It was a tremendous source of pride to us that we were involved with a legitimate, ethical company. Back in '71 there had been lots of adverse publicity about various "pyramid" schemes that had been put out of business by the FTC. Among those were Koscot, Bestline, and Holiday Magic. Unlike Amway, these companies paid bonuses on the number of recruits you signed up under you. They were Ponzi Schemes which rewarded a handful of people at the top. Thousands of others lost significant amounts. We patted ourselves on the back, knowing we were too smart to fall for something like that.
Amway was different. It had been in business over twelve years, boasted an AAA-1 credit rating from Dun & Bradstreet. It manufactured its own products. Furthermore, there were built in safeguards and Rules of Conduct which (in enforced) prevented abuses from happening. If you got into Amway and decided it wasn't for you, the most you could lose was $3.00, the cost of a year's membership in the Amway Distributors' Association. Amway would buy back from you any unsold products upon request.
These were strong selling points. To anyone willing to listen with an open mind, Amway was THE opportunity to get into. What could you lose? Startup costs were extremely low, as compared to setting up a conventional business. If you wanted to own your own business, you had to have a product or service you could market. Amway already had the products for you! This was a business that wouldn't own you. You could do it all in your spare time, and not give up what you already had.
All that was well and good, as far as dealing with Amway Corporationwas concerned. But you could not get into Amway without getting involved with an AMO. And that was a different story entirely.
In order to get help from your upline, you had to show them you were committed to being a success. That meant attendance at all meetings and functions. That could very well mean time away from your job, or if married, away from your family. So much for a spare time business you could do at your own convenience.
Quote from diamond distributor Charlie Marsh:
"This business is not built on anybody's convenience. You must make your distributors INconvenienced. You must make yourself inconvenienced. Then success will be born!"
So if you are a distributor looking for prospects, first you tell them it can be done in their spare time. Then if they balk at how much is actually involved, you can tell them that if they're serious about being successful, they have to attend the functions, and buy the books and tapes. Supply information on a "need to know" basis.
In my situation being single, I could arrange my schedule so I could attend every function possible. My upline assured me that I was doing the right thing and to keep up the good work. Never mind few, if any, of my group came to the meetings with me. I was learning so much, and growing so much, that I'd be Direct before I knew it! I believed that.
Back then we would bring our tape recorders with us to record the Pearls of Wisdom from Dexter and the higher level pins. This was before Dexter and Bill had developed the Tools business into a real System. Of course Dexter told us it was mandatory for us to have a CRAIG tape recorder. If he said it, then it was so. After all, he was a Double Diamond. He had a vested interest in our success, right? And it JUST SO happened you could buy one at the booth next to the auditorium. Cash or make the check out to Dexter Yager!
At subsequent functions, more and more positive thinking books and motivational tapes became available. I understand you can buy video tapes now. But at any rate, if we wanted to be as big in the business as Dexter, then we'd have to pay the price and buy these tools which were essential for our success. After all, a doctor has his stethoscope, a lawyer has his law books. Why should the Amway business be any different?
By this time I had invested a considerable amount of time and effort into building my distributorship. Why wasn't I growing at the rate I expected? Obviously it because I hadn't yet listened to the most recent tape, or read the most recent motivational book. I needed to get those, and oh, by the way Tony Renard was going to be speaking in Charlotte next week. And if I didn't come, then I didn't really want the business. Because this man was going to SHOW me how to build the business!
Dexter Yager had me right where he wanted. I was trapped in a cult and didn't even know it! I was getting nowhere in my job, and hating it more and more every day. My apathy was beginning to generate comments from bosses and co-workers. I wasn't getting anywhere in Amway either; but Dexter did hold out that carrot for me. It would be mine if only I grasped it. One more tape would bring it closer.
People ask, "then why didn't you just quit?" I had nowhere to go. By now I was totally alienated from my family. The only friends I had were people in Amway. They were the only people with whom I had anything in common. They totally convinced me I was doing the right thing, and I was getting lots of love and support from these people. (At a price of course). All the trials and tribulations I was experiencing would only make me a stronger and better Amway distributor. Five years down the road, when I was a Crown, I'd be laughing about it on stage. People from all over the country would drop what they were doing, and pay big bucks to come see me. As a Crown, I would receive $20,000 just to make a speech!
In retrospect I wonder what my life would REALLY have been like as a Diamond or Triple Diamond, or whatever.
Sure, I would be able to buy anything I wanted. But the bulk of my income would come from speaking tours and tape sales. I would arrive in my business jet and there would be 50,000 guests in the stadium. A lot of them would be paying money they needed for food and shelter. I'd tell them if they only applied themselves enough, they could be up here too. Never mind most of them would never make it. To some, the money lost would be minor, to others, it would be significant. I wouldn't tell them that I couldn't afford my jet plane if I relied solely on my Amway income.
I'd bowl them over with my eloquence. I'd make them cry over my struggles. Never mind than many of them would never even turn over a profit in their business. After all I would be a household name to them. Many of them would love me and be willing to take a bullet for me. I'd love them back, as long as they were in the business.
I'd tell them they could have anything they wanted if they were only willing to pay the price. They could walk with me on the beaches of the world. If they couldn't get their people to come with them to hear me speak, I'd tell them: "Your friends who didn't come, those who don't believe, maybe you are paying their price down the road. So that their children can live in a free world, so they won't have to live under communism, so they can worship their God." I'd say that in a straight face, and no one would laugh!
At the end, we'd sing "God Bless America." Off stage we'd tally up the receipts. Fifty thousand distributors each paid $50.00 just to hear me speak. That's $2,500,000. Out of that we pay the city $200,000 for the stadium. We pay the ex-president $100,000. We divvy up $200,000 to the other speakers. Voila! We've got $2,000,000 left over. There'd be a special helicopter to fly me back to the airport. My jet plane would be topped off with fuel, ready to take me to the next city for my next open. I'd wave to the faithful before boarding. Never mind most of them would be worse off financially than if they had never heard of me. Looking down at the lights of the city from 42,000 feet, I'd snicker. "Ain't no way I could afford this plane just selling Amway and drawing circles in people's houses. I'm selling the dream, those suckers are buying, and that makes this plane a necessity!"
the web address for this page is http://hunza1.tripod.com/amway/1971.html