Life After MLM
True stories and conversations with survivors, advocates and experts on the insidiousness of cults, frauds, scams and pyramid schemes. Through compassionate and educational informal chats, we work to end the stigma of "failure", in an machine systematically designed for you to fail. Hosted by Roberta Blevins, star of LuLaRich. Life After MLM is a part of True Native Media. Visit https://truenativemedia.com for more.
Episodes
Trigger Warnings - This episode contains topics such as racism, misogyny, child abuse, sexual abuse, violence and exploitation. Please use discretion when listening.
Mr. F and I traveled north to Vista, California to have lunch at the infamous Yellow Deli, this past October. When we returned home, I feverishly dove into the history of The Yellow Deli, the Twelve Tribes cult that runs it and what they believe. This episode b...
I have been saving this Chick Tract for a Thanksgiving Bonus Episode! Grab a drink, or prep your turkey with us as we dive into the most hilariously ridiculous Chick Tract we've read so far, as we learn the "true" story of Thanksgiving from an evangelical lens. Happy Thanksgiving from us to you!
Show Notes
Happy Thanksgiving! How about a bit of seasonal American history you probably didn't learn about in 2nd grade? Author of Cults Like Us, Jane Borden and I delve into the connections between cult dynamics and American culture, particularly through the lens of the Puritans and Pilgrims. Jane explains how these early groups set the stage for modern consumerism, the psychological impacts of cult-like thinking, and the prevalenc...
I've been wanting to talk about Asea for awhile and a recent comment on Instagram inspired me to take a closer look into the company. After a deep dive into the Asea Redox Cell Signaling Supplement rabbit hole, what I found was too good not to share and poke fun of in a bonus episode dedicated to maybe the stupidest MLM product of all time.
Show Notes
Michelle is here and we are diving into the factual history behind the events of the Salem Witch Trials, starting with the now out-of-print Chick Tract that's the most historically accurate one I've ever read. In today's Culty History lesson, we discuss "spectral evidence", the impact of accusations, and the underlying motives of land disputes, while drawing parallels between the trials and modern societal fears. Throughou...
In Part 2 of the High Priestess of Pink, Nic and I discuss the influence of figures like Dale Carnegie on the modern "MLM Mean Girl", the impact of the great wealth transfer on the corporate side of MLMs, the changing landscape of direct sales as more MLMs ditch the pyramid and go pancake and the implications of those changes for consultants. Plus the early history of BeautiControl, and what it looks like today.
But first, ...
Nic is back and we're here to deep dive into the life and legacy of Mary Kay Ash, the founder of one of the oldest MLM companies. The story that is told to consultants and regurgitated over and over at events about Mary Kay's life and the founding of the company? Turns out, it's not true. Nic has come with the records and receipts as we go through the fabrications surrounding her origin story, and the truth about her multi...
Happy Halloween Huns! Come join us as we explore the earliest spooky history and most haunted locations all over San Diego. In this special Halloween episode we go on location and experience San Diego, just after the Mexican-American War; the development of present day Downtown, the history of The Whaley House, San Diego's first cemetery El Campo Santo, Rancho Guajome Adobe and Pioneer Park. These are some of my absolute f...
In this episode, we delve into the tragic story of Alene Schrader, who suffered fatal medical neglect at the hands of her granddaughter, Kandise Sheahen, a registered nurse involved in the MLM Q Sciences. Our conversation with Alene's grandson, Jon Schrader and his wife Francesa, explores the dangers of MLM products as healthcare, the risks associated with trusting unqualified individuals in financially motivated medi...
Let's grab Mallory DeMille and dive into the wacky world of wellness influencers; the rise of grifters, the impact of the MAHA movement, and the absurd trends that have emerged in recent years. We discuss how wellness influencers exploit tragedies for profit, the gamification of the wellness space, and the challenges of helping change minds in a world filled with mis and disinformation. And what extreme wellness influencer...
After he listened to the last episode, Mr. F had a lot of questions and insight about Lillian's story. We literally talked about aspects of it everyday, so much so that I said we should just sit down and record our thoughts about this MLM that isn't quite and MLM, Magical Vacation Planners. If you had more thoughts or pending questions about the last episode, join us for this chat or send us a message!
Show Notes
Meet Lillian, a former travel agent with Magical Vacation Planner, an MLM adjacent travel agency with some allegedly shady practices. We chat about MVP's commission-based payment structure, and what that meant for the reps with the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic's lockdown. Our conversation delves into MVP's recruitment practices, intense contractual obligations, and the similarities between MVP and MLMs. Pl...
Happy October and welcome to the Spooky Era of our "Holiday Magic" episodes! Journey with us today on our recent trip to celebrate Abbey's birthday at Disneyland, just in time for Halloween! In this episode we share some of our favorite ghost stories, urban legends, Easter eggs and history from California's Disneyland, along with some audio recorded at the park! Plus, this holiday season we will be reading some "Chick Trac...
In continuing our education into GLP-1s, our guest Renee and I discuss the complexities of the different medications, their impact on health, and the challenges faced in accessing these treatments within the U.S. healthcare system. We explore the stigma surrounding weight loss drugs, the role insurance plays, and the rise of scammers in the GLP-1 space, while emphasizing the importance of medical trust and the need for acc...
Julie is back and today we are diving into an MLM called MarketPlace Global, exploring its products, the owner's juicy history with MLM, and the closed loop system being run without most people's knowledge. Julie fills us in on their current flagship product, Phix, its controversial claims and shady practices, and tells us a never before heard story about their recruitment strategies and data farming program. Plus an episo...
We've got Beth & Matt from Cut The Crap Podcast here today to discuss the rising trend of GLP-1 medications in influencer culture. In our chat, we explore the ethical concerns over the marketing of these drugs, the implications of telehealth, the financial incentives for influencers, and the potential dangers of unregulated use of GLP-1s. We are not doctors and want to emphasize the importance of seeking medical guidan...
Mr. F joins me for a new bonus Episode Recap series we are trying out! These bonus episodes will be recaps of the previous episode and address various updates, questions, comments and thoughts we had while listening! Elle couldn't join us today, because she had to have surgery so we send our well wishes while we recap our thoughts on Twin Flames, the US Military, Discord Watch Parties, and sprinkling some easter eggs for t...
Meet Elle Giacomini, a chemist turned musician and a survivor of the Twin Flames Universe cult. In our chat we discuss Elle's journey into Twin Flame, and the manipulative practices and psychological teachings of its leaders, including the controversial mirror exercise. We explore the dynamics of twin flames, the MLM-like structure of the cult, and the troubling gender expectations imposed on members. Elle also shares her ...
When Anna started dating Jeff he was already deep in Amway, ready to recruit her into his downline. Never at any point in their relationship was Amway not there as a constant third wheel, adding stress, debt and resentment to every day. In this episode we discuss the toxic patriarchal structure alive and well in Amway, the rampant use of faith manipulation and how fast debt accumulates when you're at the top of the pyramid...
Meredith was a single woman living in New York City when she was recruited into Amway. Over the years she devoted her life to the business, she noticed how patriarchal and cookie cutter the entire organization actually was. In our chat we talk about Amway Broadway Dreams, what life and business looks like after MLM and her viral giant cat.
Connect with Meredith : Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website
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