From: tavarus moreland <tmpharoah@yahoo.com>

To: scott.larsen@juno.com

Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 16:44:10 -0800 (PST)

Subject: you are part of the 95%-how dare you bite the hand that feeds you-God's hand cannot be stopped-you ignorant fool

Dear Ignorant Fool better known as Scott:

You have to be the most desperate low down person in the world- it is difference between being a critic and sincerely investigating and publishing accurate information and other thing to put a bunch of crap on a website without any accountability and very little truth about Amway or Quixtar and then get a bunch of losers together and have hate sessions- that is pretty sad, even for a loser like yourself- I can imagine you just sitting there upset because you failed and hate to look yourself in the mirror-the truth is Quixtar.com will be a household name and in 3 years of business, we are in almost in the 10's of billions of dollars- find away to live with your misery-people like you are very sick and very sad-do not be upset and mislead weak (WEAK) people from an opportunity that can literally save their lives- I have seen it- do not discourage average people from having the chance to live a great lifestyle-we will not be stop- we are the powerful- your website is a joke and maybe I will create my own hate website aganist you and have a bunch of fake stuff and information about you on it and everybody gets to take a shot at you. You fake ignorant so ignorant person- you make me want to vomit at your stupidity and make sure when you post this e-mail message- please do not change my words and if you try to e-mail me back-and all your little "cult members"- just realize I e-mailed you from an e-mail address, I do not use. ..

sincerely,

a future crown ambassador

What do you call a Quixtar IBO with an 18% check, 10+ IBOs on the Business Support Materials, and 5+ years of tapes, tools, and functions behind them? If you're in their downline you would call them Platinums. If you're a 3rd grader you would call them money-losing, brainwashed Quixbots with a dream of going Diamond...someday... I often wondered how it was possible for the average Direct Distributor in l983 to lose -$918 a year. Now I know. Think about this next time you see all those Platinums on stage singing God Bless America wearing their pins. The emperor has no clothes. January 27, 2003 22:47:09 (GMT Time)

It has always been a source of confusion for me that AmQuix is described as a people-helping-people business but yet all AmQuix failures are attributed to the human element of the business. If the leaders are so clever and inspiring, shouldn't they be able to minimize human failures and ensure the success that their infallible systems must surely guarantee?
In my business (the military) we cannot afford numerous casualties caused by human failures. As such, we focus our efforts on continuous improvement of our systems and processes so that the human failure element can be minimized. While I will agree that the human element can be the source of some failure, in our business it statistically shows up in less than 10% of all cases. Our failures are overwhelmingly attributed to process or material failures, which is why they remain our focus.
My point or my question is why aren't the leaders of AmQuix focused on continuous improvement of their systems and processes instead of spending 100% of their time and efforts on product promotion and motivating the sales force? With AmQuix's turnover/failure rate, I cannot see how they could ever evolve or improve as a business. They must always train to the lowest level (i.e. the new IBO) and never advance IBO knowledge in the areas of market trends, customer satisfaction, new products, manufacturing technologies, etc...
I would offer that this churning of IBOs through AmQuix is "the business". I would further offer that it is deliberate and calculated so as to keep the life cycle of the business in a state of slow or no growth. Why else would the leaders of AmQuix continue to allow 50% of its force walk out the door every year? This business not only defies reason, it also appears to promote the dehumanization of former members. I cannot understand why its members remain so loyal when their chances of leaving as perceived failures are nearly 90% within a three year period of time. We could never defend the country if all of the leaders of our armed forces behaved in this manner.
I realize that making military/business parallels are sometimes difficult. However in this case, I am certain that my points are valid.

Mr. Larsen

As I was browsing the net for research I came across your site and spent two hours on it.

Back in 97 my wife and I joined the great Amway business. My wife and I both have an MBA and have been successful in business, but with the birth of our first child we needed more time. Our savior AMWAY!

We where invited to a MEETING by our "friends" (they later divorced) to see one of the greatest man they know FRANK RADFORD (Diamond in WWDB. This Ex SEAL was smooth and charming so my wife said to try it.

After two years of spending hundreds of $$ per month on products, seminars and tapes (all a must if you want your business to succeed) I smelled a RAT. Our immediate upline RUBY Rich and Dianne Harmell (good Christians) so I called Rich direct and asked him if I am doing something wrong since after following all that is on the tapes my business is still at 600PV.

My great upline then got very angry that I dare to call him and not followed upline. Shocked, I called my sponsor and told him that as I learned from the business the next DIRECT/PLATINUM was to help if needed.

He told me that it was true and did not understand why the great Rich Harmell VP at Bank of America would due such thing. Not waiting for him to call, I called

FRANK RADFORD our upline Diamond (since there was no other Direct in our line) and asked for his help. As I suspected, since Radford personally sponsored Harmell they planned the destruction of my Amway/Quixtar business. Radford called me and said, "it seems you are not happy in this line of sponsorship I suggest you look for a different line through AMWAY" and gave me the number. I demanded a refund on all of the "TOOLS" I purchase over the two + years since I was no longer permitted to do business in their line.

He refused as a good follower should and I was left no option but to contact AMWAY. After several weeks of stonewalling by Distribution Relations. I received a call from Jody Victor who wanted to help me. NOT!

He wanted arbitration and then have me start my business all over again. I was not interested and said I was contacting my attorney and that I would see all of them in court.

After my conversation ended I received a call from Vanadel who tried to fix up things but when I told him I was no longer interested in their SCAM he gave me their attorneys numbers.

Since I lost over $6,000.00 + I was not about to throw 5 or 10 thousand more to prove what I already know

THEY ARE LIARS AND THIEFS.

Since then I ran into Harmell once as he was showing the plan in a restaurant. You should have seen his face when I walked up and said to his prospect "this man and his whole crew are liars and thieves"......and walked out.

Thank you for your time

LK

Dear Scott,

My name is Brent Ritchie, I haven't joined Quixtar.com (Britt Worldwide), because I can't get many straight answers from them. I want to know if your IBO number is actually a real business that is registered with the Canadian government with a proper GST number, and valid business liscence. Or is it a franchisers permit for Quixtar products? I ask this because I want to open a business but I never really trusted MLM companies, because I know the laws about opening a business in Canada are very strict. I also wanted to know how IBO's only pay 10% in taxes? We have Retail Sales Tax, Goods and Service Tax, and Provincial Sales Tax (Ontario). That add up to about 24% in taxes alone, who pays this? I thank you for your time and if I get any answers I will contact you.

Sincerely,

Brent

Scott,
I have never been an IBO, but I have had several friends gulp the Kool-Aid (so to speak). They and others have prospected me over the years but they have failed to ship me aboard. Although my MBA is practically worthless in the military, it has served me well in avoiding business nonsense like this (and making some pretty good investments as well).
My other connection to Amway is that my wife is/was the "best friend" of Julie Duncan growing up in Yakima, WA until she hooked up with Brad Duncan (WWDB). My wife and I were dating when her and Brad met, I think he was a Pearl at the time. Anyway, she was looking for a "Sugar-Daddy" and Brad was looking for a consort. To make a long story short, they were made for eachother. I always felt bad for my wife in that she lost a good friend until one of my "best friends" got hooked as well and then put a full-court press on me. Although Amway has never made a dime from us, it has certainly made a negative impact on our lives.
Thank you and God Bless you for the information you provide, shipmate. Yours is truly a service to others and I am a great admirer of you and the others that have taken the time and mustered the courage to publish the truth about this and other MLMs.
Very Respectfully,
Mickey

Scott,

I enjoy your website. I was an Amway distributor from 1989 to 1994, and am glad to not be a part of it anymore. When I was a senior in college, I was talked into joining up in this thing. I should have been saving my money for the future but I like thousands of others was talked into believing that I could retire by the time I was 35.

I can thankfully say that I didn't lose a marrage over Amway because I was single when I joined and was still single when I quit. However, I probably could have been married several years earlier had it not been for Amway. I had more girlfriends break up with me when I started talking about "The Business" or "The Dream". I had co-workers and family members laugh at me and even tell me to invest more of my time learning my job better.

I honestly worked this thing hard for the first 4 years. I cannot remember how many "Realizing Your Dream" packets I gave out and how many circles I drew, but ended up getting all 'NO's'. I figured that I invested over $2,000.00 in tapes, $1,000.00 in books, and probably close to $5,000.00 in seminars. This didn't even include the money for gasoline and wear on my car.

When I didn't have the $450.00 to go to a weekend seminar, my upline would always tell me that I wasn't serious about wanting to build my business. And anytime I got a 'NO' from someone, I was accused of telling the prospect too much. I was spending hours into the night driving back home from showing "The Plan" to people who told me 'NO' only to get about an hour of sleep before having to get up and go to work. I was brain washed into calling anyone who wouldn't join - a loser. I WAS THE REAL LOSER!

In March of 1994 is when my eyes finally opened. After being in the business since February 1989, I never reached the 1000 PV level. There was a major function in Nashville, Tennessee and I was once again talked into spending $450.00 to go. I only had two couples and one single in my down-line and non of them had the money to go, so again - my uplines were asking me what was wrong with my business.

While at the convention that Saturday, I was sitting there listening to these upline Diamonds come out on stage, Stewart, Pawlak, Gooch, etc. and talk about the same old pep talk junk that I had heard about a thousand times over. While sitting there, I noticed an employee of the convention center in the back, so I decided to ask them what it cost for a weekend convention like this. Well, I won't go into details, but there were an estimated 23,000 people at the convention and each spent an estimated $450.00 to get to this show.

I got adding this thing up and I figured out of the $450.00, after hotel expenses, bus expenses and the amount to pay to rent the convention center, that about $200.00 went toward the Diamonds. At this convention, there were five Diamonds, so 23,000 people X $200.00 each came out to $4,600,000.00 divided five ways, and each Diamond probably took home $920,000.00. Now, not including Enterprise Weekend at Indianapolis, there were three of these $450.00 functions a year. It was no wonder the diamonds lived in big homes, drove Lincolns, Cadillacs, Lexuses and Mercedes and owned big motor coaches.

When I asked my upline where all the money went to, he couldn't give me a straight answer. When I asked him how much that the Diamonds made off the convention, he became very defensive. I said no more. The light bulb turned on and my mind was made up as to what I was going to be doing within the next several hours. So instead of taking a stuffy crowded charter bus home on that Sunday afternoon and have to listen to the Amway rah-rah cheers about "I'm going diamond - how about you" garbage for several hundred miles, I took a cab back to my hotel, packed and went to the airport and flew back to Kansas City. That following Sunday evening, my upline called and asked why I left on Saturday. I told him that I figured out how the Diamonds made their money and I was tired of pouring out my valuable time and spending money to get nowhere. I QUIT!

When I quit, I found that my relationships with other got better. I met this cute lady in April of 1994 and dated her for over a year before asking her to marry me. We have two lovely children and our marrage is still going strong. She admitted that she would have never married me if I would have been in Amway.

I would have blamed myself if I hadn't followed the system like they told me and didn't work hard at it, but I spend an enormous amount of time and money and came out financially in the hole. However, I always look at the positives in everything. I came out with the knowledge that I read from the books I purchased, and realized that when something is too good to be true, it usually is.

Keep up the good work, Scott.

Thanks,

Mark

Scott,

There is a rumor around that there is a break-up with the Pronet organization. I tried going to Bubba and Sandy Pratt's website (Pratts.org) but it is not online.

It typically has information on upcoming events, a diamond profile (including Seth Weintraub, Gary Schneider, and Thomas Hudson), as well as a sign up page for their next function.

The rumor is that Bubba Pratt is breaking off and joining with another Diamond in a different organization. Since The Pici's, and the Charleston diamonds left I guess attendance at functions is way down.

Have you heard anything about this? I am told there is a lot of tension between the leaders because of lawsuits and "the system" money.

You can post this but please leave my name anonymous.

Hi Scott,

I found your site on Yahoo. How do you find out about Diamonds that have been divorced? I found this very interesting.

I went to a function for Pronet last year and Gary Schneider was speaking. He had his daughter "Missy" on stage with him. A couple of people asked where "Nana" was and some of the leaders of the function were saying "She doesn't like to speak at functions so she stayed home."

According to your site they are not together any longer. That would explain why she does not attend the functions. What a bunch of BS! You think they would just give us the straight story instead of a line of crap.

I don't understand these people. I have heard a lot of bad things about Pronet and it sure doesn't help people that are trying to build a legitimate business.

Richard

Scott,

I just went through your website, I can say I only wish I read it before I became a Quixtar member. After about 2 months under the Quixtar membership

I started to not feel right about what I was doing to my friends and family members. I knew before I even went to your sight that the failure rate for an I.B.O was great.

I value my friends too much to set them up for possible failure. So I quit I lost a few close friends...some who decided to say with the Quixtar group, some who I had gotten into the business who failed at it and thought I knew what they were getting into but did not divulge all the facts.

Thanks

Randy

do you have any other info on what has happened to eric and patricia scheibeler.
i am currently in the harteis group. i have been reading alot of the info posted on here. let me tell you i am surprised to hear of all the garbage these so called upline moral people are feeding us. i would love to keep in touch. thanks again

michael

Hello Scott, Is there any information about Quixtar available? I have recently become an IBO with them. I have attended two of their meetings and heard the two co founders speak.They use the Quixstar website and some of the methods of Quixstar. However, they claim to be different in important aspects. I don't know if you are familiar with this spin-off. Would like to learn more. My eyes were sure opened wide by what I have read on your valuable site. Thank you for your time. Brian

Sir,

Very interesting things. I'm glad I did my research before signing up. Do you have any footnotes or sources on these articles and letters so I can present this to the person who showed me this thing on my follow up next week? Appreciate your help. Thanks

JR

Hello,
First let me say that you have one of the most informative sites on the net, and I would like to thank you for it. If possible I have a question for you. Have you ever heard of this group in Quixtar? I think it is supposed to be like quixtar only better. My brother-in-law got into it about a week ago and wants me to come to some meetings.

I read you site and I was wondering if this is the buisness that Bo short started or if it was someone else. I have never participated in a MLM and I am afraid that that is what this group is. I cannot find any information on the net about it and their home page doesn't work very well.

Any information you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Will

You're a joke. Instead of wasting your time complaining about expenses about the business that can develop a multi-million dollar income for you, build it. But that would make too much sense. People are making the money, obviously you won't be one of them. So enjoy your negative environment that you have surrounded yourself with that will justify your failures. Misery loves company. It helps to lower other peole to make yourself feel better I'm sure. You go out and find a business that expenses are $3 to $5 thousand a year that can yield millions. Within 2 years easy you can be making enough that pays for your business. Enjoy your poverty and misery...you'll be there the rest of your life. January 21, 2003 16:57:19 (GMT Time)

I couldn't help but smile on seeing the standard IBO jargon. 'Multi-million $ income' on 'just around $5,000 expenses per year'. Well good for people who are mathematically challenged and/or good at faking!! If you think in that line you can earn the same (& save more) at lower expenses with less trouble & hassle by doing a regular 8 hr. job!! They may say a job is at risk of getting fired/layoff. Same with Quixtar. To be at u'r PIN level u must really work 24hrs.Else u get fired in biz & by spouse! January 22, 2003 01:41:58 (GMT Time)

Hey scott Id be happy to compare bank balances any day,and I make 100% of my profit from the products,not of the tapes youÿnumb scull.And Id like to compare free time,because you know I will win.When your church is in finacial need I wonder who they call,not you.And I wonder how much money you donated the red cross after september 11th.Because I donated more money to red cross then you will make in a lifetime, im not joking.

Im a Quixtar IBO in wwg and I will totally back up DEAN.Im 3 deep from GLEN BAKER and I am a future 200+ CROWN AMBASSADER comin on strong.I'll keep on righting to you about my succes.

Look im gona to tell you the truth. If your not willing to put in 20 legs wide, and drive depth minimum 10 deep in each leg and show the plan 5 times a week for 2 years.THEN QUIT WHININ AND GO BACK JAIL!!! O I MEAN JOB.Im sick and tired of hering all you failing whimps complain about all your stupid petty problems.In every single bisness there will be negative people period.I don't care if you own a plumbing company, if you own a wal-mart, or a sears.The only reason you here more people talking bad about this bisness is becose it is a people bisness. people will be people Here's an example the first week of July gyms are packed with people who are signing up for gym memberships,By February 1 97% of all the people who signed up in July QUIT.It's not cause the gym doesnt work it's the people.Quixtar works if you work it.And are you offering anything better, And i wonder whar your finacial standing is in life. 

Scott, here is an interesting tidbit for you. My husband has been involved with Amway/Quixtar now for many years under the Greg Duncan line of sponsor. I have absolutely refused to support this decision of his; however, I am trapped with the issue of getting a divorce if I don't like it. Anyway, he recently went to the "Dream Night" that WWDB puts on. He was so excited to learn that supposedly someone has sponsored Tom Hanks and Jennifer Love Hewitt, among other celebrities. Although I realize this is just another ploy, it sickens me to see how low Amway upline will stoop in lying so that these people will be reassured that they are doing the right thing. I can hear it now..."if Tom Hanks has joined then....." Unbelievable! Also, in reading your article about cloning the Amway business that you did as a parody, it made me think even more about the guilt associated with this business. Your statement of the fact that they just aren't trying hard enough, etc., that really hits home here. It is sad to see my husband beat himself up so much about the fact that he hasn't progressed like they've promised him. He just doesn't see it. The guilt is something that people "on the outside" definitely don't realize. However, it also allows him to blame everything in his life that goes wrong on the fact that he just hasn't "made it yet." Thanks for letting me share!

Love this site! A couple of weeks ago our son's little league coach called us to drop off our son's trophy and "discuss a internet business opportunity (he had to add that it was not a pyramid scheme or anything)" with us. We wanted our son to get his trophy so my husband rolled his eyes and said ok. I am the Information Technology Director for a law firm so I wanted to see what type of scam he was going to pitch (I had no idea that even Amway had sunk so low). After spending an hour plus telling us tales of his "retirement poor" parents, his best friend's encounter with this group's Diamond, drawing diagrams showing that 2% of the population make 90% of the money etc., testimonials that his attorney friend had checked this opportunity out and how legit it is (red flag goes up). Then he starts pitching Quixtar as a purchase portal in partnership with Disney, Microsoft etc. ("if Disney is involved you know it is legit" yeah, ok, whatever). I explained to him that I was perfectly happy with my current job and income level (six figures between my husband and myself) that I would not be interested. He then decided to focus on my husband, telling how his wife and said "no f***ing way" to spending $200 on the kit after they were pitched but he had won her over and now she was seeing the benefits (I see many "Amfights" in their future). He made it sound like this group owned the purchase portal, Quixtar or the "A" word were never mentioned. Selling was hardly mentioned but he did do a prospecting diagram. After wasting 2 hours of our evening (on a school night no less) telling us how he was doing this to spend more time with his family, he finally got tired of my quiet bemused cynicism (we really did not react to anything he pitched which I am sure frustrated him) and left us with two booklets and two tapes and said he would call my husband next week if he wanted to go to a meeting with him. Just for fun I decided to do a google search for the Group and MLM. I found the MLM survivor site and the link to your very informative site My husband and I are thoroughly disgusted that this man would use our child as a way to pitch us but I guess if you are brainwashed your morals and boundaries go by the wayside. He has called our house three times leaving messages about having lunch with us and meetings etc.(thank god for caller id) and now we are in the difficult position of waiting to see if our son's coach regains his sanity by spring or making sure that our son is not on his team again.

PS Feel free to post the above on your feedback page, if you would like to check out the tapes and booklets I can send them to you if my husband has not thrown them out.

First I wanted to thank you for your website, it saved me from the poor choice I made to build the AmaQuix business, and made me really look into it. Second, I would like to offer my story, in hopes that it will help others.

I was the most promising leg of my sponsor, who I first met while in college in 1988, at the age of 28. My wife was in the hospital, and I this guy at church, I was an usher, and was locking up the church one night.

They ( my soon to be sponsor) was holding a meeting in the fellowship hall, and talking about "business". I poked my head in the door, and they asked me who invited me. I saw a little, but noticed the time was getting late into the night, so I decided to go home, but the guy on "the board" saw me.

Later that week, I was at church, during the day, as I was in college, and the guy on the board shows up, in a brand new MBZ 500 SEL, and was "working" on repairs for the church. The pastor told me he was volunteering, the guy saw me, and made a beeline for me, and introduced himself, and asked how I liked his business presentation.

I said, that I didn't see it all, but it looked like Amway ( I had no idea what Amway was) he gave me this strange evasive look, and rattled on that he was retired from electrical engineering, at the age of 36, and his wife was home, free also, and he helped people start businesses with little capital.

I was 28, and already not too crazy about the corporate world, as I worked full time at a small bank in the L.A. area, and wanted to have a business for myself. I also went to night school, and some day classes, in between.

Next thing you know he calls me and wants to come over and show me the business.

My wife was in the hospital at the time, but I had them over anyway.

They sold me, I really liked it, and saw it as a way out of banking. I especially liked the idea of being free, travelling, and having my wife home. When the Amway word came up, I really didn't think it was bad. If they had asked, I would have signed up right there.

A big white box with products and info was left with me, and they were to get back to me, next week. They also told me about INA, the big support group they belong to, and we don't sell, only find others like myself. I thought this would be easy. They even had VCR's, computers, and snoopy toothbrushes, I could sell this easy, and MCI was even involved.

They came back for the follow up and I signed up. Then they put me on recommended book, and weekly tape, and scheduled to pick me up for this big major function.

My wife came home from her surgery, and almost left me, that night, she was furious, refused to have anything to do with it.

I went to functions, bought books, learned to prospect, as fast as I could, I prospected the entire bank, everyone at college, and we were showing plans to everyone. The only problem was nobody wanted to sign up, my upline took me everywhere in his MBZ, out every night, while going to college, and working full time.

Time went by and my zeal leveled off, but my wife was still dead set against it. She despised the business, and was irritated how I prospected everyone at church, her friends, threw away her make up and home products, militantly ordered 100% personal use 100 PV, for my home every month, bought tapes, went to functions 3 times per week. It cost a ton of money, on a 28 year olds JR banking salary.

My sponsors rapidly became my best friends, but my wife still had no part of it, we began to have separate lives, and fights erupted.

The years went by, and I tried everything to make this thing work, the emeralds and diamonds kept encouraging me via, tape, book and function.

I grew discouraged at prospecting and recruiting, and tried retailing. I worked in downtown LA, and noticed all the Pacific Bell Telephones, all around every corner store.

I found out about the pay phone program, and started talking to owners about the payphones being deregulated, and Amway had a great program for this (forgot the name)

I made it a point to hit three or four sites every day during lunch, I actually made $150 per month, for the first three months, and residuals, I liked it, it was not really like selling the SA8 and dish drops, and driving to peoples homes, and they never sign up.

I ran out of places to sell pay phones, and my work schedule changed, so I tried MCI,

I signed up at least 50 phone lines from the bank (using my sponsors number) to avoid conflict of interest, FAX lines, modems, galore, I was in charge of telecommunications, anyway. He gave me a check, when he got his PV/BV; there were some good bonuses, on commercial accounts, back then.

So, the years went by, I actually made it to 1000 PV, I was so proud, I had a group, I had people on RT, I was on my way, personally sponsored by and Emerald that was free, meeting all the diamonds, my wife was even starting to warm up to the business.

I bought new suits, extra tapes, stock in the garage, I had people on Amvox, and I went to functions 3 times per week. I did retail, everything my sponsor said I did.

Soon my nice 1000 group all slowly quit! I was devastated. I tried everything to save it; we did house meetings, late night rhino's and prospecting practices.

I was discouraged, slowed down a lot, but still went to every function, prospected, read listened to tapes, sold an SA8 a double XX signed up an MCI or two, and sponsored one or two every three months, but I spent a ton of money, especially on these big functions, hotels, meals, gas, airfare! I started to put everything on credit cards, believing I would pay them off, I would be a direct in a year.

I was a best friend with my sponsor, and we did everything together, so long as it was centered on the business.

Ten years later, I was 39, I grew in self confidence, tremendously, still believed I was destined to be a diamond, I did self talk on my way to work, still read, did everything I was told.

I failed to notice, or was oblivious to the high turnover at functions, especially the ones my emerald personally did, he claimed he had 3 directs, had copies of checks for $16,000.00 had a Porsche, he was "unemployable", he said.

Little by little as the years went by, I noticed his lifestyle was not as glamorous, he was not travelling to Portland, Phoenix, and the L.A. area to speak anymore. I now realize he was no longer an Emerald. I suspect he was not an Emerald in volume for long after he sponsored me.

My sponsor/friend and I discovered garage sales, in late 1998, and this is where I learned that this business was not "marketable".

We were able to go to 30 - 40 garage sales, on a Saturday, and prospect every one.

We developed the best prospecting lines, we were good! We showed 3 plans per week, easily, just like the diamonds talked about. People signed up, I averaged 1.5 sign ups per month, that year, people would sign up, go to a few functions, buy a few tapes, and quit, I noticed a cycle.

The Diamonds said on the tapes, you needed to sponsor way more that that, I was already gone 4 -5 nights per week, worked a full time job, how could I. The tapes said just get it over with, I was willing, but another side of me said, what was I doing? I am not making any money here.

My sponsor/friend did functions and showed the plan once per week for us, so we could bring prospects, it seemed like mostly guys like me paying $6 each showed up. I never thought to find out how much the hotel room cost, and multiply it by the number of IBO's!

Here was a good income for him.

Then came Quixtar, the hype was incredible, I was really excited, the new CD-Rom, and video and internet will get them in, we showed many plans, I even made a flyer on home shopping, and went door to door selling MCI, and passed out catalogs. I still didn't make money! I was deeper in debt! Buying big catalogs, flyers, I tried it all, and from every angle!

Then in early 2000, I ran across your website! Wow, did I feel like an idiot! But I am glad, because I went to a big INA regional, and counted the number of people that attended, I called the City of La Canada, CA. and asked how much it was for the rental of the auditorium. There were 600 people at that function at $12.00 each (double session) that's $7200.00

The City said it was $600 for the day to rent the auditorium! I was shocked, how stupid I felt! My sponsor said they charged enough to pay for the place, at most of the functions, when I asked.

I then checked into the tapes, I did some research on the Internet, and found how little it cost for the tapes; they charge $6.00 each for! I felt even more stupid. Now we were in CD Rom's, charging for web space, and Amvox was not good enough anymore, we needed a genie (the diamonds at INA bought it) and it was $29.00 per month.

I also "hired" my upline for odd jobs at the bank, once per month, as he was an electrical engineer, he did alarm wiring, repairs, and I third party ordered large amounts of janitorial products (conflict of interest, I'm sure) As he was very eager, in those late years of my INA career, to work and take odd jobs.

Next I know mid 2000, he is interested in a part time job, but is concerned that I quit INA education (book, tape, website and everything), he starts part time, and asks me not to tell "the group" , and tells everyone he likes helping out, for fun, but has a big internet business, and prospects everyone.

My wife smelled the "rat" years before. I learned the hard way to trust women's intuition.

We fought about this business for year, one time we shoved each other, as I threw away her shampoo that was "negative". I was sure deluded. I wonder why my wife stayed with me!

I left my job, Jan 2001, and moved across country, my sponsor/friend/emerald slowly pulled out of our lives, coincidentally, he was a real estate agent, and did real estate on the "side" and bragged to all his "full time agent" friends how he was just doing it for fun. He sold our house, for us.

He is now full time, at the company I left, thanks to me, and his wife in now full time, "just helping out" as a receptionist, how ironic, things turn out strange sometimes.

We have not heard from them in almost 8 months now, and I wonder what happened, I learned a lot, grew a lot, the business helped me a lot, but the financial cost, time obligation, and hundreds of times, being asked to leave people's homes, having seen the disappointment when they find out it's really Amway!

I really regret not looking at the business the way you have, I guess I was young, naive, and chose to not look at it closer, I feel like a former cult member!

Thanks so much for the great web site! I left a lot out of the story, to protect names, places, jobs, etc. I have no ill will against anyone in the business. I found a lot of people need that second family, or some association, as they are so unhappy in their jobs.

I am now in the restaurant business, and absolutely love it. The business sure helped me, my people skills are tops. But, that Amaquix business model really was hard to market, I just can't figure how those diamonds did it. Maybe that's why so many are divorced? I beat myself up for years wondering why I could not succeed; I sure worked at it hard.

Thanks again

RON THOMPSON

I've been in the business for 4 months now. I've always been known as a highly detailed oriented person so I asked a million questions, all which were answered to my content. My upline mainly consisted of males my age (23-30) and many of them soon became good friends who shared their past experiences with me. I have no doubt in my mind that this business does in fact work, I've seen it work. But just like any business, it takes work and dedication. You can't expect to pull in six figures a year with only 5-15 hours a week in this. Some people build it faster than others, and obviously, some people have a better knack at dealing with people, which after all, is the key to success in this business. All of the people I have met thus far have not led me astray and have helped me in every way that I asked. During trips to the funtions/seminars I've gotten to know my upline extremely well, meeting their family members and learning about their past experiences in life. Heck, the main figures in my upline are in law enforcement. Some people may say that I've allowed myself to get into their brainwashing, which I don't doubt is true. But on the same note, all religion is a form of brainwashing, but that's not necessarily a bad thing now is it? The United States government practices brainwashing 24/7/365. The business works only if you make it work. I don't believe in luck, I believe in odds. The law of numbers states that by showing 100 people this business plan, you WILL be a diamond. This doesn't mean that they will ALL sign up as BO's, it means that when everything is said and done, those who have signedon as IBOs will in fact drive you to diamond. I agree that the support materials are not absolutely necessary to build the business, but they do help in keeping things in persepctive. The constant lullaby of the "real"world makes you forget the Quixtar business until you're seeing $$ symbols from the business. The books are more useful/valuable in my opinion as they work for all walks of life, not just the business. Keep in mind that as your business grows, so will the time needed to build it and make it grow. You will undoubtedly have key leaders in your upline and downline that will help you along the way once at this level. I've seen ALOT of business and get-rich-quick opportunities (a la Don Lapre) but this beats all of them hands down. In case you're wondering, I'm at 1000PV. And for those people hat say they had to pick up their orders from their upline....... 1) Where in the world do you live? and 2) Why can't you just ship your orders right to your house? Maybe I'm missing something there. I encourage you to fully read this site and hear what it has to say, as I agree that it is a well-made, necessary site - but remember that it all comes down to numbers.

Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for writing back Scott. I do agree with you that I'm still in the honeymoon phase and after writing that bit about the pick up thing, I found out why that was - thanks for the clarification. My upline diamond is a guy named Joe Markiewicz who is based out of Raleigh, NC but our highest pin that shows the plan at meetings is an emerald who retired from his job last November (yes, they made a huge deal of it and everybody went to it, seeing the H2 Hummer limo in all it's glory pick him up from work and of course the rally afterwords) I can tell you that my excitement has gone down ALOT, and

I would probably already be out of the business if it weren't for my belief that system does work (but it might not for me, different subject) and all of my active upline are guys my age (right out of college) who I've gotten to know pretty well. We hang out often (to keep the relations) but I mean in an "out-of-business" atmosphere (i.e. - Movies, Go-Kart racing). The more I read on your site, the more I see that it exactly fits what I'm experiencing. My upline told me to go on faith in this business for 2 years, and if after that I'm not satisfied I should stop the business. The emerald I talked about above stopped to talk to lowly me during our last meeting, seeing how things were going for me. The whole deal about people raising our upline as near-gods is very true. They attribute that to his success in the business and by us wanting to know what he knows, so I thought it was a fair argument.

And yeah, I spend more than I make, but I knew it would take awhile to "break even". There is actually a big function (Dream Night) coming up at the end of January and I've spent the past 2 weeks with my upline trying to convince my sole downline (good friend of mine) that they NEED to go. Well, last night they succeeded in that. I'm not sure what all the hoopla is about a $500 seminar (that includes travel, food, everything) but they say it's all worth it. I don't need motivation to get out their and do this, I need information, "How did that guy do it?" is what I want to know. I have an almost too high self-esteem (so I've been told by the girlfriends), and confidence isn't lacking either. I recently got on the Stanindg Order (weekly tape/monthly book) and it costs about 40-50 bucks a month. I hinted about getting off standing order and I got the guilt trip "Oh god no, you'll fail if you do that" but I strongly disagree that they are necessary. Anyway, thanks for your time and input, I appreciate it a great deal.

- Jim

Scott,

Great site, lots of analysis, good independent view from outiside the inner sanctum. I appreciate your efforts and have declined investing in an IBO distributorship as a result.

Have you come across any MLM's that are designed for all involved. upline, dowline, end user? Does a compnay like that exist outside of your model in the real world?

Thank you.

Tom

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