Monday, February 5, 2018

The Greatest Showman?

I just saw the movie "The Greatest Showman". I don't usually care for musicals but this is a story about PT Barnum and his circus. He grew up poor and with big dreams, he accomplished a lot (according to the movie). It was an enjoyable movie and the story was twice and at times, a bit touching. But the way PT Barnum was considered a showman made me think about upline. They too are simply showmen, but maybe you could also refer to them as pitchmen. Rather than pitching you a show, Amway uplines are pitching you a business opportunity.

The Amway upline will show up for events in a nice car. Whether they actually own it or not is another issue, but they will play up their entrance, as if the diamond was some kind of star. They get adulation and they are edified and put on a pedestal. They are presented as someone who. Has accomplished great things. My former diamond says on his website that now that he's achieved diamond in his life, he hopes to achieve "significance". I wonder what that means? By exploiting downline and talking them into surrendering their hard earned cash for training that does not work is not anything of significance to me. That just makes them a snake oil sale an or a huckster.

The upline is supposed a be a millionaire (anyone ever verify that) who knows the secrets to the Amway business and they can transfer that knowledge to you if you will listen and participate in all the training they provide. Meetings, functions, CDs, books and voicemail are all supposed to make you succeed. At least it's a part of the show or a part of the pitch. Right? You do as upline says and you can't fail. If you start to doubt, you listen to more CDs or attend more meetings. That will solve all your issues right? All the while as your bank account shrinks, your upline laughs all the way to the bank. They get paid whether you make a dime or lose your house and your shirt. There is no consequences for the upline. The upline in the end is just a showman who is trying to pitch you on the "greatest business ever".

Don't be fooled. Do the actual math and ask your upline tough questions and demand answers. DO not fall for the hype and glitz that is shown at recruitment meetings. Ask your uplin or potential sponsor to show you a profit loss statement or some kind of proof of their business activities. If they refuse or say it's none of your business, then it may not be a good idea to be in business with a showman.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Remember P.T. Barnum's famous saying:

"There's a sucker born every minute."

Amway lives and thrives on the reality of those words.