Why I said No to so many “business opportunities”

I personally know people in almost every single MLM company under the sun who are doing well with it.  Go you!  {I even know people who earned a cruise – TWICE!}  I am genuinely happy for you and this post is in no way written to discourage your business success.  In fact, through all of you, I have learned more about myself; my gifts, personality, likes and dislikes, and because of that I can write this post.

In the last two years I have been approached over 10 times to join one of these companies and in the last few months that number skyrocketed.  You see, as a stay-at-home-mom I just became their target market!  In today’s day, it seems like THE work-from-home business to be in.  Which particular one?  I’m not referring to any one in particular.  I have had some measure of “opportunity” to be a part of all these and more:

Team National

AVON

Mary Kay

Nerium

Thirty-One

Pampered Chef

Tupperware

Advocare

Body wraps/Get skinny

Young Living

doTERRA

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Honestly, they all start to sound kind of alike.  There are certain key words that pretty much give it away.  Catchwords and phrases like: “product” “work from home” “be in charge of your own income” “share with you” “business opportunity” etc. and even “when would be the best time to call you?” and “do you have a few minutes that I could talk to you?” which really are polite etiquette, now just start the alarm bells going off in my head.  Rarely will they say the company name initially, and sometimes not even at all.

Three things I want to make clear:

1.  They are legitimate businesses.  (At least most of them – all the ones I’ve come across.)
2. It takes WORK.  It is not quite as easy as most people make it sound.  It will require time and energy unless you are the lucky rare percentage that gets an amazing salesperson under you who does all the legwork and you just roll in the dough because you recruited him.
3. Yes, I would love to earn some income from home, just as you do!  We have goals that we would like to earn extra money for too!  But we have learned (the hard way) that this type of job doesn’t work out for us.

The reasons I say no?

1. Products = you are in SALES.  Though I’ve been told I’m really good at sales and even offered several jobs, I don’t really like direct sales.  I prefer offering a service.  The exception would be if I found something I was super passionate about or invented something that I believed in enough to market it.
2. I haven’t found a product (or company) that I believe in enough.  I am more the balanced type.  I use Tupperware AND Rubbermaid.  I buy a variety of brands of make-up, usually whatever I can find sold at Walmart {cringe for actually admitting this!}.  I hate vitamins and am too lazy for most skin-care products.  Even the promise of a cruise can’t make me love them!
3. I want to know the percentage of people who become members and make it big vs. the ones who lose money.  I also have a hunch that it’s pretty high turnover.  How long do people stay active with your company?  Usually none of these numbers are advertised or available.
4. If you won’t say the company’s name because you want to pitch it to me just right… that’s like warning me to put my guard up because someone’s trying to suck me into something I probably don’t want to do!  I would like to do research and know what I am getting into before I commit.  If the company is afraid people won’t join if they know which company it is… well, that’s being ashamed and I don’t want to be ashamed of my business!  I also know that I cannot sell to others like this, so I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be good as a recruiter.
5. If you earn off of what other people sell, you are a recruiter.  So really the job you’re offering me is one of recruiting all my family and friends and fellow church brothers and sisters to sign up too!
6. I don’t want to have to pay for or buy something to join and have income potential.  I need a business that has very little to no start-up costs.  I also don’t want to have to buy something every month or make a certain number of sales or recruit a certain number of people.
7. I don’t like what it does to relationships.  I want to make sure I have friends for the right reasons and am not just making connections in hopes of income potential.  I have seen people do this tactfully among friends and family and others “use” and abuse their friendships by being too pushy.  I especially don’t like church to be the place where you talk to a bunch of people and make connections for selling your business.  That’s turning the house of God into a marketplace.
8. I know you really love it and it’s a part of your life, but it’s not ALL of your life and I’m sick of seeing only see things about your new business on your Facebook, blog, pictures and social media.  I know you’re excited, and there is a place for a small bit of advertising, but seriously!  It’s like more ads in my news feed!  It’s all about balance, people.

When you can introduce me to a company where I don’t have to share with my friends, don’t have to use my social media for advertisement, don’t have to recruit people, don’t have to be sold on the fact that this product is the one and only way to go, don’t have people above or “under” me in some chain or pyramid, my earnings are commission based on my performance only, I can research the company, and I don’t have to pay in to be hired, I’M INTERESTED!!!  Until then, I’ll listen, but my answer will be a polite no to this kind of “business opportunity!”

What has been your experience with multi-level marketing companies and similar?  Do you have any other catchwords to add?