DeVos Speaks Archive
August 31, 2005
DeVos Speaks - Illegal, Immoral, Improper
Posted by QBlog
"DeVos
Speaks," is special series that features comments made by Amway co-founder
Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote is published without comment and includes a link
to the source material (for context) when available. This series doesn't have
a regular publication schedule but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
If this was an exception letter, you guys and gals, I wouldn't beat it at ya. I got too many of 'em, and therefore I'm going to share it with you, although I know that it's a little negative, but I have to get to you, I have to get your attention that we have to do some things to change our image, and we need to the help of all of you.
". . . I consider myself to be an -- ambitious, aggressive group. Directs, that was (sic) determined to reach their set goal at the expense of the Distributors, come hell or high water. Their philosophy, "Mortgage your home, cash in your insurance, get a bank loan and borrow from whosoever will loan you. We were told in our, and I'll leave the name out because it would identify the organization, in our so and so meeting, certain things discussed were to remain within the walls wherein discussed or suggested."
Then the goes on to tell how he was harassed at this job.
Whoever was teaching that, and it was not some little new Direct, was teaching an illegal, immoral, improper system. I can't tolerate it.
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983
June 30, 2005
DeVos Speaks - Direct Distributor
Posted by QBlog
"DeVos
Speaks," is special series that features comments made by Amway co-founder
Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote is published without comment and includes a link
to the source material (for context) when available. This series doesn't have
a regular publication schedule but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
Someplace along the line, we lost sight of the fact that the Direct Distributor is the operating head of their organization. All due respect to the upline. I don't care who they are; I don't care what pin level they are. Many of you have heard me talk over and over again about the fact that if your sponsor did nothing more than tell you about Amway, they opened a door of opportunity for you; but only you can walk through it.
And those of you that I'm talking to today are Direct Distributors; you took the challenge; you walked through that door, and you became a Direct Distributor in the world of Amway. In our book, that makes you the head, the star the outstanding performer, who, unlike many others who looked at it and listened and either turned it down or did nothing with it, you did, and you are to be commended.
I'm disturbed, because I find too many people are putting Directs down and saying, Oh, what are you? "You don't know enough," a Diamond's where it's at. And you know, it's true; we have a lot of awards at Diamond. But we decided a long time ago in this company that Direct Distributor is where it's at. After all, a Diamond is only a person who has six Direct Distributors, and a double Diamond is one who has twelve; but this whole Plan revolves around the leadership of the Direct Distributor. And that's, of course, why we're talking to you.
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983
May 26, 2005
DeVos Speaks - 60 Minutes and Amway
Posted by QBlog
"DeVos
Speaks," is special series that features comments made by Amway co-founder
Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote is published without comment and includes a link
to the source material (for context) when available. This series doesn't have
a regular publication schedule but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
Well, let me give you the background on 60 Minutes, it might help you a bit.
We were first approached a long time ago. We tried to put it off. We told them we didn't think we were a good subject for the show, but they said they were going to do a show, with or without us. And we finally took it upon ourselves to say that if they're going to do it anyway, then we're not going to dodge it — even if it's a disaster, we're at least going to stand for what we believe and if they don't put our thoughts on the tape, well that's up to them. But we're not going to run from it.
We had no control over the people they used. They took tape from all over the country. They taped people on the West Coast, they taped people on the East Coast and they chose to run the portion they ran. Now, you may not have liked, or I may not have liked it — it's unimportant. That was their choice. The fact of the matter, however, is that what you saw is what was being presented at an Amway meeting. And I'm not going to knock it and say it was so bad — it's just that when you take a little piece out of a big meeting, it can look not as good as you'd like to have it. You know, if you and I sit in a meeting for three or four hours and we hear somebody say a few things like that, we'd applaud. We'd say, "Yeah, right on, and soar with the eagles — why not?"
But when ya suddenly see that little section, one minute long, taken out of context and flashed on a screen, it doesn't look quite the same. Does it? When a person stands up and says "I'm going to have a ring for every finger..." You know, I say sometimes at a Direct Distributor meeting where we're on a talk about getting ahead in life and having some of the finer things in life, that sounds pretty good. But when it's on a national television screen, as though it represented all of us, and that all we think about is greed, or money, or rings, or cars, or buses, or whatever, then it doesn't look very good.
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983
Comments (24) TrackBack (0)April 6, 2005
DeVos Speaks - Careful With Our Image
Posted by QBlog
"DeVos
Speaks," is special series that features comments made by Amway co-founder
Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote is published without comment and includes a link
to the source material (for context) when available. This series doesn't have
a regular publication schedule but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
"We're on to the subject, and I hate to confront you with it. But I think for most of you, you'll recognize that if we aren't careful with our image, some day it'll be so bad, you won't be able to sponsor anybody. And then there won't be any sense in talking about it anymore.
But right now, this night, at the meetings you have today, with the people with whom you talk today, is the time to make sure you present the Plan as a plan that offers opportunity geared on hard work and that you approach people honestly and straight-forward and don't try to deceive them, and then you don't try to push stuff on your nice distributors because you make money on it when it may or may not be totally necessary for them.
I know some of the tapes are magnificent. I know they're important, and I know rallies are important, and I know books are important. I know all that's important — all important within balance. Out of balance, it can destroy us."
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983
February 22, 2005
DeVos Speaks - Income Claims
Posted by QBlog
"DeVos
Speaks," is special series that features comments made by Amway co-founder
Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote is published without comment and includes a link
to the source material (for context) when available. This series doesn't have
a regular publication schedule but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
"Number Two: I will only use Amway-produced literature in the presentation of the Plan and will use only the figures Amway gives.
We have a major lawsuit going right now with an attorney general in one of the states based on people making what they say are excess claims and telling people they hardly have to work at all, telling them you can make $50,000.00 a year and you only have to work twelve hours a week.
Now, you and I both know, you know; that -- that just can't be put up with. And, therefore, I have a very simple statement to you: Don't create numbers of your own. You use the numbers and the literature we give you, and nobody else's. You don't have any tapes in your group to teach you how to present the Plan other than the one Amway has. That's what I mean by following Rule Two."
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983
February 3, 2005
DeVos Speaks - Increase Your Income
Posted by QBlog
Welcome
to the first installment of "DeVos Speaks," a new Quixtar BLOG series
that features comments made by Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. Each DeVos quote
is published without comment and includes a link to the source material (for
context) when available. This series doesn't have a regular publication schedule
but all posts are available under the Category
listing on the Archives page.
"The thing I want most for you is to increase your income; but I don't know any way to do that, other than by increasing your volume. And I don't know any way to do that, other than by sponsoring some new people who get some customers and retail products on a regular basis.
But I watched you skirt the issues. First you got afraid of selling; told people they didn't have to. Then some of you came along, and you didn't dare own up to the fact you were in the Amway business; so you had some cutesy names you contrived and kind of flew the Amway flag upside down, hidden under the basket someplace, snuck it in about an hour later, after the meeting began."
- Rich DeVos, Directly Speaking - 1983