This has started and stopped a few dozen times. Over the months it was a resounding need in me to put words on paper, but something kept me paralyzed and stuck. I kept saying it was writers block, I was busy with school or the kids or work or the business. Basically, any reason I could find to not sit and write this particular blog post was good enough for me. Until the other day….
You see, I was scrolling blissfully on Facebook (side note: Its always FB isn’t it!) and catching up. I came across a post where people were discussing the recent woes faced by a pretty well-known MLM company that got its start with leggings. Down the rabbit hole I went and up the feelings came from my own experiences with an MLM.
I have always felt like I am not telling my whole truth and embracing my experiences when I gush and don’t logically or wholly talk about my experiences in said company on the entrepreneur/business end side, its been at least 2 years since I split ways and I think its time to speak on my experiences.
So, after reading articles, listening to podcasts, engaging in Facebook groups, taking in information from disgruntled MLM-ers, popping the popcorn and finally just getting to a place of remembering that silence is indeed not golden I feel like it’s time to get my personal story down on paper.
Some will say live and let live, other will say I’m mean for speaking on this especially because I have people I know who are still involved in MLM’s/Direct sales. All I can say is that I am a lover of the truth. And this right here is my truth. For those who rather hear, push play and hear how I got started ….
How did it start?
The answer to this is simple, I was looking for a solution to losing weight and taking better care of myself. I wish I could say it was that simple, when I found Beachbody, I was determined to get a handle on my health after a visit to my PCP.
I had 3 healthy rambunctious kids who I could never take to the park on account of my fatigue, my fiancée was present, I was a full-time nurse 8:30a – 5p and ran a household. It was also a tough time emotionally, in a span of 3-4 years I had some major life events happen and to be honest I needed a way to cope healthily.
So, as I scrolled through Facebook, I saw an ad for a free health and fitness group. The lady running the group was a fellow countrywoman and I felt comfortable enough to respond and ask to join the group. We went through the 5 days and I loved everything I saw. I enjoyed the content, I loved the quick easy meals that were filling and not very stressful. At the end of the group, the call to action (which I later learnt that one needed almost all the time) came. “If you enjoyed this and it helped, join me for the next 30 days ….” I couldn’t sign up fast enough because I felt great!!!
This is where it became tricky. My new friend in what I can only hope was an effort to help me shared with me that as I was already signing up for the program, I may as well go ahead and sign up to be a discount coach aka preferred customer because it “changed her life” and was a great way to make extra money – now who doesn’t want extra coins in their purse?!!. I signed up as a coach despite not having any qualifications in the health and fitness realm (this nagged me in the back of my mind), ready to be a healthier #bossbabe #mompreneur and help others also discover their inner entrepreneur spirits if they so wished..
In retrospect, the running should have begun here!
Join me in part two next week as I continue the story of my experiences in an MLM and where my naïveté led me next.