So let’s talk about the elephant in the room!!! YAY!!!!!!
Did you guys know that Young Living is a…..*whispers very quietly*…MLM? aka Multi-Level Marketing company? aka a Network Marketing company? EEK. I know. I felt the SAME WAY.
Really, when I heard that the company I had researched for WEEEEKS before I got my oils was a weird pyramid-ey network marketing company I was all - EW. REALLY?
But then, I just held tight, and ordered some oils anyways. I was NEVER going to do the business.
*eye roll* blingy jewelry. HOLLLLLA!!!!
Clearly, my tune changed, as I started using them, and loving them, and people started asking me about them, and I answered question after question, until someone asked me to..again.. EEEEEK… BUY THEM FROM ME. And I was all “OH NO, I don’t SELL these!!!!” *insert my shocked face with a snooty eye roll attached*
But then, how hard could it be to send a link right? Maybe I would get my new obsession paid for. Andddd, that’s how the story goes. I am legit writing this post from an airplane, in first class, on my way home from a 5 day, fully paid for vacation that Young Living sent me on with my friends fo FREEEEE. Where they spoiled the crap out of us. Just because we worked hard at educating peeps and loving on them. YEAH. I changed my tune HARDCORE.
But, what IS that icky feeling I first had? For some reason MLMs have gotten a bad name. Maybe a bad experience with a distributor. Someone who was constantly inviting you to parties or asking you to buy things or “join their team.”
Maybe you haven't actually had ANY experience but you know your mom doesn't like them so you don't either. What ever the case, I thought we should talk about some myths and facts.
Myth 1: MLMs are pyramid schemes and illegal.
Truth: Nope. The shape of an organization does not determine legality. ;)If it did, all businesses and organizations, including the government would be illegal because all have a pyramid structure.
Myth 2: Only the guy at the top makes money, and that's because they got in early.
Truth: Okay, so that was two myths in one. But neither are true. (And if we want to be REAL honest here, this argument more accurately describes a corporate world job ;) I mean, how often does a minimum wage worker become the CEO?)
What I make isn't determined by what the person I signed up with makes, and that goes for the rest of my team. There are people who "out rank" people above them all the time. This business isn't dependent on the guy at the top. It's dependent on YOU and the amount of work you put it. That's it. And the whole they got in early part? I started this business with YL 20 years in. So yep, definitely didn't get in early.
Myth 3: Network marketing doesn’t work, it's all a scam.
Truth: According to the Direct Selling Association, in 2015 the direct sales industry, grossed $36.12 billion in retail sales in the United States. Further, over 20 million people in the U.S. are involved in direct sales. These numbers indicate that network marketing CAN work. Success or failure has less to do with network marketing itself, and instead (as I said before) is determined by the amount effort you put into your business. Instead of paying millions of dollars in ads, Young Living pays out millions of dollars to their distributors. Before you knock something and write it off as a scam, why not just think about the actual business model? It makes TONS of sense, and it's incredible because it's giving SO many families FREEDOM. I don't know what's better than that.
And frankly, our peeps USE the products. They are educated, and learning, wanting to do better for their families. Our Modern Essentials team did over $500,000 in sales last MONTH. A single month. I don't think my friends are buying half a million dollars worth of products and letting them sit on their shelves. They are using them, and ditching the toxic crap they were buying at Target or CVS or wherever. It's called transfer buying, my friends. ❤️
To my dear non-MLM friends, I love you. I'm SO sorry if you've had a bad experience with MLMs, but PLEASE don't forget to be kind. Don't forget that these are mamas, teachers, nurses and plain ol' FRIENDS who are building businesses. They're working hard. They're KILLIN' it. And even if you can't support their business financially, your words will support them more than you could ever imagine. ❤️ Some of the sweetest compliments I’ve been given regarding my business are friends who have ZERO interest in essential oils. I appreciate and cherish those friends very much!
To my dear MLM friends, I just want to tell you all that you're amazing. I'm sorry if you've experienced nay-sayers, but you do you girl. You keep on building that empire of yours 💪. I LOVE your leggings and lipstick that stays shellac-ed on my lips for 24 hours and your non toxic sunscreen and beauty balm and beer bread and sickkkkk blingy jewelry. HOLLLLLA!!!!