Scary Comparisons

I have learned a lot over the past month about a certain little company called Amway. I don't want to dredge up WHY I learned a lot about Amway, but there have been some frightening comparisons drawn between them and Mary Kay, and while I feel I can refute most of them (they are nowhere near alike), it's disturbing to hear that some of the Amway lingo, when it was at its peak, is so similar to some of the things I've heard (and said myself) in Mary Kay.

Bottom line, I have no problem with encouraging people to think positively--about life, about their business, about basically everything. Not in such a way that you deny reality, not in a self-duping manner, but in a way that allows you to still function even when you experience setbacks or obstacles or frustrations. If I had thrown in the towel any time things got rough in my business over the past two-ish years, I'd have quit long ago. And if I'd quit, I'd never have experienced what I am experiencing now, which is great satisfaction and decent financial compensation.

Because, bottom line, one is very influenced by a) the thoughts and opinions of others and b) one's own thoughts and opinions. I know we like to think that we don't care if others say mean things about us or the things we care about, but let me tell you--I came across some scathing websites about Mary Kay and it really put me in a funk. Not because I believed them (I believed their stories, of course, but not their conclusions that MK as a whole sucks the big one), but because I was so sad that those stories even existed.

And of course people criticize Amway, saying that anyone who had stories like that didn't work hard enough, etc., which makes me bite my tongue, because that's what I said in response to the stories I read about MK. But the truth is this--these two companies are completely different. They operate differently. One sells a product, and one claims to sell a product but is really selling motivational material to keep people thinking about selling product, and encouraging them to sign up more more more more people. One rewards you for the work you do, and one rewards you for work you don't do, or fails to reward you at all.

Bottom line, I could explain what I do, where the money comes from and how and how much, to any average person in about a half an hour to forty-five minutes. In its entirety. Sure, there are a few technicalities that really take time to get to know, but in essence I could make you feel as though you understand what's going on with Mary Kay, and you'd be able to make a logical decision. The key here being logical--not emotional, not out of trust (because truthfully, over half the people I share this information with are total strangers, who may or may not have even be referred to me by someone we know in common--they may just be people I met randomly and struck up a conversation with over the produce aisle or something)--I certainly don't make them feel like their lives are crap and they need to do something about it or die, broke and alone.

As for feeling required to buy stuff and go to events, in my experience, sure, MK recommends you attend meetings, regional conferences, and the big SEMINAR. Are you required? Absolutely not. But the real crux of it is, why go? Not to get fired up--I can fire myself up quite well, thank you. The key is TO GET TRAINING. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that when you first start doing something, anything, you come into it with only a minimal level of skill. Maybe you have some personal aptitude, but other than that, you're a rookie. SO, you need training. I think maybe that's the difference between these Amway/Quixtar/Team events and ours.....it doesn't sound like there's much TRAINING because, well, at least as far as I can tell, there isn't much to train about. You learn how to "show the plan" to other people and convince them to sign up. That's really about it. Once you've got that, what else is there to learn? All the events in MK I've attended, from the very small to the very large, include actual bona fide training. Inspiration? Yes. Motivation? Of course. But mostly because you feel more equipped after going to these things and are ready to go out and give it a good shot.

Oh yeah, and by the way, you don't have to buy any motivational stuff in Mary Kay. Does the company offer it? Certainly, for purchase on the InTouch website. And many of the National Sales Directors have audio and video tapes/DVDs available on their personal websites that you can also purchase. But that's just it--they're AVAILABLE. I wouldn't even know about most of it if I hadn't skimmed around looking for interesting tidbits. They aren't mentioned at meetings and they're not for sale there, either.

I don't know. It makes the brain swim. I don't like making connections between stuff like Amway and Mary Kay--and I certainly don't like other people voicing them. It just makes me angry.....like it's slander or something.....people talking about what they don't know. Then I get all weirded out, because I'm sure that's what Amway people say in response to criticism, too. And in truth, isn't that what we all say in response to criticism, when we're not necessarily prepared to deal with accepting it?

(and my brain argues, but I am prepared, and MK still is okay!!)

*editing here to provide some clarification in case anyone is interested, since this entry sparked such comments*

I wrote this entry to my blog because of some friends and family who are getting involved in an Amway derivative company called The Team. I really do wish them all the luck and fortune in the world in this endeavor, but as I have explained above, my husband and I have some reservations about it and we choose not to be involved at this time. I acknowledge that every company is going to have positives and negatives. For us, there are too many unanswered questions and questions that are not answered in what we view to be a positive light. Again, I hope those involved get exactly what they want out of it, as I'm sure they wish the same for me in my endeavors. My uneasiness with some of the similarities was the prompt for this entry--and my sadness that anyone ever had a negative experience in MK (or Amway/Quixtar/Team, for that matter)--not my unbridled hatred for said companies. Sorry for the confusion, if there was any.