Don’t worry, that’s a joke, huns.

In the spirit of Timeless Vie‘s “But Why Aren’t You Balanced?” post, I want to address the whole “you’re just a disgruntled former rep” drivel, following a bizarre exchange of messages sent in from a follower. You’ll see those shortly.

When I started telling my #Poonique story in March 2017, I knew that some people would not like what I had to say. Back when Timeless Vie and Bot Watch were kindly talking to me, and explaining what a crock of shite MLMs truly are, I observed the work they were doing over social media.

Most people absolutely love these anti-MLM titans – they appreciate the fact they are speaking out against MLMs, and they thank them by showing their support. However, there are others who either despise them, or simply dismiss the work they are doing. As they both told me, “it goes with the territory – some people are so passionate and protective over their MLM, they’ll defend it to the death.“
Seeing as Bot Watch has recently whipped some Vida Divina reps into a social media frenzy, and Timeless Vie‘s original Facebook page was subjected to a mass-reporting attack, it seems that speaking out against MLMs is a risky business.

So yes, when I finally decided to start this blog and start my social media pages, I was apprehensive. That’s predominantly why I’ve kept myself anonymous – my Elle Beau persona can take the abuse, but me, the person behind her? Even now, I’m still not sure.

For example, do you remember when the Daily Mail published the story of Candice Kiddle? She is a stay-at-home mum who signed up to sell Forever Living, needing a job to fit around the demands of motherhood. When she bravely went public with her version of events, many people messaged her in support. But others? Well, she exclusively shared those nice messages with Timeless Vie (strong language ahead):

Yes, you read that correctly – this dedicated, passionate, professional Forever Living rep thinks Candice should be “shot with bags of [her] own shit.” Something else that’s noteworthy, is the comment “you…decided to moan and bitch about Forever Living rather than worth the business and succeed…” Remember that part, won’t you?

As my chapters progressed, and more and more people started to read and share my blog, I wondered how long it would take before I got the backlash.

I’ve been called a “dumb ass bitch” over Twitter by a ‘professional’ network marketer, I’ve had enraged Juice Plus huns and manhuns swarm my Facebook page spouting vitriol, and I frequently see the these cliches…

• You were lazy and didn’t work hard enough

• You just didn’t want the opportunity enough

• Clearly, network marketing just isn’t for you

• I feel sorry for you, having such a negative mindset

• You failed, so you’re just bitter and jealous!

• My MLM team isn’t like that – its wonderful and has changed my life, how could you write such lies??

And so on and so forth. I might make a bingo board out of them.

Sometimes it shakes your perch, but lately, it just makes me laugh and move on. Yet, I would like to ask a few questions.

“You didn’t work hard enough”

What do you mean, I didn’t work hard enough? What didn’t I “work hard enough” at? I suppose that means I didn’t work hard enough at spamming my friends with salesy posts. I didn’t piss them off enough by adding them into my stupid VIP makeup groups. I didn’t pressure them hard enough to host shitty parties, and I didn’t humiliate myself hard enough by posting fake recruitment posts in Facebook For Sale groups. Yes, that must be what they mean.

“You didn’t want it enough”

Didn’t want what? A makeup empire? A white range rover? The more I think about it, the more I fail to see how an empire can be built by flogging someone else’s idea, and someone else’s product. Reps have absolutely no creative input over these products – they are merely just selling someone else’s crap on, at gross over-inflation, all so those up the pyramid can get a cut. So what is it that I am supposed to want? Believe it or not, not all of us want to swan around in a rental-agreement car whilst sunning ourselves at a “free” presenter’s retreat – some of us just want to be happy.

“You’re just jealous”

If you can explain to me what I’m meant to  be jealous of, then maybe I could decide whether to agree. Hey, its taken me many years to be at peace with the person I am, why on earth would I want to be anyone else? If I am meant to be jealous of people who are blinded by “chasing the MLM dream” by selling someone else’s sub-par products, treating their loved ones like cash-cows, and turning into a person they don’t recognise anymore, then cool.

Heck, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and not everyone is going to like what we anti-MLMers do.

If there are people out there that take genuine joy and pleasure out of selling MLM products, then that’s brilliant for them. However, if it is poorly affecting their wellbeing, bank balance, relationships with loved ones and their grip on reality, that’s when we have a problem. That’s why I will continue to speak out.

Sometimes though, there are the really stupid comments from people with no vested interest in MLMs, who have called me “a stupid Amber Rose-esque chick” for falling for these schemes (whatever that means?). Or this charming individual, who deems me a “dumb dumb” and kindly reminds me “let’s not get too big for your britches“. 

As you can tell, I’m clearly just doing this for the minimal e-fame, with my anonymous identity and all. 😉 

Or there’s this one below, which is a personal favourite.

How did these comments come about? Because they didn’t like the tone of my article Whatever Became of Marisol. And, because I think I’m “some big time player in the anti-MLM world” 😉

No, I do not think that. That title will always belong to the likes of Ethan Vanderbuilt, Bot Watch, Jon Donnis, and Timeless Vie. 

At the time, stupid comments like that royally bugged the shit out of me, especially when I have a chronic illness in the mix, but hey…I realise now, if someone wants to be an arse for the sake of being an arse, who am I to try and stop them? I’ll only lose. Plus, as Bot Watch reminds me,

“you are not writing for them, you are writing for people that need our help, so they can realise the truth about MLMs.”

So, with Bot’s advice always in mind, I just carry on. 

Reading messages like this one below though? They make it all worth it.

This is the first private message I received, where a former Younique rep came forward to tell me how my story had made her question everything…and then quit – I had only written a handful of chapters at this point!

Honestly, hearing these messages will always mean a lot, and I will always aim to get back to all of you as soon as I can.

I’ll now show you this strange exchange that a follower sent in. She was feeling particularly irritable as she has been severely unwell, so when she received this blatant “hey you” copy/paste message from someone who is meant to be a friend, she wasn’t in the mood to play ball.

Oh come on, hun – if you’ve scrapped your (very) expensive makeup in favour of Younique, then you need to have a damn good word with yourself. I truly hope this is just a false “fake it til you make it” statement, in her attempt to show-off to my follower. Plus, please don’t say “she’s missing out“, its rude and simply not true.

“What can be so bad about [Younique]?”

How long have you got?

My follower urges her to check out the resources on Timeless Vie and Bot Watch, and also mentions the Younique information I provide in my blog.

My follower quite rightly points out that “most people don’t make money, they actually lose money” (check Bot Watch for that info), she warns her friend that she’ll “end up alienating friends and family“, the “Y-sisterhood stuff is actually rubbish” and that fecking godawful Younique Foundation charity “doesn’t actually help people.”

If you were “researching it for years before actually signing up“, I think it would be safe to say that you didn’t research hard enough. Perhaps this Younique hun has a very persuasive upline?

Regardless, she isn’t happy with my follower’s response, and she certainly doesn’t want anything to do with the popular anti-MLM Facebook groups (for the record; groups like Lies Exposed and Sounds Like MLM But OK).

Guess what comes next? The passive aggressive bragging about earnings, of course. 

I think its pretty vulgar to brag “I was paid today” and then go on to say how much you actually got. The figures aren’t making sense to me, unless someone can point out what I’m missing? If she’s only recently started selling Younique, chances are she’s either White or Yellow Status, meaning she gets 20% or 25% “commission” on every sale.

So, if she “only put in £67” then how did she get a return of £247? Answers on a postcard, please. She also got some good Y-cash credit for that spend, too (note: Y-cash is explained in Chapter 7 of my #Poonique tale)…

She admits that “Y-sisters is cringeworthy” but goes on to say how nice it is having some people to learn from. I said similar shit during my time as a hun, how wonderful it was to know such supportive women, blah blah blah. Its all fake it til you make it, dear.

Bobbi Brown, MAC and Laura Mercier is also compared to Younique. Pfft, if this lady has handled a lot of high-quality makeup, surely she would be able to tell that Younique is anything but? Check out qualified MUA Jade Pow‘s thoughts on the so-called quality in her interview.

“I’m not really fussed if you don’t like or want to buy it…”

Yes, you are. Otherwise, why the long, defensive ramble? 

Its also reassuring to hear that she doesn’t “spam or alienate” her friends and family.

My follower defends her reasoning for recommending anti-MLM information.

She may as well have just shown a red flag to this hun though. The Younique rep is not impressed with this answer, and gives my follower a very long tirade in response.

Oh…and I’m not sure if a Guinness World Record has been broken, but this rep must be some kind of uber-fast reader…

The reason why I think this presenter deserves to be a Guinness World Record holder is because she said that she “just read” my entire blog, all in the space of ten minutes! Now, for anyone who has taken the time to look through the information I have here, it would be fair to say that you’d need longer than ten minutes to absorb it all, wouldn’t it?

If I had a bingo board, I could cross a few things off that list.

“…I’d say that is a person that has something against the product or company itself…”

Its more than clear that I the products are a crock of overpriced shite, and that Younique should be ashamed of themselves. My blog wouldn’t be doing its job otherwise. However, I’m not on some kind of Kill Bill vendetta. I’m just trying to make the pyramid crumble from the base. 😉

“…Don’t believe everything you read…” – the irony.

Here’s another cliche – this presenter knows a friend who has (allegedly) given up their full time nursing career for Younique. If its true, that’s really sad. 😦

Here comes the kicker.

“…Everything you read is from people who probably didn’t do so well (so felt robbed) or didn’t get on with their as you say ‘Y-sisters’…”

Guilty as charged, dear. That’s the only reason I am speaking out against Younique. Not because I think the company is vile and unethical, and treats its presenters and customers like mugs. Not at all – its simply because I “didn’t do very well” and feel robbed!

I also love this next sentence.

“…Don’t try and drag something through the mud until you know for yourself what it is like by actually being a part of it…”

I don’t need to drag Younique through the mud. Its doing that all by itself.

By deduction, I can tell that this hun really is neck-deep…the Y-life has a really solid grip on her, and I think it will take her a bloody long time to come to her senses.

My follower remains calm and composed, simply telling her, “I hope it works out for you” – I’ve found that’s often the best response for huns that won’t hear a bad word said about their MLM.

Cue the passive-aggressive smug response.

“…I went to a convention where they presented a cheque for a woman’s shelter, for physically and mentally abused women…”

If that’s true, then fantastic. Chances are though, this “shelter” is referring to that vile excuse for a charity, the Younique Foundation. If that is the case, then this hun really has a lot to learn – check the linked collaboration article with Maz Carrah if you don’t believe me.

“…I know [Younique] do good for people…”

I was drinking a cup of tea as I read that, and I nearly spat it out.

Yes, hun, they definitely do. The “people” they “do good for” are the CEOs, and all their chums teetering at the pinnacle of the pyramid. All of those minions swarming around at the base of the pyramid? No, this company does no good for you.

This woman’s only redeeming feature is that she hopes that my poor follower gets better soon.

So there you have it – even when you have all the best intentions, some will throw it back in your face. Despite the fact that this hun has boxed me in the “disgruntled former presenter” category, I am sure that in a few months time the penny will begin to drop. If so, my blog and I will be right here, ready to provide advice and support.

I can’t be doing that bad, though – especially when I recently received this lovely message:

Like I said before, these kind of messages make it all worth it.

This is the only way the pyramid can be toppled – by taking away the bricks at the base, and making sure no other bricks come along to replace them. Keep spreading information, and keep being anti-MLM!

I’ll keep being a mood-hoover negferret. 😉

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.  I hope to set up a Kickstarter for this once I have an idea of costings.

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!

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.