Thursday, April 29, 2010

Amway - What Advice Does Your Upline Give You?

We have had some really good discussion on this blog recently about how someone can build a business in Amway without abusing downline. I was an IBO in WWDB, and I was given really bad advice from upline. These uplines are still around and apparently still giving some of the same bad advice to downline. Having said that, I believe there are some factions within WWDB who may be operating differently. I contributor on this blog, James C. has explained in some of his comments, how he operates, contrary to the mainstream WWDB teachings. Thus I was inspired to write this post.

My sponsor and uplines were Harimoto, Wolgamott, Duncan. We were taught that Amway saves marriages, and that the rest of the world gets divorced. Ironically, I believe Wolgamott is now seperated and possibly divorced or in the process of getting divorced. Greg Duncan was touted for his financial acumen and told the audience that only stupid people took out loans, even to purchase a home. Then we find out he was in bankruptcy proceedings with interest only loans. This is just a side bar. I will further explain what other advice was given to rank and file IBOs.

My sponsor and uplines told us that we should never miss a meeting. Period. That missing a meeting was setting a bad example for your group. In fact we should always purchase extra tickets to meetings and functions as an incentive to bring guests. We were taught that in addition to standing order, we should be purchasing 5-7 extra tapes/cds each week. Afterall, you can't listen to the same recording each day if you are core. We were told that if you had downlline who quit, you could not cancel a standing order because it was too much trouble to call upline who called upline who finally reached Greg Duncan to cancel a standing order. I found it ironic that they NEVER complained about calling upline who called upline who finally reached Greg Duncan to ADD a standing order. Our group was also told that nobody made a cent of profit from the tools. A lie that nobody has ever been accountable for to this day. If selling products were ever mentioned, it was only so IBOs could earn money to buy more function tickets and/or standing orders.

Our upline also enjoyed holding meeting after meeting, AFTER the functions. Thus IBOs went home after 3:00 in the morning at times, even on nights when the job was waiting for them the next morning. Our upline also taught more tenured IBOs that money wasn't important in the business because we are friends for life. The group was taught that we could have our families skip meals in order to buy more tapes/cds. IBOs were told that they should NEVER quit, unless they give up on life as they would be doomed for financial failure.

This is some of the bad advice I heard from some WWDB leaders. These leaders are still around today and I believe some of this is still taught. What does your upline advise?

6 comments:

James Carlson said...

whoah Joe!

Can you think back to the first day you met the people who "showed you the plan"?

THAT is how many days I was late in meeting you.

*sigh*

(Well, everything has its timing and role, so although I ache down-deep, I trust whatever may come of it likely is according to Plan.)

Simply increases MY urgency to reach people before someone like that does first! Of course, there's always more context than can be stated in writing, and surely atleast two sides to every story, but I'm a pretty upstanding guy (I'd hope) and have NO challenge of confronting anyone in my path who would so-counsel others as you state, if/when granted the voice.

It's this kind of mess both you and I are trying to help others avoid.

Our method differs drastically, but thank you for being a *bit* more-lenient in your blog-threads henceforth. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that the scars you bear are somehow worthwhile to aide me for how I shall proceed with leading others.

OH HOW I WISH I could sit down with the SAME people presenting "the plan" today and urge them to relax, not pressure anyone, and LEAD them where THEY (the prospect) would like to have their lives go...as well as I'd like to challenge the innocent new prospect to check out the totality of what is being offered. There are GOBS of 'sponsors' out there, same biz-opportunity, but not the SAME overall opportunity due to the direction the trainer/leader may try to take them. How the vehicle is put to use, is surely an important thing. I like the way our car accomplishes its task! (We're working to flourish in each state of our Union, and show it CAN be done with transparency, ethically, and profitably to all observers and particpants.)

Thanx again Joe (LOL, never thought I'd be saying THAT to you!) for your nod of respect. Getting to know your story, I'm beginning to understand why this place exists.

Joecool said...

Thanks James, but some of the leaders who taught this stuff is still around today. Greg Duncan for example. I started this blog for information seekers, but at one point, it became a war between critics and supporters. But I do allow opposing views here and I do not deny that some people build the business in the way it was intended to be done.

I believe that it was a way to earn a second part time income. But certain leaders tried to portray it as a way to earn excess wealth. And it simply is not true for the masses.

Willy said...

Hi JoeCool!
It's been 13 months since I posted anything about Amway. I thought about you the other day. I was cleaning out and found some cassette tapes still in wrappers; I was tempted to listen to them just to see if there was any good 'motivational' info, then thought oh no no no...

An Emerald Upline told folks to go buy $800 worth of tapes, give them out, and you would get your "Front Nine (9-4-2)"...

An Upline Platinum told a kid about to start college that she should postpone college and do this for a few years...

I recall when the dot-coms all bombed, there was a big influx of very techie types (6 months prior to Quixtar's 9-1-99 launch). As soon as they registered, saw the prices, THEY WERE GONE. These "Early adopters" were key to any new internet startup. I remember saying to myself, "what am I doing here? (if THEY bailed out). The internet was supposed to find and seek the LOWEST prices, not the highest.

My 1st order was suppposed to get me my 100PV by spending $250.00; I spent $300.00 and only got 60PV. You had to spend $550.00 to get 100pv from anything in the catalog, with "brand name" merchandise. Famous "Partner Stores" required $1,000.00 to ger 100pv.

I should have known better, right from the beginning.

The CULT got me, for 6 1/2 years, and 4 more years de-progrramming and ANGRY.

Good to see you!
Willy

Joecool said...

Willy, good to see you too! I am still fighting the fight as you can see!

Anonymous said...

No matter what James justifies by saying the way he builds the business is different, there are 10's of thousands of IBOs attending WWDB functions and the message is definitely not to take things easy, instead put in every single minute outside of ur work life into building the business to eagle, double eagle, ruby and so on. I guess when we hear from the stage, in the cds different teaching- we can truly believe that things have changed. You cannot have Brad Duncan in the same function putting down people who are watching football matches, who are spending time in church related activities, saying things like you dont have to love something to succeed and all the other crap he gives- and expect us to believe just because you did not sit in the eagle/double eagle table- you build the business differently. So you say/deal with people in your team differently and you bring them to a function where they hear different things- what teachings are they expected to follow??? So, if you tell them they dont have to follow everything that they hear in the function, you are not in submission to your upline, you are not using the "power of unity". Well, you can always say you dont attend the same function as Brad or he is not somebody whom I follow- but you get his cds in standing order and Ron Pureyar himself makes a hero out of Brad.

In fact in one of the line of sponsorships that i know of, by utilizing the power of spoken word to the maximum, the IBO's address each by prefixing "diamond" or "CAM (crown ambassdor) before their names- what do you think is expected of these IBOs- go diamond, go CAM....not be happy with a few hundred bucks.

Anonymous said...

Amway is 110% CRAP, pure and simple. Thanks Jeocool. Always glad to read your blog on Amway.