Its been more than a decade since the days when we earned our way into the position of Platinum, just about the same time Amway announce the business opportunity of a lifetime, one that would revolutionize the way the world shopped. To sum it up it was called the Titanic ooops sorry, or it sank like the Titanic, called Quixstar. I guess in an effort to further protect this amassed fortune the owners the DeVos and Van Andel families also created a parent company called Alticor.
Quixstar was going to be the fix all to the problems that ranged from overpriced Amway products, to being able to sell almost all goods online, with the most secure online store in world history, or so our lying upline told us. So it was an easy sell to get new people on board with by yet once again, another devious but failed Amway scam.
it was about as secure as a thin glasses window is from break and enter, but thanks to so many other shopping sites online now, Amway was eventually able to secure theirs somewhat better many years later.
I should explain, there was a transition from what used to be called Silver, to Quixstar Platinum’s, then to today’s Amway Platinum.
It was quite an adventure, in the few years we were in Amway I suspect we drove close to 50 Thousand kilometers, spent almost as much as we made, or probably spent a lot more if you include the cost of driving, flying, hotels, renting venues just to name a few of the costs.
Not to forget the required audio and video tapes the and support organizations under Amway cost us, close to 1000 a year, plus the cost of conventions, would add up to several more grand a year. It was only years later when we learned how much money Sandy and Karen made off the tapes and videos and even our seats at the conventions.
If not for our day jobs, Amway would have sent us into bankruptcy.
By the time we became a qualified Platinum, we had already made up our minds, that if we were going to get rich, then lying to make my upline rich was not our bag of tea. Not to get ahead of myself, prior to going platinum, my upline George (wow, never met a man who could lie and smile at the same time so well, smiling was his specialty) and his upline Sandy & Karen were the curse that cured me. George has a habit of trying to sign up your downline, because he only had what they call one of 6 needed legs to make it to the next level. George would never have made Platinum other than it was impossible for me to go Platinum without carrying him there.
We also had one leg that really saw massive growth, I won’t take the credit for his hard work, but that was the leg George tried to steal, and if not for other peoples interventions, he almost got away with it. We worked very hard at growing our business, and my expenses and mileage proved it. One of the biggest problems we had as mentioned before was the curse of my upline, who were so much better at costing us business prospects, mostly due to their see though lies, they were pretty much telling people in a few years you can kiss you job goodbye, telling people you saved money by buying Amway’s grossly overpriced products.
The real truth is that Amway products are more expensive that most of the competitive brands, they are NOT better than competitive brands and have about a 50% markup payable to your upline. The more you buy the richer your upline gets. Having said that we were able to grow the business, based on the potential income, but we had to refuse to allow George, or Sandy and Karen the right to attend meetings we had with my downline or our recruiting drives.
Well that went over like a lead balloon with Sandy and Karen. The complained to our upline Diamonds, who tried to smooth things over. We smiled a lot, bit my tongue and let them say their thing. We had plans and we were sticking to my plan, not theirs.
Subsequently we told Sandy and Karen, after being told we could never make it in business without them, we told them, stay out of my way, and watch me.
We were both so completely pissed at my upline, we turned that negative energy into motivation, and was told by Amway that we set a new record time in becoming Silver/Platinum. Well then George offered his words of wisdom as well, he knew we carried him up to Platinum, so he said while we don’t know your doing it, but keep doing it, your making me a lot of money.
BINGO the words the very words we needed to hear, to quit. We knew the scam we were feeding could only end if we walked away.
I recall all the new Platinum’s were wined and dined by Amway at their headquarters, where they had us stay in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids Michigan USA. They assembled us all together then congratulated us all, then asked us after having made it to Platinum, who would turn back the clock by quitting now. Who had regrets in building this business, I could not resist.
My hand was the lone hand up in the room, for a second that seems to last for an eternity it was deathly quiet, then the comeback line, wow sir, I have to give it to you, you have a great sense of humor.
As we had won the trip, and earned it, we did take it, but my mind was set and, on my return, informed Amway/Quixtar of my decision to leave on grounds that we could not continue in an unethical business.
They never replied, pretended we never wrote it, we informed my downline and why, and told them it was up to them to keep going or quit.
Since than we have seen just how much Amway’s spends to keep what should be an illegal pyramid going.
Proof money can buy anything, even the legal right to run a pyramid scheme.
Thanks for having taken the time to read what I have shared with you,
