With rare exceptions (as in mature and publicly traded companies), compensation plans that I've seen claiming to be based upon the MLM business model are absurd. Although MLM is one of the fastest-growing business models of the past few decades and some people have indeed built massive fortunes, for almost everyone MLM turns out to be a losing financial proposition, as does business in general.

You should consider joining a MLM company that offers quality consumable products that are not readily available through other marketing channels, and which provides an effective and duplicable training program. This forum is predominately anti-MLM, so you perhaps should avoid most of the advice given here.

Generally it is best to join a company that is at least three years old. Companies that have been around for awhile have the kinks worked out. They know what works and what doesn’t work. They usually have a solid training and marketing system in place. You may want to check the Direct Selling Association (DSA) website to see companies that have met years worth of scrutiny and criteria to be listed on their site.

Your best option would be, if possible, is to join under someone who is already at the success level you want to achieve in a company which has a line of products compatible with your interests.

So you'll never become a business owner or work for a living, in general. Who really works without relying on someone else's "effort"?

This model is the most widely used everywhere on Earth!

I am surprised that few, very few, in the warrior forum support network marketing as a small business model that can be operated from your home office. I agree that having a legitimate product or service that can provide a living wage without the compensation plan is necessary and yes there is a lot of unsubstantiated hype that sweeps gullible people into investing heart and soul (not to mention time and money) with no results. But isn't that what happens with most internet marketing programs? We are all in this together to change the traditional get a job mentality that is addicted to a paycheck (Robert Kiyosaki) only to find that we must continue working part time or full time when we are in our 70s. We want our industries to evolve so that the promises that we all make to sell products or services are honest and credible.

I would like you to consider the fact that it only takes one or two credible companies to change the perspective of millions of previous doubters, ie the way Starbucks or Amazon changed the old coffee and book industries. Our LegalShield and IDShield providers combine the resources of two companies that are over 40 years old each. Tens of thousands of people make a few hundred to a few thousand dollars each month enrolling members in our legal and identity theft programs without the rest of the network marketing compensation plan. LegalShield is changing the perception that mlm is a lotions, potions, money pyramid thing.

My story. My ex-wife and I created a small team that enrolled ~1200 members in the legal services plan from 1996-1998, about 18 months of effort. Then our storefront satellite television business ran into financial difficulty and we quit doing both our satellite and legal businesses. Since 1998 LegalShield kept paying us for the memberships that stayed on the books, ie our book of business as it is known. Recently, Julianne, my ex, knowing that I was unemployed and looking, called and said, "Do you realize that LegalShield has paid us over $40,000 just in the past five years for the work we did in 1998?" That really stopped me in my tracks. I know that every time I was short on my bills I would go see when I could expect another deposit, but I never considered the integrity of those payments. Needless to say I started my LegalShield business again this past month. I would encourage anyone interested to contact me at SafeAndSecure.info

As for our CEO. "Mr. Bell comes to LegalShield with over 20 years of corporate leadership and consumer marketing experience for global brands including Microsoft, Chrysler, Ford and NBC Universal. While serving as Corporate Vice President, Global Marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business (Xbox) for Microsoft Inc., Mr. Bell saw tremendous success, leading the business to its first profitable year in its existence, and garnered industry recognition launching and marketing a number of successful video game franchises including "Halo 3," "Gears of War," "Madden," and "Rock Band." In addition, he led the growth of Xbox LIVE from four million to 12 million members in two years. While serving as Vice President of the Chrysler and Jeep Divisions for Daimler Chrysler, he launched the Chrysler 300, and the 'Grab Life by the Horns' and Town & Country with "Stow 'n Go" seating and storage marketing campaigns. In 2012, NBC Senior Vice President, Kim Niemi, called upon Mr. Bell, to lead NBC Universal's marketing efforts in the health and fitness market. In this role, Mr. Bell developed the "Challenge America" campaign which enrolled over 300,000 members and became the theme for "The Biggest Loser" television show. In addition, Mr. Bell has been the recipient of Advertising Age's "Interactive Marketer of the Year" in 2005 and was named the Advertising Age "Entertainment Marketer of the year" in 2007."

I hope this was a joke coming from a veteran here.

Fixed that for you.

Read this portion of post #13 again:

That can't be based on anything but ignorance of the subject.

You probably shouldn't respond at all.

Most people don't have what it takes to make a full time living from MLM.

Likewise, most people don't have what it takes to make a full time living from Internet marketing.

Your chances of success will depend more upon you and what you do than upon the program you join or the business model you implement.

Over my working career, which began in the mid '70s, I have been approached many times by friends, relatives, and even strangers to listen to their MLM pitch - which I have usually agreed to out of respect for my friends. I have been pitched on dozens of MLM "opportunities."

I didn't joint any of these programs.

Here's what I have seen: not one of those people that pitched me ever made a living from their own program. Not one is still in that program today. Almost every one of those friends, relatives and neighbors were in a new and different career in less than a year.

To me, it suggests that very few ever make it in this business.

Steve