13 startling truths you might not know about Youngevity

Youngevity has made a pretty big footprint in the world of nutrition MLMs, and they’re not losing steam anytime soon.

Their products consist of superior ingredients along with careful packaging and handling and Youngevity claims that this is what makes their nutritional supplement different from the others. Does this mean I’m involved?

This video explains everything:

Make sense? Either way, here’s 13 startling truths you might not know about Youngevity.

#13. Founded by a “pioneer in biomedical research”

Mineral doctor Joel D. Wallach founded Youngevity. He’s been a pioneer in selenium research for almost 40 years now.

He received the Klaus Schwarz Commemorative Medal, recognizing the work of pioneers in the field of trace elements, in 2011, for his groundbreaking discovery regarding cystic fibrosis. He’s even successfully petitioned the FDA to establish Qualified Health Claims for the mineral. [1]

#12. Sel-whatium?

Selenium is an essential mineral that helps the body synthesize antioxidants and perform important thyroid and immune system functions.

According to Dr. Wallach, supplements containing the mineral have innumerable health benefits, including the ability to reduce the risk of certain cancers. [2]

#11. Elevator pitch is 90 essential nutrients

Dr. Wallach found that the body needs 90 essential nutrients to reach optimal health, but the human body loses 90% of its essential nutrients because it can’t digest them.

So, like any good MLM, Youngevity adopted a catchy little slogan – “90 For Life”.

And they claim that their product has a 90-98% absorption rate, which is almost unheard of. They claim it’s because they’re plant-based and have a natural negative charge, which aids in digestion.

#10. Massive product line covering every industry

Youngevity is basically an entire shopping mall of nutritional products.

They now have over 2,000 products, 31 brands, and 15 different product categories. In addition to their 90 For Life flagship products, they have beauty products, grooming accessories, food and beverages, home, garden, and pet products.

Coffee, essential oils, mineral makeup, photo keepsakes, food storage, and prepackaged snacks are all included in their individual product inventory.

They could also stock an entire store with all the different starter packages they offer, from their 90 For Life starter package, to their Be the Change, starter package, to packs designed to help athletes, lower blood sugar, support bones, help your heart and brain, and even repair the digestive system.

Oh, and they’ve got a weight loss starter pack. Of course they do.

#9. Questionable product colloidal minerals

Despite Dr. Wallach’s work and research on selenium, there’s still not enough evidence to show his specific products actually work. They rely on the health benefits of colloidal minerals, which is still a very questionable field. [3]

In fact, the Food and Drug Administration refuses to verify statements made by health supplement manufacturers, and it’s impossible to know the true source and safety of any liquid colloidal mineral supplement.

#8. Big international presence

They’ve got their fingers all up in just about every corner of the globe.

From they’ve got over 30,000 distributors spread across 65 different countries. [4]

#7. Standard commission, nice bonuses

You can earn up to 30% on retail sales commissions, which isn’t terrible (if you make it up there), but it isn’t great either.

However, they do have some bonuses that offer good perks. They have a 30% Quick Start Bonus, and for every four distributors you sign up, you get another $100 bonus.

#6. Start-up costs with hidden fees

It costs $115 for the start-up package, which is already a little pricey, but you do get some product.

However, you also have to pay an Enrollment Fee of $25. And, in order to move up in status quickly and make decent money, you really have to buy the “CEO Start-Up Pack”, which costs $499. Not so cheap anymore.

#5. All-star athlete brand ambassadors

This company has a roster of athlete ambassadors from every NBA and NFL triple letter acronym you can name. [5]

Just to count a few…

• Theo Ratliff, former NBA player
• Mike Glenn, former NBA player
• Drew Pearson, former Dallas Cowboy (not to be confused with Drew Brees and Advocare)
• Gene Nelson, the greatest natural body builder in the world
• Steve Hess, co-founder of Forza Fitness and strength and conditioning coach for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets

#4. Huge sustainable growth

They’ve reported record revenue for the second quarter of 2016, reaching a massive $42.5 million in just three months. That puts them up 9.7% from that time last year. [6]

Before that, they were seeing a nice, steady increase in gross revenue. They netted about $85 million in 2013, $134 million in 2014, and $156 million in 2015. [7]

#3. Acquiring new companies left and right

Nature’s pearl, a grower, manufacturer, and direct seller of muscadine grape products was recently acquired by Youngevity, including exclusive rights to their technology. This will make Youngevity the only direct selling company in the world to offer Muscadine personal care products. [8]

They also picked up Renew Interests, a nutritional coffee product for weight loss and energy that uses the coffee berry as a critical ingredient. [9]

Basically, they’ve got their pieces all over that Monopoly board.

#2. New CMO is a marketing king

They hired a new Chief Marketing Officer as proof that they aren’t playing around.

This guy is huge.

He’s worked with Mary Kay, the MLM Queen.

But he’s also worked outside of MLM, something you don’t see a lot in this field. He’s marketed for Chanel, Estee Lauder, Revlon, The Body Shop, and more. This guy knows what he’s doing and is futher proof that Youngevity has big plans for the future. [10]

#1. They have a charitable foundation

“Be the change” is the foundation’s mantra, and it does all kinds of charitable work around the world. They hold big conferences and fundraisers to help support their efforts. [11]

If you need those warm fuzzies to keep you going, there you have it.

Recap

Youngevity has proved that they aren’t just any other nutrition MLM. They’ve got a global presence and great support behind their products.

As far as money-making goes, it may be possible to make money. I mean, if you’re into hitting up family members and old high school friends on Facebook or throwing living room parties.

Not a Youngevity hater, but the MLM industry as a whole has its flaws. They get hot, and then they’re not (remember Yevo?). The big guys at the top collect the wealth and 99% of the downlines don’t make any money.

If you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)

from MLM Companies

13 facts you should know before joining Younique

Younique is a trendy cosmetics MLM with clever branding and marketing strategies. The 1950s are calling and they want their Tupperware parties back, right?

Telling companies they HAVE to embrace the digital revolution if they want to stay competitive is old news, but they don’t always listen. Younique, on the other hand, hasn’t just embraced it – they’ve made sweet, sweet love to it. Does this mean I’m involved?

This video explains everything:

Make sense? Either way, here’s 13 facts you should know before joining Younique.

#13. They were kind of an overnight success

They’re still privately owned so they don’t publish their sales data, but it’s pretty safe to say they’re doing well.

Younique hit the ground running and reached their goal of 999 presenters within 9 months of launching (1).

Then, in 2015 they were named one of Utah’s “emerging elite” companies (2), and co-founder Melanie Huscroft claimed Younique was the “fastest-growing company in the nation” (exaggeration?) after they exceeded $53 million in sales in the month of November alone (3).

Now they have over 515,000 Presenters (distributors) (4) and 450+ employees (5).

This still doesn’t touch Younique’s cosmetics competitors – MLM giants like Mary Kay, who has over 3 million distributors (6), Nerium, one of the fastest growing skincare MLMs, and Avon, the world’s largest direct seller with over $10 billion in annual revenue (7). But it’s pretty impressive for a company that’s still learning how to walk.

#12. They’re expanding globally

When Younique launched in the UK in 2014, they signed on their first 1,000 presenters in under 30 minutes flat (8).

In addition to operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Mexico, Germany, in 2016 they’re expanding into France (9), Spain (10), and Hong Kong (11).

#11. Naturally based products

Consumers are increasingly skeptical about chemically-based products, and Younique’s products are “inspired” by nature.

Their makeup isn’t chemical-free, but it’s marketed toward the naturally-inclined and free of harmful fillers (12). Their newest set of Moodstruck Addiction palettes are formulated without any gluten, parabens, PABA, BPA, or latex (13).

Also, they don’t do animal testing (14).

#10. A Generous Sign-On Kit

It costs a one-time fee of $99 to become a Younique presenter, which is pretty standard if not a little high. But presenters don’t have to turn around and buy inventory, and they get $225 worth of product, including the mascara that won them a cult-following and still sells 16,000 units a day (15).

• 1 Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes+
• 1 Moodstruck Addiction Shadow Palette (palette will vary)
• Angled Shadow / Sponge Brush
• Beachfront Self-Tanning Body Lotion
• Splurge Cream Shadow in Elegant
• Cream Shadow Brush
• Shine Eye Makeup Remover Cloths
• Skin Care Sampler
• Foundation Sampler
• Bronzer Sampler
• Pigment Sampler
• Blush Sampler
• Lip Gloss Sampler (Set of 10)
• Lip Stain Sampler (Set of 7)
• Shade Stick
• White Charm
• Black Oval Presenter Case

#9. Super simple compensation plan

Younique’s compensation plan is one of the simplest in the industry.

Statuses are colored, you start at white and work your way up to black, gaining additional commission and perks with each bump.

The first chart explains the requirements for each status, and the second lays out the compensation for each status. While a 20-30% commission rate is nothing special, (Mary Kay offers 50%), the royalties folks with higher statuses can make off their recruitees means there’s definitely potential to make money.

#8. You have to recruit to make good money

This is a big negative. It’s the reason a lot of MLMs get called pyramid schemes and spam – they rely on recruitment over product sales.

While Younique definitely focuses on product sales, it’s true that you’re not going to make a fortune off commission alone.

Without recruiting, even if you sold $10,000 worth of product, you’d only make $2,401 after the cost of your starter kit. If sell that much every month (not easy), you’re bringing in an annual salary of only $30,000 before taxes.

#7. Instant commission payments

Getting paid faster doesn’t mean you’re making more – or does it? To millennials, instant payment is a deal maker. Nearly two-thirds of millennials say being paid immediately helps their finances and a quarter actually prefer quicker payments to a pay raise (16).

Through Younique’s PayQuicker system, commissions are deposited into Presenter accounts either instantly or within 3 hours of sales. Presenters are even given their own Younique branded debit card so they don’t have to wait for the money to transfer to their bank accounts.

#6. They have a strong message

You know what else millennials love? Working for a cause they believe in (17).

The message behind Younique promises to “uplift, empower, and validate women” in an industry full of impossible beauty standards. Younique even uses regular people, their own Presenters, rather than professional models to show off new looks in their catalogs.

#5. Sales support a good cause

Younique puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to their mission.

Younique products were partially created in order to fund the Younique Foundation charity. The cause is personal for co-founder Melanie Huscroft, who says “Our goal was to build a company that would become so successful that it could ultimately fund a foundation for women who were sexually abused.” (18)

The charity raised $1.5 million in 2015, and most of it was spent on healing services (19)

#4. You never have to buy inventory

That’s right, no minimum order requirements.

The largest taxi company in the world owns no taxis (Uber), the most popular media owner creates no content (Facebook), the most valuable retailer has no inventory (Alibaba), and the largest accommodation provider owns no real estate (Airbnb) (20). Digital disruption has arrived, and Younique gets it.

Products are shipped to customers directly from your Younique site, so your sales are done 100% digitally.

This also means…

#3. No more home parties

Who actually wants to be the hostess with the mostess? Setting up, catering to guests, cleaning up afterward – no thanks.

And let’s be real – if younger folks are forgoing actual parties in favor of staying in and watching Netflix, they’re not going to come out in droves for a “party” where there’s no keg and someone’s selling them something.

Younique Presenters never host a single home party. Instead, they create and host virtual parties via social media platforms like Facebook.

#2. Social media masters…or obnoxious spammers?

Relying on social media for marketing is a double-edged sword.

It’s easier, and if you know your way around social media and internet marketing, you can really leverage it.

That being said, people are (understandably) fed up with seeing their Facebook and Instagram feeds littered with sales pitches and “party” invites from friends trying to sell to them. And many Younique distributors are guilty of this.

#1. Younique is TRENDY

The cosmetics industry is tough. Avon is literally older than your grandma who wears it.

Younique may be the new kid on the block, but they’re going for Prom Queen.

(21) (22)

Younique’s battle strategy is clear: target younger markets. Well, at the rate the company has been trending, they may have them cornered.

Could Younique be the future of direct cosmetics sales? We’ll see.

Recap

While Younique may be a great company and the trends indicate they won’t be loosing popularity anytime soon, they’re still MLM and the industry has flaws. Not saying it would be impossible to make money, but your time could be better spent.

If you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)

from MLM Companies

15 realities about Zija International to read before joining

Seems like every week there’s a new hyped up superfood, but for Zija it’s all about moringa.

Like all the other superfruits and magic plants, this one comes from a far-off, exotic land too – the Himalayas.

It’s buzzing all over news and social media, and it’s even been termed “the new kale”. [1] Does this mean I’m involved?

This video explains everything:

Make sense? Either way, here’s 15 realities about Zija International to read before joining.

#15. Based on health benefits of moringa

One tablespoon of moringa leaf powder contains:
2 g protein
110 percent RDA Vitamin A
16 percent RDA calcium
28 percent RDA Vit E
85 percent RDA Riboflavin
48 percent RDA Vit C
10 percent RDA Iron [1]

Apparently, there’s pretty good evidence that moringa is a powerful source of nutritional value and can help with inflammation, digestion, mental clarity, energy, aging, immune system support, and even blood glucose levels. [2]

#14. Dynamic duo on board

They’ve got a pioneer of herbal supplements and a medical genius teamed up together.

Ken Brailsford basically invented herbal encapsulation, and after consuming parts of the moringa tree, is also responsible for bringing the ingredient to the supplement industry. He’s like The Beatles of the herbal supplement world.

The scientific arm of Zija is headed by Joshua Plant, who was a valedictorian of Harvard Medical School and has extensive experience formulating all kinds of new products based on botanicals like moringa.

#13. Three main products

They’ve got their moringa products, obviously.

These include weight management products, protein shakes, supplements, energy drinks, various teas, and a skin care line (can be compared to Nerium).

They’ve got Ameo, their line of essential oils. Direct selling pretty much dominates all of the essential oil market [3], so it’s a good product to have. And Ameo is a well-known name in the industry.

Finally, they’ve got Ripstix, which are workout supplements, pre and post-workout products. This is a huge industry, and it’s only growing.

#12. That’s one expensive plant

They’re not the worst prices I’ve seen amongst the infamously overpriced health and wellness MLMs, but one of their cases of moringa mix is $104 for 32 packets. [4]

For reference, Vitamin Shoppe sells 45 servings worth of moringa capsules for $14.99. [5]

While it’s true that products can differ in purity and quality, that price differential is a lot. You’d have to be a pretty incredible sales person to convince me that your product is worth over 7 times more money than your competitor’s.

#11. They have a certification process for reps

And they must be recertified every 90 days.

This might sound like a pain to you, but it’s actually a plus. It shows that the company actually cares about the quality of its reps and provides continual support for you.

Also, the more certifications you achieve, the better you get paid. [6]

Most MLMs don’t offer anywhere near this kind of support for their distributors, and it’s often why they fail.

They even have a “Zija University” resource to educate reps, and regular team calls are made from executives and the scientific team to educate and update reps on scientific findings and benefits of moringa as well as inform them of the latest product and event info. [7]

#10. Going mobile

Most recently, Zija announced their newest development—the Zija Life Unlimited Mobile App. Basically, distributors are now fully mobile and can take their business everywhere they go with ease.

The app allows them to do everything. They can access back office and training materials, enroll new recruits, share Zija related media, and close sales.

Zija will charge a “small” monthly fee for the use of this new app. [8]

#9. Proceeds go to a good cause

Proceeds from the new app, as well as other endeavors, go to a good cause – The Zija Miracle Foundation.

Zija’s founder says, “I had the opportunity in September to travel to northern India, near one of our Moringa farms. We are beginning our efforts at an orphanage for elderly individuals and children who have been abandoned. I was able to meet and interact with the residents as well as hand-deliver supplies such as stoves, mixers and bedding.” [9]

Although, working for an MLM, if you aren’t one of the top 1% earners you might start feeling like you deserve some charity.

#8. Decent compensation plan, but nothing special

There are a multitude of ways to earn.

You purchase at wholesale and sell at retail, making about 25% profit.

You have to be on auto-ship for 75 PV per month to quality for commission.

You get 10% commission off your personal recruits. More bonuses as you move up in rank, including commission on additional downlines. [10]

#7. You need to be on auto-ship

In order to qualify for commission earnings, you do need to be on auto-ship for at least 75 PV per month. Kind of a pain to have to pay a monthly bill just to make money.

#6. Life Unlimited

This is their motto, and it’s based on four pillars – nutrition, active lifestyle, financial freedom and personal development.

Basically a variation on the same 3 to 4 values every MLM is all about. At least they’re good ones?

#5. Profit participation plan

They’ve got a profit participation plan, which is a plus. And it recently expanded.

If you hit diamond level pay rank or above, you receive 5% of net company profits. [10] That’s a fantastic deal…

If you qualify for it. I’m going to go ahead and guess that almost no one does.

#4. Huge growth and international expansion

They started back in 2005, so they’re over both the 2-year mark and the 10-year hump. This is good news.

Zija is also present in over 30 countries. In 2012 they achieved over $100 million in revenue, although their revenue seems to have hit a plateau since then.

But their President and CEO says that, “revenue numbers are expected to jump dramatically this year.” So there’s that. [11]

#3. Top 10 company in Utah Valley

In 2014, they were named number 6 in terms of revenue in the Utah Valley. In 2013, revenue was over $144 million. [12]

They want to be a billion dollar brand by 2020…which is a lofty goal given their current status, but it’s possible.

#2. Still growing since then

And they haven’t stopped since then. While they lost some revenue in 2014 (it was $136 million), they have achieved 80% growth over the last three years.

They were also listed as #3795 on the Inc. 5,000 list.

Their biggest year, 2013, they were #504. [13]

Companies often slow down and then pick back up…but it’s still alarming.

#1. Expensive sign-on plan

In addition to the monthly auto-ship, the cost for a starter kit is more expensive than ones offered by similar industry competitors. They START at $340.

Recap

Ask yourself one question: Are you all about the Zija products or is it all about the money-making opportunity?

Not a Zija hater, but your time could be better spent if you are trying to start a side-income stream.

If you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)

from MLM Companies

17 things you need to consider before joining Zinzino

Fish oil has been a trendy subject in the health space in recent years. That’s what Zinzino is all about.

Curing the world of all its ailments, lengthening the human lifespan, and hitting a million customers in the next few years are just a few of their ambitions. Does this mean I’m involved?

This video explains everything:

Make sense? Either way, here’s 17 things you need to consider before joining Zinzino.

This company has some big dreams for their fish oil. But right now, the future’s looking a little bleak.

And they’ve been issued multiple warnings about the health claims they make.

In other words, there’s something fishy going on here. (Thank me later for the hilarious puns).

#17. Founded in 2005, expanded globally

They got off to a pretty sad start to be honest. But when they introduced health products, they took off running and were named the growth business of 2011.

They just came to the U.S. in the fall of 2013, and at this point the good old red white and blue still only accounts for 4% of their sales. [1]

But they’re still just getting started.

This year, they are making plans to explode geographically, with aggressive expansion into multiple new markets, including Germany, Europe’s largest market for direct sales. [2]

#16. Sellers engage in lying

MLM distributors are not shy when it comes to fabricating their products, but Zinzino’s take it to a new level.

In Iceland in 2015 the company had to send a warning to its sellers for making false health claims, such as that the oil fights ADHD, Asperger’s and dyslexia. [3]

#15. Warnings issued against the company

The false claims have gotten so bad that the Danish Consumer Council lawyers warn people to stay away from both Zinzino products and their recruitment.

They describe Zinzino’s practices as “on the edge of the law”. [4]

#14. Basically reselling marked-up products

Eventually they made enough in revenue to buy Biolife, the manufacturer of the fish oil and test that they sell, but before that customers could easily buy their oils directly from BioLife at a cheaper price. [5]

And still, customers can buy their coffee products much cheaper directly from the manufacturer.

You buy their coffee in a subscription for 12 months, so you get new pods every month. It costs about $349 for the machine and initial order, then another $33/month after. [6]

Purchasing through the manufacturer, the machine alone is $234. You can then order a month’s supply of pods for $26 rather than $33. [7]

 

Basically, new customers are paying a huge markup on product just to get the rights to resell Zinzino products in hopes of a future payoff.

#13. Health and wellness niche selling nutritional supplements

Zinzino sells both nutritional and coffee products. Their popular nutritional products include…

• LeanShake with various weightloss challenges (lose 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, etc)
• BalanceOIL various packages, wild fish oil + quality olive oil

Their coffee products are coffee machines and coffee pods. They still don’t offer coffee products in many of their countries, including the U.S. [8]

Overall, health products are about 75% of their sales while coffee is about 25%. [9]

#12. Their oil supposedly cures a dangerous imbalance all humans have

This is their major selling point.

Basically, we all have these omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, but we don’t have enough, and we don’t have the proper balance between the two. This is the root, they claim, of many of our health problems. [10]

To prove that you have an imbalance of fatty acids, they even sell a (pricey) BalanceTest that, after sent back, will give you results of your omega-3 and omega-6 levels.

When you inevitably have an imbalance, they claim their oils and shakes can help adjust and solve it. For many customers, this balance is improved after a few months, but…

#11. Not the best way to get fish oil

Studies have shown that we do need more fish oil, but getting it from actual fish is highly preferable. [11]

Basically, the EPA content in your blood increases a lot faster and more sustainably when you eat fish versus when you take supplements. [12]

#10. Premiere customer program

Commit to a 6-month subscription and you become a premiere customer and get discounted product.

For example, the LeanShake lose 5 pounds challenge costs $249 for one month initial order but then it’s $108 a month if you subscribe

#9. Headquartered in Sweden

Most of their market is still in Europe, as you can see from this map. But they have offices and factories in both Norway and the US as well as plans for expansion.

#8. Decent revenue

While they’re no Coca-Cola, their revenue has increased to an impressive $350 Million annually.

So, they’re making some money. But are their distributors?

#7. FREE to join

This is a big plus. Basically no risk for you, so why no?

There’s no fee to become an independent distributor and no purchase requirements, which almost never happens in MLM.

#6. Compensation plan

Distributors pocket the difference between wholesale and retail price.

They can earn anywhere from 10-50% profit depending on the product. That’s a huge difference, and it’s important to remember that most if not nearly all their distributors probably fall on the lower end when it comes to profit. [13]

If you build a premiere customer base (customers with monthly subscriptions), you can get 1-30% on their monthly orders. Again, huge range. 30% is great, while 1% is literal pennies on the dollar.

If you build a team of partners, you can get another 1-15% off their premiere customer base. AGAIN, 1%? What?

You must be active to receive commission, which means ordering a minimum amount of product every month. So while it’s free to join, you really do have to spend money to get anything out of it.

#5. Revenue sharing program

They do a revenue sharing program too. In the range of 20-40 euros monthly (4-8 shares) in shares if you hit certain levels. [14]

#4. Founded and run by controversial Norwegian businessman Finn Ørjan Sæle

This man built up Nature’s Own to be the largest networking company in Scandinavia.

Impressive, right?

Yeah, until it completely tanked in the mid-2000s due to “questions about the legality of their sales model”. [15] Sounds like something we’ve heard before (think Yevo).

#3. Return policy is kind of useless

They have a 90-day return policy, but you have to return the products unopened and unused, and there’s a 10% restocking fee.

Kinda defeats the purpose of a return policy. Usually you’d try the product, figure out you don’t like it, and THEN ask for your money back.

But it is helpful for new distributors, as they can order a bunch of product and if they decide to quit, in theory they send a written notice and return product they couldn’t sell.

#2. Publicly traded on NASDAQ through First North

They are a public company technically, but First North is an unregulated unofficial branch for smaller companies and “growth” companies. Trading started for Zinzino 2014. [16]

#1. Their valuation has decreased recently

They peaked at the end of 2014 and have steadily declined since then. They’ve got a 1-year return of -45.36% and a YTD return of -26.49%. [17]

Things aren’t looking good.

Recap

Zinzino isn’t a bad company at all. If you like the products and have a market, go for it. But as far as a money making opportunity goes, your time could probably be better spent.

If you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)

from MLM Companies

16 details about Yofoto you probably don’t know

In communist China…MLMs actually fare pretty well.

The Chinese people may be banned from half the internet, but government regulations on recruitment practices are actually helping companies like Yofoto succeed.

Despite some strange and humorous translations on the website, Yofoto actually has a pretty big global presence. Does this mean I’m involved?

This video explains everything:

Make sense? Either way, here’s 16 details about Yofoto you probably don’t know.

#16. They’re from China

Yofoto launched in China in 2004, and they already have 32 provincial branches in the country.

That’s right, China, the country with all the rules and regulations where you might think network marketing would be illegal. Well, not quit, but MLMs do have to operate a little differently there.

One particular MLM from Canada, Organo Gold, was founded upon the Chinese herb “ganoderma” and there are many other MLMs with Chinese connections. 

#15. Big growth in just over 10 years

Aside from opening up 32 provincial branches in China, they began international development in 2009 and expanded to Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cameroon. [1]

#14. Not available in the United States

Well, the distributor opportunity isn’t available in the U.S., yet.

They have expanded their industry chain into America, France, and Canada, so perhaps they have plans on making the business opportunity available here too. According to their website,

“In the future, through the development strategy of point, line and area, we will expand our global markets at different periods and areas.” [2]

#13. Partnered with APEC

Yofoto has worked closely with APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation of 21 member economies promoting free trade throughout the region, for 6 years now. [3]

Their chairman, Mr. Huang Jin Bao, has even been elected as the member of the first APEC Chinese Industry and Commerce Council.

Pretty impressive, and APEC is a great forum through which to spread their brand and influence.

#12. All about respect and responsibility

Their mission is to build the most respectable global brand by embodying the values are self-respect and respecting others. They are building a “Socially responsible ecosystem to achieve sustainable development between corporations, societies, and nature.” [4]

The Yofoto charity has donated about 46 million Yuan (almost $700,000 USD) in money and supplies to people in need.

They are also very family-oriented in both their sales and recruiting.

#11. They’re “vegetarian”

It’s unclear to me what this means in terms of products like furniture, but their food-based products are vegetarian, so basically they don’t sell meat.

They’re not vegan, so this doesn’t mean they don’t use animal byproducts. For example, they sell fur seal oil. [5]

#10. Lots of products, trademarks, and patents

We’ve got a regular Doc from Back to the Future on our hands here.

They’ve got a whopping 709 registered trademarks and 64 patents, in addition to having declared 31 kinds of health care foods to the FDA. They’ve also launched 3 series of products: nutritional vegetarian food, vegetarian personal care products, and vegetarian furniture (for people who don’t want their couches to eat their cat). [6]

Their food includes everything from “life vigor” milk powder to red wine to soy sauce to oils and nutritional supplements.

#9. More exotic vacations and conference destinations

Well, to us Americans who like to conference in Dayton, Ohio, Yofoto’s training trips to places like Dubai and Bali sound pretty damn exciting. [7]

The YOFOTO elites recently stayed at Atlantis in Dubai, a six-star luxury hotel.

#8. Guided by a Nobel Prize winner

The head of Yofoto’s Global Products Advisory Committee, Richard Roberts, has won a Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine. [8]

Mic drop.

#7. Three-in-one network marketing plan

Their network marketing plan is three-fold, although honestly, from the rough translations on their website, it’s hard to tell exactly what they mean by that.

One graph describes it as “global coverage, always online, full set of service”, while another trio promotes “healthy china, internet, public start-ups and innovation”.

They also state that by matching a network of members and a network of service providers (customers and distributors?) through a platform that uses data analytics and optimizes user experience, they offer several 100 thousand jobs “or start-ups”.

Basically, they’re super into the internet, China, and entrepreneurship? Something like that.

#6. Big focus on utilizing the internet

Like I said, they’re really into the internet. It’s a big part of the company’s network marketing plan, and a main component of their mission is to combine China’s health industry with the digital age.

This makes sense, considering the internet has been responsible for a lot of China’s growth. Also, the majority of internet users are from, you guessed it, China.

With a whopping 52% of people on the internet residing in China, this means that Chinese companies who have a huge potential for online business if they play their cards right. [9]

#5. Building a research center

About that Nobel Prize…

They’re also building a state-of-the-art research center with an “intelligent workshop” and automated stereoscopic warehouse. The plan is to further improve the quality of their products while also preparing for future market development. [10]

#4. Industrial “core”

Although they’re prepared for the rise of digital, their core focus is still industry.

Their goal is to build a global industry chain that produces everything from organic food to natural cosmetics and facilities that include a conference center, a tourism center, and a yacht club. [11]

Not sure what yachts have to do with the Chinese health industry, but I’m sold.

#3. They’re ranked 45 in Direct Selling News’s top 100 Global MLMs of 2016

They’re in good company. This year they were ranked just below MLM giants like Arbonne and popular newbies like Scentsy. [12]

They’ve got a big vision, but they’ve got the power to back it up.

#2. Impressive numbers

Aside from global expansion, they’ve got some good sales numbers too.

In 2013, after less than a decade in business, they hit $428 million in annual sales.

#1. Compensation plan is more regulated

As you could probably guess, rules for business are a little different in China. While it’s no Cuba, they are still considered a communist nation.

The details of their commission rates are unclear, but because of harsher regulations in China, their compensation model is less focused on recruiting than any American MLM. Their main goal is sales and business training. [13] [14]

Being that a lot of MLMs that focus mainly on recruiting end up failing or rebranding, this could mean good things for the company, but especially for their distributors.

Recap

They got a lot of great things going for them, yes. Does this mean you will make money with Yofoto? It’s a stretch.

If you are on board with the products and you have a sustainable method of selling, you could do well with it, for a while at least. But if you are simply seeking a side income opportunity, your time could be better spent elsewhere.

If you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)

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