I've been railing against Multi-level Marketing schemes for a long time now, so I was really looking forward to the LuLaRich series on Amazon Prime--and it did not disappoint!
There are 4 episodes that cover the rise and fall of LuLaRoe, an MLM company that sells some of the most hideous clothing I've ever seen. The leggings became a nationwide phenomenon in 2016, which has always been so hard to understand, given the garish, loud patterns that are the trademark of this brand, but this documentary helps shed some light on things. We meet DeAnne Stidham and her husband Mark Stidham, the founders of LuLaRoe, and follow their journey from scrappy self-made business owners to an MLM commission-based model that looks suspiciously like a pyramid scheme.
A few takeaways: it is astounding how much money was made by those who got into the business early. The folks at the top of the pyramid received monthly bonus checks well into the six-figure range, and it's very hard to feel sorry for these folks when everything comes crashing down later.
By far the most moving episode is episode 3, where they touch on the predatory nature of MLMs, and how they specifically target stay-at-home moms and women who feel guilty about not working full-time outside the home. One of things I dislike the most about MLMs is the emotional manipulation they engage in to recruit new victims: selling the promise of belonging to a "tribe" or a "sisterhood" in order to exploit the loneliness that many women feel when they've sacrificed their careers in order to raise their children. Meanwhile, these "friendships" with your upline are all a sham--the minute you stop selling product and earning them a commission, the people who have recruited you into their group inevitably turn on you, and ramp up the guilt. To me, this emotional pain is even worse than the monetary price that victims inevitably wind up paying.
By far the most moving episode is episode 3, where they touch on the predatory nature of MLMs, and how they specifically target stay-at-home moms and women who feel guilty about not working full-time outside the home. One of things I dislike the most about MLMs is the emotional manipulation they engage in to recruit new victims: selling the promise of belonging to a "tribe" or a "sisterhood" in order to exploit the loneliness that many women feel when they've sacrificed their careers in order to raise their children. Meanwhile, these "friendships" with your upline are all a sham--the minute you stop selling product and earning them a commission, the people who have recruited you into their group inevitably turn on you, and ramp up the guilt. To me, this emotional pain is even worse than the monetary price that victims inevitably wind up paying.
Bottomline: stay away from MLM schemes. Steer clear of the weight loss programs that are starvation diets in disguise, the overpriced makeup, scented candles, essential oils, costume jewelry, cleaning products, hair regrowth serums--all you will wind up doing is alienating friends and family, losing money, and feeling foolish once you realize you've been duped.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE:
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