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THE TRUTH -- FROM A FORMER EMPLOYEE
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I want to start by saying that I was a "manager trainee" here for three months. I was really inspired to write this review because I had read one written by a current employee who was extremely offensive. If I were you Ms. B, I’d find out who wrote that and fire you for giving your company an even worse reputation than it had accrued on its own.
That being said, LET'S DIG IN TO THE TRUTH.
This company is NOT a scam or a fraud. They ARE, however, misleading.
When I interviewed, the office manager took me for a roller coaster ride. He glanced at my application, asked some questions, pointed out my strengths and weaknesses, and then he really seemed to be debating about whether or not he should hire me. When he said he would give me a chance I felt like I was the underdog who won the fight and I was actually on my way to financial independence (Shady Act #1: I later found out that this is a tactic they use on EVERY applicant because that is how they taught me to interview).
Next I was asked for my I.D. to complete paperwork. (Shady Act #2: they do this so you will reach for your wallet and then they ask you how you're going to pay for the background check). I didn't have the money so I was told to go and get it and come back. I told the manager I'd be back the next day. I was skeptical, but the promise of making $4k a month within 60 days was too tempting. I returned the next day with the $75 check. At this point, the manager told me about the training and the kit fee. I didn't want to give $100 of my last $115, but again, that glimmer of financial freedom took over.
I went to the training course from 4:30 to 9pm (Shady Act #3: What business is going to start your training that late at night AND not pay you for training at all, aside from this company, that's NEVER happened to me AND I've had other commission only jobs that pay you during training).
After the initial training, I went to an advanced training and then I started attending the meetings (3 per week). The first week, the meetings were OK. I almost felt like I was at a leadership class instead of a business meeting though. After the second or third week, everything started going downhill. The meetings were repetitive, the information and statistics were outdated, and I noticed I was the only person coming to the meetings! Not to mention, the kit that I paid $99 for contained a binder of about 30 pages of paper, with a multitude of spelling and grammar mistakes. How professional is that? "Here ma'am take this pamphlet, learn about fire protection. Oh yea, please ignore all of the spelling errors. Our Bad." (UGH. LAME.)
**HERE'S WHERE ALL THE REAL SHADINESS BEGINS**
One morning, after a meeting, the office manager asks me if I'd like to get a head start on IOT (in-office training). OF COURSE I said yes! He says his secretary (who I still hadn't seen in 3 weeks) was ill and he gave me a script to follow. He scribbled a bunch of names and numbers on a paper, did a sample call and sent me on my way. I began calling people and they would ask me with questions like "is this a sales position?" and "how much do you get paid?" Being that I'm an HONEST person, I said... yes, this is a sales position at first, it leads into a management position. How much you get paid depends on how much you can sell.
Apparently that was the wrong answer, and I was quickly corrected to say, "well we have sales positions available" and "office managers make anywhere from $4k+ commissions." I wasn't comfortable saying that, so I was told to tell people to direct their questions to the office manager.
At the next meeting, I was asked if I wanted to do more training. Again, I said YES! This time I learned "the orientation." That's what they call the little presentation they give you before you go in for your one on one interview. DON'T BE FOOLED LIKE I WAS. As a manager trainee, we are taught to point to the map FILLED with pins, and say quickly "these are offices we're opening up across the U.S." (SHADY #5: They should really say "these are the offices we DREAM of opening across the US" because they aren't in the process of opening ANY of those offices. They really are just pins placed on a board. They mean NOTHING).
Another part of the orientation is where they say "there is no successful manager across the U.S. making less than $4k a month" (that's the part that hooked me BTW). I guess this is sort of the truth because there really are NO MANAGERS making that amount across the U.S. They only have 4 offices (2 in the LA area and 2 in the IE).
After a month or so, I made a couple of sales. The people received their WAY overpriced merchandise and I received my commission checks, so I was placated for a while. I overheard managers talking about how the reviews on the BBB and google were really bringing negative attention. I asked my manager why didn't we just get accredited by the BBB, then we wouldn't have that problem. His response was, "only weak people use the BBB."
—___— WHAT?! In my head I was thinking "you're an idiot guy. The BBB is one of the most trusted organizations in the business community! TONS of businesses are accredited by them and TONS of people use them to decipher whether or not to use a certain business. Are you calling most of America WEAK? GET A GRIP! I have several family members who own their own businesses, all of them are successful and all of them are accredited by the BBB. I'm just sayin'.
I'm going to stop telling you exactly how everything goes down in the offices because I think, if you've made it this far down, you get the picture. I'd like to end with this.
YOU WILL SEE SEVERAL REVIEWS COMING FROM EMPLOYEES, SOME ARE QUITE OFFENSIVE AND THAT IS WHAT REALLY MADE ME WANT TO WRITE THIS REVIEW.
TO THAT "GOOGLE USER" WHO DIDN'T SIGN THEIR NAME ON THEIR HORRENDOUSLY OFFENSIVE REVIEW, I HOPE YOU READ THIS.
As I got further and further into the training, I realized this "business" just isn't for me. Not because I am a weak person, not because I can't make my own decisions, not because I'm a loser who is lazy and wants to collect welfare, and not because I'm clueless or uneducated.
I QUIT BECAUSE I AM AN HONEST PERSON. I AM A COLLEGE EDUCATED PERSON (who researched the products I was selling and saw the ridiculous mark-up). I AM A STRONG WILLED, HARD-WORKING PERSON WHO DOESN'T WANT MY GOOD NAME TO BE TARNISHED BY THIS SHADY COMPANY.
To everyone who works there, I hope you get out soon. I hope you find a real job that allows you to take care of yourselves and your families. I hope you all find happiness in your journey.
To Ms. B and Mr. York: You seriously need to get a grip on reality. Stop lying to yourselves and your "employees." CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS MODEL. Get accredited by the BBB. Clean up your image. You two are rolling around in Mercedes' and your employees' cars are breaking down left and right because they aren't making money because they're working for you for FREE. Get Freakin’ REAL! Meeting you both was pleasure, but an even greater pleasure will occur once I post this and get the truth out about your “business.”
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