Elle Beau

And the first topic is…

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Ah, hello there.  Thank you for stopping by.  My name is…well, just call me Elle Beau (elbow, geddit?).

Elle Fist Bumb

This little blog will be to anonymously share my experiences of a particuarly tetchy subject – something that may create backlash, outrage, flounces…you name it. However, if my writing can help at least one person from making the mistakes I did, then I’ll be happy with that.

I’m going to start with throwing a few company names at you.  Here we go…

Juice Plus, Forever Living, Younique, Herbalife, Maëlle, Jamberry!

…are you groaning yet?  If not, I’m sure you will be.  To open this blog, I thought I’d post about is the joy of MLMs and my experience of them.

What is that, I hear you cry!

For reference, it stands for multi-level marketing (also known as network marketing, direct selling, referral marketing, and – dare I say it – pyramid selling).  My good friend and mentor Bot Watch has a handy explanation in “Pyramid Schemes and Multi Level Marketing Explained.” Wikipedia also have a good explanation of the definition here.

Before I begin though, I wish to point out the obvious – all views presented in this blog are mine, and mine only.  Your own personal experiences with MLM companies may differ, negatively or positively  – you may actually be one of the “success stories” I always heard so much about, the ones livin’ the dream, hun. 😉

When I first started writing this back in 2017, there were some MLMs I didn’t particularly have a problem with – I knew some “happy customers” of Avon, Scentsy and Neal’s Yard Remedies, to name a few.  However, the more I’ve discovered over time (with thanks to these Anti-MLM allies), the more I realise what a huge issue this industry is. I particularly have a problem with the behaviour and tactics witnessed by some MLM “presenters”, which is what I will tell you about in my #Poonique tale.

All names and locations have been changed to protect the identities of individuals, including me! Why? Because pro-MLMers are a vengeful bunch, for some reason. You only have to check out the comments calling me a “bitter, failed ex-presenter who didn’t work hard enough” to get the idea. 😉

Don’t forget, you can subscribe to my blog and get email updates whenever I make a new post – you don’t even have to have a WordPress account.

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I would also like to add that after I finished writing my #Poonique tale in 2017, I went on to form MLMTruth.org with my friends Bot Watch, Red Corvette and Emma the Naked Typist. We’re aiming to create a resource page of help and support for those affected by this industry. More people are coming forward to share their experiences, and adding their voices to the #AntiMLMmovement.

I am also fighting the MLM fight across social media – check out my links here.

If you want to be a part of the #AntiMLMmovement, take a look at ways you can get involved. Or, purchase yourself a #LossBabe mug or t-shirt from our shop! We also have some free downloadable templates for you to use too.

MLM Truth Business Card
MLMTruth.org

Please, also check out the good work of the people of Timeless Vie.  They are pioneers of the #AntiMLMmovement, and work tirelessly to expose the truth and lies of the MLM industry, so anyone considering this line of work can make a fair, informed decision .  In fact, I now have a Recommended Reading page for Anti-MLM writers.

For something a little different to pyramid schemes, I would also recommend a look at what Bad Psychics are up to.  Award-winning and seen-on-TV, they have worked to expose false claims made by psychics, mediums and the paranormal since 2003.

 

11 comments

  6. Looks to me that you didn’t do very well at making your MLM work (in particular Younique and thought I know it’s Younique’s fault!).
    Well I hate to say this but the only person to blame for failure is YOU!
    Really it is sad that you went to all this effort to do all these chapters for this so called blog ( hate bashing of Younique more like it) because had you put as much time into your own Younique business, it may of been a success!
    Never mind all this does is just makes you as a person look bitter ( let’s face it you don’t even use your own name) got something to hide……..
    Younique may not be the best company in the world but they are trying to do something good for women all over the world and I’m not on about the business side of things.

    This is JUST MY OPINION of you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Hello Paul – thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! Are you an MLM life coach? Or perhaps you have a partner in MLM and you’re just trying to be supportive? Either way, YOU are part of the problem – but that is just my opinion. 😉

      I hear a lot of this “bitter, failed ex-presenter” nonsense from pro-MLMers – please can you kindly define what makes someone a failure at MLM? Especially when 99.7% will lose money in this industry – that’s a hell of a statistic. You must be so very lucky to have bucked the trend. Take care, and look forward to hearing more insights from you soon!

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  7. Why is it that the only argument against people who speak out about these companies that MLM apologists can come up with is “obviously you didn’t work hard enough. Why aren’t you using your real name”
    Working yourself to the bone means nothing to these companies and consultants still won’t be successful.
    People like Elle use pseudonyms to protect themselves because MLM people are ruthless and hateful and have no problem attacking anyone that speaks against them. Not all of them, but enough of them to make it a problem.
    Sharing real experiences with real people does not make someone bitter. Seems like you’re the bitter one here, slinging insults and getting mad at strangers on the internet. Maybe if you spent this time self reflecting, you’d thing of something better to do with your life.
    But this is just my opinion of you.

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. Paul,

    Elle’s blog describes what happened to her and how she found the MLM system to be rigged against her. It is a blog, no matter what you say?!

    She could have spent more time on it but it wouldn’t have helped. The only thing she could have done to get more payments would have been to lie in order to recruit more people and to spend more of her money on products. This would have advanced her up the ranks. However, she would have had to lose some of her ethics and more of her money. The increased payments wouldn’t have increased her net income anyway. All it would achieve would be to give more money to the CEOs.

    What qualifies you to make the judgements that you make? Have you spent long in a pyramid scheme?

    Perhaps you can be one of the people I have been searching for. I am looking for people who claim to be making money in MLM to prove it to me. I would love to look at some actual figures of someone who has made a success of MLM. In 2 years no one has come forward.

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Good work!

    I’m an italian debunker (false claims/news fighter).
    In Italy MLM is growing.
    Hope ppl Will found this site too.
    I Will post a link to this beneath my work.

    MLM use ppl to sell overpriced products (there is a model in my article that explain It and made by a professor)
    They Hide too many things and work on lack of knowledge to scary ppl.

    Best regards

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ciao! We would love to cross-promote and link to your work. Funnily enough, I was speaking to my mlmtruth.org co-owners about how we need to be able to provide translations/resources to those who do not speak English as a first language etc. Let’s talk – are you able to drop us an email sometime to mlmtruth@protonmail.com? 🙂

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