One thing that appears to be common amongst IBOs is how IBOs are in denial. They truly believe that their uplines are working in their best interest and that upline wants their success. I don't believe that to be true. If uplines were truly making a fortune from Amway, why would an downline IBO have to pay for practically every bit of help they get from upline leaders? Why aren't any functions pro bono? What difference would it make to someone making millions heaped upon millions?
In order to show the plan in a formal setting, you would need to pay to attend an open meeting, and pay for your guests, even if they do not register as a result of the presentation. You pay for voicemail to communikate with your upline and downlines. You pay for standing orders and you may end up paying twice if you were in attendance at the function where the standing order was recorded. You pay for books and other materials as well.
What's more, many IBOs turn their heads when ugly facts rear their heads. For example, some IBOs deny that a prominent triple diamond was involved in bankruptcy proceedings. They continue to edify and pay for financial advice from someone who could not even manage his own finances. They believe that Amway saves marriages even when the leaders who speak about this may be getting divorced. It's like upline simply revises history and downlines buy it without question. Many IBOs do not even see it as a problem that some upline boldy lied and said there were no profits from tools in the past. I find this odd because tool profits are still shrouded in secrecy and downline simply believe that they will eventually get a cut, even without a written compensation plan and agreement.
I believe too many IBOs are simply in denial. They give upline their trust and upline abuses it. IBOs are told they are successful for attending a function even when they might be losing money month after month. They may be told that the Amway business is not about money but about making friends. They may be told that they are nicer people because of their participation in Amway. What too many IBOs do not see is that they are in denial about their business. Most IBOs are losing money, a little at a time, perhaps $100 or $150 a month. For the hardcore, maybe more. But they are taught to ignore these simple facts and deny that there is a problem.
It is my hope that exposure of some of these tactics will be beneficial to information seekers and perhaps new IBOs who have not yet been fully indoctrinated. I encourage people to ask tough questions, demand answers and use due diligence when checking out this oppportunity. The fact is that very few people every make a profit and people should know this before getting involved. In the end, IBOs pay up and they keep on paying upline for their sage advice, even when their bank accounts keep getting lighter. Where will it end?
Facts are of no importance to Amway zealots. Recall that infamous quote from Dexter Yager: "If the dream is strong enough, the facts don't matter!" That's virtually an endorsement of hallucinations and fantasies. This is why so many IBOs shut their eyes to the embarrassing facts that come out regularly about Amway and their up-lines.
ReplyDeleteMany Amway IBOs are definitely in denial, and this denial can last for years. Giving up one's state of denial is very painful -- it means admitting that your entire worldview was mistaken or deluded. And it also means recognizing that you have been throwing good money down a rathole -- money that could have been used for a better life. May weak-willed and insecure people don't have the stomach for this. And weak-willed, insecure people are the natural victims of Amway predators.
The notion that Amway is "not about making money but about making friends" is the most shameless and indefensible lie that could be imagined. Not about making money? Amway? The entire purpose of Amway is to worship money, to make love to money, to dream about money, and to collect vast sums of money at the expense of the less capable and less grasping persons in your down-line!
Amway is about "making friends"? Gimme a break. Amway is the apotheosis of greed. And the IBOs who are in denial about their steady losses in the business are simply satisfying the greed of their up-line.
I remember that saying. If the dream is strong enough the facts don't matter. The uplines craft a good strategy. Thy lure you in with promises of wealth, financial freedom and early retirement, but once you're in, you're not making money so the teaching must change to making friends, strengthening your marriage, and helping others.
DeleteThe changes are subtle so many people don't see what is happening.
But you're right, nobody joins to make friends. A business is about money.
One more teaching they add as developing "Leadership" quality..:)
DeleteSunk Cost Fallacy. That explains it all.
ReplyDelete