Why I Have An At Home Business

I Do Not Belong To a Pyramid Scheme

A couple years ago I wrote a blog post about the difference between a legitimate network marketing business and a pyramid scheme! This week, one of my awesome team members and friend wrote this amazing post about the same thing. The best part for you is that it is much shorter than what I wrote! (each link is a different post)

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There’s a crazy myth floating around that I need to clear up once and for all. 

I hope this doesn’t cost me any friends. (Maybe I’ll even gain some!) 😁 If this information somehow offends you, I’m going to put a link at the bottom of this post to an article posted by the United States Federal Trade Commission and you can see that I’m totally 100% on point with what I’m saying.

“Pyramid Scheme”

For some reason, this is a nasty stigma that cynical or uninformed people assign to others who:

– Have a home based business where they sell a third-party product
– Assemble and train a team of others who have chosen to do the same thing
– Earn income from both their own sales and the sales of some of their team members

Bottom line:

LEGITIMATE COMPANIES with a tiered payout and distribution structure are super-common, totally legal, and a fantastic, ethical way for companies to get visibility for their goods or services. It is sophisticated word-of-mouth “advertising.”

PYRAMID SCHEMES are illegal and get shut down by the government very quickly when they pop up. I’m going to paraphrase some of what is discussed in detail in the article at the bottom of this post.

So-called “pyramid schemes” promise members profits based primarily on recruiting others to join their program, NOT from selling any real goods or services to the public. Some pyramid schemes may sell a product, but they often simply use the product to hide the fact that the majority of the money paid out to participants comes from high buy-in cost for new recruits, not from end product sales to the public. Two things to be aware of that pyramid schemes are notorious for are (1) requiring new recruits to purchase a bunch of inventory up front that they won’t use and will probably not be able to re-sell and (2) money is made from the high sign-up fees of new recruits, not from legitimate product sales to the public. 

In pyramid schemes, the people at the “bottom” spend a bunch of money on high buy-in costs and (possibly) a lot of products that sit in their garage, while the people at the top collect from everyone below, selling hype, and cracking the whip on people to bring in more and more new recruits at astronomical buy-in fees. In order to make any money, the newest recruits need to go and try to get a bunch of other people to spend a fortune to sign up, rather than actually getting customers who like the product and want to purchase it. It is very high pressure with a lot at stake.

Pyramid schemes are few and far between and get shut down quickly by the FTC. By far the vast majority of companies with a multi-tiered distribution and payment model is are totally legitimate. In the article below from the Federal Trade Commission, there is an entire section about successful, legal companies that use multi-level distribution and payment models.

I’ve been working with in this type of business for nearly 15 years and it’s been AHHH MAZ ING. Not perfect, but really, really great.

✅ Yes, I have a home based business.
✅ Yes, I market a product that my family has benefited from and uses.
✅ Yes, I help other people learn how to do the business if they think it’s a good fit.
✅ Yes, I receive commission if I do my job well and the people I have taught are successful.
🚫 NO, I am not gullible, brainwashed, desperate, foolish, lazy, or part of a pyramid scheme.

The “pyramid scheme” accusation used to hurt me.
Then it would just annoy me.
Now it REALLY ticks me off.

Why does it tick me off? It’s not because I can’t handle a little social pressure. I’ve developed a thick skin and can recognize misinformed people the second they start talking. It ticks me off because it hurts people I care deeply about. These are men and women who are taking more control of their family income and working hard with legitimate and thriving companies who are getting shaken up unnecessarily by the biting comments of people who don’t have a clue what they are talking about.

I hope this informed and well-researched post will help these people as well as those who may have never taken the time to learn exactly what the difference is between an illegal pyramid scheme and a legitimate business with a multi-level type distribution and payment structure.

In my opinion, companies with a multi-tiered distribution and pay-out model are the next logical “evolution” of authentic, decent, and ethical marketing.

Please let me explain why.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

HERE IS THE ORIGINAL “FLOW” OF PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION:

In the past, MANUFACTURERS would create a product in their factories and then ship it to NATIONAL WAREHOUSES.
The NATIONAL WAREHOUSES would store the products until they needed to be shipped to REGIONAL WAREHOUSES.
REGIONAL WAREHOUSES would keep the products until they were needed as inventory in LOCAL RETAIL SPECIALTY STORES.
LOCAL RETAIL SPECIALTY STORES would put the products on the shelves.
CUSTOMERS would see company-produced advertisements in media and come to the LOCAL RETAIL SPECIALTY STORE to purchase the product. In most cases up to 60% of what the customer pays is simply to cover the cost of moving the products from factory to warehouse to warehouse to store and to pay for the advertisement. That’s a huge expense.

(Example: Nike factories in China MANUFACTURE millions of Nike brand shoes. They ship tens of thousands of shoes to NATIONAL WAREHOUSES all around the United States. They are then sent out to REGIONAL WAREHOUSES so they are closer to the stores that will eventually purchase and re-sell them. Nike LOCAL RETAIL SPECIALTY STORES in your local shopping mall place orders from the regional warehouses for a few hundred pairs that end up on their display racks. CUSTOMER sees a $5 million 30-second Nike ad on TV during the Super Bowl, and the next day goes to a LOCAL RETAIL SPECIALTY STORE to pay $190 for their new Nike shoes. Approximately $114 [60%] of this is to cover the cost of moving the shoe from factory to warehouse to warehouse to store… plus that snappy ad he saw during the Super Bowl. 👟💸)

This isn’t the most fabulous system, but it is generally pretty standard marketing. And of course this isn’t just for shoes… you can substitute most any other type of physical product out there for the Nike shoes.

1950s EVOLUTION OF PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION

In the 50’s and 60’s there was an evolution. LOCAL RETAIL SHOPS were replaced with LOW COST DEPARTMENT STORES (think WalMart, etc.). Now you could buy shoes, and hammers, and mayonnaise in the same store instead of going to a shoe store, then a tool store, then a grocery store. Among other changes, they centralized distribution and found low-price suppliers. This also cut out at least one step at the end of the distribution process, saving money for the end customer.

1980s EVOLUTION OF PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION

In 1983 and 1984 Costco and BJs were founded and there was another evolution. REGIONAL WAREHOUSES were replaced by these MEMBERSHIP ONLY BIG BOX SUPERSTORES. Sure, there weren’t as many of them as the large department stores, but for an annual membership fee, you were allowed to go directly into the warehouse to do your shopping. You could buy the same sorts of things that were available in the large department stores, but in larger quantity, with less packaging, and the cost was even cheaper because the products didn’t need to be moved as much. Plus, advertising costs decreased with this step as well. Instead of needing to market to everyone in the country, a company would only need to market to the people who happened to be members of the big box superstore (think about that little Costco flyer that is sent to your house once a month. A lot cheaper and targeted than Super Bowl ads.) 📦💵

2000s EVOLUTION OF PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION

In the early 2000s, online retailers like Alibaba and Amazon swept in, connecting customers directly with manufacturers from their PC or smartphone. Websites like Etsy also popped up and allowed people to sell their wares to other customers. This was a MAJOR breakthrough in distribution because suddenly there was very little advertising or distribution costs. And with Amazon Prime, shipping was really affordable to people who used their service on a regular basis. It’s no wonder that a couple years ago Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, became the richest man in the world! He understood that if he could find a way to connect customers directly with manufacturers he could turn huge profits—and it was incredibly scaleable. He could sell other people’s products for slightly less than would be charged in another brick-and-mortar store and make a mega profit, plus the profit from under-utilized Amazon Prime accounts really adds up, too.

AND HERE WE ARE WITH THE LATEST EVOLUTION… THE MULTI-LEVEL DISTRIBUTION MODEL

These companies have been around for a long time and many have been fine-tuned for decades. A handful of companies (I can tell you which ones) have totally nailed it. These are consumer-to-consumer businesses, marketing fantastic consumable products that are both timeless and in demand by the public. These companies have created a business model that encourages customers to not only be educated about and use their products, but also to have the option to be compensated for sharing their own experiences with others if they wish. In return for a referred sale, the company pays the customer some of what would normally be spent on expensive advertising or the cost of moving products from warehouse to warehouse. The part I love the most is that customers who want to create a higher income for themselves can be compensated for effectively teaching other customers how to share company-created information about the product as well as their own experience. Advertising dollars from these companies are not spent on a expensive psychology-driven, hypnosis-inducing marketing campaigns that utilize just the right colors, sounds, and carefully crafted marketing messages that make you feel an irrational preference to buy their stuff over that of a competitor. No—with this business model, advertising dollars are paid out to customers who really like the products, can offer their own experiences with other people, give an honest recommendation, and share in some of the profits if the person they are talking to decides to make a purchase. It’s totally win-win-win.

Good companies get in trouble when their representatives start going crazy and exaggerating or making false claims. We’ve heard about a few of them in the news lately. Thankfully, the companies who I have kept my eye on are really monitoring their partners to make sure that no one is over-promising.

If you’re personally not comfortable buying from someone you know, that’s totally fine. But please don’t cry wolf on our businesses. It’s not classy. If you are leery of “pyramid schemes,” I hope that this little exposé of mine sets your mind at ease. Chances are your friend on social media, or your sister, or your co-worker is just sharing a product that they really like and are not in a cult. 😂

Here’s the link with the facts on pyramid schemes:
https://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/1998/…/pyramid-schemes

Post written by Brian Roes on 7/16/19
#familylifetransformation

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This is my story, this is my life! I have lived with many autoimmune disorders but I was never told that is what I was dealing with. After many medications and specialists a friend offered me nutrition. Slowly my life went from misery to victory. 

I still have days where I struggle but I am living life on my own terms. I am able to provide solutions to others who have a need for health and financial relief. I am able to help families who struggle to get nutrition into children get nutrition into them with ease. 

This is my story on how I found a solution that helps my health and our family. 

Movement May Wrap Up

As We Wrap Up May…

Let’s talk about some more ways to get nutrition into your body so that you can maximize the movement you are doing in your day to day life!

Healthy Starts for Healthy Families

We have incorporated the healthy starts for healthy families programinto our daily life. The biggest problem we have in our home, especially with the two youngest children is their love of anything that isn’t healthy. 

When we learned about the healthy starts program, I was willing to try it out. I mean, it was a one year commitment to the worlds largest study on children and nutrition! 

I was desperate and wanted my family to be eating a lot more fruits, veggies and berries. Until this program came into our life, I was not successful at incorporating anything daily into their diets. Well that is unless it was junk!

Now, every day we eat our whole food nutrition from the healthy starts program. My children willingly choose a variety of fruits and veggies. 

Another perk was that because of a donation made in the children’s name (by our sponsor), with our adult purchase, the children eat free for 4 years!

Healthy Starts for Healthy Families was one of the easiest ways for us to incorporate nutrition into our daily life.  

Healthy Starts for Healthy Families Fact

Healthy Starts for Healthy Families Fact

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Smoothie

Here is another quick and easy way to get nutrition in your body! Complete Smoothie! Here is a recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Smoothie!

The Ripple Effect of Nutrition

In this video, Valerie Miles, M.D. talks about the next generation. She addresses how what we eat, what our children eat does to the generations to come!

Are There Things You Learned Growing Up That Could Be Hurting You Now?

Are You Doing What Is Best For Your Body?

We Are Conditioned As We Age!

But what if everything we have learned over the years about exercise, nutrition and how to eat is all wrong? Are you willing to try something new to see if it changes how you are living and thriving?

What Does Healthy Movement Mean To You?

What do you think “healthy movement” really means? I when personally think about movement, the first thing that comes to mind is exercise at a gym. I know you don’t need a gym to workout but that is what I think about. 

I found this great site (it is a great resource even with it is promoting a personal health couching program) that talks about the real and surprising reasons healthy movement matters! 

Some of the great points from the article:

• We are all, literally, born to move
• If you move well, you also live, think and live well
• We don’t need “workouts” to move
• Movement does more than just “get us into shape”

So many great points and suggestions! I think I have found a “new” site that I will be referencing on a regular basis! I hope you take a few moments to read this article. There is so much important knowledge you can gleam from it!

Where does your nutrition come from?

There is so many amazing blogs, newspapers, articles and anything you could think off on the internet! That also means there is a lot of conflicting information about what is correct to eat or drink. 

We all have our own opinions and it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. However, the question I keep coming back to is, when people first came to exist, what did they eat?

I do not care if you believe in creation, the big bang, electric spark, panspermia or another theory on how life came to be. One thing that everyone can agree upon is that when humans were first here we did not have factories, processed foods, fast grown animals with hormones and antibiotics, pesticides, supplements, or fast food restaurants that provided quick meals.

The food that was eaten was the food that could be grown, harvested, hunted and picked.

So how does any of this play into healthy movement and our bodies?

If we are not getting proper nutrition our bodies, our minds and our life is going to be affected. This is such a short but great article on the importance of nutrition from before, during and after! 

So where is your nutrition coming from?

Does Dieting Really Work?

Nutrition Isn’t Just About Eating Healthy

How do we form our eating habits? We do no just start eating food and loving or hating everything. We learn from those around us.

Typically when you are growing up, you just eat what your parents put in front of you and what they eat. When you get older and get into school you either eat what the school provides (and don’t get me started on the lack of “nutrition” that goes into school meals) or what is sent to school with you.

Then as you get into middle school and high school things start to change. Looks really start to matter. Kids start to talk about others and become critical of what they wear, what they eat and how much they weigh.

What if we could teach children and reteach adults to listen to their bodies? To eat when you are hungry? To eat slowly so your brain can catch up with your stomach? How would that change America and our obesity problem? 

In this TED TALK Sandra Aamodt talks about “Why diets don’t usually work”. Are you willing to be open and honest with your children and take in the reality of how we really should be eating as adults? Are you willing to change how you are eating?

How Does Nutrition Affect Your Movement?

This May we are talking about Movement. Do you know how nutrition affects your movement? If you are not getting the proper nutrition, if you are only eating sugars and processed foods, no mater how much you move and how active you are, there is no way to be healthy. 

Today we are talking about the good, the bad and the processed foods.

Nothing But Processed Foods

What is the difference between processed food and real food? Would you be able to tell someone if they asked? Here is an article that talks about 11 ways that processed food are different than real foods!

I wish I could say you could walk through a store and have common sense to know what to avoid. The problem that a lot of people have is not knowing. Undereducated and low income can make it difficult to have access to healthier foods. 

Here are 17 processed foods you should avoid! Which overall probably summarizes all of the processed foods out there! 

I admit, we have processed foods in our home. We are working on eliminating them completely! Because the truth is: processed foods are addictive, make you gain weight and steal your health!

What Is So Important About Knowing About Nutrients?

Nutrition is important because it fuels our body. It won’t do you any good though if you do not understand the different parts of nutrition. 

Most people know that they need to eat but many do not understand the components of a good meal or snack. So one of the best places we can start is to learn about the different parts of nutrition. 

Interested in learning about important nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and fats? Click the image above to learn the importance of each one in your daily food choices. 

Real Food vs. Supplements

Hopefully most people know that real food is the best place to get the vitamins and nutrients we need to live. At some point though, we dove head first into taking supplements! We have been told by doctors, nurses, chiropractors, and lay people that there was no way to get the nutrition needed from our foods and we had to take supplements.

So what happens when research tells us now that those people who are getting their nutrition from real foods vs. supplements are living longer? Do you stop taking supplements and jump into just real food? What is considered “real food”?

Click to learn more about how you can live longer by getting your nutrients from real food!

Learn to Eat With Joy!

Have you wondered about the diets that come and go? What is healthy for you, what is bad for you and how do you figure it out before you try it? In this Ted Talk, Joanna Mcmillan talks about “Eating for Real Change” and most of all she helps you learn how to eat with joy! 

How Does Movement Affect Your Life?

As we welcome the month of May we are going to explore movement and how it affects all the different aspects of our lives! 

Play With Your Children!

It is so important to encourage your children’s playing and to play with them. It helps them learn, it helps them stay active and it gets you both moving. 

Children do not wake up each day thinking, “I need to get to the gym to get some exercising in.” Everything they do in life has them exercising some part of their bodies! This includes their brain. 

Click on the image above for a great article on playing with your children.

There are so many ways you can encourage your family, your friends,  and coworkers to get moving! 

From LetsMove website you can find these suggestions: 

• Play tag, swim, toss a ball, jump rope, hula-hoop, dance to music or even play a dancing video game. It doesn’t have to be sports—just get your family moving!
• Get the whole family involved in household chores like cleaning, vacuuming, and yard work.
• Park farther away and count with your children the number of steps from the car to your destination. Write it down and see if you can park even farther away on your next stop.

If you are looking for even more ideas click the photo above to check out the LetsMove site! 

I’ll catch you!

I know that we don’t all have children but we can all take a lesson from when we were children. 

When I think back to my childhood, I recall the family dinners, sports, playing outside with the neighbors, church and that life didn’t go quick enough. Now when I look around it seems that life is always so busy! 

Most families I know do not get out and play anymore. Technology seems to consume so much of our life these days. Take some time and watch Stuart Brown’s “Play is more than just fun” Ted Talk!

I mean if we are going to let technology take up some of our life we might as well learn something from it! 

I Have Been Quiet

I am around. I am thinking. I am cleaning. I am making it through the first week of school.

When the summer comes, I have a schedule and we did really good about sticking to it. I did indulge in the kiddos more than I had planned to (that sounds bad) but it was perfect. We swam, we went to the library, we walked, we played, we overall had a really good summer. That has come to an end though and this was our first week of school.

I am proud to say that tomorrow is the last day of school for the week and I am almost 99% positive that we are going to make it our first full week without any absences. Unfortunately for my children, they have my poor immunity. There has not been a year up to this point that one of my children has not missed at least one day the first week of school. It isn’t that they want to miss, but by day three they are typically feeling miserable and have a fever before heading to bed and by day four they are missing school because of the fever.

We are not without feeling sick. Jack David is complaining of a sore throat and his cough is starting. But I know it is from a runny nose this time. Currently he is sleeping in my bed with a diffuser going and we doubled up on his fruit, veggie and berry chews today. Plus add to all of that, he is growing so his legs are waking him up from the pain. He has not started a fever though and by now, he would have the fever. So I am about 99% positive both of the children will make it to school tomorrow.

As we are getting into the school year, I am also refocusing on our business. I did a lot of slacking over the summer that I had not planned on doing. The positive thing though is that we were still getting our residual checks, they just were not growing much. So I have decided it is time to do some serious focusing on it. It is time to really help others to get healthier and to help others realize their dreams as well!

Along with refocusing on our business, I have joined a group to help with that. Our team started some teams that are here to help everyone duplicate, encourage, support, correct, help and grow. It is two folds actually. There is the big group of people who are all working toward the same goal and then there are smaller pods within the group who is your small group help. So far, just listening to the first meeting and then talking in the small group, I am really encouraged. I am getting laser focused and I already accomplished more than I could have imagined!

So I have been quiet but I have had some things going on. I do have a favor to ask though: prayers, good vibes or even just passing this on to others who pray would be truly appreciated.

There is a lot of pain, heartache and sorrow going on around the world, in our country, states, communities and those who are close to each of us. Please pray for those who are being affected by Harvey. There is a lot of scary things going on down in Texas right now. I have friends who have reported that when they went down to help with their boats, people are acting stranded and then trying to rob those who are helping or are even shooting at those who are helping. Why? So everyone who is helping, who is stranded, who has lost their homes, belongings and even family and friends, please pray.

I also have a lot of people around me who are dealing with cancer: Dana, Gary, Brison, Heather, Terry, Megan, Bobby, Michael and a few who have asked to remain unknown. Please pray for their healing (whatever God has planned for their personal healing). Please pray for peace for the one who has the cancer and the families. Please pray for guidance with tough decisions that need to be made. Please pray for all of the healthcare workers who are there to help.

So much has been going on in our personal life that I often feel like “our” issues are so minor to what others are going through. And yet, God loves and cares about each one of us, each tear that falls and all that troubles each and every one of His children. There are a lot of things happening. Just please pray.

Relationship and Business Building

I am a stay at home mom whose children are in school full time now. I felt like I lost my purpose. My husband, Jack works in a factory that doesn’t have room for growth or advancement. Neither of us really wanted me to go back to work full time. There are still opportunities to volunteer in school, because the kiddos are young we would need daycare for the summer and with autoimmune issues for Jack, Bella and myself there is a lot of time I am at home with children missing school. But we were not saving, we didn’t go on vacations, we were not buying food on a regular basis and we were in debt. So I knew I had to find a way to contribute to our household income. Then we found this amazing company and we were flooding our bodies with whole food nutrition. We were getting healthy and we decided we wanted to join the mission to help others get healthy, have fun doing it and offer a financial solution for others as well. Now we work the business together, we are working on getting out of debt and I am still able to stay home while contributing to our income. One of the best parts is for the first time in ten years, Jack and I were able to get away for a weekend to build our relationship and our business. Jack still works for the factory but we see a future and retirement with our business! The best part is we get to help others realize and achieve their dreams as well!

That is my business story. I also have a personal story about what the product has done for me. You see this past weekend we did get away. We were able to build our relationship, we made new friendships and we worked on our business.

I wish I could find the words to express every feeling I had but I am not sure there is a way. A team member looked at me at the end of the weekend and asked me what I was thinking right then. I looked at him and said, “I’m overwhelmed and could cry.” which then I did proceed to cry.

You see, I have been a part of just about every kind of network marketing there is out there. I have been to meetings, training’s, boot-camps and events. People were nice at them. They would talk to you but I never felt like I belonged.

Then as I am crying I proceed to say, “I felt like I was a part of a community. I felt like I belonged. It didn’t matter where you were in your journey in the company, everyone here just wanted to make sure you had the tools needed to succeed. They didn’t care if
you were on their team, they didn’t care if you just started, they wanted to talk to you, to embrace you, to make you a part of their family and I feel like I am home.” It truly overwhelmed me.

I hugged top people in the company. They answered any and all questions. Their why’s still make them cry, even after 20+ years in the company. They have a passion to help others get healthy, reach their goals and see their dreams come true. It was something I have never had before in my life.

It was a weekend filled with a lot of emotion. When we first got there, I was so anxious because even though I knew some of these people, I didn’t know them. I had no idea what the weekend was going to be like. I was a nervous wreck. Then I walked in, saw people for the first time in person and felt at ease. Within 10 minutes of being there I had hugged three people.

I learned so much. I heard new things I had never thought of before. I realized things I knew about but didn’t put as much importance on, needed to be important. I connected with my husband, we laughed a lot and we got to do a few things together other than learn more about our business.

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by what you just were able to do? I am an emotional person to begin with but this was just so amazing. I was truly beyond blessed with this opportunity. I was even more blessed because Jack was able to go with me.

I was given, well everyone was given, some writing tasks for homework. I have not gotten to them yet but I am pretty sure I know where they will take me and I am proud of it. I have always wanted to feel as if we are financially secure. I was never really certain what that would mean. In the back of my mind I know I want to provide food, a house, and to be able to care for those around me. I have said often I just want to be able to pay our bills and put food on the table but the truth is I do want more than that. I do have goals and they are not small ones.

I have goals in life. One of the biggest goals is to be able to give more financially. I want to help teens go on mission trips they may not have gone on. I want to help families put food on their table’s because no one should ever struggle the way we have. I want to help our church’s community recovery program thrive for the kids program. I want to be able to give more to our church and community.

I went into the weekend already knowing that the capsules had changed my life. I went into the weekend already knowing that the business had started to change our lives. I left the weekend knowing that as a family, we have made the best choice we could ever had made for both our health and our wealth.

The Truth About Network Marketing vs. Pyramid Schemes

Let’s be honest, we have all at one point or another thought all work at home businesses are a pyramid scheme! Most of us have grown up thinking there is something wrong with them, that they are ripping us off, that they are only valuable if you get in on the “ground” floor and so many others things.

We hit a few of the things people think here. Today we are going to dig a little deeper into each of these. Let’s work together to find out the truth about network marketing vs. pyramid schemes.

A: I have no clue what a pyramid scheme really is. Is this true for you? Do you know what one is? I knew that they were bad but I had no idea how to know if it was actually a pyramid scheme (also know as a ponzi scheme). Here it is: the gist of a pyramid scheme is that the money funnels upward, there isn’t a product they sell (the focus is on recruiting people), the start up fee is typically large and they ask for more again and again, the best place time to join is at the start of the company, promise big gains for little to no work and are very aggressive when trying to recruit you.

Have you ever encountered any of that?

B: Pyramid schemes and network marketing are the same. When I would hear the words like MLM, network marketing, pyramid scheme, ponzi scheme, until a few years ago – they all meant the same thing to me. Even though I had done many MLM companies over the years, I had never made any gains. I felt they were all the same. They were all out to just take my money. I had paid into all of them to be a distributor. Some of them required you buy products to sell to customers. Some of them required you spend a certain amount each month to get paid. The list is long. But the truth is this:

Multi-level Marketing (MLM) is a marketing strategy designed to promote their product by through distributors, offering multiple levels of compensation.

Pyramid schemes are, however, fraudulent schemes, disguising as an MLM strategy. The difference between a pyramid scheme and a lawful MLM program is that there is no real product that is sold in a pyramid scheme, and commissions are based only on the number of new individuals one introduces into the scheme.

credit: diffen.com

Have you ever found yourself on the losing side of a pyramid scheme? As much as I hate to admit it, I have been before.

C: I would never buy from a work at home company because they are all out to rip you off. Let me point out that if you like a product, if you have done your research, if you feel safe buying it, if you are okay with the price they are asking then you are probable not getting ripped off. However if you are being pushed to make the choice right this second, if you are being told the offer is only on the table for a few hours, if you are not being allowed to walk away and make a good, level headed decision, then there is a good possibility you are being ripped off.

1. Focus is More on Recruiting than Selling

2. Poor Training

3. Pressure to Pay for More

4. Sales Tactics Brought to Bear on You

5. Seems Too Good To Be True

credit: Jim Wang

D: I don’t know what network marketing really is but I hear it is bad. If you listen to people who don’t really know what it is, you will usually hear how bad it is. Yes there are bad MLM companies out there. It isn’t really that they are bad, it is just the business model they choose to keep for their distributors. I personally will not be involved (again) with one that requires you keep your products stocked. I personally will not be involved (again) with one that requires you place an order of a certain amount each month in order to get paid. The best suggestion I can make for you is, do your research. They are not “bad” companies. You just have to make sure that if you are joining one, it is the right one for you. You just have to make sure that if you are purchasing products from one, it is the right one for you.

Well MLM companies have been a frequent subject of criticism as well as the target of lawsuits. Criticism has focused on their similarity to illegal pyramid schemes (hence the “scheme” reference), price-fixing of products, high initial start-up costs, emphasis on recruitment of lower-tiered salespeople over actual sales, encouraging if not requiring salespeople to purchase and use the company’s products, potential exploitation of personal relationships which are used as new sales and recruiting targets, complex and sometimes exaggerated compensation schemes, and cult-like techniques which some groups use to enhance their members’ enthusiasm and devotion. Eesh!

credit: Jody Greene

E: I would rather buy from the corporate world and people I don’t know than to support friends and family. So here is were I stand with this. If I can help a friend or family member stay home and achieve their goals, I am going to do it. I understand that all of those who work at Meijer and Target and Walgreens need those jobs as well. I am not complaining about that at all. However if I am going to spend money on something, if I agree with the materials they use, if I am in need and if I am really a person who loves others – I am going to purchase from my friends and family! I do not agree with a lot of the companies that I do purchase things from when I go grocery shopping and yet, it doesn’t stop me from buying their products. So if I do not agree with network marketing but I can help a loved one out, why should the word MLM stop me from helping them? It should not!

I cannot stress enough just how much it means to someone to have support from friends however big or small. Now I’m not saying anyone expects anything, really they don’t but a mention of “how’s it all going?” or a like or share of a business post will really mean the absolute world, it really is hard out there when you are starting out – we have all been there!

credit: deveniabesant.com

 

F: Network marketing companies are just an optical illusion and don’t really help anyone. I have admitted I have been involved in many MLM companies. Most of them I didn’t make a thing with. However the company I am with now, I have not had a month go by without getting a commission. I do think there are probably some MLM companies out there that are more of an optical illusion than a reality. No company is supposed to make claims for income but you can make money from some of them.

The reason I decided to write about all of this is because there are a lot of companies out there that you can join. I support as many friends as I can when it comes to this. Why do I do that? Because I truly care about them! I want them to be successful. I want them to know I actually care about them and their life and their choices.

Yes, as with anything there are bad choices out there. But the truth is, pyramid schemes are NOT the same as MLM companies. The truth is, most people when they write about them, still write as though those words are interchangeable. They should not be.

When writing this, I came upon a lot of articles written warning about how bad they are. How you lose money, how you lose friends and family, how you are wasting your time and it goes on.

Do you want to know what I really think?  If you are telling people NOT to buy from these companies, if you are telling people they are going to lose their friends and family, if you are telling them how awful these things are – this is what attitude seeps into our minds.

You are right, we will lose money if you are telling everyone not to buy from these types of companies. You are right, if you are influencing friends and family by telling them not to put up with this, we probably will lose them.

These companies can change lives and do change lives. Can you imagine how many more lives could be changed if we changed how we view these opportunities? I can imagine!

Network Marketing Professionals

Do you consider yourself a Network Marketing Professional? If so I would love to hear from you! 

What do you think is the best networking marketing book you have ever read? 

What do you think is the best network marketing resources you have used? 

Currently I am working on improving my networking skills. I don’t want to just bluff through all of this, I truly want to be a Network Marketing Professional. There is zero reason why Jack and I should not be this! 

We have been really blessed with an amazing team who encourages and loves to help educate. It has been one of the best companies I have ever been involved with! 

Right now I am reading (or re-reading) these books: Go Pro by Eric Worre,  Daring Greatly by Brene Brown  and How to Talk To Anyone by Leil Lowndes. I have heard that the book by Leil Lowndes is the modern version of How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie. 

I have also ordered You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Live an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero – I have seen so many people raving about this book. 

I am on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (I feel as if I am missing one). So many are posting photos of it and saying they are reading it. So I broke down, it went from my want list over to my purchased list! 

I would love to hear from you! What are your favorites? Have you studied and become a Network Marketing Professional?