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From the lens Success University Review.

  • ddupont Oct 4, 2009 @ 10:57 pm | in reply to Kyle Gilmour | delete
    (Part 2 - I used up the 1000 max char space in initial reply below)

    Many SU members, myself included, had put much effort over a significant period of time to build up a SU business. I was gobsmacked (as were others in "non-approved" WV countries) to find out that from one day to the next, our commissions would cease and our businesses would dissolve (unless you register a US based company or take other such measures).

    One big lesson learned from this experience is that when you are building a MLM, whilst they're framed as "building your own business", this is a fallacy and you can have the rug pulled out from under your feet at the whim of a management decision. I am unsure what Matt got out of his sell-out to WV (as this is really what is was, not a merger), but whatever it was it was more for his interest and maybe in the interests of his top leadership to do so, rather than in the interests of many in the SU membership. This was a bitter pill.

    Damien
  • ddupont Oct 4, 2009 @ 10:13 pm | in reply to Kyle Gilmour | delete
    Hi Kyle,

    I haven't mentioned it because the merge took place in May 2009, and I last updated this lens in January. Much of what I wrote r.e. the compensation plan is now obsolete due to the merge.

    I was less than impressed (major understatement!) with Matt's decision to merge with World Ventures. WV were not approved to operate in Australia or Canada, so members there became inactive by default. The only way to maintain an active membership was to setup a U.S. (or other approved WV country) company & switch your SU membership to the company, or at the very least switch to a U.S. postal address.

    Staff I spoke with at SU at the time were unable to answer the fundamental question of "what happens to all the downline of members in non-approved WV countries whose memberships go inactive pending later approval of their country and re-activation of their membership". It was handled extremely unprofessionally and was a shambles causing extremely high attrition.
  • Kyle Gilmour Sep 30, 2009 @ 2:07 pm | delete
    Hi Damien. I like your lens. It explains everything very well. How come you have not mentioned the merge with World Ventures?
  • ddupont Feb 9, 2009 @ 7:01 pm | in reply to Nat | delete
    Answer Part 1 of 3

    Hi Nat,

    Hey.. thanks for the compliment.

    I'm glad it cleared a few things up for you.

    I just wrote a full reply to you and found I couldn't post it because I'm limited to 1000 characters. So I'm posting my answer across three separate reply boxes.

    Most network marketing / mlm companies get branded as 'Pyramid Schemes' by a small percentage of people who don't know better. This said, some mlm's are pretty shady and border on being pyramid schemes. Pyramid & ponzi shemes are illegal by the way.

    The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has a pdf entitled "Five Causal and Defining Characteristics of Product-Based Pyramid Schemes, or Recruiting MLM's": http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/businessopprule/522418-12585.pdf

    It's a forty page pdf, so "explaining the differences" is hard to do within a sentence or two.

    Answer continued in part 2 below...
  • ddupont Feb 9, 2009 @ 7:00 pm | in reply to Nat | delete
    Answer Part 2 of 3

    Here's an excerpt from p.35 of the pdf: (pyramid shemes) ... "concentrate on the commissions you could earn just for recruiting new distributors" and which "generally ignore the marketing and selling of products and services."

    However, as per that quote "generally" means there are exceptions to that rule. Another criteria to apply is that often newer members will fund the profits for older members.

    In contrast, legitimate network marketing companies like Success University have a product of value for consumers and are "reward for effort" based and not seniority based. Take me for instance. I have four Directors in my downline who are making more money than I am as I'm only a Councilor (note: actually Councilors can make more than Directors, but I won't get into that right now).

    Answer continued in part 3 below...
  • ddupont Feb 9, 2009 @ 6:59 pm | in reply to Nat | delete
    Answer Part 3 of 3

    Whilst I've been in longer, and my organisation will have the greatest number of active students compared to any of my downline Directors, it is those downline Directors that have put the most effort into generating those active students, hence they are rewarded for that. That's where the 1/3rd to 2/3rds leg balance comes into play that I wrote about in Section 5b (above).

    I hope this goes some way to clearing up your question Nat.

    Warmly,

    Damien Dupont
  • Nat Feb 9, 2009 @ 6:57 am | delete
    This is by far the best right up I've come across. Thanks for helping me understand the concept in a different way. On the compensation plan has anyone said it is just another pryamid scheme.
    If so how do you explain the differences.
  • ddupont Jan 11, 2009 @ 10:50 pm | in reply to adamaria | delete
    Hi Adamaria,

    Alas I am not a Spanish speaker, but with the help on an online translator... here goes :)

    Ay no soy un altavoz español, pero con la ayuda en un traductor en línea ... aquí va...

    La formación de negocio de Universidad de Éxito es en inglés, y la mayor parte de los cursos son en inglés con unas excepciones. Hay actualmente dos cursos en español en el área de los miembros. Éstos son:
    - Manifestando La Grandeza por Sam Rodriguez; y
    - Los el 9 párrafo Diseñar Pasos y Crear Éxito el-por Leo Alcalá

    Si usted está interesado en la oportunidad comercial, yo podría ser capaz de ponerle en el toque con unos upline mío quiénes son altavoces españoles. De ser así, use el 'Se ponen en contacto conmigo' eslabón en la esquina de mano derecha superior de esta página y me abandonan su dirección de correo electrónico.

    Gracias Adamaria.

    Damien
  • adamaria Jan 10, 2009 @ 11:47 am | delete
    Hola me gustaria recibir informacion en español. gracias
  • ddupont Dec 20, 2008 @ 5:32 pm | in reply to David | delete
    Hi David,

    Thanks for the compliment :)

    Just wondering what you mean by "when does this end"? I would hope SU will be around the rest of my lifetime. As to when you need to stop working it (assuming this is what you meant?), I guess you could do that once both of your two legs are self-growing. One of my legs is already doing that. But it would depend upon your own income and lifestyle goals.

    I am not U.S. based either. I started with SU whilst I was still living in Melbourne, but I moved to Montreal in Sept 2008. It's not an issue. Non-U.S. residents just complete a W-9 form. SU send this to you. You simpy have to declare your SU income, like any other income, to your own country's tax office when you complete your annual tax return.

    Feel free to contact me directly with any other queries David. Use the 'Contact me' link in the top rhs corner of this page & leave me your email address or phone number.

    Merry Christmas 2008 :)

    Warmly,

    Damien Dupont
  • David Dec 18, 2008 @ 1:43 pm | delete
    Great stuff.

    Just out of curiosity, when does this end. It must end somewhere.....Also, since I am out of the U.S. and am dealing with a different currency and tax laws, how do I factor that into my business strategy since I am looking to make a difference in my personal and financial situation? Does it mean that I need to apply for a VAT number or what? Please advise....
  • RobbiePringle Sep 16, 2008 @ 12:40 pm | delete
    Hi Damien, really like what you are doing here, Success University is an opportunity that cuts to the chase, cleverly combining a chance to make money with personal development, unlike other opportunities where personal development, essential to success online and offline, is merely secondary to selling some other product - with such backing, education, motivation, Success University is a company with the Right kind of foundations...well done again,
    Robbie
  • Brian Neal Aug 9, 2008 @ 9:30 am | delete
    Labour under correct knowledge (Luck)
    Congrtulations on this excellent start to your review. Thank You...
  • JeannieG Jul 27, 2008 @ 11:09 pm | delete
    It's great to learn about the background of the people behind SU. I hadn't found this info anywhere else as yet. Thanks for putting the work into this. I look forward to reading the remaining sections once you've finished them. Thanks Damien, and good luck in Canada!

    Jeannie
  • KelG Apr 29, 2008 @ 5:46 pm | delete
    Hey Damien,
    You've done a great overview here - well done.
    Extremely valuable info to anyone wanting to move ahead in life.
    Thanks!
  • johnsmith Mar 17, 2008 @ 8:27 pm | delete
    really great work done by you

by

ddupont

I am 40yrs old, currently live in Montréal, Canada and work fulltime from home running my own business. I have been a member of Success University since... more »

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