People asked, so today we are doing it, we’re going to delve into multi level marketing. If you follow me on Instagram then you will already know that I have recently started opening up and sharing my experience within a multi level marketing company, why I find them particularly problematic and how I hope my experiences, and the experiences of many, many others will help people realise what they are really like.
The predatory nature of multi level marketing
Show notes
Multi-level marketing companies are, in my opinion, and the opinion of many, extremely cult-like in their tactics. They prey on people, often people who are in a more vulnerable part of their life and encourage them to join a company where less than 1% of people will ever be successful.
When this opportunity (and many others since) was presented to me, I was told I could work in the small pockets of time in my day and that, the implication being, that I could be successful (in fact anyone could) just by fitting it around my busy life. However, the opposite is true. Before you join an mlm you’ll be told how easy it is, how it can fit around your life, how you can fit it into the small pockets of time in your day. When you are on the inside you’ll hear that if you aren’t seeing success it is because you aren’t working hard enough, that the business works if you do, that it’s not easy. Now, like I have said before, I don’t think anyone expects a paycheck for doing nothing, and I know myself just how hard I worked and how “all in” I was. The lack of “success” wasn’t because I didn’t work hard enough, or because my “mind wasn’t right”, or that I wasn’t doing enough IPA’s (income-producing activities). Let’s be truthful about something for a moment – how much you work and your overall work ethic has absolutely nothing to do with whether you will be successful in an MLM. When you get into the business structure, luck and the size of the team you have recruited into your downline, however, does.
These companies, in my opinion and in the opinion of many others, are very cult like in their tactics. They manipulate, control you mind to some extent, brain wash you and control so many aspects of your life. They also have a failure rate of more than 99% meaning that more than 99% of mlm reps will either not make or will loose money. Shocking I know – but the FTC undertook research of 350 MLMs and it concluded that more than 99% of participants will loose money. It also noted that the average income of someone in an MLM is £0.
MLMs are predatory, cult like organisations that promise mainly us women whatever we want to hear, tell us we can do it, control our minds and manipulate us into a system that will result in financial loss for more than 99% of people.
Before I go
I often get asked “why now?” when it comes to talking about multi-level marketing, and I guess the answer is multi-faceted. It took me a long time on the other side of multi-level marketing to understand about the business model, that I wasn’t a failure, that it wasn’t me, and also to feel strong enough to speak out.
Those currently in multi-level marketing do spend a lot of time calling out anti MLM creators, as people who are just negative, haters, people who weren’t successful, question their work ethic and accuse them of being awful people who are focused on hating on individuals. It’s not easy at all to walk straight into that fire. When I first spoke out about my experience in a multi-level marketing company (which, by the way, is the common experience of most people) I immediately got a bit of hate. People talking about you, ranting at you, making videos about you isn’t the easiest to deal with let me tell you. Telling my story is incredibly uncomfortable as it is and to be met with this, has me questioning a lot whether it is really worth the hassle of sharing. If I don’t though, who will? I am extremely passionate about exposing this predatory business model, where 99% lose by it’s very nature. While it’s never easy and it’s never personal about those currently in MLM’s (I’ve been there, this isn’t about these people, I truly believe they are brain washed), I feel my story is important and if it can stop others falling for these predatory schemes then my work is done. I am passionate about exposing these businesses, the business model and helping others avoid them and the fallout that they cause, but I won’t be victim-blamed, gaslit, or silenced.
MLM Resources
FTC Resources on MLMs – https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/multi-level-marketing-businesses-and-pyramid-schemes
FTC – 99% failure rate in MLM’s
Report a scam to the FTC – https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/
FCA Resources on schemes – https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/get-rich-quick-scams
Action Fraud: Pyramid Scheme Fraud – https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/pyramid-scheme-fraud
How MLMs And Cults Use The Same Mind Control Techniques
How MLM’s use the BITE Model (a known cult tactic) – https://freedomofmind.com/multi-level-marketing-and-self-help-cult-groups-learn-the-warning-signs/
Disclaimer
Everything written & spoken here is for educational purposes and to spread awareness of my personal experience and opinion. My opinions don’t represent the company I partnered with, or any other network marketing or multi level marketing companies. They are my experiences and not facts.
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use.