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Tuesday, April 18, 2000
Subject:
Weekend function Walk-through
WARNING: A series of entertaining but EXTREMELY LONG stories follow. Short attention spans beware.
Hey there Russel! Great to know we share the same feelings.
Story I posted on www.getfacts.com:
You know I was cleaning out my garage last night putting the last 300+
tapes into a box, when I realized that I was sweating. Can you believe
that? I was sweating putting the tapes that I had into a box! I was
drinking a COLD BEER! Oh my god! Noooo did you say beer? "You can't
drink a beer," they would say at functions and seminars, well damnit I
like beer! In fact, I had 3 just last night. I was celebrating the
fact that I was finally getting rid of my tapes and giving them
away. Did you guys realize that there are people on E-Bay that are
trying to sell old tapes? Why not? Hell, try to recoup any amount of
money you can, God knows your upline won't give you your money back.
Picture this: (Dream Night weekend) You get off work early to go drive
5 hours to a function. You are listening to tapes all the way there,
"Show your wife that you were the pants in the family", "You must STP,
listen to tapes, you must do everything your upline says because your
success is their success!". You get to the hotel and tell your wife to
go and check in because there isn't a parking spot around. You spend
about an hour trying to find a paring spot, lug 80 pounds of luggage
back to the hotel and wait for your wife to finish checking in. When
she does finally check in, of course, you have a room on like the 30th
floor. I have gone to a couple of functions where your upline tells
you that WOMEN in one room and MEN in another! What? To try to share
expenses the upline thought it was CUTE to have the WOMEN in one room
to share and bond and the MEN in another to fart and burp. We would
make our way over to the elevator and sit and wait and sit and wait
and sit and wait, but hey, we are PAYING THE PRICE! You know everyone
is at the major function checking in, going to the room to change and
when you get thousands of people in the same hotel...well, you know
what the deal is. Finally, you squeeze into the elevator and, of
course, you have to get off the elevator, so everyone must un-ass the
elevator to let you off. Whew, finally you get into the room and tell
your wife "Honey, I'll meet you at the function somewhere in the front
right-side of the coliseum." You see "MEN" would need to PAY THE PRICE
and SAVE seats for their spouse and group. Damn, looking back at how
stupid it really was. We are there paying full retail price for a
ticket and our upline THIEVES who would never tell you that they are
making money from your ticket, come strolling in minutes before the
function starts, and get to sit way up front in their SPECIALLY marked
section. I know I know Wah Wah Wah on me, but damnit why didn't they
tell us they were making money from the tickets? That shit pisses me
off!
Ok, your at the function, the doors are about to open, you are being
pushed in every damn direction because everyone is pushing from every
side and your being slammed into the door like a wet noodle in a
strainer. I can't tell you how many functions that I went to in my 10
years that I was always trying to get a front row seat that I would
almost get trampled along the way. Well, I know, if my X-Dumbass would
have only moved on like "my special and better than me" upline did, I
would have SAVED SEATING - La di da fu&^*ing la di da. You would
have your briefcase in one hand, your ticket stub in
another.....and.....ready......set......GO!!!!!!!! You start running....you
are told by UPLINE USHERS to "Slow down", "Slow down", what the hell
are they going to do to you anyway? Arrest you? Get the hell out of my
way I'm PAYING THE PRICE! You finally reach the coliseum floor and
make a dash to the nearest seat in the front, "What's this?" There are
already people in the coliseum with front row seats? Where did they
come from? You have been outside in the heat for hours and when you
finally get inside the very front row seats are taken! That's right
Ambots, they are taken because a special few gets front seats. They
aren't emeralds, diamonds or Someone who sponsored 6 in 3 months, just
good ole boys that the upline Emerald or Diamond "HOOKS UP". Damn, the
lucky few.
Ok, now you put sheets of paper down trying to save seats and hope
that you see somebody from your team so they can help you save the
seats. Would you believe that I have almost been in fights with other
Ambots about my seats? Some would even come over to your saved seats,
move your paper, and sit down. They would say "You can only save seats
for your spouse!" Bastards. I have been outside for hours and can't
even save a few seats for my team to show them that "I've Paid the
price!". Finally, your spouse shows up and you can relax. Whew, now
that was fun. You hear music and see people dancing in the
coliseum. Everybody is feeling pretty good at this point. Finally,
somebody comes on stage and the yelling begins, "Fired up", "Fired
up", "Fired up", "Humph, Humph FREEDOM", "Humph, Humph FREEDOM",
"Humph, Humph FREEDOM". You think this is the most amazing thing I
have ever seen. People at work would never believe this. Hour passes
on upon hour, speaker upon speaker, music, videos, speakers, hours,
videos, hours, speakers. Thirst sets in, you go and spend $3 for a
large coke.....hours.....speakers....videos...."FIRED
UP".....hours. Finally, the thing ends; whew I'm exhausted. Oh what's
this....."NIGHT OWL", what the hell is that? You are told to go back to
the hotel and find a conference room to meet. You go back to the hotel
and there are hundreds of people after midnight walking around,
giggling, talking, looking dumb founded, trying to find the conference
room that there group was assigned to. You find the room an there are
people everywhere, you find a seat on the floor and listen intensely,
hoping for something that will be said that will build the burn in you
to GO DIAMOND! Well, guess what, the same damn thing is said over and
over and over, "Oh, I'm so glad to be here, my sponsor is Jack, and I
want to tell him that I'm so excited to be here, my husband and kids
are at home because.........giggle giggle my husband just doesn't have a
dream yet....but I'm working on him." Well, isn't that just so damn
sweet, what they hell does that have to do with me? In selling soap?
What's that you say? Amway/Quixtar isn't about making money? Bullshit,
then why the hell do we have to pay extra for tapes, functions, and
seminars? They could sell us the those things at there cost and maybe
more people would come to hear the secret and the business would grow,
we would sponsor more people who could pay "AT COST" for tapes, books,
functions, seminars! But no, the money that would be lost to our
uplines pockets is too much. They wouldn't make as much money, so
don't tell me that it's more than money. That's a bunch of crock! So
you sit and sit and listen to the "NEW" people that are there telling
you about how their lives have changed since they have been there and
are looking forward to the rest of the weekend. Then you upline THIEF
comes in with his tie all undone and starts to tell you how special it
is that you are part of the bigger system and just to plug into your
upline and listen to what he has to say. You must listen to people in
life where you want to be and follow their footsteps. My favorite
Ambot saying that I use to love to tell Anti-Amway people......you want
to hear this one? Ok, here it is.........."Thank you very much for
providing me with an example of just the kind of person I don't want
to be like!" SLAM SLAM SLAM. Oh how good it would feel to let that one
liner out on someone.
I'm so glad I'm a X-Dumbass! Thank you Thank you Thank you. I'm
sitting here writing this crap and it's making my hair on my arms
stand up. I can't believe I was right in the middle of this shit for
so long. Do you know why it is so fun to come back to this site and
see all the people that come and makes comments or tell stories? THIS
IS ALSO FOR ALL YOU CURRENT AMBOTS. Amway was such a way of life for a
lot of people, we lost friends, we use to tell people we were going to
be rich, we went through No's after No's, we told our parents that we
will support them and buy them cars and take them on vacations etc etc
etc. Years after years pass and nothing. We would almost be too
embarrassed to face these people again. They make comments like "Have
you made your million yet?" I would say "I'm right on track" or "I'm
on my plan and I've almost made it" I would tell people lies that "I'm
making over $1,000 a month and that's why my wife is at home". Shit I
wasn't making nothing and the only reason she was at home was because
they would tell you that you should have your wife at home and that's
what we did. We would have to skip movies, buying jewelry because we
couldn't afford it only TAPES, BOOKS, FUNCTIONS. So you Ambots still
ask, "Why does the owner of this website spend his time here?" Why
doesn't he spend his time in Amway/Quixtar and go diamond? He figured
out real quickly that Amway/Quixtar had high prices and the only real
money is TOOL MONEY! I enjoy coming back to this site because I spent
all my years devoted to Amway/Quixtar, would think about it everyday
and now that I'm an X-Dumbass, it's still hard to NOT think about
it. I'm glad that I can tell my story and maybe get somebody out there
to THINK what they are doing, THINK about writing their next check for
tapes or functions, that their upline will be making the PROFIT from
these items. SUCKERS
Day two (Saturday): STREEEETTTTTCCCCCCCHHHHHHH, you wake up about 6:30
am, after a smooth 2-3 hours of sleep. Drink some Trim Advantage
Chocolate drink and have a Nutrilite Strive Energy Bar. Damn
satisfying knowing you purchased it through your business (even though
it was twice as much as a health bar from the store). You get dressed
and on your way to the coliseum to get back into line and start the
whole line B.S. again. I won't go into the wait process and the mad
dash into the coliseum. I already did it for Friday night. Now you are
inside the stadium hours pass on upon hours, speaker upon speaker,
music, videos, speakers, hours, videos, hours, speakers,
starvation. Thirst sets in, you go and spend $3 for a large coke, but
wait you see tables set up to sell us tapes, books, shirts. Damn nice
of our upline to do that for US. They really do care about us! You
know all the years my X-Dumbass bought tapes and books at the
functions, I never once thought that our upline was making money from
these things. I honestly thought they would have mentioned that to us,
ah to be young and stupid again! After getting my tapes and stuff, I
remember that they did mention that a Diamond Clothing store was
somewhere in the coliseum. I finally found it! I finally found it! The
Diamond Clothing Store just for us! You don't think our upline put it
there to sell us suits at cost? Hell, I was thinking I was doing what
I was supposed to do to make it big in the business. So I purchased a
suit, shirts, ties, socks, etc., etc. WOW, that was awfully nice of
our upline to have a place where we could buy clothes at the
function. Do you think that they care if we don't get PV/BV for that?
Didn't we have suits and shit in our own catalog? Why we would want to
buy this from our generous upline? He just wants to make sure that we
were getting a nice looking suit! He would say, "Men should have a
dark suit, white shirt, red tie. It should fit nice and that's why we
have our own tailors here with us today." He would make it seem like
he is doing this out of the goodness of his heart. I'm such a
X-DUMBASS.
Ok, I finally go and sit down, after spending $100's for dollars on
crap that I thought I needed to make it big. Of course, this wasn't
from the profit of our business, but the profit of my job. After about
5 hours of the same, "I'm wonderful, don't you wish you were me!"
crap, we would have an afternoon break. Damn I'm hungry. Oh wait,
aren't you the winner? Don't you want to set the example for your
group? Go back in line! Go and stand in line for the next 3 hours to
make sure you have front row seats again! Your wife tells you, "I'll
bring you a bite to eat later honey". "Ok honey, I love you". So you
sit down in front of the coliseum with a bunch of other Ambots with no
liquor, no cussing, no fun. "Damn it's hot", "I'm sweating like a
pig", "sure glad I'm here", "....look at all those losers NOT standing
in line like I am", "What time is it?" you ask, "we have another 3
hours until the doors open". Great, I'm starving, hot and thirsty and
I only have 3 hours until I get inside. LOSER
Finally, the same thing over again. Push, shove, and race to get a
seat, blah, blah blah, blah. Now this is a special night! Really
special. You see Dream Night on Saturday night is when the upline will
dress up in tuxes, turn off the lights in the coliseum and come
running down the man-made aisles up onto stage, with the sound of
ROCKY music in the background. What a sight to see! This goes on for
about an hour, afterwards, you are thirsty and ready to go and spend
$3 more dollars on a coke. This night is really special because you
get to hear from all your upline heroes, see videos, slide shows of
their struggles. The Rags-to-Riches stuff that will melt your
hearts. Come about 1am, you are about to fall over in your chair from
sleep deprivation, when you notice that your upline Diamond is coming
back on stage. He asks all his downline Mega-thieves to come up on
stage. He will start to tell you about a DREAM and how everything
starts with a dream. We are asked to get the candle out from under our
seat and then the lights dim down in the coliseum. You can't even see
your candle in front of you; all you hear is your upline thief talking
about DREAMS. He then lights his candle and keeps on talking, He talks
about how he first went through like 20 "No's" before he found his
first LEG. Then he explains how he built depth and the first 3 people
quit before he found a real HOSS. This HOSS went Direct blah, blah,
blah. Then he found another Loser, who found a loser, who found a
loser, who found a loser, who found a loser, who finally found a
winner. He didn't quite use the word "Loser". As he is explaining how
he has sponsored all these people he lights their candle, eventually;
everyone that's on stage has a candle that's lit. Then he goes on and
talks about duplication and how these HOSSES found other people like
them after going through herds and herds of "No's" and sifting through
hundreds of Loser's they too found other HOSSES. Then all the HOSSES
start lighting the candles of people off stage and they light candles
and so on and so on. Pretty soon the whole coliseum is lit with
candlelight. Ah isn't that sweet. Then they talk about how important
the "Woman" are to the business and ask the woman to blow out their
candle. The coliseum dims a bit and then he asks for the "Men" to
light their spouses candle again and the coliseum is lit up. Then he
asks everyone to blow out his or her candle and again
"darkness". Silence....... then you hear your upline thief explain how
important a dream is. A dream of having more out of life. To do this
you must buy more tapes.....Oops he didn't really say that. You get the
idea. By this time everyone is feeling all juicy inside and you can
see people hugging and kissing. I could almost see the "upline
thieves" tongue down everyone's wallet! After that is over, maybe
around 1:00 - 1:30 AM, we finally exit the coliseum and make our way
over to the hotel......to sleep you ask? Ha Ha Ha nice try X-Dumbass. No
you are going to another NIGHT OWL! Get fired up LOSER because you
have at least 2 more hours of the same shit. Same people that talked
the night before say the same thing over again. We are asked to keep
it down by the hotel staff because it's so late. "What a bunch of
loser's!" someone would say. "They just don't understand what this
business is about!" I would say. Damn, are you sure I wasn't gay?
After the great 2 hours of speeches that are really going to change
you into a HOSS, you get to go upstairs and sleep! Have I mentioned
eating? You eat whenever you can and don't you dare pull out something
that you bought at the store! You will get ridiculed by everyone; your
downline will look at you funny. You know there were times that I
would have to sneak into a restroom to eat something that I bought at
the store! People would question every piece of clothing, food,
personal care items, pens, paper. Anything that you might be using
would be questioned if it has been BOUGHT FROM THE BUSINESS. Has
anyone else ever felt the damn pressure from that?
Day three (Sunday): STREEEETTTTTCCCCCCCHHHHHHH, you wake up about 6:30
am, you try to get an extra 30 minutes of sleep because you only had
about 2-3 hours of sleep, but hey, you are PAYING THE PRICE! Drink
some Trim Advantage Chocolate drink and have a Nutrilite Strive Energy
Bar. This is probably the worst day of all. By this time you are so
tired that you are grumpy and pissed. I can't explain to you being
that tired and still having to put a smile on your face because your
new down-line needed a place to stay and you can't show him your bad
side - right? Ok, now you pack your shit and head over to the
elevator. This is real funny now. You see, you now have to checkout of
the hotel with about 2000 other Ambots. The elevator shows up and
guess what? It's full, I mean FULL. After about 1 function you begin
to realize that you must ride the elevator "UP" first before you can
take it down again. Checking out is about 1 1/2 hours of complete
FUN! Your cranky, tired, pissed and hungry at this point.
You walk you butt over to the coliseum and realize that you don't have
to show your ticket stub to anyone, why, because Sunday is Christ's
day. You only paid $85 for your ticket for Friday and Saturday
stuff. Sunday is free. You get inside and see about half of the normal
people that were there the night before. I think this is because they
are still sleeping - LOSERS. You know I am a Christian and I did
enjoy Sunday morning. All the singing and praising. I won't get into
that part of it very much. After a couple of hours, our upline thieves
talk about how Christ is part of their life and how you can't make it
without having Christ in your life. One of the sayings were, "I can't
believe you have to build your business with Christ" and the response
would be "I can't believe that you wouldn't". Then the big
finale.....your upline would now call people down to stage that has
felt Jesus touch them this morning. By the time it's all over
thousand's of people have accepted Jesus as their savior. This I tell
you is a sight to see. I actually think it's kind of cool that people
are thinking about God, but I don't think it's a good idea to have
this at a BUSINESS FUNCTION. Can you get a tax deduction for accepting
Jesus in your life? Ha Ha To me it seems that some people might feel
pressured into this. You see, you might have your down-line by you and
you don't want him to think you are scared or something, so you get up
and accept Jesus in your life because you must set the example -
right? After all that is over with you get a small
break. Food....Food...Food. You go and get a great big hot dog and a
coke. No PV/BV on that stuff. You feel really good after spending $6,
but hey, you are already use to paying high prices for stuff!
You seat down and try to stay awake for the rest of the
afternoon. Finally, Sunday about 2:00 PM, you hear your upline start
talking about something useful. How to Show the Plan, Team Calling,
Prospecting, 8 team Steps (This includes attending all functions,
reading books and listening to tapes! At this point, maybe they will
mention that they make money from this? Yeah right. You bunch of
Losers! Damn, that pisses me off). You see all Sunday afternoon is
spent on making your business bigger and in turn getting more people
on Standing Order. Can you honestly say, "They are doing this for us?"
Are they? It seems a little like "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" doesn't it? I
don't quite understand all this, but maybe someone out there can
research it. Take a look at this U.S. Government Site:
http://www.usoge.gov/
Aren't our Upline Thieves in a position to profit from us, if they
tell us to attend function, buy books and be on Standing Order tape of
the week? Hmmmmmmmmm, I bet there is something.
You finally leave the function and drive back home another 3-5
hours. It's really late and you are exhausted. You go to sleep feeling
real good about spending $85 per person on tickets, $150+ for hotel
room that you slept in for maybe 6 hours (Hopefully, you split that
cost with some other people), $80-110 for food, $100+ for clothes,
tapes, books, $80 gas. Damn, what a deal! You really are PAYING THE
PRICE! STUPID!
Signed
X-Dumbass
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
Re: Weekend function Walk-through
Hey there, X-Dumbass,
I know you pretty well because I lurk in Jason's message board pretty
frequently. That story was great. As you probably know, I never had the
"opportunity" to go to a big function myself, so I have to live the horror
vicariously through other people's descriptions. That was so vivid that I
am thinking I should reopen my "Letter of the Month" section.
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
Re: Weekend function Walk-through
Hey Russell,
You know I enjoyed every minute of writing that Weekend walk-through
because it was the truth. Everytime I go back and read it, I get
chills! I'm seriuos! I can't believe I did that shit for 10 years!
What the hell was I thinking. I also have a story about taking a
"Cross Country Bus Ride" to a major function. Maybe if you open the
"Letter of the Month" or "Letter of the Quarter" section I should
submit that one too. I come to work in the morning and I just have to
visit a number of Anti-Quixdink or Anti-Amdink websites to sort of
"Get my fix", if you know what I mean. Amway was such a way of life
for me for so many years, that it's impossible to forget about it and
move on. I can't wait to see the "so called" Diamnond empire
crumble. I can't wait to see all the bitches I help retire because of
my "TOOL MONEY", have to go back to work and get a JOB! That's what
I'm looking for. I have a lot of other stories that I would love to
share. Someday maybe we should write a book and call it "The Amway
Horrors" LOL
Anyway, I have a question for you: If you ever get threatened from
Amway thugs (lawyers) will you be able to take donations for your
legal battle with them? I was just wondering. You know there are a lot
of people that would support you!
See you
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
Part 2 (Letter of Quarter) Bus Ride
Ok, another story from your X-Dumbass friend.
Picture this: You are getting prepared for a weekend function, only
this time it's going to be across half the United States. That's right
guys and gals 2500 miles round-trip in a bus! You say "A sleeper bus,
right?" Only if you are one of the lucky ones. We tell ourselves that
we are "Paying the Price", those other sissies have to SLEEP. "You can
sleep when your Diamond", upline would shout. Damn, do you know there
were times when I actually got sick, because I thought that I would
only really get to sleep good when I'm Diamond. It's good to be an
X-Dumbass. I've been getting a good night's sleep for about 8 months
now!
Ok, you are told to meet at the mall parking lot by a certain
time. Now do you really believe everyone will be on time? Do you think
your upline Emerald or Diamond will be on that bus? Most of the time
the answer would be "No", you see, they have your damn tools profit
and can buy themselves plane tickets. Are we stupid or what? So, when
everyone does decide to get on the bus, we're late right from the
beginning. You better not complain about it, because we are all
positive - right? You know you could never complain about squat. We
are always told not to pass negative downline, cross-line, and if you
give negative upline, they would always say "Go Diamond and change
it". Is that gay or what? P.S. Some of my friends are gay so let's not
get touchy on my use of any words.
We start the trip off by introducing ourselves, telling who our
sponsor is, group, and what we expect to get out of this
function. This could last about 3 hours. "Sure wish these people would
shut-up, so I can get some sleep!" I would say to myself. We would
make stops here and there to pick up other Ambinks on their way to the
Promised Land. "Come on get in, you have money, join our little
caravan." We would make stops at Truck stations, malls, rest stops,
wherever we need to and pick people up. When it's time to stop we
would pile off the bus, contact anyone within shouting distance, and
grab a bite to eat, piss and get back on bus. Do you know there were
times we were told "Not to get off of bus!" What? You know you would
listen to your upline, so you would never question it. "Bullshit, I'm
going to stretch", I would say to myself and sneak off the bus
anyway. How freaking stupid it all was. We were cautioned by our
cross-line Ruby's NOT to disobey our upline. "Yes sir, yes maam,
whatever you say!" Why did we always listen? Were we scared that our
future in Scamway would be jeopardized? No, I just think we were
Dumbasses. They would have never asked us to leave; what and miss out
on our TOOL MONEY? LOL
Let's go on to my favorite story. While, we were taking this 2500-mile
roundtrip we had a very unpleasant thing happen to us "Guys" in the
back of the bus. The toilet was clogged! Oh my god, that was that the
WORST experience I have ever had. The toilet clogged up and all the
great little odors filled the back of the bus like a cloud of
smoke. We were trapped. Things got pretty negative- you could
say. That lasted for the WHOLE DAMN TRIP. Try playing cards with the
odor of shit on your shoulder! To make things worse, would you believe
the A/C also went out on the bus! Now, imagine this, summer time,
clogged toilet and no A/C. Could you imagine a worse nightmare? I was
sick, pissed, hungry, tired, irritable, nauseous, and just about ready
to die and/kick someone's ass. What could you do? Nobody else wanted
to switch places; do you think that possibly we would get our money
back? Ha Ha Cut into our upline thieves pockets? You must be Stupid!
We were told again "You are paying the price!" What a bunch of morons
we were not raising a stink (Pun) about it.
Do you ever think we got a new bus to replace the broken bus? Come on
get real. We didn't get shit except a pat on the back and a kick in
the ass. So here we are hot, sweaty, nauseous, tired and we have only
13 hours left on the bus.
I remember one time when we did stop somewhere in Mississippi at a
mall. Ok, we all pile off the bus and walk inside. Could you imagine
the look at people inside the mall when 500 people come marching into
the mall. We start contacting anything with 2 legs. We didn't care. We
would make a contact and tell them how incredible "THIS" business is
and they should join us. "Don't you know it's gotta be good if we
could get 500 people to drive across the country for a business
seminar!" we would tell these poor people at the mall. We attacked the
food court, video game room, sport stores, downstairs, upstairs,
behind changing rooms, kids, babies anything that could possibly
BECOME a distributor. We were everywhere. It was kind of funny because
we would scare so many people when they would see us walk by each
other and "Hi-Five". What a bunch of dummies. We went outside and were
waiting for one of the buses to get fixed. It wasn't our bus; hell no,
our bus runs just fine. It was the other bus that wasn't running that
got fixed. We played Frisbee and football while we waited.
So we finally piled back on the bus (in the back) and was greeted with
the special smell of urine and shit. I've got a dream! I'm paying the
price! What a great Diamond story! You know my upline told me one time
"Just think of your diamond story". Do you think he would switch
places with me? Do you think "HE" could switch places with me and HE
COULD USE THE DIAMOND STORY? Hell no!
So hours upon hours pass on, hours and hours and hours and hours and
hours....... finally we arrive at the convention center! Do you really
want to hear what the hell our upline said at this point? Do you
really want to hear this one all you stupid Amdinks? Wannabe
X-Dumbasses? Great story seekers? Who's your daddy? Is it X-Dumbass?
Are you craving for what I have to say next? Ok...here is what our
upline told us when we pulled up to the FU(*&^&* convention
center......"We need some of you to get in line and hold our spots and
we will check into the hotel for you, take your bags into the your
hotel room and bring you lunch". WHAT? Are you kidding me? Can you
believe that? They took our order and we had a "BUDDY" assigned to us
that would take our bags into our room and get us our food. Is that
Super-gay or what?
So, of course, because I'm a TEAM Player, I volunteered to wait in
line indefinitely (this was about 5 hours before the doors were going
to open) with a few other people until all our upline or sissy
cross-line go to the hotel and Shit-Shower-and-Shave. I will never
forget that. It was over 24 hours since we left the mall back home and
here I am half way across the country and I'm hot, sweaty, nauseous,
tired, stinky and HUNGRY. So we waited and waited and waited and
waited until finally, FINALLY someone from our group comes strolling
up to the convention center with some food for us. Damn, they looked
refreshed and of course, their ass already ate. Do you think they
would have brought us our food first and then go eat? Ha and I have an
idea for you to go Diamond!
You remember my first story about waiting in line and getting ready
for the big PUSH and SHOVE match to get seats inside the function. I
don't need to repeat that.
After we get our seats we finally get to go back to the hotel and
shower. We stroll back to the function and sit through hours and hours
of the same shit over and over. You know we felt so much pride that we
were from Texas and we have traveled half way across the country that
we would wave our Texas flags during all the hooping and hollering. We
even wore Texas pendants to let other Texans know how many of us are
actually at the function. I remember there being hundreds of balloons
and everyone going crazy, screaming, hitting the balloons, Hi-fiving
everyone. Unbelievable! I'm so glad to be finished with that. So you
know the rest of the story now - we would end the Friday session and
head over to the hotel and do a night owl and talk and talk and talk
and talk. We wouldn't sleep but a few hours a night. Don't you people
know how much fun things are when you only get a few hours of sleep
and spending hours and hours inside a convention center hearing the
same thing over and over. I use to get sick thinking how early some of
these other bitches would get up and go and stand in line! I had to be
the stupid one and sponsor someone so I had the responsibility of the
group.
Saturday at a downtown convention center: Do you know what it's like
trying to find a place to eat on the weekend at a convention center?
You see I didn't have a lot of money like our upline thieves and I
couldn't afford to eat at the hotel or the convention center. I know
you ask, "Why didn't you just bring your ice chest full of
shit". Well, I forgot to tell you that because I was a Dumbass back
then, I left sandwiches in an ice chest and after hours and hours and
hours on a bus with no A/C need I say more? You know I could ring out
the sandwiches and get about = cup of freaking water. Pay the price
you stupid Amdink!
Some of us spent hours trying to find somewhere to get some food and a
lot of times we would have to buy junk food at Eckerd Drugs or some
place gay like that.
Ok I need to tell you guys something that I use to have to do. Because
I was so broke I couldn't really afford a ticket and because I was
paying the price I found ways to get in. Do you know I would sit
around the front of the convention center hoping to find a ticket that
I could use to get into the function. I remember I finally got smart
and started to save the tickets that I got on Friday so when I went
through the line on Saturday amongst all the pushing and shoving I
would just hand the guy taking the tickets and walk inside. You see it
was such a mad rush inside the convention center that there wasn't
enough time to check all the tickets! Man, I saved $50, $60, $70, and
$80 on tickets. Hell, I was already paying for the bus ride. It makes
me wonder if our upline was charging us more for the bus tickets and
pocketing the difference? Do you think they were doing that? Don't
tell me because I don't want to know. You know I think I would get
really pissed and kick someone's ass if I knew they were. Please don't
tell me otherwise
So Saturday comes and goes.
Sunday Fiasco - Sunday same thing from my earlier story about weekend
walk-through.I don't need to repeat Sunday at the convention center.
I do need to tell you about Sunday AFTER the function. First off, we
are asked who has to get to work on Monday. They were going to send a
bus back early for all the people that needed to get back home
ASAP. Don't you know that I wanted to get back home, but because my
sorry ass had to sponsor someone I couldn't show them that I was a
loser and go home like a sissy! Ok, here we are, we checked out of the
hotel early Sunday and after the function we load the bus and wait!
That's right wait and wait and wait and wait, you see our upline was
having dinner with the "Hot shot thieves" from our upline's
upline. All us Scumdinks just sat around and waited until they were
finished gorging there faces full of food and ice cream. We sat around
and telling everyone who we were and what we got out of the
function. Are you crazy! I'm tired can't you people just shut up for
10 minutes! (I often thought that too myself.) We must have waited
until 10 PM Sunday night. We finally boarded the bus and guess what we
did as soon as we boarded the bus? That's right people get excited we
did the EXACT SAME DAMN THING we just did inside the hotel. Only this
time, our upline would explain to us that HE wanted to hear what we
had to say. So we would take turns going up to the front of the bus
and tell our stories again. I could have just died! Hours and hours
would pass! Once we were done with that, guess what was next?
Guess.....Our freaking upline would sit next to everyone and map out
his GOALS! That's right we would have to tell him what we were going
to do in the next week, next month and next year. Then he would tell
us what we would need to do to accomplish it. You do know what some of
those things were don't you? Attend "ALL" functions and TOW (Tape of
Week). Shit our upline had to make sure he could pay his rent next
month and the month after that etc etc.
After about 24 hours again we were home and ready to take on the next
day. We would get home un-pack and get ready for our loser JOB the
next morning. What an awful feeling when you would return from a
weekend function and know that you had to go to work the next day and
after work guess what was next TEAM Calling! Damn, I hated that. I
tell you I hated that! I would go to work all day and just be pissed!
I mean pissed and I'm sure my blood pressure was really high because I
knew that after work I could go home for about an hour and then head
off to the damn stupid Team calling. I couldn't tell my wife how I
hated that because she would probably realize that I was a loser (just
like our upline told us) and she should get rid of me. Do you know how
much animosity I had against our upline because of that? I hated that
they put all that pressure on us and especially us guys to GUILT us
into submission by using our wives as leverage! I'm so glad to be an
X-Dumbass and I pray for some of my good friends still in the business
because I know what they are going through. I do not dare say anything
to them because I remember when people would try to SAVE me when I was
heavily involved, I would tell myself "They just don't have the
vision". I didn't want to hear it and that is probably something some
of you are going through and just realize that I too was like that and
I changed! Thank god I changed.
My wife and I can't believe the time we lost in the business. I'm not
even sure how beneficial to us as humans this was, but I hope to find
out someday that it was. I would hate to think that I lost 10 years of
my life for what? Maybe I did grow up better. Maybe I am a better
father now. Maybe I'm a better husband. It's really hard to tell at
this point. I still have a lot of anger to our "Upline Thieves" who
took advantage of us. We were never told the whole truth and I'm
ashamed of that. I thought I was pretty smart. I guess we are always
learning!
-- X-Dumbass
Here is a week in an AMDINK's life:
"Stupid RUT of Amway":
Monday:
1.) Get up "think about Amway". Speak positively.
2.) On my way to my JOB, if I stop in the supermarket, just SMILE and
say HELLO. Maybe I could get a name out it. Listen to tapes. Speak
positively.
3.) Go to JOB. Think about AMWAY. Speak positively.
4.) Go to Lunch. Listen to tapes on the way there. Think about
AMWAY. Try to meet somebody to keep my NAMELIST current. Speak
positively.
5.) Go back to work. Speak positively.
6.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
7.) Go to mall and try to meet someone before Team Calling. Listen to
tapes. Speak positively.
8.) Go to Team Calling and PRETEND TO BOOK QI's. Listen to
tapes. Speak positively.
9.) Go to convenience store and talk with clerk about Quixtar. Listen
to tapes. Speak positively.
10.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Read a book. Speak positively.
Tuesday:
1.) Get up "think about Amway". Speak positively.
2.) On my way to my JOB, if I stop in the supermarket, just SMILE and
say HELLO. Maybe I could get a name out it. Listen to tapes. Speak
positively.
3.) Go to JOB. Think about AMWAY. Speak positively.
4.) Go to Lunch. Listen to tapes on the way there. Think about
AMWAY. Try to meet somebody to keep my NAMELIST current. Speak
positively.
5.) Go back to work. Speak positively.
6.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
7.) Go to mall and try to meet someone before showing a Home
Plan. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
8.) Go show Home plan and beg couple to get into this AWESOME
business. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
9.) Go to convenience store and talk with clerk about Quixtar. Listen
to tapes. Speak positively.
10.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Read a book. Speak positively.
Wednesday:
1.) Get up "think about Amway". Speak positively.
2.) On my way to my JOB, if I stop in the supermarket, just SMILE and
say HELLO. Maybe I could get a name out it. Listen to tapes. Speak
positively.
3.) Go to JOB. Think about AMWAY. Speak positively.
4.) Go to Lunch. Listen to tapes on the way there. Think about
AMWAY. Try to meet somebody to keep my NAMELIST current. Speak
positively.
5.) Go back to work. Speak positively.
6.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
7.) Go to mall and try to meet someone before Weekly meeting at
hotel. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
8.) Go to "Weekly Meeting" at hotel and TRY TO STAY AWAKE. Take notes
on the same thing you have been hearing over and over and over and
over again. Laugh at the same jokes. If you had guests there you try
to convince them how much fun it is. When they ask you "How long have
you been in?" you tell them "I just got started". You know your upline
will coach you on what to say because "We don't want to BLOW out the
new couple on the first day!" Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
9.) Go to NIGHT OWL and eat and drink with other AMDINK
friends. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
10.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Read a book. Speak positively.
Thursday:
11.) Get up "think about Amway". Speak positively.
12.) On my way to my JOB, if I stop in the supermarket, just SMILE and
say HELLO. Maybe I could get a name out it. Listen to tapes. Speak
positively.
13.) Go to JOB. Think about AMWAY. Speak positively.
14.) Go to Lunch. Listen to tapes on the way there. Think about
AMWAY. Try to meet somebody to keep my NAMELIST current. Speak
positively.
15.) Go back to work. Speak positively.
16.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
17.) Go to mall and try to meet someone before showing a Home
Plan. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
18.) Go show Home plan and beg couple to get into this AWESOME
business. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
19.) Go to convenience store and talk with clerk about Quixtar. Listen
to tapes. Speak positively.
20.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Read a book. Speak positively.
Friday:
21.) Get up "think about Amway". Speak positively.
22.) On my way to my JOB, if I stop in the supermarket, just SMILE and
say HELLO. Maybe I could get a name out it. Listen to tapes. Speak
positively.
23.) Go to JOB. Think about AMWAY. Speak positively.
24.) Go to Lunch. Listen to tapes on the way there. Think about
AMWAY. Try to meet somebody to keep my NAMELIST current. Speak
positively.
25.) Go back to work. Speak positively.
26.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
27.) Go to mall and try to meet someone before going to
LEADERSHIP. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
28.) Go to Leadership and listen to the same shit over and over
again. Listen to tapes. Speak positively.
29.) Go to convenience store and talk with clerk about Quixtar. Listen
to tapes. Speak positively.
30.) Go home. Listen to tapes. Read a book. Speak positively.
REPEAT
Tuesday, April 18, 2000
Subject:
your Amway page
Dear Sir.:
I just finished reading your webpage, and have that slight feeling of
disappointment one gets upon finishing a really good book, or when the
lights come up after an excellent movie. I have seen a lot of anti-Amway
websites, and I now realize what most of them are
missing: good storytelling. Your story is my story, is the story of
every one who has ever been "Amwaylayed." The dawning sense of horror as
one realizes what this person is really up to, the steady drumbeat of
frustration as one tries futilely (sp?) to counter fanaticism with logic,
the acute discomfort of trying to talk to people at these "parties" as one
human being to another: it's all there. Your piece has all the stuff of
the immortal myths, and best (!?) of all, it's true.
In admiration,
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
Re: your Amway page
You are much too kind. I really appreciate your compliments, especially
since I get so much nasty mail. The web site was a pleasure to write and
has been an interesting exercise to maintain over the years. I'm glad you
enjoyed it.
Tuesday, April 18, 2000
Subject:
Amway is a cancer upon upon us
By the way, I read your web site. Very interesting and I agree with
everything you said. I have just been "propositioned" for the second time by
an Amway member. The first time it was my neighbor who tried to suck me and
my wife in. At first I almost fell for it but at the last moment I said "no".
That was several months ago. This past weekend my boss of all people tried to
sucker us into the cult. I was very shocked that my boss would try to do
that. How inappropriate!!! I haven't said "no" yet. But, I definitely will.
These Amway people are bloody incredible bunch of weak willed conformist
fascists. If I want to get rich I'll start a real business with real
employees. It won't be the MAFIA otherwise known as AMWAY!!!
Wednesday, April 19, 2000
Subject:
Re: Amway is a cancer upon upon us
Seeing as it's your boss, I would definitely recommend that you read the
article on MLM Harassment at the Skeptic's Dictionary. The address is
http://www.skepdic.com/mlmhar.html
Wednesday, April 19, 2000
Subject:
Ginny's Amway story (part 3)
Hello Ginny,
My name is *****, and I just wanted to let you and your husband
know how very moved I was by your stories. I'm sure I'm not saying
anything that others haven't already said many times, but here goes
anyway :-p.
Me and my x-husband were involved in amway about 2 or so years
ago. I didn't have most of the experiences you talked about
concerning doubts or disliking the people. Now that I look back
though I can see how they used my belief in God against me by bringing
my attention to the tapes and speakers who were "religious"; and I
KNOW they played on the troubles in my marriage with thier talk of the
low divorce rate in Amway and the way the business can "fix" a
marriage (Ha/Ha like Amyway could give my husband newfound morals or
make him become a faithful husband and father!) I was pretty desprate
to try anything by then though.
I would just like to take a pause here to say that if a man is
going to cheat he'll do it; Amway or no Amway, so don't feel like your
marriage would have been any better without the experiences you went
through. This comes from years of experience on the subject by the
way.
I really want to thank you both for sharing your experiences, cuz
I never would have relized how lucky I was without them. You see
Amway couldn't tempt me with the biggest push they used on me. A
support group. I already had the best support group there is between
my church family and Jesus and Amway just couldn't compare. The
kicker though I think is that not one of my church family was
interested in Amway. How could I keep up an interest that demanded so
much of my time without the ones I relied on the most being there in
it with me? I couldn't, so I didn't. (Lucky me Huh!!)
I would still like to say that I really did like some of Amway's
products though. I especially injoyed the make-up line Artistry. I
suppose there are plenti of make-up lines out there that are just as
good and maybe even cheaper(???), but I don't know of any. In fact I
was looking for a distributor to order some from when I found your
homepage (WOW). If you know of any make-up lines comparable to
Artistry I'd like to know about them? I don't expect you to reply to
this with soooo many other letters coming in, but if I just happen to
be the one you reply to or even if you reply on your homepage I would
appreciate it. Not prob if you don't know or can't get to it though.
I appriciate the time you've spent just reading this.
I'll check into your page again everyonce in a while to see if
they've crucified you yet LOL!! Just kiddin' I'll really be checkin'
for any new info. on the hype of Amway. See ya!!! ;-)
Friday, April 21, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
Thanks Russell.
Saturday, April 22, 2000
Subject:
Your Amway story (part 1)
Hi!
I was thinking about getting involved in "quixtar" and my brother asked
me if they we're realted to Amway. I am really having HUGE doubts about
all of this, I think I could use any advice on it you could give me. I
really found your website to be a slap in the face of all the buul I
have been hearing about. Please write me back!
Saturday, April 22, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
Hi Russell
My wife and I never felt comfortable about approaches from friends in
Amway, NuSkin or IDN. As a mathematics teacher I knew there was
something wrong with the numbers, but our friends seemed so
enthusiastic, I thought I was missing something. Maybe we too could
become successful? Even went to another group meeting recently:
USANA. Certainly a lot less professional hype: had trouble finding the
meeting venue, they didn't take my address for a video tape and it was
all very intimate and low key. Came home to read their blurb. Still
couldn't see how it could work so searched (initially) for Amway on
the net and found your site.
NOW I KNOW WHAT WAS MISSING: logic, commonsense, a sense of self worth
(I don't need the continual emotional support of people in suits to
feel a success), preying on others........
My wife has been sitting here beside me reading your story and this
response. She has been wonderful in supporting me in even
investigating such 'get rich slowly' schemes, and is obviously glad,
and relieved, to watch me have a narrow escape. She knows all about
this kind of thing, as all her immediate relatives are JWs, and
suffered years of attempts to drag her in.
THANKS RUSSELL. Your site has been a life saver.
*****, New Zealand
Sunday, April 23, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...AND LOVED IT!!
Hi, Russell,
I really enjoyed reading your Amway Experiences and it sure brought back a
few memories of my own. I have not gotten to reading Ginny's story yet but
I am sure hers will be just as enlightening as yours was.
My experience with Amway was not quite as "in depth" as yours was. It was
(I believe) the Winter of 1992/93 and I was doing what some rural Northern
Nevada residents do, working as a part time Ranch hand and attending
classes at the local community college, Truckie Meadows Community
College. In 1992, the Internet was still for guys like you, computer nerds
and programmers, there were very few Internet providers in the pre-Web
years. The rest of us, with our 1200 or 2400 baud modems used BBS's
(Bulletin Board Systems, see later in this letter for an explanation as to
what a BBS is).
Reno had a pretty popular five line BBS known as "The Network System" (it
really had nothing to do with Networks, LAN's, etc, just a cool name). It
was actually a local social activities on-line service using the DLX BBS
software (a popular multi-line server software). It was on this BBS (and
one or two others in the Reno-Sparks area) that I met my first Amway
Distributor. It was a short pudgy girl known under the handle "Chatterbox"
(as you may have guessed, she liked chatting). During the first few months
or so, she did not mention anything about Amway or tried to recruit anyone,
so I gathered she and her husband were not involved in that when I first
encountered them on-line (actually, she was a computer nerd in the
family). They even held several "BBS Parties" at their home in Sun Valley
(a community north of Reno-Sparks), but it was not till their third or
fourth party that they signed up with Amway and presented it to the rest of
us. Actually, my memory is a little hazy, its possible the party was for
Amway specifically.
Anyway, At the party, they tried to convince me that Amway was the answer
to getting more wealth. Well, I was skeptical as many people are and tried
to get them to explain how the Multi Level Marketing thing worked. Well,
they tried but I really could not grasp the concept of it. I was somewhat
familiar with pyramid schemes and they were trying to show how MLM differed
from it. After reading your story, I fully understand it now, just wish I
had access to something like that back then. But these were the Pre-World
Wide Web days so most of us with computers did not have access to
information like your web site. I agree, the WWW is the best thing to come
along since Radio and Television.
Back to my story, they told me about it, showed some product catalogs (and
products they personally purchased) and books. But I did not sit down and
read any of it. I think they were not as experienced in recruiting people
as others were, so they did not pressure or manipulate me as much as "Ted"
did with you. I did not feel out of place here since most of the people at
the party were BBS users, some I have met before. I was impressed with the
product line and thought I could make a few bucks reselling it (maybe via
the BBS's). But they put so much emphasis on building a downline, I was
turned off by it (I am somewhat shy and its not easy for me to meet new
people off-line, so building downline would have been tough for me).
I went home that night and played around with the idea, but I was not
really interested enough to do any follow up. I had tried a few systems
that I saw on those infomercials so I was a bit weary of this one. I did
run into Chatterbox (I do not recall her real first name) a few times
on-line and she was trying to convince me and others to give it a try. The
"Crushers" (as I will call them) did talk me into visiting the home of
another Amway Distributor (I think he was at the Direct level) and even
lent me some of those motivational cassette tapes (they knew I was still
reluctant to spend any money on this stuff). I did feel out of place at
this party since most of the people there were Amway Distributors and did
not call the BBS's. Another guy had a few tapes thrown around in his trunk
and some books too. I never got a hold of book to take home and read and I
do not believe I ever returned the tapes (I think I still have them stashed
away somewhere). I listened to one of them on the way home that day, but I
did not get anything useful from it (as your articled showed, the tapes are
just nothing but blah, blah, blah).
Anyway, Needless to say, their recruiting activities on-line was beginning
to annoy other BBS users, and I am not sure, but I think the System
Operator (owner of the system) may have kicked Chatterbox off the
system. They disappeared from the BBS, one way or another, and I had not
seen or heard from them since.
Well, not until I had a chance meeting with them at a gas station (AM/PM
Mini Market) located along the main road that runs between Sun Valley
(where they lived, last I knew) and Reno. I was on my way home after a
class (TMCC was located nearby) and they came in for some gas and
food. They looked terrible (the whole family, which includes two
kids). It did not look like any of them bathed or shaved in a week. Now I
am not sure nor did I ask, but I had a feeling they were no longer living
in that nice double wide manufactured home anymore, and were either living
out of their car and/or at a friend's house.
So (it looked like to me that) their wild dreams of getting rich was a
dismal failure (to my best knowledge). Its possible that their downfall
was not due to Amway alone but I suspect it was a major factor. "Mr.
Crusher" probably lost his normal job, the two of them tried to make a go
with Amway, struggled with it, couldn't build a downline that would pay the
bills, thus they ended up in the poorhouse. They also had some trouble
with their landlord and looked like they may have to go to the expense to
move their home, but later worked something out, and did not need to move,
but may have had to mortgage their house, to get the money. All of this
probably contributed to their problems, but their belief in Amway probably
did them in. I hope they gave up on Amway and got one or more normal jobs
to get themselves back on their feet. They were really nice people and
this kind of thing shouldn't have happened to them.
If this had happened within the past few years, It may not have happened at
all, and probably would have done the same thing you did, search the web
for information and try to get them out of that predicament (and maybe
"save" a few others as well). Actually, I was reluctant to ask how they
were doing financially (at the Gas Station) as they might have asked me for
help (either in the form of a place to stay or money, neither I really had,
nor that my parents would agree too, since they owned the ranch I worked
and lived on).
That's my story, I hope you enjoyed reading it as I did reading yours and
By The way, during most of the reading, I played Queensryche's Operation:
Mindcrime.
What is a BBS? Its a stand alone on-line computer service. These systems
are primarily text based and offered much the same thing the web does now
(primarily on a local basis, however). They offered files to download,
on-line multi-user chat, bulletin Message Boards (similar to the
Newsgroups), E-Mail (BBS users only, later Internet E-Mail was added) and
text based multi-user games.
In the days when playing on-line games and chatting using the Commercial
Online Services (Compuserve, Prodigy, etc) cost between 6 and 12 dollars an
hour, local BBS's offered a much cheaper alternative, not to mention a
great place to meet local people. Even a long distance service called
PCPursuit (and Galaxy Starlink) was created to allow people to call BBS's
all over the country for a low monthly or hourly fee.
Early BBS's used 8-bit computers (like the Atari Computer, Commodore 64,
IBM XT, etc.) and were single line text based services. As computers
advanced, a new type came out, single PC multi-line. This allowed many
lines to be hosted from a single PC based computer (this concept is still
used today for Internet servers). But with the popularity of Windows and
the World Wide Web (and the abolishment of hourly surcharges on the
Commercial services), BBS's have fallen on hard times. Some Boards even
added a GUI menuing system but it too little to late. There are not too
many left, but many that are still around, are also accessible via the Net
(using the Telnet Protocol).
I also noticed you used some familiar Borg Terms in your Amway article and
thought "hmm, sounds like Russell is a Trekkie". And low and behold, I
check out your home page and you are docked up in a Starfleet Uniform. I
nearly hit the floor. I really enjoyed reading many of your pages and
you have a neat sense of humor. Darn, why are all of the good ones
straight, taken and a 1000 miles away (yea, I'm gay, but I have a "live and
let live" policy).
And thanks again for the great home page. I think I may use it as model
for my own personal home page.
Cool cat you have, looks like one of the over 20 I have, named Foxxy.
See ya around...
P.S. I tried to click on the link for Queensryche, Operation: Mindcrime on
Page 2 of your Amway article but it came up as File not Found "404". I
listened to the CD but I am not sure what song that quote came from, guess
I will have to dig up the booklet and find out.
For the record I am not much of a Trekkie, except insofar as I like sci-fi in general, and I appreciate
good acting (applies to Patrick Stewart and company, not Bill "I... can't catch... my... breath" Shatner).
I have never in my life put on a Starfleet uniform. I looked back at my pictures, and I see one where I am
wearing a red and black sweatshirt with black jeans, which might be mistaken for a uniform. I saw the
movie "Trekkies" recently, and frankly those people scare me. But not nearly as much as Amway
distributors. ;)
Sorry for the broken link, it probably works now. Sorry also for being straight, but that's not
going to change.
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
Subject:
Your Amway page...
do you sell nsa filters and were can i fine a person in north calif
Wednesday, April 26, 2000
Subject:
Re: Your Amway page...
Your sentence appears to be written in English, but I'm afraid I have no
idea what you're talking about, nor what it has to do with Amway.
Thursday, April 27, 2000
Subject:
My reply to your Amway page
Hi Russell;
I enjoyed reading your story. I was left thinking that at least Ted,
Connie, Phil, etc. were never friends of yours before they tried to
persuade you into Amway. It's easier to tell them where to go.
But, here is my Amway story:
We had friends who we routinely visited. We played games of cards and
dice. We went camping together. We both had children who played together.
I remember the dinners we had at each others house. They were at our
wedding. They did the photography for our wedding at cost. We had a nice
friendship. That was before Amway.
Then came Amway. Now instead of being friends, we were "marks". We were
potential prospects. We went through the entire "dream building" session:
What color Mercedes will you drive? Pick out your dream house from this
book. How much money do you want to make? Etc.
Then we were shown the "plan" not by our friends but by their upline. We
could make SO MUCH MONEY! It was Amway, it came out, but Amway had
changed. You no longer needed to retail products. ALL you had to do was
change your buying habits. Instead of buying products at the local market,
you would buy Amway products instead. You didn't have to sell any product.
Then, all you needed to do was find other marks to sell "the plan" to. You
just had to convince them to become a distributor and all they had to do
was buy the products for themselves. Just get them to change their own
buying habits. And then they could sell "the plan" to others on the same
basis. This, we were told, was the secret to untold millions of dollars.
It is hard to say no to a friend. My wife and I had no intention
whatsoever of marketing the "plan" to anyone, but we became "distributors"
(to ourselves) as a show of support to our friends. We received some
products. I remember the foaming window wash was horrible. Whatever. We
also received some tapes. The tapes were "tools" to help us build our
business. We were never interested in building anything so we never
listened to them. We didn't realize the significance of the tapes until
much later.
My wife was pressured to have an Amway "party" (like a Tupperware party
etc. where a bunch of women feel pressured to buy stuff to support their
"friend"). This was a party we never had. In fact, my wife said that
Amway was not for her. She didn't want to do any Amway marketing.
That statement marked the end of our friendship. Our friends were told by
their all-powerful and all-knowing upline that they could not associate
with negative people. They were told that negative people would drag them
down and keep them from achieving their dream. And we were negative people
because we could not see the truth and the "Am"way.
I am dead serious. That was the end of our friendship. If we dropped out
of Amway, we were no longer friends. There has been no contact since. I
miss the days when we were friends and not "marks", but that is all water
under the bridge at this point.
I remember thinking after the end of the friendship that there must have
been something weird about our friends that I had missed. I remember
thinking that they were the problem being too gung-ho about Amway. Now I
realize from the Amway postings on the internet that the problem was Amway.
For anyone thinking of joining Amway, let me add my own little
"dreambuilder" questions:
What are your dreams?
To end your existing friendships?
To alienate friends and family?
To lose those closest to us in pursuit of the almight buck?
To look and act like an utter imbecile?
Anyway, that's my story. Sad, but true.
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
A funny Amway Mad Lib for you
Dear Lucretia Borgia-ish houndstooth jacket,
You are so incredibly Lucretia Borgia-ish that I just can't
believe it. You deserve to propagate.
I hope you always remember the words of the famous
Chrysolite Charles Manson, who said: "A fool and his money
are soon parted." Boy, I'll bet that old Charles Manson
could really teach you a thing or two! Here's a person who
makes over googol dollars every month. Do YOU make that
much, you Lucretia Borgia-ish houndstooth jacket? If not,
then you are obviously wasting my time.
My upline hammerhead shark, who made .019 dollars last year
from his Amway business alone, told me that nobody likes a
bubblehead. And that is exactly what you are, a great big
bubblehead.
In closing, I would like to say that although I respect your
right to intensify your opinion, you obviously have as much
intelligence as a Quixstar distributor, and while I become
fascinating and slimy you will be serving me my
chocolate-covered ants and selling Park Avenue mansions to
me.
I wish you success in whatever you do, and I of course bear
you no ill will.
Snidely,
***** (A fascinating distributor)
#----
Author's P.S. The only word I changed after reading the finished letter
was the noun for comparative intelligence -- my original choice began
with a vowel, and having decided to change it, I got inspired.
[omit name/e-mail from this if you post it -- I don't wanna start
getting these from the real McCoys]
Friday, April 28, 2000
Subject:
Amway argument suggestions
One more salient point regarding Amway and other MLMs vis-a-vis franchises
is that when you buy a franchise (any halfway decent one, anyway), you are
buying a protected market that prevents saturation. No matter how much money
you have, McDonalds, Inc. will not allow you to build your McDonald's
restaurant across the street from another McDonald's...it is unfair to both
you and the owner of the existing franchise. The value in buying a franchise
is exactly this placement of new franchisees in areas of forecasted demand.
While the short-sided practice of placing franchises close together may
increase sales of inventory (patties, buns, cups, etc.) in the short run, it
creates two failing businesses instead of one successful one. Since Amway
isn't really interested in selling products at retail, you are encouraged to
"create your own competitors". This is tantamount to inviting your neighbor
into your McDonald's and enticing him to set up a restaurant next to yours.
You will only sell so many Big Macs in a given area...in this MLM scenario,
you encourage your neigbor to fill up his empty dining room with uncooked
patties and moldy buns so you can get a piece of the inventory action.
Clearly short-sighted.
*****:
Almost a dupe of Equinox International
Saturday, April 29, 2000
Subject:
Re: Amway argument suggestions
Good point, thanks. I sounds a bit like what I read at Dean Vandruff's
site.
Saturday, April 29, 2000
Subject:
Hi Russell -
I just read (maybe wrote) your Amway story only mine was with Quixtar
. . . WORD for WORD some of what you heard/experienced - I
heard/experienced . . . Ubelieveable! I will tell you more later when
I have more time.
Monday, May 01, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
So, that was four years ago. What now
Monday, May 01, 2000
Subject:
Re: Finished your Amway story...
Well, you could find that out by reading my main home page.
The summary is, I've graduated college, I do software/web development in
Austin, and I'm married with stepchildren. Updating the Amway page and
answering mail is still a fun part of my life, but not all-consuming.
"What now" with Amway is: their sales have declined severely over the last
couple of years, they've launched frivolous lawsuits against Sidney Schwartz
and a couple of other anti-Amway site maintainers (not me), and they opened an
online store called Quixtar (www.quixtar.com)... which, of course, is the best
thing on the web EVER. (sarcasm) But you'd still better buy books and tapes
and emulate your upline, or you'll never be successful.
Thursday, May 04, 2000
Subject:
The Motley Fool Message Boards - Reply to Your Message
****** replied to your message at
http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?id=1350030000028001
and opted to have it e-mailed to you.
Subject: Re: Even MORE spam haiku
Sorry to ruin your lunch. I'm a vegetarian myself...
Hey, meanwhile, followed the links to your homepage and read your entire
Amway story. Amazing... kind of reminds me of accounts I've read of
people being swallowed by Scientology. And nicely written (I'm a writer
by trade). Took a lot of guts to do what you did. I've never been too
close to anything like that, but my brother did actually sign up with
those fascists and tried The Life for maybe 6 months.
I think he still owes them money...
Good work, Russell.
(I sent him the link to your page too - I'm sure he'll be VERY interested)
Wednesday, May 03, 2000
Subject:
Re: The Motley Fool Message Boards - Reply to Your Message
> Russell -
>
> At the risk of beating an old topic to death, I adored your Amway piece.
Not a problem. I've been beating the topic to death for years.
> My wife and I were being hounded back home seemingly once a quarter (small
> town) and while I'd never really looked into it, it never felt like
> something I wanted to do. Glad my gut was right again.
Glad you enjoyed it. It's been lots of fun to write and maintain over the
years.
Thursday, May 04, 2000
Subject:
Re: The Motley Fool Message Boards - Reply to Your Message
Yeah, my brother's fine. He's about the last guy in the world I'd have ever
expected to get into a thing like Amway (he's a classical musician, a Zen
buddhist and a chocoholic), but he just did it for awhile and then came to
his own truth about the whole deal. I really had no idea of the incredible
machinations of those people until I read your piece.
Hope more people read it - I'll be recommending it, that's for sure.
Best,
Friday, May 05, 2000
Subject:
Your Amway story (part 3)
Quoting your story:
=====
"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do," I went on. "I'm going to tell all my
friends about Amway, and I'm going to put everything I've learned on my web
page." Phil laughed once again. "You WILL fail," he said with mock
confidence. "And you'll fail for the same reason that these HACKS that you
listened to were failing. The internet, hah! You'll never reach anybody that
way." And I said, "Then I guess we simply have nothing more to say to each
other."
=====
Well Phil, it looks like Russell _did_ reach a few people. Thanks Russell
for posting the poignant story about Amway.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. A friend of mine coaxed me into meeting
with him tomorrow about Amway, and I wanted to read up on it and I knew the
Internet would be the best source for unbiased info. (I didn't know anything
about Amway) I'm glad I found your site. I'll have to tell my friend I
feel a cold coming on....
Friday, May 05, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
Russel,
I never realised how programed these Amway people are.
I work with an idividual who has been trying to get
me into Amway for about a year and a half now. He
uses tactics and pitches astonishingly similar to
those you described in your web page. I just thought
my co-worker was always expressing his own thought out
opinions and views, but it is simply the Amway
propaganda that was shoved down his throat that he is
just regurgitating. I've never been interested in
joining and he knows this, but he is too nice of a guy
for me to tell him to bug off. I always knew that
Amway smelled like trouble-- but I didn't have enough
data to get Phil (ironic that is his name) off my
back.
He was let go from the company two weeks ago, and he
has called me to see if I want to get together for
dinner next week. I accepted, and I will not be
unprepared. Like you, I hate to see people taken for
fools, so I'm taking a little arsenul of information
with me.
Friday, May 05, 2000
Subject:
Comments
Hello!
My name is ***** and I'm a university student in Turkey. I was introduced
with Amway by a distributor here which called me for an introductory level
meeting. People there talked about Network 21 and Amway and how to gain money.
I personally don't believe in these things and I feel guilty having been
answered to this guy's mail. next week there's another meeting and I've payed
for that meeting. How can you convince me that there'll be no legal problems
if I join this "club"?
Hasn't this company come to any jurisdictional problem in the world? How are
the checks we receive taxed? I mean there should be something to show to
government guys while we're reinbursing this money. Is it black money ( of
course I don't expect you to say yes but...)? What are your best proofs for me
to join the company, and I mean this while saying proof ( on paper).
Thanx
Saturday, May 06, 2000
Subject:
Re: Comments
Caroline,
I'm not sure I understood your questions completely. It sounds like you are
asking me to give you a reason to join Amway. If this is so, maybe you have
misunderstood the intention of my page. I am against Amway. I think you
should avoid joining at all costs. If you didn't realize this, I suggest
you go and read my web page again.
> How can you convince me that there'll be no legal problems if I join this
"club"?
> Hasn't this company come to any jurisdictional problem in the world?
Regarding your legal concerns, I don't think it's typical for low-level
Amway distributors to be sued -- they almost invariably wind up becoming
very poor and/or in debt -- but the Amway corporation deals with a frequent
and continuous stream of lawsuits every year. You can read some examples at
an "Amway, the Untold Story" mirror site:
http://www.vtoy.fi/~teeman/schwartz/suits.htm
> How are the checks we receive taxed? I mean there should be something to
> show to government guys while we're reinbursing this money.
Maybe this page will help:
http://www.apollowebworks.com/amway/irs.html
I know that what the IRS does in the US may not be relevant to you in
Turkey, but you might find it interesting to think about.
Saturday, May 06, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
Russell Glasser,
Hello.
I did read your story from Introduction to Epilogue and was going to
ask you about Quixtar. Then, I stopped drafting this e-mail and
visited you FAQ page. I found Quixtar mentioned there.
First, thanks for your information. I came across your page because I
wanted to find out about Quixtar through searching online. I was
approached by someone, attended a meeting, and later met him at the
home of the person who got him to join. Though I have only met them
two or three times, I will say that I think they are nice individuals.
Having said that, I would like to ask some questions; even though you
have stated that you rarely reply directly to e-mail. These questions
deal specifically with Quixtar, though they may also apply to Amway.
1. You state (in talking about Amway) that even if there is a
discount, the savings get eaten up in shipping costs and paying for
seminars, tapes, etc. Assuming there IS at least a small net discount
on most purchases over standard retail, cannot an individual write off
the expense of tapes, seminars, gas mileage related to business, etc.,
as business-related expenses when it comes time for taxes? And,
therefore, the "hit" from those items will not be so great? (I guess
there might still be a "hit" from paying to have purchases shipped.)
2. My father (who is skeptical, like yours) told me, when I was
considering Amway several years ago (I have been approached several
times over the years re: Amway before Quixtar came along), that a
family friend got into Amway years ago and was stuck with Amway
products in his basement he could not sell. Warning acknowledged.
However, I am wondering if things will be different with Quixtar.
First, the Independent Business Owner (IBO) does not have to stock
supplies in his or her home and wait for clients to come by and pick
up their orders. It's point and click over the Internet. Things are
shipped from (regional?) warehouses and arrive at the buyer's home.
Also, whether the buyer is a Client (just decided to buy from Quixtar,
and does not have to join anything), or a Member (joins Quixtar like
joining a wholesale club), he or she goes through Quixtar using MY IBO
number (if/when I get one). So, I make a little something/earn some
points(?) off each purchase whether he or she wants to become an IBO
or not. If he or she does, great! More Clients/Members/potential
IBOs in my "line." Where is the drawback in this? Theoretically, if
I get people to buy online, using my IBO number, I win (at least a
little). And, if I decide not to buy all the tapes or go to the
seminars (as I have been told I can choose not to do), I can still
cover my IBO annual(?) fees and come away with a net gain -- depending
on the number of people I convince to buy online from Quixtar using my
IBO number.
This to me seems less like a "pyramid" since, theoretically, I can
spend something up front to become an IBO and recoup that money from
others' online purchases WITHOUT necessarily having find more and more
people for my "line." Note: I have done NO $$ comparisons involving
$/points earned from my and others' purchases (which translates into
monthly checks to me) vs my costs for becoming and staying an IBO.
3. Also, Quixtar, unlike the Amway distributorships, lets people buy
from a number of other retailers online, e.g., Franklin Covey,
Officemax.com, etc. If I'm not mistaken IBOs can earn points/get $
from purchases from these sites, as well. (But I'm not 100% sure on
this.) I think because the buyer still has to use an IBO number to
buy ANYTHING which was linked from the Quixtar.com page. Of course,
having written this, I suppose a person can GO to the other store's
site directly, but I am guessing Quixtar Members and IBOs receive SOME
sort of discount by starting from Quixtar.com. Isn't this still
something of a bargain (even if you don't get the "25% off" sale price
you would get if you went to the actual store on a sale day)?
4. Adding some of this up, even if the IBO discount winds up being
small, if you add it to the monthly incentive/points check (which may
also be small), are able to write off a number of expenses (tapes,
seminars, etc.) as a business expenses, AND choose not to buy every
tape and go to every seminar that comes your way, is it not logical to
guess (absent hard numbers) that there will be a net gain with being
an IBO with Quixtar? (Maybe unlike being an Amway distributor.)
I know the letter is kind of long, but these were my questions. I
would be interested in seeing your responses on the FAQ page, if not
in an actual reply e-mail.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into getting your Amway
information out and organizing the pages.
Detroit, MI
Sunday, May 07, 2000
Subject:
Re: Finished your Amway story...
> 1. You state (in talking about Amway) that even if there is a
> discount, the savings get eaten up in shipping costs and paying for
> seminars, tapes, etc. Assuming there IS at least a small net discount
> on most purchases over standard retail
...which there isn't. Do price comparisons.
>, cannot an individual write off
> the expense of tapes, seminars, gas mileage related to business, etc.,
> as business-related expenses when it comes time for taxes? And,
> therefore, the "hit" from those items will not be so great? (I guess
> there might still be a "hit" from paying to have purchases shipped.)
>
I have recently added a new page addressing that issue. It is at
http://www.apollowebworks.com/amway/irs.html.
Anyway, even if you can manage to effectively write off the tapes, seminars,
and long trips, to my mind it still doesn't make up for all the time and
money you wasted on that tripe in the first place.
> 2. My father (who is skeptical, like yours) told me, when I was
> considering Amway several years ago (I have been approached several
> times over the years re: Amway before Quixtar came along), that a
> family friend got into Amway years ago and was stuck with Amway
> products in his basement he could not sell. Warning acknowledged.
> However, I am wondering if things will be different with Quixtar.
>
The internet is a new method of buying products. In my opinion it's a good
one, as I am a loyal customer of Amazon.com. But it can't change a bad
business model into a good one. Quixtar is Amway, and I suspect they are
not going to have very different methods of operation underneath the slick
veneer.
> First, the Independent Business Owner (IBO) does not have to stock
> supplies in his or her home and wait for clients to come by and pick
> up their orders. It's point and click over the Internet. Things are
> shipped from (regional?) warehouses and arrive at the buyer's home.
> Also, whether the buyer is a Client (just decided to buy from Quixtar,
> and does not have to join anything), or a Member (joins Quixtar like
> joining a wholesale club), he or she goes through Quixtar using MY IBO
> number (if/when I get one). So, I make a little something/earn some
> points(?) off each purchase whether he or she wants to become an IBO
> or not. If he or she does, great! More Clients/Members/potential
> IBOs in my "line." Where is the drawback in this? Theoretically, if
> I get people to buy online, using my IBO number, I win (at least a
> little). And, if I decide not to buy all the tapes or go to the
> seminars (as I have been told I can choose not to do), I can still
> cover my IBO annual(?) fees and come away with a net gain -- depending
> on the number of people I convince to buy online from Quixtar using my
> IBO number.
>
> This to me seems less like a "pyramid" since, theoretically, I can
> spend something up front to become an IBO and recoup that money from
> others' online purchases WITHOUT necessarily having find more and more
> people for my "line." Note: I have done NO $$ comparisons involving
> $/points earned from my and others' purchases (which translates into
> monthly checks to me) vs my costs for becoming and staying an IBO.
>
Keep in mind two points, which I think are critical to understanding
Amway/Quixtar. First, the prices are terrible. Distributors will keep
telling you that you are saving money, but you aren't. Check it out for
yourself. This invalidates the argument that you are "saving" money even if
you don't turn a profit.
Second, the pyramid scheme lies not so much in the products themselves, but
in the motivational system. Bear that in mind if you start getting
pressured to get involved.
> 3. Also, Quixtar, unlike the Amway distributorships, lets people buy
> from a number of other retailers online, e.g., Franklin Covey,
> Officemax.com, etc. If I'm not mistaken IBOs can earn points/get $
> from purchases from these sites, as well. (But I'm not 100% sure on
> this.) I think because the buyer still has to use an IBO number to
> buy ANYTHING which was linked from the Quixtar.com page. Of course,
> having written this, I suppose a person can GO to the other store's
> site directly, but I am guessing Quixtar Members and IBOs receive SOME
> sort of discount by starting from Quixtar.com. Isn't this still
> something of a bargain (even if you don't get the "25% off" sale price
> you would get if you went to the actual store on a sale day)?
>
Now, this I am not deeply familiar with. I have seen their partner store
ads, and I have even toyed with the idea of doing some test shopping just to
find out what the trick is. However, I was not interested enough to want to
pay the sign-up fees. I don't want my investigation to line their pockets.
If you decide to get involved, I would love to get a report back on things
you bought from the partner stores and how much they cost.
> 4. Adding some of this up, even if the IBO discount winds up being
> small, if you add it to the monthly incentive/points check (which may
> also be small), are able to write off a number of expenses (tapes,
> seminars, etc.) as a business expenses, AND choose not to buy every
> tape and go to every seminar that comes your way, is it not logical to
> guess (absent hard numbers) that there will be a net gain with being
> an IBO with Quixtar? (Maybe unlike being an Amway distributor.)
>
It's like this. Say you buy an Amway product at a 30% markup from its true
market value, and then get a 3% bonus check back. (This may or may not be
an exaggeration.) You may have the illusion of saving money, but you're
not. So in order to get a bigger bonus, you have to go out and sign up
other distributors. Unfortunately, if you want to get support in this
endeavor, you have to buy into the system. So you wind up spending more on
motivational stuff, and you're STILL buying overpriced products, plus you're
giving up leisure time to get Amway more bottom-rung customers.
Sunday, May 07, 2000
Subject:
Finished your Amway story...
I read the whole thing. In 1970 there arose a similar MLM Ponze scheem in
Tulsa, Oklahoma where I was living. The Koscot Cosmetic Corporation of
Florida, owned and run by Glenn Turner, offered cosmetics made from mink oil.
(Actually they offered only an opportunity to get rich.) Unlike Amway, the
mink oil products were held for the distributor in storage in Florida and
delivered only as the distributor sold them, which of course didn't happen.
In revival-type meetings the belivers worshiped the money god.
I had just returned from military service and was attending Tulsa University.
I was spending my free time "working" for my good friend who had invented a
device and was trying to market it (this too was a delusion). Another young
man was also helping with the product. This young man's father-in-law fell
for it got in early and made (and spent) tens of thousands, perhaps over
$100,000. I had worked for the man during high school at his service station.
He had worked and saved and owned three successful service stations before
loosing it all to mink oil and the quest for riches. The young man also fell
for it and almost dragged my friend who is very bright, usually. I was amazed
that the economics which seemed so simple to me (I was about to graduate with
an accounting degree) were invisible to them. In 1972 I became a criminal
investigator for the federal government and, over the next 20 years saw lots
of smart people do stupid things. Usually they were people who had not been
rewarded by the system according to their expections. Usually un or under
educated and angry that they wern't getting what they deserved. They then
took what they deserved and got into trouble.
Turner was later prosecuted and convicted (late 70's) by the FBI for mail
fraud. Key to his conviction was the lack of product. Amway beats this by
delivering the product. After the FBI started its investigation and the
scheme was getting bad press, he used the same techniques but without the
product to recuit more downline distributors. It was called "Dare To Be
Great." It was just the greed without the snake oil. It was a MLM
motivational course. It lasted a while but died out when the personal growth
era began. There is a biography of Turner, out of print of course, but your
libaray might get it through interlibrary loan.
If you are interested in reading about other money mania, try Extraordinary
Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, by Charles Mackay, LLD.
Thanks for putting the word out on Amway, however with nearly 90% of Americans
professing belief in heaven and God, belief in Amway seems reasonable.
Sunday, May 07, 2000
Subject:
My reply to your Amway page
I wanted also to mention the Emu (a large bird whose meat was to replace beef)
Ponze scheme that recently ran aground in Central Texas (and perhaps
elsewhere). It was just the latest. There are others. Many new e-businesses
will qualify when they declare a dividend without having ever made a profit.
Sunday, May 07, 2000
Subject:
Finished Reading Your Amway Story
Russell,
Wow. That is my first impression. Everything you said
was so accurate. Like you, I almost fell into the same
scam of Amway. A friend of mine has some parents into
Amway. And I was discussing how my own parents don't
want to do it, because they have heard the horror
stories. And he simply told me the reason my parents
weren't in on the deal was because they were lazy, and
that his family was smart, they were in it for 4
years, so they know the ropes. It's odd though, they
make about $36,000 a year combined income of his
parents, and his mom has 8 kids of hers living in the
2 bedroom house. She doesn't have a job, but babysits
two young kids. I just don't understand how people
can't see their own stupidity. For FOUR YEARS, they
have been in this Amway, and absolutely NOTHING has
changed. I'm sorry for going into a personal
experience, I just felt so relieved in hearing
something positive about getting out of that crap
other than being told how lazy I am. I wish you so
much luck in your own business. Because people like
us, intelligent, independant people, like us, can
create small businesses and actually work, not scam.
Again, good luck, and thank you for such a great
personal experiece story!!!
Lansing, Michigan
Sunday, May 07, 2000
Subject:
Your Amway story (part 3)
Russell-I totally can see how this is a scam!! One of my very good friends
is getting involved in this whole thing. What do you think would be the
best approach to STOPPING HIM from getting in any deeper? I am truly
frightened for his emotional and financial well being!
How can intelligent people actually get sucked in so easily, my friend owns
2 successful businesses already and does not have the time for all of this
crap yet he is making the time!! I am worried!!
Monday, May 08, 2000
Subject:
Your Amway story (part 2)
Greetings!
I own a health club that has been in business 20 years and we net more than
$700,000 a year. Our expenses, by the way, run about $150,000 a month before
we make our first penny. I joined Quixtar in January, full of caution and
skepticism, and have evaluated the company (including Amway) for the past
several months. I have gone to meetings, purchased materials, listened to
tapes, spoken to many people, and, yes, researched the internet for more
information. And I've even read all the negative sights like yours. I have
yet to find a single solitary thing wrong with the business opportunity, or
with the company. However, because distributors are independant, and don't
work for Amway or Quixtar, many of them violate principals of honesty and
integrity. No different than what you'll find in every business in America.
But the basic facts cannot be disputed. It is a very good business
opportunity, especially for individuals that lack the capital to invest in a
larger business. The fact that your upline will help you succeed at no cost
to you is a very big plus. When you add together the cost of doing business
for Quixtar plus the cost of buying tools, and add the cost of going to
conferences, it's got to be just about the cheapest overhead of any business
in this country. I buy one tredmill and it cost me $6,000! One month of
advertising is $7,000 +. True, many people will not succeed in this business.
They won't lose much trying either. But for those who would work
dilligently part time (most Amway people don't quit their jobs until they
start to make more money with Amway), the rewards can be huge. It might take
2,3, or more years to start making good money ie. $50,000 - $100,000, but I
am absolutely convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that it will happen. And
the potential for very big money, ie. high 6 figures is there. And that's
why I'm in it. I don't need need chump change. I have seen the money and it
is there! And the potential to make money with very little overhead has got
to be one of the biggest selling points of this opportunity. It is a fact
that when I tell people about the business, the ones most excited about it
are people who are already successful, including many doctors and lawyers. It
may be that these people have tasted success and want more. And they know
how to focus on their goals and work hard to acheive them. The one's who are
least interested are those who need it the most. It's sad, but many of those
people will live paycheck to paycheck, barely keeping their heads above
water, scoff at this business. They don't seem to have much in the way of
hopes and dreams, so they'll never need a vehicle to deliver them. This
business is not for everyone. You did the right thing by not getting
involved. If your heart and soul ain't in it, you never would have succeeded
anyway.
I hope you won't mind if I put you in my favorites and keep you posted on how
I'm doing. You'll either be kicking yourself in the ass, or laughing your
ass off. Either way, I'm in it. And I'm gonna make it work!
With kindest regards,
Saturday, May 13, 2000
Subject:
Amway strikes again!
Russell,
What can I say, I can only thank you for posting your experience on the net.
I could see myself heading down the same road as you had previously
travelled. Its a strange thing to see when somebody has been hypnotised by a
cult. Ive tried to explain your words to others and they don't want to know,
I think they are passed saving!!
The person who told me about Amway also mentioned QUIXTAR, at the end of the
meeting, I asked him to spell this for me (internet purposes) he spelt it
QUICKSTAR. This lead me to http://www.qfax.com/ and I thought, what the hell
is he talking about!! so I decided to look deeper into Amway and found
amongst others your site.
Once again thank you!!!
PS if you spell check Quixtar, you end up with Quitter.
Saturday, May 13, 2000
Subject:
Amway feedback
What do you know about Dexter Yeger?
I was in Amway a few years ago in his group. I have pretty bad stories
regarding this experience.
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