Part 2: Beware of the Juice Craze
When I say juice, I’m referring to the network marketing ‘thing’. Some of you may have heard of these supposed get-rich-quickly ploys. They have been called pyramids and Amway and the next big thing. There are even new network marketing style websites – including everything from discounted travel to prepaid legal services. You sign up and then make all of your friends sign up. You are promised a huge residual income that will make you fat and wealthy for the rest of your life.
The juice thing is getting out of hand. In the last few years, I have heard of at least ten different juice companies that suggest you sign up for a monthly membership or autoship program. Each bottle of juice varies between $30 – 45 dollars and you have to buy at least four. Every month! That can add up. The trick is to then convince other people to do the same, because it elevates your position on the scale of wealth. Your commission checks are supposed to get fatter each month as a result of your loyalty. Hmmm… who’s really making the money here? The guys at the top, of course. They all promise to have a “different” payment schedule than the next one. They all claim to have the healthiest juice in the world. It’s promised to be packed full of antioxidants that will make you live forever. Without it you will surely die!
Network Marketing does NOT count as Freelancing!
As humorous as it sounds, there are still a whole lot of people buying into this hype. There’s Tahitian Noni, Mona Vie, Zrii, Gogi Juice, Xango, HerbaLife, Melaleuca, and a whole bunch more. Now there are online similarities, like Direct Matches and others that promise a residual income for every person you sign up. I’m here to tell you right now – you might as well go to the racetrack or the casino and bet away all of that money you’re about to spend to become a ‘distributor’. You will have better chances of hitting it big in the jackpot than you will in striking it rich one day with a Network Marketing company. Most of them fold after a decade or so, anyway. Almost everyone involved eventually drops out. This is why the residual income does not work. When people quit you must start all over again to get more new people. It is a vicious circle and a waste of time.
No matter what, these companies will make money on you. They will talk you into training supplies, more products, more juice (or whatever product), website registrations and more. Not to mention all of the time you will have to spend trying to con your friends and family and co-workers or anyone who will listen to you. Do you really think you’re going to become a millionaire by selling juice? Your friends and family are not any richer than you are so don’t talk them into spending their own hard-earned paychecks. You will be embarrassed about it when they discover the scandal. So will they, for signing up in the first place. Just cover your ears when the Network Marketers come by with their big promises. You can be a legitimately and highly paid Freelancer without ever venturing into a Network Marketing business.
