Monday, December 20, 2010

Is Amway the ONLY thing one can do to succeed in life?

When I attended Dream Night last year several couples were invited to come forward, take the microphone, and say something. I think they may have been eagles or double eagles. They’d reached some level but I’m sure it wasn’t Platinum or higher. I remember one couple who were extolling the virtues of an Amway business and the wife screamed out “What else is there?” Assuming she meant in the way of business opportunities or making money outside of a J.O.B.

Let me answer her question. Just about EVERYTHING else is out there! I know lots of people who have found success while successfully staying away from Amway.

Amway is the ONLY thing you can do to succeed in life” is a message I’ve heard over and over again at meetings run by Platinum, Emerald, and Diamond speakers. Part of the brainwashing technique. Can’t let IBO’s think there are other things out there where they can succeed in life that might redirect their time, energy, or money away from the Amway scam. Ambot already has reasonable success but once he joined the Amway cult his business was constantly put down for one reason or another (what if he gets sick, what if there’s a slow down, etc) and he was brainwashed into thinking his business won’t last but Amway success is forever.

Everyone has different opinions on what defines success. I could list hundreds of items and still not be finished. For some people success could be determined by earning a desired income, reaching a scholastic level, owning a restaurant that is packed every night with patrons, getting picked for a local circuit baseball team, publishing a book, playing a musical instrument, losing weight, getting married, buying a New York City penthouse overlooking Central Park..... The possibilities are endless.

Suggesting that to most rational human beings - Amway is NOT the ONLY thing one can do to succeed in life.

“There is nothing else out there except Amway” is a similar phrase drilled into IBO’s as part of the brainwashing techniques. The cult leaders tell IBO’s they must discard anything else in their life that isn’t making them succeed at Amway.

I also heard enough times “What are you willing to give up to succeed in this business?”

The possibilities of what an IBO should discard are also an endless list: spouse, friends, church, job, TV, books, hobbies, car, house......

Who says you have to give up things or whatever makes you tick as part of your lifestyle in order to become successful?

How many apprentice mechanics are asked what things they are willing to give up so they can fix cars? Who would tell a mechanic in order to open up his own garage he must give up his wife, his TV, his friends and his hobbies, sell his house, get rid of his dog, etc or he will never succeed.

Ridiculous huh? Well maybe only to people who are not brainwashed IBO’s. People are capable of juggling other things in their lives while at the same time succeeding at their chosen goals. Apparently not Amway IBO's if you listen to the hallowed cult leaders.

Amway is NOT the ONLY thing one can do to succeed in life. Based on mine and Ambot’s experiences I’d say Amway is about the only thing we’ve ever failed at. In a system designed to set up failure. What else do you expect?

29 comments:

  1. Good post. This too was one of the things that rubbed me wrong about the business. It's unfortunate, because many IBOs who ultimately leave the business are left thinking that they failed. The odds for success in MLM are not very high, but that doesn't mean their effort could be diverted to a more profitable and successful venture.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd say Ambot plugged in 100+ hours/month into Amway related activities which could have been better utilized in his own business or starting up another sideline business if he'd been so inclined. Likewise the thousands of dollars he dumped into the scam could have been rediverted towards a down payment on an investment house that we could have rented out. There are other ventures that have higher ratios of success than Amway - which is NOT the only thing one can do to succeed in life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It has been over 15 years since I left the Amway cult and the phrases that you mentioned were used back then as well. Those upline liars would have had us sell all our possessions just to attend a useless function. Apparently nothing has changed and probably for good reason, if the brainwashing techniques worked back then they probably work now. What I cannot for the life of me understand is why with all the information available on the internet, people still fall for this scam.

    ****Former WWDB Lemming****

    ReplyDelete
  4. IBO's don't look on the Internet for the truth about Amway because usually they're signed up by someone they like or trust and that person says they've done the research and are satisfied its legit so the prospect believes them. At least in the beginning or for the first few months. Questioning Amway and the compensation might take a little while. At every meeting the upline says avoid negative so IBO's are brainwashed to be unable to determine the difference between negative and the truth. We're also told the Internet is full of lies about Amway so don't look. Upline almost always referred to the Dateline NBC program about Amway and then said and now NBC plays Amway commercials. IBO's, or their spouses as in my case, might take a few months before they hit the Internet looking for the truth about Amway. Ambot accused me of looking at "I hate Amway" sites. In actuality I was looking at true experiences of former IBO's.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It all boils down to how much the LCKs can steal from the downline before they are out of money or start looking at the internet and find out the truth. In the past, the internet wasn't available, so it all came down to running out of money. Now, there's "competition," so the upline has to work harder to ensure the downline runs out of money first.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm one of those folks that failed at Amway while I was in it - had a miserable business experience but an amazingly positive life experience.

    Things I learned there have helped me earn almost $400,000 last year in another business (not Amway), and live in a 4,000 square foot home in the mountains in Costa Rica. I can completely say that without the 'sub-culture' education I learned from Amway I wouldn't have been able to do it.

    Funny enough, I look at things like this from time to time, and I wonder why this kind of negativity exists towards these guys, and am fascinated by it.

    I understand the 'money loss' objection - but you invest money into every kind of educational experience - some pay, some don't - what's the problem?

    I still listen to those Amway tapes, because I like the stories from those old crazies. Lol. But still - Amway is right on a lot of stuff, they may be 'agenda driven marketers' but in the end - aren't we all?

    -Dave

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dave obviously you weren't in an abusive line of sponsorship and there are some people who leave comments on the Internet that they've never been subjected to upline abuse. That was not our case which is why I blog to get the word out there about what happened to my husband and my emotions while the brainwashing was going on and being powerless to stop it. Losing money and learning something from the experience can be an education in itself. Perhaps my husband is dumber than most because this wasn't his first Amway experience losing money but it was the experience with brainwashing and abuse which is far worse than the money loss. We were in Costa Rica earlier this year and its on our list of possibilities when we relocate. You're truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful country.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anna,

      It's interesting to see this comment from Dave Wood, as I was reading about his own MLM scam just last week. The guy took the Amway structure/brainwashing scam and turned it into "you can get rich by blogging on the internet." All these poor people buying "packages" to belong to a proprietary blogging platform where all they do is promote the platform and packages to new prospects. There is no product!!! There are only motivational packages of CDs on how to build your business (which also has no products).

      Apparently, they taunt the newbies to "go all in" (spend 3500 o nothing).

      Here are links:

      1) Scamworld -- great video expose by Verge magazine. Dave W is the scammer hippie from costa rico at 2:16.


      2) ripoff report

      http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Empower-Network-LLC/internet/Empower-Network-LLC-David-Wood-David-Sharpe-Owners-Misrepresented-their-product-Intern-921113

      Interestingly, Amway (and Mary Kay) sell an American Dream of the '50's. Stuff, cars, polished success suits.

      New scammers sell the lifestyle dream of Eat, Pray, Love. You'll be on a permanent eco-vacation of self-discovery and adventure!

      Delete
    2. Here's the actual Scamworld link:

      http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/10/2984893/scamworld-get-rich-quick-schemes-mutate-into-an-online-monster

      Delete
  8. Dave,

    Just because you learned something you found beneficial doesn't mean the Amway Tool Scam, a simple bait-and-switch fraudulent operation, is okay.

    ReplyDelete
  9. dave it is good tht you are doing well people can learn lessons in life from all kinds of experiences including amway

    people can learn life lessons from high school sports the boy scouts playing a musical instrument working in mcdonalds or in a factory etc

    that is not the point does the end justify the means that is the question

    ReplyDelete
  10. show the plan
    personal use
    retail
    books
    tapes
    functions
    teachability
    accountability
    amvox

    That's ALL you get at functions. I have not been to a function in 9 years and I can still (sadly) quote CORE. How sick is that?

    ReplyDelete
  11. I could never quote core though I'm sure Ambot could. You said "tapes". I'm sure we're about to get a comment from IBOFB for that one! For some reason he has a real issue when that word is used!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tapes, tapes, tapes. Kiss my grits. That's what they were. We literally had boxes of CASSETTE TAPES stored (downline quit and we surely couldn't sell them back to our upline! My, my, that wouldn't be CORE.)

    I remember when we quit dumping that shit into the trash barrel. I was ecstatic.

    C A S S E T T E T A P E S ! ! !

    We would be told from stage how the serious ambots had them rolling back and forth in their trunks when they turned a corner. And the crowd cheered. gag

    cassette tapes
    cassette tapes
    cassette tapes

    got a problem with that? eat my shorts

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ah ha! I see another fan of Flo on the old sitcom Alice! I loved her she was hilarious!

    Whenever I say tapes instead of CDs IBOFB shows up to demand how I manage to have in my possession the last known Amway tapes known to be in captivity!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh, I'd love to go toe to toe with your upline. He can eat shit, for all I care. He ever shows up on my doorstep, I'll load a cannon with those damned cassette tapes and shoot them at him.

    That's gonna leave a mark!

    I wanna hear him spin that one!

    When I was throwing them out, I deliberately pulled the ribbon till it broke in several places so no one else could listen to them.

    I was absolutely enraged. He really doesn't wanna mess with this she-bear.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'd love to run into our former Platinum again so I can give him shit supreme like he's never heard before. I only hope that Ambot never runs into him again without me with him. I'm still concerned the cult leader might have some influence over him.

    I think I would have ripped out the ribbons and then stomped on the cassette before throwing it in the garbage.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I read recently on another blog how some former abmot committed to listening to 6-9 tapes a day, every day; along with the rest of c.o.r.e.

    His post is a long fascinating anti-amway rant about his incredible committment and after years having nothing but debt.

    I thought 1 tape a day was enough - but 6-9????

    He talks about how when he neard the end of 'doing time' for amway, he couldn't bear to listen to even one more tape of the same crap repeated over and over.

    It's too long to go into his whole story here (and I don't know where I found it) but it was spellbinding and sad.

    ReplyDelete
  17. The tapes are a form of brainwashing. I'd say my husband listened to more than one a day. Or he'd listen to the same one loop over and over. Hell on long car rides!

    Its always sad reading about people whose lives have been devastated due to their involvement in Amway.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ana, it's amazing how you never gotten brainwashed by all this. After all you're sitting beside him in the long car rides.

    ReplyDelete
  19. For many years our deal is whoever is driving gets to choose what we're listening to. Needless to say I try to get in the driver's seat as much as possible! I remember years ago we were driving through northern California and we'd stopped at Denny's for breakfast or lunch and brought in our 8 CD changer and bad of CDs and were choosing the music. He put in Pink Floyd much to my protests. It was 3 or 4 in the changer. By the time it came on he was sleeping. Here its important to note I was driving! Ha ha! So I bumped it ahead to the next CD. Eventually he woke up and after awhile asked about the Pink Floyd where I had my chance to complain that he slept through it and I had to listen to it!

    You're right. It is amazing that I was never brainwashed by the Amway CDs. It does not appear that I am brainwashable. I still remember bits and pieces but not who the speakers were.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Atleast your hubby didnt have amway tapes. I remember being given a dozen cds by my upline to listen to. Some of them would fall apart in my cassette player. Had my upline tell me i owe him 10.00 for the broken tapes. I remember thinking what a shit company. Cant stand the cheap shampoo,vitamins made me burp alfalfa,and these aweful cassettes might have ruined my new player. Lol i hope ibofb dont come on this board and tell me im a old dinosaur and this stuff doesnt happen anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Have any of you ever thought of sneaking (late, of course, and be very disruptive asking loud questions, dresse like a skank, reaking of cigarettes, etc.)and as they are getting you signed in as a guest (make up some bogus IBO name or say you were told to come by Greg Duncan, or Ron Puryear, etc.)say, "Is this Amway (using a very nasaly voice)?"

    Let the fun begin.

    Use the bathroom often. Readjust you skanky clothtes. Drop several CASSETTE TAPES as you make your way back to your seat. Oops. Clumbsy me.

    Yell, "Fired up!" at inappropriate times.

    ReplyDelete
  22. How about disrupting a meeting by screaming: "Woo hoo! We're all gonna get RICH!!!"

    ReplyDelete
  23. hahahahaha

    I'm sure they'd escort you out in a hurry, but what a way to go. I'm sure that'd be on someone's camera phone.

    I get dibbs on u-tube!

    ReplyDelete
  24. They told us to turn off our cell phones at the beginning of each meeting. I didn't. Unfortunately no one ever phoned me during a meeting but most people I know don't make calls that late at night just to shoot the shit.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Stop talking about it and DO it: Here's some info on upcoming N21 meetings: http://www.n21asia.com/meetings/search.cfm?RefId=SPe71033a9b2b And here's efinity: http://www.myefinity.com/2010/04/150#comment-46380926 (you need to click on "Event Search")
    If you want to assist educating attendees regarding the ATS, feel free to put messages with this web site name and leave with the cars in the parking lot, hand to the attendees, and/or carry signs regarding the ATS. Ensure you follow local laws governing anything considered a solicitation, demonstration, or protest. Educate, disrupt, and destroy the ATS!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, all this hatred and negativity about a business that has been around 50 years... somebody ( including many people that I know personally) actually do make money, only temporarily give up some tv and other recreation, and have lots of security for their families.
    I happen to have excellent mentorship from honest, caring people, I'M the slacker who hasn't done it yet.
    No job will give you this type of ongoing, secure income.
    Please stop making excuses for why you didn't do it-it wasn't for you, ok, but it is a very legitimate business all over the world.

    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Angela! It must suck to go to Google and type in "Does Amway do business in Costa Rica" and end up at a blog that complains about what its like being married to an Ambot and devoted to cursing out the upline!

    Wow! Talk about Amway speak. My husband could have parrotted you a couple of years ago! Amway speak means Ambots are brainwashed where they can't tell the difference between negative and the truth.

    Uh, where have I ever made excuses about why I didn't do Amway? Show me where I ever said I even wanted to do the Amway business.

    Good luck to you. I love Costa Rica. Try the Shade Lady (not Shady Lady) coffee that a gringo sells in Puntarenas. Much better than the overpriced shit that Amway sells!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated but we publish just about everything. Even brainwashed ambots who show up here to accuse us of not trying hard enough and that we are lazy, quitters, negative, unchristian dreamstealers. Like we haven’t heard that Amspeak abuse from the assholes in our upline!

If your comment didn’t get published it could be one of these reasons:
1. Is it the weekend? We don’t moderate comments on weekends. Maybe not every day during the week either. Patience.
2. Racist/bigoted comments? Take that shit somewhere else.
3. Naming names? Public figures like politicians and actors and people known in Amway are probably OK – the owners, Diamonds with CDs or who speak at functions, people in Amway’s publicity department who write press releases and blogs. Its humiliating for people to admit their association with Amway so respect their privacy if they’re not out there telling everyone about the love of their life.
4. Gossip that serves no purpose. There are other places to dish about what Diamonds are having affairs or guessing why they’re getting divorced. If you absolutely must share that here – don’t name names. I get too many nosy ambots searching for this. Lets not help them find this shit.
5. Posting something creepy anonymously and we can’t track your location because you’re on a mobile device or using hide my ass or some other proxy. I attracted an obsessed fan and one of my blog administrators attracted a cyberstalker. Lets keep it safe for everyone. Anonymous is OK. Creepy anonymous and hiding – go fuck yourselves!
6. Posting something that serves no purpose other than to cause fighting.
7. Posting bullshit Amway propaganda. We might publish that comment to make fun of you. Otherwise take your agenda somewhere else. Not interested.
8. Notice how this blog is written in English? That's our language so keep your comments in English too. If you leave a comment written in another language then we either have to use Google translate to put it into English so everyone can understand what you wrote or we can hit the Delete button. Guess which one is easier for us to do?
9. We suspect you're a troublemaking Amway asshole.
10. Your comment got caught in the spam filter. Gets checked occasionally. We’ll get to you eventually and approve it as long as it really isn’t spam.