To not support friends new business venture

[melclaire1111]

Not sure if I'm being a bit unfair or if i should stick with my current stance!

I Have a friend, let's call her B. We have been friends for many years after meeting through mutual school friends and have been through many milestones together (broken relationships, engagements, weddings, buying houses etc)

That's about where the similarity ends tho. B went to uni and came out with a very well paid job which she progressed further into (financial controller type role) I didn't go to uni but instead work in a more administrative role at team leader level, any more responsibility does not appeal to me and am perfectly happy.

We both had DC's within 6 month of each other. B didn't return to work. She was made redundant while on maternity leave and was fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with DC. I went bavk full time after 8 months as financially we needed the money and I wanted DC to go to a nursery setting which they do full time and are absolutely thriving there. B and i have argued about this in the past as she has called me an absent parent for doing this and did once say what was the point in having children if all I did was send them to childcare but we have agreed to have difference of opinions on this!

Anyway b has recently started selling products to a well know MLM company, and is flooding her Facebook with posts about how great the products are and trying to get everyone to buy them. The products don't really appeal to me but I have put a few 'likes on her posts to support her.

Today however I received a message asking if i wanted to buy anything as she was putting an order in today. I politely said no as we don't have much money spare (attempting to move house so all spare money is going towards that as the potential new house needs some work) she then replied saying I was the only one of her friends who hadn't brought anything, she was hurt that I'm not supporting her and if it was me she would be buying everything she could. I told her that I think shes doing really well but the products aren't for my liking (she sells make up, I barely wear a coat of mascara when I go out, for work I wear no make up!) And that I didn't have the money to spend on stuff I don't need!

She then carried in saying that I could order the cheapest item they do (£35) and that would make her happy! I politely declined again and received a massive rant how I was an awful friend and she has now blocked me on everything!

I don't feel I'm being unreasonable but Wasn't expecting her reaction I guess.

I have far too many friends that have been sucked into Arbonne. It infuriates me that they swan around claiming to be 'running their own bizniz' and 'creating a residual income' making up shit like 'someone stopped me in the street the other day to say how lovely my skin was'
WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT!?

What they are actually doing is working on a (poor) commission only basis with absolutely no job security! The holy grail of the 'White Mercedes' boils my piss as with almost ANY field sales job out there you get a bloody nice car leased for you while you are doing the job. If you quit Arbonne you don't get to keep the damn car!!

My friend has been peddling this crap for almost 7 years and STILL has 2 other part time jobs to keep her afloat yet constantly posts about how grateful she is to be working in such an empowering business. Judging by the amount of Arbonne products she herself uses it's only the money SHE is spending that is keeping her at the level she is at. The fact she tried to rope me into it when my child was diagnosed with a serious illness makes me feel sick, she was preying on my vulnerability and that is what they all do. They are cults and I hate seeing how my friends have been changed. Making them believe they can achieve their dreams with some overpriced face cream (£75 for a night cream btw!) when only the top 2% actually make a livable wage.

Wow, sorry! That was a bit of a rant!

A new poster started a thread last night about being in her own business.

She said
I used my redundancy package to pay for setting up a business where I am an affiliate marketer, an Ecommerce Store Owner trading internationally

And also

I am looking to inspire others to see there is another viable option to work for yourself and have time freedom, location freedom and financial freedom...and not be tied to working for someone else, on someone else's terms

After all the sensible posters called mlm and told her to do one she got deleted.

I am glad so many mners are on the ball.

Well done OP.
Very glad you blocked her on everything.
Hopefully she'll get the message now.

Splendid, well done!

She may leave her cult and become human again, but she wasn't that nice to start with so you have lost absolutely nothing worth having.

I've just lost last night and this morning reading that blog.
My ex friend kept on at me about how for only £95 I could detox and feel great with whatever mlm crap she was selling.
I don't speak to her much anymore (not mlm related) but all that's ever on her fb page is how she's #lovingbeingthebossbabes #workingfromhomebabes

What is with all the babes?

She sounds crazy lol you're well rid

Just putting the link to another thread on here,was put at the start of this thread, but great thread , on #35 now, been going for the over 2 years now. (Even mentioned on bot cult meetings, ...i mean “training” days) thanks bossbabes, now go smash it hun www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/3144373-MLM-Bot-Watch-35-how-to-lose-friends-and-alienate-people-with-Younique-Forever-Living-Juice-Plus-Arbonne-Crypto-currency-and-tea-and-coffee-MLM-cults?watched=1&msgid=75472261#75472261

So she went to uni and now sells shitty over priced stuff on Facebook why isn't she doing a job that she went to uni for just because she was made redundant that is a waste you don't need to buy from her for her to make money unless you really liked something she is that desperate to sell these that she calls you and insults you and blocks you what an absolute knob

YANBU if so many people are buying off her and you're 'the only one not then why is she trying to force you into buying something you don't use,need or can afford. Sounds ridiculous on her part. If that's how she values the friendship then let her on.

When your friend leaves her children in a nursery, works full time and then has a house to run, then she might understand the pressures of work and family life!! Oh, but you OP do all that and are still nice and polite with it!!

What is with all the babes?

It's just one of the many examples of arrant sexism within that whole fucking structure. Preying on women, especially preying on mothers (what, why wouldn't you take up an opportunity where you can provide for your children while still spending all day with them? Don't you want to be a good mother, you terrible woman?), preying on women's friendships (because this shit is intended to be peddled to friends and family)....and all while reminding women that even if they are actually legitimate businesswomen, it's still all about being a 'babe'. Both looks-obsessed and infantilising in one.

I mean, think of a few real, true businesswomen, past and present. Anita Roddick, Karren Brady, Sheryl Sandberg, Anna Wintour, Annie Leibovitz...can you imagine how they'd react to being called a 'boss babe'?

It's actually a way of making sure that nobody ever really takes the venture seriously. It's like going into the boardroom dressed as Pippi Longstocking.

Just seen this. knew it would be MLM before I even opened the thread!
So sorry, I lost a previously lovely friend to MLM. It is a horrible, exploitative industry

Good on you, she still doesn't get it. She was so nasty. She is not running a business, she is not the Founder of Younique, she does not own it, she is just a sales rep. Wtaf, boss babe, hun, awsome, babe, way to take yourself seriously as a proper businesswoman. I would have provided her with a link to the Poonique blog before blocking her again.

So you have a proper job, you put your child in nursery so that you can go out and earn money to support you and your child, run a house, look after your child, and your friend says crap like that to you!