The JDubs and Amway--a match made in hell......

LDH

There are many perceptive posters here who have picked up on the MLM Amway/Jdub connection.

However, there are some who are not familiar with what we are talking about. I thought for them it would be nice to list some similarities between the two organizations.

BTW, Amway has a new line of business, they're calling it QUIXTAR. So if you get approached for this, be aware it's just Amway.
* http://www.quixtar.com

I'll start the ball rolling. If you get to know or get solicited be anyone from Amway, be aware they will start 'love bombing' you immediately. They will ask you to attend several 'informal' meetings. Probably within one month of joining, you'll be asked to go to a 'Rally' or some such thing.

If you say you really can't afford to spend $600 to go to Florida to hear how Amway/Quixtar will benefit your life, you'll be told that your success in the organization is directly tied to your commitment. You'll be told that this is the most important thing you can spend your money on.

Does this sound familiar? And does anyone else care to add some thoughts here?

(BTW, having used Amway products I can say that they are of high quality. I'm not knocking their products. I am saying that what you'll end up paying in financial and emotional commitments to Amway is NOT worth the product, like with JWs. They have SOME truths, but the price you pay will far exceed the quality of the religion.)

Lisa

Gopher

Lisa,

Yes these multi-level-marketing organizations are a real trip! Actually, a real menace.

My wife became involved with a long-distance-phone marketing pyramid. It wasted hundreds of our dollars, and took her away from the family to conferences every 3 months. Being an active JW at the time, when she approached someone out in the public, it was a conflict between "should I talk about the Kingdom" and "should I talk about cheap long-distance service", LOL.

We couldn't afford the commitment, and made very little profit although the organizers seemed to promise that "we could be set up for life" if we followed the program.

One of her higher-ups in the chain told her attendance at a conference was more important than paying the rent! So guess what, we got a month behind in the rent, and I was hauled (totally unnecessarily) into court to make arrangements to catch up on payments.

Ugh.

Caveat emptor

Gopher

Mulan

I have posted this before, but will again, for those who haven't heard it. I have been in multi-level marketing for about 8 years. And I have had good success, and made some good money, supplementing our income quite nicely. When I was first involved, I was an active dub, and I went to a conference across the country in Atlanta. My roommate, provided by my upline, was a woman who was studying with JW's, so I felt "how wonderful that Jehovah provided her to be my roommate", since I felt so guilty for going. I only went to get away from my husband, because we were fighting all the time about what he had found in his research about them. Anyway, as she told me how she happened to be studying, I felt my blood go cold. She said when the witnesses came to her door, she who was a very experienced and very successful woman in MLM, thought this is so great, "what a great idea, to network market your religion." I had to admit she was right. During that week, I met many others in my company from all over the world, who were not Christians, and of course, not JW's, and it hit me, that these are really good people, with loving families, and they were full of integrity. It was the first time I had ever been exposed to "worldy people" for such a long period of time. During my flight home to Seattle from Atlanta, I came to the conclusion, that all the things my husband had been telling me for about two years, were all true. If I hadn't been involved in MLM, and hadn't gone to that convention, I wouldn't have learned the real truth for a long time. Interestingly, that MLM company suspended me last month, for a minor infraction. Hahahahahahahaha, so I am disfellowshipped from MLM, but not from the dubs. Too funny, don't you think? I found a new MLM company right away, and am already making good money again. This business works, no matter how much anyone complains or ridicules it. I have to say, though, the phone system things were bad news all around. I am in nutrition and health products, because it is where my education is, so maybe that's another reason I am successful. And my father is a doctor, so I have some credibility there too, because he also joined me in the new company. http://www.vivamarilyn.com (just in case you are interested)

LDH

Marilyn,

Recruiting new religious members by high pressure door to door sales 'works' too.

Networked programs only work because the sales rep is able to 'create a need' and then VOILA! Offer the solution that you never knew you needed!

The TMS is one of the best sales training schools in the country! And it wouldn't surprise me to know that many successfull MLMrs are also members of Evangelical faiths!

Mulan

Yes, you are right about that. Many of the top leaders are very involved Christians. That is the one drawback to it. I get very turned off by their constant religious drivel. Many are not too, and are somewhat unethical, but I think you would find that in any business. There is no perfect company, anywhere. I am not high pressure, and I wasn't that way as a dub either, but I had good success in the "ministry". I always had high placements and several studies going. I had one man, who said he was an international sales manager, tell me I was a really good saleswoman, one time out in service. That was offensive to me. Maybe he was right. Maybe it's just a talent. ha ha aha Now I just wait for the orders to come in. And my downline in the other company, are coming with me. So easy.

LostMyReligion

Greetings!
Although my husband and I have been approached a couple of times by Amway, we never got involved. The WT injunction against business at the KH and our own convictions against using spiritual contacts for a business domain for selling, and the fact that I could barely "sell" the WT mags, even for God kept us out. But as I related in my introduction story, mu son was recently approached by an MLM, not Amway, but Primerica (connected to A.L. Williams). It sounds very appealing, but boils down to selling insurance and home loans at no bargain price.

This led me to get him online with me to investigate the down side of these outfits. We quickly found several sites exposing their methods and the sad and painful aftermath in many peoples lives. (No criticism to those of you who are able to benefit from this type of business. If you like it, great!) In our search, we ran across a page which called the WTS, and an Amway related company both BORG. This stabbed me emotionally, and later I had to return to see what it was. While wandering around between these 2 subjects, I found a document which was a key element in causing me to really consider whether or not the WTS was less holy than it proclaimed, and begin an intense investigation into all things "apostate". It was a list called "Things They Will Say" containing 46 points outlining the manipulation, guilt-inducing, and controlling tactics one could expect to be the object of as an Amway associate. As I read through them, I was deeply disturbed and stunned. About 95% of the points were parallel to what takes place at the KH. In the past, I had heard "friends" who did Amway say that being in it was like being in the "truth", but always thought they were just over zealous in their business pursuits. Little did I know!

I invite those who are interested to peruse this enlightening list for themselves. I would love to hear their thoughts on the points offered. http://www.angelfire.com/or/amwaydreamers/index2.html

LMR

Mulan

Yep. The similarities are frightening. Amway is REALLY scary, but I agree with whoever said they have a good product. MLM is not the way to sell everything, obviously.

Calico_Cat

be aware they will start 'love bombing' you immediately.

Uh-huh, and when you quit--the love bomb quits. Much like what is happening in the Org.

Lisa, I got your email, thanks. I will reply to you soon.

jezebel influence

My MUm and sis have signed up with MARY KAY makeup.
I went to a meeting to have my face done,and its probably the same as Amway.
The people their were so nice that I nearly signed!
They started talking of the parties they would be having,dinners out etc.
HHmmm I thought could leave my man at home and go party with excuse to make money!

The woman taking the meeting was a bit of an old bag.
She gave people incentives to get so many aptments etc,and told Mum she has to have an apt in the next 7days.If Mum doesnt achieve this it will be embarrassing as the woman will ask in front of everyone.

on second thoughts some of them seemed quite fake.I prefer genuine people who dont have to always 'say the right thing'
God knows I dont!!!!

Does anyone here do Mary Kay??
It is nice stuff and I will probably buy some.

But I get the pyramid selling =wbts deal

jez

jurs

hello
a co-worker of my husband, approached us several years back about amway. we listened, but had no desire to get involved. they were almost too nice, if ya know what i mean. they invited us to a BBQ ect. and all we heard was how rich they were all going to be. then several weeks later , i was at a park and another mom struck up a conversation with me. it was so odd because i knew she sold amway. she talked just like these other folks we had just met. she was surprised when i asked her if she sold amway. the similarities i noticed between amway folks and JW"s ,was you can spot them a mile away by the overly niceness and the way the 2 groups have their own language. ...jurs

The JDubs and Amway--a match made in hell......

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