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Should I get involved or not?

Does anyone have any verifiable stories, good or bad, in connection with this product?

A really influential guy in my church has approached me about this.

I trust his intents in inviting me-- probably will say yes.

Just wanted to run it here first.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150499

BUSINESS
A Drink’s Purple Reign
Devotees claim MonaVie cures their ills and makes them millionaires. But is it just hype in a bottle?

www.PurpleHorror.com

Usually not a good thing when a site named like this is devoted to a product.

From the newsweek article

Quote:

Meanwhile, most of the million-strong sales team is really just drinking the juice, according to MonaVie's 2007 income disclosure statement, a federally required printout of their distributor earnings. More than 90 percent were considered "wholesale customers," whose earnings are mostly discounts on sales to themselves. Fewer than 1 percent qualified for commissions and of those, only 10 percent made more than $100 a week. And the dropout rate, while not disclosed by MonaVie, is around 70 percent, according to a top recruiter.

also from newsweek... pretty damning when you look at past history of its founder

Quote:

Larsen, for his part, realizes that his sales team can get him in hot water with the Feds. A 20-year-veteran of the multi-level marketing industry, he left a senior post at another juice company in 2002, a year before the FDA destroyed the company's "bogus products" that were being falsely promoted to treat "cancer, arthritis and attention deficit disorder."

but this guy in my church, he wouldn't involve me in something bad like what your sites are saying. He's in it too. He's a good guy.

Is it possible that things have changed or that this time it will be different with me getting in with him?

Caveat emptor, Jermyn. Buyer beware.

Your friend's probably a stand up guy, but unless he's signing you up with his own money you are the one who stands to lose ... or gain.

Part of friendship is having the confidence to question and be skeptical about business propositions, especially multi-level marketing. If your friend isn't open to the questions raised then he's probably into something he hasn't thought all the way through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson (Post 867011)

I've seen it with Amway and about a dozen other MLM setups.

Look at it as a business. If I bought a subway franchise I would own it.

If you get involved in a MLM they can pull the plug on your income stream in a minute... which they do... I knew a evangelists wife who made 100k a year selling energy pills from church to church, in fact they had their yearly rally at General Conference. However the company changed policies and cut her off.. so all she had accomplished was giving several years of her life cutting her husbands ministry in the throat by making pastors very hesitant to call him and she up'd her lifestyle to have it cut in a second. Plus the pills weren't safe anyhow.

If your looking at it as a business just do simple math with your friend. Ask him how much he grossed on the sales and ask him how much product he bought to keep his distributor status. Thats your net. The article says all but 1% make 100 or less a month net. Waste of time on a hourly basis.

Hes most likely a great guy whos excited by the moon beams and rainbows he was sold. You pick up on his excitement as a new convert also. But just look at it as a realistic business... MLM's are hard work and will always warp your social interactions because you can't just be friends with people anymore.. they are always prospects to pitch.

You want a business opportunity? Get your florida Health, Life and Annuities Insurance license and find a good insurance call center to work in locally. I'll PM you what I make on a weekly basis working 60 hours a week in a W-2 callroom setting. I get insurance benefits, disability from AFLEC if I get sick and have a great place to work. Plus if i quit or get fired I own my license and can take it anywhere along with the other 30 states I now have non-residential status in and call sell into.

Have a vocation or licensed profession, don't get sucked into biz-ops that aren't proven.

I would not get involved with a MLM scheme.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apocrypha (Post 867016)

Please pm me.

I’m a stalker and don't usually post, but on this one I must.

MLM schemes are always the same: pawn off shoddy products while the true money is made by recruiting new salespeople who have to "Pay to play" - Ask your friend how much it is to join the “business” and understand that he gets a commission of this fee. Also, once you are in, your main goal will be to recruit more sellers, not selling of the product.

classic pyramid scheme. Stay away from this as you will only loose money!

Flame on...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connmega (Post 867025)

Your pretty much spot on.

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Originally Posted by Connmega (Post 867025)

Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Cindy (Post 867017)

I would not get involved with a MLM scheme.

Thank you, "Big Sis".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connmega (Post 867025)

What is funny is that I have never run into one MLM where there was not a story of some 21 year old (or just young person) who started a year or two ago and now works only hours a week and is on track to make 2 to 3 hundred thousand this current year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson (Post 866998)

It's just another MLM. The juice won't kill you but you don't need this juice to be healthy.

Here is something that really bothers me though. I have a roomie that was trying to get into it. He swore up and down how this stuff helped a dialysis patient get off dialysis...far fetched, not to mention Dialysis patients have to watch their potassium intake and this stuff is loaded

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson (Post 867011)

There is a sucker born every minute and this guy might be a sucker and he is unwittlingly trying to make another sucker. He probably is a good guy, but the simple fact is most MMLs get YOU to make money by getting your family and friends involved...make money off them. Hard sell them and press them to make more sells and sign up more sellers.

The products might be ok, but they are almost always WAY over priced. He is buying the stuff at wholesale (which is actually retail or discout), drinking it himself because he believes the hype and is sincerely hoping you will too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 867043)

And he just came back from his free trip to Cancun now that he is a double diamond :statbike:

Why do church people get all caught up in these phony pyramid schemes?
Are they just gullible, too trusting?
Are are they looking for a quick buck? Instant wealth and materialism?
Why do they do this to a brother or sister?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam (Post 867055)

Why do church people get all caught up in these phony pyramid schemes?
Are they just gullible, too trusting?
Are are they looking for a quick buck? Instant wealth and materialism?
Why do they do this to a brother or sister?

Yes

If you look on ebay you'll find the stuff for pennies on the dollar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyoPastor (Post 867095)

If you look on ebay you'll find the stuff for pennies on the dollar.

left over stuff they can't sell?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas (Post 867102)

left over stuff they can't sell?

well, sooner or later you run out of family and friends and you gotta try to recover a little of your investment.

I guess you could pack it up and send it to Haiti and claim it as a charitable deduction.

maybe Pat can send some to Haiti as miracle water.

Here is a Men's Health report on Movavie
http://www.juicescam.com/mens-journa...cks-nutrition/

Quote:

Originally Posted by jermyn davidson (Post 866998)

should i get involved or not?

Does anyone have any verifiable stories, good or bad, in connection with this product?

A really influential guy in my church has approached me about this.

I trust his intents in inviting me-- probably will say yes.

Just wanted to run it here first.

no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa (Post 867116)

Benincasa, what was your opinion on this? I wasn't quite sure. :ursofunny

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldoutochrist (Post 867151)

Benincasa, what was your opinion on this? I wasn't quite sure. :ursofunny

Really, everything he says is just sort of veiled. How do you really feel EB?

I hate Multi Level Marketing with a passion. Everyone I know who has gotten involved in it has lost money. There are a few people at the top of each organization who succeed, and everyone else loses. You wouldn't believe how many people through the years have approached us about different things like this - they think they can get to all our congregation through us. Sadly, I've seen pastors involve their people in schemes like this, and always live to regret it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri (Post 867192)

I've seen numbers over the years that the average AMWAY Direct Distributer only nets less than $300 for the entire year after all their own consumption of products and sales training materials are taken out.

As others have already stated - - RUN!

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldoutochrist (Post 867151)

Benincasa, what was your opinion on this? I wasn't quite sure. :ursofunny

Well, he didn't say "In Jesus Name", so I'm little unclear myself. LOL

I remember when UPGold (diet pill) took our church by storm! :lol

BAD stuff by today's standards, but it sure did give you a good 'legal' buzz back then! :toofunny

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Mrs (Post 867356)

I remember when UPGold (diet pill) took our church by storm! :lol

BAD stuff by today's standards, but it sure did give you a good 'legal' buzz back then! :toofunny

You could probably get away with an Old Country Buffet gift card plan where you send a $5 gift card to the person at the top of the list then mail it to your 10 closest (for now) friends after adding your name to the bottom. Within 2-3 weeks you should have tens of thousands of Old Country Buffet $5 gift cards!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apocrypha (Post 867200)

And here is the other bad part....a lot of these organizations require the distributer to maintain an active account by purchasing monthly supplies. So if nobody is buying from them they have to buy their own monthly supply, which piles up unused

Melaleuca anyone?

I found that I liked some of their products, but again they were way over priced. Im not paying 6 dollars for a small tube of toothpaste just because it has small quantities of "tea tree" oil in it.

In fact many of us use other company products like hair products that have tea tree oil in it. It's very common, but the Company is a MLM and as a MLM the don't sell in bulk to retail stores but through individual distributors and that means high costs