What happened ? A testimony
As I promised my over 500 facebook friends, here is the (maimed) testimony why we finally filed a lawsuit against our MLM Company. I had to shorten this hub and to take out a lot of information and backlinks and videos for obvious reasons but it will serve. A maimed hub is also a hub.
How did you start your business ?
Motivated, dreaming of a better future, identifying yourself with your network marketing opportunity ?
Being proud of being an independent distributor(affiliate) eager to get the MLM opportunity’s message out to the world ?
Attending training and motivational events, Extravaganzas, admiring the XXk President Team Members ?
Having a blind beginners confidence in your sponsor ?
I did as well – and this is good and it is how this kind of network should work.
But what happens when your upline invents a new business model, you sponsor supports it and the Company’s responsible committe approves it inspite of being totally against the Ethic Code and Business Concept everybody signed and is supposed to know ?
The lawsuit
This is what happened to me (and a lot of other independent distributors) and why we finally filed a lawsuit ...
I started my first network marketing business some years ago, part-time and in the traditional way: Cold calling any lead bought from a generic lead list, counting on ratio and hoping to reach the next level ...
...when my sponsor talked about a totally new business model, which would take us to the next level in less time and being in direct contact with the clients, shortly named STORES.
Sales Centers from where we could sell the products, directly to the customers. (A totally forbidden concept in our network business concept).
An initial reservation fee, a low initial investment, very, very low monthly costs -
AND A BIG, BIG INCOME, A GIANT LEAP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I signed, we all signed.
After having signed and paid the reservation fee of 1,000.- Euro (1,300.- USD) the promised prices rose and almost triplicated:
Some of my colleagues paid up to 20,000.- Euro – 25,500.- USD for initial investment !
The end of the story ?
The turnover of the stores did not even cover the expenses - never.
We all started to lose money and having to attend the shops we had no time to make a follow-up of our yet existing customers and new distributors.
Our deaf-and-dumb upline, the General Management of the Company, regional and international ethic departments, apart from the worst personal treatment they could give us, I'd call it mobbing, did not hear our claims and arguments, ostrich policy - their heads in the sand. For personal and professional damage prevention we asked our money back. Many of us were broke.
We filed the lawsuit.
When I left the nutrition store and the whole Spanish business scam, my income had decreased to below 0. I was not able to pay my bills, my mortgage and the monthly support I give to my ill sister.
But some of my trapped independent distributor fellows have even worse testimonials.
My tip
If you want to be a network marketer in an MLM opportunity you like and identify with...
- be aware that you are talking about the start-up of a business opportunity
- be aware of what is allowed and what is not in your MLM opportunity (don’t ask your upline, read it yourself)
- if your upline asks for money (investment, starting fees, any other costs) and you do not have it or you are not convinced, don’t pay
- you will get to the next level later, no problem
- keep your common sense, don’t let yourself get brainwashed
- be a trustworthy sponsor to your downline
By the way, the Spanish General Manager of the network marketing company has been fired. We are waiting for the judge to make justice.
