Chloe + Isabel is shaking things up faster than Shakira’s hips can say they don’t lie.
They’re one of those MLMs that actually has a legit, inspiring founder’s story instead of your typical “The Sleaze King just founded his 7th network marketing company in 4 years” story.
Chloe + Isabel is actually Chantel Waterbury’s very first MLM, but she came to play.
Have I been involved?
This video explains everything:
Make sense? Either way, here’s the full review on Chloe + Isabel.
Overview
Founder and CEO Chantel Waterbury didn’t have much growing up. She moved away from home at the age of 13 (while most of us were playing video games and eating grilled cheeses our parents cooked for us) to start working and saving up for school, something she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.
Eventually, she started selling Cutco knives (sold through Vector Marketing) and pushed her way to the top, using her commissions to pay her way through school. Upon graduation, not only had she picked up some mean sales skills, but she also developed the confidence to take on the career of her dreams in a highly competitive industry: jewelry design.
She proceeded to build up over 15 years of experience at some of the biggest names in the industry, including Target, Macy’s, Gap, Kenneth Cole, Cartier, and even Tiffany and Co.
In 2010, she was handed an offer for her dream job at one of her favorite designers, but she couldn’t stop wondering how she could use her skills to create opportunities for young women that she always dreamed of while working in direct sales. It helped to pay the bills, which was important, but she’d always wanted access to a network of successful women, and the ability to work on what she was really passionate about. Kitchen knives aren’t the most thrilling of products.
So she started Chloe + Isabel, a female-focused network marketing company that sells trendy, modern jewelry with high-end designs and reasonable prices.
In case her career track doesn’t show her motivation, in the 6 months she gave herself to get Chloe + Isabel off the ground, she raised $3.5 million in investments – before even launching. [1]
By 2015, she’d raised $37 million in investments, and her company is now valued at over $100 million. In a mere 5 years.
Chloe + Isabel focuses on the younger, tech-savvy, social media loving generation, which is a welcome change in MLM. Too many companies still think that holding in-home parties and selling scrapbooking kits is going to be a sustainable way to make money.
Waterbury tells investors that Chloe + Isabel is set to “disrupt the direct sales industry” – for several reasons.
The average age of Chloe + Isabel merchandisers is only 26. Some of them still do in-home parties, but mostly they utilize social media, blogging, and pop-up shops to market and sell their products.
What’s really unconventional is that the company requires all prospective merchandisers to apply, and it’s not just a smoke screen application. The company actually only accepts about 15% of applicants based on dedication level and local market (they don’t want to oversaturate certain markets and place too many merchandisers in competition with each other).
On top of that, they have a special training program specifically for merchandisers who are in college called GEM (Growth and Empowerment through Merchandising), which assigns them each a mentor to provide support and advice.
It seems to be working for them. They’ve got a high retention rate due to the support that merchandisers receive, and the fact that unmotivated applicants are weeded out in the beginning. Also, more than once, the company has doubled their revenue in just one quarter. [2]
In 2014 they raised a whopping $15 million in investments to take the company even further and expand into Asia. [3]
How much does Chloe + Isabel cost?
The start-up kit to join Chloe + Isabel costs $175.
It contains 15 pieces of jewelry and is valued at $700. It also comes with marketing materials and your own website.
There are no annual fees, no auto-ship requirements, and no required purchases for merchandisers. The only thing you need to do to remain active is buy or sell one piece of jewelry every six months. Pretty damn simple.
Products
Considering the CEO used to work for basically all the top jewelry designers in the country, if not the world, it’s not surprising that Chloe + Isabel’s jewelry is extremely well-designed. They are all designed in-house at her studio in TriBeCa.
Their designs appeal to the younger crowd while still being high quality, classy, and timeless.
Prices aren’t extremely low, but they’re a great value for the product, ranging from about $20-$200. But they jewelry, unlike many MLMs, is high quality. We’re not talking diamonds and platinum, but we’re also not talking Forever 21, break the second time you wear it, stuff.
Opportunity
All sales will net merchandisers 24%-40% in commissions, which is standard for any respectable MLM.
Cash bonuses are pretty generous, and merchandisers get $50 in store credit for every $500 in sales. Great deal if you’re super into their jewelry. Fast start bonuses double your earnings during the first 60 days if you perform well.
You can win exclusive jewelry, all-expenses paid trips to NYC, and more cool perks like a 30% discount on your personal purchases from the store.
There is no talk in their compensation plan of team commission, no downline, and no recruitment. In fact, merchandisers are only allowed to invite ONE person per month to join their team, meaning that they have to be just as selective as Chloe + Isabel.
Recap
Either this company is trying to stay as far away from the things that give your usual MLMs a bad rap (heavy recruitment and downline building, accepting everyone), or they’re trying to market themselves as super exclusive in order to build up a buzz.
Either way, it’s working. Chloe + Isabel’s investment fundraising alone proves that the buzz is there, and the structure of the company is both innovative and promising.
This company is definitely legit, and I see great potential for them.
For youngsters – particularly college students and young professionals – it’s a great opportunity to make some extra cash, network, and learn some serious career skills, especially if you’re really into jewelry.
What it’s not great for is getting rich quick or building up a full-time income, but that’s not what it’s designed for.
But if you like automated ways to build passive income and are seeking financial freedom, there are better ways.
(and you can trash those old MLM habits, too)
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