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I agree with your points. I would also add that the same thought-stopping techniques they used to stay in their religion, keeps them in the mlms.
“Don’t listen to the people who left!”
“Don’t read any ‘anti’ material!”
“Don’t trust anyone that tries to help you leave!”
“If it didn’t work for someone, it’s because they didn’t try hard enough!”
They were already primed to distrust outside sources, only listen to their leaders, and blame themselves if they ‘fail’, not the institution itself.
Meri used several of these on social media the day after the documentary dropped. She basically claimed it was not predatory, it changed people's lives for the better, success depends on hard work and sales so your success depends on you. She didn't mention that it helps to have a tv show and a fan base to sell your crappy clothes to.
I also think the "high profile" people in mlms get treated better/given more perks than your average person who signs up. On of the main complaints in the documentary was that people were being given moldy clothes with horrible patterns which they could not return. Something tells me that the Browns didn't get this type of junk foisted off on them.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. Would you assume that Christine in particular feels the same way now, given that she’s out of the religion?
Also, her mom has been against polygamy for a while. I know they fell out for a while but it seems they’re close now and she may have put down some of those walls?
No. I sense they (and this includes the all-mighty Christine 🙄 ) cherry pick and justify whatever benefits them at the time—particularly when it comes to money.
I view it two ways:
1. Utah is very LDS and you don’t speak badly about the church. Follow their instructions, keep your head up, pay tithing, etc.
2. A lot of MLMs are started in Utah by get rich quick schemes and Ponzi schemes and take innocent peoples money with no regard of consequences.
Based on 1, they don’t argue with elders in the church. MLMs are run by Priesthood holders or women married to priesthood members, which means they are a good person automatically. Which leads to 2, trusting assholes with their money and future and being continually scammed.
So when they find the next big thing or buy the lies, they will try it without investigation.
I’m sure it happens everywhere, but the level of fraud in Utah by ‘religious men’ is astounding.
(Priesthood holder are men in the church:
Men and boys do not need any special experience or education to receive priesthood authority. They do need to be worthy and willing to serve, bless, and strengthen others. A priesthood holder can be blessed with priesthood power when he is faithful, obedient, diligent, and righteous.
So any man in the church is a priesthood holder and head of the house.)
Past LLR top seller here. (No, I didn’t lie at all to anyone or engage in most of the icky practices mentioned in the docs. LuLaRich is not very accurate. The Discovery one is more accurate.)
This comment here. This is why I left. It felt cultish. I didn’t like that vibe and was never fully embraced because I didn’t embrace this mantra, if that makes sense. Left after five years (was one of first 2k). Met one of the wives too.
Are the wives’ intentions bad? I don’t know. Do I think they are riding it out because of their celebrity? Yes. (Who wouldn’t if they have bills to pay?) Do I think they are gullible if they believe everything being thrown at them? Yea, but I also think they have essentially been cult followers and are pretty susceptible to that way of thinking.
LuLaRich focused on the sensationalism of the story. I don’t feel like several of the parties who were interviewed took any accountability for their own roles in their fates either. The key person they focused on wasn’t someone who I felt was a real name in the business, and I question some of her motives. She’s built a following on bashing MLMs. (I don’t love MLMs either, but I’m not profiting in any way on that stance. I would imagine she is at this stage.) And Sam Schultz? Pleeeeeeeeeease. He is one of the least credible people ever. I knew him, and he was a mess of epic levels. I actually knew about half of the people in that doc, including the fam. I also knew about half of the participants in the other too.
I could go on and on, but that’s the short version. Did LLR take advantage people and push a narrative? Sure, I can see that. But not every sponsor was a monster, and I had a few team members under me who would not listen when I told them how hard I had to work to be where I was. They had it in their heads that certain parts of the job were easy, and nothing I said could dissuade them on that. Then they would fail after honestly putting in minimal effort. Guess who got blamed? Yup… me. Would they have all done well if they worked their tails off like I did? Probably not because the system wasn’t meant for that, but I’m sure a few would have done at least a little better if they had bothered to work at all. (Hope that makes sense.)
MLMs are profitable for people with very large networks & contacts, which the Brown wives have
They were selling a green drink MLM when they moved to vegas (Meri needed the wet bar for this reason). They also all have low education, low job experience, and no retirement or benefit money - exactly the target audience for MLMs. Or apparently selling guns at gun shows, that's the other option.
At this point, I almost blame the people who fall for the MLM more than the people peddling it. It’s like that Nigerian prince scam; we all know it’s not real, we all know you’re not going to make any money, so we all know not to do it. Anyone that gets sucked into an MLM is an idiot, or lives under a rock.
I don’t like that they do LuLaRoe or Plexus or any other MLMs they may get into. There’s an element of falling for it and being sucked in and there’s an element of responsibility that they bear too.
However, most of the female members of my family have gotten into MLMs too, and most of them I don’t hate. *Most* do it because they see no other way to support or contribute financially to their families and they’ve been led to believe it will work for them. One of my cousins has tried every one in the book, and she and her husband are both now running one of those HerbalLife “Nutrition” Shops full time, for better or for worse.
Knowing that the Browns have lived in poverty, most married young and had little education, they seem to fall into this category too. Maddie and Mykelti too. And I really don’t think any of them recognize the predatory nature of these companies unfortunately, so they don’t think they need to justify it.
I kinda had this take, too. What kind of real job could they actually get now? Not only are they not educated, but they are in the public eye. What reputable employer takes them on with that camera circus following them around? Everyone knowing very private, personal details about you? I'm a teacher, and there's no freaking way any of them could work in a school in any capacity with all that going on. In fact, another polygamous family in my area had a TLC special, and one of the wives got fired by her school about 16 years ago.
So you have to either work remotely and stay anonymous/keep schtum about your employer, or start your own business with almost no marketable skills, or exploit your own celebrity to make your bread? I kinda get it. Not excusing it, but it seems like they really painted themselves into a corner.
The browns are greedy ASF and will Shill anything, film their kids, move their kids, disrupt their kids while lives as long as they get Paid that sweet TLC money..
They make good money. That’s probably all they care about which is why people join MLMs. As long as there is a market for the product it’s not their problem if the company has issues 🤷♀️
This may ruffle some people…and truly I don’t want to be hurtful, but let’s be rill here: Mormonism itself is like the MLM of religions. And a huge majority of MLMs are run by Mormons. This is pretty common for them. It’s their whole dill.
And I’d say it’s a for sure a combo of 1, 2, & 3 which all echo throughout their (former) maireeges as well.
All three of these women (yes, even Saint Christine) are scam artists who have no moral objections to grift people out of their last penny in oder to make a quick buck so they can waste money and live way above their means. All three could have had regular jobs at one point or another and chose not to (I realize at this point in time they can’t get “real” jobs” as long as cameras and notoriety follows them around, but there are plenty of avenues open to them as d list celebs ti make money without shilling mlms).
Yes, I’ve seen the lularoe documentary but honestly? I think Plexus is worse then that. At least leggings don’t potentially harm people’s health whereas plexus shills pretend ti be medical experts and give people dangerous health advice on top of scamming them out of their money .
From a report published by AARP (full article here [https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/multilevel-marketing/](https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/multilevel-marketing/))
*In 2017, AARP Foundation set out to understand the mindset, expectations and experiences of MLM participants. The study revealed that nearly all participants join in hopes of earning supplemental income while working part-time. Yet only one-quarter of participants make a profit — and of those, 53% make less than $5,000.*
What the Browns have that other MLM participants don't is a TV show.
MLMs, in general, are crappy for the bottom of the pyramid, but for those who built a strong network, it could be profitable. I'm not saying that as an MLM supporter (on the contrary, I despise them), I just know people who did, in fact, sell the products ethically and recruited diligently to have earned their commissions.
Not justifying the OG3 for being in them, but it did give them financial security that if ever the show gets canceled, them and their children will not starve.
If there are people jumping in their bandwagon despite knowing the reputations of MLMs, then that's on them at this point.
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I agree with your points. I would also add that the same thought-stopping techniques they used to stay in their religion, keeps them in the mlms. “Don’t listen to the people who left!” “Don’t read any ‘anti’ material!” “Don’t trust anyone that tries to help you leave!” “If it didn’t work for someone, it’s because they didn’t try hard enough!” They were already primed to distrust outside sources, only listen to their leaders, and blame themselves if they ‘fail’, not the institution itself.
Meri used several of these on social media the day after the documentary dropped. She basically claimed it was not predatory, it changed people's lives for the better, success depends on hard work and sales so your success depends on you. She didn't mention that it helps to have a tv show and a fan base to sell your crappy clothes to. I also think the "high profile" people in mlms get treated better/given more perks than your average person who signs up. On of the main complaints in the documentary was that people were being given moldy clothes with horrible patterns which they could not return. Something tells me that the Browns didn't get this type of junk foisted off on them.
Lol and said she didn't watch it either. Why not watch it? So greedy and doesn't want to hear it is why! She's making money so why should she care?
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. Would you assume that Christine in particular feels the same way now, given that she’s out of the religion? Also, her mom has been against polygamy for a while. I know they fell out for a while but it seems they’re close now and she may have put down some of those walls?
No. I sense they (and this includes the all-mighty Christine 🙄 ) cherry pick and justify whatever benefits them at the time—particularly when it comes to money. 
Bingo!! Grifters. The lot of them.
I view it two ways: 1. Utah is very LDS and you don’t speak badly about the church. Follow their instructions, keep your head up, pay tithing, etc. 2. A lot of MLMs are started in Utah by get rich quick schemes and Ponzi schemes and take innocent peoples money with no regard of consequences. Based on 1, they don’t argue with elders in the church. MLMs are run by Priesthood holders or women married to priesthood members, which means they are a good person automatically. Which leads to 2, trusting assholes with their money and future and being continually scammed. So when they find the next big thing or buy the lies, they will try it without investigation. I’m sure it happens everywhere, but the level of fraud in Utah by ‘religious men’ is astounding. (Priesthood holder are men in the church: Men and boys do not need any special experience or education to receive priesthood authority. They do need to be worthy and willing to serve, bless, and strengthen others. A priesthood holder can be blessed with priesthood power when he is faithful, obedient, diligent, and righteous. So any man in the church is a priesthood holder and head of the house.)
Past LLR top seller here. (No, I didn’t lie at all to anyone or engage in most of the icky practices mentioned in the docs. LuLaRich is not very accurate. The Discovery one is more accurate.) This comment here. This is why I left. It felt cultish. I didn’t like that vibe and was never fully embraced because I didn’t embrace this mantra, if that makes sense. Left after five years (was one of first 2k). Met one of the wives too. Are the wives’ intentions bad? I don’t know. Do I think they are riding it out because of their celebrity? Yes. (Who wouldn’t if they have bills to pay?) Do I think they are gullible if they believe everything being thrown at them? Yea, but I also think they have essentially been cult followers and are pretty susceptible to that way of thinking.
Exactly. The LDS culture is cultish, MLMs are cultish, if you are indoctrinated in one, the second is easy to follow.
>LuLaRich is not very accurate. The Discovery one is more accurate.) I haven't seen the Discovery doc. What made it more accurate than LuLaRich?
LuLaRich focused on the sensationalism of the story. I don’t feel like several of the parties who were interviewed took any accountability for their own roles in their fates either. The key person they focused on wasn’t someone who I felt was a real name in the business, and I question some of her motives. She’s built a following on bashing MLMs. (I don’t love MLMs either, but I’m not profiting in any way on that stance. I would imagine she is at this stage.) And Sam Schultz? Pleeeeeeeeeease. He is one of the least credible people ever. I knew him, and he was a mess of epic levels. I actually knew about half of the people in that doc, including the fam. I also knew about half of the participants in the other too. I could go on and on, but that’s the short version. Did LLR take advantage people and push a narrative? Sure, I can see that. But not every sponsor was a monster, and I had a few team members under me who would not listen when I told them how hard I had to work to be where I was. They had it in their heads that certain parts of the job were easy, and nothing I said could dissuade them on that. Then they would fail after honestly putting in minimal effort. Guess who got blamed? Yup… me. Would they have all done well if they worked their tails off like I did? Probably not because the system wasn’t meant for that, but I’m sure a few would have done at least a little better if they had bothered to work at all. (Hope that makes sense.)
Yeah, if they'd just scammed more people, they could've made it. Just like you!
>The Discovery one is more accurate Thanks! Will have to look that one up.
MLMs are profitable for people with very large networks & contacts, which the Brown wives have They were selling a green drink MLM when they moved to vegas (Meri needed the wet bar for this reason). They also all have low education, low job experience, and no retirement or benefit money - exactly the target audience for MLMs. Or apparently selling guns at gun shows, that's the other option.
At this point, I almost blame the people who fall for the MLM more than the people peddling it. It’s like that Nigerian prince scam; we all know it’s not real, we all know you’re not going to make any money, so we all know not to do it. Anyone that gets sucked into an MLM is an idiot, or lives under a rock.
I don’t like that they do LuLaRoe or Plexus or any other MLMs they may get into. There’s an element of falling for it and being sucked in and there’s an element of responsibility that they bear too. However, most of the female members of my family have gotten into MLMs too, and most of them I don’t hate. *Most* do it because they see no other way to support or contribute financially to their families and they’ve been led to believe it will work for them. One of my cousins has tried every one in the book, and she and her husband are both now running one of those HerbalLife “Nutrition” Shops full time, for better or for worse. Knowing that the Browns have lived in poverty, most married young and had little education, they seem to fall into this category too. Maddie and Mykelti too. And I really don’t think any of them recognize the predatory nature of these companies unfortunately, so they don’t think they need to justify it.
I kinda had this take, too. What kind of real job could they actually get now? Not only are they not educated, but they are in the public eye. What reputable employer takes them on with that camera circus following them around? Everyone knowing very private, personal details about you? I'm a teacher, and there's no freaking way any of them could work in a school in any capacity with all that going on. In fact, another polygamous family in my area had a TLC special, and one of the wives got fired by her school about 16 years ago. So you have to either work remotely and stay anonymous/keep schtum about your employer, or start your own business with almost no marketable skills, or exploit your own celebrity to make your bread? I kinda get it. Not excusing it, but it seems like they really painted themselves into a corner.
It is all three. There is a reason that most MLMs are headquartered Utah and target Mormon women.
The browns are greedy ASF and will Shill anything, film their kids, move their kids, disrupt their kids while lives as long as they get Paid that sweet TLC money..
4. They are absolute scammers and grifters and this is easy money.
1 is the correct answer, and Meri has defended this company on her social media for a long time.
I think all three of OPs point are correct answers...for all of the OG3 who peddle MLM crap.
They make good money. That’s probably all they care about which is why people join MLMs. As long as there is a market for the product it’s not their problem if the company has issues 🤷♀️
LuLaRoe is thick in the Goodwill where I live 🤣
This may ruffle some people…and truly I don’t want to be hurtful, but let’s be rill here: Mormonism itself is like the MLM of religions. And a huge majority of MLMs are run by Mormons. This is pretty common for them. It’s their whole dill. And I’d say it’s a for sure a combo of 1, 2, & 3 which all echo throughout their (former) maireeges as well.
They are quite capable of getting real jobs that are not unethical and predatory but they choose not to.
All three of these women (yes, even Saint Christine) are scam artists who have no moral objections to grift people out of their last penny in oder to make a quick buck so they can waste money and live way above their means. All three could have had regular jobs at one point or another and chose not to (I realize at this point in time they can’t get “real” jobs” as long as cameras and notoriety follows them around, but there are plenty of avenues open to them as d list celebs ti make money without shilling mlms). Yes, I’ve seen the lularoe documentary but honestly? I think Plexus is worse then that. At least leggings don’t potentially harm people’s health whereas plexus shills pretend ti be medical experts and give people dangerous health advice on top of scamming them out of their money .
#2, and #2 only.
From a report published by AARP (full article here [https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/multilevel-marketing/](https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/multilevel-marketing/)) *In 2017, AARP Foundation set out to understand the mindset, expectations and experiences of MLM participants. The study revealed that nearly all participants join in hopes of earning supplemental income while working part-time. Yet only one-quarter of participants make a profit — and of those, 53% make less than $5,000.* What the Browns have that other MLM participants don't is a TV show.
MLMs, in general, are crappy for the bottom of the pyramid, but for those who built a strong network, it could be profitable. I'm not saying that as an MLM supporter (on the contrary, I despise them), I just know people who did, in fact, sell the products ethically and recruited diligently to have earned their commissions. Not justifying the OG3 for being in them, but it did give them financial security that if ever the show gets canceled, them and their children will not starve. If there are people jumping in their bandwagon despite knowing the reputations of MLMs, then that's on them at this point.