MLM Business (part 1)

"Are you open-minded?" 

This question has been one of the most used line in an MLM business or a multilevel marketing business herr in the Philippines. I am not sure if that is also the case in some countries but this question has became a joke to some Filipinos. 

Most people in the MLM world would ask this question to their random prospected clients. Inviting you for a coffee and asking you if you are open-minded are signs that you will be presented with a business proposal. Are you familiar with MLM or have you been invited by someone to attend an orientation about it? 

As defined in investopedia's website, 

Multilevel marketing (MLM) is a strategy some direct sales companies use to encourage existing distributors to recruit new distributors who are paid a percentage of their recruits' sales. The recruits are the distributor's "downline." Distributors also make money through direct sales of products to customers.

When I was a kid, I have heard about it over the news. It was known as pyramiding back in the days. There were some companies that have been said that are scamming people into this business. I was still young so I did not pay any attention to it. 

I remember during my first term in my first year in college, my blockmate was encouraging some of us to join him. With as little as Php200 (I think), your money will grow in time. A few of my blockmates were convinced but they only did that out of fun. They were rich kids so money was not really a problem. After a week, our blockmate brought his check or his earnings. I do not know how much his earnings was but he was also convincing me to join his team. He said that the company was legitimate and its office was somewhere along MRT Boni Avenue Station. No matter how many times that he convinced me, I said no. After few months, I asked him what happened to his pyramiding and he said that it turned out to be a scam. Good thing that they only invested a small amount of money and that he was able to receive a check from them. 

Then when I was already working, someone called me from my cellphone and said that I have an interview with them for a job position. At that time I did not have any pending job applications but he said that someone referred to me and aaid that I might be interested. I told him that I am still at work and he said that I can come in at any time. That was actually alarming already to think that I can come in at whatever time for aj ob interview. He said that I can earn around Php20,000 and above as a side income if I will be hired by the company. But guess what? I still went there. LOL. During that time I really wanted to have 2 jobs because my salary with the company I waa working with was not enough for me alone. 

Before going to the said place, I know I attended first an occasion with my former workmates. Eat and run. LOL. I just left early because of the "job interview". The office of the company was at a building somewhere in Ortigas. When I went to the said floor, there were a lot of people. I called the number who called me, met me by the entrance of the office and he talked to me and explained to me the business in a one-on-one presentation. 

Honestly, I wasn't actually interested with what he was saying because I already know where this presentation is going to lead. I chose this "job interview" over my former workmates where I should have been drinking with them already having fun than to be sitting there listening to him. I should have known that he was a scammer. 

When he ended the presentation, he asked me if I will be joining the company and I told him that I am not interested and I don't have the money to buy their products. Well even if I have the money, I still wouldn't join them. He just asked me to write down 10 names of my friends along with their cellphone numbers so that he can also invite them there. Now I know that he got my number from someone who was victimized by him. Before I handed him the list of my friends, I asked him where he got my number but he said he can't remember the name. I don't know if my friends also became a victim of that scammer. I like to call him scammer because he tricked me to having a second job. 

By the way, when he called me, he said the name of the company. I used to get invited to job interviews even if I did not apply to any of the companies because they saw my profile in a job site online. 

Months after, I know I am already resigned with the company. My college friend called me and invited me to the same business presentation. She did told me what I was getting into. She said that she had quit her job and focused with this business. She told me the name of the company and I remembered it was the same company that I went few months ago. 

Because I was unemployed, I needed a reason to go out since my mom doesn't allow me to go out if I will just be meeting my former workmates especially if there are boys. I agreed to meet my college friend so my mom allowed me to go out. She didn't know that after meeting my friend, I will be meeting my friends from work. LOL. 

Anyway, I went to this company again and my college friend didn't explain to me what the business was all about rather she wanted me to hear the orientation. I know the speaker was one of the big names in the business. My friend said that I was lucky to hear him present the business because he doesn't usually do business orientations. Again, I wasn't that interested with the business. I may have used my friend to go out but at least we were able to catch up after the orientation. 

I wasn't in a rush that time because my friends from work were all mid shifts so I had all the time with my friend. When we were catching up, I told her that I have already went to that company and told her the story with the scammer. She asked me the name of the person who invited me but too bad that I didn't remember his name nor how he look. It is just obvious that I wasn't really interested. LOL. I told my friend that I am not interested with the business so she respected my decision. She just wanted to help me since I was unemployed.

When she quit the food industry, the MLM business was her job. She was very dedicated to the business that she even continued with it when she went to Canada. According to my friend, I know she isn't that as active as before because she already has a lot of downlines. Well that was few years back and I don't know whether her downlines are still active nowadays but I know she was able to earn a lot in that MLM company. Lucky her right? 

Have you ever wanted to join an MLM business? What company would you like? In my next article, I will be sharing another story about MLM business. Stay tuned.