Elle Beau

#Poonique Epilogue: “When Your Partner is in a MLM” – A Few Words from James

When Your Partner is in MLM

You’ve all read my #Poonique tale by now, I’m sure. For those who haven’t, get caught up. 😉
My partner, James, was there to experience my time in the hunlife. He tends to be a man of few words, but he wanted to share his perspective on having a partner involved in MLMs.

Before reading James’s take on my experience with MLMs (namely Younique), please remind yourself of my mission statement here. In a nutshell, all views presented in this blog are mine, and mine only. Your own personal experiences with MLM companies may differ, negatively or positively. All names and identifying features have been changed to protect the individuals concerned.
James has asked me to just give his wording the once over, as in his words “writing really isn’t my strong point!” So, this is the work of James, but with my grammatical smoothing. 😉

baton pass

James Bitmoji

[James:] ‘Ello to Elle’s followers and fans, it’s James here. After reading and watching Elle write about her #Poonique experience just wanted to give a little insight of how I saw things – I’m not great with words, so don’t worry, it won’t be long. 😉

Let’s call this an apology from the man behind a great woman (or something to that effect).
First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read the blog posts and given feedback – Elle really, really appreciates your continued support, and all your messages/interactions social media networks.
So yeah, where was I – I just want to say sorry to Elle…
eh
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[Elle:] What the heck are you sorry for?
James Bitmoji

[James:] Because I feel partly responsible for you becoming a hun! 😉 In the very beginning, back in Chapter 1, I also noticed Scarlett posting the typical #Poonique-type bragging posts. Oh, and Kerri always going on about “being paid in her sleep“. At the time I was just mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, absolutely hating my own job, knowing Elle was struggling to find suitable part-time work, and thinking “something needs to change for us“

(I’ve now found a career path I really enjoy 🙂 ).
Anyway, after seeing these makeup posts, I inboxed Scarlett asking her what it’s all about, she explained it all and sounded convincing, so I spoke to Elle about it, saying stuff like “well you never know, it might work?“
At the time, MLMs didn’t seem like a big issue (in 2015), as we both Googled for more information, getting mostly neutral results and very little negative. With that in mind, and after talking to Scarlett herself, Elle decided “I’ll give it a go” and so she did.
Elle-small
[Elle:] Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
James Bitmoji

[James:] Yup. After a few weeks of her signing up, I noticed Elle started to get stressed as it was not going too well. I remember saying “these things take time” and “you just have to keep working at it” – now I know what I do, I feel shit for saying that!

ashamed
A week or so later, she started doing daily makeup selfies. If you have read the #Poonique story, you’ll know that Elle isn’t a big makeup fanatic – she wears it, but not everyday and if she does, she doesn’t post all over social media saying “check my makeup out” etc. So, that definitely was out of Elle’s usual character.
She then started doing the typical hunnish “all about the opportunity” videos – as far as I can remember from our time together, Elle has never done social media videos before. Watching them was painfully awkward – I could see she wasn’t enjoying doing those at all.
She was also doing the ‘fake it til you make it’ posts (n.b. you never will make it), pretending that bloody purple card was paying for our meals out, treats etc, (fortunately she never actually used that card like her poor anti-MLM ally Maz Carrah did).
Luckily Elle realised it wasn’t going to work out when Scarlett began slating Younique and its so-called ‘quality’ (and her upline’s upline, Green Overlord Tania, was getting twitchy about Elle buying more stock).
She’d not even sold that starter pack stuff yet (or very little of it), and I could see it affecting her mental health – she was constantly questioning herself, and saying things like,
“I am so crap at this, no one wants to buy from me” or “I don’t understand how all the other girls are doing so well, I’m doing exactly the same as them.”
frown
At this time, her chronic illness was yet to be diagnosed and still under investigation – the stress was making it hard for Elle to chase sales or “work her business” as those bloody uplines put it, as she was either fatigued or in constant pain.
When she finally told me she was getting shot of #Poonique and was selling all her crap stock in those secret Facebook groups, I was so glad. I could already see Scarlett had jacked it in, and Elle wasn’t long after her.
She was pissed off with it all for a while, but I know in time she found Timeless Vie and Bot Watch – I know talking to them helped her. Either way, I got the good ol’ Elle back – not the one constantly stressing that she wasn’t good enough, or living a lifestyle lie on social media.
As I said though, I’m crap with words and trying not to be too vague, although I’ll leave this blogging malarkey to Elle!
If there’s anything else you would like to ask, just put your questions in the comments or via Elle’s Facebook page – she’ll pass them on to me to answer! 😀
Cheers for reading.
– James.
Elle-small

[Elle:] Thanks for putting your thoughts in writing, James – I know it was a bit of a chore for you, but you did good! 🙂

As I’ve told James before, he has nothing to apologise for. I was the one who made the decision to sign up under Scarlett, no one forced me. I take responsibility for my fuck-up there – although it did give me that initial encouragement, to see that James was on-board with it and thinking it would be a good side-income for me. Especially so, as we thought I could ‘work’ on my terms around my chronic illness.
Well let me assure you all, MLM is definitely not true ‘work’. Not unless you’re that 0.1% at the top of the pyramid – but then again, you’re gathering in the money from your downlines and their efforts.

I suppose that’s why I have become a writer in the anti-MLM movement, and I’m not going anywhere. 😉
MLMs are a bigger problem than some folk will give them credit for, and I will do my bit to fight them – to stop more Bethanies, Harriets and even Scarletts from getting financially and mentally shafted.

lets do this

What’s next for Elle Beau?

On reflection, I do feel that I would like to rewrite my Poonique story into a proper novella – whether its an ebook, or if I find someone who would put me in print. The main reason being, I missed out “the smaller stuff” for the purpose of keeping the reader interested and driving the tale forward. When I wrote this blog, I wanted to mainly focus on the dodgy tactics I experienced, but on reflection I would like to talk more in-depth about everything I can remember.
I would like to rewrite my tale with the spreadsheet as more of a prominent reference point – it will also help me recall things in chronological order (i.e. when certain monthly kudos were released, little paltry orders etc). Mia is still lurking in some of the training groups, and is finding me screenshots to illustrate certain chapters. So, as well as writing anti-MLM articles, I will be working on producing a full, comprehensive story in the interim.
If you like the anti-MLM aims I am working towards, please consider supporting me via Patreon. Anything is gratefully received.
Stay subscribed for upcoming anti-MLM news and articles, and of course the ever-popular #ShitHunsSay screenshots.
Don’t forget to join the MLM fight on social media – if you’re on Twitter, please give @ElleBeauBlog a follow (and help me get the #Poonique hashtag trending again!). Alternatively, join in the discussion with Elle Beau, the Anti-Blogger on Facebook. I am also on Instagram now – look for @ellebeaublog!
Are you stuck in a MLM and are looking for a way to leave? My friends at Bot Watch have produced a fantastic guide on how to get out – read it here.
Or, are any of you concerned for a loved one who is totally and utterly wrapped up in MLM? Bot Watch have advice for you on what to do and how to remain supportive – read it here.
Please, also check out the good work of the people of Bot Watch, Juice Plus/MLM Lies Exposed and Timeless Vie. They 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 and interesting lifestyle bloggers I think you will enjoy, such as Chammy in Real Life and my first Patreon, @yourolly.
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.

7 comments

  6. I just read your blog and am obsessed with MLMs right now. I hope you publish a book!! This was entertaining and a fun read and so informative.

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  7. Thank you so much for these posts. I was involved with Mary Kay for a few years (maybe three, four?). I truly believe in the quality of the product, but it only took me a few months to realize that the focus was NOT what we were told. God, family, business. How, then were we supposed to book three or four parties every week and have dinner with our families? AND, my leader cut her hair with a FLOWBEE!!! I still use the products, and have since 1974. I will NEVER suggest anyone get involved with a MLM. It IS a pyramid scheme, no matter what anyone tells you!
    Thanks again–too bad I didn’t see it twenty years ago.

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