I subscribed to the podcast but am a little behind on Secret Keepers so I'm catching up on that first. I love, love, love Emma and Carly, by the way! I am intrigued by all of the MLM stuff out there, shocked that people leave their real jobs for it, fascinated that people can make as much money as they say (is that really true??), and I've seen a few FB friends make posts about getting out of the businesses. It definitely appears that there's drama behind the scenes, but they're obligated to create an image. I ain't got time for that.
A girl I know sold LLR, did tons of posts, tons of giveaways, converted part of her house for it complete with dressing rooms (), etc, but then parted ways with them and opened a small boutique. I would presume she's doing much better financially with that than she did with LLR, but I'd love to hear the dirt on splitting with LLR because I'm sure it wasn't pretty.

Would one of you nice ladies mind telling me what MLM is? I am out of the loop


I do know what LLR is

Please/thank you

I keep reading and re-reading but what are the names because I can’t seem to find it  the posts. Dream? And what’s the other one?

that's the one i'm listening to right now - "Sounds like MLM but Ok"

i finished "the Dream" and i thought it was great 

they get specific. The Sounds like MLM podcast breaks it down to different MLMs per podcast. right now i'm listening to the HerbalLife one and it looks like there is an episode about Lularoe.  and they mention Young Living. 

I'm just a few episodes in to The Dream. I don't love the tone of the podcast, they are making fun of MLMs and so far don't seem to be giving any credibility to the benefits and actual products that are good. 

I have been really enjoying the MLM podcasts. I knew they were bad for people but I had no idea HOW bad; and also never realized that by buying stuff from my friends to be nice, I was just keeping them in bad business.  I mean, I probably have hundreds of dollars of crap I've bought (that I didn't even want to begin with) just to be nice or try to help people. I've hosted the stupid parties and made my friends show up at the damned things, really just awful. All I did was give people encouragement to keep investing in these shit companies and lose even more money. Makes me feel bad and stupid. So from now on I have a firm NO MLM PRODUCTS policy. Never again!

Last edited by Hawr-rible (1/10/2019 1:47 pm)

Hawr-rible wrote:

I have been really enjoying the MLM podcasts. I knew they were bad for people but I had no idea HOW bad; and also never realized that by buying stuff from my friends to be nice, I was just keeping them in bad business.  I mean, I probably have hundreds of dollars of crap I've bought (that I didn't even want to begin with) just to be nice or try to help people. I've hosted the stupid parties and made my friends show up at the damned things, really just awful. All I did was give people encouragement to keep investing in these shit companies and lose even more money. Makes me feel bad and stupid. So from now on I have a firm NO MLM PRODUCTS policy. Never again!

So let me ask your opinion about this.  I generally have a hard no MLM rule. But 2 of my sort of friends/sort of acquaintances have MLM "businesses".  They buy products that I have created to use a small gifts/freebies for their customers. They've bought about $100-200 worth of products from me so far. So, I feel obligated to buy from them occasionally and go to at least 1 of their get-togethers every year.

I feel terribly guilty in doing so because I know that by buying from them, I'm probably doing more harm than good. But they are fully supportive of me, they share my business page, rave about my products (home fragrance), they go to my online shop and buy directly from there. So what's a girl to do? I am not close enough to either one to try to have a heart to heart and both of them are heavily indoctrinated into their respective MLM's culture.

I'd love to hear what people think. Also, for the record, I hate the products I get stuck buying. I have now spent an equal amount to what each of them has spent on my products so far. 
 

On_Point wrote:

DaisyDeadPetals wrote:

Hawr-rible wrote:

I have been really enjoying the MLM podcasts. I knew they were bad for people but I had no idea HOW bad; and also never realized that by buying stuff from my friends to be nice, I was just keeping them in bad business.  I mean, I probably have hundreds of dollars of crap I've bought (that I didn't even want to begin with) just to be nice or try to help people. I've hosted the stupid parties and made my friends show up at the damned things, really just awful. All I did was give people encouragement to keep investing in these shit companies and lose even more money. Makes me feel bad and stupid. So from now on I have a firm NO MLM PRODUCTS policy. Never again!

So let me ask your opinion about this.  I generally have a hard no MLM rule. But 2 of my sort of friends/sort of acquaintances have MLM "businesses".  They buy products that I have created to use a small gifts/freebies for their customers. They've bought about $100-200 worth of products from me so far. So, I feel obligated to buy from them occasionally and go to at least 1 of their get-togethers every year.

I feel terribly guilty in doing so because I know that by buying from them, I'm probably doing more harm than good. But they are fully supportive of me, they share my business page, rave about my products (home fragrance), they go to my online shop and buy directly from there. So what's a girl to do? I am not close enough to either one to try to have a heart to heart and both of them are heavily indoctrinated into their respective MLM's culture.

I'd love to hear what people think. Also, for the record, I hate the products I get stuck buying. I have now spent an equal amount to what each of them has spent on my products so far. 
 

If you hate the products, why are you buying them? If they buy your products from your business, great. But that doesn't mean you have to "return the favor." It's business. I buy from Target and don't expect Target to but my product (and Target would REALLY hate my product LOL). The people who do MLMs are likely very used to rejection, and if they aren't they need to get used to it. 

Idk, it's just different (to me) with people in my social circle.  I feel so bad - especially the only lady. She's had a lot of personal issues (losing her son in a really tragic manner, divorce, etc.)  She also doesn't have a lot of friends and I politely turn down most of her invites but have gone to 1-2 of them and so few people show up that it is just an awkward nightmare. It's not that the products are bad (Mary Kay), it's just that I am very picky about my skin, so I buy a product or two and don't really use them.

We went out to dinner once so she could give me a product I bought but that she had to order, and I had hoped to tell her my concerns about the MLM, and maybe bring up their income disclosure statement so she could see that NO ONE is making the money they claim is possible. But I chickened out because we aren't really that close and she was so excited about putting more effort into her "business" and she even had a purse full of samples wrapped up in individual packs in this beautiful presentation, so that she can give them to people she meets. She left one for our waitress in addition to her tip and was so proud of herself for coming out of her shell as she left it. It made me so sad for her because she keeps buying more and more product for her open houses and she buys appetizers, snacks and cocktails, so I know she's barely breaking even, but probably losing money on each event. So anyways, she's a nice person and I guess that's why I feel bad and buy a lotion I'll never use or whatever else I've bought. 
 

Depending what they other product is, I would say the same as MK, it’s just not working for me.
No need to explain, as women we always want to give a good reason, never feel you need to, no thank you is good enough!

I was buying scentsy from a friend because I really do like it, and always have the burners going. I have so much now though, I told her that. I’m good, I know where you are and I’ll reach out.


What annoys me most are the people you haven’t spoken to in forever, message you with this long how are you, then bam!!! Sales pitch!!! I will say, after one of the podcasts talked about them being thought social media (a personal post and a question to get people talking for every sales post, something like that) I’m hyper aware of what the MLM people I know are posting!

Sooo I’m torn about this. I sell BeautyCounter as a side gig because I like the product and I get a discount on it. I actually don’t buy inventory (that’s not the business model) and get cut commission checks if people buy and just link me as their consultant. It doesn’t earn me a living, but it does for a close friend. She’s actually in Miami right now for an incentive trip. Technically this is MLM and follows some of the concepts talked about in the Dream (I’m on episode 3...totally addicting)...but it’s also a company that lobbies in DC for better regulation in the food and drug industry, removes harmful chemicals from beauty products that are banned in other countries but not here, and partners with some great non profits.

So my point with all this is yes it sucks to ask family and friends if they want to buy (I barely push my business for that reason), but with all the good that this company and probably others do, is it fair to say all MLM’s are evil?

3DipeStripe wrote:

Natalya07 wrote:

On_Point wrote:

I ordered a sample of Santal 33. Curiosity got the best of me! a little pathetic, but couldn't resist. It will be here Tuesday. 

hah! me too! LMAO Curios to see if I will like smelling like a "rich girl" 

 
Can I have an update on what this smells like? I never heard of it so I looked it up and now I’m curious as well.

It's hard to describe, but it's a little musty, a little spicy (I wouldn't call it peppery, just spicy). It was awful when I first put it on, then a couple of hours later it was lovely with a tiny hint of floral and the must went away. It was weird. I wouldn't buy a whole bottle. 

3DipeStripe wrote:

Natalya07 wrote:

On_Point wrote:

I ordered a sample of Santal 33. Curiosity got the best of me! a little pathetic, but couldn't resist. It will be here Tuesday. 

hah! me too! LMAO Curios to see if I will like smelling like a "rich girl" 

 
Can I have an update on what this smells like? I never heard of it so I looked it up and now I’m curious as well.

I HATED the smell. its smells musky and very peppery. My husband told me I smell like a man. so for me it was money wasted.

Longtimelistener wrote:

Sooo I’m torn about this. I sell BeautyCounter as a side gig because I like the product and I get a discount on it. I actually don’t buy inventory (that’s not the business model) and get cut commission checks if people buy and just link me as their consultant. It doesn’t earn me a living, but it does for a close friend. She’s actually in Miami right now for an incentive trip. Technically this is MLM and follows some of the concepts talked about in the Dream (I’m on episode 3...totally addicting)...but it’s also a company that lobbies in DC for better regulation in the food and drug industry, removes harmful chemicals from beauty products that are banned in other countries but not here, and partners with some great non profits.

So my point with all this is yes it sucks to ask family and friends if they want to buy (I barely push my business for that reason), but with all the good that this company and probably others do, is it fair to say all MLM’s are evil?

Well, I guess my biggest thing- especially if a company has a quality product and wants to actually do good- is why then choose the MLM system to sell your product? If it's really good, why can't I buy it at a beauty counter, a department store, or hell, even at Target? Why would you choose to use a system to sell that has been proven to be predominantly financially terrible for your sellers? That doesn't make sense to me. It can't be really about empowering women (as so many companies claim) because you know the vast majority of the women who sell it will not make money. So that is why I've come to a no MLM product stance; if you want me to buy your product, get it into a store, and stop scamming people. I now question the ethics of any company who chooses this sales model. 
 

On_Point wrote:

Hawr-rible wrote:

Well, I guess my biggest thing- especially if a company has a quality product and wants to actually do good- is why then choose the MLM system to sell your product? If it's really good, why can't I buy it at a beauty counter, a department store, or hell, even at Target? Why would you choose to use a system to sell that has been proven to be predominantly financially terrible for your sellers? That doesn't make sense to me. It can't be really about empowering women (as so many companies claim) because you know the vast majority of the women who sell it will not make money. So that is why I've come to a no MLM product stance; if you want me to buy your product, get it into a store, and stop scamming people. I now question the ethics of any company who chooses this sales model. 
 

This was very well put and helps explain the way others (meaning not me) are thinking. Thank you! 

 

No problem! And just to be clear, I am not angry with any sellers of these products; I'm mad at the companies. Any of you that sell products, you have every right to join up and try to earn money. I'm not judging any of you, and I truly hope that you make some money for all of your hard work (or just keep getting to be your own customer for a better price on products you like, whichever you are in it for). I just don't want to buy the products so that I'm not rewarding the companies for choosing a system that (most often) screws over the sellers.