One of the things IBOs get attracted to is how uplines will promote traditional family values. They may talk about the "Leave it to Beaver" days where the man works a job and the wife takes care of the home and drops the kids off at school. While some of these values are great, they are not reality in today's world. The speakers at some Amway meetings may recruit others by saying you can have this out of the box lifestyle if you will only build your Amway business. This gets the wives or girlfriends excited as they would love to not have to work a 9-5 job.
Ironically, an IBO's desire for more time and money, more often than not, will result in less time and money for an IBO and and IBO's family. They will take time off to show the plan, attending countless numbers of meetings and to attend functions. They are taught to "delay" gratification, but many do not realize that they are permanently delaying gratification by participating in the "systems".
An IBO's belief is often compartmentalized into thinking that showing the plan, listening to standing order, submitting to upline's advice and attending all functions will result in guaranteed success within 2-5 years. Anyone who speaks a differing opinion of this is "negative" and should be avoided. Sadly, those who put forth such dedication and invest in the system are rarely rewarded with success. Even those who achieve the platinum level may often find that the net profit they realize is less than a minimum wage job with the same number of hours put forth. And maintaining a platinum level is a daunting task.
My former sponsor achieved the platinum level in less than two yaers, but he never achieved Q12 status, and he never went beyond the platinum level. He has been involved for nearly 20 years now, and last I heard, is below the platinum level. All of that work and effort and I wonder if he even has a net profit of $1.00 for all of his efforts?
Yet, many IBOs continue to see the world through rose colored glasses, thinking that they will succeed if only they will never quit. They disregard the fact that 2-5 years has come and gone. They do not see that their bottom line is nowhere near what they were led to believe. But they believe that Amway will be their financial savior, even though there are facts and red flags pointing to the obvious reality that they will never achieve what they initially set out to achieve.
I hope my blog will get a few IBOs to take off the rose colored glasses for just a second and see the reality.
I think they should bring their calculators and their paper after the 5th year to see what their numbers are...
ReplyDeleteNever mind the 5th year. After the first month. You can already add up losses if you are on the teaching system.
DeleteDo you really feel your former Platinum is worth that little after 20 years of being at that rank?
ReplyDeleteIn other news, I just heard another wonderful deceitful term to describe MLM, Network Marketing, Relationship Marketing, Direct sales...welcome to the club Social Commerce...WTF!??!?! They are getting worse than shapeshifter's trying to cover themselves up.
My former platinum is a physician. Imagine how much lost money he suffers from closing his practice an extra day or two each month so he can attend local and distance functions? Say it's a conservative $1000 a day. That's at least $12,000 a year for 20 years, which is $240,000 not including interest or gains.
Delete"Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..."
ReplyDelete(The Book of Job)
Commitment to Amway is a religious commitment, not a financial one. That's why IBOs utterly disregard their bottom line.
Yes, many IBOs get starry eyed over the diamonds and get sucked into the scheme hoping that they too, will achieve diamond and have all their dreams come true. Sadly, it never comes and people usually slink away and quit, too ashamed to seek refunds or to file complaints against those who scammed them.
DeleteHow can they be called 'Independent' Business 'Owners' when they can't sell their business to anyone outside Amway or even to a new IBO or even anyone in their crossline or downline. Either sell to upline or quit (and upline gets your 'business' for free). Your downline is owned by Amway, so what do you OWN???
ReplyDeleteYou can sell your business to downline but my understanding is that it must be offered to all of your upline first. But as I said, why would upline buy it when the downline will still be their downline even if you (the seller) quit or are replaced?
DeleteBut, yeah, you're nothing close to an independent business. You're a commission only salesperson.