We’ve had a bunch of bullicorns reach out to ask how to respond to those “friends” who invite you to “parties” that are really just attempts to sell you nail wraps or whatevs.
Our founder Jen Dziura shared her remarks on why MLM companies are so not a good idea.
“Hey Jen, First – I’ve been following Bullish for just over a year now, and I LOVE what you do! I’m writing you now, though, because I have a request for a topic I think is very important lately: could you look at Multi-Level Marketing companies (MLMs) and write/talk about what you think of them for professional women? One of my friends is knee deep in Mary Kay. She’s invested thousands of dollars in them, but has only earned less than half. My opinion is that MLMs prey on people financially, specifically targeting young, intelligent women who seek to progress professionally (your audience). But maybe there’s an angle I’m not considering?”
Nope, that’s pretty much what’s going on! That, and some pretty pictures of pretty moms hanging out with their kids, seemin
gly earning passive income in their own time. The actual reality is somewhat different. My mom used to make me and my little brother hang Avon books in little baggies on all of the doors in our neighborhood, and it was very embarrassing. So is inviting all your friends to a home party and asking them to buy something – after which you lose some friends, and then others expect you to return the favor by buying shit at their home parties. So there goes both your profit and your friends!
Also, you have friends who want to buy things? Friends who believe in you and support whatever you do? Why would you burn through that selling $15 makeup? If you have such wonderful friends with disposable income, develop a product, put it on Kickstarter, and mobilize your friends to help crowdfund your business. If you make $4 commission when someone buys lipstick, what’s your best case scenario? How many lipsticks are you gonna sell? You’re never going to level up and get those lipsticks into stores, because they’re not your lipsticks, they’re Mary Kay’s. You don’t own shit. You have no intellectual property.
Read more here.
