Well fuck me sideways in all 11 dimensions...

[NormannTheDoorman]

I just got dragged into MLM by my father. Didn't have much of a choice.

He basically said if you're concerned for your future and if you want to run a company one day you need to get into this sort of thing.

I basically gave in. The whole shout fest that follows suit isn't worth my time.

I've asked for more challenging work for school but he always gives me this snarky remark. "Do you think you're an Einstein?" I hardly think of myself too highly, let alone show any form of zeal to certain aspects about me. I just can't do that.


So...any tips on how I should go about this? Have any of you been in MLM before?

 

[Pyropyro]

I just got dragged into MLM by my father. Didn't have much of a choice.

He basically said if you're concerned for your future and if you want to run a company one day you need to get into this sort of thing.

I basically gave in. The whole shout fest that follows suit isn't worth my time.

I've asked for more challenging work for school but he always gives me this snarky remark. "Do you think you're an Einstein?" I hardly think of myself too highly, let alone show any form of zeal to certain aspects about me. I just can't do that.


So...any tips on how I should go about this? Have any of you been in MLM before?

MLM's are stupid, period. If you really want to earn money outside your current income then make a legitimate business/ sideline instead.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

MLM's are stupid, period. If you really want to earn money outside your current income then make a legitimate business/ sideline instead.

I wouldn't exactly use the word extraverted to describe it but it's a little uneasy for me.

 

[redbaron]

Please tell your father that in the opinion of one successful former business manager and consultant, that MLM is bad and he should feel bad. The idea that MLM will prepare you to run a company is laughable.

 

[Pyropyro]

I wouldn't exactly use the word extraverted to describe it but it's a little uneasy for me.

Well you need to convince/force people to buy useless stuff with the lure of big money so you do need to exercise extraversion.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

MLM's are stupid, period. If you really want to earn money outside your current income then make a legitimate business/ sideline instead.

I've thought about making money off of certain holidays and cultural norms.

Engagement rings, and valentines day items. The latter being a little silly to me, but to some they take it seriously, so why not make money off of them?

 

[Pyropyro]

I've thought about making money off of certain holidays and cultural norms.

Engagement rings, and valentines day items. The latter being a little silly to me, but to some they take it seriously, so why not make money off of them?

Well that is what Hallmark Cards does. That sounds promising but you need to research about a niche market within that area of business or else the corporate giants will have you for dinner.

 

[Base groove]

MLM is an absolute nightmare. I have done my experimentation and can say with certainty, that you should WALK AWAY and don't answer your phone when the blood suckers try to call you 50x. The MLM I was involved with was more like a cult than anything else I have ever seen in my life. I believe they used brainwashing tactics, and the manipulative techniques they have to keep people coming back for more and more abuse with no reward .. .it's fucking terrible power for any group to wield. Stay away, stay far away.

Kick your dad in the nuts.

 

[Pyropyro]

Kick your dad in the nuts.

A bit rough for my taste but that's necessarily what your dad's recruiter will be going to do anyways (or even worse).

 

[Base groove]

A bit rough for my taste but that's necessarily what your dad's recruiter will be going to do anyways (or even worse).

The word you're after is essentially.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

So... what does your dad do/has he done?

MLM's profits are based on recruiting people to sell product, not selling product. And of course when you inevitably leave the pyramid scheme it'll be your fault for not being a better businessman; the classic shtick everyone gets.

Write a statement predicting ^this to happen within 2 years, date it, make copies, tape it your bedroom wall, and point to it in the future as an example of your free fucking thought.

And get more challenging stuff for school on your own if he won't help you. Raid the local library.

 

[Amagi82]

^ What everyone else said about MLM companies. I've done one in the past, and the only value they have is the culture of reading and learning, and most of them don't even have that. In the end, you're just a glorified marketing tool, and marketing is a profound waste of human intelligence and creativity.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

So... what does your dad do/has he done?

MLM's profits are based on recruiting people to sell product, not selling product. And of course when you inevitably leave the pyramid scheme it'll be your fault for not being a better businessman; the classic shtick everyone gets.

Write a statement predicting ^this to happen within 2 years, date it, make copies, tape it your bedroom wall, and point to it in the future as an example of your free fucking thought.

And get more challenging stuff for school on your own if he won't help you. Raid the local library.

He's a united airlines pilot, 27 years. Makes a good chunk of money for someone without a college degree. 20k a month if he sticks to the schedule he made.

He wants me to get into it for the experience but I'm not sure how the experience will play out.

 

[redbaron]

The irony of someone who hasn't changed jobs for 27 years pushing another person into something, "for the experience".

Unrelated note: my cousin is an airline pilot too. I could have her kill your dad for the right price. Payment via cash or chocolate eclairs.

 

[pjoa09]

Please tell your father that in the opinion of one successful former business manager and consultant, that MLM is bad and he should feel bad. The idea that MLM will prepare you to run a company is laughable.

+1

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

The irony of someone who hasn't changed jobs for 27 years pushing another person into something, "for the experience".

He isn't bad overall. He is a single parent and doing what he thinks is right. The thing is there isn't a mother around to help make decisions.

He didn't have any reason to change jobs.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

It's probably best to find something else that's legit as a replacement and explain why MLM sucks and is pointless unless you're selling drugs instead of over-valued trinkets. It'd be easier to get out of with a back-up plan. Hell, at 16 the fictional suggestion of pedobaiting which I do not condone would easily provide more income and demonstrates a more effective means of extortion than MLM.

 

[Brontosaurie]

He isn't bad overall. He is a single parent and doing what he thinks is right. The thing is there isn't a mother around to help make decisions.

He didn't have any reason to change jobs.

pretty much everyone manages to fool themselves into thinking their despicable behavior is "right".

^ that sentence is probably a mess of grammatical number. if Base groove wants to tidy it up, i'll be delighted. srs.

 

[BigApplePi]

Try it and then quit if you don't like it. Can't hurt. Momentary stress. More advice below.















































































BTW, what the hell is MLM?

 

[Cherry Cola]

If its a pyramid scheme don't do it. Get some stories from people who your father would find respectable and experienced about why MLM sucks, shouldn't be to hard to find some online. Also, find some alternative things you could do to get the experience your dad wants you to have. That way you can agree with him on the fact that you need experience; hence, you oppose only his particular suggestion but not his idea. By suggesting alternatives yourself you show that you care and have drive, that you're not just trying to get out because of laziness.

It's better than wasting time on a pyramid scheme. You'll learn how to run a cult not a business.

Okay I just googled it, it's a bad idea don't do it : D

 

[Hadoblado]

Don't ask for more of a challenge. Take it. You have the internet. There is no obstacle to your accelerated education.

https://www.khanacademy.org/

So much is available for free with unrestricted access. Don't buy into the rate at which other people are educated by the school system. The tools are there for you to learn at your own pace.

 

[Base groove]

BTW, what the hell is MLM?

BigApplePi, master of the internets. Check out www.lmgtfy.com if you want to learn more.

pretty much everyone manages to fool themselves into thinking their despicable behavior is "right".

^ that sentence is probably a mess of grammatical number. if Base groove wants to tidy it up, i'll be delighted. srs.

I'm here now. Although Hawkeye would probably do a better job of it. Actually, I fully endorse the legitimacy of that sentence, except for the lack of capitalization.

He isn't bad overall. He is a single parent and doing what he thinks is right. The thing is there isn't a mother around to help make decisions.

He didn't have any reason to change jobs.

Make your own decisions. If you have informed yourself as to what MLM is and you want to go for it, that is called autonomy. You should have resolved that crisis 10 years ago. I would not encourage anybody to step into the pattern of following in people's footsteps or accepting that others know what's best for them.

If its a pyramid scheme don't do it. Get some stories from people who your father would find respectable and experienced about why MLM sucks, shouldn't be to hard to find some online. Also, find some alternative things you could do to get the experience your dad wants you to have. That way you can agree with him on the fact that you need experience; hence, you oppose only his particular suggestion but not his idea. By suggesting alternatives yourself you show that you care and have drive, that you're not just trying to get out because of laziness.

It's better than wasting time on a pyramid scheme. You'll learn how to run a cult not a business.

Okay I just googled it, it's a bad idea don't do it : D

100%.

 

[Hawkeye]

pretty much everyone manages to fool themselves into thinking their despicable behavior is "right".

^ that sentence is probably a mess of grammatical number. if Base groove wants to tidy it up, i'll be delighted. srs.

I'm here now. Although Hawkeye would probably do a better job of it. Actually, I fully endorse the legitimacy of that sentence, except for the lack of capitalization.

In regards to the OP, stop being a doormat.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

I'm a little turned off by the attitude some of these people radiate at these MLM meetings. It's almost as if they are saying that careers are bad and useless and everyone should get into a MLM so we're all equal hail stalin or some shit like that. It is disturbing

 

[EditorOne]

1. What's the product?
2. How long has this particular MLM been around?

The old type MLM requires a hefty buy-in, and people make money bringing in recruits. If the recruits subsequently didn't make money, the recruiter at least got a chunk of the buy-in.

They tend to be few and far between these days.

A lot depends on the product and the saturation of the product in your area. If everyone in your town has a garage full of pink stuff they can't sell because everyone else has a garage full of pink stuff, it won't work.

If you don't like the product you'll have a hard time selling it.

If it's a bad product and you sell it to people you know, and they buy it because they know you, you'll create a bad taste in their mouth when the product fails them.

I'm involved in a licensed profession that has MLM and direct sales/network marketing on the front end. I had to pass a state test to become a public adjuster; the company's business model is to extend the benefit of public adjusting to average homeowners and business people who don't even know they can get help (that is, substantially more money) with property insurance settlements by using a public adjuster. The MLM part spreads the word, after which the skill set of public adjusting takes over. Since there are 12 million property insurance claims in the United States each year, and only 5 percent involve a public adjuster, there's lots of garages with no "pink stuff." There's no buy-in to join, there was lots to learn, including just plain old "how to talk to people" stuff, which has been valuable to me. And it works out to about $350 for an hour's work and I've got no pressure to do more than whatever I feel like doing.

We'd need more details about what your MLM is all about. While it's true the ripoff operations have created a bad taste generally, condemning them all is like saying all baseball teams suck simply because your team is the Chicago Bears.

 

[Base groove]

I'm a little turned off by the attitude some of these people radiate at these MLM meetings. It's almost as if they are saying that careers are bad and useless and everyone should get into a MLM so we're all equal hail stalin or some shit like that. It is disturbing

Well whatever dude. You were warned. If you absolutely must figure things out for yourself (INTP) there's not much need to post about it here is there??

Why would anybody care about your MLM? Why did you make this thread, get people's opinions, decide to press on anyway, and then report back about how you made a sketchy decision??

Edit:

Don't see how it's any different from this thread.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

Why would anybody care about your MLM? Why did you make this thread, get people's opinions, decide to press on anyway, and then report back about how you made a sketchy decision??

Probably to bring attention to my MLM like any other devious MLM person. Hue hue it's all part of the plan.

 

[Base groove]

Probably to bring attention to my MLM like any other devious MLM person. Hue hue it's all part of the plan.

Lol! That had occurred to me later. I was going to edit that post out because I figured it was mean.

I guess ... I've been in a MLM and it totally made me feel ruined, cheap, stupid, and worthless.. so I'm a little prejudiced.

 

[EditorOne]

Of all the personalities types, INTP is least likely to succeed at MLM, network marketing and direct sales, don't you think? The only one I know who has succeeded is Eric Worre, a situational extravert. He did at least analyze MLM down to the microscopic level and develop a plan even an INTP can use.

 

[NormannTheDoorman]

Lol! That had occurred to me later. I was going to edit that post out because I figured it was mean.

I guess ... I've been in a MLM and it totally made me feel ruined, cheap, stupid, and worthless.. so I'm a little prejudiced.

No hard feelings. Your post allowed me to reply with what I said. I find something to smile about in everything. Or try to.

 

[QuickTwist]

I would subtly try to fail and tell your dad you gave it your best shot. Just go into the thing automatically thinking its not going to work and just half ass the living shit out of it. Once they know you don't care they'll let you off the hook.