Saturday, August 29, 2009

Necklaces - To layer or not to layer?

There's so much conflicting information out there on how to wear necklaces. Some sites tell you layering is the hot trend, others say keep it minimal. So what's the answer? Well, it depends! Generally one necklace at a time is fine. For example, when you're at work, less really is more. Wearing too much jewelry at work can make a very professional outfit look trashy. Although it is still OK to wear one statement piece, it shouldn't make too much of a statement. But when it's time to trade your flats for heels and go hit the town after work, adding another necklace can take an outfit from office appropriate to nightclub ready. After all, isn't it easier to bring an extra necklace and a pair of shoes to work than to bring a whole new outfit?!

The video below shows 3 different styles, and how to take them from day to night by just adding one or two layers. Play around with the outfits and jewelry you have to see how many new looks you can create. You can easily bring new life to your wardrobe just by mixing up your accessories. And don't be afraid to mix colors ... but that's another blog! Stay tuned!



Thursday, August 20, 2009

Is it a party plan, or a pyramid scheme?

So I've finally decided to join the world of blogging, but the question remained - what to blog about? The obvious answer is what you know, but I found the better answer was what do I get asked the most. Being in direct sales and with a "party plan" company, it's a standard part of our presentation to talk about the opportunity with our company. I make it a habit to present the opportunity, then allow guests to ask questions for a chance to win a prize. One of the most frequent questions or remarks I hear is "is it a pyramid?" Which made me realize that very few people understand the difference between a legal multi-level marketing (MLM) company and a pyramid "scheme." This was confirmed when I did a search for "mlm vs pyramid" and got 193,000 results!

I've read many articles and found some good resources to explain the difference, but the most basic answer to "is it an MLM or a pyramid" is this - if you're able to buy a tangible product or service, odds are it's an MLM, which is a legal, legitimate business. If you're presented with an opportunity to subscribe to a service which promises lots of income with little or no work on your part, it's probably a pyramid scheme. Most pyramid's work on the idea of signing lots of people up for a subscription, and they make money off those people and everyone they sign up too. Sounds a lot like any legitimate direct sales business, but here's the difference. Pyramids depend on signing people up, and eventually they'll run out of people and everyone's income stops. There's rarely a tangible product or real service provided, and if there is a product, it's intended to be sold over and over.

For example, I read a story on mlmlegal.com (see link below) about a case of tuna. Party 1 sells a case of tuna to party 2 for $10. Party 2 then sells the case of tuna to party 3 for $20. This continues until party 10 buys it for $500, then complains to party 9, who sold him the tuna, that it was rancid. 9 refers him to 8, and on up the line until he reaches party 1. He complains that the tuna is rancid, and 1 say "so, what's your problem." 9 says again, "this tuna is rancid, it's inedible." 1 says, "well, the way I see it, you don't have a problem." 9 asks "what do you mean? This tuna is inedible! It's worthless!" To which 1 replies, "you don't understand - this tuna is not for eating, it's for selling." That, in a nutshell, is a pyramid scheme.

Multi-level marketing, on the other hand, does have a "pyramid-like" structure - people sign-up, they recruit people and make residual income off their sales and their recruits' sales, and on down the line. But the difference is they are actually selling something real. The income potential is real because, even if they never sign a single recruit, they still earn a commission on their own sales. Now, if you're thinking this still sounds like a scheme, ask yourself this - what does the management structure at your company look like? Does it look a little like, well, a pyramid?! And if you don't like the idea of someone making money off your purchases, here's another question - how many people make money off your purchase when you buy a product from a "brick-and-mortar" retailer? The salaries of everyone employed by that company depend on your purchases, and someone, somewhere, is sitting in their nice mansion that all the money they made from owning that retailer has bought them.

Further, most pyramid schemes will charge you large "membership" or "subscription" fees to join. Although there is typically a fee to join a legal direct sales firm, it is usually fairly small and can be earned back relatively quickly. But it's literally a small price to pay for starting your own business, and most companies will provide you with the samples and materials you need to get started, as well as ongoing training and support. It's a very economical, easy way for anyone to own their own business. And the money won't just "come rolling in," any legitimate business requires work, but with direct sales you are able to set your own hours, decide for yourself how much you want to work, and set your goals to achieve whatever level of success you wish to reach with whatever company you're with. For those who are not afraid to work and are able to move up within their companies, the income potential is phenominal!

So, the next time someone approaches you with an opportunity, whether to host a home party or to consider the opportunity with their company, ask a few questions to determine whether it's a legal multi-level marketing company or a pyramid scheme before you say yes or no. And remember, by buying products and services through party plan and direct sales representatives, you're not fattening the wallet of some mega-millionaire, you're helping a hard working individual to feed their own family, and to truly live the American dream of owning their own business.

SOURCES:
http://www.stopspam.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=63
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/768049/pyramid_schemes_vs_mlm_defined.html
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/lamb/0006.htm
http://www.mlmlegal.com/pyramid.html
http://www.fraud.org/pyramids/pyramid_mlm.htm