If you’ve read anything by Robert Kiyosaki or Paul Zane Pilzer you will recognize that, first, they are brilliant businessmen who are not easily swayed by fast-talking hucksters. Second, since they are financially successful they aren’t desperate to gain the addoration or addulation from any and all groups just to sell their books or fill their conferences. They are independent enough to be objective in their assessments of business opportunities. Read what they say about this industry — not as a job but as a viable, bona fide, legal home-based business with the potential to have a world-wide reach.

I can appreciate the other posters who decry the “curiosity” approach you experienced. There is a reason for using it, but it is cumbersome and not inspiring of confidence to the recipient. My preference is to be confident enough with the company I represent to be able to state their name up front and share the technological or business advantages (tax-wise, financials, time leveraging, etc) with the person who shows interest in my opportunity.

A publicly traded company must comply with the SEC, so there is oversight from a regulatory perspective (the SEC doesn’t allow pyramid schemes!). Also, it must allow for any inspection of commissions paid to the independent business owners by anyone interested in those reports. The company should be older than 7 years so the FTC has time to investigate whether what they are selling/providing/marketing is bona fide and their marketing plan passes muster.

Personally, I have chosen a company that has proprietary technology in several areas of the health and wellness arena. Everything is performance guaranteed, so you get your money back if you don’t improve, and we can measure whether you improve or not — not just rely on anecdotal evidence or testimonials and hype. I also have access to the largest industry in the world — travel — that doesn’t need much explanation.

My final point is this, and with all due respect to the poster from Ireland, if you are looking for a job (which means “just over broke”), then get a job. If you are looking for an unlimited future - personally, leadership-wise, financially - then do your due diligence, read what others who have been successful do or are doing and decide what vehicle to drive. You have more potential for success than what you may currently realize. Personal growth will help unleash that potential.

Good luck in your search for your best opportunity.
Dan
PS — Have you known anyone who started college but didn’t finish? If you’re going to college then talk to those who have successfully finished the task so you know what it takes.

http://team_orrin_woodward.typepad.com/orrin_woodward/files/Complaint.pdf

I was in Amway for about 2 years. I know people in Quixtar now and have recently examined the practices of at least the people in this line of sponsorship. Different year - same game. No info upfront, still using the “curiosity approach” from the old days. The curiosity approach gives them a bad name for not being upfront about it. If you research Amway/Quixtar and brainwashing online you will find some interesting info - many psychological tricks used. They expect to train you to do the same thing - it’s called duplication. The tricks get more and more interesting the further upline you progress.

Did they buy you something at McDonalds? I wouldn’t be surprised - it is an oft used psychological sales manipulation trick of obligating you. Don’t feel obligated to anyone that has their hand in your pocket.

If you would like an education in psychological manipulation go ahead and join, or string them along as far as you can. But don’t join thinking you will make money with this madness. Most people at first have an aversion to playing underhanded tricks on people to make money off of them. It’s immoral and this sick mindset can change you for the worse. But be careful, it is very important who you choose to hang out with. (That is also one of the lines they use, as if you aren’t hanging with them then you are some befuddled idiot with no future) The truth is, spending time with con men can change you into a con man.

That being said, if they would not persist in training people to do this it would not be that bad a company to work with. They always had products that people would buy because they liked them. However, don’t get involved thinking you are going to be rich.

If you want to look into MLM as a vehicle there are a few companies out there that are upfront about things and easy to work with - Shaklee and Melaleuca come to mind. But still, you should buy the products for a few months at least to see if you like them before ever deciding to pursue a distributorship with any company. You see, if you decide that you like some of the products that the company puts out WITHOUT acting as a rep, then you will realize that there is a real market for the products, not just for those who buy it because they are in a business opportunity and are expected and pressured to buy.

Don’t fall for an URGENCY psycho tricks either. The opportunity will always be there for a good company.

Good luck in whatever you do.

If you toss out the top earners and the IBOs who “do nothing”, you will probably find that most of the remaining IBOs earn about $8 a month.

Beware, many quixtar recruiters like to show you what’s “possible”. They avoid showing you what’s “likely”. It would be like showing mansions and fancy cars in promoting the lottery. Sure, it’s “possible” to win if you have a ticket. but for the vast majority of participants, it’s not “likely” that they will win.

One thing I’d like to comment on is the “average” incomes. Those averages are required to be presented by the FTC, and they’re actually quite misleading. Why? Because they include people who aren’t actually *trying* to earn an income. If you buy enough for yourself in a month to get a rebate (not hard to do if you’re into nutrition) you’re rebate gets included in the “average”. If just once in a whole year you ask your brother if he wants to buy some XS energy drink - just ask mind you, he doesn’t have to say yes - then you’re considered “active” and included in the averages. And so on and so on.

So you are correct, most people *are* earning less than that - but that’s the secret of network marketing - nobody actually does it! I work with a group that keeps statistics on these types of things, and at a recent seminar, attended by less than 15% of people registered, only 5% of people there (so less than 1% of the total) where doing the minimum amount of work required to build a profitable business. Not surprisingly, the percentage of people who make significant money is about the same 1%.

But what do they earn? Average “platinum” business (doing about $25,000/mth in sales volume) profits around $47,000 yr. Not bad for part-time work. The average “diamond” business, which is now into the “passive” type income is around $147,000/yr. You do the maths on how much you’d need invested to make that kind of passive income. There are many people with 6 and 7 figure incomes.

So it does work - if you work. But it takes time and effort. Still, do that “passive income” math exercises, and you’ll see why people who’ve done it say it’s worthwhile

cheers
/i
Get the Facts - The Truth About Amway and Quixtar

There is something very positive about having a nine to five job, honest.

Great site really well done, I too am new to this game and if you look at my site you will see how bad I am at all things IT.

Keep it up and well done again.