We are fully registered - no yawning allowed - it's MLM Botwatch 32!

[GavinFromTradingStandards]

Pm me for more info Huns

No reason why people will laugh at you if/when you leave. It’s really tough to give up on anything - be it a job, business, person etc etc. Anything.

You just have to do what’s best for you all.

Reformedbot FL really have got under your skin if you think that Forever Living is the only means you have of fulfilling your dreams. That's one of many fibs these ghastly mlm schemes like to peddle. Never give up on your dreams and aspirations. But please don't think FL and any other disingenuous mlm scheme is the way to help you earn money to pay for the lifestyle you want.

Why don't you set up a real business, or try freelancing? There's a very good article on the Botwatch blog full of ideas to get you started.

As for the last three years - just put it down to experience. You don't have to justify yourself to anyone. That said, there's no harm in telling those close to you that you made a mistake. If they care for you, they'll understand.

You're in the right place here: kudos to you for sharing your story.

Yes indeed. Much kudos.

We know how these schemes work and how hard it is to give up on them after a while. You’re definitely in the right place here.

Here's the link to the article I mentioned: botwatch.blog/2016/05/20/in-need-of-alternative-extra-income/

ReformedBot - that must have been a difficult decision to make but well done for seeing the reality of the situation and accepting that you weren't going to get your dream home etc. Well done on admitting that you made nothing after expenses - so many involved with MLMs are deluded and believe that they are making money or that they will...soon...

Think of it as an experience and look at the positives that you will take away from it.

Stick around on this thread and Dora and others will be able to offer you great advice.

Now you've made the decision I expect you'll wake up in the morning feeling as if a massive weight has been lifted off your shoulders

Reformedbot, you have been given some really good advice so far. You will have a lot of thinking and unravelling of your previous beliefs and understanding what has happened to you. Please read this blog post that I wrote that should be able to help you. botwatch.blog/2017/04/29/how-to-leave-an-mlm/

As you start taking control of yourself and your situation again, it will feel scary. Please come here again for support as you need it, or speak to me at Bot Watch FB via private message. I have helped a few people navigate this path.

For myself, the bigger problem would not be just my own hopes and dreams but those of the people I’d recruited and persuaded. How to tell them I was leaving because the whole thing was a bust?

I’d welcome views - eg from Dora - on how to cope with that......

Good thought Cozie.

There are things you can do to help the people below you when you decide to leave. One thing is to not hand your notice in. When you leave officially, another upline will take over your team and might motivate them to continue. If you leave more carefully and let it fizzle out, the downlines often let it fizzle as well. It could be an opportunity to help them escape too.

Like other folks here have mentioned, it does make one wonder if a lot of these repeat MLM-ers (LTW>Valentus>Vida Divina>Xerveo>Organo Gold types) have short-term memory problems, simply because they seem to forget so quickly that they have been financially denuded, exploited and all the other horrible things that happen when a MLM company sinks, and then go on to jump on the very next scammy MLM that passes their way. It even crossed my mind this evening whether it has something to do with addiction behaviours? I say this as someone who has had a history with substance addiction (now, very thankfully, conquered.)

I watched with a mixture of sadness, cringe and shock as THANG-Bot, on a FB vid, almost passed out with over-enthusiasm and excitement as she opened her Organo Gold starter kit. This kit comprised of a cardboard box, which doubled up as an “organiser”, a handful of gloss-printed leaflets and a gate-fold containing nine sample sachets of mushroom-based coffee. It makes the mind boggle that this kit costs £42. I know that there are huge amounts of comedy to be mined from almost all the MLM has to offer (I’m still amazed some clever people haven’t written a sit-com about it), but watching this really made me feel mainly sad and exasperated and I don’t even know THANG-Bot, apart from what is posted on her public FB profile. I think, watching the vid she did, the key phrase that stood out for me was when she said “No one can tell me any different.” It was clear that her mind was made up over yet another poor quality coffee product from yet another poor quality pyramid scheme. You almost want to shout “PLEASE STOP!” It’s a bit like watching someone bashing themselves over the head with a lump hammer whilst they say “this is going to be so good for me!!!!” Yikes.

I've just watched that too

She was equally excited about the last two coffee companies

She's already posting weight loss claims

It's all very predictable and very sad

The company must be making a huge profit on those sample boxes. Just flogging those to hopeful bots is a business in itself

Thank you to those who have replied with words of support. People WILL laugh, my upline and I have had 'frenemies' who would be nice to our faces but mock FL(ergo us and our posts) right under our noses on FB. I understand from the perspective of anti-mlm people why they may do this but honestly these women are not intelligent mlm boycotters they are just nasty 'mean girl' types who have rich husbands to live off. I still believe the right people can make it in MLM and make profit from the start but these types of people are truly natural leaders with influence who everyone follows.

I have been such an advocate of MLM in the past that its hard to step back from because as a business model I do believe it can work but it does need more protection to prevent people being out of pocket. I am currently reading back threads of Bot Watch with interest and they back up what I have thought for a while about a UK decline.

As for my team, I have recruited over 30 people and had a larger team but pretty much every single one of them has dropped off long before now and there will still be some friendships that I will always maintain because I genuinely liked most of the people in my downline. Part of this decline is what brought me to leave but I knew I could re-build again, though I think that would be much harder in 2017/18 than it was a few years back.

Whilst bots will argue about saturation not being an issue, in the back of my mind I always knew that there would be a point when the UK tired of MLM and our recruiting would be way too obvious that a lot of people will knee-jerk and say no more than before it was as commonplace.

I'd love to hear any information that has been shared regarding Castlebot, the married Leech bots (I am making up my own nick names but I am sure those who know will know), phd bot if it's who I think it is in FL and also HalifaxHogwarts bot or HalifaxYoga Bot.

I also seem to have had a spike in views on my business page, can someone reassure me/my email address you cannot identify me from my profile?

You cannot be identified, don't worry

It's great that you are reading up on MLMs

You are correct in your belief that SOME people can make money from MLMs. The sad truth is, though, that this money comes from people under them who lose money. It's the only way that the model works.

This ebay seller recently graced the cover of the now defunct FL magazine. She is high up and long term FL.

feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=alloe_vera_flp_distributor&ftab=AllFeedback&myworld=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2050430.m2531.l4585

I have evidence of who she is due one of my customers buying from her and receiving her invoice in the box. FL no longer send FBO invoices in with C9s like they used to....!

Yes Sponge. I see that now. I thought I was struggling. I thought I was a rubbish leader and that was why my team wasn't making money.

I have seen so much and kept my mouth closed so many times (as above) to curry favour with my mentors. Truth is they only want your friendship if you make them money.

I don't feel bad for the people I introduced, they all had freewill as I did and when I introduced them I genuinely believed in the opportunity and was happy to help anyone who wanted to engage with me after buying in. I never pushed my team to buy products although I now see that is a tactic I was missing out on to boost team CC!! I see now that when mentors raved about a product it was to encourage US to buy something as much as to retail it.

I wonder if Castlebot is aware of what she does. She seems so lovely and genuine, but she IS a very clever woman, she can't be blind to it all?!

Can someone tell me who salonbot, browbot, yawnbot and lipbot are please???

I think browbot and yawn bot are the same person. CS.

So you ‘failed’ because you liked and valued people too much?

I'm afraid that to succeed you have to be ruthless, you have to see everyone you meet as a potential recruit, you have to do 'trainings' for those under you to keep them buying etc

I recently saw one FL bot raving about a present her upline had sent her and how 'blessed' she was to have such a caring mentor
The present was a FL product
Not generous at all, just her upline boosting her CCs

And I am sure that Castlebot is perfectly aware of what she is doing. She is the 'attraction marketing' expert, she knew very well that she was making ppl think she'd bought that castle house when in fact it was rented

Anyone who has done well in FL is clever, but clever at manipulation and deception

The 'love bombing' that happens to a new recruit, with mentions on the upline's page saying they are 'smashing' their business etc etc is just a ploy to keep them motivated

The truly sad thing is that most of the people on this thread could be roaring successes in MLM. We know the stratagems inside out.

(We just aren’t self-centred enough.)

Yes Cozie I just know you'd be amazing! You would completely smash it and be a fantastic business owner! I'd love to work alongside you and help you achieve your dreams!

Heh heh

Reformedbot Have you read Merchants of Deception? There's a PDF online so you can read it for free. It's written by someone who escaped from Amway. He discovered that the shillbots were making their money from tools - training materials, seminars, training days and success days etc - just like the shills in Forever Living.

They know exactly what they're doing.

A Forever Bot is having a recruitment crisis. Her "offer" isn't open to current Forever Business owners (FBOs).

Isn't promising high earnings against the rules? What would Rex and the family (and Head Office) think?

She must have a lot of stock in her garage to get rid of!

Yes BSIntolerant thanks for the reminder, it's not just by recruiting ppl that the top bots make money.

Why do FBOs have to PAY to go to a 'Success Day'? It makes no sense. When you factor in travelling expenses and possibly accommodation, it must eat up any profits made by a lowly bot

Who gets all the money paid into these Success Days? Someone is taking if in

*raking