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September 30, 2003
New Quixtar Response
By QBlog in
Well, it's not really that new but I just noticed it today. Check out the unofficial quixtarBLOG report on the upcoming Dateline NBC story about Quixtar. It's interesting how little Quixtar claims to know about its IBOs.
Positive
By QBlog in
Many who visit this site feel that I'm a negative person. That I'm trying to destroy something or cause others to fail. I've been classified as "anti-Quixtar" or "anti-MLM" but I've always bristled at such labels. Why? Well, forgive this comparison but it's sort of like the Abortion controversy. WHAT?!? Bear with me for a moment.
Within the Abortion issue there are essentially two extremes, those who support abortion of some kind, and those who don't, with many positions in between. Now the folks who support Abortion like to be called Pro-Choice or seen as advocates for women's rights. Those are "positive" words and their efforts are portrayed as such. However, opposition portrays their efforts as "anti-Life" or something similarly negative.
By the same token, those opposed to Abortion see themselves as Pro-Life and as advocates for strong families and children. Meanwhile, the Pro-Life opposition describes them as "anti-Abortion" which may be true, but it's a negative description and they most often choose to be seen as Life advocates rather than death critics.
So, how does this relate to me? Well, it relates only in the general sense by illustrating the power of words. I have pretty much refused to label myself as "anti-Quixtar" and instead label my efforts as Quixtar Awareness or as a type of watchdog (that is currently a stretch, I admit). However, unlike my Abortion example, I'm neither pro nor anti but focused on providing honest information, opinions and perspectives about the business.
Some folks agree. I've received numerous comments from people who seem to understand what I'm doing here and don't view it as anti-Quixtar. Yet, there are still those who don't understand or completely disagree and that's fine. Not everyone will agree with me or my actions. I just felt it was important to make the point that I personally feel that my efforts here are positive. That I'm working to share with people things that they may not find anywhere else.
September 29, 2003
Movable Type
By QBlog in
I should mention that the new tool powering this blog is Movable Type. It's free and not all that complicated to set up and is built entirely in Perl. A more complete colophon will appear... someday.
Welcome To The NEW BLOG
By QBlog in
quixtarBLOG is brand NEW!
"But it looks the same," you exclaim. Well, you're right. It does look pretty much the same as before. However, things have really changed under the hood. As a result of this switch you'll notice a few new features.
1. A search tool: The new blog is powered by a DataBase which allows quick searches of all the blog archives. I've converted every entry from the old blog into the DataBase so you can search anything back to the very beginning. Unfortunately the old comments are not searchable but we can't have everything can we?
2. Proprietary commenting: The blog is no longer using a third party commenting system.
THE GOOD - comments won't go down much any more. The old system was run by someone else and their servers were notorious for being down days at a time. Not so with the new system.
THE BAD - the old comments (posted with the third party tool) aren't attached to the new posts. However, they are still available but I'll explain that later.
3. Additional features coming: There are other features that have not yet been switched on. Soon you'll see some nice additions that will make it even easier to find what you're looking for.
4. Individual Entry Linking: Previously, if you wanted to link to a specific entry you had to link to an anchor tag on the entire monthly archive. However, now you link to a single page containing ONLY that individual entry and the attached comments.
5. Comments GONE!!!: No, your old comments are not gone, they're just a little harder to find now. One of the unfortunate side effects of switching tools is that the comments aren't attached to the "active" site. I debated whether this should be done and decided that having more control and less dependency on a third party was more important in the long run. So, where are your comments? Look to the left under the "Comment Archives" label and you'll find all your old comments attached to the old blog archives. Those pages will never disappear so feel free to link to them if you wannt.
6. Other Changes: You may also notice some other changes over the next few weeks. I plan to shorten the "related links" list on the home page and move them over to the Resources section. If your site link gets moved please understand that it's nothing personal. I'm not de-linking anyone, just reorganizing.
Finally, welcome to the new version of quixtarBLOG. Please be sure to change your bookmarks to reflect the change.
September 27, 2003
Fan Mail!
By QBlog in
From "Art Roldan" at arty4shore@msn.net?
"Ur an idiot my man...u have no idea and no work habit...and obiviously no dream..dip s**t"
Thanks Art! I guess I am an idiot. Never really thought about it till you pointed that out. I do have a bit more mastery of the English language though. I guess we can't all be wordsmiths can we?
September 26, 2003
Doris Shaw Update
By QBlog in
Everyone's favorite former Amway distributor showed up in court today only to be met at the security checkpoint by a crowd of angry investors. This story describes the encounter:
So many of her angry investors were lined up at the security checkpoint that she had to wait several uncomfortable minutes with the scowling crowd.According to the report, Mrs. Shaw
admitted that she used their money to pay off other investors. She said it began when she tried to build her Amway distributorship in 1996 and borrowed $2,000,000 to buy Amway products.Now that's a LOT of soap!
September 24, 2003
What's Cooking?
By QBlog in
Been getting a number of referrer hits from NameProtect Inc.. If you look at the Client List you'll notice the second name is Alticor. Very interesting. What is NameProtect?
At NameProtect, we understand that today’s trademark professional faces a whole new set of challenges that require more than just a traditional trademark search. Since 1997, we have combined state of the art technology, innovative product development and Intellectual Property expertise to help you meet the growing challenges of protecting your brand assets in today’s global economy.Maybe Alticor (and Quixtar) is being a bit more active in monitoring Web content related to its business. Wonder what's cooking.
September 23, 2003
Why I don't hate Quixtar
By QBlog in
When we (my wife actually) were active in Quixtar I repeatedly heard a phrase that basically "summarized" the business. I'm paraphrasing but it went something like this:
This business is simple, just take the money you were spending at Wal-Mart and spend it at Quixtar instead. It's simply about teaching people to shop differently.This idea was repeated like a mantra. It was gospel. Yet there was something about that statement I just didn't like.
I won't elaborate on that but I will contrast it to the original business of Quixtar (formerly Amway in North America) back in the early days. From my understanding, the business was initially about selling products. The distributors would get a shipment of products and then go around to friends, family and strangers to sell those products. Based on the quality of the products customers would re-order and generate a steady revenue stream. The distributor was responsible for delivering the products to the customer's front door. That was the business. Each product sold equalled a small profit for the distributor. As volume increased, so did profits.
The second aspect of the business was sponsoring new distributors. This sponsoring meant a bonus based on the new distributor's sales but it also required training on how to sell the products as well as motivation and guidance on running the business efficiently. Again, the emphasis was on selling quality products to customers, not self-consumption.
In my mind it's much like a salesman just starting out in a region. As he succeeds, his client list grows beyond his ability to manage personally so he seeks to distribute the workload by recruiting new salesmen. That's an over-simplification but it makes some sense. What doesn't make sense is the self-consumption path to success that was being proselytized by the QBiz team.
I don't know why but the contrast hit me with unusual clarity tonight. Quixtar/Amway didn't start out as a business focused on recruiting, it really began as a business to sell products using some new methods. However, from what I've observed, it's no longer about the products but primarily about recruiting.
The Trouble With Quixtar: 4
By QBlog in
Because blogs are inherently conversational and generally informal I thought it might be fun for me to take a few days to work out some of my issues with Quixtar right here, in this public space. Some posts may not make a lot of sense on their own but I hope that as a collection these posts will all tie together to accurately describe what I call "The Trouble With Quixtar."
To keep things organized I'm titling each related entry The Trouble With Quixtar and then numbering them sequentially. Also, please understand that this is a personal effort for me to fully comprehend why I am unable to embrace Quixtar, or any MLM business. This is my personal struggle with Quixtar. > 3 <
I began life as an artist. I spent my entire childhood sketching, painting and drawing as I received endless recognition, praise and awards. My grandfather was, among many things, a professional cartoonist and he gave me tips, lessons and books each time I visited him at his North Texas duplex. I seemed destined to become a professional artist of some kind and really had every intention of doing just that until I entered high school.
It was during high school that my dreams were somehow shattered and I began to think about the practical applications of my artistic destiny and decided (for reasons I don’t really understand today) that being an artist would not provide the type of income and lifestyle that I desired. What did I choose instead? Psychology!
While psychology proved to be extremely fascinating to me in college I quickly discovered that simple fascination did not earn good grades. After changing my major numerous times I finally settled on my second love, writing. I was on my way to becoming a journalist.
In J-School I excelled. I was a natural. Took to it like a fish to water. I’d been warned that journalists (especially news editorial) did not earn the “big bucks” but I no longer cared. I had found something that I truly enjoyed doing and actually looked forward to class each morning. Those semesters flew by and I had every intention of following the traditional path of young journalists when my academic advisor suggested I take a brand new journalism course teaching HTML. I had just gotten my first computer a few months earlier and thought it might be fun to learn a little about the Internet. Little did I know, that particular class would prove to be a life changing experience.
I thrived in the class and quickly learned more than my professor could teach. I turned to the Internet for more instruction and continued teaching myself every day. On graduation day I earned a BA in Journalism but knew that what I really wanted to do was some sort of Web production. I just didn’t know how to make money doing it.
Fast forward to today. Right now I’m making a healthy living doing what I love. I’m still very much involved with journalism but I’m also producing, developing and administrating Web content. Somehow I found something that I love doing and am getting paid to do just that. How many people can honestly say that they enjoy going to work every morning?
What I’ve learned from my little life experience is that it’s important to follow your dreams, find what you love to do and then do it well. Most of the truly successful people aren’t focused on how much money they’ll earn in a given career or what profession has the best retirement package. Instead they’re focused on using their God-given talents to the best of their ability every single day of their lives.
September 22, 2003
Team Of Destiny Forum Discussion
By QBlog in
UPDATE: I've disabled the comments on this particular post. You can read the old ones but can't post new comments. This was done for two reasons.
1.) The excessive comments (over 100) were becoming a strain on my server. As great as the comment feature is, it wasn't designed to be a discussion forum with never-ending posts.
2.) Speaking of discussion forums, there's one linked below and there's also the quixtarBLOG Forum which facilitates excessive commenting very well.
Thanks for understanding.
-----------------------
Found this Forum Topic discussing Team Of Destiny. Haven't gone through it all but it looks like some good stuff if you're looking for TOD info.
WebProWorld asks "Quixtar Any one heard of it?"
By QBlog in
Discovered a forum on some site called WebProWorld asking about Quixtar (spelled Quixstar in the initial thread). Some highlights:
antkneetag - Now, I am not against the MLM by any means. I have been involved in probably 10 legit ones (Quixtar being the last). I know that a lot of people have become very weathly with downline help. It just isn't for me.
design@divergentweb.com - Although the presentation they gave me was basically make good money, have loads of family time, and retire with good income, I found out that you actually need to sacrifice lots of time to make it to the point where you have enough downlines to be successful. Also your downlines have to have downlines that have downlines that have downlines - which insures that you don't lose your immediate downlines since they would quit if they are not successful ;)
jimcasey008 - If you study the sociology of cults, you will find the avenue to success (and failure)in MLM.
Here are 11 observations from my own 2 experiences with MLM and research into cults in Graduate School:
1)There is only one party line and all must follow.
2)Git rid fo skeptical friends.
3)Associate as often as possible with the true believers.
e-books - I was involved with Quixtar for two years. In that time I made little or no money. Quixtar's fault? No, mine. I bought in as an IBO, but I never put in the time I needed to build the business. I eventually dropped my IBO status because I was unemployed and could not afford it. Did I find it a bad business? No. Given the opportunity, I would happily join again just to get the products.
September 21, 2003
Amway Advertising
By QBlog in
Checked out The Possible Dream: A Candid Look At AMWAY from the Public Library last week.
I've only gotten through a few chapters but it's an interesting read. One thing I've learned is that Rich and Jay constantly used advertising to set up their meetings to show the Nutrilite (and later Amway) "plan". They'd take out an ad in the local paper, rent a meeting hall or something and then explain the "business" to whomever showed up.
I like that idea. That seems like a traditional business to me. None of this walking up to strangers and asking them if they're interested in some mysterious "dream-building" business. Just a simple ad in the paper explaining what the business is about and asking interested folks to come and learn more. Why can't the Quixtar folks do this today? If the rules did change, why did they change?
September 19, 2003
Woman sentenced for embezzlement/Police raid multi-level marketing company
By QBlog in
From JS Online:
"Jennings-Fossum, 42, had pleaded guilty to four counts of embezzling money that she used to support her home-based Amway business selling cleaning supplies."
From Express India:
"The raid was part of the re-investigation being conducted by DSP (Crime) Vijay Pal Singh into cases registered against six multi-level marketing companies including Amway, Cossets, Japan Life, Net Khazana and Jobs Online.Com. The cases were registered on the complaint of S Negi, deputy general manager, Reserve Bank of India, in December, 2002."
Proof that Amway works?
By QBlog in
UPDATE: I misread the previously linked article and thanks to an alert reader have found a more appropriate article to link to. Jay Van Andel doesn't live in Kalamazoo. However, he is still on the Forbes 400 wealthiest people list. Here's a story about Jay and Rich.
Jay Van Andel is tied with some Kalamazoo residents on the Forbes 400 wealthiest people list.
Chronologically vs. Sequentially
By QBlog in
I obviouslly didn't fully grasp the meaning of the word chronologically when I used it recently. I meant to say sequentially and have gone back to correct the offending sentences. Thank God blogs are such informal arenas of expression. I'm so embarrassed.
Is Insider's Perspective Worth Saving?
By QBlog in
I recently noticed that someone (Jim Reed maybe?) is trying to save the Get Facts board known as the Insider's Perspective. With the recent demise of the Quixtar NOW board I imagine any efforts to expand the discussion venues should be praised. Yet I wonder, is GetFacts/Insider's Perspective really worth saving?
I admit that I haven't spent much time there so I can't really comment on its content but after reading the following post I really think it's time to let it just die, at least until some sort of improvements can be made:
To: the good people of getfactsNow, this post could be a forgery or from someone who actually wants to abuse the board but I just wonder if it's worth all that trouble when there are so many better options available.
From: Jim ReedYou can help defeat the spam that is clogging up getfacts in your spare minutes. The problem comes from Roy's large posts taking too long to load the file. If the board is filled with tiny posts, it loads very fast. If there is a couple hundred small posts before the real data, that is no problem, you can scroll down in a second. These little posts are pushing Roy's spam off the bottom and improving the board speed. When the real data scrolls off the bottom, no problem, I can just post it again. We should be able to keep the board alive for several years if we pitch in and help.
THE PLAN, simple AND easy
1. Enter a small post and click Submit Comment.
2. Point your mouse to BACK and click.
3. Press RETURN to send again.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, and teach others to do the same.
September 18, 2003
The Trouble With Quixtar: 3
By QBlog in
Because blogs are inherently conversational and generally informal I thought it might be fun for me to take a few days to work out some of my issues with Quixtar right here, in this public space. Some posts may not make a lot of sense on their own but I hope that as a collection these posts will all tie together to accurately describe what I call "The Trouble With Quixtar."
To keep things organized I'm titling each related entry The Trouble With Quixtar and then numbering them sequentially. Also, please understand that this is a personal effort for me to fully comprehend why I am unable to embrace Quixtar, or any MLM business. This is my personal struggle with Quixtar. > 2 <
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Another dinner interrupted by those annoying tele-marketers. After saying "no" a dozen times I hang up ready to resume my evening meal.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Who could that be at this hour? Are we expecting someone? Some stranger on my doorstep wants to sell me something. He's talking so fast that I can't be sure of what he's selling but I think it's some sort of cleaner... or maybe a vacuum? Who knows. I manage a weary smile and shake my head, muttering "no" a few times before I instinctively call out "Thank You!" as the front door closes.
Finally, dinner sans interruptions.
Now to put on some Jazz, sit on the comfy couch and check emails. Wow, a lot of emails tonight. Hmmmm... "Interesting Business Proposal" ... delete.
"My Hot Wife" ... delete.
"Prescription Weight Loss" ... delete.
"Inkjet Cartridges" ... delete.
I delete for 10 minutes and realize that I only received 2 real emails buried underneath all that SPAM. I hate SPAMMERS. I really hate them. I don't have the solution to spam but I want them to stop SPAMMING.
Before bed I pick up all of the mail. Just like the email there is more junk than actual mail. Most of it goes directly into the trash. Yet there are a couple of pieces of mail that look sort of important so I decide to investigate before immediately tossing them. Of course my skepticism proves correct and upon opening the mail i discover that it's nothing more than some home equity loan and a work at home offer. Trash. Now I'm off to bed.
Good night.
September 17, 2003
Canadians discussing Quixtar
By QBlog in
Reading through a Canadian business forum discussing Quixtar. I like this quote:
"Quixtar is a VERY expensive hobby"
The Trouble With "The Trouble With Quixtar"
By QBlog in
Someone has something to say about the series that I call The Trouble With Quixtar.
Bonus points to the first person who can tell me how Jerry Mathers sort of fits into this entire scenario.
September 16, 2003
The Trouble With Quixtar: 2
By QBlog in
Because blogs are inherently conversational and generally informal I thought it might be fun for me to take a few days to work out some of my issues with Quixtar right here, in this public space. Some posts may not make a lot of sense on their own but I hope that as a collection these posts will all tie together to accurately describe what I call "The Trouble With Quixtar."
To keep things organized I'm titling each related entry The Trouble With Quixtar and then numbering them sequentially. Also, please understand that this is a personal effort for me to fully comprehend why I am unable to embrace Quixtar, or any MLM business. This is my personal struggle with Quixtar. > 1 <
I was employed as a counselor at a long term Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation facility during the early 1990s. At the treatment center we worked full-time to help what were mostly underage drug addicts, a few court ordered adults and everyone in between. During my two and a half years on staff I learned, and later mastered, the very necessary techniques used to guide those broken, lost and socially rejected youths to a better life. A few of those methods were:
1. We isolated the client (all youths in the center were called clients). The client had no contact with anyone outside the center except for parents and approved siblings.
2. We restricted the client's vocabulary. Each new client was given a multi-page list of rules detailing the forbidden words.
3. The client was accompanied by a veteran client or staff member at all times, even when using the restroom.
4. Singing. Lots and lots of singing. Clients sang several hours each day. It was here that I learned the true power of song.
5. More singing.
6. Did I mention singing?
7. Inspirational music was played daily.
8. Clients were instructed to participate in various sessions where they shared feelings and thoughts about past experiences.
9. Privileges were earned. As clients made improvements, responsibilities were doled out and privileges returned.
I've left out a lot. A whole lot. But that was the general idea. Keep in mind that this was a long term treatment facility. Kids were in for 10-20 months, not 2 or 3 like at some facilities. Because treatment took so long, the staff sometimes developed friendships with clients that lasted beyond "graduation" day. It was my observation of those friendships that caused me to second guess what I was doing at the center, and ultimately leave.
I observed terribly addicted kids make startling changes and seemingly become assets to society instead of liabilities. Those youths had genuinely changed and prior to their "graduation" had every intention of re-entering society drug-free. It's hard to fake change for 12 months (though I saw that done several times).
Yet, as you can probably guess, that's not quite what happened. A few kids did indeed become drug-free pastors, doctors, lawyers and more. However, most kids re-entered society without really understanding how to function outside of treatment. Much like institutionalized prisoners, those youths didn't know how to cope outside the confines of their artificially safe and comfortable former homes. They were no longer surrounded by a group of supportive, honest and caring friends. They'd been taught how to stay off drugs and deal with their problems but all they'd learned had been within the treatment center environment, and not really on the streets they ultimately ended up walking.
There were other reasons why I left but primarily I disagreed with the underlying philosophy of long term treatment. I do see the value in what I did, and still have some friendships from that experience, yet I can't help but think that there must be a better way.
Representin'
By QBlog in
Check out the global roll call for this blog. Do you see your country represented?
September 15, 2003
Dateline NBC and Quixtar
By QBlog in
I've posted a page that details all I know about the upcoming Dateline NBC story on Quixtar. If you have any more information then please contact me.
September 14, 2003
The Trouble With Quixtar: 1
By QBlog in
Because blogs are inherently conversational and generally informal I thought it might be fun for me to take a few days to work out some of my issues with Quixtar right here, in this public space. Some posts may not make a lot of sense on their own but I hope that as a collection these posts will all tie together to accurately describe what I call "The Trouble With Quixtar."
To keep things organized I'm titling each related entry The Trouble With Quixtar and then numbering them sequentially. Also, please understand that this is a personal effort for me to fully comprehend why I am unable to embrace Quixtar, or any MLM business. This is my personal struggle with Quixtar.
I live in an area where panhandlers are abundant. Ever since I can remember I've frequently been approached by a variety of panhandlers. There's the needy mother with her stroller full of babies. Or the despondent father with a broken down vehicle. Or, my favorite, the guy in front of the liquor store who just wants to get drunk. I've been asked for money or favors by all these people and many, many more over the course of my adult life. And over time I've reacted very differently to different panhandling situations.
However, one theme is consistent with almost all my panhandling experiences: I refuse to be intimidated. That may be taken out of context so let me explain with an example.
I've pulled into a gas station and am pumping my gas. I'm daydreaming while the gas flows into my tank and suddenly a man walks up to me and mutters something about money. I don't know him and he doesn't know me. He isn't asking for directions or how I keep my car so clean, he's asking me to give him $2 to buy a sandwich. He's an uninvited stranger who has broken my comfort zone and is trying to increase my discomfort by exploiting a desire to help my fellow man. He's hoping that I'll give him a couple of bucks to just get him to go away. Or, if that doesn't work, that I'll make up some story about how I don't have any cash so that he can quickly move on to his next mark.
Yet, I refuse to choose either option. Instead I've created a third. Yes, I'm still refining this third and I'll admit that I've occasionally descended into uncharacteristically cruel behavior but my intention is to turn the tables on this panhandler. He's counting on my discomfort but he's sadly misjudged me. I show no discomfort and instead engage him to make HIM uncomfortable. I start asking him probing questions about his situation. Why don't you have any money? Where do you live? What is your name? Why don't you go to the mission? How many times a week do you come here to beg for cash? Etc. I usually do this in a loud voice so that anyone around me begins to look in our direction and wonder what is happening between me and the panhandler.
His discomfort becomes immediately evident. He just wants to leave. He knows I'm not going to give him money... yet he is hoping that I will so he continues to hang around. I quickly explain that I won't give him any money and smile as I tell him that he should really work on his story and come up with something better for next time. I give him a few good natured examples of sob stories that he could use on his next mark. By now I've caused quite a scene. He's visibly embarrassed. Where he would normally walk to the next pump and ask for cash, this time he slinks away very quickly to find another, friendlier location to panhandle.
Now, many say that I'm being cruel. Maybe I am. I just view it differently than most people. I see it like this. That panhandler, by walking up and asking me for money, has taken something from me. He's caught me off guard in a way. It's a beggars surprise attack. He's hoping to throw me out of my comfort zone and use that leverage to elicit funds from me. He's already taken my time and now he wants my money and offering nothing in return. So, I've decided to take something from him in return. I take his comfort and his time. Now we're even. Transaction complete.
I should point out that a panhandler is not the same as homeless person. Some homeless do panhandle but not all. And not all panhandlers are homeless. I have a special place in my heart for the homeless and those that understand the system and live within that system have my compassion. I know a few homeless people and they have their own problems but they do not panhandle. In fact, they've admonished me in the past for giving any money to panhandlers. I just felt that it was important to make that distinction. My heart goes out to the homeless... but not the panhandlers.
September 13, 2003
MLM Bigmouth Rates Quixtar
By QBlog in
This site is pro-MLM so I thought it was interesting to see what they said about Quixtar. REVIEW:
Extra Greedy
By QBlog in
Anagram fun. Dexter Yager > Extra greedy (registration required)
Kelly and Carrie Rogers
By QBlog in
Kelly & Carrie Rogers just qualified as new Diamonds. Who are they? Well, they were/are our upline. Their upline Diamonds are Bill and Amy Galvin and they're underneath C.L. Foster. I recently got a newsletter from Kelly & Carrie and I'd like to share a few excerpts.
Thank you also to David and Debbie Leiss who provided great wisdom and counsel when we were too imature and stupid to be willing to listen to our sponsors (a common epidemic). They unselfishly poured their lives into our business and taught us so much of the foundation upon which we have built our Diamondship.
Roland and Molly Hughes, to us there is no better example of a couple with 'fruit on the tree', than you. We have been willing to totally submit to your counsel and advice without argument or question because you have the results that we want in all of the important areas of life.
Its all about how bad you want to win. Carrie and I wanted to win so bad that we were willing to sell out to the committments and changes that it would take to build our business to Diamond. We hope you are willing to do the same.
I left in the typos. I know that I'd have someone thoroughly proof my "new Diamond" letter before it was sent out to all the downlines. That's just me though.
September 12, 2003
Read Only
By QBlog in
Well, it looks like the Quixtar Now board has been converted to Read Only. That means God only knows who has posting privileges. I can't tell whether this is permanent or some sort of temporary maintenance action. We'll see I guess.
I really only started following that board shortly before starting the Forum on this site so I don't know a lot about its history. What I do know from my recent observations is that it has some serious problems. SPAMMERS often 'hijack' the board and quality discussions have become sparse. I'm not criticizing, just being honest.
I will say that the quixtarBLOG Forum will always be 100% open. It will never be Read Only and won't block or restrict any legitimate participation. I honestly hope that Quixtar Now gets back to normal soon but in the meantime, there are other alternatives.
September 11, 2003
Pyramid Scheme Collapses
By QBlog in
This, from the Seattle Post Intelligencer (I love that name), is a story about pyramid scheme operator Anthony Blissett. He pleaded guilty to charges and faces up to 5 years in prison. It's not about Quixtar but read the story anyway.
Ex-CEO pleads guilty in pyramid scheme
Unsophisticated investors were told they could get annual returns as high as 30 percent in real estate, securities, commodities, discounted bank notes and trade finance instruments that the company said were previously offered to only whites and select blacks, SEC investigators said.
We Remember
By QBlog in
Just want to take a moment and reflect on the events that happened two years ago and how our lives have changed as a result.
God Bless America.
September 10, 2003
Suggestion
By QBlog in
Just an observation. Quite a number of folks have landed here looking for information about Team Of Destiny. I don't know all that much about TOD but there is a Forum available where you can ask Questions about Team Of Destiny or any other group. I don't guarantee answers but it's a good place to start.
Attention IBOs
By QBlog in
Scott Larsen, from AmQuix, is asking you for a short summary of your experiences and losses in Amway/Quixtar. This Page explains it all.
He needs as many as he can get in the next 24 hours. Go check it out.
Resources
By QBlog in
Well, the detail-minded among you will notice a new section to the ever expanding quixtarBLOG. Resources! Coolness. This section will contain links, information and other goodies that are just too valuable to allow to slip into the archives. Yes, the archives are great but let's face it, they can get a little cumbersome at times.
It was truly never my intention to expand this site beyond its humble beginnings as a simple blog. However, as it has grown in popularity, I've felt the need to expand it and add new features. Now, it's not just a blog but a Forum too. And now a spot where researchers can actually find what they're looking for... well... soon it will be that spot.
Anyway, welcome the new site addition... in whatever way you would welcome a new html page. Uh. On second thought, just visit the damn page.
Should Quixtar be shut down?
By QBlog in
I was asked a question this evening that I don't think anyone's ever asked me before. "What do you want to happen to Quixtar?"
That was it. And my answer sort of surprised me. I do not want Quixtar to be shut down. I don't want the business to be dissolved or terminated. I would like to see some changes, but I honestly have no desire to end the Quixtar empire. What I do want is information. I want anyone in the world who sees a plan to be able to get accurate, fair, dependable and timely information about the business. I want volumes and volumes of honest and unbiased reports on every detail of this business and all the peripheral business that thrive off of Quixtar.
Why don't I want Quixtar shut down? Well, shutting down Quixtar (if it were ever possible) would take many, many lawsuits combined with some sort of legislation and active enforcement of existing laws. Maybe that could happen but I doubt it and I'd rather see people make up their own minds about Quixtar instead of having some lawyer or congressman tell them what to think. I believe that a well-informed marketplace is best for everyone. Of course I would also want existing laws enforced.
So, what do you want to happen to Quixtar?
A Challenge
By QBlog in
Are you an IBO? Do you actively participate in some form of Multi-Level Marketing? If so, I have a challenge for you.
Name 5 respected business leaders that consistently proclaim their own personal wealth in an effort to motivate their clients, customers or business partners.
MLM leaders are excluded from this challenge. Also excluded are "motivational" speakers and authors.
There is a prize for the first person to successfully meet this challenge. It's not much but it's something you're sure to enjoy.
September 9, 2003
This Just In...
By QBlog in
St. Joe firms among those suing Amway for millions
A federal lawsuit filed last month by a St. Joseph law firm is seeking millions of dollars in damages from multilevel marketing company Amway Corp.The suit, which names St. Joseph companies Netco Inc. and Schmitz & Associates among its plaintiffs, alleges that Amway essentially blacklisted lower-level distributors through a separate motivational materials business.
According to the suit, high-level distributors made much of their profit not from selling Amway products, but from selling motivational materials, or “tools and functions” such as books, videos, cassettes and conventions to lower-level distributors. Read More >>
September 8, 2003
Road Tripping
By QBlog in
I took a little road trip on Friday. To pass the time I popped in an old Randy & Valorie Haugen tape, "Dream Through the Obstacles." They both described, in detail, their extravagant lifestyles and the obstacles they continue to face and overcome. Obstacles like the actual tree that was blocking their ATV path and how they decided to drive over the tree instead of turning back. Or obstacles like whether or not they should build a water tower for their new Utah palace. You know, the normal stuff most people face every day.
What struck me most about the tape was Randy's continued proclamation of his "Freedom." I still can't quite put my finger on it but there was something about his "Freedom Chant" that sounded hollow and phony. Maybe it was the lack of reaction from the audience? Maybe it was the way he focused on his personal wealth. Maybe it was something entirely of my own imagination? I really can't say. But, for some reason I don't believe he's telling the whole truth about his "freedom." Just a hunch I guess.
However, after listening to this tape I did not feel angry as I've felt in the past. Instead I felt sort of sad. Sad for Randy and his wife. Sad that it seems all his happiness, all his dreams, all his self worth is a result of his financial wealth. Take away that money and he's nothing. He practically said so himself. That doesn't sound like freedom to me. That sounds more like slavery.
September 7, 2003
About Corporate Cultures and Loyalty
By QBlog in
Here's an insightful article from the Christian Science Monitor (a mighty fine publication) about corporations who build a "high-loyalty, employee-friendly culture."
It's not specifically about Quixtar or MLM Corporations but it's a great read nonetheless. Here are a few quotes.
"Such cultures are difficult to maintain. Corporate loyalty can blind workers to corporate misdeeds à la Enron.""Organizations such as Mary Kay and Amway don't manage with rules and regulations and hierarchy. Instead, they foster an emotional and social commitment to the organization, she adds. 'That commitment keeps people working and attached to the organization.' "
"'Money doesn't motivate,' Mr. Katzenbach says. Instead, personal connections and the pride employees feel about their jobs power their loyalty."
"There can be such a thing as too much of a good thing, however. In the case of Enron, the company's pride had negative effects, says Katzenbach. Employees began to take pride in the money they earned as a company and as individuals. That pride blinded them to the company's ethical behavior. 'More important, it got people into a self-serving mode,' he says."
HR 1220
By QBlog in
Has this bill been voted on? Did it pass or fail?
Direct sellers demand separate law to govern their trade
By QBlog in
From The Economic Times:
Alleging government harassment in their functioning, the Rs 2,311 crore direct and multi-level marketing industry including US major Amway Enterprises on Sunday demanded a separate legislation to govern their trade.Saying provisions of Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act, 1978 are being wrongly invoked against them, these companies have contended that direct selling of products is becoming increasingly difficult due to "flawed opinion of the regulators".
September 5, 2003
EXPOSED TO THIS DISEASE
By QBlog in
Found a blog published by a guy apparently from India. Because he's from India I found his opinions about Quixtar to be most interesting. I always like finding comments about Quixtar by people who aren't in the business or part of the "anti-Quixtar" community. Here's a sample of what Rajesh has to say about Quixtar.
Their ways of making friends is so artificial and is easily distinguishable. Their main target areas have been the grocery stores/International office/Indian festivals and other social gatherings.Wow. And those are the nice comments.Their highly succesful tactic in luring people, has been to start an unnecessary conversation in the grocery store by simply commenting about a product that you pick from the shelf and then slowly sweet-talking you into attending one of their seminars where they repeatedly talk of some "PLAN/points/diamonds/Rubies etc". They have a term associated to this despicable idea known as "Cold contacting"! If by any chance, you fall to their initial gimmick, you are doomed for life and can never come out of that blackhole!
Global Rich List
By QBlog in
See where you rank on the Global Rich List.
September 4, 2003
The More You Know
By QBlog in
In addtion to the (ahem) wonderful content on this blog, there is also an independent Forum with some lively discussions about everyone's favorite topic.
The Forum is free, easy to set up and guarantees whiter teeth. ;o)
Gettin' it done
By QBlog in
Hmm, what's this?
SiMLM (or Simway)
By QBlog in
I've got a great idea for a computer game. A real life simulation game based on Quixtar (or MLMs in general). Modeled after The Sims, this game would provide the player with a custom designd avatar, a realistic marketplace and all the motivational tools virtual money can buy. I'd call it SiMLM or Simway (thanks to Dwighty for the name suggestions). And I guarantee this thing would sell like hotcakes (what exactly is a hotcake anyway? I mean aren't all cakes hot when first removed from the oven?) because it would be heavily promoted as a "teaching device" by Quixtar itself. I got dibs on the idea.
SiMLM - Coming to a computer near you!
September 3, 2003
Meet Doris Shaw
By QBlog in
I got this link from Scott Larsen today (thanks Scott) about some lady named Doris Shaw. Apparently she scammed some folks out of a LOT of money. Also, she is/was an Amway Diamond.
I did some googling and found this ad for Doris Shaw Tax & Accounting Service (contact info: 522 E Main St., Edmore, MI. 989-427-3715). I called up at midnight and left a message asking if she knew how I could get in touch with Jerry Anderson (read the linked article). Ha.
Then, for kicks I looked up their home number on Google. I didn't call it because I really don't have anything to say (and it was pretty late) but here's their info for anyone interested:
Joe and Doris Shaw, (989) 427-3036, 654 Howard City Edmore, Edmore, MI 48829.
So, that's Doris Shaw.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
By QBlog in
Lucy. Dark Polo. Bouncing Blonde Pony Tail. Infectious Grin.
"Hi, welcome to Family Feedbag. My name's Lucy and I'll be your server tonight."
"Lucy, that's a nice name. You seem like a bright young woman. I'm currently looking for smart people like yourself to help me expand my business. What are your dreams?"
"Uh, well. Thanks but shouldn't I get your drink order first? I mean I'm kinda swamped right now. So what'll it be? We're having a special on margaritas."
The above scenario is representative of many similar incidents that I endured while married to an active IBO. This type of pitch wasn't reserved for waitresses and cashiers but included almost everyone. The mailman. Cleaners. Mechanic. The Lawn Guy. Friends at church. Couple sitting next to us at the symphony. The list goes on.
What I disliked most about these "encounters" wasn't the awkwardness of pitching "the biz" to relative strangers but it was the act of viewing everyone we met (or already knew) as a "potential." We couldn't just go to the store but we had to be "prospecting" and looking for potential IBOs. Not once did someone walk up and say, "Hi, I'm really needing some extra income and wondering if you know of some Internet business that could help me out."
Instead it was most often someone just making courteous small talk to pass the time in line or something and suddenly they were being offered "the chance of a lifetime business opportunity."
Something deep inside of me rejects that idea of viewing the world through a lens of business opportunity. Maybe it's my zero tolerance for dishonesty that causes me to be overly skeptical of someone who piles on the praises, compliments and interesting small talk right before pitching some business opportunity that ultimately results in fattening his wallet. They have a name for people like that, USED CAR SALESMEN.
Yeah, ok. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh. My wife genuinely had the best intentions. There wasn't any sort of scheme behind her "sales pitch." But as Hemingway said, "The road to hell is paved with unbought stuffed dogs."
Server Issues
By QBlog in
You may have noticed that the server running this site has been having some issues lately. For now those issues have been resolved but it may be a week before similar connection failures are totally repaired. Thanks for understanding. The Big Bad Net can sometimes cause just a little bit of hell.
September 2, 2003
Complaint against Team of Destiny
By QBlog in
Give Scott Larsen a hand. He is "looking for former Team of Destiny IBOs who wish to participate in a complaint about TOD's practices."
Why are you still here? Go send him an email.
Tape of the Week
By QBlog in
I used to listen to the Quixtar tapes. Actually, I suppose they were technically QBiz tapes. Whatever, the point is that I listened to these tapes partly out of curiosity and partly because my wife insisted that I hear at least one new tape a week. The thing that stands out most in my mind is that every single tape I heard left me in a state of near-Rage. That was the oddest thing because each tape was supposed to have the opposite effect. They were supposed to help me understand the business, begin dreaming and get excited about the possibilities. Instead, after hearing every tape, I became angry and more resolved to NEVER participate in the business at all.
One particular tape sticks in my memory. It was about Jamie Hill, a self-proclaimed treasure hunter. This guy wasn't in Quixtar, he'd actually found a giant emerald practically in his backyard. He described the hardships he endured, the challenges he faced and the obstacles he overcame on the path to finally discovering the largest emerald in North America. I actually didn't get angry when I listened to that tape. Afterwards I had only one thought in my mind, "I'm moving to North Carolina to start emerald hunting."
Seriously though, I heard that tape and wondered why this was supposed to get me excited about Quixtar. It got me excited, but not about Quixtar. I was excited about my own goals and my own plans and even more committed than ever to stick with them and not abandon them for some MLM. Hell, it also proved to me that people can achieve their goals without needing a network of upline support. This guy was alone. He didn't listen to anyone but himself. Not his upline. Not his parents. Nobody. And he found success.
I am still not exactly sure why I would get so angry when listening to those tapes. I have some good ideas about why but it would take too long to explain them all. What I do know is that this business is NOT for everyone. I'm one of those people. Just some thoughts about motivational tapes on a dreary Tuesday evening.
Thanks for Reading
By QBlog in
Let's face facts, quixtarBLOG has a very specific audience. Most of the traffic to this site is a few regulars and a lot of people searching for info about Quixtar. Due to the subject matter of this site, there are very few bloggers who read these pages and fewer still who actually link it in their blogs. That's why it was so surprising to find "idol mind chatter" linking to quixtarBLOG with an admission of fondness for this site. Thanks much SuzieQ.
September 1, 2003
A quick word about businesses
By QBlog in
A small business failure does not necessarily mean personal financial loss. Many small businesses fail without negatively affecting the personal wealth of the business owners.
The Cycles of Pyramid Schemes
By QBlog in
Searching the Web for quality information about Quixtar (or Amway) is a frustrating task. It takes dedication to trudge through the piles of links and phantom pages to find something worth reading. But enough about all that... that's another rant altogether. What I did find today was a Prepared Statement of Debra A. Valentine, General Counsel for the FTC. In this statement she makes some confusing remarks about the rules governing legal MLMs:
Since distributors were compensated both for selling products to consumers and to newly-recruited distributors, there was some question as to whether this was a legitimate multilevel marketing program or an illegal pyramid scheme. The Commission held that, although Amway had made false and misleading earnings claims when recruiting new distributors,(21) the company's sales plan was not an illegal pyramid scheme.She then goes on the explain why Amway was not illegal. Then she mentions refinements to the law in the 1990s and says:
As the Commission pursued new pyramid cases, many defendants proclaimed their innocence, stating that they had adopted the same safeguards -- the inventory buy-back policy, the 70% rule, and the 10 customer rule -- that were found acceptable in Amway. However, an appellate court decision called Webster v. Omnitrition Int'l, Inc.,(24) pointed out that the Amway safeguards do not immunize every marketing program. The court noted that the "70% rule" and "10 customer rule" are meaningless if commissions are paid based on a distributor's wholesale sales (which are only sales to new recruits), and not based on actual retail sales.Ok, I've probably already lost you. It's not especially exciting stuff. However, this little nugget of truth stuck me as especially enlightening:
Pyramid schemes came back with a vengeance. Like most economic activity, fraud occurs in cycles, and new pyramid schemes exploited a new generation of consumers and entrepreneurs that had not witnessed the pyramid problems of the 1970's.In my mind this goes a long way towards explaining the rise and decline of Amway/Quixtar revenues over the years. I think it's a generational and cultural shift more than any sort of business news or new technology. Most people getting into Quixtar today have little direct knowledge of Amway beyond the fact that it's often the punchline to a joke. That also helps explain why the bulk of information about Amway came out in the early 1980s, right after the Pyramid Boom in the 1970s. A backlash of sorts.
Anyway, I have read the FTC ruling and read Debra's statements and from what I see, the rules governing Amway/Quixtar are still pretty ambiguous.