Why I quit Herbalife in 2015 - the mental, social and financial reasoning behind why I quit and then later returned. The pros, cons and pains of joining an network marketing company and how to evaluate your potential chance of success.

I quit Herbalife in 2015. I, like so many other distributors, who had tried the promised opportunity, quit herbalife without making money or a profit. This was not because of the products or business, but because of the dinasour methods that I was told to use to market and sell the products. Wait until the end to take wisdom from Wall Street.

A Model Business?

I hadn't joined believing that I would make thousands, but in fact joined to use it as a business model on which to learn and practice online and internet marketing skills, with the intention that I could practice using social media to promote and sell the products. However, I signed up to a distributor who was invested in 'belly to belly' selling, the '3 foot Rule' marketing, wearing a badge and delivering flyers. I wore out my good work shoes dropping leaflets in the snow. Never again. Tried the 'weight loss challenges' where only two people enquired, and no one booked to turn up. I even did my own HOM, with 2 guests. This was not my idea of a marketing plan, especially as I would not be able to work it around an unpredicable shift schedule as a nurse, besides, earning well as a nurse, meant it was less stressful and easier to just earn extra income per week doing extra shifts. 

Figure out the Finances

I, very quickly after joining, realised that the more money and time I invested, would mean the more I would have to sell to recoup the initial expenses. I went on a 'conference'. I could see the sponsor was hiding her financial struggle. She didn't even seem to network. I calculated that even investing £400 in joining fee (£100 back then), websites and domains, travel and hotel costs, products for use and sampling, would mean the turnover would need to equate to at least £2000 to breakeven. Herbalife, back then, did not provide websites to everyone. You had to be a supervisor to get one. Well, if anything was different, she never informed me. She also didn't inform me that she could have sold me products at 50% during the first 3 months as she was a supervisor, as it would have meant she earned no commission. However, I would be the one expected to run around marketing and selling, while she profited without even investing a few minutes of her time. I held back from over 'consuming my capital'. I just wanted to break even. Fortunately, I did not fall into the trap of over ordering stock.

Illusions and Intrusions

My trust in her dwindled rapidly when she posted on Facebook that she had gone form living in one room to living in a 3 bedroom house, while neglecting to mention that she was renting the shared accommodation 'house' while the owner was living abroad temporarily. Half truths, some call it. I quickly learned the intention of the 'facebook friend tactics. She was restricted then later removed.

She never called. Never texted. No follow up. When I asked questions about products and strategies for weight loss, she refused to give answers. When I lost 10lbs in 6 weeks, she claimed it was 'water weight', without even using an analyser scale. Where was the support?

As I said earlier, there were no websites. I built my own, learned youtube and online strategies and used this website to promote my 'business'. I gained hudreds of thosands of video views. She and others stalked and criticised. After finally selling products a couple of years later, suddenly she rears her head with an uninvited 'congratulations' email and a list of who sold what in volume point that month. Wow! Did I ask for my business details to be shared with people I don't know? Had I entered into some kind of competition with total strangers? Why monitor my progress so publicly, if you are not supporting, training or encouraging me? In fact, it was very demoralising too be put on a list and discover exactly how little she and others were earning, as she had also disclosed her own volume points. 

I had been subjected to her sly comments, her disclosure of things I had confided to her and experienced the cold shoulder of being kept 'uninformed' of business related information and events. I also experienced the online bullying of a so-called top UK herbalife female rep in a herbalife group for merely suggesting someone sample a competitiors protein shake for comparison. In addition, there was to workplace bullying, family distancing, so much lost and nothing gained. So I left.

Pandemic Pivots

During the pandemic, I was approached by a different MLM company. I joined. This one was worse. Still the 'list of 20 people', friends and family, but worse still, even though the pandemic forced them online, which was highly productive and more efficient for them, they blocked access to the site where I would be able to produce the documents to provide service or products to a client, unless I had first given the upline 2 clients fitting an exact description. Marketing methods were restricted and it only operated in the UK. Suddenly, Herbalife with it's unrestricted 90 countries, free distributor sales website, prepared digital marketing material, easy to access internet marketing tools and well know products that could fit into a skill and knowledge base that I knew, seemed much more attractive. 

Ok, I picked someone this time more receptive to internet marketing strategies, no fake followers that I am aware of. Although they are not as supportive as I expected them to be, from my last two experiences, I have grown aware that this may be a 'do it yourself, by yourself', type of business. At least though, I can direct people to a website to allow them to purchase what they require, without having to buy stock after visiting them, and then drive to them again, to deliver it. They can order direct for international home deliver, at their convenience. 

When I originally joined in 2010, I intended to use webinars and video. Twelve years later, the pandemic has enabled easier access to webinar platforms and more familiarity with them within each household. Ordering online and even training courses has become essential for most individuals and organisations.That includes working in and 'working-out' from home. People have also become more aware of the value of their health and the importance of choosing their lifestyle. Gratitute for a good job may have increased especially during and after the pandemic, but those most grateful were probably in a secure job that they could do remotely from home.  I tried that for a few months and felt like a prisoner in my own home being monitored by my 'key strokes'. I was working more hours for more tax and less take home pay. There are tax and pension advantages of having a business, even in addition to working a 'day' job.

Inflation and an Internet Income

With an impending possible global recession, the great resignation, rising prices and an unstable economy, can you risk the mental and financial uncertainty of not investing in an additional avenue of potential income? 

• Herbalife is a simple to operate business that can be worked full or part time costing less that £40/$50 to start.
• It can provide an incentive to look after your health, physique and wellbeing.
• It it globally well known, therefore easy to market on free social media sites
• It provides you with a free ready to use international ecommerce website.
• You can have or create additional websites.
• You can provide global, national or local services, such as online or offline challenges or nutrition clubs.
• You may offer complementary additional services like hypnotherapy, personal fitness training, yoga or coaching.
• If you develop a team you may also share your business, marketing and training knowledge with your downline team.
• If you support and develop a team, you can potentially increase your income.
• Your team are likely to emerge from satified customers.

Financial Fortune Telling

 - Click for current share price gragh - click MAX for historic values.

In an earlier post I talked about the price of Herbalife shares. In 2009, one year before I joined they were £3.40 down from almost £12 before the housing market crash of 2008. A year later in 2010, they rose to £17 by the end of 2010. Now they are £35 per share having hit a high of £59 per share in 2018.  I am not giving investment advice, but clearly more people are valuing and investing in their health on a global level, and seem to be trusting the quality of Herbalife products to support them in achieving that. 

• If you would like me to support and assist you on your wellness journey, please complete the wellness evaluation or contact form.
• If you are interested in becoming a distributor, please do the same and I will do what I can to help you succeed.

I look forward to working with you.

Ann

Herbal Hypno Coach