Sunday, March 30, 2008

TEAM - Noteworthy or Not Worthy? PART 4

The following is a bit long, but I didn't want to string this out needlessly. The segment after this one should pretty much take care of this series, and then I will have a conclusion post. In the meantime, your feedback would be very much appreciated to take into consideration when I give my final analysis of what TEAM is, where it is going, and how it will do.

The start of this post is my response to the answers I received in Part 3 from IBO Rebellion. After that, I show you the response I got from IBO Rebellion.

As stated before, IBO Rebellion told me on his blog when he banned me ( last posted comment) that he had gone above and beyond in answering any questions I had.

IBO Rebellion contacted me after I had asked for somebody to explain TEAM to me.

IBO Rebellion's comments are in red. Mine are in black, bold just isn't doing it for me.


Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:04:20 -0400 (EDT)
From:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
To:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Hello Again.

First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to respond to my questions. What you have provided is much more than I expected, and I sincerely do appreciate it.

I must say that I am surprised that you have so little information on the legal fund. Surprised in that it's not really transparent, yet a whole bunch of OPM (Other People's Money) is involved. Perhaps it would behoove some of TEAM to ask a few questions in this regard? The perception, quite frankly, is very negative when one considers the dollars that are being managed seemingly with very little accountability. I trust you haven't donated to the legal fund?

You said that the more tools your customers use, the more they would be compensated. Do TEAM members have customers? Or are their "downline" (for lack of a better description) considered customers?

You said there is a formula for calculating profits from people attending seminars, but it doesn't sound like you share that with people upon "sponsoring" them. Would that be considered ethical and moral? Are new TEAM members advised that they are paying for products which the "leaders" profit from?

You also said that the motivational profits were not spelled out in any type of document. How would somebody know what they are working towards? Does the profiting from motivation basically depend on the goodwill of the leaders?

You said that you are not telling people about the profits from motivation at this time. I guess the obvious question is, what do you tell them?

I find it very hard to believe that TEAM sells motivation to corporate and church environments for a profit. I have no doubt that TEAM members speak at churches etc., but what corporations have hired TEAM? Is there a website you can look at which promotes TEAM motivational speaking? Who is eligible in TEAM to do these motivational seminars for companies, and is that part of the compensation plan?

What exactly is the difference between leadership and character based leadership? What is the difference between practicing it and teaching it?

You say that TEAM is stable through this obviously tumultuous time. OK. How is it stable? Does that mean people are still making money at it? Are people getting money and freedom by doing TEAM? Do you need to be aligned with a product based company to be legal?, because that is what I get from what you wrote. How many people in TEAM are actually making enough to do this full time?

Fair enough that you say Q always held TEAM back from being transparent, I guess there's no reason for that now that many of the TEAM members, Orrin and Chris included, are free from Q. Would it not be in everyone's best interest to be able to answer the questions about the organization that I've posed?

You said "More customers more money". Again, who exactly are the customers? Is there a wholesale vs. retail motivational business?

You say the profit sharing formula is secret/protected because it gives you an edge in the industry. Pardon me, but what industry? Motivational MLM? Corporate Motivation company of which only a select few can speak to corporate people about motivation (If that even truly happens, I'm not really convinced that it does).

How can you be trying to recruit people who will be paid on a profit sharing formula that cannot be divulged prior to starting? That makes no sense whatsoever. Am I misunderstanding you?

I find this statement from you very interesting:

"You go to work and trust that they pay you after you work your 80 hrs"

See, the difference is, if I don't get paid, I have legal recourse. Not so with TEAM, apparently. Employers can't do that. It's not a question of trust, it's a question of law. I am aware somewhat of how the finances work in my industry, I'd be an idiot if I didn't think about that or try to find out about that. Doesn't sound like TEAM is at all aware of how they are going to be paid, since the profit sharing plan is secret until they get to that level.

Furthermore, I don't know of anyone who would work for anyone without knowing what they are being paid, and on what basis they are being paid. The secrecy makes no sense. How are you recruiting people?

You can take the high road about how TEAM is about bettering people, and how it's about trust and people etc. That sounds familiar, is all.

I hope you don't get the impression that I'm running you into the ground. That is not my intent. I would love to be able to talk to any other TEAM member about this, but they either don't know enough to share any information, or don't want to share information because it may not send the right message.

I do hope you respond again, I am trying to understand.

Sincerely,

Rocket


IBO Rebellion's response to my criticisms of his answers:


Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:33:32 -0400
From:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
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To:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
Rocket,

I am really done talking with you... just no time since I find this
rather boring. I did cut and paste two paragraphs you wrote me for
commnent.(sic) I won't take offense to you calling me a liar concerning
the corporate leadership stuff... guess you will just need to wait and
see. Launching the Leadership Revolution was a shot in the dark
success. As for profits and speaking etc... nothing... NOTHING.. is
left up to the good will of some leader you are working with. TEAM
isn't into the buddy system or politics or who you are related to. It
is based on the size of your customer base period.

The only other thing I will address is your question... what is the
difference between leadership and character based leadership. You
asking me that question tells me a lot. It is really why you have to
ask all these other questions desperately seeking information. It is
why people don't question the legal defense fund. The fund is doing
exactly what it is intended for. Need I remind you of the blogger
suit. Character based leadership is desperately needed around the
world.... the difference.... Gov. Spitzer Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Pres
Bill Clinton... all leaders.... maybe even great leaders of people...
but not Character based leaders.... not even close. I would suggest
you just read the LLR book and you would have a much better
understanding of this topic.

Like I said... I am quite bored with this. I really doesn't matter
what I right. I don't intend to convince you. I will say you don't
understand the TEAM nor will you until you set aside your past
experience in the industry. TEAM exists because it is the exact
opposite of all that has existed. TEAM is no where near what it will
be in the future... operational approach currently underway have yet
to fully materialize given the ongoing litigation. The focus is the
future with MonaVie... for now... tomorrow maybe different.. Whatever
the case or timetable... it will be done with character based
leadership.. period. Hope this helps.. signing off.. good day.

Thanks



TIR

IBO Rebellion then included the two paragraphs at the bottom of his email where I had asked if motivation profits depend on the goodwill of leaders, and the other about me not believing him that TEAM does motivational seminars outside of TEAM meetings.

Has the Rocket's launch date been scrubbed?

Is the Rocket as bored with this as IBO Rebellion?

Will the Rocket discover TEAM is in fact the exact opposite of all that has existed? Where down is up and up is down? Where very little money is actually lots of money? Where nobody succeeding means everybody is succeeding?

Will IBO Rebellion counsel downline to come up with new catch phrases and rhetoric to combat the onslaught of common sense questions?

Will the Rocket accept the theory that TEAM is the ultimate way to become a leader and sign on?

Does the Rocket find out the secret formula that sets TEAM apart from every other motivational MLM that exists, and try to abscond with it to give it to his secret ally to ensure his success?

Find out all of this and more in the next episode!

Same bat time! Same bat channel!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

TEAM - Noteworthy or Not Worthy? PART 3

Here is the third installment of an email exchange between myself and the author of the IBO Rebellion Blog. I have only included IBO Rebellion's responses to my original question, just because my response to this one is rather lengthy.

IBO Rebellion offered to help me understand TEAM, what it does, and how it works.

I have modified this entry somewhat, in that I have entered my questions asked prior to IBO Rebellion's answers, so that you wouldn't have to scroll from my question to his answers, which are exactly as he typed them.

IBO Rebellion's responses are in red. Mine are in bold.

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:47:28 -0400
From:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by gmail.com.
To:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
Rocket,

I will answer a few of your questions. I still find it rather strange
that you want any info at all if you use to be an IBO and have "no"
ulterior motive. In the interest of time I will answer what I see
fit.

In regards to the legal fund:

(1. Who manages it?
2. Who decides the criteria on which it is utilized?
3. Who has signing authority?
4. Is there a vote or a quorum reached on who utilizes the funds?
5. Does any TEAM member qualify if they contribute?
6. Do the TEAM people who contribute to the fund have a say as to
how it's dispersed?
)

I don't know the answers to any of those particular questions. The
fund is to defend various IBOs, which are many, who are in litigation
with A/A/Q. AAQ is famous for destroying their enemies by simply
wasting money on lawsuits.

As far as TEAM goes:

(1. Are you compensated based on the amount of motivation that flows
through your group? If so, is that written anywhere when you present the
TEAM concept to people? )


Question #1 The more product (tools) that ones customers use would
positively impact your compensation.

(2. Do you receive profits from people you have gotten to join TEAM
attending meetings/seminars? If so, is there a profit schedule for
that?)


#2 Yes.... no there is not a schedule but there is a formula.

(3. Do you have a motivational products compensation plan? If so,
is it in writing?)


#3 Not at this time...

(4. Do you tell others about the motivational compensation plan
when you
recruit them to TEAM? If not why not?)

#4 not currently... explain later

(5. Do you sell TEAM motivation and leadership products to anybody
outside of
TEAM? If so, who?)

#5 Yes, many corporate and church environments.

(6. What is it exactly that TEAM offers, other than leadership
skills you
can obtain at any self help seminar? What is it that
sets TEAM apart?)


#6 TEAM has always sold leadership. There are obviously many ways
to attempt to teach and improve ones leadership.TEAM's approach is
obviously a longer term approach with increased results as opposed to
a two day seminar that would have limited impact. What sets TEAM apart
is the focus on character based leadership. There is a vast difference in
teaching leadership and teaching character based leadership. TEAM not only
teaches this but practices it.

(7. If TEAM is just fine on it's own, why the need to associate with a
company providing an actual end user product?)


#7 TEAM is fine on it own. The stability of its organization thru this
time proves that.

However, due to the current legal issues and environment I think it became
an obvious choice to align with another product based company. I could
elaborate here but legally it just doesn't make sense to do so. The
TEAM obviously has a long term vision of where we will be going. As with
anything....timing is everything.

In closing I just want to address team profit sharing. TEAM has never
been able to be as transparent as we would like due to Q. People
qualify for ps by having two groups of 12 customers. The ps program
is not based on a schedule as you mentioned earlier but instead a ps
fromula.(sic) This means all the money coming in is added, expenses are
paid, the formula is run against each profit sharers numbers and
people are paid accordingly. More customers more money. There are no
special deals for anyone. The formula is something protected by the
TEAM as it is our competitive edge in the industry.

Currently due to legal concerns, the Monavie opportunity and TEAM are
completely separate at the point of opportunity. Over time you will
see greater and greater transparency. Lets face it... that issue has
not taken precedence over moving forward and surviving the attacks of
the evil empire. Orrin has had this fight with Q for years. I take
it you have read much of my blog. The TEAMs first night book was
edited 14 times over the years because Q felt TEAM was telling too
much.

You wrote me saying this:

Avoiding the issues will do nothing but hurt anyone attempting to build a
TEAM business, whatever that may entail. Most people approached to join
TEAM will have the same questions I do. No answers will inevitably lead
to nobody coming into your business.

I find that rather funny. What you don't seem to understand that in
anything you do there is an element of trust. You go to work and
trust that they pay you after you work your 80 hrs. It really isn't
likely that you know all the intricacies of your employers finances.
The difference maker for TEAM is the leadership. So as cordial as you
seem much of your comments appear otherwise. Hopefully this answers
your questions... I would hate to see you relegated to the negative
anon blogger pile....

TIR
Will the Rocket be satisfied with the answers provided?

Does he accept the answers at face value and move on with his life, wiser from
IBO Rebellion's influence?

Will the Rocket get to the heart of the matter while still facing an eviction notice from his evil Landlord?

Will the Rocket use new magic, learned from various MLM leaders, similar to the Jedi
Mind Trick to get the answers he wants, or will IBO Rebellion continue his freedom quest unabated?
Find out all of this and more in our next installment!

Same bat time! Same bat Channel!

TEAM - Noteworthy or Not Worthy? PART 2

Here is the second email exchange between myself and IBO Rebellion blog's author. Again, he had responded to a request from myself on his blog for more information about TEAM. I hope you readers learn something about TEAM as well.

I had left a comment pointing out that a comment of mine seemed to be missing, which he/she admitted to deleting. I have since been banned from the IBO Rebellion. No hard feelings.

The banning announcement is on a post purporting that TEAM IBO's are continuing the battle on all fronts.


IBO Rebellion is in red. My response is in bold.


Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:32:12 -0400
From:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by gmail.com.
To:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
Rocket,

Nice to hear from you. Sorry to have deleted your comments but they
are really not on topic. Well that is a very extensive list of
questions you have presented. I can address some of these but I guess
I would like to first ask a few questions myself. Who are you? What
is your fascination with TEAM? What do you do for a living? How did
you first learn of TEAM? Lets just start there and we can go back and
forth a bit.

The IBO Rebellion

MY RESPONSE:

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:53:48 -0400 (EDT)
From:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
To:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Hello

I am a former Amway IBO, and choose to remain anonymous, and have done so since information about Amway came into the world wide web realm. You can find posts I have made dating back to 2001 on several blogs.

I have no fascination with TEAM, I just have a number of questions about it.

What I do for a living, like my identity, is anonymous. I am in no way whatsoever employed by, nor compensated by Amway. A few minutes going through my blog should make my not so pro Amway sentiment quite clear. I will also state for the record that if in any way you have concerns about me being a secret plant by Amway collecting data to use against Woodward and/or TEAM, I am not.

I knew of TEAM when it was called Team of Destiny.

Like you, I choose to remain anonymous for good reasons.

In any event, this is extraneous to the topic at hand. You offered to provide me information to help me understand TEAM. I have asked my questions, and would certainly appreciate answers.

I hope this is not going to be a back and forth thing. I have no ulterior nor financial motive for wanting answers to these questions. I am simply asking questions that anyone you prospect would ask, if they did any research at all on the internet about Woodward and TEAM.

I again, look forward to your reply, and hope that a lack of a response will not follow this. I seem to recall Amway not really having any type of response to the Dateline expose, and it didn't seem to help them at all. You as a former Quixtar IBO would know that better than I.

Sincerely,

Rocket

Will IBO Rebellion answer some of the questions he's been asked without checking upline first?

Will the Rocket reveal his true identity as an unknown third tier magician living in David Robison's basement?
Find out all of this and more in our next installment!

Same bat time! Same bat Channel!


Friday, March 28, 2008

TEAM - Noteworthy or Not Worthy? PART 1

I had the privilege of being contacted, apparently by the blogger known as IBO Rebellion. The reason for his contact with me was when I was attempting to understand TEAM and what it does exactly, and how money was made with during an exchange with a few TEAM folks. I didn't even want to get into why they compare themselves to Braveheart or Spartacus, and I can't remember where it was, but I do believe a TEAM member compared Orrin Woodward to Winston Churchill.

Yeah, I know. It sounds weird and disturbing. So I wanted to get where TEAM was coming from. I wanted to pick up what they were putting down. I wanted to smell what they were cooking. You get the idea.

He sent me an email, which I responded to. There was an exchange of a few emails, which I will show in full, one exchange at a time. After I have published the responses to a few of the questions I asked, then I will devote an entire post to my thoughts about TEAM based on the answers I was given.

The only changes I have made to the emails were the format to make them easier to read for you folks. I have not changed a single word, though I wish I could change the way I phrased a few things now. IBO Rebellion's responses are in red. My responses are in bold.

So let's get into the first exchange:


Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:25:31 -0400
From:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by gmail.com. Learn more
To:rocketsrants@yahoo.ca
Subject: questions
Rocket,

You appear to be in need of information. What can I help you with?

My Reply:

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:00:31 -0400 (EDT)
From:"Rocket Rocket"
Subject: Re: questions
To:"theiborebellion theiborebellion"
Hello, and thanks for getting to me. I have a few questions in regards to the TEAM compensation plan, as well as the legal fund. Perhaps you could be one of the first of the TEAM to answer them?

The legal fund:

1. Who manages it?
2. Who decides the criteria on which it is utilized?
3. Who has signing authority?
4. Is there a vote or a quorum reached on who utilizes the funds?
5. Does any TEAM member qualify if they contribute?
6. Do the TEAM people who contribute to the fund have a say as to how it's dispersed?
7. Is there a set limit on how much a TEAM member can use before they run out of legal support from the legal fund?

As for TEAM itself:

1. Are you compensated based on the amount of motivation that flows through your group? If so, is that written anywhere when you present the TEAM concept to people?

2. Do you receive profits from people you have gotten to join TEAM attending meetings/seminars? If so, is there a profit schedule for that?

3. Do you have a motivational products compensation plan? If so, is it in writing?

4. Do you tell others about the motivational compensation plan when you recruit them to TEAM? If not why not?

5. Do you sell TEAM motivation and leadership products to anybody outside of TEAM? If so, who?
6. What is it exactly that TEAM offers, other than leadership skills you can obtain at any self help seminar? What is it that sets TEAM apart?

7. If TEAM is just fine on it's own, why the need to associate with a company providing an actual end user product?

As you can see, I do have a lot of questions. My hope is that you respond so that I can clear the air on my blog. I am not out to get TEAM, I just have a lot of questions that nobody seems to want to answer truthfully and clearly. That only makes people suspicious in this day and age. I would have thought, given TEAM's recent exodus from Amway, that this would be a rather common belief.

A few years back, people were asking questions about Amway that they could not get open and honest answers to. I know a number of TEAM folks who have said that the compensation is transparent at a certain level. To me, that's not transparent, and you cannot make a decision to get involved in an organization with a loosely worded business plan.

They are rather simple questions, and if the answers are secretive, or difficult to respond to, then I guess it says more about TEAM than it does about little old anonymous blogger me.

Avoiding the issues will do nothing but hurt anyone attempting to build a TEAM business, whatever that may entail. Most people approached to join TEAM will have the same questions I do. No answers will inevitably lead to nobody coming into your business.

Thanks for your efforts to clear the air, and I look forward to a response.

Sincerely,

Rocket

Stay Tuned for Part 2!

Monday, March 24, 2008

TEAM - Totally Excited About Motivation?

How in the hell can your "TEAM business" expand when you are between product companies?

According to anonymous, it's happened. You can find the conversation I was having with several of Orrin's ilk at the IBO Rebellion

Also according to anonymous, they are mirroring their Quixtar business in MonaVie.

I had asked anonymous how his Quixtar income compared to his MonaVie income. He indicated in his response that he was still growing his TEAM business (whatever the hell that could possibly entail) before he joined MonaVie.

"Projected income from MonaVie with same exact team still (even though it has grown alot since not being involved with Amyway anymore) around 3,000 a month."

So, that kinda opens up a whole bunch more questions that I'm sure will not be answered. In any event, it may be a bit of a problem for Orrin and his friends if Amway finds out they may pretty much be doing exactly what is alleged.

NEPA tries to bail himself out by saying he's not in Orrin's downline, but it makes no difference if he is in Mark & Tami Crawford's downline or Casey Combden's downline. They can't be doing the mirroring of lines of sponsorship thing.

That's what Amway is pissed off about, and they all know it.

I am finding myself not necessarily disliking Amway less, but rather, getting more and more wary of Orrin Woodward and his little gang. There are just things going on within TEAM that cannot be considered normal behavior.

That's great you have a group of people that want to be successful, and have common goals and the like, but it just seems to be something not right going on within TEAM.

I tried uploading the screen shot I took but blogger wouldn't upload it. Obviously it doesn't prove anything really, since it was made by an anonymous person.

Just very interesting. Orrin might want to pull in the reigns of his army, as it were. Might get him in trouble.

Which leads me to another thought. If Woodward or Brady or whatever other jackass is running the show at TEAM saw this, they would likely put out a voicemail or email or something (I'm assuming they have a mass communication method that SOMEBODY profits from).

The message would be basically to stop saying stuff like this online, because it just leads to trouble.

Which is basically trying to control information about your business. Now I'm no scholar, but I would think that the more your business is out there getting promoted the better, unless there's serious problems with your products or business model.

Sorry TEAM, I believe you are where Amway was at in the 70's, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

If TEAM people keep blowing the whistle on what's really going on, it will fail, because they can't afford to deal with the legal ramifications, if it's true. (IF IT'S TRUE)

If the TEAM "leaders" try to control the information, they will fail.

To quote Brad Harrigan, "This could get messy".

Welcome to the information age.

Speaking of information, if you would like to hear about how Prague went, I'd encourage you to check out On The Road With Dave's blog. He's good people.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Who Would You Believe?

Orrin Woodward has updated his legal fund post, in which he states the following:

"I support the Legal Defense Fund because it raises funds for any one that is threatened by Quixtar legally. I have said for years that if you pick on my friends, then you are picking on me."

This was obviously in response to Alticor's Post, which insinuated that Woodward would be using the funds donated for his own legal defense.

First of all, let it be known far and wide across the land that I don't take either of the opposing sides in this little battle of wits.

I think in all honesty you have Woodward's version of events and perceptions, and you have Amway's version of events and perceptions.

Somewhere in between lies the truth.

I for one, would be very curious to see the books of this "legal fund" that Woodward purports donating to along with his loyal Freedom Fighters (Of which very few appear to be free). I would like to see how often a low level IBO accesses that fund, and for what amount.

I would also like to see how it is managed, who has signing authority, and under what circumstances someone would qualify to utilize the fund. Before you Woodward Warriors get mad and start saying how ethical and virtuous Orrin is, just think about what I'm saying. Any legal fund worth it's salt is a TRANSPARENT entity, to which all contributors have a say, and the use of those funds is very clearly spelled out, and reported on. It's business. Remember? Business?

If you aren't allowed to see how much is in there, or how you can use it, or the parameters for how others can use it, then you are a complete fool to contribute to it.

As for Amway, well, it simply does you no good to keep flogging that dead horse. You have enough of your own problems without digging for more crap to contend with.

Maybe focus your efforts on making Amway THE business to be involved with. Because it still isn't.

So, faithful and appreciated reader, who would you believe?

A corporation who has allowed free reign to "leaders" involved in deceptive and undoubtedly damaging business practices who now proclaims it's wrong and is a cheerleader for the rank and file IBO?

OR

A "leader" who willingly participated in what most would consider to be the deceptive business practices, and led to a faction of loyal (in a disturbing way) followers defecting to another business, where he can continue holding rallies and selling motivation at their expense, which is the crux of the problem to begin with?

I'm so glad I'm not with Amway or TEAM.


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Why He's been coined "Spinsider"

I was reading a post by David Steadson over at his "Get the facts" site. Please note the quotations around get the facts.

I came across this gem of a statement:

"It was a losing battle however. Virtually by definition, as active Amway distributors also holding down jobs and running other businesses we had less time on our hands than the critics. Furthermore, at least on the 'net, it seemed there were more critics than supporters. Why was this?"

C'mon David. I actually had high hopes for this post you were doing. I thought you would actually same something about the facts, rather than what you perceive as facts.

First of all, IBO's have always been a part of the debate. Look in the archives of Quixtar Blog. Furthermore, David Robison, who IBO's are lucky as hell to have going to Prague to represent them, has been open and honest about his views. He also wasn't anonymous.

QBlog also did March of Perceptions. That also allowed representation by IBO's, and the corporation didn't seem to want to stop it.

You are quite frankly, avoiding the true issues, and the facts. I'm not surprised, but do consider it quite ironic that you purport in your title to have the facts.

The fact of the matter is Amway and their "leaders" can no longer control information. Their gunboat tactics and legal threats got old awfully quick. Remember the Amway Lawyer phone call at Quixtar Blog? That was a case study in Amway information control.

The lawyer did not have the authority to ask for what he was asking, but tried to stifle the distribution of the Blakey Report with unnecessary saber rattling.

Furthermore, despite what Amway says, their compensation plan is not worth sticking around for, obviously. Think of all the diamonds and above that have quit, essentially leaving untold wealth in the form of residual income behind. Can you explain that?

I've asked the corporation, and have not gotten a response that I believe puts the issue to bed.

Steadson, I suggest that you consider the following:

It would appear that you have put as much work into your site as Scott Larsen has. Since then, an unprecedented number of high level leaders have left. You've had a voice on line, but it is not working. That's a fact.

Perhaps the critics successfully have slain arguments in the past and present because the business needs to make a lot more changes to make it more marketable and desirable.

Just consider it for a second. It would make you look less foolish.

And for God sake, if you have "facts" in your title, you should at the very least TRY to honor that label, because right now a lot of people would think you have very little honest to goodness facts.

At least I can support my site's name.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Woodward Warriors? Whatever....

You may notice that I have linked my Rocket's and Bridgett's Challenge posts on the right hand side under my contact info. No, nobody has taken my challenge yet, for reasons we can all agree on, but it makes it easier to point out to a new visitor.

I'm going away on business tomorrow and I won't be home again until Monday night. I have training sessions in another part of the country. Maybe a remote post over the weekend.

As far as the post, I just have to comment on something that has really started to get on my nerves, and no, it doesn't involve Tex.

Orrin Woodward and his loyal minions have a number of sites, and they all talk about valor, heroes, role models, and leadership. Of course there is the incessant and consistent quoting of other authors and great people. I guess it's tough in TEAM to come up with your own thoughts even if you are the Grand Poobah.

I know what you may be thinking. "So don't go there Rocket."

Agreed. However, in my defense, there is a lot of stuff going on right now, and I like to see where the next nugget of data is coming from. I am sure we can all agree that it's surely not going to come from the corporation any time soon.

For God's sake you TEAM people, stop worshiping Woodward. Just read some of the comments to Orrin. I just find it terribly disturbing that people will blindly follow a huckster like Woodward, Brady et al. To the point of actually helping them out with their legal battle?

Let's make one thing crystal clear. Woodward chose the fight with the corporation, for whatever reason. Righteous or not, Orrin is a big boy, and he made an adult decision as a business owner, if you believe that he resigned. Incidentally, I have no idea if he was canned or quit. He says he quit, so it was his decision according to him.

This business of asking people for money to help him out to me is just classless, and an abuse of the leadership he has carefully created for himself. If he was Braveheart or Spartacus, or whatever folk hero he's comparing himself to these days, he'd not ask for money. It wouldn't be about money.

But is it? Well, you decide, it's certainly not for me to speculate on Orrin Woodward's motives.

I'm not sure how to articulate the complete shame I feel for these TEAM folks that are blindly following this dweeb. How far gone do you have to be to make the comments that are being made about Orrin being a hero and leader etc..?

I guess I'm just disgusted because I believe good people have been conditioned under the guise of helping them get rich to act this way.

My father is one of the greatest men in the world, and I would never compare him to William Wallace or Spartacus, or whatever other character they use.

He's dad.

It's very touching if you are involved, perhaps, but I just can't get past the fact that these people are building this Woodward character up into something he is so obviously not.

I can just imagine trying to recruit someone by telling them your hero Orrin is leading the way to freedom, just like William Wallace did when the Scots fought England. Can you imagine?

"Join our war for freedom against tyranny and oppression by starting up your own business selling $45 bottles of Juice. FFFFRRREEEEEEEEDDDOOOOOMMMM!"

It's crazy! The loyal subjects leave comments like their sword is unsheathed and that they are willing to stand by Orrin's side fighting and spilling their own blood for the cause!

I don't know any segment of society that could say stuff like this and be considered completely rational and sane.

I don't know how to end this post nicely, so I'll be rude.

You TEAM people are all screwed in the head. If you have any intentions of even remotely being taken seriously, then think about what you are saying.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

More questions than answers

Before you read this, I'm not done talking about this topic.

Something has been bugging me for the past week or so. I can't quite put my finger on something, and I'm hoping for a little bit of feedback here, from ABO's and critics alike.


There's a long list of once heralded "leaders" that are no longer involved in Amway. They include Emerald Eric Scheibler, Diamonds and above consisting of Fred Harteis, Orrin Woodward, Mark Crawford, Bo Short, Brig Hart and on and on and on. Feel free to name more in the comment section, I'm not going to waste a bunch of time looking up all the "failed" IBO's.

I used the word "failed" because that is what many IBO's have labeled people who do not continue in the Amway business for whatever reason. Ironically, some of the leaders who tught this mindset are now out of the business.

What I'm trying to wrap my brain around is this whole scenario unfolding. Some are staying, some are going, but unless it's like the TEAM fiasco, it's not known why these folks quit. This leads me to believe that perhaps the "leaders" fear the corporation and don't want to get into a big legal hassle with them.

Conversely, maybe they are kicked out, and out of professional courtesy, the corporation keeps a lid on why they are gone.

Either way, it's still smells bad. Look, if I was a current IBO trying to build a business, I'd first of all want to be involved with a company who is functioning like a normal distribution company. Secondly, when abuses happen and the company deals with it, I'd like to be able to point to the people who were kicked out to demonstrate the corporation's loyalty to the IBO's. All this secrecy and back door shenanigans does not really instill confidence in the Amway Corporation.

Along that same vein, all the extraordinary efforts by the corporation to have things resolved in arbitration thus far is also a very telling sign. Arbitration was created to avoid court and have the two parties compromise in order to achieve a resolution. Part of the process arbitration, as far as I'm concerned, is that both parties have to be willing to compromise. Not the case in many of instances involving Amway, since they seem very motivated to have mandatory arbitration. Mandatory arbitration to me is a complete oxymoron. Furthermore, the main goal of arbitration in Amway's case appears to be silence. I don't know of one arbitration case Amway has been involved with that the resolution is public. Everyone already knows what a joke the whole process is with Amway selecting their own arbitrators and bullshit like that, but I'm not trying to make a point about that. It's a dog's breakfast of a deal, and anyone with half a brain knows it.

So where am I going with this? I just don't understand a few things. Firstly, why the non advertisement of people who were not willing to follow the rules that leave? This is about cleaning up the huge mess that took decades to build, yet they don't say anything when they are getting rid of the problems? Shouldn't IBO's see the results of this action, if not for a deterrent effect, at least to show that you will do what's right?

Secondly, how can IBO's continue to trust a corporation that is obviously completely out of touch with the grassroots IBO? Look at the prices, look at the spin doctoring, look at the complete and utter lack of transparency. They made a big deal about how they were going to be transparent, yet they aren't. They seem to say they are going to do a lot of things that they don't follow through on. Why are they still trusted?


Third, why can't the circumstances of everything be known for the benefit of IBO's? It's so secret all the time, and I just think you are a complete fool to remain associated to a company that goes above and beyond to ensure secrecy. Granted, it's not professional to air your dirty laundry, BUT everyone already knew about it the problems, in spite of Amway's (pathetic and amateur) efforts. So why would you not want people to know HOW the problem was dealt with to put everyone's mind at ease?


Unless how it was dealt with would not put everyone's mind at ease.

Food for thought.

Speaking of fixing things, I had to fix our toilet over the weekend. Whoever came up with the name ballcock assembly must be laughing every time someone has to ask for one at the hardware store.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The End Of The Whole Mess

Word on the street has it that True North is now no more.

I was involved in this LOA, and it looks as though Mark & Tami Crawford have joined Orrin Woodward & Co.

Mark Crawford was an EDC, last I heard.

So looks like the EDC residual income wasn't worth hanging around for either.

I will be back posting regularly very soon. Had a rough bout of the flu last week.

So how do I feel about it?

He and his wife are a pair of liars, in my opinion. They thrive on obedience and deception.

Good Riddance to bad rubbish.

See you soon.