Is BABES IN BUSINESS / the Healthstyle Emporium a pyramid scheme? Here's the truth about what we do.
Hey guys!
So many women we meet love the mission behind Babes In Business and The Healthstyle Emporium inspiring holistic healthy living around the world and helping women put their health and happiness first again. They love the idea of creating a smart second income online, or totally changing their profession and working alongside a team of inspiring and passionate women and are excited to enjoy all the fun, personal development, support, community, connection, purpose and travel that comes with being welcomed part of our Babes in Business team.
But then they learn more about our business distribution model and think "it is one of THOSE things", and decide it’s not for them (maybe this is even you, or someone you know who has already looked into joining our amazing team).
To be honest, we completely understand, we felt the same way when this this business opportunity was shared and actually most of us said no for a few months before saying yes because we didn’t understand our business structure and I knew there was a stigma around it in society...Most of us wanted to know:
Is this a pyramid scheme?
Is this multi-level marketing?
How does MLM work?
Don't only the people up the top make money?
If the products are so good why not stock them in the supermarkets?
I don’t know if network marketing is for me?
Which is why we wanted to be real and raw with you, and answer those questions because we all had them too, and we’d hate for you or someone you know to miss out on an amazing opportunity because they didn’t truly understand it.
Is this one of those things?
Most of us couldn’t be stuffed working out whether it was or wasn’t so most of us said no for a few months to this business, all we knew that there was a stigma around things like this (didn’t understand why nor did I take the time to) so it was a big fat NO THANKS.
However you speak to someone on the team and here’s what they have to say:
”There were people I really looked up to in the health and wellness industry getting involved, they weren’t being salesy, or sleazy & they didn’t change. They were still heartfelt, genuine and it was clear they weren’t out to scam anyone. They were being authentic, having way more fun and living on their own terms. Meanwhile, four months had passed since someone shared the opportunity with me … I was still commuting, I was stilling working 9-5 pm, my salary was capped and I didn’t feel like I was helping anyone. I was on the verge of burnout at the age of 23 thinking is this literally what my future looks like, working 40 hours for the next 40 years…I thought those 4 years being poor and hustling at university with this $30,000 HECS debt I am still paying off - was supposed to give me more freedom?” - Lauren Kerr
More and more of us started to realise this so we did our research and I can now say hand on my heart that we’re extremely proud of the beautiful community we have created and the business structure behind it…
Is the Healthstyle Emporium a pyramid scheme?
No. They were made illegal in the 1900s.
However, I understand why you are cautious about it because the pyramid schemes you’re referring to are known as “Ponzi schemes” (which isn’t what we do and I will explain that in a second). Most of our parents have had an experience with these illegal pyramid schemes at some point in their life before they were made illegal, which is the reason there is a stigma around what we do. These schemes are a form of financial fraud where people make money purely by relying on people buying or investing in their business and recruiting people to join them in their business. There is no exchange of goods and services.
Essentially, a pyramid scheme is = you invest your money, you get no service or product in return. You then recruit people to also invest money, then they recruit, and those people also recruit … eventually the person at the top takes the kitty of mula & your left without a return on your cash investment until you teach your team to find enough recruits to invest, once your team reaches a certain amount of money, you cash out… and that goes on and on and on.
Is the Healthstyle Emporium an MLM?
The short answer is no. The Program is independent and was created by our team of health professionals however we have partnered with an MLM company and use its business distribution model. So long answer is yes. We love and use a Multi-level network marketing / Direct Selling business model to deliver next-level value for our customers and provide flexibility and autonomy for our team.
Secondly, let us address the elephant in the room - if you join us inside The Healthstyle Emporium as a client you DO NOT need to become a wellness coach or join the business side of our company. This is a health and wellness program and the majority of ladies using it do so without starting their own business - you’ll never be pushed into anything you don’t want to do!
Oh my god. I said it... it’s like MLM is a dirty word. But why…do you understand it?
So the best way to explain it is just like the checkout chick selling fruit and veg at your local grocery store! We do the same (although may I add, we are selling fruit and veggies that are better than organic, are tested over 4 times for pesticides, herbicides, mould and bacteria) and P.S just for the record…you don’t have to be a health professional to sell fruit, lets just clear that up! If you don’t agree please take that up with your local checkout chick at your grocery store and demand you see her qualifications, and the research on the health benefits of the fruits and veg before buying them - or god forbid the health benefits of the butter, chips and biscuits you’re putting in your basket!
So just like that checkout chick, we sell the best fruit and vegetables you can get your hands on - Juice Plus, which is a world-class wholefood nutraceutical support which aligns with our beliefs of health being holistic and food being medicine. But instead of all the money that goes into advertising for Woolworths or Coles, the rent the building is on, the rates, shipping costs, stock that just sits there and goes to waste that has to be chucked out, electricity bills, the wages for the teenager that doesn’t rock up on Sunday for his shift because he is sick (we all know he is hungover) ….in our business structure the middle man is cut out which means there is more opportunity for more money to end back in the ‘checkout chick’s’ pockets.
Did you know in traditional business, distribution and marketing equals about 85% of the price we pay for the product?
As opposed to MLM, where only 40 - 50% of the product cost goes to distribution and marketing costs, allowing you to take advantage of a higher value product at a lower price?
In MLM, the company pays every folks like you and I - to spread the good word - win win!
And a win-win situation for all might we add!
The Consumer wins!
Consumers get better value for their money as less is being spent on advertising and distribution. Usually, companies that take advantage of the MLM business structure have a product or service that is cutting edge. These products are often expensive to manufacture, lots of science and research goes into them and consequently the local ‘checkout chick’ isn’t going to be educated on the millions of products in her store, nor is she going to take the time to explain why you should pick the product that is $1 more over the product you are familiar with because they really don’t care! They are there to get paid their $19 an hour and go home. If you put a cutting edge product next to the other health products in a health food store or grocery store people don’t know what they are looking for. Think of it like this… you don’t find a Porsche at your local car dealership, do you?
The Franchisee wins.
This business structure is great for people like me, who have a great work ethic because we get to dictate our wage, and how much we are worth. If we want to get to work and share the product or service with others, our pay is a direct reflection of how many people we help and share our product with. This is another reason why we are not an illegal pyramid scheme, we are compensated for selling a product. We do not get paid for recruiting people in our business. Another reason why this business structure is great for people like me who have the entrepreneurial spirit, is there are low start-up costs and no risks. In AUD its $165, $50 in USA, Europe and UK £50 - which again is another reason why we are not an illegal pyramid scheme - as they rely on large start-up fees to make money usually in the high thousands. This structure is also great for women who are just looking to create a 2nd income sharing what they are passionate about or an income that works around their values whether it be kids, family, education or travel.
The Company wins.
This business structure is also great for companies because instead of paying those employees who pretend to look like they are busy for the whole shift (you know we have all been there, spending the shift looking busy cleaning up an isle), they just pay the workers who are getting the work done. Don’t do the work - don’t get paid.
You don’t have to have a background in business to know this isn’t a scheme...its smart business!
Ok, I get it but don't only the people up the top make money?
In those illegal Ponzi schemes I was telling you about, yes - where there is no product, no service, no business opportunity - just an investment, large enrolment fees and a mission to recruit others to put $$ in a ‘make-believe’ kitty - as you scam people into this scheme you make your way up to the top where you get to collect go and say byeeee suckerssss!!
But as I said (and I hope you’re picking up what I’m putting down), your earnings in this business are a direct reflection of the work you put into your business and how many people you help by flooding their body with the nutrients it needs to do what it is designed to do. There isn't some greedy guts at the top taking everything while you get a small percentage (which is more like a traditional business these days, the CEO takes the big bucks and everyone else works hard for minimum wage. Do you work in a hospital, government, retail, apprenticeship? That is more like a “pyramid structure” you were referring to earlier).
There can be people new in this business making more money than the person who shared this business opportunity with them who had been doing it years longer - it’s just how many people you share the product or service with. If you’re really into compensation plans and the nitty-gritty - (this isn’t a blog for that but we can send a training video to you that goes for about an hour explaining how it all works if that’s your jam, I am sure you would even be able to find it on the Internet!)
If the products are so good - why not stock them in the supermarkets?
I hope I did a good enough job at explaining why this is earlier... but if you still have doubts (I love my stats guys, I had to learn to in my honours year writing my thesis!)
Science and research studies have found we trust our friends and family more than advertising, funnily enough, we know that even though we see an advertisement of a famous singer/model advertising she’s loving $5 shampoo and conditioner…we know to call B*$#shit!
But on the other hand, if your mum or best friend saw a great movie, found a great restaurant or a skincare product and recommended it…we trust them and often will go try it for ourselves.
That is why cutting edge products with lots of research behind them that are making massive ripple effects in peoples lives, wellbeing and health is not found in a supermarket. A satisfied consumer is way more powerful with 78% of people buying a product from peer recommendation vs 14% from advertisements. Because these products are so amazing they rely on helping people get amazing results so others can genuinely and passionately share them with their loved ones. Most online businesses have caught onto this which is why they pay pretty Instagram models on your feed to post and endorse their products because they know you’ll trust them over paying thousands of dollars for advertising on tv, shops or magazines.
We have seen first hand what these products can do, from our own experiences or our clients inside the Healthstyle Emporium. Seeing the results and how amazing the Juice Plus products can be, adds fuel to my fire and makes my why so much bigger than me. That is what gives me the courage to get out there and share our mission (despite others out there not understanding and still having an ignorance towards MLM, maybe you were one of these people? I hope after reading this, I may have changed that for you).
Ok, I think I get it... But I don’t know if network marketing is for me?
I understand how you feel, trust me like I said I felt that too… even after learning all about pyramid schemes and realising this isn’t one of them.
But can I let you in on a little secret? You’re already a network marketer. In fact, we all are!
You know that TV series you recommended to your mum on Netflix? And that amazing lipstick from MAC you told your bestie about? That’s network marketing in action. And I am willing to bet that your mum and your bestie were both so grateful for a recommendation from someone they could trust. Now imagine if Netflix and Mac paid you for making recommendations just like that - for products you already love and know are making a massive difference in peoples health and wellbeing. That’s all that network marketing is, and when it works? When it’s done with authenticity and passion? Well, there’s no more powerful business model in the world.
So why this product?
We are in a health crisis. Prevention is one of the most powerful things we can do when responding to chronic illnesses, providing our body with the nutrition it needs to be able to do what it is designed to do - is a massive part in it. When did we make life so complicated? We are killing ourselves, we need to stop eating shit and eat more whole foods that are touched by the sun, move our bodies, stop stressing and drink more water (we all know this!!)
However in our fast-paced lives, it’s not that we don’t know better, it is just we struggle to do better. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that only 2.5% of children are getting the recommended daily serving of fruit and vegetables. So many of us are aware of this and are trying our best, but fail to realise that the “fresh produce” the vast majority of us are eating is sprayed with pesticides, injected with colours and preservatives and grown in nutrient-depleted soil - so the fruit and vegetables we are eating and feeding our families do not have the same nutritional value they did twenty years ago... So Juice Plus is a convenient and affordable way for us to help our clients bridge the gap, not only for their health but for their children’s. With any adult order, the company sponsors a child under 18 years with free nutrition for up to four years. We have a responsibility to share this - this is where real meaningful change can happen. With education and support, we can start to change the terrifying health statistics I shared earlier. The results have already been amazing.
Most people who join our business have a massive passion for health and wellness and are actually health and wellness professionals themselves. They take their credibility very seriously, so we aren’t willing to share something that isn’t backed by research and a company they can trust. Juice Plus is the most research nutraceutical in the world, it has been around for 24 years and has over 30 medical journals published, proving its effectiveness.
Ok I get it, the product is amazing but I just want to be part of the Healthstyle Emporium, why not just run the program itself?
Ok, want the honest truth?
Because health is holistic, it is about the mind, body and soul. But we also know people are lazy!
The World Health Organisation stats from 2016 - 2018 show us that:
1. Chronic diseases kill 40 million people each year - Diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes.
2. CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause.
3. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, with more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, being overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.
4. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer.
5. Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol.
6. The number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
Should I go on?
Adding to this, no education around lifestyle and nutrition, low cost and easily accessible packaged and processed foods mixed with malnutrition, increase our risk of dying from these chronic illnesses and prevention is one of the most powerful tools we can use to combat this.
A massive part of preventing chronic disease is fuelling your body with the nutrition it needs to function properly alongside living the lifestyle habits we teach.
It just makes sense, its scientifically proven, so they come hand in hand.
You might be “healthy” and don’t need our partner product… but the rest world isn’t (ps - I juice daily & eat majority plant based and trust when I say I still need JP+… there no such thing as “Im already healthy”).
You can feel illness but you cannot feel prevention my friends - everyone in the world needs the bridge the gap and eat well, live well & supplement well!
We know we need to eat less junk, and eat more natural whole foods. We know we need to exercise and move our bodies more. We know we need to stress less, sleep more, and drink more water!
Partnering up the Healthstyle Emporium with Juice Plus - also means our gorgeous clients get more value for their money. The coaches in the HSE do what we do because we are passionate about helping others and don’t believe in bandaid effects and love sharing the message of holistic and preventive health.
We are here because we want to help. Our clients are getting their wholefood products for the same price as they would if they just bought it off the international Juice Plus website, but through us, they get a beautiful holistic health program worth hundreds of dollars for free. They also have access to a range of health professionals inside the Emporium, as well as their own wellness coach, which essentially is their very own cheerleader and accountability buddy in the program to love on them and help them get back on the bandwagon after a bad day (because we all know we have them!). P.S when do you ever buy a product from your grocery store and have the lady at the counter check in every few weeks to see how you’re loving the product and to ensure you’re having an amazing experience?
And the MLM business structure we use is what allows us to be part of the Babes in Business team and be our own boss (meaning we get to work where we want when we want and with who we want), with low start-up costs, have a mentor showing us exactly how to build a business, a blueprint and proven system we get to put our own flavour on, community to lean on, laugh and cry with, leverage resources and skills AND create a residual income doing something we are passionate about.
The company has been around for more than 50 years, and our partner product, Juice Plus+, is the most researched nutraceutical in the world - it has over 33 peer-reviewed scientific studies published in world renowned medical and health journals. You can even ask siri 😂 “What is the most researched neutraceutical product in the world” … Do it. I dare you.
YOU JUST CAN’T BEAT THAT. It’s the real deal (sorry to all those forums, blogs & websites out there and ridiculous youtube videos - we have the science to back it up 😎)
So, what is residual income?
Residual income is when you continue to get paid after the work is done.
If you are literally working for a living…how do you live when you’re not working?
If we ran this program without the product not only would we be doing our clients a disservice but we would all still be exchanging time for money… I know that is what you may have been taught at school but I promise you, you will never get ahead working for a living (that's a whole other video, but if you want to watch that, you can check this VLOG).
Ok - so if we have decided we don't want to work for a big corporation where the man up the top makes all the big bucks and we want the freedom to work for ourselves. What happens when you are your own boss but you get sick, clients cancel on your appointments, you go on maternity leave… you don’t get paid! That is why the residual income in our compensation plan is so powerful and why so many entrepreneurs choose this business model either to supplement their existing income streams/jobs or coaching practises or replace it altogether.
Did you know 300 000 people every week are starting a home-based business, at a time where daycare is more than most mums wages, where mums are being forced back to work before they are ready because they don’t have maternity leave and are missing magical moments with loved ones. Where people are wanting to travel but don’t have enough recreational leave, people are losing their jobs and being made redundant because online businesses, technology and machines can do things better than we can - our business structure itself is in high demand.
Why Babes In Business?
In Babes in Business (the business side of working with us) we all share and support each other, plus we get to leverage the skills and resources of each other, which is amazing because it means none of us need to pay for expensive mentors and business coaches. PLUS, we have our uplines / mentors who have gone before us, available at a click of a button if we need one on one support.
This is available to us because of the business model. Its unheard of in any other business model.
We are here because we want to create an additional income stream, and not just that, a residual income.
A residual income is when you continue to get paid after the work is already done, and we believe it’s so important to have this if you want a life of flexibility & freedom.
None of this work 1 hour, get paid for one hour.
MLM allows you to work today for 1 hour, and get paid on that action within that hour for the rest of your life. When someone decides they don’t want to work for a big corporation where the man at the top makes all the money and the workers are slaving away, and they want to build a business that gives them the freedom to live life on their terms...where do they go? Many people will go off and start a business on their own. But what happens when you get sick, or clients cancel, or you take maternity leave… you don’t get paid!!
Also, did you know 50% of businesses fail in the first 2 years. And those that survive the 2 year mark, 50% of those fail within 5 years?
THAT’S STAGGERING STATISTICS!
Thats why MLM works. You have mentorship, weekly trainings, systems and business blueprints to follow that the successful people before you have built for you to follow.
Don’t forget that what most people don’t tell you is that when you’re your own boss in a traditional business, you don’t get paid if you don’t work! That means you still have very little freedom. If you need some time off with a MLM business? You still get paid baby! Whooo.
Also… you want a business coach? You’re looking at a serious investment. $10K or more per year for a goodie.
With MLM… mentorship and guidance is all apart of the deal! We are your business coaches - and you get us for free!
That’s the power of residual income. That’s the power of network marketing.
Without it:
You miss out on precious moments because you’re forced to work (with family day care these days costing more than most mum’s wages, mum’s are being forced to go back to work before they are ready and subsequently missing out on magical moments with loved ones.)
You miss out on opportunities like travelling (Many people want to travel, but have to sacrifice their career in order to make it happen because they don’t have enough leave.)
You aren’t in control of your financial security (People are being made redundant because online business and machines are more effective and more efficient...)
But why would I choose MLM over a traditional business?
Research shows that 70% of people would prefer to be their own boss, but nowhere near that amount will take the step because with all the many traditional options like buying an existing business, or you can open a franchise, you can start something from scratch or become an investor for example, all of those steps will require money, time and at some level - expertise.
We also need to pay bills now, but business start up is a serious slow burn before profits come in. You’re looking at 5 - 10 years of your traditional business being around before true profits start to show up.
So then, our business model, MLM - a multi billion dollar industry, shows up & it is today in such high demand, for so many reasons.
In 1979 when the profession became legitimised, the game changed. Families were bringing in additional income that was otherwise unavailable to the traditional working man.
Fast forward to today where technology has seriously evolved and now we are able to run a business with our smart phones and wifi connection, its the day and age where business is now virtual.
Now lets compare MLM to say real estate. Let’s say you don’t need to use any of your own personal money for a property investment, you can use the money of investors, theres an incredible amount of risk here lets say your flip goes wrong or the market takes a turn for the worst, you still need to pay that money back.
With MLM, with a great company like ours, the only financial investment you have is your franchise fee ($50usd) and the product you personally use. Thats it. There is no risk.
In addition to this, the government says no matter if you have a multi-million dollar company or a network marketing business, you can claim the same tax deductions. That’s the beauty of entrepreneurship and taking advantage of the MLM model.
One thing network marketing is, is its fair. Its the most fair form of compensation on the planet.
Think about this, us as a consumer in the industrialised world, its highly likely you have some beautiful and expensive items in your home. Lets say, the $250 dress you have in your wardrobe. It’s highly likely that dress was made somewhere in the Asia Pacific where conditions are horrible and where it cost just a few dollars to make. When you bought that dress, you didn’t even think about that right?
To me that’s a pyramid. Will the workers and children working in those factories ever make the same amount of money that the company directors and corporate team make? No.
So what MLM is, is fair. Anyone can enter the profession and everyone starts at the same level. Everyone gets paid for their efforts, you don’t have a boss and what really and truely put into it, is what you will get out of it.
This has been the vehicle that allows me to serve others, helping them improve their health and build a businesses that will change the trajectory of their lives.
I would be doing you all a massive disservice if I didn’t share this with you.
Babes in Business are a group of passionate women who are helping and empowering others to live a life of health, wealth and abundance. This is why we’re so proud of the community we have created, the business structure we use, and the product we partner with.
Like we mentioned before, our personal motto is “knowledge is power, but only when shared.”
What we have is a gift. It is so powerful and I know it has changed not just my life, but the life of my loved ones, my friends, my team and clients.
So then why is MLM so misunderstood?
Back in the 50’s, if you owned a franchise people thought you were apart of “a cult” or you were a communist (interesting times!).
To be honest, MLM is really only just in the last 10 years coming of age. Today, when we see multi-billionaires’ like Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, John Maxwell, Robert Kiyosaki, Brian Tracy, Brendon Burchard + so much more either endorse & advocate for or add MLM to their repertoire and portfolio of companies, thats when you know there is a clue as to why this is such a great business model.
Today, MLM is where franchising was back in the 80’s (when it began to become de-stigmatised) & there is a lot of cleaning up to do within the profession. We have seen lots of people make false claims or promise high hopes for others & sadly that has put a bad taste in the mouths of many.
But, we are entering a new era & times are quickly changing, and now more then ever the integrity and standards of MLM is higher then ever - and it starts with you and I.
If someone has shared this with you, feel grateful that they care enough about you to share it with you! If our message resonates with you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the person who shared this with you.
I hope we get to see you around in Babes in Business or inside The Healthstyle Emporium, but if I don’t, I hope this has educated you so you can understand a bit more about what we’re doing and why we’re so proud of it.
At the end of the day, my thought process is “don’t take advice from someone that has nothing you inspire to have”. So we’ll leave that one up to you.
Make your own decision & please don’t burn this profession unless you have given it a red hot go yourself 😉
I hope this has served you, any questions… just reach out x