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August 24, 2004
Trust Your Gut
By QBlog in
Michelle Singletary (no relation to Mike) is a financial columnist for the Washington Post and writes a syndicated column called "The Color of Money."
Her August 22 column, "Heed Those Wary Instincts" (registration required or use this alternative, non-registration link), advises opportunity-seekers to "trust your gut" when it comes to money.
Singletary's advice was given to a reader who wrote her questioning the legitimacy of a "business opportunity" that was being pitched to him by a co-worker. He wrote that he...
"...was curious and asked to see the actual products they have for sale and to see the system in operation. They pointed me to [some] Web sites. I was given a few CDs and a tape, which went on and on about how great the business is and how much money everyone is making. I was told that all I had to do was come to a meeting and all my questions would be answered. I have not attended a meeting yet and may do so out of curiosity, but I am leery [about] their evasiveness."I'm sure you've already guessed that the "business opportunity" was Quixtar and Singletary explains that it is a legitimate business owned by Alticor. As for the co-worker's evasiveness towards the reader's questions, Quixtar responds:
"Robin Luymes, manager of public relations for Quixtar, said he's sure there was no subterfuge intended in the recruitment of the person who wrote to me. '[We] try to get people together in a room to get the full story from somebody who is an expert presenter,' he said."Singletary goes on to mention a few warnings to heed before signing up for an MLM opportunity and then concludes by saying that "if someone is evasive about a business opportunity: If you can't be straight up with me from the get-go, if you need to use a ruse to get me to a meeting or to buy a product, then take your business someplace else."
Good advice from an honest and unbiased journalist (isn't that an oxymoron?).
UPDATE: Friend and Quixtar IBO Dwighty complained to me about this post, saying that it was misleading. He felt that I should have pointed out that the IBO co-worker (from the Singletary column) was representing a unique organization affiliated with Quixtar even though such a distinction isn't made in the column. I invited Dwighty to rewrite my entire post as he thinks it should have been presented. Dwighty's rewrite appears below:
Michelle Singletary (no relation to Mike) is a financial columnist for the Washington Post and writes a syndicated column called "The Color of Money."
Her August 22 column, "Heed Those Wary Instincts," advises opportunity-seekers to "trust your gut" when it comes to money.
Singletary's advice was given to a reader who wrote her questioning the legitimacy of a "business opportunity" that was being pitched to him by a co-worker. He wrote that he...
"...was curious and asked to see the actual products they have for sale and to see the system in operation. They pointed me to [some] Web sites. I was given a few CDs and a tape, which went on and on about how great the business is and how much money everyone is making. I was told that all I had to do was come to a meeting and all my questions would be answered. I have not attended a meeting yet and may do so out of curiosity, but I am leery [about] their evasiveness."
I'm sure you've already guessed that the co-worker was part of an organization that associated itself with Quixtar and Singletary explains that Quixtar is a legitimate business owned by Alticor. As for the co-worker's evasiveness towards the reader's questions, Quixtar responds:
"Robin Luymes, manager of public relations for Quixtar, said he's sure there was no subterfuge intended in the recruitment of the person who wrote to me. '[We] try to get people together in a room to get the full story from somebody who is an expert presenter,' he said."
Singletary goes on to mention a few warnings to heed before signing up for an MLM opportunity and then concludes by saying that "if someone is evasive about a business opportunity: If you can't be straight up with me from the get-go, if you need to use a ruse to get me to a meeting or to buy a product, then take your business someplace else."
Good advice from an honest and unbiased journalist (isn't that an oxymoron?).
Comments
Very much an oxymoron. But let's not make the mistake of assuming that bias and good advice never go together.
IBO's won't get it because it didn't come from their upline! In my ex's groups they refer people to a website that is for sure evasive, meant to get people to ask more questions, but many just felt put off by the non-direct approach and didn't want to explore further. Some did and the poor souls (in my opinion) were subjected to seeing the plan. Yet even more evasive! Quixtar's response above is what adds to the insanity. No wonder there are bitter people about it once they are onto the crap and get out. Repeated insanity.
Quixtar Quixtar Quixtar.They told us don't buy the Quixtar hats and shirts out of the catalogs and web site.They said they didn't want it to get like it was with Amway Amway Amway.My mom invited 100 people to a home meeting when it was Amway and told them all it was Amway even though I told her not too.1 out of 100 showed up it was her sister.I guess she should have lied and used curiosity.Curiosity killed the cat!I think I will get those Quixtar tee shirts out now and wear them .I'm gonna put Qrush's web address on them.If Quixtar or Amway is such a great opportunity why are they so embarrased with it.You would be proud to wear the shirts and hats if they came from the partner stores so you could bragg about them being in business with you!
Yeah, whatever. "Michelle Singletary," if that is her real name, is only saying these things becasue she's obviously in cahoots with Bo Short.
Oh, yeah, I'm sure this columnist is in cahoots with Bo Short. Another conspiracy theory, how original.
What on earth makes the conspiracy theorists think that anybody even CARES enough about Quixtar/Amway or Passport to dream up a conspiracy?
Sorry, the rest of the world is not interested enough in your 'business' to bother either way.
Actually, she IS Bo Short... in drag of course. He's quite fetching in a dress don't ya think?
Is "Your Boy Fleak" actually "Qrush?"
"Enquiring minds want to know..."
PW
My last post was so rediculously moronic that I could actually feel myself getting dumber as I typed it. I thought it would instantly be recognized as sarcasm, but I guess it wasn't. Sorry. Anyway, props to Q-blog for finally exposing the reason why none of us have ever seen Mrs. Singletary and Bo Short at the same place at the same time.
And I'm not Qrush! I SWEAR that I am 100% just some guy, but that's not the REAL issue hear, is it?! It's time one of us says what the rest of us already know: I think it's obvious to anyone that's been here for a while that PW is really...DON STORMS!!!! And I've learned through an anonymous tip that LawDawg is really not a dog at all! And that, my friends, is no bullQrap!
:o)
And Dwighty is really Janet!
HAHAHAHAHA
Such a distinction isn't made in the column because let's face it, there is very little discernment between Amway/Quixtar groups to begin with.
That's why different diamonds are able to have their tapes go to the other lines of sponsorship, because the contrariety between organizations is negligible.
I will concede that there are more than likely differences at the IBO level, but not enough of them that could be reflected upon in this report to prove any kind of dissimilarity.
Unfortunately for your scholarly friend, Dwighty, it's a case of guilt by association, in spite of very few trying to do it honestly and openly.
Sorry Dwighty.
This just dawned on me: Are there any Quixtar IBOs out there that are not part of an 'organization associated with Quixtar?'
Isn't that the definition of a line of sponsorship anyway? I mean, are there lone wolf LOSs out there that DON'T peddle tapes and conventions? Where does a young IBO in that sort of support chain get their training and motivation, which has been deemed so valuable numerous times?
If so, why would I want to sign up at the bottom of the tree/stack/pyramid? Why can't I just sign up? Can't do that...have to sign up under someone else. Also, I noticed the guy on the Quixtar sign-up web page looks like he fell out of a window and is about to land on me. Who say's there is no truth in advertising? You just have to look for it.
So, I HAVE to have a line of sponsorship. That's not very independent in my view. In fact, that's not independent at all.
What if I don't want to paddle the canoe, but rather float on my innertube?
FLOAT YOU TUBE! FLOAT YOUR TUBE!
That one is mine. Find your own.
No need to appologize to me, Rocket. I was merely giving Q a hard time. I didn't actually think he'd follow through with it.
Well, are there any non-tape/convention LOSs?
Dwighty, (glad you are back!), portrays himself as an independent. Is this true?
What is truth, afterall? Is that as pliable 'Independent' business owner?
Just asking.
Ok, I am a current IBO with no downline and a diamond as an upline...
Don't you people ever ask questions? I was approached 25 times in the amway days before I got into this business. The diamond did the plan, and I asked him every question you all have raised. I don't buy tapes, books etc. I don't pursue the business, but he still communicates with me. I don't care if you join or not, but this just took me 2 minutes to write, and the rest of this site must take hours, so both of us have wasted time.
Great advice indeed. It gives me some hope as it ran in a large paper in my area (Seattle) where there are many business savvy people. Hopefully this will raise awareness in the business community about what to watch for with these ambiguous pitches. I'd like to say that I'm hopeful that IBO's in my area read it and took heed to it's advice, but since they are all taught to not read the newspaper it's unlikely their even aware of it.
Posted by: jason | August 24, 2004 1:52 PM