Comments on: Amway: Republican Benefactor Launches Comeback

By: R.D. Saunders

R.D. Saunders — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:10:37 +0000

I am the leader of Network of Caring the non-profit organization of Jim Dornan, a highly successful Independent Business Owner in Amway and founder of Network 21. There is no excuse for the failings of some in the Amway business. It is clear that you have a lot of passion and want to make a difference in the world. But should you judge an entire group of people you do not know because of the failings of some?

The fact is, Jim Dornan’s Network 21 community of Amway is comprised of some of the finest people on earth. Your wholesale attempt to impugn them smacks of a judgementalism I think you would despise. And in your haste to condemn you have ignored or overlooked the fact that this organization has done some amazing things for peace and social justice around the world.

I can’t speak with authority on Amway but I know for a fact that the Network 21 family of Amway IBO’s has done some amazing things.
1. They have contributed $30 million to World Vision, a child sponsorship organization helping 100s of 1000s of children world-wide. In fact Network 21 is their largest corporate sponsor.
2. They started the Karuna School and Hostel in Mumbai India rescuing 100s of orphans from the streets of Mumbai.
3. They started the Fernando Foundation to promote power soccer where handicapped children can play a sport and become an athlete. Fernando has launched 55 teams in the US serving about 400 athletes.
4. They pay the coal bill for an orphanage for deaf chidlren in China and have purchased hearing aids for several of them.
5. They have purchased more than 1000 wheelchairs in parts of the world where people cannot afford to buy one and must crawl in the dirt.
6. They paid for homes for abused children in San Diego.

I could go on and on. We have people from every Christian faith, no faith, Muslim faith, Hindu faith, Buddhist faith and etc in our organization. I just think that maybe your article should have been more measured and thoughful…a lot of good things are happening.

And as for the Amway business opportunity, there are many people who have failed at different businesses in their lives while others succeed in them. The same is true for Amway. The cost to start an Amway business is minimal, the training materials are essential, and those with a strong work ethic will do well. Many people are succeeding beyond their wildest dreams. We only tell them that if they work hard and are committed to personal growth they will probably succeed…so many have and it is undeniable.

By: Rahb

Rahb — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:00:28 +0000

Myles, re. “…got out just in time…”, too true – one guy in my group managed to sell a vacuum cleaner and got one for himself, I pointed out that this would have him and the “customer” forever buying parts, filters, etc. from them, but he blew a ton before figuring it out for himself. So there are traps in it for everybody.
I had another friend in another group who’s experience was like mine, again pulled in a little money from it. The key with us is that we actually read. We read any agreement, instruction, etc. that came our way and tried to actually understand the rules of Amway as a whole (or as a hole). That way, even if someone further up the chain said anything contrary they’d have to prove it. Most people just go with the mob though…

By: Myles Hoenig

Myles Hoenig — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:30:13 +0000

Rahb,
Like in any huge corporation with downloads and uploads and management and peons, there will always be small groups that defy the conventional stereotype that the organization encourages. So in your group it is normal for you to be respected as you were. And, in a ponzi scam, some people do make money. You got out just in time, it sounds.

By: Rahb

Rahb — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:34:04 +0000

“…participate not realizing/ failing to identify other problems with it…” including the huge donations to a political party of the companies choosing (as opposed to that of the people, much like any other corporate government.

By: Rahb

Rahb — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:31:48 +0000

Myles: Agreed. Please do not regard this as a defense of Amway, just another view on it. About 10 – 15 yrs ago I was involved in Amway and continued as Quixtar began to roll out. The product was decent (often better than competitors) and more name brands became available. Contrary to the article, I was never asked to ‘fill my garage’ with product or even purchase a few extras to have on hand, it was possible to order directly from Ada via telephone and delivery was fairly quick, with Quixtar this became available via internet. Some groups on the other hand did encourage the store and sell method (making miniature door to door type walmarts) as they were very short-sighted and thought that this would give them a competitive edge (a friend’s husband lost their shirts in a group separate from mine, while I actually made a little money and the start-up cost was made up for within a month or two, not the millions that the other guys were after, but never got, mind you). Again contrary to the article, at the time the cost of the products, including delivery etc., was very often far better than competitors, I’d kill to get a cube of toilet paper (hundreds of rolls) at the price I got then, which was not much more expensive than what we would otherwise have paid for 36 rolls elsewhere…
Tapes, books, and seminars were very much encouraged (as they are with any “self-help” seminars/ groups etc.) in all of the groups, and some people believed that they should continue purchasing them with blind confidence that they would bring about miracles or something, but never actually used the information within. I got 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and others that helped with a number of things in my life at the time. My “upline” / subsequently my “downline” and I realized that buying more books, tapes, etc. than you can effectively read, learn from, and use, or buying stuff that wasn’t working for others ’cause it’s on the list, didn’t make sense; so, we bought a few and shared them freely amongst each other.
All that said, as we attended occasional seminars, I noticed more and more pressure to support and attend their religion and politics. That was a major reason that I left, as I’d been brought up to believe that discussion of religion and politics loses friends faster than anything, it didn’t seem to be a good business strategy.
Of course my current views challenge the pyramid structure of our entire society (which, in all honestly, Amway adheres to more than taking it to the extreme – Banks, Inestment groups, and Oil companies are far more pyramid scammy than Amway was) , my view challenges the “benefits” of Capitalism etc. prized by Amway, in addition to seeing that sort of company as being more harmful to society than helpful (people already have replaced friendship with networking acquaintances far too much), the list goes on… Nonetheless, distorting or not providing both sides of the information about the company would only serve to encourage people to look into it and when they realize that they don’t, by Amway’s rules, have to keep stock on hand etc. they may participate not realizing/ failing to identify other problems with it.

By: Myles Hoenig

Myles Hoenig — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:15:03 +0000

It is such a shame that the excellent products of Amway are associated with these demons.