World Ventures: 14 disturbing details you should know [Review]

If you love to travel, you’ll be tempted by World Ventures.

World Ventures is a network marketing company that focuses on world travel.

Between travel blogs, travel vlogs, and travelogues, the digital age has ushered in hordes of wannabe world travelers. It’s pretty easy to get people excited about travel.

World Ventures picked a good (albeit competitive) market to be in. They’re the guys posing in pictures holding signs that read ‘You Should Be Here’ as they travel the world.

Should you get involved? Keep reading to find out.

FAQ

1. What does World Ventures sell? World Venture sells travel services and membership of discount vacation clubs.

2. What are World Ventures’s most popular products? People are drawn to World Ventures because they want to travel the world, so the most popular products are trips.

3. How much does it cost to join World Ventures? You’ll fork over $199 to join, then pay a monthly fee to stay active.

4. Is World Ventures a scam? No, it’s a legitimate company. They’ve been listed #1 in the list of Top U.S. Mid-Market Companies, #2 in the $100 Million Growth Club, and #12 in the top 20 U.S. Companies. The real question is whether you can make any money as a distributor. According to the BBB, complaints allege that World Ventures exaggerates the savings realized by their product and fails to give refunds for canceled services. They also report that only 20% of distributors earn a commision, with the median commission being just $200. [1] We’re also hearing reports of unpaid commissions to top earners (see Lawsuits below).

5. What is World Ventures’s BBB rating? C+

6. How long has World Ventures been in business? Since 2005

7. What is World Ventures’s revenue? $926.6 million

8. How many World Ventures distributors are there? 421,532

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2018, World Ventures was banned from operating in Norway. [2] In 2018, World Ventures sued Carlos Rogers for breach of contract and stealing trade secrets. [2] In 2018, distributors sued World Ventures for unpaid commissions. [3, 4] In 2017, a class-action lawsuit accused them of operating a pyramid scheme. [5] They sued Abboud Barakat for stealing confidential information about customers, suppliers, and marketing and sales strategies—and starting a new MLM, MaVie. [6]

10. Comparable companies: USANA, Motor Club of America

So should you get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 14 intriguing details about World Ventures you should know.

#14. Skyrocket growth

These guys are defying the laws of gravity. They’ve been named amongst Inc.’s 5,000 fastest-growing private companies not once, but twice. They also partnered recently with a prestigious networking group called Success North Dallas. [7]

#13. Give back to the community

In addition to regular travel, World Ventures offers voluntourism. VolunTourism is basically when a group of people go on vacation not just to sit around on a beach sipping mojitos, but also to give back to the community they visit.

 

We are partnering w/ @TourismCares to help preserve the beauty of our N. Parks! Which NP have you seen the most beautiful sunrise/sunset? pic.twitter.com/I8yahgRzC5

— WorldVentures (@WorldVentures) September 20, 2016

Members of the South African branch of World Ventures came together recently to give back to their own local communities. [8]

They also have their own foundation that aims to create positive change for children around the world by supporting sustainable programs that support their health, happiness, safety, and development. [9]

#12. Not the most effective way to help others

All of this sounds as sweet as pie and cute as a newborn baby until you do some research on voluntourism. There’s a lot of evidence that it’s not actually that beneficial to local communities, and can even do more harm than good. [10]

Especially given the luxury rates of most of these volunteer trips, the money could definitely be spent more effectively if the goal is to help others and affect change.

#11. Luxury product

Travel is a luxury good rather than a necessity. But this actually isn’t as much of a drawback as it might sound.

Luxury goods come with fat price tags, and if you can find people who can fork over the dinero, fat price tags come with generous commission checks (see: Motor Club of America).

#10. Product is a membership

What reps are selling is club membership rather than a tangible product. The benefit of this membership is access to their proprietary travel portal that includes discounted travel packages and a fantastic travel booking engine, Rovia, that claims to have lower prices than popular travel search engines.

There are three different membership levels that range from standard to luxury.

#9. Huge start-up costs plus a monthly fee

The initial costs for starting up with World Ventures range from $199.99 for the basic package to $999.99 for the luxury subscription, which is insanely high, considering that most network marketers fail to make that much in profit after an entire year.

On top of that, a monthly membership fee from $20.99-99.99 is also required.

#8. Product value is unclear

Whether or not they really have a valuable product is unclear, at best. All they’re selling is access to a travel booking and search portal, which is already available for free through websites like Kayak, Orbitz, and Priceline.

The idea is that you’re getting a better deal through their site, and it’s easier to use. But how good are these deals? Is saving $20 on a flight and being able to use a prettier website really worth forking over close to $100 every month?

#7. Compensation plan

The compensation plan offers some potential to make money fast and some pretty good bonuses on top of that if you can manage to make sales.

Representatives can score a $100 bonus by selling 3 higher end trips in 28 days, and then another $150 for selling another 3. There are also $50 and $75 bonuses for selling lower end trips.

If you sponsor enough customers to elevate your status, you get your monthly fee waived, and/or 8$ commission on their sales.

That being said, representatives don’t start earning commission on their downlines until they’ve hit Senior Representative status, which happens after they have 30 x 2 downlines.

#6. There’s an additional fee

You’re not actually eligible to earn any money at all unless you’re “active,” and to be active you have to pay your monthly RBS (Representative Business System) fee on time. The fee covers things like training programs, website maintenance, and marketing tools. New representatives pay a one-time fee of $99.95…and that’s in addition to the start-up costs I already mentioned.

To be honest, it’s a little ridiculous to pay two monthly fees, especially when the start-up costs are so high.

#5. Smart marketing angle for recruitment

World Ventures doesn’t target your traditional MLM markets – stay at home moms looking for extra income, disgruntled middle-aged corporate employees, and the like.

They target the new wave of younger folk who want to travel the world, teasing budding “digital nomads” with the prospect of making money online while they travel. Their taglines say things like “work less…vacation more” and “work from anywhere!”, and there’s a gigantic market of people who fit this demographic right now that can offer some good money if you know how to tap it.

#4. Complex and restrictive compensation rules

I only grazed the tip of the compensation plan, in part because it’s filled with weird and complicated rules and regulations that would take too long to detail. For example, you have to recruit 30 representatives below you before you even start earning commission. [11] That’s a lot of hustling.

For this reason, most people don’t actually make it to the point where they start getting paid a single penny. Kind of sounds like GWT, right?

#3. Terrible earnings reports

Most MLMs don’t provide much in earnings for the vast majority of their representatives, but World Ventures is pretty bad, even for network marketing.

According to their income disclosure one year, 73.7% of their reps fail to earn a single dime.

Think you have what it takes to be the 1%? Well, if you do, it’ll be a little anticlimactic. Only .1% of their reps even earn an annual income above the poverty level. The average rep? $325 a year. That doesn’t even pay for the start-up costs. [12]

#2. Training isn’t free

Not only do you have to pay a monthly fee for your training materials, but you’ll also be encouraged to attend a host of training events and conferences that can cost you hundreds of dollars. You also have to pay yet another monthly fee of $30 to use the mailing system in order to receive your marketing materials.

You can try to make money with World Ventures, but it sounds like they’re just going to nickel and dime you instead. [13]

#1. Smartcard tech for distributors

Money2020 is a smart card they’ll release soon that will allow their club members to load credit cards, loyalty cards, and IDs and use the cards as payment and proof of loyalty worldwide.

Recap

The idea seems great, I mean who doesn’t want to get paid to travel?

But when you look into World Ventures a little deeper, it seems that actually getting paid is a little harder than it seems.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Young Living: 16 surprising facts you should know about their essential oils [Review]

Young Living has been offering 100% pure essential oils for decades…

And they’ve gained a huge following as a result.

But do they live up to the hype?

Young Living is a health and wellness MLM company that sells essential oils and other wellness products.

Founder Gary Young was onto the power of essential oils decades before they became everyone’s favorite natural remedy, home cleaning base, and fragrance substitute.

Today, he’s called the father of the modern-day essential oils movement.

But should you get involved? Keep reading to find out.

FAQ

1. What does Young Living sell? Young Living sells essential oils that are genuine, free of synthetic chemicals, and pure. They also sell home care products and cleaners, supplements and nutritional products, personal care products, and diffusers.

2. What are Young Living’s most popular products? Their essential oils—lavender, orange, and peppermint—are their flagship product and remain their most popular. But for true believers, essential oils should be used in cleaning products, skin care, and nutritional health. So Young Living is giving people what they want: natural, trustworthy products that replace chemical-laden alternatives.

3. How much does it cost to join Young Living? You can join as an Independent Distributor as Customer if you purchase at least $50 a year. Or you can join as an Independent Distributor as Business if you enroll in the Essential Rewards program and order $100/month. For either option, you’ll need a starter kit, which costs $45 to $260, depending on the diffuser you choose.

4. Is Young Living a scam? No, Young Living is a legit company with legit products. You do need to be a smart consumer and do your own due diligence. We love essential oils as much as the next person, but you shouldn’t believe claims that they can heal medical conditions or replace drugs. You should also be aware that claims about purity are often exaggerated.

5. What is Young Living’s BBB rating? A

6. How long has Young Living been in business? Since 1993

7. What is Young Living’s revenue?  $1.52 billion

8. How many Young Living distributors are there? 1.5 million

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2018, Young Living was ordered to pay competitor doTERRA $1.8 million in legal fees and other costs related to a long-running lawsuit that Young Living lost in 2017. In the case, Young Living alleged that doTERRA founders violated their employment contracts and stole trade secrets. The judge ruled that Young Living pursued the lawsuit in bad faith. [1] In 2017, Young Living was sentenced for the Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act violations and paid $760,000 in fines, forfeiture, and community service. [2] Also in 2017, Truth in Advertising called them out for making misleading income claims. Most of the instances listed appear to be fixed. [3] In 2015, the Environmental Research Center filed a complaint claiming some of Young Living products contain lead. [4] In 2014, Young Living was slapped by the FDA for promoting some of their products as drugs. [5]

10. Comparable companies: Melaleuca, Total Life Changes

So should you get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 16 surprising facts you should know about Young Living essential oils.

#16. The world’s “leading essential oil company”

Chances are you’ve seen someone with their products at some point, if you don’t own them yourself.

They’ve been around for a good while. Since 1993, to be exact, which is back before the essential oil craze even started. Back when Avon and Amway owned the MLM space.

And now, their sales for 2017 surpassed $1.52 billion, making them the largest essential oils company. They’re kind of a big deal.

#15. Huge market growth for essential oils

The market for essential oils has grown tremendously, and it’s only going to continue. Given that they’ve established themselves as market leaders, I don’t see this company losing ground anytime soon. [6]

#14. Global expansion

From a small Washington state farm to farms in Utah, France, the Middle East, and Ecuador, and they have offices in Australia, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Singapore. Young Living now sells in over 100 countries. [7]

They also have a farm in British Columbia where they grow black spruce trees for various oils, called the “Northern Lights Farm,” for public visitation. [8]

They’ve also been doing some pretty rapid expansion of their executive team. [9]

#13. Replaced their entire executive team in 2013

Well, they call it expansion. It’s more like replacement.

In 2013 they wiped their entire executive team clean and started from scratch, claiming that not everyone had the same interest in the company or shared vision as Gary.

It sounds a little shady and makes you wonder about stability, but after they replaced the team they experienced a huge uptick in growth, over 27% in 2013.

#12. Pretty much one of two empires

The other big player in this game is doTERRA, who has experienced a similar growth pattern but at almost double the rate. Young Living might not be the essential oils giant for long.

DoTERRA is newer, (founded in only 2008), so they have the advantage of being able to take over the hotspot without having to reinvent themselves. But can they hold their own against the OG, or are they just a trend?

The two rivals have butted heads on more than one occasion, with both having filed lawsuits against one another for false advertising and false lab tests as well as imitation. The courts did decide that the two oils have different compositions and dropped the case. [10]

#11. Started as a brick and mortar with humble beginnings

Young Living was once just a tiny brick and mortar on a street corner with one small organic farm and distillery. The owner tapped into his own farmland in Utah and Idaho when he discovered a budding interest in natural living.

#10. Always reinventing themselves

To keep up with the competition, Young Living just announced 15 new and rebranded products as well as their first ever over the counter products – plant-based cough drops and pain relief cream. [11]

As long as they do more than rely on what has brought them success in the past, they should be able to hold onto their market share.

#9. Mostly woman run

A lot of MLMs market themselves toward women and stay-at-home-moms, but they don’t all practice what they preach.

This MLM is one of the largest women-run businesses in Utah. Mary Young, the founder’s wife, is still an executive within the business, and about 90% of active sellers are women. Almost half the company’s C-level management team are women as well.

A spokesperson claims, “We’re role modeling women in executive-level positions. I think Utah County can ultimately lead out in shattering the glass ceiling.” [12]

#8. Developed their own standard for oils

Not all oils are created equal. In fact, most of the oils on the market are synthetic, especially if they’re cheap.

Young Living oils are so pure, they’ve even developed their own purity standard called the Young Living therapeutic-grade standard. They’re marketed as the purest oils on the market, never synthetic or diluted, 100% “seed to seal.” The company advocates often for industry purity.

#7. Founder is very passionate about the product

Founder Gary Young was in a nearly fatal accident that left him in a wheelchair and, tired of medications, he began to explore alternative medicine and healing. From that time, he developed products and advocated in the field of essential oils, even before most people knew what essential oils were.

May 12, 2018, Gary died following a stroke and other health problems. [13] Now, his legacy is being continued by a team as passionate about natural health as he was.

#6. Involved in sketchy dealings in the past

But it’s not all unicorns and rainbows with Gary Young.

He’s been involved in some questionable businesses in the past, including a Tijuana, Mexico, clinic in the 80s that ran cheap blood tests for Americans. One investigative journalist sent the clinic cat’s blood instead of human, and the scientists couldn’t tell the difference. [14]

#5. Huge variety of products blended with oils

From their original oils, such as lavender, orange, and peppermint, they’ve blended together an array of products from home living to nutritional supplements that include…

Home Products

• Natural cleaning products
• Healthy Cooking
• Pet products
• Family Health

Wellness Products

• Multivitamins
• Weight Management
• Joint & Mobility Assistance
• Energy & Stamina
• Antioxidant Support
• Age-Based Nutrition

Beauty Products

Because of this, they have a product for just about anyone. If you have a problem you’re dealing with, a Young Living rep will almost definitely whip out a product they claim will help.

#4. Basic starter kit is relatively cheap

It’ll run you about $45, which is pretty cheap, and it includes a variety of samples. More expensive kits include full product.

#3. Member support is not always free

Most of the conferences, workshops, training kits, etc cost money, and representatives have complained that there is not a lot of online media and support offered up for free.

#2. Complicated compensation plan

There are a bunch of different ways to earn money. Whether or not you can earn a lot of money, though, is up in the air. Aside from profit on personal sales, you get…

• Downline commission. You get 8% of the sales off your first level, 5% off your second, and 4% on the next three levels.
• Fast start bonus. 25% commission for the first 3 months on every new recruit’s purchases.
• Member starter kit bonus. $25 for each new distributor you sign up who buys the Premium Member Starter Kit.
• Generation commission. If you hit “Silver”, you get an extra 2% on specific sales from your team, and when team members hit “Silver” themselves, you get 3%.
• Diamond profit sharing pool. If you hit “Diamond”, you get shares of 0.5% of Young Living’s commissionable sales.

#1. There is evidence that some of their products are synthetic

There have been many claims as well as a good amount of evidence (a lot of it buried by Young Living) that suggest their oils aren’t 100% pure and that many of them are, in fact, adulterated. [15]

During lawsuits between Young Living and DoTERRA, Dr. Robert Papas of Purdue University found that both had oils that use synthetic materials. [16] The lawsuits were therefore dropped by the courts. [17]

Recap

It’s no secret that essential oils are hot right now, just look at the Google Trends. But is there really an income opportunity here?

Sure, you might have a few friends you could sell oils to. But after those warm leads expire, how will you continue to sell?

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

J.R. Watkins: 13 fascinating facts to know before joining [Review]

It’s not often you come across a business that’s been around for 150 years.

J.R. Watkins is a popular network marketing company that offers a range of products from lotions and soaps to spices and oils.

J.R. Watkins isn’t exactly George Washington, but close, and almost as old.

With an intriguing rags-to-riches story, J.R. Watkins became the largest MLM in the world at one time.

FAQ

1. What does J.R. Watkins sell? J.R. Watkins sells natural, environmentally friendly personal and home care products, as well as gourmet foods, including spices, extracts, baking decorations, and cooking sprays.

2. What are J.R. Watkins’s most popular products?  Their spices and extracts are now rivaling the industry leader, McCormick. Their body care products, sporting old-time labels that make it clear these products have been around for a long time, are also popular. Who can resist hand creams labeled, “Creme pour les Mains,” and hand soaps labeled, “Savon pour les Mains,” especially when those labels have a genuine apothecary look and feel?

3. How much does it cost to join J.R. Watkins? You can join Watkins for $29.95.

4. Is J.R. Watkins a scam? No, Watkins is one a legitimate business selling real products. Their products can be bought in retail stores, and some of their brands are rivaling long-time industry leaders.

5. What is J.R. Watkins’s BBB rating? A

6. How long has J.R. Watkins been in business? Since 1868

7. What is J.R. Watkins’s revenue? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

8. How many J.R. Watkins distributors are there? We couldn’t find any numbers published online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2015, Watkins sued McCormick for underfilling their tins of black pepper—essentially using deceptive marketing and packaging practices. [1] In 1954, J.R. Watkins was slapped for using a specially denatured alcohol in its liniment without paying the tax for it. [2]

10. Comparable companies: Pampered Chef, Seacret Direct

So is it too late to get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here are 13 things to consider before joining J.R. Watkins.

#13. They’re an American institution

They’ve been around for a long time. Like about 150 years long.

If you’re looking for established, this company is literally historic.

The J.R. Watkins administration building in Winona, Minnesota is now a museum and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places [3], and his house in Plainview, Minnesota where he mixed his first batch of the company’s signature liniment was purchased in 2008 by the Plainview Area History Center [4].

#12. They tap into the vintage craze

Antique stores aren’t just for grandma anymore.

From college kids to Macklemore, thrift shopping is in, and the whole nation is going retro. Who doesn’t love nostalgia?

J.R. Watkins sets themselves apart from the “futuristic” vibe most MLM companies are rocking nowadays by really leveraging this trend and maintaining the original aesthetic of their bottles. Their products have that vintage charm that people love.

In fact, they love it so much that there are actually “Watkins Collectors” who collect vintage Watkins products in bottles that date back 100 years or more. [5]

#11. Give direct sales a good name

Their history is woven into the fabric of America’s. A lot of people’s grandparents or great-grandparents sold for them. “The Watkins Man” was a household name back when they were still a door-to-door sales company, and people actually looked forward to a knock on the door from their local Watkins Consultant. [6]

In fact, there’s even a sappy (ahem, “heartwarming”) made-for-TV movie inspired by the life story of a Watkins salesman called Door to Door.

Somehow, this company managed to build a nostalgic, positive image instead of the negative connotations that door-to-door sales usually conjures.

J.R. Watkins is the traditional “American success story”, and their classic, sentimental brand builds trust in people and invokes all the warm fuzzies. And it’s been proven time and time again that emotional connections drive sales. [7]

#10. Once the largest direct sales company in the world

In the 1940s, J.R. Watkins was the largest direct sales company in the world. [8] Obviously, they were doing something right. They might not be as trendy as Le-vel or Purium, but they’ve been around forever.

#9. Filed for bankruptcy in the 1970s

Glory days don’t last forever. J.R. Watkins peaked in the 40s and, much like the high school prom queen who ends up fat, ugly, and poor, 30 years later they hit rock bottom. [9]

While they’ve since rebounded and worked their way back up, they never fully recovered. In fact, nowadays, they aren’t even a top 100 MLM. [10]

#8. Purchased in 2018

In January 2018, Swander Pace Capital acquired Watkins’ lines of home and personal care products, creating a separate business under the name of “J.R. Watkins.” Watkins, Inc., the original company, will continue producing their spices, extracts, and gourmet cooking ingredients. [11]

#7. Struggling to keep with the times

As charming as the vintage wares can be, companies still have to update their image to keep up with trends and modern times, and J.R. Watkins seems to be struggling.

They’ve whipped up some creative social media campaigns, but they turned out to be fairly unsuccessful as the company only gained 2,000 followers over the course of an entire year. Sorry Watkins, but my 16-year-old little sister has you beat two-fold, and all she does is post pictures of her manicures. [12]

#6. 3-way compensation plan

J.R. Watkins offers their distributors, “consultants,” three ways to sell their products.

• They can buy at wholesale prices and sell at retail prices, pocketing the difference. The company suggests prices but consultants can charge what they wish. Commission ranges from 15-49%.
• They receive commission on sponsoring new team members who make product sales. Commission ranges 10-15%.
• They can earn income through incentivized bonuses and leadership rewards. There are three main levels – consultant, manager, and executive – each of which has a bronze, silver, and gold level. Moving up will get you bonuses and additional earnings.

#5. Annual fee for distributors

The sign-on cost of $29.95 is actually an annual fee required to maintain a Watkins Membership, cheaper than a lot of MLMs (hint: SeneGence, Monat, or Norwex). The initial package to become an Independent Watkins Associate includes some training and literature to get you started and up to a 35% discount on product. You need to purchase $100 of product a month to stay active and qualify for commission.

That being said, upgrades in membership are encouraged and will lead to higher earnings. These range from $69.95-$349 in monthly orders that include product for home party settings on the lower end and product for “serious business builders” on the high end. The first three months of web maintenance for a distributor’s personal sales website are free, but afterward there’s a monthly fee for that as well.

#4. Quality, trusted products

Some of their main products include:

• Hand creams
• Lotions
• Oils
• Spices
• Seasonings
• Herbs
• Recipes
• Scrubs
• Pain relief
• Home cleaners
• Soaps

Their products are backed by over a century of usage, and they are safe and effective. In fact, when the FDA recently banned the use of 19 antibacterial ingredients commonly used in hand soaps and body washes, causing most body care companies to panic, J.R. Watkins could smugly sit back and relax, because their products have never included these banned ingredients. [13]

They’re truly “committed to providing the highest quality products by using pure ingredients.”

#3. All-natural

In 2008 they introduced a line of all-natural personal care products capable of competing with the popular Burt’s Bees, although they’ve yet to catch up with Burt’s popularity quite yet.

They also started selling food dye made with 100% natural vegetable juices, which is huge. People have been freaking out for the past decade about synthetic food dye and its correlation to health problems. [14]

#2. Extracts are now the #2 brand in the nation

The company’s extracts — vanilla, lemon, almond, etc. — are now the No. 2 U.S. brand.

Extracts and spices are a rough market. McCormick basically has a monopoly on them, which you’ll notice at pretty much any supermarket around the country. Most extract companies only experience growth in the low single-digits, but J.R. Watkins’ extracts have been hitting double-digits. [15]

#1. They sell their product in stores

This one might be a deal-breaker.

A lot of changes have been introduced by the new ownership that pulled J.R. Watkins out of bankruptcy in the 70s and back into the green.

Namely, in the 90s and early 2000s, J.R. Watkins started introducing their products into retail stores. While they still have some products exclusively available through their consultants, the company now sells many of its products everywhere from Walmart and Hy-Vee to Whole Foods, Walgreens, Ulta, and even Target.

While this has been great for the company overall, it isn’t great news for distributors. Do you really think you can compete with the likes of Target?

The fact is, retail is cheaper and more convenient for consumers.

And the proof is in the numbers – their retail channels now make up a large majority of their $120 million in annual sales. [16] While this company shows a lot of promise, they may be phasing out their direct sales methods.

Recap

You definitely wouldn’t want to join J.R. Watkins expecting it to replace your day job.

They’re not a bad company at all, but there’s just more sustainable income opportunities out there.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Kuvera: 11 secrets you need to know about this financial MLM [Review]

When an MLM gets into trouble, the quickest “fix” is a rebrand…

Or in this case, having a publicly traded company buy you out.

But does it change anything? Time will tell.

Kuvera, formerly known as Wealth Generators, is a network marketing company that offers training and tools to help you… well… generate wealth.

It sounds kinda scheme-ish doesn’t it? And they kinda are.

But we’ll let you make up your own mind. Here’s what you need to know.

FAQ

1. What does Kuvera sell? Wealth Generators/Kuvera provides financial technology, education, and research to help people “Find, Grow, and Keep” their money.  They call themselves a financial fitness company providing customers with the tools and information that can improve their financial situation.

2. What are Kuvera’s most popular products? Deductr Pro is an app that tracks expenses and mileage on the spot. With less paper, more money, and secure record keeping, Kuvera says Deductr can save as much as $1200 per year on taxes.

3. How much does it cost to join Kuvera? To get started with Kuvera, you’ll need to select one of three packages. CRYPTOone is $179.99 to join, then $149.99 per month. FXone is $179.99 to join, then $149.99 per month. The All In Pack is $229.99 to join, then $199.99 per month.

4. Is Kuvera a scam? It’s possible. When the product itself is so vague and the focus is on recruiting rather than benefiting from the product itself, you can’t help but wonder.

5. What is Kuvera’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Kuvera been in business? Since 2013

7. What is Kuvera’s revenue? We weren’t able to find any numbers online.

8. How many Kuvera distributors are there? We weren’t able to find any numbers online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In June 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued a subpoena to Kuvera. The company agreed not to act as an unregistered Commodities Trading Advisor and paid a $150,000 fine. [1]

10. Comparable companies: iMarketsLive, Karatbars

So should you get involved?

Product-wise this company might be legit, but if you’re just interested in the business opportunity, there are better options out there…

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s 11 secrets you should know about Kuvera.

#11. They’re pretty new

Going with an unestablished MLM is always a big risk, considering how many of them fail in the first few years. Wealth Generators was started in 2013, and by 2018 had already been bought out. They were purchased by Investview Corporation (a publicly traded company) and rebranded to Kuvera LLC. [2]

#10. Rebranding of a failed MLM

Like many other direct selling companies, Wealth Generators was basically a rebranded version of failed MLM. Brand new look, same botched flavor.

WakeUpNow (WUN) tanked after 5 years of most of their members losing money. [3] In fact, 96% made absolutely no money at all, which is bad, even for MLM, and what exactly they offered in terms of a product was unclear [4], making them highly susceptible to being deemed a pyramid scheme.

And where did their top-levels run to?

Those same people began promoting Wealth Generators, a company with eery similarities to the now-bankrupt WUN. Not only do they both sell things (including financial management tools) that are widely available free of cost, but Wealth Generators’s compensation plan was nearly identical to WUN’s, and they both had a razor-sharp focus on recruitment. [5]

Now known as Kuvera, time will tell whether they’re any different. They still operate as an MLM, using the same MLM structure. But anything is possible. Maybe they’ll be able to improve their image over time.

#9. Sells a range of financial tools

Kuvera wants to teach your average Joe Schmoe how to be a Wall Street trader, raking in the millions with the click of a button.

They sell a variety of financial tools and software, including equities and ForEx trade alerts, personal finance lessons, financial media, and receipt tracking and tax applications.

Their trading applications are their main selling point – they have a team of “market experts” that analyze the market and provide alerts and advice based on their findings.

The idea is that users are to “mirror” these experts, being able to rake in the same big cash rewards without years of learning about all the financial details (sounds like Zukul or MMM).

#8. Products are vague…

It takes a while to figure out what it is they actually sell when you browse their site, and most of their distributors just talk about recruiting without even trying to sell the product.

After a little digging, it starts to become clear as to why their marketing is so vague…

#7. The product they sell is actually free

Here’s the thing – forex software, the one thing they seem to really be selling, is actually FREE.

That’s right, by and large, you can find a number of programs that provide alerts and advice on the forex market without spending a single penny. That’s because most trading software makes money off the trades you make.

In fact, the only substantial product they do sell that actually costs money is their tax software, Taxbot. But even that only costs $9.99.

So in the end, what are you really paying for? The right to turn around and sell this invisible product to more people.

#6. Quality is questionable at best

Their forex software also doesn’t seem to offer anything superior to other trading software on the market.

There’s no proof on their website that their “market experts” are truly qualified to offer trading advice. In fact, they don’t even appear to be certified by the SEC. If they had credentials, they’d probably be advertised on the website, but they aren’t.

Wall Street execs are some of the most loaded people in the world. A real “market expert” is going to be too busy getting rich off of trading to waste time teaching their secrets to people online for chump change.

#5. Their product is extremely risky

While most people don’t actually make money after joining an MLM, they typically don’t lose more than what they paid in start-up costs, and maybe a product order (although they still have product to show for it).

In the case of  Kuvera, their main product (trading software), can actually cause customers to lose money – lots of it.

The risk in forex trading is extremely high, which is why it’s typically advised for experts only. [6] This company claims to make trading on the forex market accessible for beginners but really provides no proof to back up that claim.

The markets aren’t exactly easy to understand or predict.

Given the fact that there is such a hyper-focus on recruitment amongst their distributors, I’m going to guess that they’re not making much money off trading. Most are probably losing it.

#4. Core mission doesn’t make sense

If the goal of Kuvera is to make people rich by sharing some super secret, highly-effective trading advice with as many people as possible, then frankly, their goal makes absolutely no sense.

Here’s the thing about trading – it’s a zero-sum game. When you’re trading with other people, every time someone wins, another person loses.

That means that if Kuvera’s software can really help people make money from trading, then the more people they recruit, the less money each person makes. The bigger their network becomes (which is the goal of MLM), the less effective their product becomes.

Either their product doesn’t work, or the company is too blind to see that it is inherently illogical.

#3. Confusing compensation plan and bonuses

The compensation plan for Kuvera is confusing at best and mostly relies on bonuses rather than a fixed commission on each subscription. [7]

If you achieve 400 PV in a month (three subscriptions sold to others plus your own subscription), you get a bonus of $129.99-199.99 depending on your own subscription price. Selling that plus another 900 GV gets you $500, and hitting 400 PV plus 3,600 GV gets you a $1,000 bonus.

Aside from that, past a certain level you earn 4% on sales down to 3 levels, 4 levels, or 8 levels depending on your status.

There are a handful of other bonuses and luxury trips.

#2. Sign-on cost is in monthly payments

The initial sign-on cost ranges from $180-230. After that, monthly payments are required, with more expensive packages offering a larger payout. [8]

CRYPTOone is $179.99 to join, then $149.99 per month.

FXone is $179.99 to join, then $149.99 per month.

The All In Pack is $229.99 to join, then $199.99 per month.

Although, since Kuvera members can be held legally liable by the SEC for giving out trading advice to their recruits (because again, they are not qualified), some recommend Errors and Omission Insurance for liability protection. [9]

#1.  “Risk Free” Triple Guarantee…isn’t really risk-free

Kuvera does offer a return policy:

“If you purchase one of our subscriptions for six months and lose money overall for that period, WE WILL REIMBURSE YOU 3X YOUR SUBSCRIPTION FEES!”

Here’s the catch.

You need to prove that you have followed every single piece of advice, training, and alert they’ve given you to a T. How do you even do that? You need to show them you’ve done all the recommended trades – which gets expensive over the course of 6 months, especially if you are continually losing money on their advice.

And, you need to stick to it for 6 months, which means you’re paying a $129.99-199.99 subscription fee SIX TIMES. Most people who start losing a lot of money aren’t going to keep forking it over for five more months.

Needless to say, they will probably find a way to deny you your money back based on their extensive terms and conditions.

Recap

While I’m not an MLM hater, Kuvera is still competing against hundreds of other companies getting people on board to join their “hype” rather than building a valuable business.

While you could make a few extra bucks with a few sales, by no means will you be quitting your day job anytime soon. There are better opportunities for that.

Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.

After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Melaleuca: Is this wellness MLM too good to be true? [Review]

Wellness products that are good for the environment…

An MLM that doesn’t push recruiting…

A founder who tells distributors not to invest in more product than they can sell…

Seriously?

Is this MLM too good to be true? Or are they really trying to make a difference?

Melaleuca is a health and wellness MLM company founded in Idaho. They skyrocketed years ago, and now, when most other MLMs are losing revenue, they’re still trending up.

Recently they’ve hit the coveted $2 billion mark in sales. The question is whether those sales will translate into a good stream of income for you. Let’s take a look.

FAQ

1. What does Melaleuca sell? Melaleuca calls themselves the “largest online wellness shopping club,” selling nutrition, personal care, home cleaning, and cosmetics products that are supposed to be safer and more cost-effective than grocery store brands.

2. What are Melaleuca’s most popular products? Renew is the last dry skin therapy Melaleuca believes you’ll ever need. Their Peak Performance vitamin pack contains a collection of supplements separated into convenient morning and evening pill packs. So staying healthy doesn’t have to take a lot of thought. They also have a slew of great cleaning products that are environmentally friendly.

3. How much does it cost to join Melaleuca? It costs $19 per year to become a Melaleuca distributor.

4. Is Melaleuca a scam? No, they’re a real company with real products that health-conscious people will love. As MLMs go, they’re generous. They keep their membership rate low, and they aim to keep their employees long-term and help them retire wealthy. As a money-making opportunity, they probably aren’t your best bet. But honestly, most people join to use the products, not to get rich.

5. What is Melaleuca’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Melaleuca been in business? Since 1985

7. What is Melaleuca’s revenue? They boast $2 billion in annual sales.

8. How many Melaleuca distributors are there? 150,000

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, Truth in Advertising called out Melaleuca for misleading income claims. [1] In 2012, Melaleuca had a restraining order placed on Brian and Angelique Bartholomew to prevent them from recruiting distributors for another MLM. [2] In 2011, Melaleuca sued Max International for recruiting their distributors. Max International settled for $1.2 million, and a judge temporarily barred Max International from recruiting employees at Melaleuca. [3] In 2010, Terry Dorfman sued Melaleuca for breach of contract and defamation. [4] In 2009, Melaleuca filed a lawsuit against Rick and Natalie Foeller for recruiting other Melaleuca distributors for a completing MLM. [5]

10. Comparable companies: Pure Haven Essentials, Max International, Purium

So should you join them?

Product-wise, they’re pretty good.

Income-wise, there are way better ways to make passive income.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

 

Overview

When Melaleuca got started some 30 years ago, they were just a humble little start-up company in a small town in Idaho.

Those days are long gone. They quickly became a multi-billion dollar company with operations in almost 20 countries worldwide. These guys bring in a million shoppers per month, rivaling sales volume of the likes of Amway and Avon.

And in 2015, their annual sales broke the $1 billion mark. That’s HUGE. They did $1.75 billion in 2016, making them one of the top MLMs in the world.

Their tagline is “The Wellness Company”, and they want all of their endeavors to cover four areas of wellness — a more holistic approach, we’ll say. The four aspects are your physical health, your financial well-being, your overall quality of life, and the greater well-being of the environment.

Frank L. Vandersloot started Melaleuca way back in 1985. He’s been a successful salesman his whole life, but as he started to age, he decided that he wanted to start letting someone else do the grunt work for him. So he built up a team of part-time salespeople and started an MLM. Well played, Mr. Vandersloot, well played.

Frank Vandersloot injects Melaleuca with a refreshing dose of humility and frugality when MLM is known for arrogance, over-the-top events, and fancy car bonuses. He’s known for preaching to his employees the value of living within their means, not going into debt, and not buying cars and houses they can’t afford.

He even discourages his distributors from pushing new recruits into a mountain of debt by purchasing tons of inventory and training programs. I can get behind that.

How much does Melaleuca cost? There’s an annual membership fee of $19. You also have to buy about $80 in product each month to keep an active membership and qualify for commission.

Products

Melaleuca health and home products have always been centered around offering environmentally friendly options to everyone. Of course, “environmentally friendly” usually comes with a higher price tag.

The list of Melaleuca products is longer than the line up outside of a Chick-Fil-A drive through at lunchtime. Seriously, the amount of products they sell is ridiculous. Then again, they have been around for over 30 years.

Their catalog can be broken up into the following categories: Nutrition, Medicine Cabinet, Beauty, Household, Bath & Body, and Essential Oils. Your one-stop shop for all the MLM favorites.

Some of their most popular products include Peak Performance Total Health, a nutritional supplement that supports your workouts and is actually clinically tested (congrats), their Renew intensive skin therapy lotion, and their eco-sense laundry products. The only way to see their prices is to log in to a member account.

They offer a membership money-back guarantee that allows you to terminate your membership up to three months after purchasing it and get your money back, and you don’t even have to give them a good reason. So signing up for their shopping membership is worth a try, even if you end up not really digging it.

Compensation Plan

The Melaleuca compensation plan, also known as their “Business Builders Plan”, isn’t half bad. However, it is way WAY more confusing than it needs to be. Smells like MLM.

Don’t worry, I’ll try to parse out the details and break it down easily for you.

The most important stream of income is the purchases your customers and recruits are making. You get a residual income on all of their purchases, so if they shop on the platform regularly, that can add up. You get 7% of their monthly spend.

If you are the Enroller, you can earn 20% on your new customers first 150 product points purchased, and if you’re that person’s Enroller and immediate Marketing Exec, you can earn 27%.

Your 7% in residual commission isn’t huge, but it stays flat straight through your downline. It doesn’t decrease, which is a pretty good deal. You get 7% off of your 1st generation, 2nd generation, 3rd generation, etc. This goes 7 generations deep.

You can also earn bonuses for enrolling Quality Customers. Quality customers are people who enroll, become Preferred Customers, and make the necessary minimum purchases within their first month.

Weekly Melaleuca bonuses are given out to anyone who has kept their Preferred Customers enrolled through the past 5 months. If you’ve managed to retain 75% or more of your Preferred Customers, you can qualify.

Finally, Melaleuca gives out some pretty good Leadership Development Bonuses for those who are building up a solid team of distributors who sell a lot and move up in rank. Each time one of the distributors in your downline gets a rank bonus or sales bonus, you get a bonus that’s equal to 50% of their bonus.

Like I said, the compensation plan is way too convoluted, lol. Usually, when MLMs do that, it makes me wonder what they’re hiding.

The average annual income of their Directors (and many new reps don’t even make it to Director level), is $2,047. These are distributors who have worked at building their business for quite some time and already have 8 customers or more. Many people won’t even make it that far.

Recap

Melaleuca has a pretty impressive backstory, especially if you remember back to the early 2000s when they really started to take off. But they haven’t slowed down – hitting $1 billion a couple years ago was their greatest milestone yet.

The company might be doing great, but most of their distributors are not. Sorry folks, but the numbers don’t lie.

Of course, if you’re into their products, it could be a fun gig to do on the side. Just don’t expect it to pay the bills.

If it’s financial freedom you seek and you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

Mary Kay: Is there a pink Cadillac in your future? [Review]

Mary Kay is one of the best-known beauty multi-level marketing companies in the world…

And the most popular.

When it comes to cosmetics direct sales, Mary Kay is almost #1 (we see you, Avon).

Shoot, when it comes to MLM, they’re almost #1 with all the other “big daddys” (up there with Herbalife and Amway).

But is it right for you? Keep reading to find out.

FAQ

1. What does Mary Kay sell? Mary Kay sells skin care, cosmetics, body care, fragrance, and men’s grooming products.

2. What are Mary Kay’s most popular products? Mary Kay’s flagship product is their skincare, which was designed to keep the skin looking flawless at any age. Their TimeWise Repair Ultimate Volu-Firm Set, which they’re calling the ultimate age-fighting regimen, is especially popular. It includes a foaming cleanser, lifting serum, day cream sunscreen, night treatment with Retinol, eye renewal cream, wrinkle filler, and facial peel.

3. How much does it cost to join Mary Kay? The Mary Kay starter kit costs $100 and includes full-sized demonstration products, samples, brochures, DVDs, and special offers, all in a feminine briefcase-style bag. You’ll also need to pay $30 to enroll in the Mary Kay Personal Web Site program.

4. Is Mary Kay a scam? No, Mary Kay is a legitimate business selling quality skin care and makeup. It also looks like they’re trying not to oversell the business opportunity of selling Mary Kay. Their website promises that having a Mary Kay business can give you freedom, but they also acknowledge that directors have worked hard and made sacrifices to achieve their success.

5. What is Mary Kay’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has Mary Kay been in business? Since 1963

7. What is Mary Kay’s revenue? $3.25 billion

8. How many Mary Kay distributors are there? 3.5 million

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In recent years, there have been several cases of Mary Kay slapping down Mary Kay “resellers,” people who buy products from consultants who weren’t able to return them… and then sell them on Amazon or Ebay. In 2017, Truth in Advertising found some inappropriate income claims made by Mary Kay or their distributors. [1] In 2015, an employment class action lawsuit was filed by New Jersey state residents who worked for Mary Kay but were misclassified as independent contractors and made to purchase company merchandise as part of their employment. It was dismissed in 2016. [2, 3] In 2006, Mary Kay was ordered to pay more than $26 million in back royalties to TriStrata Technology Inc. for patent infringement. [4] In 2000, Michelle Graham appealed an injunction barring her from selling Mary Kay at her retail locations after terminating her consultant agreement. Mary Kay won. [5]

10. Comparable companies: Arbonne, Rodan + Fields, Jeunesse

So is Mary Kay a thing of the past or should you get involved?

Product-wise, they’re great. They’re classic. Business opportunity-wise, there are much better out there.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s the full review on Mary Kay.

Overview

In case you don’t fully understand the level of dominance this MLM has reached, here are a few stats for you…

Direct Selling News ranks them as the #6 MLM…in the entire world.

They’re in the billion dollar club, and not only that, but their annual revenue for 2017 was $3.25 billion. For some perspective, direct selling GIANTS Herbalife were at $4.4 billion.

Mary Kay has been around for over 50 years, and they’ve got a mega sales army of over 3.5 million Independent Beauty Consultants.

This MLM has created a worldwide name for themselves and has made countless millionaires out of women all around the globe. Not only that, but they also share the wealth through a number of charitable organizations. The Mary Kay Foundation, their charity arm, has a couple of humble goals….to cure cancer and end domestic violence. All in a day’s work, you know.

So, there’s no question. Mary Kay is one of the biggest, most successful MLMs out there.

But hold up, wait a minute, don’t start dreaming about that rose-colored Caddy just yet.

How much does Mary Kay cost? In order to become a Mary Kay consultant, you must purchase a $100 starter kit. Then, in order to remain active and qualified for the commission plan, you have to sell at least $200 in product every 3 months.

Products

We all know what they sell — beauty products. But are they any good? What makes them so special?

First of all, their products aren’t tested on animals, which is huge nowadays.

They’ve spent years testing, researching, and developing cosmetics, so you know their products are top notch. These aren’t just trending favorites, they’re time-tested, proven favorites. Seriously, their product development team is the size of some small countries.

They’ve also got more than just makeup and skincare, although that’s where their products are focused. But you’ll also find body products, fragrances, and men’s products.

Some of their best-sellers include Lash Love Mascara, their TimeWise 3-in-1 cleanser, their Mary Kay eyeliner, and their Mineral Powder Foundation. They’ve also released a new line of skincare products called Clear Proof that have been doing really well.

On top of that, their products are very reasonably priced. Compared to most major cosmetics brands, Mary Kay is considered affordable, even cheap. Most of their top products are around $12-$18.

Compensation Plan

When you buy into becoming a Pink Lady, you automatically get the title of Independent Beauty Consultant. If you sell well, you can move up to Independent Sales Director and National Sales Director. This is where the money’s at.

We all know the peons at the bottom of the pyramid don’t make good money…or any money at all. This is especially true of organizations as big and reputable as Mary Kay. They bring in a lot of money, sure, but the longer they stick around, the harder it gets to move to the top.

Anyway, the start up kit provides you with some materials to start: a business announcement eCard, a custom color look, 40% off a business kit (which you’re going to need if you’re serious), and 50% off Mary Kay product purchased online.

Yep, you read that right. 50% off. That means you purchase product at half price, re-sell it for full price. For folks that can count, that’s a 50% commission rate on personal sales. One of the best in the business.

Once you move up in rank, you can start earning 4% on the sales of your downline. If you keep shooting toward the sky, you could reach as high as 13% commission on sales that other people are making for you. Not bad at all.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. But how do I get the free pink car?

This is how their most successful distributors rope in new team members time and time again. They show up to Becky’s engagement party in their shiny new Mary Kay Caddy, and eventually one of Becky’s friends asks how she got it. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, new recruit.

Anyway, I’m going to give you the good news first, then the bad news.

The good news is that all top sales people have the option of getting the pink Cadillac as a bonus if they can reach about $100,000 per year in sales.

The bad news? You have to hit 6 figures in sales. This is not an easy feat, folks. It’s going to require a lot of spamming your family and losing all your friends.

The extra bad news? Car bonus incentive programs are basically NEVER a good deal in MLM. If you do somehow manage to sell $100,000 and qualify for the Cadillac, you don’t get the car outright — you get a 2 year lease with Mary Kay paying your monthly lease payments for you. However, if you fall below that requirement, Mary Kay stops paying off your lease and you’re left to shoulder the $800+ monthly payments on your own. It’s a good way to rack up some debt.

Recap

If you HAVE to join an MLM and you’re really into makeup, Mary Kay is an obvious choice. They’ve churned out loads of successful sales women.

That being said, for every successful sales woman they made, they made 100 women go into debt buying product they weren’t able to sell.

Yes, Mary Kay might be killing it…for direct sales. But if it’s money you’re chasing, there’s other stuff out there.

If it’s financial freedom you seek and you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

World Wide Dream Builders: Giving you a leg up or draining your wallet? [Review]

MLMs are tough…

So any support from your upline is welcome. Especially if that upline includes heavy-hitters earning multiple six figures and more.

In Amway, some of the best support comes through World Wide Dream Builders (WWDB).

World Wide Dream Builders is an internet marketing organization affiliated with MLM giant Amway. Created by a Diamond distributor, it aims to fast-track new distributors’ journey to Diamond.

It’s not completely selfless, though.

In any endeavor, once you’ve figured out how to do something incredibly well, you can make even more money teaching other people how to do it too — and the profit potential is unlimited when you’re talking about online training.

The real question is whether you should get involved with WWDB. That’s for you to decide. Keep reading for all the details.

FAQ

1. What does World Wide Dream Builders sell? WWDB sells motivational and training products to Amway distributors to help them sell, recruit, and hopefully rise to the rank of Diamond. Products include motivational tapes, CSs, audio files, reading material, seminars, and events. Other services include CommuniKate, which gives toll-free access to a virtual personal assistant who coordinates phone calls, voicemail, email, faxes, etc.

2. What are World Wide Dream Builders’ most popular products? The membership aims to take your Amway business to 6 or 7 figures, and that takes some serious mindset shifts and new habits. That’s probably why the basic “Standing Order Tape” is so popular. You get unlimited access to listen or download from an entire audio/video library, including “approved for prospects” audios that can be sent digitally.

3. How much does it cost to join World Wide Dream Builders?  Premier membership is $54.95.

4. Is World Wide Dream Builders a scam? No, WWDB is an approved provider of Amway training and education. It provides support and training from successful Amway distributors to new or struggling Amway distributors to help them achieve success. Be aware, there’s not a lot of information freely available online, but this organization is part of the Amway universe. Which means most of the information is going to be shared inside Amway, not online.

5. What is World Wide Dream Builders’ BBB rating? A+

6. How long has World Wide Dream Builders been in business? Since the 1970s.

7. What is World Wide Dream Builders’ revenue? This information isn’t available online.

8. How many World Wide Dream Builders distributors are there? This information isn’t available online.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? We didn’t see any lawsuits mentioned online.

10. Comparable companies: Amway, Life Leadership, Global Affiliate Zone

World Wide Dream Builders has done a few things right, but there are still better ways to make passive income.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s the full review on WWDB.

Overview

If you’ve heard of MLM, you’ve probably heard of Amway. And if you’ve heard of Amway, you’ve probably heard of World Wide Dream Builders…

Here’s why.

Amway is the #1, long-time reigning champ when it comes to direct sales. Call them the Michael Phelps of MLM.

If you take a look at the top MLMs in the world based on revenue, the numbers speak for themselves. Amway is —and has been for years — in the first position. They bring in $8.6 billion in annual revenue, while #2, Avon, isn’t even close. They sit at $5.7 billion.

So, it makes sense that when you have a corporation that huge, it’s going to have some popular offshoots and copycats. Well, Amway has hundreds. In fact, they have so many, there’s a name for them: Lines of Affiliation (LOAs).

These are business support systems that successful Amway distributors started in which they use the methods from their own success to train and motivate new Amway distributors to follow in their (6-figure) footsteps…all for the low, low price of $54.95. These guys built their own MLM off the side of another MLM, basically.

Worldwide Dream Builders (WWDB) is one of those LOAs. In fact, it’s the largest, most successful LOA.

WWDB was started by Amway legend Ron Puryear. This guy started with Amway wayyy back in the early 70s, and he managed to hit it big. It only took him 4 years to move up to Diamond, and before he knew it, he was pulling in 6 figures.

Naturally, people began to notice him, and he’d taken to teaching others his methods for success. So he decided to make money off this by starting WWDB. Using his WWDB program, he’s grown his own prodigies: his organization at Amway now has over 500 Diamonds.

How much does Worldwide Dream Builders cost? It costs $54.95 per month to join WWDB as a basic member. However, there are some additional fees you’ll need to pay in addition to your membership, and they’re a little hidden.

I’ll spell them out for you.

Communikate – $36.95/month. This is the communication system they use. Without it, you won’t be able to partake in any of the benefits of being a member.

A basic subscription to training CDs and audio – $25/month. Without these, you might as well not join at all, as they’re the bread and butter of the company.

So, it’s closer to $112 per month, bare minimum.

On top of this, there are lots of extra training kits, events, and educational programs you can purchase that can add up to over $250 a piece. Plus, you have to sell around $300 per month to qualify for commission. This is in addition to whatever you’re paying Amway to sell for them.

Products

WWDB sells the dream of striking it rich with Amway. They do this in various formats: eBooks, audio files, CDs, and presentations.

They also sell training events in various cities around the country that cost a pretty penny. They really sell distributors on these events, convincing them that attending in person is the only way they can make real money. Those costs add up fast.

Their basic subscription costs $25 and gets you unlimited access to listen or download files from their audio/video library, including “approved for prospects” audios that can be sent digitally. Purchase of CDs is optional at a cost of $2.50 each. The local training seminars are typically $15-$30. “Open” Business Overview presentations are $15 for the business owners, free to guests.

It’s genius…

If anyone feels like they’re wasting their money and not getting anything out of WWDB, they can convince that person that they simply aren’t spending enough. “Well, of course you’re not seeing success yet, you haven’t purchased XYZ!”

Compensation Plan

Known for having one of the most unique compensation plans in the industry, WWDB really makes their distributors work long, hard hours and go hard with the Facebook spamming in order to see any results.

That’s because they work on a compensation system that requires you to build up 6, (yes, SIX), legs, all at once. Just to qualify for a bonus, you’ve got to hit 300 PV yourself and then get all 6 of your legs to hit 100 PV each.

That’s not all. In addition to getting all six to sell for you, you’ve also got to get half of them to attend those expensive in-person events, and 5 out of 6 have to be purchasing the monthly standing order of audio files.

On top of that, your legs will break away when they hit 7,500 PV, and you’ll have to start all over from scratch.

It sounds crazy, and it is. But you do see some good rewards if you can make it happen continually. You get 30% commission off your active legs, and even after they break away, you still see 4% residuals for life.

Recap

Don’t expect dream building to come easy. You’ve got to put in some serious work to do well with WWDB (along with some serious cash).

This is all on top of the time and money you’re investing into Amway, which is likely already way too much.

Can you get rich off Amway and WWDB?

Highly doubtful. Nothing against the company, but 99% of MLM-ers aren’t making any money.

If it’s financial freedom you seek and you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

from MLM Companies

SeneGence: Will lipstick with staying power make you rich? [Review]

No one wants lipstick that smears or stains your teeth.

So finding one that promises luscious lips with none of the drawbacks is attractive.

Like, blow-up-the-internet attractive.

Enter SeneGence…

They’re a lipstick MLM better known by their flagship product: LipSense.

You know those videos taking over Instagram of girls applying makeup and cosmetic products like lipstick and then wiping their lips with one finger to prove it doesn’t smudge?

That’s SeneGence. Check the hashtags, these guys are trending.

FAQ

1. What does SeneGence sell? SeneGence sells cosmetic and skincare products that not only work, they stay put. Product lines include skin care, anti-aging, SeneDerm solutions, face, eyes, lips, body, hair, and perfumes.

2. What are SeneGence’s most popular products? Their most famous product is LipSense, a long-lasting lip color. They now offer an entire line of lip care products: gloss, lip balm, ooops! remover, lip volumizer, and lip conditioning polish.

3. How much does it cost to join SeneGence? To join, you’ll pay $55 for your distributor kit and application fee. You can then buy a distributor pack if you like. (It’s optional.) Your options: Fast Start Pack ($1,195), Significant SeleSeller Pack ($795), Qualified Distributor Pack ($345), Glamour Demo Pack ($295), or the Lips Pack ($75).

4. Is SeneGence a scam? No, it’s a real business selling real products. In fact, their LipSense is a favorite of singer Christina Aguilera and are used by makeup artists on Broadway performers. [1]

5. What is SeneGence’s BBB rating? A+

6. How long has SeneGence been in business? Since 1998

7. What is SeneGence’s revenue? They don’t release annual revenue figures, but they do report 100% year-over-year growth. It’s estimated that they did $380 million in sales in 2015.

8. How many SeneGence distributors are there? Just under half a million.

9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2018, CEO Joni Rogers-Kante revealed she’s being sued by a distributor for taking sides in a marital dispute. She says there’s no truth to the allegation. [2] In 2017, an audit by Truth in Advertising revealed some false or unsubstantiated income claims. [3]

10. Comparable companies: Mary Kay, Rodan + Fields

Listen, we admire SeneGence and everything they’re doing. But as far as an income opportunity goes, there are better options out there.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

Either way, here’s the full review on SeneGence.

Overview

Despite the current LipSense-mania, SeneGence has actually been around for a long time. Since 1998, to be exact. But they were kind of a nobody until recently.

Just check this chart. Crazy.

So what pushed the hype train on SeneGence into overdrive?

Probably a mix between the increasing popularity of social media (in particular, Instagram and YouTube) and, well, Kylie Jenner…

Stay with me here.

Love her or hate her, Kylie Jenner started a worldwide trend with her infamously bloated (and purportedly fake) “Jenner lips.” A YouTube/Vine trend called the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge,” in which women used lipstick to grossly exaggerate the size of their lips, took the internet by storm in 2014.

Thus, the cultural obsession with lipstick was reborn, and it used social media as its platform right from the start. You’ll notice that this is around the time that SeneGence started taking off.

With their ultra-long-lasting LipSense products and the potential to turn their direct sales model into social media influencer marketing, SeneGence rode this wave like a pro. By 2015, they were up to $15 million in annual revenue and breaking sales records left and right. In 2018, they made it to #16 on the Direct Selling Momentum Ranks, which measures the momentum of an MLM based on their Alexa ranking, the buzz they’re getting on Facebook, engagement on social media, and their own polls.

Joni Rogers-Kante, the founder of SeneGence, is the reason SeneGence has been so successful. She was trained by the best in the business — Rogers-Kante is a former pink Caddy driving Mary Kay lady. After learning the ropes and hitting top sales numbers, she went off on her own and started SeneGence.

Headquartered in California, the company has 80 full-time employees and now operates in over a dozen countries worldwide.

How much does Senegence cost? To become a distributor, you need to pay a $55 sign-up fee.

This will get you all the necessary marketing and training materials, but you won’t get any product.

To start up with some product (which you have to do if you want to sell anything), you can choose from two kits:

• Fast Start Pack ($1,195)
• Significant SeleSeller Pack ($795)
• Qualified Distributor Pack ($345)
• Glamour Demo Pack ($295)
• Lips Pack ($75)

In order to remain qualified, you need to sell at least 300 PV each month.

Products

It’s not just their lipsticks that are long-lasting. All SeneGence products were formulated to last longer than any other cosmetics on the market. Long-lasting makeup is just now becoming a trend, but they’ve been doing it since the 90s.

SeneGence makeup is all semi-permanent, water-resistant, all-day wear makeup (similar to Oriflame and Arbonne). And when they say all day, they really mean all day. SeneGence is still known for having some of the best long-lasting cosmetic products on the market.

Their products come in the following categories:

• Skincare
• Anti-Aging
• Face
• Eyes
• Lips
• Body

They also recently started selling perfume as well as a line of special, dermatologist formulated products called SeneDerm.

Their products aren’t outrageously priced, but they’re pretty expensive. LipSense, for example, costs $25 for one color. On top of that, you’re technically supposed to purchase the $20 LipSense Gloss in order to “seal” the color as well as the $10 Ooops! Remover in order to properly remove the lipstick. If you really want the Kylie Jenner look, you’ll also need the $50 LipVolumizer. That’s a total of $105 just to look like you’ve got bee-stung lips.

It’s also a lot to invest in up-front. As a distributor, you’re going to want some product on hand so that potential clients can try it out. No one wants to spend $45+ on a lipstick they can’t even try first — what if it looks bad? You’ll want to have all the different colors on hand for them to try, too.

This is turning into a pretty hefty initial investment.

Compensation Plan

You do get a pretty generous discount on product, which is a huge plus for a lot of SeneGence distributors. They often join just for the product discount.

The product discount starts at 20%, but it can range all the way up to 50% if you sell enough. You have to hit at least 750 PV per month to get the 50% discount, but that means you’re taking in 50% retail profit on your personal sales. That’s one of the highest commission rates out there (on par with Mary Kay).

You’ll also get residual commission on your downline. This is paid out on a unilevel structure, and it only pays out 5 levels deep. Most MLMs pay residuals 7 levels deep.

However, their rates aren’t bad. You get 10% on the purchases of your level 1 recruits, 20% on your level 2, and 30% on your level 3. And you only have to hit 100 PV monthly to unlock that. Eventually, you can unlock an extra 5% on your level 4 and level 5 recruits.

What this encourages you to do is to focus a little more on quality over quantity when building your team. Other MLMs pay down 7 levels deep with lower commission rates, which makes it pretty easy to just sit back and let your downline recruit, recruit, recruit without training them much in sales.

With SeneGence, there’s a big focus on your first three levels, so it becomes important to train your recruits really well and help them succeed.

They also pay residuals 5 levels deep on the sales volume of your downline, which totals out to 25%.

Recap

If you’re really into SeneGence products, you should probably join up as a distributor. They offer great discounts, and it could turn out to be a really fun hobby.

But if you’re expecting to make a living off this opportunity, good luck. You’ve got to invest a lot of money to start up, and you’ve got to sell like crazy and recruit a HUGE team. This just isn’t realistic for 99% of people.

Hitting it big with a company like SeneGence really only works if you’re already a pretty well-known beauty blogger or YouTuber with thousands of loyal followers. You’ve already established a huge customer base, and they trust your recommendations.

However, don’t expect to build an empire from scratch. If you don’t already have a following and a very big, loyal client base, you’re probably going to be throwing your money at SeneGence while your words fall on deaf ears.

If it’s financial freedom you seek and you like automated ways to build passive income, there are better ways.

Click here for my #1 recommendation

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