You may have heard of some MLM (or network marketing) companies before such as Amway, Nu Skin, or Young Living.
But Multi-Level-Marketing companies often get a bad name for themselves.
Today, Chris Harrison, explains his personal experience of working inside one (Arbonne).
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of MLMs: From a Current Member
CHRIS HARRISON
From Arbonne
Make Time Online Podcast on iTunes - Live life on your own terms
We chat about:
- The elephant in the room... are all MLMs a pyramid scheme? And the truth about recruiting people!
- Why so many people "fail" inside MLM companies and how to change that
- Some of the inside truths about network marketing and the benefits of joining one
- How Chris, who has never liked public speaking, ended up speaking in front of thousands of people... and enjoyed it!
Get in contact with Chris on Facebook here.
Related content:
Full Chris Harrison Podcast Transcript
Chris Harrison Podcast Summary
Chris makes no excuses or false promises about it being easy to be successful inside an MLM.
He even admits that to make good income and a residual income you will have to recruit people into the company.
But if you enjoy the products and would buy them anyway, then it's not really like selling... it's just recommending things that you love.
He says that if you have the right mindset and expectations from the start, MLM companies can be a great way to design your life to look how you want it to.
At the end of the day you have two choices:
- Repeat the same thing and expect the same results
- Evolve, learn something new and work towards your ideal lifestyle
The choice is always yours...
Ready to make passive income online?
In 2018 I had no idea how to make money online. I was a full time PE teacher with no marketing skills or online experience.
I fell for scams along the way but I've managed to create a growing passive income online.
If I can do it, anyone can.
Well, you’ve just lost me as a listener. Per the FTC, 99.7% of people involved in MLMs will lose money or break even. Per Arbonne’s own income disclosure from 2017, you have to be in the top 10% of the company to make anything approaching a full-time income.
The anti-MLM movement is growing for a reason. There’s a ton of evidence out there that this is NOT a good way to make money. Maybe you should research it some more.
Hey Kate,
Sorry to hear that. I actually am completely aware of the stats and I do research into a lot of MLM companies out there for those reasons you state. There are different sources that suggest different numbers but yes it’s safe to say that between 73% and 99% of all MLM representatives lose money.
Chris doesn’t even claim that isn’t the case as he said “the average MLM distributor will not make money” (which is true about the average person trying any new business)
In fact, you can read my full Arbonne review here.
I’m not saying MLMs are the best business model out there at all.
The point of this podcast was really to give MLM’s a full and fair view as I think the main reason for these stats is that many people who join them are not aware of what they will really need to do (sell and recruit).
Not everybody does lose money from the MLM business model and there are real people out there (like Chris) who are living proof of this.
There are some more guests coming on the podcast who have tried MLM and affiliate marketing/ blogging who offer their opinions on them so different business models can be fairly and accurately portrayed.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing those stats though, I appreciate that!
Mike
Thank you so much for sharing a good podcast. I love to hear the story from the insiders. I personally just do not like the MLM business structure myself. I feel that the company just uses the distributors as their customers and just want to get rid of their products and leave them with no strategy to be successful. I am not saying that all MLM companies are like this but I see that most of them are. Only the top tier and the owner make money from MLM.
Cannot wait to hear what Chris Harrison has to say. Cheers!
Very interesting point of view Nuttanee!
I think many people share that opinion, but not every MLM is equal in my experience. Some are better than others with the personal development or support. And not all of them sell really expensive products or have a monthly sales quota. It has become the norm for many of them though so I certainly understand that opinion.
This was a fascinating look into what the MLM world looks like from an insider that is a powerful spokesman for the industry in general while being a likable person who comes across as very sincere to me. I was not able to listen to the entire podcast, but have bookmarked it to come back and listen to what I missed.
I felt compelled to drop you a note and add some positive notes regarding both this interview and the podcast page you have too. This page and setup really resonate with me and I am sure many other readers that stop by. Most will not bother to let you know, but I will!
Chris has had success with MLM where most have not. It is interesting to hear how he has created that success, and although MLM is just not my forte nor interest for business activities, I can see where with his mindset and effort, for him it works well. I have never done particularly well with MLM companies, so stay away from them as a rule.
Hey Dave I appreciate the kind words, I’m really glad the podcast has helped!
Chris is a really genuine guy and I thought he put the points across about MLMs really well. I’ve done a lot of research into many MLMs since finding out about them a while back. Even though I can’t say I’m a massive advocate for the majority of them, it’s important to get both points of view as you say!
Interesting, adding a MLM to your daily work schedule. I agree that all MLMs are not bad; you just need to find the right one. I was a member for 10 years with Nikken, and I still love the company and their products.
I learned a great deal from my MLM that has helped me in my present affiliate marketing business. First of all, they had excellent training. For quite a while when I was a member, Bob Proctor was one of their main motivational trainers, and I developed a deep respect for the man.
Also, as to community: My MLM community was on a par with the one to which I now belong, and were so supportive and helpful. That in itself can buoy you up and help you reach for higher ground. I grew and learned and found that what I’d gained helped me both in life and in my current business.
I’m glad you are having a positive experience with Arbonne. I hope you continue to grow and learn.
Hey Fran thanks for your comment. That must have been great to see Bob Proctor and I’m glad you had some good training from Nikken.
MLMs certainly aren’t for everyone, but I figured it only fair to hear an opinion from some people who work inside them
Thanks for the podcast.
I guess it is true that people tend to file any new ideas into the negative folder. Another thing that I can relate with is that starting most businesses is a no-reward venture for the initial time of the running of that business.
I’ve never heard of the concept of Network Marketing, or at least don’t recognize the term, and this podcast made me want to research it.
I guess I also found a bit more motivation to continue my current business. Thanks for that.
Hey Mikhail, network marketing is really the same thing as MLM. I think it’s a term similar to “direct selling” (when most of these companies have compensation plans like an MLM) that some companies use because they are aware of the negative connotation of “MLM”.
Yeah any business start-up takes hard work to get it off the ground for sure!
hello, it is a great and nice feeling to know that someone will create a great website like this and also create a write up on an article like this. i have always had the impression that making money online was a dream. i tried working towards it and i would like to engage and work well. thank you for this post
Thanks Benny, I’m glad you liked it!