One of the things IBOs "think" they posssess, but in reality they are far from it, is "Business Mentality". It is not necessarily the fault of the IBOs. Many are sponsored into Amway by trusted friends and lacking business experience, they will "submit" to upline as they are advised and will try to learn about the Amway business. The problem is that many upline leaders teach self serving business practices such as hard core dedication to their tools system, from which they often handsomely profit. Let's examine some of the questionable practices.
"Buy from yourself". If you have a business owner mentality, you only buy from yourself if it's beneficial to your business. Many IBOs talk about ridiculous things like a McDonald's owner would never eat at Burger King. That's bull crap. Just because I own a McDonald's doesn't mean I am eating Big Macs the rest of my life. You cannot spend yourself to prosperity. If I sold pens for $1.00 and my cost was .50, and my competitor had a special on the same pens at 3 for $1.00, I'm buying them from my competition. Also, buying from yourself makes you a customer, not a business owner.
"Ignore facts if you have a dream". This is probably the biggest heap of bull crap taught by some upline. I have seen this spouted in particular by IBOs downline from WWDB and BWW leaders. A business owner studies the facts, not ignores them. Any REAL business owner wants to know how much he is bringing in and how much is going out. That's how you detect the heartbeat of your business. A site visitor named Gina on this site, recently posted a profit/loss statement from her real business. Naturally, IBOs were at a loss to discuss it because it was foreign material to them.
"Submit to upline" Another load of hogwash. Why should someone submit to upline simply because they "sponsored me" or whatever? A real business owner would think independently and make business decisions based on facts and numbers, not on the advice of someone upline who hasn't taken the time to assess each IBO on a personal level to be able to give advice on an IBO's "Indepdendent Business", or worse, advice on their personal lives".
"Dedication to the system". Silly advice as well. What dedication does the system have for an IBO? If an IBO succeeds (which is very rare), the system takes credit, but for the more than 99% of people who never make a significant income, it is their own fault if they don't make it. Amway apologists will defend this by saying that many may not have signed up wanting a significant income. While that may be partially true, tell me where people show "plans" designed for the guy who wants an extra $100 a month? The plans shown are always (AFAIK) to go platinum or diamond.
IBOs and information seekers, does any of this sound familiar? Is this a part of your experience? If so, I encourage you to ask questions here and get more information before proceeding with any more "business" activity.
7 comments:
You hit the nail right on the head on all points. From the moment one is being prospected, the potential sponsor is doing everything in their power to pitch the "business" from an emotional "dreams" angle and dance around (or out and out lie about) any nuts and bolts business figures and numbers and actual statistics. Instead they rely on "anecdotes" about other people who have supposedly made millions on the business. And they have so many ways to dance around realities. Such as when a prospect asks "well, how much do you earn?" they'll smile and say "you wouldn't believe it". Clever way to get around "well, actually I'm LOSING a few hundred a month after meetings and tool costs and buying overprices products to self-consume".
Can you imagine any legitimate business that can only get people interested in it by trying to paint doom and gloom pictures of everything outside of their own business while trying to get prospects to hate their own job by spouting fantasies of mansions and yachts and fancy cars? I think most legitimate businesses prefer to talk reality of actual income, full disclosure of duties the applicant would be required to do, actual benefits provided, etc.
Everything with Amway is a song and dance of "you COULD be a millionaire" and they avoid showing business ledgers and tax returns as proof. And they hope one will trust their snake oil smile as they reel in a new fish to plug into the system and drain their finances to enrich the upper echelon of the pyramid.
And that is the only "business" Amway is good at. Reeling in a constant stream of new suckers to rape to keep the upper tier of the pyramid making money.
~Dave
Wonderful post Joe! I agree with you literally in everything you wrote here but I can add a few facts that I experienced. Submit to your upline was one of the major problems where we ended up quitting. I was in a job outside my family town - an overnight journey. My father was a cancer patient and a brother who was studying there and my mom. My upline told me until you become 'Eagle' never go to native! He told me to take his advice for anything I had to buy or make financial decision. But I decided to save 40% of salary on a monthly basis loking at the global economy and job situation everywhere. He told me, if you want to grow in business saving will not take you anywhere and when you have a huge team coming up you should rather 'invest in tools more'! I was already buying enough CDs books, never missed any function and I had also subscribed to Standing Order Program with books and CDs! He did not like me investing part of my money in Gold ETFs which are safe but always giving positive returns. For him not knowing world economy was a plus point. He was a statistician not reading and news for years and was teaching me how to manage finances as told above. In fact I recommend new guys to read my entire story.
Problem to new IBOs is when they go to first meeting or listen to any CDs they are asked to follow their upline and becuase their show off by means of lavish suiting or dresses people, especially in India, feel these are good I can follow. And there are so many analogies and jargons framed in last 40+ years by systems new IBOs will be scared to do something outside their upline, and first thing it is told - if you are serious in the business get along with upline and do what he says!
In terms of buying from the business it is not about Amway pricing but the products you end up using. Why men are promoted with Artistry is question you should ask to upline. Men need to look good but need to start spending time and money using cosmetics (so called skincare). I feel Artistry is good but how do you make PV is by using what you do not need. And of course agree with your point in terms of eating McDonald's burger three times for your food, just crap it is.
Dedication to the system another crap! I had to wear suitings to show my dedication, irrespective of the climate here in India or commuting problems from my place to meetings/functions. And many IBOs bought their first suitings of their life having joined Amway, even though hot climate does not permit them here. You have to 'wear red tie only', you should always shave everyday irrespective of your personal schedule or tiredness or whatever. DO not give excuses! You should always 'show plan' from yellow pad and red ink! Never ask why... Common guys wake up and use your brain apart from CDs, Books and system associations - is that the freedom you wanted from Amway or any MLM?
Amwayscam, I think you would be shocked to find out that it is very likely that diamonds live a middle class lifestyle. With business expenses factored in, assuming they travel first class, I doubt there's much left. A diamond might gross a couple hundred thouosand a year (with tool money) but after expenses and traveling and other expenses, I suspect that their net income is very average. I believe the diamond lifestyle costs quite a bit more than most diamonds can afford.
I heard it and in fact read the story of Eric, I was definitely shocked as I understood the trauma he (and many other inner circle IBOs) must have gone through. And, I like the last sentence :)
Quite frankly Amway is a manufacture and IBO's register therefore they own the distribution rights to the Amway patented products and your treated as an Independent contractor not a W-4 income earner so you're essentially a business owner in fact. When it comes to business you should always be your best customer and IBO's track their business through volume and pulses. The focus is on other people because the way you make money in the long term or in residuals is by teaching others to do what you do which in turn helps them create steady income and helps you by getting a 4% leadership bonus. If you own a Mcdonalds you cane at Burger King but if you own a Hess gas station why would you go to Geddy? It doesn't make sense. If you get a discount for using a certain toothpaste why use toothe past that doesnt give u a discount and doesnt appreciate your loyalty as a customer? Plus if you show every IBO what they need to do to profit and they just don't do the work then that's their fault for not stepping up.The average IBO makes 202$ and thats a fact. Only 10% make over 6 figures because only 10% have the disciplihne and work ethic to succeed. If you're making business tools teaching others to succeed then you should be paif dor that just like someone making pens should be paid for providing the writing utensil.
what's your point? :)
Anonymous....... You are proving how Amway brainwashes it's IBO's. You are saying exactly what they want you to say, "if you are not successful in your business, it's because you are not working hard enough". BS! My sister and her family work their asses off, they are always out at meetings, conventions and what ever else you Ambots do to squeeze more money out of each other. They are no better off now than they were 10 years ago when they started and just dabbled. If anything they are faaaaar worse. They've ruined their credit, almost lost their home and they've alienated all their friends and family who are not involved. They are beyond disciplined in following the program, it just doesn't work but they are too brainwashed to see it. If they applied the dedication, time and enthusiasm they have for Amway, into a real business or job, they would easily have the wealth they've been promised
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