One of the things I was taught as an IBO was to "fake it til you make it". I believe this is probably still true today, based on my interaction with and observation of IBO behavior. If you have followed the trials on various upline leaders such as Shores or Duncan and their financials, you can likely conclude that even the diamonds can be in financial difficulty. Some former diamonds who have left the business or quit have also expressed some similar sentiments.
But if you examine functions like "Dream Night", where the diamonds show off pictures of mansions, sports cars, boats and jetskis, you can conclude that the diamonds are implying that all of these goodies are a prt of their regular lifestyles, including the notion of waking up at noon and never having to work. I believe for most diamonds, this is just a facade, or an exercise in deception of the downline. I recall the diamonds urging the crowd to "come join us". Some IBOs want it so bad that tears roll down their cheeks as they watch the presentation. They honestly believe that 2-5 years working the system assures them of success.
The sad reality is that most IBOs, even with some hard work, will end up making nothing, or if fully engaged in the system of functions and cds and books, will end up with a loss. IBOs who stick around for a few years might see losses in the thousands or tens of thousands. All the while their upline may have been telling the group the perserverence is the key or that you will "make it" if you don't quit. Nothing could be further from the truth. There's no evidence that working hard and never quitting will result in anything but financial losses.
If diamonds and high pins are putting on a show, what about the average rank and file IBOs? I believe that many of them are also fakes. They may wear suits and talk about success, but ask one of them if they actually make a net profit and you'll get more excuses than answers. The typical answer will be that it's none of your business, or that their results are not indicative of yours because it depends on effort. This is just a diversion. If someone is promoting the opportunity and then flaunting a lifestyle that can allegedly be attained through the oppportunity, then the folks making the claim should be able to qualify their claims. It is normal in everyday business for potential business partners or investors to seek evidence or proof that the business produces what is being advertised. Why Amwayers believe otherwise is puzzling, but not surprising. I believe it is beceause many Amwayers are fakes, starting from the top.
So true.In the functions we were told one of the BWW diamond from Chicago owns a million dollar home, and when I checked that in Zillow it is $345K !!! not even half a million!!! So much for honesty and Integrity!!
ReplyDeleteI have first hand experience with what this cult like IBO really is. My son's wife got into it. She kept on buying the books and the cds, listening to the audios so he starts into it and my god he changed drastically. They got me to a couple meetings so his wife gets me to join and to a conference in Louisville, KY on a charter bus total one way trip was about 18hrs. No sleep for 30+ hours my body was trembling and my mind was a fog. None of them had hardly any sleep the entire 4 day trip. Sleep deprivation is their key. Push yourselves to the limit of exhaustion. Walked out of conference about 9:30 and had no idea which way to turn to get to the hotel. I was scared silly. Fortunately a man helped me but he did look pretty scary at first. Sat couldn't make that morning meeting but did the Saturday night meeting. OMG all these upliners and diamond leaders talked nothing but their wealth, $2000 suits, 6 horses, mansions, billion $ jet...it was ridiculous. All the time they put into it, blah, blah, blah. This one man put down every form of religion and people who call themselves a Christian, yet this is suppose to be a Christian based business. Per my son and his uplines, especially his platinum leader. Oh and he told my son that it would be hard for me to grasp it because I was seasoned, being older and all...what an insult. So comes Sunday morning. Walking in the conference they handed out white envelopes. Then the diamond leader, wearing his $2000 suit starts preaching, the very one who put down all forms of religion and Christians. Plus he gets people to donate. Oh, lets not forget he baptizes people in the ocean on his lavish vacations. Then he calls the poor innocent victims down forth to accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savoir. Here we go, he starts rattling a bit in tongue and tells everyone he doesn't know where that came from it just came out. I'm a proud Christian woman, and a humble one at that. I got up and walked out witnessing my son and daughter n law down in the front of a screen waving their arms up in the air. I do raise my hand in church but come on people, this guy is a fraud, the biggest hypocrite, phony, fake...I was so mad I couldn't believe what I saw and what I heard. Leaving his platinum leader steps aboard the bus shortly to give them instructions what they were to do and not to do. Like no sports, how many people to contact a day, books, cds...all of course for his benefit. The more they get suckered in and sales he moves up on the totem pole. My son and I don't hardly speak anymore. I don't even know who he is anymore. We were extremely close too and its such a shame too. He doesn't get why I couldn't receive that. They lure people in without even telling them it is with Amway. I told him from the beginning it was a pyramid but they have him so brainwashed it is ridiculous. They have spent thousands of dollars and they both have a masters degree and both are coaches. They want to be Free, that's what they tell them...Freedom from working. They have worked their butts for this company and I think they only have 1 IBO signed up. It's has been at least a year for them now. Of course I cancelled immediately so I'm labeled a quitter. It is a pyramid straight up.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment and I'm sorry you had to endure that. It's 2014 but I can tell you that I was in Amway in the later 1990's and that's the way it was for me. I quit in 1998 even after achieving a fairly high level. I didn't make money and your experience sounds like mine. I forgot about AMway until the internet came around. I later found out all the lies my upline tols do I started to blog about it so others could benefit from my experiences.
DeleteI truly wish you well.