Topic: 2 Good friends, In the grasp of amway

[341gerbig]

Just ask them how much money they've made on it so far. Chances are the answer will be zero.

They lost money, they have been putting $100 into their "business" just to meet the minimum requirements of staying with amway...
they cant get anybody below them.

I have explained to them that amway isnt getting "business partners", they are buying long term customers... but they just shake their heads and say im ignorant. And i find that too ironic for words.

[khendar]

Just ask them how much money they've made on it so far. Chances are the answer will be zero.

They lost money, they have been putting $100 into their "business" just to meet the minimum requirements of staying with amway...
they cant get anybody below them.

I have explained to them that amway isnt getting "business partners", they are buying long term customers... but they just shake their heads and say im ignorant. And i find that too ironic for words.

Yeah it sounds like they're beyond redemption. At least until they've been suckered for a few years and blown thousands of dollars. Mind you they'd never admit they were suckered. They'd probably just complain about "economies" and "markets" and "timing". 

[Sordid]

-They are talking about dropping all friends (including me) who are not millionaires, because amway believes you should make friends with millionaires, and then you will become a millionair

Wow. If someone said that to me, they would instantly cease to be my friend. And when they came crawling back to me broke, I'd tell them that I don't want to be friends with poor people because that would make me poor too.

[Jim S]

Yeah...maybe start apologizing for your car every time they get in it, and tell them that you at least did acquire some Grey Poupon and that they should just let you know if they want it...and then reach into the glove box and pull a little jar of the stuff out....carpool OVER. 

[341gerbig]

-They are talking about dropping all friends (including me) who are not millionaires, because amway believes you should make friends with millionaires, and then you will become a millionair

Wow. If someone said that to me, they would instantly cease to be my friend. And when they came crawling back to me broke, I'd tell them that I don't want to be friends with poor people because that would make me poor too.

Eh, i have to work with em.

So im stuck with them for the next considerable while

[khendar]

You could start your own business, something simple like a weekend lawn mowing service. Turn a profit in your first couple of weeks, then offer them a franchise opportunity, arguing that since you've actually made money your business model is infinitely more successful than their loss-producing model.

[341gerbig]

You could start your own business, something simple like a weekend lawn mowing service. Turn a profit in your first couple of weeks, then offer them a franchise opportunity, arguing that since you've actually made money your business model is infinitely more successful than their loss-producing model.

=D

[David E.]

Just have them do the Math.

[341gerbig]

Just have them do the Math.

Read the thread man, ive explained the math to them.

they dont care

[amysrevenge]

I actually find secular cults to be much more disturbing than religious cults.

[Eternally Learning]

I actually find secular cults to be much more disturbing than religious cults.

Meh.  They're about the same to me.  Both center around irrational beliefs and hopes, and usually around some charismatic leader who has all the shit they want by virtue of sucking it from them.

[stonesean]

Went to a seminar in DC with a couple of my wifes friends.

We were going to a dinner party with them, and they baited my wife with: "We've got to go to a business meeting, but after the meeting we'll all go to dinner together."  Fair enough.

The next step was, "Tell you what, since you guys are in town, and don't have a car, why don't you ride with us to the meeting (it was at a really nice hotel) you guys can hang out, get refreshments or whatever, and then we'll all drive to Drew's (a third party) house together".  (The hotel was halfway between our current location and our final destination)

It turns out it was an Amway meeting.  Nobody would say the word "Amway" while we were talking about it in the car, until I flat out asked (jokingly) "What, are we going to an Amway meeting or something?" 

My wife and I were pretty annoyed with our pals, but we stayed nice and quiet during the meeting.  I really upset some folks at the punch and cookies reception after though. 

Yeah it sounds like they're beyond redemption. At least until they've been suckered for a few years and blown thousands of dollars. Mind you they'd never admit they were suckered. They'd probably just complain about "economies" and "markets" and "timing".

Bingo!  I haven't really spoken to those pals except for facebook posts since the "meeting"....They spent a lot of money on it, but don't really talk about it any more two years later.   I think the bloom is off the rose for them, and I don't have the heart to rub it in their faces and do the "I told you so" dance.....your pals will most likely come to their senses in a couple years...

[David E.]

Just have them do the Math.

Read the thread man, ive explained the math to them.

they dont care

I know, but damn, it's the best thing to do.  There really is nothing else to do. 

[Eternally Learning]

It's worth noting that if they don't actually reason themselves out of this and just quietly exit after failing to succeed, that they are really likely to fall into some other scam/inadvisable venture down the road.  I should know; growing up friends of my parents were into selling Quorum security devices, then Melaleuca products, then Amway turned Quixtar, and then Noni Juice.

After that I guess they gave up on the MLM crap because they got suckered into buying a house in the middle of West Virginia by some guy in Davis who owns the gas station/car repair shop, is a real estate dealer, does IT work, sells Golden Gate Bridges, etc.  The guy tells them that since there's skiing slopes nearby that they can use it for a bed and breakfast (which he'd be all too happy to manage for a fee of course).  On top of that, there's some big highway being built that will come through Davis and really put it on the map making any real estate investment a surefire money-maker.  Here's Davis 10 or so years later; do you see a big highway cuz I don't.

Well, the pipes burst and ruined the house, their "property manager" avoided them like the plague, and they were lucky in only falling a little short of breaking even when they sold the house... not counting for repairs and such of course.  Oh, they almost bought a Christmas store this guy owned as well...

I guess my point is that our brains are wired to seek out easy money, and if we don't actually learn the proper lessons from our failures (i.e. not making excuses for why it didn't work this time) then we're doomed to repeat them.  Feel free to use my tale of woe as a cautionary tale if you deem fit.  It's not likely to make a difference, but you never know.

[lukebourassa]

I'm sorry I don't have any real advice for you. I'm just blown away that MLM is still a thing, especially considering by now there must have been many magazine articles and TV news spots produced about the perils of MLM. How do people still NOT KNOW?