Open Letter Addressing the Stereotype of Direct Sales

Karen,

I'd like to begin by saying that while I can appreciate your position/opinion on direct marketing - I respectfully disagree with it. I'm guessing that you've had a negative experience along the way somewhere and now your thinking and judgment is clouded to include ALL people, anywhere, with any company.  Ironically, your generalization and attempt to include anyone and everything is very limiting.

The income that women (and men) in the direct selling business earn IS a huge appeal to others.  They control their paycheck pretty much with their effort - they don't have a boss or corporation that limits their potential and they don't worry about who is the next one to get a pink slip because of cutbacks/closing/layoffs. Money drives our economy and is a basic NEED of most people. It's not an appeal to everyone (obviously) but income is what makes our lives operate and to deny or degrade those that are interested in this information is...well, wrong.  The scale is different for different people. The direct selling industry itself is a reputable profession - but, just as life itself, is riddled with people who are greedy, irresponsible, dishonest and nasty. 

Likewise - it is filled with people who are nurturing, trustworthy, reputable, and who operate within an attitude of abundance (there's enough for everyone).

My goals were to provide for myself and my family while being able to operate a business that allows me to stay within my circle of integrity. It was either this business or go punch a time clock for someone else - which I didn't really want to do because then I would give up the benefits of being a SAHM (which is really important to me) and lose the flexibility that I need in order to support my husband's business and participate in the other things that bring me pleasure. It would be only a matter of time before I'd be operating way outside of that circle of integrity and I'd be miserable. Also inside that circle is the desire to be able to promote a product or opportunity that I believed in and that would deliver the results as promised.  I have that with the company that I am with.

Since I picked up and got moving in January, here's just a few of the things that I've been able to accomplish through my business.  I invite you to take notice at how some are income oriented and some are not.  I'll list them in the order that they come to mind.

1) Pay off our credit card balance of $6800 that was left over from remodeling projects last fall (this was my main goal)
2) Pay for 10,000 square feet of sod in our front yard and all the prep cost that went with that project
3) Share the opportunity with 15 other women 
4) Meet over 400 women as a guest at an ESCAPE that either became my personal client or the client of a new consultant on our TEAM because I was helping that consultant get her business up and running.  I'm socializing with some of these women now and they are not on my TEAM.  I have new friends that are not business related.
5) Qualify for a trip to San Francisco (I'm qualified but have not received the trip YET because 2 consultants still need to attend training and meet their requirements)
6) Earned the promotional gifts during March/April which include matching purse/keychain/change purse, a leather overnight bag and a iPod Nano. These are tangible items that demonstrate my activity.
7) Establish the groundwork for a reputation within our area as offering something that benefits employers and employees.  I now have businesses contacting me for a space on my calender.
8) Offering a SERVICE to these places and people - stress is killing this country and I offer a way to deal with that stress while being rewarded for my time/effort/expertise.
9) Build my self respect - I'm accomplishing something on a daily basis and it keeps building upon what I did yesterday. This is not to say that without this business I don't have any self respect but it is to say that I feel more organized and "purposeful" and not like I'm fraying out in the wind waiting for someone or something to do something for me.
10) Make a difference in the lives of people that I've met WHILE making a difference in our checkbook.

I think I'll stop there.

When surveyed a few years back, more than 45% of women said that the primary reason they choose direct sales was because of income/potential.  I chose to share the stats that I did the other day because I believe they are impressive and because it was a quick post that I could c&p without having to spend a great deal of time typing up. Does that make me a money loving, greedy bitch who uses people as ladder steps while I advance myself at everyone's expense?  Perhaps in your belief system - but certainly not in mine. It just makes me someone who had some information to share that was quick and what I felt informative.

These women that have joined our TEAM in the past 4 months.....one was a SAHM who hasn't done anything for herself in YEARS...and whose self esteem was wavering (if not drowning).  I've seen her invest in herself (not with money or at the expense of anyone but her OLD self) and bloom in this arena.  She's laughing and enjoying adult relationships with other women in our efforts to make a difference in the lives of others. She says that she is now a better mother and wife because she is getting her need(s) met and now has more to give to her family (in addition to the income).  her hubby says he likes the new woman that he's married to. Another has 2 teenage sons and wants the interaction with other adult women and something more feminine than she gets at home.  Another one is the wife of our chiropractor who saw the opportunity to share the treatments/services with their patients.  Our newest consultant is retired and needs a "challenge" in her life. Another is a woman who wants enough money each month to buy herself some new clothes, another one wants enough to get her products for free.  Another woman is a single mom who is tired of having to do without when it comes to bills, groceries and gas.  Income is a necessary part of many people's lives. We all have different motivation and money is a motivator for many people.  Do you know many companies in this country where women can go to work for less than 10 hours a week and be making over $160K in less than 3 years?  And love what they are doing without sacrificing things that matter to them? I have no shame in offering an opportunity to help other women accomplish their goals. Not all of these goals are cemented in money.

I'll pass on responding to your direct sarcastic attack regarding those in third worlds  - cause I believe that to be just a nasty way to end your comment.

Why do you insist on using sarcasm to attack the position or views of others?  Is that the way that your anger or frustration comes out?  Are you even able to have a rational discussion or engage in meaningful and mutually beneficial dialog regarding this topic? How could you possibly tell from one single post (or even a few) and make such a judgment and accusation as you have?  How could you know that I have 3 or 4 post in the draft stage that talk about the different changes that have occurred in our lives and in the lives of those that I'm working with because of this business?

I use the word TEAM as an acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More.  There's synergy in relationships and common goals and common activities.  I also use the word HOPE too - Helping Other People Excel.  I believe if you help enough other people get what they want - that along the way you are going to get what you want. I believe that it is right and good for all people to be rewarded for their efforts along the way. Direct selling is the way that I have chosen to get what I want.  My husband chooses music to meet his goals.  Some people place Google*ads on their web page to earn money. Some people give up 60+ hours a week to another person/corporation/boss in order to earn a living. I'm not sure what you choose to get what you want because I only know you through your sarcastic and misguided attack on me and other direct sellers.

Are there people who are like you describe?  Yes.  I've met them and moved away from them so I would not become like them.

Are there people who are interested in learning more about what I do?  Yes.  To date - 8 people have emailed me to learn more.  Some of them have joined our TEAM - some are still thinking and weighing it out - and some declined.

So......label me as you want.  I know what my truth is.  If you want to talk about that truth - or even share your experience (whatever it was/is) then I'm open for dialog.  I'm closed; however, to your snide and insulting jabs.  Your truth is not the same as mine and what you think of me has little consequence to how I operate except that I'm here to say that I don't fit your stereotype.

Wishing you blessings of prosperity and the attitude/activities to enjoy them,
Dora

Comments

[Charlie Pharis]

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

-Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

[jane]

Wow, Karen has some issues! Great response!

[stace]

Wow - i missed the snotty comment - though I really enjoyed your response. I would give my ( okay I deleted what I really wanted to say) but I would give up a lot to be able to stay at home with my kids. Nursing doesn't really lend itself to that though. And it is your space to write - you can write whatever you want - but you wouldn't have so many readers if you were all about the money.

[JennyHaha]

This is a really old post, so you may not get this, but I was wondering if you were still a proponent of BeautiControl? I used to be a BC consultant directly under Cindy Least. Several of my friends were able to climb the ladder and quit very soon after winning the trips, getting the cars, etc. because of her unethical tactics to get them there. I no longer believe the hype for BC. Just wondering if you stayed with it. It was a huge let down for me because I believed everything she said.