Scott,

Hello. I have been an avid reader of your site and unfortunately for the 'dreamers', the facts and figures are completely undisputed.

Please let me take a small amount of time to explain my story:

I was shown 'the Plan' for the 1st time by Diamond John Merris  in '93. I went as a courtesy to my friends in a military unit we were in. This group morphed into what became known as the Killeen Dream Team. Two other Diamonds/EDC's (that I got to meet) put in personal effort to build this: Rocky Covington and David Dealing (one other was Stewart? that I didn't get to meet). I was 'privileged' to have been in meetings of less than 25 people to meet and see these gentlemen work the whiteboard and have small team leadership training with them. The money, of course and the dream were motivating factors in my starting my IBO.

In my immediate upline, to include two 'ruby' pins and Diamond David Dealing: Retail product sales were strongly emphasised as well as personal sponsorship. This is when the LOS were forced to start having all distributors sign the BSMAA agreement, to say it was a choice, not a mandate to be on SOT (please edit if any Acronyms are wrong) due to the lawsuit settlement. I was able to recieve personal instruction from John Merris at 97 Spring Leadership in Raliegh, NC. Gracious of him, since I wasn't doing anything with the biz at that time. Apparently the KDT had imploded and died off....wow, in exactly 4 years....

My background is of coming from 2 family businesses and one MLM, (my aunt still sells AVON. All retail). Having joined right at the time Artisty had completely remade itself and with the above in mind, I got the whole Artisty sample kit. I had asked my LOS for a training seminar/basic help from the other spouses and did not get help. I kinda felt it was funny that we had a strong leg that emphasised retail but as a single, I was unable to recieve training help and was told to just keep sponsoring.

BTW: my aunt said she loved me but wasn't going to train her competition.

On that note, I had sponsored 3 people within 28 days (who did nothing, that's ok) and was told at that time, by my upline: "most IBO's don't even do that. You're in the top 15% already. You'll go Diamond for sure."

I honestly can say that all of the above Diamonds listed have said the '1 retail sale to 10 separate customers/yr' rule. On another note, David Dealing was honest to state that 'the biz is a 5 year cyclical business and 'we' are in an upswing right now (Sept 93. This was the week that he had been notified by Amway Corp that he and Vickie had completed Diamond qualification).

Did people in my LOS make money w/retail sales? Yes, but take into consideration that in '93, not one of the major personal product manufacturers were making concentrated product. Tide came out in Dec 93/Jan 94. Lets talk cost per use then/and now: in '93 SA-8 and Dish Drops were competitive. They are not now. Everyone has concentrated products out there now. If you are really building a business with sales instead of sponsorship, you constantly have to compare yourself to the competition. AT WALMART.

You can bet the ladies do that with Artistry vs. Avon/Mary Kay/ Bare Minerals.

I hate Wal-Mart with a passion, they put my family out of the retail business due to the following:  the bottom line for most things is they have the greatest value with the lowest price point per product and use. If you are going to be a retail business you have to constantly check this. My family couldn't compete and bluntly, I haven't seen Amway products as competive against WalMart in the last 5 years.

I am not in the business anymore for the following reasons:

1. I don't believe that you products are the best value for money. Doesn't mean I don't like some of them.
2. Your pin income numbers cannot be justified without BSM kickbacks and $$ for rally's mtgs etc...
3. Medical order due to sleep deprivation..In other words, if I'm sleep deprived from SOP and/or Core mtg; and hit/injured someone: insurance will not cover anything and you are legally negligent. Charming little twist for those putting in the work.

Now for any IBO's reading this:

1. I've got better things to do than to steal your dream. No one can sell yourself out but you!

2. I did get good life experience from my association with other IBO's. I do miss being with people, who in general want to better themselves vs. drugging or being at the bar. I still agree with this statement.

3. How do you feel about the so called 'edified upline Diamonds' who have had affairs and betrayed their spouses. Miller and Britt and Danzik, who I've see on stage talk the talk, but not walk the walk.
All of us have to deal with people like that, but do you want business/finacial/personal advice from people like that? That's your call....

4.When's the last time you turned a profit in the business and what does it equate to dollars per hour? All of the Diamonds brag about dollars/hr.  Paul Miller bragged about sitting down eating breakfast at 10 am and calling their downline pin at his job to 'motivate' him. I wonder what Danny Snipes really felt about him at the car dealership that day. Must be nice making that tool money.

5. At FED 93 in San Antonio (yeah that's right, Dream Night 93 was at Tarrant County Center) Paul Miller and other Diamonds in organization proudly introduced an Widowed female diamond. Her Husband had died (perished in a car accident coming home from a mtg?) and the Miller organization was so proud to talk about how their big pins worked the last 3 legs to get them from Emerald to Diamond for this woman and her children. Ok, so is she in still? Or was that organization JAMWAY'd out to a big pin? What happened to Vickie Dealing? If this is truly the case (the above) in the WWDB that Dave and Vicki were in, why would a woman leave/give up a business that she help build and was advertised to be the savior (instead of a good term life policy) for a widow's family? This is a legitimate question for any committed IBO to ask.
After all, you're building your future.

Any active or prospective IBO are always told to do due diligence on anything they do...have you realistically (by the numbers, not the upline's hype OR your negative dream stealing friends commentary) done due diligence on this business or your current business operation? The net profit vs. hours,  emotional cost to family, etc...

If you choose to be in, best of luck to you. If you choose to walk away, best of luck to you.


Thanks Scott,