Great forum subject.

So much rubbish is written about MLM.

MLM changed my life.

Did I make a fortune? No.

How did it change my life?

I learned that not everyone is willing to make the effort to step out of the WORK (JOB) way of life and make the effort to go it alone but build a team under a good support network.

Yes, they are out there. Great companies and great products and services.

Yes, even the best have horror stories but these are usually due to individual greed and companies taking their eye off of the process and pushing untested products.

I was involved at one time in a travel based MLM but one very clever representative discovered that he could milk the system and then taught others to do the same, result, travel suppliers got tired of giving too much away and refused to play along forever. Result, non-viability. Whose fault? The MLM company had not kept sensible control. GREAT business stopped in it's tracks.

If you want to do MLM then follow the advice here about company, product, rewards and long-term viabilty BUT most of all ensure that the company you join is prepared to LISTEN to its distributors.

Because there is a lot of negative responses in MLM selling, most companies teach positive thinking techniques. Nothing wrong with that but when you are asked to sell a product that won't sell the company need to know, to find out why and if needed withdraw the product. Too many in the past have said Don't be negative, go and sell it, only to find that they have been demoralising their distributors and have been pushing an unsellable product. Companies need to listen. Ask a distributor if their company listens to the field. If not, walk away.

I made varied amounts of money, I spent varied amounts of money and I made great lifetime friends. NOT rich on the back of MLM but I know those who are and I don't regret one single day.

Roger Macdivitt

Diane,

So true.

I personally had a great ride with Amway UK many years ago. I became aware that a company as big as that makes friends and powerful enemies. A small lie can become huge overnight. Somebody making money from distributors at their expense can happen, the company can only get information back by listening to it's distributors. Laws change, marketing is different in other countries and not everything works out using the same system. There will be bitter people, disenchanted people and complainers but there are always good stories too.

Companies like Macdonalds have discovered that the system they have has to work world-wide. They know that they have to use halal meats in some countries or, like here in the UK, they sell better by stressing that they use UK produced meat. Etc.

All companies need to listen.

I wish I knew then what I know now. I'm getting more interested in helping others than myself now but if I was younger then I would seek a balance.

I hope that you get good feedback here.

Roger