality is this, all of those people who are in debt wrote the check themselves. Take responsibility for your own actions people. Oh wait, this is America, the land of the "let's sue everyone, because its always someone else's fault good ole' USA."
It's amusing that Ms. Schultz is getting blasted for her "one-sided journalism" when she chose to do a story on the dark side of MLMs (which she has a right to do and is responsible journalism) yet when there are pro-MK articles written around the net, are these same women miffing about their "one-sided journalism"?
It's not about "blame" thus avoiding responsibility - the debate is about the lack of responsibility of those who lied to us about the "opportunity". Wouldn't you agree that they carry a certain responsibility in presenting all the facts and/or at least pointing a new recruit to all the information before they seduce them with an inventory decision?
The heavy-handed responses here (respondents probably sent over from a messageboard or e-mail list, not typically readers of Brain, Child) just make MLM seem even more cult-like, like the Scientology of Sales. You're either in or you're out.
Whatever inkling of doubt I had after reading the article has been quashed for good after reading responses here. Wow. Step away from the Kool-Aid.
That's right, its not about blame and avoiding responsibility at all. Its about warning others so they don't fall victim. In these systems you are lied to in order to get you to join. They sell it to be this great opportunity to earn an "executive level" income working from home. And then you once you're in, you're under pressure to sell the lie to others. So once that happens then you REALLY can't admit to yourself that its a lie. And to be honest its not a complete lie. Hefty income potential is there, if you are one of the few that are successful in recruiting lots of new victims.
I read the original article, browsed some of the websites and scrolled thru the posts. There is a lot of emotion...people who were burned and people trying to validate their business.
My personal experience is that I checked out Mary Kay for 6 months. I attended meetings, hosted a facial and pumped my friend for straight talk about her business. In the end, I trusted my friend and her experience but I walked away because the "training meetings" were about keeping your sales up so that your upline could keep her car. I was looking for something different.
Shortly after I found it when my friend started a Pampered Chef business. For the first 4 years I had no debt but I also didn't make a lot of profit. I did maybe 1 show a month. My kids were little and this is what I wanted. No pressure but plenty of encouragement for what I was doing.
Around 4 years ago, I decided to step up my business. I almost immediately went into debt. The reason was because I treated my business income like mad money and spent every penny, every month. I consider myself well educated and prudent but I fell into the trap of my ignorance of how to run a business.
Did my upline fail me? No. I simply didn't know what I didn't know or how to use information that didn't seem to apply to me. There is a lot of great FREE training available on the web for people trying to build a viable business. I now know that I have to approach my business like a business. I'm not out of debt yet. But I'm approaching my business differently and will be in 6 months.
I think that when researching a business, whether it is MLM, franchises or bricks and mortar, you must make sure you know how to run a business, you must be able to sit through their pitches and be able to walk away...multiple times. Never let anyone appeal to your emotion over your head.
Does my business allow me to stay home with my kids? Yes. Does it allow me to do things I wouldn't be able to on one income alone? Yes. Do I make more than $2500 a year? Yes.:-) But the most important thing to me is that I've grown more confident and faced things in my life that I wouldn't have if I didn't have the incentive to succeed in my business.
What a relief to see that the company I've represented for nearly 14 years, Discovery Toys, wasn't mentioned in the article (nor any of the comments).
People come and go in our business, and like children in a playground some have good experiences, and some get sand in their eyes.
My personal experience has been fantastic. I've been able to build an organization of some stars and some occasional sellers, none of whom would ever say they were pressured to do anything. They work when they want and play when they want. I know of some managers who strongly encourage inventory purchases, but the pushy people usually don't last. People catch on to that, and run when they see you coming. That is not relationship building, is it?
What I always ask my new recruits is, if you were opening a shoe store, would you be able to survive if you relied only on friends and family to be your customers? I encourage them to think about their business strategy and their goals before they get started. Luckily our start-up kit is so well-priced (under $100...currently $79 + tax + shipping) that it's a great deal even for someone who isn't able to book parties or find other avenues of selling. We think of it as a no-brainer. But, we also try to help our people succeed! As they say, you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. The opportunity is there for those who want to work at it. For some that means part time...or even occasional. As a family-focused business, we expect moms to put their children and families first, as they should. We understand that different people are in different circumstances. A mom of 6 has a different life (I think) than a mom of one teenager.
Income is dependent on ability and level of effort. Many of us earn 5 figures, some are in the 6-figure range. I know of no one in my company who is in debt because of their business. I would never promise anyone the numbers I've read here. I am frank with my prospects about what they may be able to earn, and about the trips that I have personally earned (for 2: Maui, Paris, Vienna, Cancun, Rio de Janeiro, Nassau).
I agree with so many of the other comments...not all companies are the same.
Oops...here's the right link.
A recruiter for Herbalife told me I'd be great at selling their weight loss products because I was really thin. He told me I'd just have to say I used the products to get and stay thin.
What a slimy way to make sales!
Wow, I am surprised the author and others don't realize the amount of small businesses which fail each year that rack up far more than a $10k credit card. Success in direct sales is not guaranteed, and certainly involves hard work, but one can become successful with the right skills, training and support.
I am disappointed at the unethical nature of many of these reps - but they exist in any industry.
Morale of the story: do your homework, and know that you do not need to invest thousands (or harass all your friends) in order to grow a successful business. If it feels weird and there is pressure, find another rep or another company.
I joined an MLM because I had a passion for protecting people teens and adulst from electro-magnetic radiation. (I lost my best friend to brain cancer)I joined not to make money but to finally show people how easy and affordable it is to protect your loved ones. Children under 16 absorbed the radiation of cell phones, cordless phones, laptops, computer, wifi..... Mothers nursing their babies while speaking on a phone IS VERY DANGEROUS-the phone is on top of the babies head. I am making money, because I believe in the products and face reality that it will take some time to educated 4 billion cell phone users. For more information log onto www.mybiopro.com/mybalancedbody.
Thank you for listening and spread the word that this going to be a worse nightmare than somking epdemic.
If you really did find a working formula that made you, say $1,000 a week online on average and it kept producing income no matter what, would you want to sell that idea to a bunch of noobs for $47 a pop and expect to retire on the proceeds? No way, man! It does not compute. It does not add up. And it does not make any sense to do that. I certainly don’t go shouting from the rooftops how I make my money online. Hell, I don’t want the competition taking a slice of my pie and neither would anyone who really does make good cash online.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Yep, you should be really careful when attending business seminars 'coz there are those who requires you to pay for registration, yet the entire time you sit there and try to listen on the "lessons", you'll feel as if you just wasted you money. There are other things you can do to build up your business via internet and of course the traditional but very effective way -- books. Some people rely on merchant loans during the first stage of their biz, too. There are tons of options, just be very careful.
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