On the next, Spivey Loves You, I'll be talking with Jess Underwood James, a makeup artist on movies sets - and an active crusader against MLM organizations. She has her own 'anti-MLM' podcast called The Persuasion Pitch - Check it out.
In previous episodes of SLY, we've taken a look at people who've had relationships with sociopaths, psychopaths and stalkers; Had abusive cults try to control every aspect of their lives; and have been saddled with wrongheaded mindsets. With many MLMs:
- They lie without a second thought to advance themselves (like a sociopath);
- They have little empathy for those who don't serve the "upline" (like a psychopath);
- They reach out and cling to every human in their path to recruit them, like a stalker;
- They control every waking moment of their "downline", have revival-style sales meetings with insane religious zeal, and some go door-to-door to recruit new members, like a cult.
- The people at the 'top of the pyramid' tell those below that they're not doing enough, they're not producing enough, they're just 'not enough'. This is a wrongheaded belief that these members begin to adopt about themselves.
With shows like Showtime's "On Becoming a God in Central Florida" and Netflix "LulaRich" exposing the dark underbelly of MLMs, we're now seeing how abusive these organizations can be. LESS THAN 1% of MLM participants make money, according to the FTC. Find out how to spot an MLM, what to do if you're in one (spoiler alert: GET OUT!), and hear stories of people who joined - and left - MLM's.
Jess is an awesome guest! Check us out next Saturday, September 25th.