*Content Warning : This episode talks about The No Name Fellowship and discusses the death of a child, among other cult abuses. Please use discretion when listening.* Shortly after Stacey's episode came out I got an email from another survivor of the "No Name Fellowship" who had even more to add to the story. With very little information about this group out there, any additional pieces to the puzzle would be helpful in understanding the complex cult; but I did NOT expect what was waiting for me...
Aug 06, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 182
Have you ever heard a Hun proclaim they owned their own business, with silently screaming inside that joining an MLM isn't the same thing as being a business owner? Have you ever been curious about some of the less obvious things a real small business owner would be concerned about that might never cross the mind of someone in an MLM? Well you're in luck! Olivia is an internal auditor by trade, who also fell prey to an MLM and quickly saw how the scam can pull you in. Now she runs a successful b...
Jul 30, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Season 3Ep. 181
A couple months ago, Russ came to me with an idea I fully supported; attending a motivational coaching seminar with a starry-eyed friend to keep him safe from being scammed. Spending a good chunk of change on the largest VIP ticket, he agreed to keep his eyes peeled, take notes and report back, but Russ's expectation verses his reality were two entirely different things. Show Notes Aspire Tour - https://www.aspiretour.com/home Aspire Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aspiretour/ Out of MLM -...
Jul 23, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 180
*Content Warning: This episode deals with Medical Child Abuse, including examples and descriptions of actual abuse in MbP cases. Please use caution when listening.* In continuing our education into the exploitation of children, I invited my friend Andrea Dunlop on the show to open up the conversation about Medical Child Abuse. Andrea is the host of the podcast Nobody Should Believe Me which deals in the victims stories and education surrounding "Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another" or as it's...
Jul 16, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 179
*Content Warning : This episode deals with heavy topics such as religious trauma, mentions of child abuse, trafficking and SA allegations, and domestic violence. Please use caution when listening.* Nikieta and Asha were both members of ICOC, or The International Churches of Christ - a dangerous religious cult with ties to child abuse and running a religious pyramid scheme. Both were young women entering college when they were recruited just 8 years apart, in eerily similar stories. Now on the ot...
Jul 09, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 178
Sarah joined Scentsy because she wanted a family vacation, and somehow found herself in the owner's direct downline, without much help or guidance. As Sarah climbed the ranks to SuperStar Consultant she started to noticed something fishy, consultants breaking the rules, out spending each other on stock, buying ranks, and literally faking it until they make it. When she experiences some huge life changes, Sarah throws herself into Scentsy, and spirals into the darkest time of her life. Show Notes...
Jul 02, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 177
In the Amazon Prime Video DocuSeries Shiny Happy People we meet Tara and Floyd Oathout, two former homeschoolers whose love story started in the electronics section at Walmart. I was instantly charmed by their sarcastic wit and loving banter and knew they had a much bigger story than the show had room for. Through amazing adversity, and over coming some of the darkest times at true rock bottom, these two have held strong and both fought their way back from the nearly dead. *If you can't get enou...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Season 3Ep. 176
*This episode contains topics that may be triggering to some, including religious trauma, purity culture, infertility and sex education. Please use discretion when listening.* Growing up as the only daughter in a deeply religious Baptist home was an interesting experience for Kendyl. Her father was strict and adhered to the principles of Christian "Purity Culture", a fact made evident to her by all the double standards she was witnessing. As she grew older and gained more autonomy, Kendyl starte...
Jun 18, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 175
Before Kristin Hoffman made her name as "Baker Bettie", she was fresh out of culinary school and looking for her dream job. One day she happened upon a Craigslist Ad that seemed too good to be true (as they often are) and took a chance on a family needing a private chef for a child with a special needs diet. But what Kristin signed up for and what Kristin actually got, were two very different scenarios. Show Notes Follow Kristin! - Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Website Bettie's Chicago - https...
Jun 11, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 174
*Content Warning - This episode contains stories about extreme physical child abuse and neglect, including death. Please use caution when listening.* Stacey was just a small child when her family joined a non denominational Christian church without an official name. As time went on, the group got more extreme, prepping for "The End Times" and engaging in publiFc spankings. It wasn't until a young boy at the church died, that the outside world was forced to get involved, and Stacey's family was i...
Jun 04, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 173
Samantha was a casino cocktail waitress, working the graveyard shift when she decided to change her direction in life and go into real estate. After getting her license and becoming a realtor she was introduced to eXp Realty and joined a local broker. Samantha and I go down the rabbit hole of MLM Real Estate - yes, there truly is an MLM for EVERYTHING! - answer some questions as to how Real Estate MLMs are different than the already complicated world of Real Estate, and even her talk about her t...
May 28, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 172
Shannon McLay is the host of Martinis and Your Money and the Founder and CEO of The Financial Gym, a personal financial services company. So many people leaving MLM feel lost and confused about how to fix the mess that was made and aren't sure where to look, or how to start. It's a scary and taboo subject and Shannon wants to take the shame and emotions out of it so we can better understand how our money works. How do you get out of debt? Is bankruptcy the best solution? Do I have options? How c...
May 21, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 171
*This episode deals with fatphobia, disordered eating, abuse, white supremacy and sex work. Please use discretion when listening.* From an early age, Leilah already knew she was different and didn't fit into societies mold of what a "good girl" should be. Even growing up in a more liberal household, she still experienced white supremacy and purity culture from the stance of "what not to be". Through years of unpacking her own internal biases, and a short stint with BeachBody, Leilah discovered h...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Season 3Ep. 170
Paging the FTC. What happens when you're so high up in an organization that you experience the the quiet parts out loud? You know the ones, stacking, poaching, scheming and alleged tax fraud - the 4 horsemen of the MLM apocalypse. What happens when you hold more cards than the MLM wants you to have? What happens when you're a big enough load bearing brick that without you, the pyramid has to break some of their own rules to make it work? Lucky for us, Danielle has all the answers and more, and s...
May 07, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 169
Amanda was a new wife just trying to help pay down their bills when Pampered Chef enticed her with an opportunity and the kitchen of her dreams. The harder she tried to make it work while always struggling to survive, the more obvious the transactional relationship became, until Amanda had enough. She ditched her MLM, faced some harsh truths and made a plan that helped her and her husband tackle over $85K in crippling debt without sacrificing their wants and needs. And she tells us how we can do...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 168
Part Two! It wasn't until Andrew and Will watched the 2021 convention turn deadly that they finally had enough and decided to speak out. But speaking their truth was just the beginning of their nightmares. They quickly became the targets of horrific fair gaming from the very same people they once used to call friends, even tracing the cyberstalking to the original source, and the most disgusting shock of all. Show Notes Out of MLM - https://outofmlm.info/ Cultish by Amanda Montell - https://amzn...
Apr 26, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 167
When Andrew Thompson first joined Paparazzi Accessories it wasn't out of spite or vengeance. He and his former partner climbed the multiple ranks effortlessly and were treated like MLM royalty until everything came crashing down, leaving him in the dust. Despite Andrew moving on and rebuilding his PapaKingdom, he had a target on his back he couldn't shake. It wasn't until he watched the 2021 convention turn deadly that he finally had enough and decided to speak out, but that was just the beginni...
Apr 23, 2023•1 hr 48 min•Season 3Ep. 166
*This episode mentions abusive relationships, thoughts of suicide and health claims. Please use discretion when listening.* When you're already experiencing red flags, it's easy to miss the others as they fill up your space and for Kristin it was one thing after the other. From an abusive relationship, into an abusive MLM, a lot of warning signs were excused until the weight of it all was just too much and Kristin felt she had no other options. Luckily, a supportive sisterhood inside the scam he...
Apr 16, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 165
*Content Warning* This episode deals with the human trafficking industry, please use discretion when listening. Amanda was just a teenager when she left home to join a "Mag Crew", traveling across the country selling magazines door to door. Maybe you've encountered a Mag Crew at your own doorstep, peddling overpriced magazine subscriptions with sketchy looking "official" documents, claiming to be earning points for a savings bond or vacation. It seems harmless, but as Amanda tells us, it's anyth...
Apr 09, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 164
Emily Lynn Paulson is back! And this time it's to talk about her book Hey, Hun Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing that comes out May 30th! In our chat we cover a lot of bases, including the process of writing and publishing a book with an "AntiMLM" message to the oddity of Parasocial relationships and how MLM is dripping in white supremacy. Show Notes Episode 101 - Emily Lynn Paulson - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-101-emily-paulson/id155...
Apr 02, 2023•58 min•Season 3Ep. 163
Isaac Ramos was an overworked and underpaid teacher looking to supplement his income while caring for his chronically ill wife when Amway walked into their lives. As the "upline" in their marriage, Isaac dove head first into the American Way, duplicating what his Platinum kept saying was the way to millions in residual income. Through Isaac's perspective, we see the pressures of an Amway marriage with a different lens, and learn that nowhere is safe, not even the dog park. Show Notes Follow Eddi...
Mar 26, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 162
As a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family & County Mediator, Vanessa sees a lot. As another personal protection advocate on TikTok, she wanted to have a conversation. And in that conversation we covered a lot of topics; owning your own business, obvious lack in education, not-so-basic job knowledge, the military and the power of confidence. Show Notes Vanessa on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@divorcingadults Divorcing Adults - https://www.divorcingadults.com/ National Domestic Violence H...
Mar 19, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 161
Cori was never in a MLM, but she got a front row seat to the circus of Amway when she met her soon-to-be in-laws and saw their basement. Throughout almost their entire marriage, Cori watched them struggle when they didn't have to, sacrificing everything they had for a dream that was only out of reach while funneling their money into Amway. Cori shares her story of watching the aftermath of putting your MLM before your family. Show Notes Amway : The Comments - https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Amway/AU...
Mar 12, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 160
Eden Robinson had a confusing childhood; a closeted father, an abusive mother and a buried identity that almost everyone else could see but her. Slowly, as she started to unpack her own baggage, she had to confront some hard truths before unlearning all the shame she had been raised in. With the help of Pink!, Jillian Holtzman, and Jennette McCurdy, Eden found herself, her voice and her identity, and then she wrote it all down. Show Notes Becoming Shameless by Eden Robinson (Simchah) - https://a...
Mar 05, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 159
As a mom of special needs children, Savannah wanted to be the best advocate for them that she could be. She thought she was doing her research when she came upon a Special Needs advocate and educator who promised just that. Throughout her experience she started to notice some red flags; unnecessary conflict, tensions and a seemingly endless fight for what kinda looked like justice. But for who? Show Notes COPAA - https://www.copaa.org/ From Emotions to Advocacy -https://amzn.to/3SoKNs0 Wrightsla...
Feb 26, 2023•54 min•Ep. 158
*This episode involves discussion of sex work, sexual assault and racism. Please use discretion when listening.* Jessica Hopper was introduced to pole fitness in the mid 2000's when she stumbled upon S Factor Studio and quickly became an instructor. Throughout her 14 years with the studio, Jessica witnessed countless abuses of power at the hand of the company's founder, Sheila Kelley. With compartmentalization and focusing on her students, Jessica trudged on until the company's reaction to the m...
Feb 19, 2023•1 hr 17 min
This Episode is sponsored by Credit Sage. To save $50 on your credit repair service visit https://www.creditsage.com/mlm or call (844) 938 1619 *TW: This episode talks about infertility, IVF, and Covid-19. Please use caution when listening.* When Brandi joined Arbonne she had no idea what she was signing up for, she just wanted a way to pay for another round of IVF. Throughout her time in the MLM she was shamed, guilted, preyed upon and then had to answer to the FTC. Brandi shares what it was li...
Feb 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 156
Tracy Coenen is the powerhouse behind Pink Truth and the brilliant forensic accountant also known as The Fraud Coach. And she's here to talk to us about financial literacy after leaving high demand situations... like bad marriages, or even cults. Tracy has been though the MLM rollercoaster so she offers a unique perspective to those of us who may be going through even more than leaving an MLM during "The Great Awakening" of the past 3 years. If you're in the "divorce headspace" (trust me, I get ...
Feb 05, 2023•54 min•Ep. 155
When twin sisters Melissa and Marissa both joined Pampered Chef, it was for very different reasons with very different results. As one quickly climbed the ranks, the other was stacked and used to help her sister rank up within the company, helping her earn trips, recognition and at times up to 5 times more than her sister was. It wasn't until a personal revelation, and an interventions of sorts that the sisters were able to see the scam for what it really was, and find the strength to leave. Sho...
Jan 29, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 154
Christine reached out to me because she found the podcast and wanted to talk about a subject near to her heart that we hadn't covered yet; Military families and spouses and how MLMs take advantage of them from multiple angles. It's a discussion I've wanted to have for awhile, and while Christine wasn't ever in an MLM, she's supported more than anyone could ever want to admit. And she brought a list with her! We chat about the military, US capitalism and unpaid and underpaid labor to open up some...
Jan 22, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 153
