Amway: The Untold Story

Hi,

I have a very dear friend that has come home on leave from the Navy. I have never seen him quite like this and it puzzles me. In our first conversation, he told me he had started a business. Because I have many aspirations of starting my own business, I was all ears. He began speaking in circles, talking about direct distributing, and sounding very unrealistic. I immediatly asked him if this was Amway. I got the usual response to be expected, more circles, more talk about direct distributing, and yes, "Amway is a part of all of this".

I went to a meeting with him tonight just to see what all of this was about. I have to admit, the "plan" does sound like something that could work. But something is missing from all of this. None of these people talk about work. I am a firm beliver that you never get anything in this world without some good old fashioned work. This whole Amway business sounds so good, but I just can't see where any real revenue is generated here. I never hear about Amway products, or products distributed from them. This whole thing seems to be missing the "meat and potatoes", its like all these people just talk about the dessert.

Anyway, I turn to my good old friend called the Internet for some research and I found this site. I have not had time to read through it all yet, but you seem to have some real good info.

I have to admit that I am just a little worried about my friend. He has always had a very string work ethic. But now he talks about getting wealthy, but he can't give me a good answer on how he will do it. Do you have any suggestions on this matter?

I have attended many classes on starting a business. The first rule always is: Don't do this just for the money, because you more than likely will not have it for a while.

These Amway people are all about money and material stuff. This just seems like a lot of false hope to me. They almost made me feel depressed about my job, and the "rut" I am in.

Anyway, the reason I just wrote all of this stuff is becuse I want to thank you for putting this web page on the 'net. You just brought me back from my very temporary lapse of reality. I think I will just stay in my "rutt" for now and make an honest living just like most people in this world. I wish the best for my friend, but I am afrais he is going to be sorely diappointed in the near future.

I have browsed some of your text files about the Amway corporation and what many people believe what it is all about. I just became a distributor about four weeks ago through a non-profit corporation called World Wide Dream Builders. I was wondering what you knew about this particular line of sponsorship.

I to have noticed that many people get excited about this as a new concept in business to them, however I have been to some of the major functions such as Free Enterprise Day and Dream Night, and as mentioned in many of the text files, these and other functions are very motivationally oriented in nature.

I understand that these functions can be considered cultish. I have looked at this business about four months and have met hundreds of distributors, and none of them have had any symptoms of cultism as described. Instead all that I see are respected business people. I have not seen any hints of deception or fanaticism in them. It is not "too good to be true" and no one has pretended to say it was easy. They all know it takes work (just like any other venture), and I haven't felt any pressure on myself to change any of my own relegious or moral values (which are VERY different from the Amway norm)

Much of the message that I derived from those text files was that Amway was alot of hype, and in many ways that is both true and not true, however I believe that those messages also carry alot of hype, especially the one about the guy who said he felt "influenced" into spending 30000 dollars on materials and was encouraged to go into debt at the same time. I know as a fact that I would be shuned by my upline for doing something as stupid as that, and even then it was his own personal decision. I do know of a story first hand of someone on the east coast who sponsored fourty people in his first month, however he was also using his own "methods" of persuasion. Needless to say he was quickly delt with. These are just some more examples to express my point.

Perhapse my experiences differ from the ones mentioned in the text files because I am in the World Wide Dream Builders organization. Or maybe I am missing something. I am not close minded or ignorant which is why I am requesting your voice on what I have mentioned. I am always been open to two sides to an issue, and I will be the first one to admit that the Amway information systems are incredibly one sided. I would like to discuss the issue with you, if possible, however all that I request for now is a response.

Are you a distributor yet? - If not and your interested, and if your not afraid of work, get a hold of me. Our upline Double Diamond is a personal friend of Dexters and we had the opportunity to meet him personally in October. We're tied right in with Dexter's system, 30 years of experience from a man that has the largest network in the world! We're growing using the system. I've been in business for over 10 years and I've never seen anything like this since I got started a year ago as an "Amway" distributor!

I FEEL THAT YOUR REPORTS ARE BIASED AND SELECTIVE. ANYONE CAN COMPARE AND PROVE INFERIOR A PRODOCT BY SELECTING AND CHOOSING THAT WHICH YOU WANT TO BE "PROVEN" A LESS WORTHY PURCHASE.

My subject says it all…

I don't know what the "business" has done to your life, obviously, it is important to you to get the word out! A job well done! When I have more time, I'll lay it on the line with an expose' on how Amway helped me loose my career in the Army, get dismissed from my work-section, get on the fat-boy program and etc. This is not new to you, but I like adding fuel to this fire.

Your articles have taken us over 4 hours to read, but we have read all, and appreciate the stories related. We both felt like such failures, and I really felt like an idiot for getting sucked into this business (for the 2nd time!) The bad thing about this ride, was that I dragged my wife along with me on the 2nd roller coaster! I should have known. But, of course, I blamed the first "failure" on my singleness, lack of discipline, etc. On both occasions, I gained an average of 10-15 pounds shortly following quitting (it happens to guys, too, Oprah), and went thru a long bout of depression. Lots of drinking after the 1st one, I didn't drink on the 2nd one, so it was even worse!!

We would just like to say that we appreciate your hard work in this issue. We are contacting John and ? H. on the suit, as we had been in the groups in question. I am tempted to get into it for the money, and the time lost (invaluable). If I could get away with it, I'd actually get the original $40,000 I had wanted out of the thing in the first place, go to school, and get a real job with the rest of the "losers"!

Sincerely yours,

(the only thing I want to "contact" now is my foot to the upline's …ain't it great!)

I just nosed through all of your Amway articles and I'm glad someone has the BALLS to stand up against these cretins. I have a couple of goons where I work who keep chanting that all the other members of our work group are losers because they want to "work at a job" for the rest of their life. I'm just waiting another year or two for these saps to lose all their money. Funny thing is, one of them is a friendly guy and would make a great friend, if it weren't for Scamway.

Later!

Keep standing up for truth, friend!

Hello Mr Schwartz,

I, as of 7 days ago became the newest member to the Amway dist. organization. I am QUITE intrigued by your numbers and since no one I have talked to at the organization will give me ANY hard numbers I certainly do appreciate the ones you have. It has certainly opened my eyes. I am having increasingly sceptical views of this organization. Do you have ANY more stats (maybe more in the 1995 range). I am writing from * MI which is only 30 miles from the main Ada MI plant. I have always been leary of the organization but when I got the latest sales pitch it all sounded so good. One thing I did notice was that the pitch was NOT so much to sell the products but to get more distributors under me. I don't even know what I'm selling yet!!!

Anymore info would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Jason,

There has always been, and there will aways be, those who try to "prove" that Amway can't, shouldn't, won't work…or that only a "lucky few" make it big. Frankly, I gave it about 5 years of my life 20 so years ago, with only limited sucess. Was that Amway's fault? Or did I not really apply myself? Would I have obtained the great results that the Britts of the world have if I had paid the price they have? Sure…they aren't a superior race, just folks who refuse to fail. Can I do it? Why not? Do just the "upper .001%" (whatever that means) make it? Statistically, yes. But do those people have some leg up on the rest of us, or are they possessed of a Divine charm that the rest of the riff-raff have not been given? Don't be silly. Every Diamond, every Crown was faced with the same grim numbers on day one. Amway makes no promises; it just opens a door. Which side of the door you end up on is entirely in your hands. Why the sour grapes? If you don't want to do it, don't. I believe Britt is sure right about one thing: if you want to stay broke, there's an easy way: find a well- meaning, handsome, nice broke guy and take his advice. We can duplicate failures, or we can duplicate winners. The law of reaping and sowing works in either case.

After staying out of the business for a couple decades, and finding myself in essentially the same spot career-wise as I was in 20 years ago, I decided I'd been listening to losers. The very habits I had cultivated over that time had kept me broke; so I woke up and realized nothing would change until I took steps to change them.

I'm not suggesting that you get back into the business, but if you don't care for it go do something else. Don't waste your time standing by the side of the highway with your warning signs. Amway will continue to roll over the naysayers, increasing billions each year without you. That's your choice. Diamonds live a great life--even if it's just a dream.

Hi,

I am very interested in your information. I am a distributor, but mostly because I have family involved. I would consider mysel below hobby- level. My step- father is a Ruby. We are in the World Wide organization under Ron Puryear. My wife and I are having fun going to the meetings, meeting people we wuld have never met, etc.

I agree that most people I've seen get involved never treat it like a business (similar to selling insurance), but those that have seem to always make good money. I have no idea about money made at the Emerald level and above involving tools, etc.

I knew that money was being made by the convention promoters and makers of the tools (as is the case with all other positive attitude sellers and even the electronic industy that I work in).

I have researched many, many other businees (mostly franchising) and arrived back at the conclusion that the Amway business is very, very reasonable--even when you throw in every tool, meeting, etc.--but only if you treat it like a business. So what if the diamond make money off the tools, etc. Every company I've worked at seems to provide kick backs to their management that the employees don't know about.

I agree that the Amway business can be very hard, but for some people, including my Step-father it has provided a means of survival. Every thing I read that you published seemed negative. Is there a reason? I have read positive articles about the skin care and cosmetic products. What about including information about the thousands of distributors that are still in and making money?

I am really interested in why you have limited your information to only negative type. I am not defending Amway or attacking what you say. I'm just a concerned distributor.

If I concentrated on law suits about corporate executives, I would wonder if I should work for any company.

Last, I feel that so few people make it in Amway is that they don't really get out there and do what it takes to make it in any sales position (e.g. insurance); and bad publicity from distributors that quit does not help. They shoul never discourage people from trying. I know 99% of the distributors are good, honest people that truly care about people they being in.

Thanks for listening.

YOUR DATES ARE AS OLD AS YOUR RETORECK , IF YOU CAN'T BE MORE CURRENT YOU SHOULD GET OF THE AIR.

I HAVE BEEN A DISTRIBUTOR FOR SIX YEARS AND THANK GOD EVERY DAY FOR THE SUPPORT OUR TOOLS HAS GIVEN US . WHERE DO YOU GO TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO DEVELOPE A BUSINESS , MAYBE THE LIBRARY (BOOKS), MAYBE SEMINARS (TEACHING) HOW ABOUT TAPES ( SEMINARS WE COULDN'T ATTEND). THE PRICE WE PAY FOR THESE TAPES IS THE EXACT SAME PRICE OUR SPONSOR PAID. Hmm, HOW CAN THIS BE THEY DIDN'T MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF ME? BUT YET AS I GAINED KNOWLEDGE MY BUSINESS GREW.

I'M SORRY, YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER WORKED FOR A COMPANY THAT FELT GOOD TRAINING WAS IMPORTANT TO YOUR SUCCESS.YOU SEE THE INFOR MATION THAT IS ON THOSE TAPES HELPS TO TEACH US HOW TO BUILD OUR BUSINESS THAT PAYS OUR BILLS NOT DEXTERS. HE DESERVES TO EARN MONEY FOR MAKING THESE TAPES, THE INFORMATION ON THE TAPES IS WORTH MORE THAN THE $5.50 I SPENT ON THE PLASTIC.

YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE DEMONSTRATES TO ME THAT YOU NEED TO LEARN FROM SOMEONE. UNTIL YOU DO I WILL CONTINUE TO GET MY INFO FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS THE FRUIT ON THE TREE, NOT SOMEONE WITH AN AXE TO GRIND THINGS TO LEARN.

BY THE WAY IF YOU CAN'T BE MORE CURRENT THAN 1985 OR 1982 QUIT WAISTING MY TIME.

I am extremely grateful to have gotten the real scoop on Amway. I just signed up this past Thursday. Several aspects to the recruiting process left some questionmarks in my mind, but I sort of ignored them thinking I would prove this thing out-the earnings sounded so good, I have a great list of names and I'm a very motivated person.

Anyway, I have downloaded and read everything you offered and can now clearly see what I would be getting myself and wife into. I was not told in advance about the "motivational materials" and that they expected me to do the daily "gig" of books and tapes. My sponser suprised me with a $104 order for the initial tapes, books and video. Sounds like that might be a normal stragegy. Out of curiosity, is the Amway sales kit $131, or did I get overcharged?

The other thing that bothered me was my Sponser's insistence on our attending DreamNight next month. I've already told him that with car repairs over $2000 this month and Christmas spending, $50 per ticket wasn't in our budget. He ignored this and keeps pushing (hard, too).

I plan to request a refund of the approx. $250 on Monday. Can anyone offer me suggestions for dealing with the pushback and potential that I may have problems getting the reimbursement money? Its interesting to note that I wrote the check to my sponser late (11pm) Thursday night. The check cleared the next day. I guess the guy need the money real bad.

Thanks again for your input. I now am indebted to the "net".

I was reading your findings on the law suit on dexter yeager and personaly I think its crap. all you have is some guys that didnt have the guts to make it in amway, so they sue the people that got them in. if you guys really knew what it was all about, and really study it instead of listening to some losers that have no respect for change you might find that dexter has done good not harm.so personaly i think its a bunch of lawyers and free loaders trying to make some unearnd money!

I had recently had the UNFORTUNATE experience of getting suckered into this crap. But I did get out before it started. 5 day's ago, a fella called me up and asked me if I would like to make alot of money. I said sure, but leave your Amway stuff at home. He came over with Internet International. When the night was over, out came the Amway application. Oh, he said. Amway is just the distributor. I've seen this shit 2 times in the past before. There was no differece. I bit because my boss at work gave him my phone number. I had trust in him as well as this guy. Turns out the guys a FAKE, CHEAT AND A LIAR. I called him up after doing some research by reading this column, as well as privare sources, and demanded my money back, and he can take his bullshit elsewhere. He gave my my cash, but not before he tried 2 times to keep me on. I almost punched him in the face. This person gives Network Marketing a band name. As for my boss, he is the biggest dickhead around for letting this guy harass me and my family. Thank's for your help. You made me see the light before I got in to deep!!!!

Greetings: I came upon your page and read much of it in utter amazement. After reading the info bits from the law suits, I see why Bill Britt can get so frustrated.

I'll hold my point of view becasue I have no desire to get into any wars with you or anyone else who see to have such a HATE for this business. What I'd lile to ask is… HOW DO YOU & YOUR ASSOCIATES account for the success of all those people invloved in this business? How do you account for people liek Larry Winters who had about as much education as Yeager did when he got started? And how do you account for people like Dick Ossinger who was/is blind and became a Diamond non-the-less and HOW do you account for the fact that over a MILLION people have come to know the lord, in other words GOT saved as a result of the association with people in the Britt organization? Please share whit me HOW you account for these FACTS?

I have NO problem with yout being donw on this business, HECK there are people who think IBM is a bad business and McDONALDS is a bad business. What frustrates is me you paint a picture with the EYE OF IGNORANCE. If Britt/Yeager made so much money from tape/tools, HOW MUCH DO THEY MAKE when people USE THOSE TOOLS to educate and inform??

Hello from down under, I couldn't agree more about untold truths During my time as an Amway distributor(if you could call it that, its more like spend a small fortune on tapes,books and boring meetings) I was expected to attend ALL meetings,spend money on tapes books and boring meetings.I was even expected to leave my job to set up meetings with possible new distributors and show them the plan with my sponsor and upline. The final straw that broke the camels back was being sworn at for being late to a team phone call.These team phone calls almost cost me my employment.With Amway all they see is AMWAY, AMWAY AMWAY. They don't even tell you it's amway when they try to get you to join!It's happened to me twice. The second time was to see if it was Amway.

I've been to two meetings and never got the hook in my mouth! My complaint was that I didn't see any benefit from the tapes! Just people saying how good they were!

Glad to see I was right and you should get a medal!!

To me and others in my family, AMWAY was and still is a four letter word!

I find your web site to be more than slightly pathetic. You must not have much of a life if you can spend so much time bashing something as positive as The Amway business.

I have found that most people who would consider Amway a cult, would also believe that the Pope is the Anti-Christ and that Billy Graham has a hidden agenda.

Get a life. You probably have an Ex-accounting student do you taxes…an Ex- medical student providing your healthcare…ect....Since when do EX-Amway distributors know anything about Amway! Now, I don't believe everyone that quits Amway is an idiot. But if they are not the idiot…their sponser was the idiot. Too bad Amway doesn't have entrance exams…I think we both would be happier.

All complaining aside, owever, you have the right to your opinion (as do I obviously); and I will respect that fact.

You are a sorry loser! You haven't even looked at the whole picture! If you looked at the fruit on the tree you would see that 99.99% of the facts about Amway are good! You will always have a few negatives when you are dealing with people! You are a perfect example!!!

You must have failed big time to have a chip big enough to waste an entire home page this pile of CRAP!

While there may be some groups that fit some of the categories you talk about here, most of this page is filled with information that is false and/or presented in very misleading ways.

I don't have the time or desire to debate you on this is an obvious reflection of someone that has failed because they wouldn't do what was required to build a successful business and wants to put the blame elsewhere. I can speak from experience since I have been in the business for serveral years and made money when I do what I am taught works, and don't make money when I decide to try it my own way.

The system, tapes, books, seminars, etc… are all valid tools and programs that are used by many big corporations, again, I know this because I have worked for a big corp. for many years.

Cultism? I don't think so, being a long time Christian and having a good idea of what a Cult is and Is not, Amway does not fit the bill.

Why don't you get a life and put your engergy to something more productive than slamming something you and/or those you are involved with in this page.

If a person doesn't need Amway's money, positive teaching and all it's benefits, they certainly don't need your negative pile of crap!

No need to reply, just wanted ad my 2 cents as this type of nonsense gets old after a while.

I do not know why you are in a cruzade against AMWAY, I as a distributor and as an independent business person (outside AMWAY) can tell you that the investment, even in tapes, books, etc. is minimal compared to other industries. About Yager making money through the tapes?, well I don't know if you hold a job or own your own business, but let me tell you that if you earn some money from any activitie you involved, the only difference between you two is the amount of the taxes you pay. The tapes are mostly hipe, one of your comments mention, well I don't know if you have ever attended a trainning seminar, not from AMWAY, but from any motivational trainner; you will see that this is very common in that kind of rallies. I wish that you would inform yourself better of how business is conducted outside your world. Have a nice day and hey, not everybody can make their dreams come true.

Greetings, For some time now, my parents and I have been very concerned about my brother *'s participation in Amway. This concern led me to investigate the Internet this morning for articles about Amway and its reputation.

The most recent evidence we have about *'s involvement becoming more dangerous (in terms of his financial stability) is that he is now in danger of losing his house, being 3 months in arrears with the mortgage payment. He has a young wife, * who's pregnant with their 2nd child. Michael shows all the signs of being swept up in the cultism of this thing, in that he made Sherri quit her job and is considering quitting his job as a police officer to devote all his time and energy to Amway. In addition to being on the force, he has to supplement his income by moonlighting as a security guard. He spends all his time and money attending Amway conventions and functions. *'s never been the brightest person I've known, but he's so naive and sweet, and hence very susceptible to the kind of "community" and "belonging" he feels he's found with this group. I feel he's been taken in and I am ready to do anything to put a stop to this!

I'm getting ready to visit him in Georgia for Christmas and am actively soliciting any information or support that could help me in convincing him to leave this organization before he loses everything.

I'm now writing you from my office, but can also be reached via email at *.

I would greatly appreciate any and all information you can give me. Thanks for putting this site up on the Web; it has validated all the suspicions I've had for some time!

Hi,

I appreciate your efforts in putting together 'the dark side of the moon'. I have been studying Amway and 'the Britt System' for past couple of months.

I just wanted to mention that, from what I have gathered the tape money is refundable for six months. So it would be helpful for the people who read your page, to return their tapes if they want to. (Also to the people who want to build the business but don't want the compulsion of keeping unwanted tapes). Also plenty of times I read about people complaing about their 'upline', I don't feel it fair to form an opinion about something because of the experience with a particular individual/s.

Diamond's making money of the tapes is a news to me. Thanks for that. I would have to check on that. I personally don't mind if Bill Britt sells tapes at $6. Its not fair to expect anybody to run charitable organisations. The coercion aspect of it is certainly objectable, but again it might vary from organisations, and if people of aware of money back guarantee for 6 mths, it would not cause much problems.

Just wanted to add my two cents, Would have liked to add more, but sometime else..

Would like to keep this anonymous.

Here's a copy of my e-mail to someone seeking info on Amway.

Dear Mr. *:

Here goes:

I came to the U.S. in 79, and I had vaguely heard about the Amway Corporation -- I thought they were like Avon, just doing door-to-door selling -- when I was introduced to the "business opportunity" this May. A good friend of mine called, and said he was doing a business with some people from Houston, and would I be interested. Facing uncertain employment at the time, I said I was, and went for the preliminary meeting, and then the speaker meeting. The speaker was dynamic, and made a very impressive presentation.

People were very nice and friendly -- it seemed they really wanted to help others succeed. I attended their phone meetings, and even a mini rally in Dallas. The rally raised a red flag for me -- it seemed to be very cultic, and there was a whole lot of hype and hoopla. Anyway, I thought it was a good deal, and at that time it just seemed to be a question of changing one's buying habits, encouraging others to do the same, and getting rewarded for it. Sure, the prices seemed higher than the market, but I thought, hey, that's a small price to pay for financial success. The Amway plan tells you that you basically need to buy about $ 200 worth of stuff, off which you'll save $ 60 (30% discount). The speakers always talk about 6-8-10 hours a week. That seemed OK. While I wasn't looking for the 100,000 income or more right away, this seemed like a good thing to do in my spare time, and generate a side income.

Anyway, I signed up in late June, and then things changed. The pressure to conform to 'group think' started increasing. Right when my kit was being opened, an upline started putting pressure to get on the tape standing order. Fortunately, my sponsor had told me that if I didn't want to, I didn't have to. Then the meetings -- I was prepared to attend the weekly meeting and pay the $ 3.00, but things went beyond that. There were weekend meetings, and meetings in Houston and Dallas (100 and 160 miles away from where I live), to which I 'just had to go'. I 'had to buy as maay tapes as I could to be successful', I had to attend the quarterly rally'. At one meeting chaired by our direct distributor couple, the greed of the upline became obvious -- they were exhorting each one of us to do 300 PV a month -- that works out to about $ 700! Maybe for a rich physician or lawyer that may be nothing, but for an instructor, that is too much, and the directs knew pretty well that no one in that group had the means to do this. Then we were told that we should get on the standing order for tapes, we should get the AMVOX messaging system, that our spouses must attend all meetings, etc. There were plenty of half truths -- like how everyone must buy the Double X vitamins, because they would make you more energetic, and how taking a Double X vitamin in the afternoon would give you a boost! There were also some specific lies, which I won't go into.

I was active all this time -- I was enthusiastic, and was getting one or two guests to each meeting -- so it can't be said that I was a slacker. I did buy some tapes and listened to them. What turned me off was the meeting mentioned above, and some of the lies given o me by our upline. I sensed a desperation coming from them -- the situation was that they were pumping money into products and into the tools, and were trying to recover some of that by pressuring people like me at the bottom. I am an Asian Indian, and some of our upline possibly thought they could manipulate these gullible immigrants.

I did like some of the products, even though they were a little more expensive. Some of the products were a lot more expensive as compared to the market. There was a constant refrain that one should not even enter a store. I was raised in modest circumstances, and in a culture where economy is not considered disdainful, so it seemed ridiculous to me to pay $ 14 for a bundle of toilet paper of generic quality when a good brand could be bought for $ 7! Besides, the 30% savings are pure crock.

There is too much focus on losing your sense of reason, and blindly following your upline. That's no way to run a business. Which brings us to the question of whether it is a true business, or is it a scheme with cultic behavior. I teach in a business school, and I don't know of any business where the owner can abandon reason, and stop looking at the bottom line. I also didn't like the disdain and abuse heaped on people who are not in Amway -- it seems that if you aren't in or don't want to be in, you are a loser in life.

Recruiting was not easy, but I hadn't expected it to be. I found it to be very difficult with American citizens, which is perhaps why the groups are targeting immigrant communities in a big way. The average gross income is around $ 64 or so. Attrition rates are very high, and the percent of distributors who make any money is only 2 %. While it is possible to be in that 2 %, it certainly takes a lot more than 6-8-10 hours a week and $ 200 a month.

I dropped out of the circuit shortly thereafter, and will not be renewing for 1996. My sponsor and his sponsor have also dropped out. The latter had a terrible experience. He had got married earlier this year, and at his wedding reception, had invited a couple of his upline. These guys came to the party with some of their uninvited associates (in Amway), with an easel and board, and proceeded to show the plan to the guests. The guests started leaving, and the guy's wife almost gets into tears when she remembers what happened at her wedding reception.

Your experiences may vary depending on the group that's soliciting you. My advice would be: question everything. Be prepared for a time and money commitment far greater than what they say it'll take. Be prepared to take some of the cultic behavior. There have been several successful people in Amway, and maybe you can be one of them. I realize that I could have been one of them, but I was not willing to orient my entire life around Amway, and make it my life's preoccupation. It also gets tiresome after a while to keep up the pretense of 'being a successful businessman' when all you are doing is lining someone else's pocket. The meetings also get tiresome, hearing the same spiel week after week, and laughing at the same tired jokes week after week in order to keep the spirit of the meeting. Too much pretense, IMO.

I am thankful for the experience -- it has made me more entrepreneurial, made me very circumspect about what I get into. After this experience, I check out opportunities carefully. I am not entirely against Amway. The company and its plan themselves are not bad: some of the practices in the groups cause the problem. Talk to more people -- active and former distributors, and then make your decision.

Best regards.

jason, were you ever a distributor? if so, when, how long and in what line of sponsorship? other than this ( if yes ) have you ever owned another business of your own? if so, what, when, how long. did it require a bank or other types of financing, what was the projected business plan to get from the red to the black? did it ever make it out of the red? have you ever talked with successful distributors at various levels and in various lines of sponsorship? what do you hope to accomplish with this web page?

yes, i am a distributor. yes, i have operated traditional businesses successfully. yes, i am aware that all distributorships do not operate with the same ethical standards, ( we clean up some of their messes from time to time.), i also understand that the tendency to stereotype is probably something a man of your obvious intelligence would strive to avoid.

happy holidays, and warm wishes for a prosperous new year!

I would like to know why you have compiled all of this information.

To Jason

I am writing this article to you after reading several of the available articles listed under amway. I am a new distributer 11-27-95 and am very excited about the possibilities. After reading those articles I have done a complete about face. My intentions are to send full copies of these articles to my sponser, my DD and my upline diamond. to see what theyu have to say regarding these articles. If you can find the time to share anymore info with me re: amway or another type of situation which could work out to my benefit I would be most appreciative. thanks

You need to update your articles on the Amway Corp. The article you have are a LOT old. Try looking at the NEW Forbes, Success, SI, Newsweek. The NEW Amway is a lot better and so is "THE SYSTEM".

I'm a distributor who is fascinated with how much effort you go to to smear the reputation of the Amway business. I can't imagine how, but my wish for you is that you find great satisfaction and accomplishment in your work so that some day you can proudly say that you have made a positive impact on the world.

You must have some reason for this campaign and I respect your tenacity. It is unfortunate, however, that one's energies could be so focused on negative, tearing-down motives instead of something positive and building-up. Usually, a negative voice such as yours can be attributed to the desperate task of salvaging an already beaten self image and ego that results from failure; maybe even failure in the Amway business. Hello? You see, people who are angry about the lack of success in their life will often turn to blaming others and putting them down in a sad attempt to lift themselves up- it never works because you can't hide from yourself.

You may actually have some valid challenges with the Amway phenomenon because independent distributors (people) will sometimes do stupid things. But let me assure you that your efforts are not going unnoticed; other blamers and whining knuckleheads across the world are listening loud and clear to your cry and certainly subscribe to your point of view.

Personally, I'm busy building my Amway business in a line of sponsorship that prides itself on integrity, professionalism, and helping folks that are not willing to settle for mediocrity. You my friend have chosen a destructive purpose in life and I leave you now to grovel around in your negativity- the death gargle of a non-achiever.

I do wish you the best in life but clearly you've opted not to pursue it. Good luck. You're going to need it.

Sincerely, an excited-about-life, determined-to-help-people-that-want- it and sad-for-those-who-don't, honest businessman who will succeed greatly in life by helping others succeed.

Have not finished reading all the info but thanx for the research youve done.

I'm not interested in Amway, but a friend is trying to convince me to participate in another MLM scam and this should help justify " not for me".

Have the former Distributors in the articles become financially independent at something else ?

How does the Amway busines plan help produce 3 to 8 financially independent people every month ?

Do you ever get positive articles or success stories ?

Re: "tools scam" Should I stop being a doctor because someone makes money when I bought my stethescope, etc?

Your response would be appreciated, Merry Christmas !

So you had a bad experience, and now you blame all your troubles on amway. I like the page where the guy tells he went 4000? pv in one month and after expenses at the end of the year he lost 400 plus dollars. So either of you know anything about business? Your lucky to make a profit in ANY business within the first 3 years. From reading your remarks, it appears to me that anyone with your mentality would fail at anything they attempt and blame everyone but themselves. And for your bits of information, some dating over 10 years, THINGS HAVE CHANGED, yes beleive it or not things change, not dont get me wrong, amway may have done some things wrong, but you show me a company that hasnt been scrutinized or messed up and ill show you an honest politician. You can return any comments if you like to *. thank you.

Just a quick note. In ref: to your consumer comparison, why don't you have any current dates of testing. Just wondering.

I'm sorry you seemed to have such an unpleasant run at building an Amway business. For the last 7 years I have found it to be the most rewarding thing I have undertaken. It has been both fun and profitable for me. I have never felt misled or coerced to do anything. I have been inspired by the success of other distributors and have always known that if it was to be a successful venture for me, it was up to me to make it so. It's funny, I can show up at my job religously at a set time everyday,day in and day out, be told when I can eat lunch, when I can drink coffee, how much I'm worth being paid, what days I can have off every year, etc…and that's perfectly acceptable in our society. But if I get in a business that offers me the chance to call my own shots and determine how many hours I want to work each day, I'm told I'm in a cult. Only in a society as screwed up as ours could such a perverse conclusion be reached. I must say, I cannot vouch for the experience of another nor judge his experience as true or not, but in my 7 years as a distributor, never have I experienced the accusations mentioned in this class action suit. I hope a resolution is forthcoming that satifies all parties involved, but as for me, I will continue to do the best job I can with my distributors.

I have been in Amway for five years. I have stoped the tapes, due to expense, but I have not quit the system. The reason is that I feel that Amway writes checks every day, so I figure if I refuse to quit someday it will work for me. I am not planning on making money from tool sales. With out the tool expense and seminar expense the Amway sytem is very inexpensive.

I just want to say that I am a new Amway distributor. And I have just finished examining your page. What is with you? Did you join and fail? This is rediculous. Do you have nothing better to do with your life than bash Amway? It is not a religious cult nor is it a scam. I happen to be irrelligous and they accept me just fine. I am doing just fine in the business and I plan to continue to grow. My upline does not push tapes or products upon me, they let me purchase at my own free will. As for one of your statistics: 60% of products are used by Amway distributors. Of course they are! That is how it is supposed to be. We do not sell Amway products we consume for ourselves instead of store bought brands and save money on them. I really think that you and whomever you conspire against Amway with should get a life. It is a great company that helps many people. You can research this: Fortune magazine said that Amway is the company that produces the most millionares…And stated last year that the 3 companys that will make the most gain wil be- McDonalds, Microsoft,....and AMWAY.

I find your Amway information very interesting. I was successful in the company too and left due to the business practices.

Keep up the good work!

Sounds like you weren't willing to "work" for your dream.

All I noticed in this location was a lot of negative experiences. This is quite surprising since AMWAY is growing its revenues at approximately $1B/yr, and have reached over $6B in annual sales. I know a lot of people that have very successful AMWAY businesses and have been able to acheive great things. If I needed to get help or depend on someone, I would go to them first, because I know I could count on them. Any real research I have done on the topic of AMWAY has produced very positive articles and information. If you want to really present an accurate picture, you should reprint some articles or get some information from distibutors that treat their businesses like a business, rather than from disguntled individuals who appear to have an agenda to prevent poeple from persuing the only business option available to them. Present both sides of the story, so everyone can make a good business decision based on facts.

Dear Sidney Thanks for putting info on Amway on the Internet. I have found no other info with a different point of view. I was just pitched Amway by a so called friend and every thing he did was mentioned in this homepage. I also contacted John & Stacy with respect to their lawsuit, they were very pleased to here that this info is getting out to people and they were not aware of your homepage, so I am sending them the info this might aid them in their lawsuit. Again thanks for the info and keep up the great work.

Mr. Schwartz,

The information you have compiled which is available on the internet under http://www.valleynet.net/%7Ewealth/amway/amway.html has been quite a shock to me. I recently became an Amway distributer (as of 12/20/95) and would like to learn as much positive/negative/neutral information about Amway as possible. If you know of any other resurces (on or off the internet), please let me know.

Is there any light at the end of the Amway tunnel? Or should I say, is there an end to the Amway tunnel?

All I can say is get a life! There are many very successful people in Amway. Being successful does involve educating yourself with materials. Just like going to school does. According to your information, someone going to school to become a doctor, lawyer, etc would also be in a cult. So some folks make profit from moving business materials! Big deal! It is all positive, business oriented materials!

If it wasn't for you, then fine. But, don't criticize those that have been successful. If someone isn't successful, it is because they haven't applied what they have learned. There are many unsuccessful college graduates. Do you blame the colleges?

RIGHT ON!!! I like the info you have made available. Sure, some people domake it to the top … as they climb on others. I have a friend who continually hounds me to become a distributor … "so I can make it big!" He hounds me to attend the big, tuxed functions to raise my inner motivation to succeed. I've asked for similar stats as you have given … but am only belittled for asking for such trival info. You've done the homework for which I have seeked. I agree there are far greater rewards in other ventures … for the time that must be spent to make it to the top and then maintain that perch on the pinnacle. Also, My wife thinks the products aren't very good. Now I can show her the stats!!! KUDOS TO YOU!!!

Well I've been reading alot of the information you have put on your web page and all I can say to those who want to join or have been affected in some way negatively is as follows.

I joined Amway for one reason and that was to make money. Who doesn't? But their is a fine line between reality and dream la-la land. Sure I can see that some people can get into debt very quickly but it is also those peoples responsiblity to say NO. Now I'm not supporting either side but I hope that I will be able to begin to make a small difference in the fabric of this network. I do not force anything down those people I have sponsored and I only sponsor those who know the good and the bad sides of Amway. My upline has given me a wide latitude to work within and I have done the same for my distributors. As my network expands I hope that this new focus will be duplicated for many years to come. Only people like myself will make the difference. It will take time but it certainly can be accomplished.

Never yet have I preached that this will replace your income, diversify it yes but replace it, no! Come on how naive can someone be? I suggest that anyone who proposes to join Amway KEEP THEIR JOBS!!!!!! Its like any business I always say "can a person who just opens up a new busines go on a trip to Hawaii and celebrate? NO. So how can I afford to go to a rally?" Thats my point. People need to check and research these things out. I joined Amway for myself not for someone else. They preach this is my own business and thus I will run it as my own business knowing that I have resources available to me if I need them. If this is not made clear to a new distributor of mine I tell them that I will refund their money. Being honest, accountable and credible is the name of the game. Their is a lot of bad apples in Amway but I know I am not one of them.

And what I am finding is that those people who I am sponsoring are even more motivated than those if I didn't tell them everything right at the start. Amway has a bad name yes but the system does work. All you need to do is to be able to budget and say NO. If the person who sponsors you is being a pain in the butt then one should either switch sponsorships, or get their money back for their kit. This latter part is never empasized. My focus is to complete my university education and proceed on course with my Amway business till I'm 65 or older. As long as I am aware of the pitfalls anything I chose to do I will in turn know the consequences of that action. And because the information highway is here to stay their is no excuse for not being informed.

So to sum this whole essay up is to say "Buyer-Beware!" People check into doctors, new cars and used cars so why wouldn't you check into something like Amway. It is an investment and anyone who does not take care of their distributors like gold should be thrown out of the Amway Business and never allowed back in. I know I will be successful. I know I will be an emerald. Why? Because I have not confused between the "dream la-la attitude" and the "reality attitude." It is all based on volume. If you ain't got it, you won't make any money! If I become as committed to Amway as I am to my university education why wouldn't it work through a span of 42 years? I guess I'm not expecting much right away and that is another thing I emphasize to my new distributors. And if I get a new person I don't put them under me but under one of my other distributors. Why? I'm still make money because its based on the total volume so I have nothing lose and the way I see it is that is a win-win situation. He's making money and so am I.By doing that you are also building a cetain level of trust in compentency in the other person and it is the coolest bond you can have between you and your distributor. I love the concept and someday I will reach a "crown ambassador status" but it takes time and faith in yourself. Isn't that though the way it is in life not just Amway though?

Hope to here from you soon

Very, very interesting!

My Amway distributorship expires at the stroke of midnight New Year's Eve. … And it's not gonna get renewed!

Having read some of your entries on the World Wide Web regarding Amway, I would like to know who you are. What is your history with Amway? What is your objectivity rating? What is your economic tie with Amway? What is the basis for your involvement in an enterprise such as creating a Web page against Amway? In order to effectively evaluate your information, I need to understand where you are coming from.

Thank you.

Thanks for the reply and help, Sydney. My sponsor and I have been out of town. I haven't officially requested a refund yet. I expect to do so this next week. I have told him that he will not get a list from me and that Dream Night will not be happening for us. He is now coming up with a reply to my objections which in summary form are as follows:

1. Why he says average monthly expense is $150 versus my estimate of $400 or better.

2. Why the paradox: motivational stuff is optional per Amway, but critical per my distributor (the old "only one way works" routine).

3. The statistical analysis (that Brad Orner prepared) of income/expense streams and the State of Wisconsin tax audits, and my own list of 12 individuals that lost money consistently. I asked him to show me why the odds are any better that those indicated by Brad.

I don't know why I'm giving him this much time - I guess I'm returning the time he spent with me, recruiting.

Again thanks for your help. I am glad we saw the light early (prior to cutting the check would have been better - oh well!)

Hey schwartz, I've never been scammed by amway but have (ex)friends who were. Your WEB page hits it right on the head. Cult like behavior, etc. Glad I found this on the Net. It's interesting to see people follow right along the path that you outline here.

Good luck.

To whom it may concern,

Thank you for your efforts exposing these facts.

It bothers me that it is so one-sided. Surely the concept of Amway is a good one. What is your opinion of Amway without Tools?

There's something wrong with everything. Tell us whats wrong but then tell us how to fix it.

Since you offer no suggestions for improvement - your efforts come across as personal. Perhaps you were a distributor who bought alot of these tapes? Why not build Amway your way without tapes.

Hi Sidney (Sir Jason),

I found your page to be informative and essentially correct. One point though. There is a difference between Amway Corporation and Dexter Yager's propaganda/brainwashing organization "Internet Services". Yager has been around so long and is so deeply entrenched that it is hard to distinguish between the two. Bad news for Amway I feel.

I am an Amway distributor and I believe that network marketing has a significant future. Without a doubt Amway has made significant progress in the area. I'll probably stay an Amway distributor for that reason. I might add though that I have never believed that the Yager method and crap was honest or anything less than behaviour modification. i.e. cultism. I reserched "thereputic communities" which were popular in the 60's and 70's for drug and alcohol addicts. Yager's system bears all the characteristics of behaviour modification. If you can find anything on the end and demise of Synanon you will find some very disturbing possibilities for anyone opposed to the cult.

One thing that I find somewhat perplexing though is the manner, and defendants, named in the lawsuits. From my experience it is the upline Diamonds, Emeralds, and Direct Distributors that are doing all the coercion. If someone really wants to stop the cult sue the Diamonds, Emeralds, Directs, etc. Its amazing how quick things change when their economic well being becomes threatened. Cults always lose in the long run when the correct pressure is applied.

I know from my own experience that unless someone does tapes, books, and functions the upline is not obligated to give you any support. To me that is coercion, and blackmail. Considering that you aren't told that before you come in.

If you would like to respond I would like to hear from you. Like I said I am an Amway distributor, but find the Yager system obnoxious.

What a page! I am going to enter the suit DEFINITELY. I agree with 99% of the points in the suit re: tapes and seminars. (I don't agree that Amway is a pyramid - to me it meets the qualifications of a legal MLM)

This seems to be your personal page - I thank you for it. I hope there aren't forces out there trying to get you to stop it. If there are, you let me know and I'll pick up the crusade as well.

looser,looser

Thank you for posting so much information about Amway on the web. I had been in the business for two years, made a few dollars and spent hundreds of dollars on products, trips, tapes, and books (before I got out(taking a break is what I called it)). The business is tough and on the inside, all of the activities are justified by faith, not facts. After showing about 70 plans over two years, I had a few folks say that they were interested in getting in, but never came through on their promises. I almost lost my relationship with the woman who is now my wife, and no business is worth losing her. I did lose one great and loyal friend, who I will always honor for his steadfastness. One day I was in a local diner with him, questioning him on why he was not helping support my business (my dream) by getting in, or buying products, or finding good prospects for the plan. For all of his retorts I had answers from the many tapes I had listened to. That day I lost a wonderful friend.

My friend is not the only thing I lost. I was in college when I got into the business. At the time I was studying Japanese in my spare time, was an economics student with great dreams and aspirations. The Amway business and all of the activity and focus it takes took my eyes off the goals I had set for myself. I have two years of catching up to do (and I will never be in sales again).

Again, thanks for all the information. Reading it helped me to justify leaving the business. You are welcome to post my name and this e- mail in an upcoming article.

I have yet to read all of the information on this web page (I just d/l'd the stuff for now), but it looks like you've covered all of the areas I wanted to research about this "business."

Thanks - this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

Yours truly

My wife and I just met a neighbor couple who wanted to meet with us to introduce us to a "business opportunity". Being open minded about most things we listened to what they had to say, - and they presented themselves very well. Needless to say we started to sway to the HYPE. But for every Ying there is a Yang and I figured something would be out here on the 'Net and thankfully there was. So from me to you THANKS for being the voice of truth.

I am a distributor who became disillusioned with the business. Though, most of the products I really like I found out that the brotherhood bond, something I really enjoyed was nothing more than a show. Having been in the military at the time I was building the business as way to create income to get out of the military and enter Medical school. For three years I poured my every breath into the business creating some exitement that eventually fizzled. in retrospective I realized that my wife achieved the magical $1500 a month figure in six months by stablishing a home day care and I driving over 300 miles overnite and working the next day barely achieved $150 which didnot even covered gas. To tell you the truth I'll continue to use some of the products that have become part of our daily life. But three years later and almost out of debt-We were not in debt when we started the busness-next year I'll be entering Med school. Your site really made sence for it described facts that even at my rock bottom spot with in the organization became apparent.

Right on!

Mr. Schwartz, I'm must say that you hit the nail on the head. I'll not waste your time with my details but I'd like to share my last days with Amway.

Although I have great respect for Amway, I can't say the same for Dexter Yager and his well-oiled marketing machine, Internet.

1989 6 months into Amway & $4000.00 poorer: My sponsor (whom I will not mention) calls me on the phone and explains the details for an upcoming Major Function in central FL. I told him to put me down on his list because I was going. He quoted a price of $425.00 for the complete package (3 days 2 nights hotel + ralley tickets for 3 functions.I stated that during said week I was on business with my company thru the week end on a golf tournament and therefore I would not need the complete package as my company was taking care of my expense and that I only needed the Ralley tickets for 3 nights.Thats when all hell broke loose.Would you believe I could not attend unless I would purchase the complete package.

This and the fact that there are no points or revenue on tapes, books,ralleys & seminars only for the Diamond Distributors led me to believe that Dexter Yager and his downline Diamonds are a scam.

I HAVE BEEN AN AMWAY DISTRIBUTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT ARE AMWAY DISTRIBUTORS, SOME WHO ARE VERY WEALTHY DUE TO THEIR AMWAY BUSINESS. I WILL MAKE THIS SHORT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. YOU SHOULDN'T TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. EVERYTHING THAT I READ THAT YOU WROTE IS COMPLETELY FALSE. SO GET A LIFE AND STAY BROKE.

Thank you for your informative Amway WWW page.

I have been approached by several of my friends who are Amway distributors, and briefly considered joining (but did not). Your articles were eye-openers, and confirmed by gut-feel that something was not right with the "system".

Dear Mr. Jason:

I have read most of your negative articles about Amway, Britt and Yeagar with respect to Untold Truth. Well let me rest assure you that I am not a Diamond yet, but as a Ruby Direct Distributor I make shit in tools and tapes, but I am a RETIRED 42 YEARS OLD ENGINEER, making in excess of $80,000 per year which is more than my Engineering lob, so I really don'y know where do you get your logic. This is not a game , the one who works hard will reap the benefit and taste the freedom. PERIOD!!

However, it is true of any other business that when you become big and huge organizationaly obviuosly you will have to start make money for your time and extra effort that you put in to your business, this is called BUSINESS and NOT a game.

All I can tell you is that last year in our organization alone there were a total of 19 Diamonds of all kinds and this year there is already 9 in making, by the time September comes, I am sure there will be some more. So please do not make a flat statement about something that is purly out of jealousy and hate.

May be the people that you had your experience with they were purely LAZY and dead fishes or finding people who didn't want to get off of their lazyboy and go make the difference in their lives. I worked very hard and consistent and I got what I was after ( FREEDOM). By the way I do have a total of 12 retail customers.

Anyhow I guess this is USA and you have your opinion and others have theirs.

Good luck, & Happy new year.

God Bless,

What was your motivation for creating this page? Were you ever an Amway distributor? Did you lose money in the business? What is your educational background and qualifications for editing this page?

You no doubt have some hard feelings or something. I don't think any of your statements have any worthwhile negative to counter all the postive from the business. You are part of a world of negatives and you should stay there!

Thanks,

i search the internet about Amway, because one of my relatives is involved in it and i thought, i should know more about this company (especially because i thought it's not worth it)....

I found your page......phantastic. You collected and created very very valuable information for all who want to have a quick but solid knowledge about Amway. It was far more than i expected, when i started the search ;-)

THANK YOU.... and all the other people, who invested time and effort to publish their information.

Just got into your Untold Truths. Very interesting. Mostly I agree. It so happens I quit Amway last week.

My upline was a Direct. When asked why I quit, I said that:

1. It took to much time away from my family. 2. I looked at everyone as a prospect, not a person. 3. The Amway marketing plan is deceiving. 4. The product are way to expensive. 5. I was embarrased to bring prospects to functions (mainly Second Looks) because they were to long, the people, most of them looked like loosers.

I told him it wasn;t a snap decision. It took me about 2 months to decide. After an hour on the phone, we parted friends. It went better than I thought it would.

So far I've read, Expenses and the Price Comparison. Nest will be the Statistics. From what I've read so far, my reasons for quiting are well subtantiated.

My wife, *, and I have been distributors for 2 years. I gave up the "dream" after about 8 months into it. I realized that the ROI was just not worth the effort, frustration, and medical problems that trying to "show the plan", and other operations. I have tried to convince my wife that the cost of all this "stuff" is extreme. Yes, she convinced me to buy all the Amway things. But after using them, I have come to the general conclusion that I could have done much better, and saved a hell of a lot of money by purchasing "mainstream" products. In retrospect, the only reason that we could afford this "stuff" is because of my "real" job. I was so glad to read that I am not the only one that thought that Amway is a scam. I did not want to get involved in the first place. But, being the well educated person that I am, I wanted to keep an open mind (and keep my wife happy). I'm going to show this to my wife, and only hope now that she will realize what she has done.

PS - How do I get registered for the lawsuit.

CAN YOU TELL ME ONE THING?

WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH GREAT DESIRES OF PUTTING DOWN THE BEST BUSINESS ADVENTURE AVAILABLE?

I just wanted to send a note to say thank you for having a place on the Web to find out about the "Other" side of Amway!

I read, with great interest, all of your information in its entirety. I am a new Amway distributor of almost a year now. For most of that year I have not been developing my "network" but have been attending to personal matters. I can offer nothing to refute your somewhat voluminous information nor would I. It would be similar to me arguing with an atheist on the credibility of the Bible and Jesus as Saviour (though I am not comparing the Bible to Amway). An absolutely futile endeavor as I'm sure you would agree.

The simple fact is that the "average" person will never make it in the Amway business or any other business for that matter. It takes well above average effort to make anything a success. The simple matter is that Amway has generated thousands of successful people. Success is defined individually, not compulsively.

Anyone can find the negative side of anything. That is what most "average" people do (average not being bad, just average). It takes someone willing to rise above all of the negatives and aggressively pursue their dreams in ANY field of endeavor. It is through THIS mindset that business, free enterprise and America have been built upon.

Step back and look at the camel Sid.

I think you did a wonderful job to make those info available on the net. I found them very helpful and interesting. Thanks for your effort.

Hurrah. Finally, someone who can see that Amway is nothing but another cult. Yes, those bastards tried their shit on me, but to no avail. I was tricked into attending one of their foul meetings, and came face to face with the most money grubbing ghouls I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. They don't just prey on outsiders. They prey on their own kind. They brainwash each other with the same disgusting speech time after time. Hats off to you.

"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"

Success means different thing to different. To some it means being able to pay their bills, to others it means owning a personal jet, to others it may mean living a simple but happy life.

As you know, I'm sure, business in general experiences a 90+ percent failure rate across the board. Knowing this striking fact, would you encourage or discourage a friend from going into any form of business for themselves?

How do you account for the fact that the Amway has created more millionaires since 1984 than any other company or business opportunity in the nation?

People fail because PEOPLE fail, most by choice betrayed by their actions (or INactions). The opportunity is both proven and sound. I could provide a number of successful people, NOT listed in the Profiles of Success, who owe their lifestyle of freedom, though not "rich", to Amway.

I guess that's why it's America. The American Way. One of freedom of liberty and expression. How did they ever come up with that name AMWAY anyway?

I have been considering the network from a friend who just signed up and wants to sponsor me. I have already seen many videos and currently have several cassette tapes to listen to. I was still skeptical and was searching the net for more info. Your information is very enlightening. I believe it saved me from making a bad decision. Thanks.

you made a major mistake in calculating the price differentials between amway and competing products. amway distributors get, immediately, a 3 percent discount, and after sponsoring only two or three more distributors, a 6 or even 9 percent discount. and the maximum discount is 25 percent, a level at which no one can touch amway's prices.

is there money to be made in amway? for sure. after all, in traditional retailing, only 20 percent of the price is in the manufacturing cost, the rest is distribution (the wholesaler, jobber, etc…) Amway goes direct to the consumer, who shares with Amway in the 80 cents of each dollar that is no longer going to those middlemen. Amway pays out to its distributors 68 cents of every dollar it brings in. My downline is approaching 60 people. When it hits 100, with each distributor buying only the consumable products they need each week--and getting discounts from 3 percent on up--, my income will be enough to allow me to quit my job and concentrate solely on recruiting new distributors who also have a dream of attaining financial independence.

As for the controversy over Yager's motivational tapes, I say the following: 1. So what if he makes money off them. It's a free country. 2. I am not forced to buy them or to listen to them. That was made clear to me on day one. However, I gladly do so. They provide inspiration and motivation to continue building my distributorship even when I get rejection after rejection. And, c'mon. $12 for tapes each week is chicken feed. Before I was exposed to Amway, I was contemplating borrowing $1 million over five years to capitalize a conventional business that would have lost money for 5 years, at least, before turning a meager operating profit. Projections for the business showed the debt would not be paid off for another 10 years after that. My Amway investment, now totalling approximately $2,000 a year, turned a profit in 3 months and I've been deeper in the black ever since. 3. It's clear to me that the people who complain about spending a few lousy bucks on tapes are people who are, basically, looking for a reason to quit. The tapes are part of a system which produces many new millionaires each year. People who follow the system succeed--its as foolproof as a McDonald's franchise--and people who quit stay broke.

One other thing: the Detroit newspaper story you posted mentioned one guy who had a downline of 30- some people and he still wasn't making enough to quit his job. Boo hoo. The Amway bonus payment chart is simple and it never changes. You do 7500 pv a month, you'll get $2,000 a month. It takes about 70-80 people in your downline to do 7500 pv a month, if each distributor merely buys what they need each month.

As for the rap that the Yager system focuses on distributors consuming products rather than retailing them, you are exactly right. That's the point. Shop through your own business, get a discount, teach 70-80 other people how to change their buying habits, and you build a residual income. Yager understood years ago that not every person is a good salesman but EVERYONE is a consumer. A retail consumer is fickle, but a consumer who also is a distributor and is building their own financial future is loyal.

one final point. the fact that a distributor's income depends on how his downline's business grows FORCES the upline to be TOTALLY honest in what he tells the dowlines about the best way to build the business. The reason I tell my downlines that they should (but are not forced to) listen to tapes, read the books, attend the rallies and seminars, dress in conservative business attire, show the amway plan as often as possible, and use the products, is because I believe and have experienced that doing all of those things in concert builds the business faster than any other method. By doing so, I help my downlines and myself attain financial freedom.

A cult is when you give all your time to a leader who tells you where to sit or stand, what to do, when to take a break, when you can rest, etc.... Another word for it is "job"

Dexter Yager's Amway organization, on the other hand, says if you'll work hard and follow a proven system, and help other people, you'll attain the financial freedom that makes it possible to quit your job.

So, instead of working 2,000 hours a year (40 hours a week/50 weeks) and getting 80 hours of vacation for the rest of my life, in order to get a measely social security check from the government, i've taken things into my own hands and taken control of my own financial destiny by showing the perfectly legal and completely moral and ethical amway business plan to everyone who will take 60 minutes to check it out. and I won't stop until I'm Diamond.

I just reviewed your Amway Page. Thanks for informative information.

I just had a "meeting" with representatives of Internet Services Corp - an Amway front. These people were ten minutes late. They would not reveal anything about the company, because my wife was not home. They wanted to re-schedule for a couple of days later. I said OK.

I was aggrevated. I took time out of my schedule to meet with them, and they waisted it. After they left, I went to "Home Workers" forum on CompuServe. Someone on the forum told me Internet Services Corp was actually Amway and recommended I check out your page. I am glad I did.

Thanks again. Now I am going to tell them where they can stick their soap.

Sidney,

I can only try to affect change in our Line-of-Sponsorship. We've been trying for years to change it in the Britt system to no avail. We believe in Amway but also want to make the tool system a true affordable education system that ALL distributors can earn income on - not just Britt/Yagers but the brand new distributor as well. Of course this means the top distributors won't make as much on them but isn't that the whole point. We need tools - but why does the money have to be distributed in the current manner? Send the savings or commission on tools as well down to the brand new distributor.

I don't think we should throw out the baby with the bath water but rather change the bath water. Amway is a good company and a good opportunity with good products - its a shame it is warped by these tool systems and their representations. But lets not put too much blame on AMWAY but rather these individuals.

I wish you would have changed the title of your articles to : Tool systems for AMWAY distrbutors: The untold truth. This way those of us who are not particpating in these tool systems are not hurt by this kind of publicity. Your article hurts the groups who don't do this - and there are alot of groups besides Britt/Yager who are even downline from them who do not participate in these practices.

I have a * company that markets * to Amway distributors and my parents are * as well. They are one of they few that have tried for years to change the system for the better and are downline from Britt but we do not get tapes from them. I know it will change and your articles will help But it will also hurt innocent distributors as well because the new distributor will not be able to discern if they are affected or particpate or not.

Last point, I'm sure you have many stories of abuse in Amway but you wouldn't hear about the great parts too since people tend to only speak up when there's a problem. Of course there are many groups who market Amway products also who don't even use tapes. Your articles would hurt them also.

Thanks for responding,

I don't know what line of sponsorship you were in, but I think you missunderstood.

I am a part of INA(International Networkers Association). We get ahead and make money when we help others to get ahead and make money. I am doing well myself and I do not "sell" any books to make my profit!

I personally know lots of people in this business that have put a lot of hardwork into building a downline and retail-not by selling tools. In this business we do buy tools, not because we have to, but because we want to grow mentally. We want to grow and become better people. You did not stay in long enough to figure that out. As I was saying, I know a lot of successful people that have made their dreams come true and it is not by selling books. Give me a break. Why don't you get your facts straight before you make a fool out of yourself. While you get up morning after morning for the rest of your life to either work for someone else or try to build some kind of financial income, I will be sleeping in, having fun, doing what I want to do, knowing that my financial future will never be like yours.... Goin' Diamond....

Oh and by the way, Amway will not "clean house." It's too bad you juse don't understand the best corporation in the world. Why don't you pick up the book Network of Champions by Dr. Shad Helmstetter, PH.D. That might do it. Or pick up a copy of Compassionate Capitalism by Rich DeVos. You NEED some brainwashing!!

Hi!

Well, just when I thought I was out $15 I found I'm a lucky person afterall!

I've just returned from my first meeting with a gentleman who contacted me about some part time work with his consulting firm. After the questions about personal goals and such he outlined the dire straights that independent businessmen find themselves in - having to work long hours, watch the hired help, maintain the records, etc. They need help, and that's what his firm does, business consulting.

Amway was introduced 15 minutes into the pitch as his "parent company". After a little history from him on how Amway has changed from a "sell your neighbors soap" company to a giant "multi-level" business he started pitching his real intent - to recruit me as a distributor.

I had already ordered lunch (he just had water, due to a "later lunch appointment"), so I stayed. After about an hour of my questioning the fundamentals of his pitch (why would people buy this stuff?…how many tiers are above you?) he finally gave up and said goodbye. But not before he tried to get other potential contacts out of me!

Oh, the bill for lunch? Well, he left enough to cover his glass of water and a small tip, and excused himself! I told him that he should have no trouble "retiring" next year if that's how he conducts business. He just walked away.

I could be mad. I got stuck with the bill. I wasted an hour of my life. But…after returning to work, checking the net, and finding your page…well, I'm glad I escaped before I lost anything else! I'll just chalk it up as an bit of experience, or a bit of noontime entertainment, or maybe just as a good chicken salad with extremely poor company!

Thanks for confirming all my doubts!

I'll invest my "spare" 6-8 hours each week to my wife, my kids, my career, charity, education, housework…

Thank You for your effort.

Glad to see this page.

I have a frient who's in this nonsense … wife's a banker and he works in aviation … gonna have a baby and "going diamond" is going to make up for her $40M a year job at the bank … sad I mean REALLY *SAD* when a good friend swallows this 'cause they move a big city and shake hands with Yaeger.

I think your info is usefull. Keep up the work!

I have lost many of my friends to Scamway… People whom I thought were quite intelligent…I am glad that there is a Homepage such as yours, it is actually quite therapeutic… I am trying to gather as much info as possible on this rather stupid cult, so you will be hearing from me again!

Thankyou!

Sidney,

Thanks for putting out the info on Amway. People out there need to know What they are really getting into BEFORE they sign the dotted line

I'm currently an Amway distributor, and was actually going to use your page as an example of disgruntled people and the way the waste their time putting down other people's ideas (a full-blown web page attacking the best example of free enterprise) -- however I realized that in doing so, I'd giving in to your negativism. As a second generation immigrant to this country, I must say the Amway opportunity has not only allowed me to create a secondary income which will replace my full-time income in the next 2 years, but the tapes, books, rallies have increased my own self-confidence and self-image tremendously (without being forced to buy tapes, or attend seminars) allowing for job promotions. Unfortunately, you seem to be another person promoting the idea that you should take this country for granted. Well, my parents didn't come to this country to accept mediocrity they came for opportunity -- and we found the best !

Your last few lines in your opening screen says something about finally getting the "stupid counter" to work. Well, the problem was not with the 'stupid counter'. It was with the person trying to set up the counter. You probably bought a book or asked someone with some experience to make it work. Maybe if you gave the Amway opportunity the same amount of dedication, as you did the counter, you will see that the Amway opportunity does work. Anyway, we need people to spend time setting up these types of web pages, so we can once again be assured that losers are everwhere -- worldwide on the web.

This business has saved my marraige and family. The people I work with have more family values than I have ever seen in the corporate world. Because of this business I have helped 10 mothers afford to stay home with their kids, when corporations at best offer day care. My kids are not latch key kids because of this business. I can go on and on.

This is the best thing I have ever seen.

Interesting site, wish I had had access to some of this info prior to our getting in (and out).

Have saved a number of bits to read offline.

May be mischievous and send printouts to people still in the game.

Note that the web searcher from Netscape finds the old address and not the new Teleport one.

New Zealand may be an interesting study for Amway. Growth here (just 12 yrs) has been phenomenal mainly due to one distributor. Given size of country (3 million pop'n) NZ may be first place in world where the "saturation factor" comes into play.

My mathematical background says it cannot carry on! We meant to stay involved in order to chart the slowdown; our impression certainly was that numbers of new Directs etc were reducing in the 2 years we got the Amagrams.

Sidney,

I found your series of pages on Amway interesting. I'm still a distributor, but merely to order products. We've got seven downline, but they're just purchasing products too. No one is building.

It might be very insightful to talk about how the various Amway organizations work. I know something was really bothering me when I started going to BBS's, and somehow the whole network structure of Network 21 (thru Jim and Nancy Dornan) was laid out, and this cascading line of diamonds was paraded in front of us.

For example, our diamonds, Bob and Linda Vest of Cincinnati, were allegedly sponsored by Bob and Teri Andrews of Lutz, Florida. Bob and Teri were allegedly sponsored by the Dornans. About the time I was deciding to quit frustrating myself, an upline told me that the Vest's were *not* sponsored by the Andrews -- in fact, they were somewhere in the Yager organization. But Bob and Linda had chosen to "affiliate" themselves with Network 21; hence, the pretension that the whole line of sponsorship came thru the Dornans, Andrews and Vests.

There are directs who are in the Network 21 organization here in Cincinnati, not sponsored by the Vests (but say they were). Somehow, this leaves one with an impression of double sets of bonus check distribution -- one perceived by the faithful downline, and one that actually sees money change hands.

This fact also lends credence to the whole idea that money is made more with the sale of tapes. Network 21 is also extremely big in the tape, video and book business. While I don't have any direct (no pun intended) evidence that directs receive shares in tape sales, the emphasis on it would lend that credence.

Sidney,

I wanted to thank you for the time and effort you have obviously put into your pages. I have recently been contacted by a local distributor and based on the info you have provided I will not be wasting anytime with these people.

I think your pages embody the diverse info that makes for a more interesting, informative, and educational internet. Keep up the great work.

Sidney,

I'm not an Amway distributor, and totaly dislike their aproach. But I often wonder whar's eating you inside against them?

Mr. Schwartz,

I spent time today reading your pages on Amway. Very interesting and also very puzzling.

It's puzzling because it seems you have nothing better to do than to ridicule this company and I assume it's distributors. Make no mistake. I am not an Amway distributor But why do nothing but ridicule them?

From the newsgroup postings I see that they are doing well, and there are distributors actually moving up the ladder so-to-speak, even if the percentage that do move is small. The bottom line is that small percentage seems to be the ones willing to do something with their lives.

Since you are such a master at "telling it like it is", I'd like to see you ridicule other MLM's (Excel, Mary Kay, Avon).

Believe it or not, Mr. Schwartz, some people like being Amway Distributors, some just like using the products. My experience with Amway Distributors and products is NOTHING like you portray it here. May I suggest that you get your facts straight. Stop listening to the ex-distributors who expected to make money fast and/or were not willing to work. Talk to distributors. I know some that will tell the good and bad.

I think you are wasting too much effort on this. People may wish to become distributors. If they read your page, they probably won't. The sad part about it is that they will never know what it was really like. I've seen the plan. If people are willing to work, then it'll work.

If I was a distributor and saw people reading your page, then after reading decided that they weren't going to get in, well then I wouldn't want them in my group because it only means they can't make up their own mind. The bottom line Mr. Schwartz is if you post all this negative attitude toward a company and a potential distributor is turned away from the company because of your writings, then maybe YOU should run their lives!

very good page, this amway is trash,a few make money but the most lose it.

Listen son…every issue has two sides. I think you can get bad out of everything and out of every organization. There are good things that can come out of the amway organization,I know first hand,so why not try it out bud! You will never know how good something unless you try it. You actually have no argument. To properly argue something you must take both sides before determining which side you prefer. You have shown your viewers that you dont know the other side of the Amway business and before then what you have said and will believe in the future means absolutly nothing. Just my opinion..see ya

I'd like to thank you for creating your Untold Truth about Amway web site..

I was approached by one of their distributors where I used to work.. I contacted this person hoping to find a better job, but all he did was talked about network distribution, before he even mentioned "Amway." He was telling me how great it was to own his own business and how much money you can make.. And he neer hit on the point of who he worked for or what he actually does for Amway..

After reading the information here, I'm grateful for your help.

Although it does sound great at first, I need a REAL job, with benefits and security or a steady income.. Amway is not for me..

Thank you

Browsing or "surfing" and came across your page. Totally agree…at one time, back in the 60's Amway was quite different, and there seemed to be two camps: Charlie Marsh and the "eat 'em alive group and the Art Charlton who really seemed to care, as did Rich & Jay. We made some decent money then and I resigned a USAF commission and took no cut in pay. Then my corporate job transfered me, and my organization fell apart. My fault: I didn't build leadership under me. We didn't have all the tapes, etc. then. In fact, we had records. A couple moves more and I hooked into the Yaeger (and you may as well include the Harties dynasty out of Harriburg) in that. Opportunity meetings were nearly scams; I knew of those recognized as directs who didn't qualify; misrepresented incomes, and of course, come in and buy everything at discount…including personal shoppers catalog items (15%, not including shipping) and no longer had the stomach for it. I was darn near brainwashed if I quit I was a loser; if I couln't make it here, couldn't make it any where. My wife saw the truth; I was brainwashed. We fought before I quit, nearly cost a marriage. I think the original Amway was well intentioned, and still believe LOC and SA8 are great products. But it is a cult (see Forbes…we pay in inspiration). Hope more people see your Internet page. I have a very nice Primerica business now (the old A. L. Williams) and we really do what is right. Yes, people can buy term for a little less, but still most have trash value and we reallyl help. Our reps, even at entry level, earn about $200 a transaction, and one doesn't need an Army to have success. Tapes…we have them too. Cost $1.25. Amway taught me about positive thinking, taking control, being accountable. I'm grateful. But like you say, the "Black Hats" seem to have taken control (hence why The Council of 21). I hope the 2nd generation of DeVoss and VanAndle can pull off a save, but I doubt it. As for us, we can't ever talk to people about the opportunity again. And yes, did we ever spend money going to Free Enterprise, Family Reunion, etc. Lost money big time thru 21% bracket. Thanks for your efforts to be the Rush Limaugh of Amway.

hey, thanks for all the great info.. my friend is an over-zealous amway sales rep. (if you want to call her that). she has really gone over the edge with amway. she has dropped out of college and expects to retire at age 26 because of her involvement with amway. just a year ago, i first heard of the comparison between amway and cults across the u.s. now i am convinced amway is a cult. don't get me wrong, i am a christian and believe in God, but you cannot take scriptures out of the bible and interpret it into meaning that Jesus wants to to peddle amway soap and water purifiers! thanks for the info!

"Your home Page will save thousands & thousands of people from losing their money, wifes, husbands & negelcting their families."

I just read most of your web posting, and to say the least your point of view is typical of that of a non- visionairy person. Look at life on the bright side, not the dark side. Amway has indeed done so much for myself, family and friends. It requires you to get off our lazy "butt" and make something of ourselves, rather than working the 9-5 schedule anyone can do. Besides, anyone who has earned any money and friendship in Amway will tell you that the system does work. Oh, by the way have you spend the time to read "Compassionate Capitolism" by Rich Devos?? It will give you insight into the workings of Amway. I hope you live a happy life and learn to build people up rather than tear people down.

Go Diamond!!!!

Dear Mr. Schwartz:

I have some concerns about the information presented concerning Amway Corporation. I understand that Amway Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier. I understand that distributors are the sole customers of Amway. You cannot buy products direct from Amway Corporation. Amway products and services must be purchased from distributors. I understand that they sell way more than soap, but maybe 12 thousand products from 1000 major companies. Only 4% of the products are Amway products.

Obviously, I'm a distributor. I have some experience with dealing with people. Most new distributors think in terms of a consumer. They do not realize that it is a business. If I offer you $5.00 for the cost of $3.00., would you purchase the $5.00? How about $10.00 for your $8.00? How about $20.00 for your $15.00? What you must understand is for any business to remain as a legal business, a product or service must be sold.

The books and tapes that are offered serve a legitimate purpose. Instruction and motivation. Success and failure are purely optional, just like the purchase of tapes, books, seminars, and rallies. I know that you have to pay people or they will not do anything. When major functions have guest speakers like, the Governor of Virginia, Former Ambassadors, Pro football players, past-presidents of the US, do you think they do it for free? Do you think a successful distributor does it for free? None of the tapes cost nearly as much as maybe, Tony Robbins, who pumps everybody up , but has no vehicle to express that motivation. None of the Amway recommended books have ever costed ME over $12.00, but my college books cost ME over $120.00 EACH. I will never make significant money off what I learned in college.

I used to purchase other business oriented tapes, and they were always twice the price of the $6.00 that I currently pay for tapes. I have never paid more than $12.00 for a seminar and rally. I have never paid more than $55.00 for a three day weekend function (major function). I could never get the quality time with my upline for individual help, so if it was not for the tools and tapes instructing me when my upline could not, I would quit just like most have because they didn't get close enough to the music to do the dance. I am considering making a video tape myself for my downline distributors that are out of state, who do not know how to present the plan or do not like to. Do you think that I am going to invest the money for everyone's video tape, or will I make them pay for the cost of the tape and the production? If you want something for free, get it from the federal government.

What is really misunderstood about Amway corporation is that the distributors know more about building an organization than the corporation does. Why would I get information from tapes from Amway from people who have not built organizations like the Britts & Yagers. There is no exclusive market on Amway functions. I could build an empire like the Britts and the Yagers. Success is purely optional. Other organizations cost you thousands of dollars for attending a weekend function. Companies have sent me on business seminars and they were never around $55.00 like I pay for major functions, they started at $100 up to $1000.00.

How does the Britts and the Yagers rent several coliseums every quarter? Who pays for the Britt offices in every other country Amway opens? Who pays the salaries of the Britt offices and Tax companies. Who pays for the compuserve Britt.forum? I think if you want to look at the business of motivating a salesforce, what about the motivational seminars for individuals who are the only benefactors of the proceeds----like: Dave Del Dotto, Tony Robbins, Jay Abraham, etc.

Now I do realize that not all Amway distributors are created equal. I know that there has been people that have abused the system. There is no mechanism in place for weeding out abusers of the system. But I have seen many tools, tapes, and seminars and rallies that have helped each person if they wanted it to. I have also seen people who have complained, criticized, and condemned every attempt at success. Failure is purely optional, too.

But you have to have a screw lose when you consider the FACT that Amway Diamond distributors in the Britt organization all made over $255,000.00 dollars. More people make over $50,000.00 a year in Amway than any other company in the USA.

What you must come to terms with is that when there is an Amagram Magazine with hundreds of people each month making new levels in the business. They have to be a Direct Distributor to get published. If they are a Direct, they are at least making $35,000.00 per year. Each month there are hundreds of NEW DIRECT Distributors. You see if you really studied the Amway business, you would study the bonus's. If that is untrue then you would have to say that Amway is fraudulent in their claims.

What you must realize is that until people understand that anything purchased is going to generate a profit. Where do we draw the line? I think the reason that it bothers people that someone benefits from profits is only when they know them personnally. Beleive it or not, most family members will go out of their way to NOT purchase from their next of kin. But they will gladly give their money away to a complete stranger.

The Asian/Indians from India do not have this problem, they do very well because they sponsor everyone in their family. They want their family members to succeed. Americans need to come to grips with the FREE Enterprise system, and grow their self-image high enough to realize that they are worthy of profiting.

Pyramid: when the people on the bottom can never outgrow the people at the top. I can outgrow Bill Britt, because Paul Miller has already done it once.

Brainwashed: Distributors sign an agreement whenever they get on Standing Order for Tapes. They stop it whenever they want. There is always a paper trail for the purchase of these tapes, which are paid with checks.

Receipts: When I purchase the major function tickets or any function tickets, the actual ticket is my receipt. So there is a paper trail.

This is not attempt to discredit you or Amway corporation, but I have seen your e-mails from distraught distributors, and I can't say that you have been totally non-biased. Or maybe there are lots of ex- distributors that have to justify failure.

But I doubt that you will publish this on your Homepage or interact positively and openly. It sounds like you may have a LAWSUIT based on your content, and you put it on the Net to benefit from some other malcontents. Correct me if I am wrong. I can't see spending my free time and money building a homepage to try and slam dunk a corporation. Are you on a Witch Hunt? Or the Amway corporation that has brought FREE Enterprise to the world, unless there was some greedy gain.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

p.s. please get some information from successful Amway distributors like myself, or other Directs, Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds. I never really understood why someone who is not a distributor has so much information to provide on a subject they know very little about. Why would you ask an employee of a company their opinions, and not the business owner. I've sponsored the owner of a company but I could not sponsor their receptionist. Imagine that....Could it be that one understood FREE ENTERPRISE?

These are my personal opinions and not the opinions of CMS Automation, Inc., Amway Corporation, BILL BRITT, OR DEXTER YAGER.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

Dear Sir,

Thankyou for the best reading I have come across on the internet for a long time.

I tried to access your site a month or so ago but it could not be accessed. Thus I began to listen more to the guy prospecting me. I kept wondering about what your site might contain - after all - the Plan is so 'perfect'.

My doubts came quickly though,the more the literature was fired at me. Now reading in your site how such profits are made through tape and video sales etc! I had thought about this but dismissed it.

In New Zealand, Amway seems to be rocketing upwards. I have had four people approach me since I left University ( a couple of months). No one here really seems to know specific negative arguments against the Organisation.

With your info I am armed to spread the truth, and stop my friends from heading into scary turf.

Thanks again so much (and thank God for the internet!)

(please excuse the poor quality of my written english, French being the language I usually speak and write…)

M. Schwartz, I took a close look at "Amway, The Untold Story" for the main reason that I have been approached recently, to become a Amway distributor, and I am also just coming back from a Dream Weekend - as they call it- in Rhode Island.

After having seriously thought about it, I would like to stress the few following points to your attention, in all good faith:

- What a Cultural Shock: you have to Love it, or you want to run from it. (other option: laugh your brains out and go on with your life) At those big rallies, they obviously work at shaking your foundations, and emotional vulnerability on the part of the newcomer is a big plus for the sponsor-to-be, I presume …

- But at the same time, I encountered there a lot of Good Will, by meeting "modest distributors" that are fine human beings, often touching and sincere. Listening to Guests-Winners-Role Models-Speakers-All Star Entrepreneurs was something else: very skilled and impressive they are. People able to inspire and motivate crowds at that level could be dangerous, and we've certainly witnessed bigger lies in History, as we all know, promoted by the same techniques. But good for us, these people are moved by noble principles, but is there anything else than greed that can put one's imagination in action?

- The terminology of the Corporation is deceiving: distributors are told to learn to get out of their "comfort zone" when they go out to present the Plan (little circles and numbers that will guarantee you Fortune and Happiness, if not Fame, if you Really Really Want It). Personally, my understanding of this "non-comfort zone" is the following: If you hide as much as possible the name of the company you are secretly promoting, if you try to make look easy a success to come that is certainly possible, but statistically close to impossible, do you feel comfortable doing so? …

- The techniques used by Amway and/or its distributors, to grow and expand are not morally or ethically worst than those of "traditional" businesses. They're just not better, and therefore are plain boring.

- "The Business is not about products, it's about people", claimed M. Bubba Pratt, one of the multi- millionnaire Guest Speakers. Any good honest business is built on its people, and on hard work. No news here.

- The Jewelry Titles used to describe success and ranks in the Amway Family are symptomatic of an extremely strong (too strong?) "culture d'entreprise", and look simplistic and a bit cartoonish to me. I just don't like the idea that I should dedicate my life and my thoughts at becoming a champion salesperson, to become a Pearl, or a Diamond, or an Emerald, or whatever. I know that this terminology is secondary, and that it just refers to one's accomplishments in the business, but it is still the sign that here, people are appreciated mainly (if not only) for their ability to recruit people who will recruit people who will recruit people, .... ad nauseam. What a business opportunity!

- Conclusion: I'll never be a Amway Success Story, and I feel privileged to realize it before I had to sign anything. How exactly did I almost fall into that trap? I guess I am like thousands of others, sometimes a bit confused, while careful about not hurting someone who's offering me his "help", his "partnership", a "fantastic opportunity filled with hope and promises".

The Amway Way: "Oh my new friend, we're going to ski together in the Swiss Alps, in just two years, if you really really really want it. If it does not happen, it must be because you're not willing to do the effort that's needed to reach that goal". - You're damn right! I'd rather go skiing closer to home, with the friends I already have, and who never expected me to buy anythyng from them or to build any kind of "clientele" for any good or any service, … know what I mean?

P.S. - I feel like I'm waking up from a weird dream, in which I was willing to go at any lenght to prove the world how talented I was at making money, making money being the only respectable activity possible in that dream. It was not a nightmare, but everything had a strange feeling, and I was not myself anymore. Thanks God, I am myself again, with my everyday life problems, my joys also, my friends and loved ones, and still with my dreams and my goals, enjoying right now a quality of life that Money Just Can't Buy. Thank you, Sidney.