During my time as an Amway Independent Business Owner (IBO), one of the things I heard, and continue to hear, is that those who do not regard Amway favourably, or who decide to resign and walk away from the Amway opportunity are "broke," "losers," or "broke losers." As an IBO, I recall one of my uplines stating that IBOs are winners, and that if you are not an IBO, you must be a loser, which I found to be true. Much of this is still evident today. I'm not sure why this type of instruction is still being practised, especially when the majority of individuals who work for minimum wage earn more than the majority of IBOs.
I believe it's a type of subliminal pressure utilised by upline to keep individuals from quitting because no one wants to be considered a loser in this business. It instils a sense of "we" versus "them" in people. Rich DeVos, one of Amway's co-founders, stated unequivocally in a lecture that independent business owners (IBOs) should not use the term "failure" simply because someone does not believe that Amway is the best. And I agree with you.
In addition to those who are not Independent Business Owners (IBOs), many people are simply not suitable for or do not want to manage a "side" business. Some people may not require an additional source of income, while others do not wish to sacrifice time with their families. If IBOs are turned down for an opportunity when providing it to others, they should respect the decision of the other person. Furthermore, as a result of unethical activity on the part of IBOs in the past, many people are reluctant to participate in an opportunity where such behaviour is present. Sure, not all independent business owners (IBOs) behave in this manner, but there are still enough of them around. Even more concerning, it appears that little, if anything, has been done to address the situation.
In my opinion, however, the most important reason why IBOs should refrain from calling anyone nasty names simply because they do not wish to join Amway or purchase products is the following: There's no reason to sever ties with a potential consumer or future IBO just because they're different. Consider the following scenario: I walk into a store and, for whatever reason, decide not to make a purchase that day. As I go out the door, the store owner calls me a loser, a broke person, or someone who lacks courage. What is the likelihood that I will wish to do business with that store or its owner in the future at any point? Furthermore, many, if not the majority, of Amway business owners conduct business face to face with their customers. If I insult people who are not originally interested in doing business with me, I am doing a poor job of public relations, and the likelihood is that my business will fail. Despite this, many independent business owners (IBOs) practise it.
Losers and broke losers should be avoided at all costs by IBOs and upline leaders who should take the time to understand this. It's possible that you're burning bridges with potential future clients or independent business owners.
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