On Sunday morning I’m driving Ambot to the arena where Amway WWDB Spring Leadership is being held. I’ve got to circumnavigate the entire complex to get to the front doors so I can get Ambot there early enough to stand in line with all the other keeners. I’m about two blocks away when Ambot spots the sack of shit Platinum standing on a sidewalk or parking lot area with about 30 cult followers standing around him in awe listening to him spout off his bullshit. Fucking morons! Worshippers of the World Wide Destructive Bastards cult!
Ambot panics! He’s late for some meeting that he doesn’t remember being told to attend. He’s mostly scared shitless because he’ll be berated by the sack of shit Platinum and ridiculed in front of everyone for being late. That’s the way Amway cult leaders operate. Fear and obedience. Because I’d rather tell everyone in my upline to fuck off than listen to their lies I’d never make a good Amway cult follower! So I let Ambot out of the car and continued alone to entertain myself for the day.
Later Ambot tells me when he’s rushing to join up with the cult followers that the Platinum’s henchman springs out of the group and wants to know what he’s doing there. Ambot explains we were driving past and he saw the cult leader preaching to his flock and didn’t want to miss out on this very important meeting that he clearly was not invited to.
The henchman explains its for another World Wide Destructive Bastards downline in the sack of shit’s Amway business and because Ambot is in a different crossline and the brainwashing methods are different he was not invited to this cult meeting.
Splitting hairs, the henchman is in the same line as Ambot so why is he being subjected to this other line’s brainwashing? Ah ha some cult followers are just gluttons for punishment! Or there’s some MLM espionage going on!
But then the henchman tells Ambot he can stay if he wants to. And of course he does. Can’t miss a word of wisdom from the beloved cult leader.
Amway WWDB Spring Leadership sucks!!!!
World Wide Destructive Bastards suck!!!!
Haha! Dumbasses. These posts never fail to entertain. If im getting paid, sure you can chew my ass a little if I fuck up. Until I see a substantial check, you better be real cordial! Anyone who isnt paying me better stay the fuck outta my face!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying the entertaining posts Anonymous! I tell it like it is but I put in a lot of descriptive language so no one has no doubt how I feel about my upline. Our story is the same as so many other former IBO's stories except I pepper it with language that those prude Amway ambots don't like so they don't hang around for too long!
DeleteI became an IBO about a couple months ago and have been grappling with a lot of doubts and questions that continue to arise as each week passes by.
ReplyDeleteIt came at a time when I was at my most vulnerable. I was going through depression, battling this sense of worthlessness, and working lowly contracting jobs to make ends meet.
Then enter a family member. He invites me to a "Grand Opening" for his new online business. Curious, I go and see what this is all about. I sit through the presentation, and I realize that I have seen these products before.
A friend of mine was involved with LTD back in college (I believe Amway was still called Quixtar. I think this was maybe around 2008 or 2009?). He tried to recruit me when he was relatively new to the business. I remember feeling uncomfortable around the upline because he made a lot of presumptuous statements along the lines of "a lot of people don't understand how to make money and that's why they are stuck in their current financial situation" or "a person would be stupid not to see how this opportunity would help them." The entire conversation made me feel tense and I found the guy to be a tad bit arrogant and condescending for my tastes. I told him that I wasn't interested in joining the business. After that, I saw less and less of my buddy until I didn't see him at all. The last time I saw him was at graduation.
I haven't talked to him in a long time. I don't know if he's still involved with Amway, but I wish we didn't have to drift away. This SHOULD HAVE prevented me from falling into the same trap, but it didn't.
Anyway, back to my relative's Grand Opening--
After the presentation, one of the uplines struck up a conversation with me. He checked my interests, asked me about school, my occupation, hobbies, etc. (It's now clear to me that it's part of prospecting using "FORM"). He then showed me "the plan" on an online slideshow. The man was also much nicer than my buddy's former upline. I wasn't really interested, but I decided to go to the open meeting just to keep an open mind.
After all, I really respected my relative and wanted to get closer to him. He's very kind and generous, and he cares about everyone that comes his way. I thought "Hey, he has a lot of credibility. He's well-educated and he wouldn't get into something if it wasn't legit."
I went to the Open Meeting. At the end of the night, I remained wary and felt unsettled. Even when my gut was telling me to run the other way, I accepted a literature pack my relative's upline loaned to me. He then set up a time for us to meet that week to discuss any questions I had.
When I met with the the upline and my relative, I had so many questions and concerns. My relative was very reassuring and was able to address a lot of them. I implicitly trusted him and convinced myself that everything he said was feasible, particularly when he argued that I wouldn't be trying to "sell" the products, but would be "sharing" them. He used this analogy: You recommend a restaurant to a friend, prompting that friend to dine at the restaurant. In turn, you get paid for bringing in new business for that restaurant.
It made sense to me and thought, "Why not? I have nothing else going for me. Maybe this could give some side income while I'm looking for a stable and secure job."
But as the weeks went on, I felt the pressure to grow my team and build my legs. I saw a lot of people (who started around the same time as I did) hitting 1000 PV, 3000 PV, and above. I knew I wasn't following the 9 CORE steps. I knew I wasn't going by the system. I felt like a loser who was "leaving money on the table." I was blaming myself.
ReplyDeleteRight now I feel like I'm spending money that I don't have on things that I don't need to benefit people I don't even like. I've already spent money on my SAM certification, a shit ton on products (maybe $800), $5 each week for the open meetings and IBO training sessions each week, $190 for 12-month access to the IBO WebSpace/BWW TV, $50 for standing order each month, and tickets for Spring Leadership. I don't know how much on gas and I know I'm not accounting for other related expenses.
So far I've only received a $90 check and I'm currently waiting for my March payment.
Money issues aside, I have problems with the emphasis placed on group-think, deference to authority, and constant repetition/ reinforcement of the same concepts (Otherwise cloaked in prettier terms like: the Power of Association, the Power of Submission, the Power of Spoken Word)
Even though the leaders constantly emphasize that "you are your own boss," I nevertheless felt smothered and micromanaged.
You are expected to talk to your upline everyday and check with them first before doing anything. You must constantly edify your uplines and make sure you don't embarrass them. You must not socialize with cross lines except at associations--you can't exchange numbers or meet with them for lunch outside of the group setting.
I also had to self-censor and refrain from saying or doing anything that people would perceive as weird or offensive. I felt like people were constantly assessing me and scrutinizing my every move.
There were times I felt uncomfortable around people because I had the sense that they did not like me (although, they did a good job of masking it).
At the meetings and associations, I would put on a smile on my face and pretend that everything was great. But deep down inside, I was deeply unsatisfied and unhappy. I would go home feeling angry and upset at myself. I felt phony and fake.
I was at rope's end, so I decided to move 500 miles away to be closer to my family. The problem is I haven't escaped Amway or the team yet.
I am already drowning in $50,000 student loans/ credit card debt. I don't have a job and I don't know why I've stayed in this for as long as I have.
I recently sought out the services of a therapist because I am even more lost and confused than I was before.
I want to walk away, but I am finding it difficult to face my platinum upline and even my relative who sponsored me.
What is the first thing I should do?
How do I muster the courage to quit?
I just don't know.
I am a sack of shit and have no place in this world.
Wow, just going to address your last sentence here.
DeleteThe only piece of shit is your upline Platinum. Well maybe a few others in your Amway upline!
People in Amway are the most negative people I've ever met in my life. You need to get away from them NOW if they make you feel like shit after only a couple of months. They'll make you feel a whole lot worse if you stay in longer.
Scroll down to read the rest of my response to you.
Wow! iNeedGuidance! I think we all feel your pain. The thing that amazes me is that you see this so clearly after a short time. Most people spend many more months in Amway before feeling like you do.
ReplyDeleteWithout knowing you I bet I know how Amway reeled you in. You were prospected because someone said something to the effect wouldn’t it be nice to have an extra $1000/month (or $2000/month or whatever amount) to put toward paying back your student loan by working part time 10 to 15 hours a week.
Students are huge prospects for IBO’s to recruit.
What also makes it difficult for IBO’s to quit is that they are usually prospected into Amway by someone they know, like, and trust, either a friend or family member.
This was not my problem. My husband was recruited by a friend of his, an asshole that I have disliked for at least 10 years before Amway even came on the scene. Nobody thought that might be a bad idea? Nobody saw that coming? That’s why I write this blog.
As for Spring Leadership, its the same as every other Amway function. It only exists to make money for the people who are speaking. At every Amway function the ambots in the arena will be screaming and cheering like the Beatles just walked onstage. The way the ambots worship their cult leaders is extremely disturbing. The Amway cult leaders will tell their stories about how they used to live out of their car, worked as a waitress, worked as a gas station cashier, and then one day a dear friend showed them the Amway business plan and now they live in a mansion and have a fleet of sports cars and take luxury vacations, etc, etc. They all say the same thing and then they show pictures (staged rentals is my guess in most cases) of their materialistic trappings so everyone in the audience can be jealous and want it too.
Here are a couple of videos by Dateline NBC that you should watch and see what’s going to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot31XhgE_XE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc4-34V75SQ
You might be able to contact your line of sponsorship - the business, not your upline - and say you’re not going to Spring Leadership and ask about getting a refund on your ticket. That’s the best place for you to start.
If/when you tell your upline you are quitting Amway, they will call you stupid, a loser, a quitter. Just tell them to fuck off. Those prudes can’t take the language. There is no shame in quitting a business where only less than 1% will make money at it. You have to be a really good liar to succeed in Amway. Most people with morals can’t do it.
All those $5 opens you go to? Pay in cash or a check payable to cash? That’s how the upline makes their money. Not traceable income. Tax evasion.
The thing about Amway is that these are phony friends. They might be all phony nice to you now but as soon as you leave Amway you’ll never see them again. They are only your friends as long as they can make money off you.
The reason those IBO’s who haven’t been in very long and got to 1000 PV might be partly due to some sales. At the beginning you can find a couple of friends or family who’ll buy a couple of things but the Amway products are too overpriced for them to be repeat customers. But mostly its because they had enough room on their credit card to buy Amway products to get to 1000. Most IBO’s who get there do so shortly after they sign up while they still have room on their credit card. Once they max it out they don’t reach that level again. They are what’s known as phony pins. Its very common.
If you stay in Amway you will be drowning in even worse debt. You need to get out now before Amway causes you more damage financially and emotionally. Print out what you wrote here and show it to your therapist. You are very good at writing out how you’re feeling. You just need someone to help you understand it and how to work at pushing this out of your life.
Good luck to you!
Stay strong and hold your head up, iNeedGuidance. The only sacks of shit are the sleazy Amway brainwashed wolves who only "love" you for whatever money they can squeeze out of you. As Anna said, you have no reason to feel dumb to have fallen into the trap. They are very, very good at setting it. They've had decades to perfect it. Encouraging prospecting of friends and family who would trust you, using tricky double-speak and circular arguments, apples and oranges comparisons to answer questions. They have it down to a science of mind games. And the constant meetings, books and CD's are in place to hammer the brainwashing indoctrination into your head so that you become unable to think for yourself critically and practically have to call your upline for permission to have a bowel movement. "Independent" Business Owner is the ironic title they allow their commissioned salespeople/recruiters/sheep to have so they can make believe they are important and upwardly mobile. In reality they are the host body for the Amway parasites that suck their blood dry with endless "tools for success" which are really just moneymakers for those at the top of the pyramid while keeping the flock brainwashed to think the Amway illusion is reality.
ReplyDeleteAs Anna said, be ready to be called a loser, a quitter and dreamstealer from your upline. Just another mind control method they use. They'll say you just didn't work hard enough. They'll say if you would just stick it out a little bit longer, success is "just around the corner". Lies. With a success rate to earn any NET profit of less than 1% (in the fine print of Amway's own documents), you are NOT a loser to walk away from Amway. You are a survivor of a cult that has destroyed so many lives, marriages and bank accounts.
And you are not a fool to have fallen into the trap. Why do you think cults - whether business or religious - have been able to survive so long? Because they are damn good at setting the trap. They smile and become a trusted, kindred spirit. They set the bait carefully playing to someone's interests, hopes and dreams, and even the most intelligent people can get hooked. You are not alone. (more)
(continued) Far from being a loser, you are to be admired. You managed to wake up and pay attention to your instincts and alarm bells going off inside of you telling you something just doesn't add up, regardless of the doublespeak answers you get and pressure to plug in further into the system (i.e. double up on the brainwashing). So many people let that voice inside their head get dimmer and dimmer until they give their minds up completely to the Amway authority and think only that which they are told to think.
ReplyDeleteYou would be surprised at the number of folks who have been in the Amway rut for years at a time, faking it til they make it, but in reality barely scraping by, chasing that "dream". Why do you think they don't want you talking crossline? Because then you would find out that you are NOT the only one struggling. They want you to THINK everyone else at your level is making it. So that you think "well, maybe it's something I am doing wrong". But that crossline is faking it, as they teach them to do. Not only to fool prospects, but to fool each other.
There is a place for you in the world, iNeedGuidance. But, trust me, it isn't the make-believe world of Amway with their materialistic religion (which only a super tiny fraction ever attain that level - the best liars and more amoral of the bunch) and phony friendships that will evaporate once they are no longer mining your bank account and credit cards.
Think of it as a tough learning experience, dust yourself off, and move forward. You lost money, but you got out before you lost your identity, personality and soul. Many don't make it out until they are destitute and have driven away all real friends and family.
I'm sure Anna would encourage you to post here anytime. We can give you support as you work your way out of that destructive cult. You have already taken the first step by paying attention to your instincts that told you to get out while you still can and lessen any financial damage.
You have friends here. And the friends here don't want any money from you. We just want you to have a chance to be happy and successful in life. And getting out of Amway is a great first step.
~Dave
Thanks for your words, Dave. I'm sure s/he will be back to read and hopefully to update us on how they're doing.
DeleteAmway preys on the most vulnerable who can least afford to lose money filling their heads with dreams of money rolling in forever. And in the case of these youngsters - retiring by age 21 or 25 and being debt free and never working again. Yup, the Amway liars have their lines down well rehearsed for every situation.
The thing we both didn't mention is that you are never a real business owner with Amway. Amway sets the prices and has a whole list of rules that ambots must adhere to. Real business owners set their own prices and make their own policies, not follow someone elses.
I'll be seeing my therapist tomorrow so I will definitely print out what I wrote and show it to him.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right about how I was prospected. I wasn't lured by the promise of great wealth and material possessions (none of that really matters to me). I was looking to get out of debt. Funny thing is that I find myself in more debt than ever before.
I've had to live off of credit since I graduated last year, so maybe that's why these extra expenses are hitting me harder and faster than those who have more available credit at their disposal. For the most part, I try to pay off large chunks of the balances on my two credit cards every month, but I don't make enough money to offset the costs of running an Amway business (much less pay off my entire balance). I barely scrape by to pay my student loans and I am so close to applying for a deferment or forebearance.
I blame myself for a lot of things (my debt, my inability to land a job, my lack of skills, my inability to generate income), and now I'm kicking myself for falling prey to Amway and BWW. I know I'm doing something that is causing me emotional and financial distress, but I don't have mental fortitude or courage to break with the team. I don't know how to explain this cognitive dissonance.
I should've trusted that inner voice that was telling me there was something deeply wrong with this whole enterprise. I shouldn't have ignored that sense of hollowness every time I came home from an open meeting, IBO training, or a weekly team meetings. I'm not proud, but I've killed a few bottles of whiskey and I've gotten so angry that I've punch a few holes into my wall. I don't understand this. I've never had any violent urges and I don't really drink other than the occasional beer.
I know my upline will deride me for giving up. He will say that I will never get out of debt. He will effectively cast me aside. He will use me as an example of someone was a false alarm. Someone who didn't follow the system and didn't listen to his uplines. UNTEACHABLE, negative, small-minded peon. Yet, I can't even bring myself to chuck up the deuces.
And there's more...
I was made to believe that a lot of the things that brought me some semblance of contentment in my life WERE WRONG.
For example, I'm someone who likes to read the hard news sections of the NY Times, the Washington Post and the Wallstreet Journal. I try not to pay attention to editorials and gravitate toward hard-hitting investigative exposé-type pieces. I also try to read a few detailed independent studies and reports when I have the time. I'm not a fan of polemics and oversimplified explanations for widespread problems. I believe that complex issues cannot be explained in a five minute opinion news commentary or a short op-ed column. It requires nuance, coherent debate, substantive analysis, and integrated discussion.
Yet, this was supposedly a bad thing. I found it interesting that the Dateline piece also mentioned that leaders discouraged IBOs from paying attention to the news. I can't count how many times a Diamond on a CD jeered at newspapers, magazines and the news media in general, dismissing it as something that does nothing but pollute my mind with negative filler. I have my criticism of "news" these days, but shutting it off completely is TOO EXTREME. It encourages willful ignorance about everything that affects/effects our society and the world at large.
iNeedGuidance - hopefully your therapist can offer you some advice on escaping a dangerous cult. Also your therapist might know about debt advice. I think if you call your bank or credit card company and explain your financial situation they might lower your interest or monthly payments until you're employed. They know the alternative. Getting a notice of bankruptcy a few months down the line. They'll usually work with you if you approach them first before you get behind. Amway causes emotional and financial distress. It only get worse the longer you stay in. Your therapist should be able to help. At least you're on the right track to getting yourself better.
DeleteAbsolutely your upline will give you a hard time and accuse you of letting negative influences into your life and that you can't quit now not when success is right around the corner. They'll say anything not to lose your income. If you tell them you want to take a break and maybe you'll look at getting back into Amway in a year or 2 they'll say now is the time to be in Amway as its just going to reach critical mass or something to that effect. How its ready to burst open with your Internet mall.
Your upline does not want you reading newspapers or watching the news because the upline wants to control your information. That's why we call people in Amway robots - ambots.
Yup we know all the dishonesty, lines, and other tricks ambots use to reel in new recruits. They're the same today as they were 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago.
I also found myself in awkward situations. There were times I'd say or do something that was meant to be light-hearted and received uncomfortable looks and/or dead silence. I kept myself from slipping an f-bomb or the many variations of "shit." I thought, do I seriously have to censor EVERYTHING? Why can't I feel more comfortable being myself?
ReplyDeleteLeaders also characterized naysayers and skeptics as "stupid." They would say that over and over again to prospective IBOs, new recruits, and old IBOs. "At first, we were skeptical when we saw this business opportunity. But we're not stupid. We saw the credibility in this room." "People who think this business model doesn't work or think it is a pyramid scam DON'T UNDERSTAND it. They cannot process it." "Who should you listen to about making money? Someone who is in debt and slaving away at a job OR someone who is making a 6 -figure income?" "Why allow yourself to be convinced by people who DON'T know ANYTHING about the business?"
I was told to pity those who didn't want to take advantage of this business opportunity. If they didn't want to become financially independent, then that was their choice. I was told not to thank people for coming to any of my house sessions, but thank them for "their business." After all, I was offering them "financial freedom." "Why should I be thanking them for coming to my Grand Opening or any of my gatherings, as if I was asking a huge favor?"
I was also told by my upline that I was not to mingle with a female cross line because it would cause problems like breaking up the lines. He said it was akin to co-worker fraternization. "Cross lines stay out of each other's personal lives. We encourage and uplift each other at associations, but other than that, we don't involve ourselves outside of the business."
I thought a lot of that was presumptuous because we never talked to each other except after meetings, and it was usually about the business. Never did it turn personal and never did it cross any lines. I guess my platinum and her uplines noticed how we were talking to each other a lot and they decided to nip it in the bud before it turned into something more. My upline said I should wait until I become a platinum "before I could pursue anything more with her." I was puzzled by this because it wasn't as if I was talking to her or getting to know her personally. I wasn't meeting up with her nor was I pursuing her.
I understand now that they want to prevent crosslines from talking about any problems they may have with the business. They want us to address our problems with our uplines. They have to keep us ignorant of what is really going on. Like the fact that none of us are making money. All of us must constantly reinforce all of the positive things we hear about growth, success, and the wonders our products are doing for us and our families. We must remain persistent and determined, and we must shut out all of the negative things that may come our way.
I don't even know if I want to go through the trouble of getting a refund for Spring Leadership. I just want to cut my losses and leave as soon as I can. It's just a matter of finding the courage to go through with it.
I’ve already alienated friends and family. Some of them won’t talk to me anymore. I have a lot of work to do and a lot of relationships to repair. I hope that this is the start to a new beginning. I will never fall for these network marketing, MLM pitches EVER again. I must concentrate on becoming a better person. I must focus on gaining emotional and mental stability.
I am sorry for the rant, but I was to thank you for giving people like me a forum to lay out our grievances.
iNeedGuidance - most of what you're feeling has to do with your upline controlling you. Its part of the brainwashing to make you into a little ambot robot. These Amway friends will have nothing to do with you once you leave. They are only your friends as long as you are bringing money into the Amway cult.
DeleteI think you see your situation really clearly. Your upline are controlling you, who you spend time with, how you spend your money (all on Amway of course), and the information you receive. I can't tell you how many searchers end up at my blog after Googline "courage to quit Amway". Its part of the withdrawal symptoms from a cult. You'll feel a lot better when you get away from them.
My blog exists to give me an outlet to curse out my upline and tell about the upline abuse and what was happening to my husband inside the Amway cult. We can only help others when we write down and share our experiences. Some of what you are writing will help another person another day who is trying to leave Amway. I welcome people who want to come here and rant about Amway, their upline, or pretty much everything else! I even let ambots comments go through who are ranting about me and what an unsupportive wife I am and I am a broke negative unchristian dream stealer and I will be dead by the time I'm 65 because apparently I am already broke so I can't do that twice!
I wish I could've seen the above comments before sending the last two posts, but I suppose I needed to get everything out. Man, talk about a cathartic release. I certainly feel much better.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your words of encouragement, Dave. I appreciate your insight.
Thank you, Anna! I am grateful for having a place of support. I'm so glad I found your blog.
iNeedGuidance - I'm glad you found us too. Keep checking back. I'm sure some of my other regular readers will have some words of encouragement for you when they show up to read.
DeleteI'm glad getting a lot of that off your chest helped, iNeedGuidance. And like Anna said, I'm sure many of the other regulars like JoeCool, Connie, Ex-Ambot, CT, etc, will offer kind words and support, too. Your upline will try to make it difficult for you to squeeze out of their clutches (they don't want to lose your money until they've milked that well dry). But let their mind control sneers and insults roll off your back as THEY are the true losers to be trapped in a closed-off world of pretend success where up is down and down is up. They themselves are brainwashed to think the only people in the world who are successful are Amway people, when the truth is 99.9% of them either make barely anything or, as is the usual case, are losing a lot of money once you deduct the costs of the brainwashing CD's and books and functions. Their training teaches them to become such good liars that they even lie to themselves.
DeleteThey will try to use your vulnerability to their advantage (like the snakes they are) to make you feel bad and call you names and predict doom and gloom for you if you walk away from such an "awesome business opportunity". Just keep reminding yourself that YOU KNOW THE TRUTH! Pictures of folks on yachts who have supposedly found financial freedom is only bait for their trap. Like in the Wizard of Oz, you've pulled the curtain aside and see them for what they really are, no matter how the booming voice of the floating head screams "PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!" You found them out! You aren't going to let them trick you anymore. You are getting out of the hole as they are left behind, calling you a loser when, in fact, THEY are the real losers. Kind of like escaping from the Borg ship in Star Trek before they turn you into "one of them".
Cut yourself off from them and you'll feel their hold on you slipping away. Brainwashing requires constant "reinforcing". I've read where people say the longer they stay away from the "drug" (Amway) they can actually feel their mind clearing, like waking up from a bad dream. I think a lot of the emotional issues you are feeling are caused by the Amway brainwashing and cutting them off will allow you to get better. Sure, life still has it's problems and issues to deal with, but you'll find it sooooo much easier to deal with them with a clear head... YOUR clear head... and not one that is dependent on upline to tell you what you should or shouldn't be doing, thinking or feeling.
I know you looked up to that relative, but he's plugged into the system. He's not in a position to advise what is good or bad as he, too, has been brainwashed to think only Amway is good. Perhaps someday he'll have his own realization of truth and get out. But understand that there is little you can do to help him. Just showing someone who is brainwashed the truth and facts and statistics doesn't do anything to sway them. As you've learned, they "teach" that everything outside of Amway are lies and negative dreamstealing filth. When they say you are "unteachable" that is code for "unbrainwashable".
In other words, take that as a COMPLIMENT. Not letting yourself be brainwashed makes you a winner.
~Dave
Dear iNeedGuidance: We're glad you found us too. If no one has suggested it yet, you'll want to download a free ebook called Merchants of Deception to better help you understand what is going on inside this cult. You'll be astonished, shocked, disgusted and somehow healed by reading the story of a die-hard Amyway Emerald who woke up to the evil inherent in the "Amway Opportunity".
Deletehttp://www.transgallaxys.com/~emerald/
I stayed up for 3 days reading it. I couldn't put it down. What a page turner and a revelation to those involved in Scamway. You'll be encouraged too-the author, Eric S. survived his experience and has recently launched a new website dedicated to helping others make the best of their lives. See LaunchMyDay(dot)com. You'll be inspired, uplifted and come to see how your experience CAN benefit others. We wish you all the best.
Connie - I think Amway is keeping iNeedGuidance up at night too worrying about this whole Amway scam cult thing. Check the time on the posts. Mine shows my time zone Pacific and that came through after midnight. I was sleeping. No night owls for me! Merchants of Deception is one of those thrillers that keeps you up wanting to keep turning the pages. A true horror story. At the same time you know its true. And you know that no matter how much work you put in you'll never make the promised money. We didn't have one downline. Eric S had 1000 people downline and still couldn't make money at Scamway.
Delete"He used this analogy: You recommend a restaurant to a friend, prompting that friend to dine at the restaurant. In turn, you get paid for bringing in new business for that restaurant."
ReplyDeleteA perfect example of the fast-talking, goofy Amspeak comparisons they use. It sounds good on the surface, but what the upline leaves out is in Amway you yourself would be expected to eat only at that grossly overpriced restaurant every day and sink money into attending rah-rah meetings for that restaurant, books and CD's "motivating" you to keep recommending that restaurant and spending far, far more each month than they take in with the teeny tiny commission check they'd give you. They sort of leave that part out of the analogy.
And you are right. Other than the title, they are NOT "business owners". They are consumers of the overpriced products who go out and try to trick others to fall into the same trap they are in. Recruiting. A necessary trait for cults. And then get a tiny check of "commission" that hardly covers a fraction of what they spent, both in the higher costs of the products and the so-called "tools".
I also laugh when they call it "franchising" and compare it to McDonalds. "Don't people who buy a McDonalds franchise have to sink money into it and lose money until the business takes off?" Well, one big difference... they are actually certain of earning their money back with McDonalds as they have a customer base ready to go there. They can tell people right off the bat the name "McDonalds" and have a positive response. On the other hand, Amway has to HIDE the Amway name. It has such a terrible reputation. McDonalds doesn't have to lie and trick people to stop by for lunch. Amway is only successful for the biggest liars and folks with the least conscience about pulling in new victims to brainwash into chasing a dream where the odds are stacked against them mathematically (regardless of the phony circles they draw).
But nothing new there. Amway is famous for making up stats and figures. Didn't they use to tell prospects "The government has data which shows that 97% of everyone who reaches the age of 65 will either be broke, on welfare or dead... unless they are in Amway." LMAO!!! Of course, ask them to produce a link to a reputable source and they change the subject.
It would actually be kind of funny if it weren't for the lives they ruin. Marriages they destroy. Families they pull apart. Friends they push away to be replaced by fake parasitic ones.
~Dave
Dave - you are so right. Nobody has to trick us to go into McDonalds. We know what to expect and approximately what the price is before we walk in the door.
DeleteUnlike Amway where we'll get tricked into a meeting by being told its a BBQ or a movie and beer night and then we find we're inside an Amway cult meeting! They lie to us and don't tell us how much its really going to cost each month to stay in the cult. $300 for Amway products to earn minimum 100PV for a $10 check. $50/month for WWDB premier membership. $40/month for communikate, functions, rallies, transportation, meals, hotels a few hundred more a month.
Its cheaper to eat at McDonalds everyday for a month than belong to Amway! Either way its an unhealthy experience!!!
iNeedGuidance, not to sound harsh, but the next time your upline tries to contact you, just grow some nuts and tell that S.O.B. to eat a pile of shit! I promise that you will instantly start feeling better about yourself. Save yourself some cash. A therapist will probably make it a long drawn out process, because they charge by the hour. Drill a hole in something, spray some wd40 in those squeaky door hinges and kablam! Self esteem problem solved!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - that would be easy for someone like you or I to do who haven't been brainwashed and don't like the bastards. A brainwashed ambot is terrified of going against their upline, particularly the Platinum, maybe Diamond, depends who they have most contact with. The upline is a person to be feared. They dole out love and they dole out punishment. Its kind of like if you were in the People's Temple and living in Jonestown, do you have what it takes to tell Jim Jones you want to leave the jungle. And face the wrath. Who knows if iNeedGuidance is paying for therapy or is on a plan or gets freebie. At least its someone to talk to. Better than "counselling with upline". In addition to being phony business owners IBO's are also phony counsellors. Don't need no stinking credentials!
DeleteNaw, man. I should have gone to therapy a long time ago. It could've saved me from a lot of self-destructive behavior. But it's alright, at least I'm now facing my issues. It's not just Amway. I think the predicament I find myself in is just a by-product of my own mental/ emotional dysfunction. I had to swallow my pride and do what my parents have suggested all along, which was to see a therapist.
DeleteLooking to get my life together and find steady employment.
I've resolved to officially quit this weekend when my relative and platinum come into town. I imagine they'll be pissed off after traveling 500 miles to do a homeplan, only find me leaving the business right before Spring Leadership. Oh well, tough shit.
I can already feel liberation "right around the corner."
Again, thank you Dave and Anna for your continuing words of support.
I will reclaim my life this Saturday.
You're right, Anna. It's easy for those on the outside to say "Ah, just tell 'em to go fuck off!" (though they certainly deserve to be told that). There are two reasons why in brainwashing they encourage a victim to cut off ties with real friends and family outside of the cult. The first (as we already touched upon) is to weed out a potential voice of reason and logic that could counter the indoctrination. The other is to make the cult masters the sole source of love, friendship, ego, encouragement and rewards (fake as it all is). The upline are molded into gods to be worshiped and never questioned. The followers crave their "love" and fear their scolding.
DeleteBut, of course, iNeedGuidance knows that leaving is necessary for healing and moving on, like preparing to take nasty medicine but you know you gotta do it to get better. Yeah, the cult masters are going to mock and sneer and predict doom and gloom. But dig your heals in and be a broken record "My mind is made up, this isn't for me, I'm moving on, good luck to you, sorry but my mind is made up, that's your opinion, thanks but no thanks" etc.
As for friends and family who were alienated... well, maybe some relationships were damaged for good, but with sincerity and apologies and explanations of what you had fallen into that changed your personality for that time, I'm sure many of those you think you lost will accept the apologies and welcome back the "real" you into their lives. I can tell by your writing, iNeedGuidance, that you are well-spoken, so I think much of the damage you perceive from your Amway experience can be fixed and healed. Just will take a little time and believing in yourself.
~Dave
iNeedGuidance - well all education costs some money and you have learned something from this experience haven't you. Never again!
DeleteAt least you're getting some revenge letting them drive 500 miles for nothing - only to be told you're quitting! In addition to what everyone has said to expect from them in the way of insults, here's a few more things to arm yourself with.
Tell the Platinum you want to see his profit and loss statement and his tax returns as proof of what kind of money can be made in this business. Your Platinum has probably told you he's making at least $75k/year.
He'll tell you that information is private/confidential. They ALL say that! Ha ha! I know exactly how its going to go down! Remind him that all people selling others on a franchise or a business always open their books to show others that this is a profitable business to get into. You'll hear more mumbo jumbo about his finances are private.
Tell him the only reason you can think of that he won't show you is because he's cheating on his taxes. Especially if he's ever told you that you can write off everything to do with Amway.
Here is the secret to how you earn money in Amway. You write off everything you've spent on Amway (buying products, tools, transportation costs to functions, etc) and write if off on your taxes against your regular income you earn from your job. The losses give you a tax refund.
He'll deny he's cheating on his taxes. Now would be a good time to bring up the opens where you pay cash or write a check payable to cash and point out that sounds like tax evastion.
He'll be a little flustered here and coming up with lies. Tell him you're going to report him to the tax cheaters hot line. No words an ambot wants to hear - IRS audit.
Then do it! The IRS has a huge section they've done to deal with Amway distributors.
Ask for a refund of your tools including Spring Leadership ticket. Amway's literature - in their feeble attempt to distance themselves from these motivational groups - says these motivational tools are optional and that your upline is obligated to refund your money if you return them to him when you quit.
If he refuses. They always do that too. Mostly because they have no spare money lying around to refund you. Tell him you're reporting him to the police for fraud. And the Better Business Bureau too.
See I didn't know I could do these things. I wish I had!
Whether or not you report your family member is up to you but that might further strain relations.
Then follow through, including filing small claims action for your money back from the Platinum. He likely won't return 500 miles to fight it. All you're doing is making his life a little uncomfortable. Keep in mind the hell that he's put you through and will put you through again on Saturday.
Just keep saying you must be guilty of tax evasion or you'd show me your books. That'll fix the bastard!
Good luck to you. And you're already on the path to getting your life back together!
Dave, you're right about the family and friends. The only thing iNeedGuidance can do is contact those s/he's alienated and say s/he's no longer in Amway, he had no idea s/he was being brainwashed until s/he researched a little more and found out its a cult, and apologize and ask if they can put this behind them. Still young enough to bounce back. That's the good thing.
DeleteMy older brother works for the IRS and you right, they know all about how the Ambots will try to deduct the kitchen sink. And after two years if they are not making any net profit after expenses are factored in, then it is no longer considered a business by the IRS, it is considered a "hobby". And therefore NOTHING can be deducted on tax forms for it. But the upline "experts" will tell their minions to keep on deducting each year on and on until an audit comes up, and then they will make themselves scarce and leave the ambot alone to deal with the consequences. But, of course, they have their best interests at heart. lol
Delete~Dave
iNeedGuidance--Anna and her regular readers are thinking about you this weekend. We're glad you're going to have your real Freedom Day, and not the pie-in-the-sky, fake one dangled like a carrot by your upline. Getting free of Amway brainwashing is no small task, and it's clear that you're ready!
ReplyDelete~Chelsea
Thanks Chelsea! I hope iNeedGuidance comes back to let us know how it went.
DeleteWell we all know how it'll go. The sack of shit Platinum will be all incredulous like how can someone quit this wonderful business opportunity. Then he'll say you can't quit now not when success is right around the corner. You're about to go really big in the next month or 2 and your business is about to explode. I can feel it! Then when the pumping up the IBO shit doesn't work it'll turn nasty and the sack of shit Platinum will hurl our insults and bully the IBO. Yeah that'll really work to get someone to say in Amway! Woo hoo! Way to increase moral and motivate people!
When someone's been successfully brainwashed into having no real thoughts of their own, it's easy to insert the ideas which serve the greedy at the top of the pyramid. Fingers are crossed for iNeedGuidance!
DeleteEnjoy your weekend perusing scandalous Amway photos ;) No, no, not the nude IBO ones. Just pull up someone's online "store" and look at the product photos along with the prices. Wow! Not for the faint of heart (or the reasonable of budget!)
~Chelsea
-iNeedGuidance
ReplyDeleteWow, it's been while since I've been online and I completely missed this. I am not sure if you'll come back to this blog but just in case you do... I wanna let you know that you are definatly NOT alone. I had a million student loans and was in a simular situation as you last fall/winter. Hang in there.
-Mesha
Mesha - iNeedGuidance hasn't been back to let us know how it went. I'm thinking that means it didn't go too well and s/he was bullied into sticking it out in Scamway a little because "success is right around the corner" and bullied into attending Spring Leadership. When you're under a cult's influence sometimes it takes awhile to get away even though you know its the right thing to get the hell out. Those of us who have never been brainwashed will never completely understand why cult followers act the way they do when it comes to worshipping the cult leaders.
Delete