Amway Testimonials - Current and Potential IBO's Part 1

These are testimonials submitted to various sites and where the authors were either current IBO's or prospective IBO's at the time. Links to original sources are included.

http://www.amway.robinlionheart.com/comment8.htm

Mr.Schwartz,

I must confess i do agree with a lot of the replies to your site, i feel that you must be carrying some major grudge against Amway. I do think you should show some of the positive aspects as well. Your information is dated and there is no mention of people like Jim & Nancy Dornan (Network 21). I would Suggest that you talk to and add information from the poistive side of this business and of the people who's lives have changed for the better. Here in Australia my Diamond has given us hope and encouragement not just in building a business but in coping with some major problems in our life. I am a very successful business man and could retire tomorrow without any income from my Amway business but i choose to do the Amway business because I can help people get a better life. I cannot give them money because that does not give self esteem but I can help them become successful in an Amway business and build a life style they can only ever dream about.

I am a unique in the Amway buiness because I tell people to look at "THE AMWAY BUSINESS" as a means of developing a life style. and then I show them that all they have to do is to change their shopping and shop from their own business. Nothing more than that, if they like the products share the expeience with some others and slowly buildup a network. Over a 10 year period anyone can find just 3 people who are interested enough to go to 21% THATS JUST 1 EVERY THREE YEARS! An Emerald income 10 years down the track is still a very good income, over and above what your JOB pays you. I ask you where is the cult in that? where are all the tapes, books and functions in that? It's the distributors choise! I currently average Aust$4000 per month and I have not done anything special except changed my shopping and shared the concept with others. No SCAM, No tricks, nothing but helping people generate a little more income by changing their shopping. GROW UP ALL OF YOU NON-AMWAY PEOPLE. You don't have to con,trick, by sly or be strange about Amway just accept it does work. If you do it professionally and remain proud to be able to help others get a chance for a better life. YES! I am proud to be an Amway distributor just because I can help others... I hope you will wake up one day and realise that this is a business where people will actually help you without ever gaining one cent and still feel proud to call you friend as you grow to success. Everyone can succeed in this Business but you do need the right people to lead you.... Go and Join up be proud of what is and never be ashamed to say "I am an Amway Distributor" GO DIAMOND... You can... anyone can.... 10 Years? Does it matter? Good Luck

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http://www-cgi.cs.cmu.edu/People/dst/Amway/AUS/commen18.htm

I am a single white mail, living in Australia. I attended a private school for 4 years and then did a few years of Ag. Science at Melb Uni. which I failed. After drifting through a few years of being a "wandering Generality" ended up driving cabs and eventually got into communications in the Cab industry.I still remember my first day in the radio room. My training officer asked me ( this was in 1987) why I was working here as my last job had been a lab technician in a private chemistry lab doing water analysis and other very exacting chemical analysis. I failed Chemistry 2 years in a row at Uni ,yet some one was willing to pay me for my good work in the real world. Does this mean I scammed my employer for 5 years? He gave me a great reference when I left. Does this mean they should close down the Melb Uni. Ag. Dept? for failing an intelligent and capable student? Should I sue Melb. Uni for the cost of tools I was OBLIGATED to purchase? Can I claim the seminars(lectures ) were a waste of time? Must I take responsibility for my failure at Uni? Guilty! Yes I failed!My fault.Not theirs , mine.

I asked my training officer why he was working there and he didn't really know either.We became friends over the next few years.In 1994,during March, I was on holidays from work and was at home as finances didnt allow for much time away.

I was bored , broke, alone, cynical, unfulfilled, unchallenged, unambitious, and the black sheep of the family.

The phone rang.............

My former training officer, who had left the company I was still at 7 years later, had recently returned to the company. He was babbling on about some sort of business opportunity and wanted to know if I wanted to have a look at my own business . I respected this guy so I agreed to have a look. I met this bloke up at the local Pub. ie bar. for those of you that aint from a land downunder.

As my friend & I had had the odd night on the grog, I asked him what he would like to drink. It was a warm autumn day. He says a Coffee. I also noted he had a tie on. Something was definately UP. I sat down and this guy showed me an equation which said FS=D+V+W. Which meant Financial Success = A DREAM+ A VEHICLE + WORK.I FOOLISHLY asked him to explain this again and he told me 95% of people know HOW to work but only 5% know why! The 5% that know WHY own 95% of the wealth. This seemed to explain my predicament in life.

Anyway, he showed me this "plan" thing with circles and figures and then tells me the Corporate sponsor was Amway Corp and I said Oh Yeah? He told me I should grab some tapes and listen to them. So I did. The first one was by a guy who had done Vet Science and was a "YAGER DIAMOND"in this mlm network marketing thing. I asked this guy at the end of the plan how you get the circles together in reality and he says show people the plan. I said which people and he said any people. BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It took 36 years to happen but I had seen HOPE! In the last 3 years of "going to all the opens , well most of them, every monthly rally, haven't missed a major function,have about 2000 tapes ,I've heard em all too!!! Not just once either,I can sincerely say I Have never been associated with a more sincere, honest , humble, encouraging, practical,and helpful group of individuals in my life. When Dexter Yager speaks, WISE MEN AND WOMEN LISTEN!!!!!!! The Amway business is not on trial.

The vocal among the deriders of this industry or line of sponsorship or whatever your beef is, Some of you will one day be in or back in this business . The opportunity awaits you guys too.........Are you ready?

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www.suburbia.net/~fun/amway/commen20.htm

Dear Sidney

Unfortunately my wife and I have been Australian Amway distributers for the past two years and six months. Through your pages on the internet we have suddenly realised (realized I think in U.S.A) that our investment into the "business" is a scam. We too have been pressured into purchasing tapes, books, meetings, functions, "FREE" Enterprise Days etc. Our major delemma is that we are unsure whether we should cut off completely from the organisation. Many of our previous "discounted" purchases require AMWAY refills such as the water purifier requires AMWAY brand filter refills etc. We have a car and house full of tapes and books.

Do we risk being brainwashed again by this organisation as we have seen good people return to it after previously cutting ties. We have read many letters from people on your pages who remain with Amway but do not purchase educational materials or attend seminars. Are these people telling the truth when they say they are still on their way to success without these things and by just selling a very limited core line of products. Is it true that they can avoid the extreme pressure exerted by upline to by tapes, books, seminars etc. Can this actually be possible?

We really would appreciate your help with these issues.

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www.suburbia.net/~fun/amway/commen38.htm

Great Site,

I had meeting tonight with someone who was trying to push something very similar to Amway, IDA.... to cut the story short he explained that Amway ran some warehouses and did the deliveries but that was the only link to Amway, other wise I would be dealing with IDA, and promoting the service of HSD, home shopping distribution. Is the more to IDA and Amway than what is being made out ? It appears to be an australian duplication of Amway. Hey I was even given three audio cassettes to listen to before requesting further information, if you want a copy you'll have to let me know pretty quick as I'll be sending them back as I got them, unopened that is.

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www.amquix.info/aus/commen39.htm

Mate, repling from Australia where the business has never been better. I respect your rights to create your home page and make the comments you and others have and admire the fact you print both positive and negitative replies, however, I can't help but wonder what ever made you so bitter or maybe just passionate to go to the effort to create such a internet site. Somebody in the business must have worked you over real bad and I'd like to know what they did.

At this stage of the business the profits I have made have not covered the experiences incurred, which is my fault because I haven't put the work in. Having said that the amount I have learned about myself and dealing with others through experiences in this business and the amount I have picked up from the training system have helped me to achieve more success in my career then I believe I could have without joining Amway. This coupled with some great friends I have made, some never continued in the business, more than out ways any expense I have incurred.

Look forward to your reply as to what made you feel the way you do

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www.amquix.info/aus/commen42.htm

Dear Sir,

I can see you have invested a lot of time and resourses into your anti-Amway site. It is good to see that you have such interest in the Amway opportunity.

I feel that you have on your web site, unfortunity to your disadvantage, detracted from what Amway really is. You make claims that Amway is a cult, a Pyamid and so on. These things a totally untrue. It doesn't matter your option on the topic and really you have the right to be wrong and air that option. That is what living in a free country is all about.

The first thing is about a pyamid. Most organisations operate as pyamids. Most companies have a boss, who earns the most and then incomes flow down depending on your level in the company. Also the tradiation distribution system for goods and services in our countries is the same. The Manufacturer sells to the wholesaler who using agents and exporters sell to retailers. Each level of the pyamid makes a cut on each product.

So lets look at the Amway Marketing Plan. It too is set out to reward people for developing a distribution system. The difference is that in Amway it is possible to earn more than your sponsor and upline. That is harder to do in a job. There is nothing illegal in that in both your country and mine, Australia.

As for lack of retailing being a cause to call Amway a illegal pyamid is not a case. Your income is Amway is derived from turnover, not sponsoring people. However it is easier to turnover more with more outlets (or Distributors). Also in Amway, most people benefit from the self use of the 10 000's of different goods and services available. They are not interested in developing a business out of Amway. That's Great! So those who are developing a business then have others in their group that are consumers only (like customers that get a discount). Please tell me what is wrong with this?

Your web site refer to cult activities by Amway distributors. Well I don't know if you have every have a DREAM for anything, but anybody going for something, looks cult like. They are motivatied and driven. And why not, the world would not be as advanced as we are if it was not for DREAMERS, that may even looked like they were in a cult.

The Tapes, Books, Functions, Voicemail and other material that you refer to are option, but also cost a lot less than if you were to use other business systems that are available. Example I attended a weekend function for $AUD120.00 a ticket, during that function we had a silver service dinner, enterainment and several business sessions. The first thing is that no one was forced to buy a ticket. The second is that one of the speakers is an international know speaker on Body Lanuage. Now if I wanted to see him at a function, outside of the support system offered by my Diamond, it would cost me anywhere from $AUD1000 to $AUD5000 for the two hours. I Saved at least $AUD880 and got enterainment and dinner, plus other speakers.

I could go on about the Tapes, Books and Functions that I could attend, but the fact is that by being in the support system, it has saved thousands and my personal development side, plus it has assisted myself at university, developing other business interests and of course it has help developed my Amway business in Australia and overseas. Currently we operate in Australia and Colombia, but are expanding into Europe and North America in the next two years. Please tell me where I can tap into such a business support system, for so little?

I little note here to say that I am not the fastest in the Amway business and I am not finnancially free yet from the business. I am at the lower levels at the moment, but I have a very small organisation that is increasing and when you treat the Amway business as a business not a get rich scheme, you will not be disapointed by the results.

Finnally, I would like to say that, if you are willing I would like to meet you, not about business, but that would be an exciting topic for you. But no seriously I would like to meet you, when I am in North America later next year, so you know who I am as a person and I know who you are as a person. But only if you are Game!!

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http://www-cgi.cs.cmu.edu/People/dst/Amway/AUS/commen43.htm

I am an Amway distributor in Sydney, Australia, with the Network21 organization under the Glenda & Norman Leonard line of (d-diamond) sponsorship.

I also manage a successful telecommunications brokerage, with a small, but dynamic team of consultants. Basically what we do it try to get customers to switch long distance telephone carriers to our preferred vendor, which is * (famous American company) who provides switched telephone services here in Australia. For this we are paid a residual commission, of the reps working with me, I take an over-ride of 1% or 2% of air-time their customers bring in (they thus make most of the money, which is just as well, since they do all the leg-work, getting customers.

What really concerns me about the Amway opportunity is that I cannot get straight answers as to why I am not sponsoring people into the business "you must be doing something wrong" is a common response from my sponsor, as well as her upline directs. My sponsor tells me that the best places to go prospecting is in shopping centres and places like that, but every time we went on a "team call", half-a-days' prospecting brings me one or two business cards, and my sponsor does a little better with 3-4 cards with contacts to follow up and try to drag along to the "Open Plan". This is despite the fact that my sponsor claims to be getting lots of prospects, this is certainly not the case when I am nearby, watching her success rate ("it's a quiet day today, let's do Darling Harbour next week".).

I am very professional in everything I do, and I firmly believe that the Amway Sales and Marketing Plan WORKS - if you can find people who want to run with the idea and follow your footsteps. Two prospects for half- a-days' prospecting, and no guarantee that they will even consider joining the business, let alone come along to the open plan. I can spend half a day prospecting in long distance telecoms, and usually I end up signing up two or three customers on the spot, each earning a residual income of anything upwards of $10 to $15 per month, more if they are a business and spend substantial bucks on international and national calls. I get rid of some 50-100 info packs which I photocopy on my copier as needed, at around 8c/info pack, and down the line another two or three, maybe more sign up.

All you got to do is dress up as to look professional, a suit being preferable, and having professional posture, and people will listen to you and read the information.

I think there is far too much Smoke and Mirrors with the Amway business, and as far as the tools "scam" is concerned, the books are fantastic, especially Shad Helmstetters "American Victory", and many others. But the cassette tapes are a rip-off (at $AUS 6.50 each).

Food for thought: If the tools were such a key part in building your Amway business, why aren't they dirt cheap and sold at cost? The cost of running off cassette tapes couln't be more than a dollar each, and books sold at cost price, with author royalties paid directly to the Author, since most of these books are directed specifically towards people in the Amway business. Hmmmm. Building an Amway business means building BV and PV, otherwise you don't move up the pin-levels, so for the Crown Ambassadors and Diamonds to produce material at low cost would be of benefit to them, but you make a valid point on your site (Brig Hart) that the tools are a great source of profits! No wonder!

9 months and around $2000 invested to make $47 at the 6% pin level. I do long distance, have invested about $1000 in marketing and other business expenses over a three month period to earn a residual income of just over $1000 each month, this almost doubling every month. Which is the better business? My accountant favours the latter.

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www.suburbia.com.au/~fun/amway/commen44.htm

Hmm, it's been interesting scanning the 'net for Amway information, but I have noticed a couple of things -

1. It's nearly all negative2. It's nearly all *not* about Amway - it's about Dexter Yager and his organisation

I thought I'd give my brief comments and experiences from 3 months as a "retread" (I first joined 7 years ago simply for cheap cleaning products as a caretaker) Firstly I've been told that their are 49 different groups supporting the Amway sales and marketing plan. Assuming this is true, Yager's is just one of them, albeit a very large one. The website's continually talk negatively about Amway, but all the negativity seems to only talk about Yager's organisation. When I read entire documents (such as court documents) they often have *positive* statements about the Amway company itself. The only negative is that they've done nothing to stop the "bad" people, something I imagine would be hard to do for any large organisation. In any case, my experiences here in Australia with a group called Network 21 have been nothing but positive. Contrary to what all these pages say -

1) We were told that if we wanted to serious at trying to build the Amway business we'd be looking at at least A$300 in the first few months, ie including the cost of tapes books and meetings.

2) We were told it's *not* easy and that very few people do succeed. Even if you worked hard reasonable returns would take 2 to 6 years.

3) We were told to never lie to people about whether it was Amway or not. In general you should avoid telling people straight off it's Amway, because they associate it with the negative stories we've all heard, not with the positive people of integrity that have been my experience. If they ask, be completley upfront.

4) We were told never to harass people. For a start it makes business sense as people who have to be harrassed into joining are unlikely to do anything and won't be succesful anway.

5) Our upline has regularly lent tapes, free of charge to downline. They've even paid for tickets to seminars if they thought the prospects looked worthwhile. We've been encouraged to buy tapes, books, and meeting tickets, but if we or anyone downline has said no, then that's been fine.
6) I've never heard anyone call anyone who'd dropped out or was not a distributor a loser.

7) We've been helped to budget and told *not* to spend money we couldn't afford.

8) I've barely ever heard God or Jesus or anything else religious mentioned. Hell, I'm an atheist so that would put me right off!

9) heck, we're only 6% and we've been told quite openly that the guest speakers and successful people get paid a packet for their time and tapes

I suppose my point is that this and other websites all ostensibly about Amway, but in fact are not, they are about (in general) one particular "associated" organisation that has little to do with my and many other people's experiences. We don't like that fact that we often can't outright say "I've joined Amway and was wondering if you'd be interested in checking it out", because we know that to many people Amway would mean what your site says it means. We're running with a different dictionary here and I read your site and just shake my head. If I had to deal with thay sort of organisation I'd be suing their butts off too. Thankfully I'm not and I don't, because that's *not* Amway. The transcript of Rich DeVos' "Directly Speaking Tape you have at http://www.teleport.com/~schwartz/directly.htm gives the Amway story, the rest of the site gives the Dexter Yager story.

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http://www.amway.robinlionheart.com/commen56.htm

Hi there to anybody that reads this message

I am a 21yo male from Australia who has been a distributor for about 10 months. Currently i am a university student about to finish a degree in business management. I see Amway as an alternative and supplement to a career. The business and marketing plan is logical and being a logical person I saw a lot of sense in it.

First things first, I will have to say this. I am biased towards AMWAY, no i correct myself towards MY small business. After doing a business plan for an actual business (an internet cafe) which would have cost around AUS$80k-100k with the owner only taking home a salary of $25000 a year compared to my Amway business which cost $100 (KIT) plus tools (tapes, books and functions) probably up to $1000+ with a potential income $30000+ is neglegable to the internet cafe business

After reading many of the comments and countless pages of information contained within this web site i have to question many of the negative comments towards AMWAY. Albeit an educated analysis. Topics i would like to cover are -Cults -Brainwashing -Tools -the percentage of people who make it to the top

Cults >From the various descriptions of the make up of a cult and comparing that to AMWAY i find that they are very different. Fair enough there is a certain amount of pressure to conform to certain practices of conducting business, however when compared to other organisations, what is the first thing a new employee or member is groomed to do, alas adopt the organisational culture. This is mainly done through initial training workshops (classes), literature on the organisation (training manual, workplace health and safety procedures and even employee contracts) and social interaction with current employees. Well low and behold for all the average and normal workers out there, breaking news for you, YOU ARE PART OF A CULT, but thats all right your next door neighbour is part of one too.

As for the christian preaching stuff, people have a choice to listen to that stuff, i myself choose not to. In the times that i have been to functions with church services "fellowship" on the sunday i dont go, therefore i dont have to listen to it. It is as simple as that. I am a christian, yet i do not like church. I did go once (the first time i went to a major function) where there was a minister doing the evangelistic born again christian preaching of "send your $100 dollars now and i will forgive you sermon" (dont take that literally, that is just the view i have of evangelists and born again christians), something that i dont like and against compared to the traditional churches. Therefore the point i am trying to make is i was not and still not forced to listen to christian preachings, to those people that are coerced and "supposedly forced" i must say that you have a weak mind, it wouldnt matter if it was christian or ring a ring a rosies, by the sounds of it you would believe and follow anything aynway.

Brainwashing I can understand why people view (although narrow it is) that AMWAY brainwashes people, however what is brainwashing. Are we not as a western society drummed with brainwashing statements everyday of our lives. Most of us know it as Advertising. How much junk is portrayed and spoon fed to us each day on tv, radio and in the print on to buy this product or to buy that product, to support this service or that service. Yet it is an accepted part of living, how meaningless our lives have become. Also as i have found during my university studies, there is a lot of pressure on the young and older people today in getting a job. Through the 4 years of my studies all i keep hearing is when i graduate i want this job or that job. The whole of the degree that i am doing is geared towards that job in that career. There seems to be no initiative to become entrepreneurs or go out alone and achieve something. To me being bombarded with the constant drone of get a job is brainwashing. I think it should be known that there are other ways of having an income than just getting a job. Whether that be AMWAY or any other sort of MLM organisation, or simply owning a small business. Whatever turns you on, getting a job is not the be all and end all to making money. Another point of brainwashing is the fact that most people believe you have to retire at the age 55-65 after working 35-45 years. How much advertising and endorsement from various sources (government, business and society in general) does this have. I have seen my parents do this, with both now having medical problems in their early 60's, therefore not leaving them that much time to enjoy their retirement. Also with my parents generation, from what i have determined is that they worked towards the pension (social security). To me that is not what i want to do (mainly by the time i am their age there wont be a pension). To me working towards government support is a wasted life (i am not saying that my parents have had a wasted life) you work all your life and still you are under the control of a higher authority, to me that is not a retirement. I ask you all out there that isnt logical, work in a job under someone/thing then retire to the control of someone/thing. Albeit the life of a plebian (which in the current scheme of things most of the working population is heading for or is currently undertaking). The rise to mediocraty by individuals with the subsequent fall of society.

Tools As with any business learning tools are essential to the establishment and continuation of any business. How i know, mainly from asking former employers and during my studies.

Tapes: These contain stories and teaching techniques of how to conduct my business, i will admit some tapes i dont relate to and sometimes find boring (namely the american speakers, nothing personal against americans, it is just their accent i cant handle). Other than that i find that a message that i can not get in a function might be more clearly given in a tape (vice versa). However as was written in Business Review Weekly on the 6th April 1998 (reputable business journal/magazine) it stipulates that every business needs to stimualte and motivate their workforce. Many organisations motivate their employees with cash incentives however as studies have showed this only motivates people to a limited extent and tends to lose its appeal after a certain time. (That is why Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management Principles are on the way out and have been for the last 20 years). Associated AMWAY organisations such as IDA and Network21 motivate their workforce through the stories and business building techniques through people who are successful in the business.

Books: The books are for personal development, although i find it hard to find the time to read due to study commitments (which involves a lot of reading) they are quite enlightening. It is interesting to find many authors of the books that are included in the books of the month, I come across in my studies, eg Stephen Covey "Principle Centred Leadership" and Kenneth Blanchard "Gung Ho". I find more than just references to them within my studies, they are very much the new wave of organisational training across the western world in Total Quality Management and teams approach to organisational structure. Therefore, from my analysis, what AMWAY has been doing for the last 27 years in Australia and 40 years in the US is slowly catching on in the Australian and world corporate scene on a large scale in the last 10 years. I think that is something in itself, to say the least AMWAY was and still is a few decades ahead of the rest. The books are not associated with AMWAY, but on new business concepts as well as relationships with people in general sometimes with a focus on partner relationships (eg Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus). Even if i dont get anything out of a book that i paid for, they usually are a good read anyway. I will ask a question here, What was the message or purposeful meaning you got last time you read a fictional novel, romance story or even a newspaper article? (Remember the old adage, "Dont always believe what you read in the paper")

Functions: Okay i was overwhelmed with the excitement and the energy that are associated with an AMWAY function, however the first few times i went to these functions i was like what the hell is "WRONG" with these people, this is supposed to be a business function. But from what i gathered is that these things are fun, what is wrong with having fun. To all the cronies out there that say they brainwash at these functions i think that they take them too seriously, fair enough you listen to the people tell their story, but most importantly (to me at least) they tell techniques and ways they used to build their business, which i find very useful and interesting. Sometimes when i am down from stress due to other areas of my life, after coming away from a function (whether for business or personal reasons) i am usually rejuvinated or perked up without any artifical stimulant. Also if you sat in a university lecture, you wish you were at an AMWAY function.

Percentage of people reaching the top This will only be short. Question: What is the chance that the organisation that you work for (and provided that you havent reached it already or a family member of the owners), that you will become CEO or a member of the board of directors? (you know the people who make policy and you hardly ever see or know who they are) What is the chance of an organisation like MacDonalds for you to go from kitchenhand to CEO in 5 Years (to hell with it 15 years)? I guarantee that there is hardly a chance in hell for you to do that, So my only comment here is WAKE UP to those people that dont believe they can make a 6 figure income in 5 years through their "Franchise" (Distributorship) of the AMWAY organisation.

Well thanks for letting me put my view across, I hope you paste it to your web site and someone reads it. Dont forget please leave my email address displayed so i can get some feedback from those that do read it.

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www.amquix.info/feedback/feedback_oct02.html

Dear Scott,

I want to thank you for the excellent information provided on your site, and share my experiences with Network 21 in Australia. Reading through your material was a real slap in the face, which I needed. It is embarrassing to admit how easily I almost fell for it.

This thing was started by Jim and Nancy Dornan, who left Amway (so we are told) with their own vision. They came across as creepy and false in what I saw of them.

I got as far as attending a preview and a weekend conference. Along the way was a bombardment of tapes from my uplines.

In the business preview, a lot of references were made to Robert (Rich Dad) Kiyosaki, whom they say endorses network 21. He doesn't really, however. The most he says is to consider it (I listened to his tape).

Half the talk was spent describing Kiyosaki's "cashflow quadrant." They rushed over their system, which is confusing. I was told by my upline that "you need to go through it about four times before you'll get it."

Members have to pay $6 to attend (guests are free) to cover the cost of the room hire. They also have to drive people to and from the meetings. At the end, a bunch of members deliver their rehearsed "success stories."

The message: There is something wrong with you if you don't get onboard the e-commerce revolution, you don't want to miss out, etc.

The weekend conference was scary, my first impression being "American Evangelists." However their enthusiasm wins you over, and soon enough I was pumped up. There is something artificial and forced about everything that happens though.

the American guests' motivational stories are peppered with ideas stolen from people like Brian Tracy. It is also dumbed down somewhat. However it's impossible not to get inspired by them. They focus on the changes to lives they make, and to the help they are providing to people in third world countries - where they are expanding.

They also have aligned themselves with World Vision, a charity, which sponsors kids in third world countries.

The seating was cramped and uncomfortable for everyone, except diamonds and platinums. Speakers made a real point of this over and over again. They get plush seats and have attendants bring them drinks. Everyone was urged to sign up for the yearly conference and shell out $170. On top of that they pushed their tapes and books. Just about every Diamond has their inspirational story available on tape, which you have to buy.

They stressed the importance of the "Why" as opposed to the "How" and how to use your goals to drive your business to success. i.e. emotional involvement.

Their system is focussed on getting enough people in your frontline. They want you to go out and start calling your top prospects before you even know that you are doing. They vaunt their "business support" material, which really just teaches you how to convince people to join. However it does build confidence, if only because the phone calls are so well scripted and designed to overcome specific objections. You are encouraged to redirect Amway questions. The "list" is all-important. You must find and get your top frontline people as soon as possible. it is all a rush. You are encouraged to hook your family first. They have meetings where they coach you and get you to start making calls.

My upline said: "With experience, you'll begin to see everyone you meet as prospects." I found this happening to me, which is disturbing to say the least. You are encouraged to use their system, and not your own ideas. "Is it duplicable?" they always say. You are supposed to get out of the way.

An important book is called "personality plus" which is supposed to help you identify and relate to people as "phlegmatic" and "melancholic" - terms based on a medieval belief system. It is hard to believe anyone could still subscribe to this crap.

The Amway questions are handled like this (word for word, I am not paraphrasing):

during one-on-one:

"We have a single service provider.(hushed voice) Amway. (quickly moving on to something else)" at business preview:

"The company has completely restructured itself during the past two years, to take advantage of the e-commerce revolution" "Amway is one of the many companies we deal with."

"Most people only have an idea of what Amway was 40 years ago."

You are encouraged to achieve a 100% household usage. The manipulative term "if you are serious about the business" is used to get you to buy tapes and attend events. They even throw in stuff about the sacrifices made by your upline, how they put you first. It's impossible to have a conversation with these people that does not involve Network 21.

This organization selling false hope and preying on people at weak times in their lives. The more people know about it, the better. I hope my info has been of help to you.

John.