ending my MK career, thinking of beginning another...

[Allikat685]

Slumber parties sounds even worse than MK! How on earth would you get repeat sales? How would you get many people there to begin with?

Well there is always the lotion....eeeek! 

[Lipstick]

 
Allikat...you don't have to attend one of those slumber parties to get the lotion 

[Trigger]

What is mangosteen?  Never heard of it.

[BabyBlues]

Me neither.....Anybody!!!???

[Lipstick]

I Googled it...it's some kind of juice...a big scam probably!

[BabyBlues]

Figures...what isn't

[gourmetgus]

The only ones making any money are the company. Very few manage to eek out anything close to what an interesting REAL part-time job would provide. The things are good for hobbies and a little change but not much more.

Hi - me again - the new guy who hasn't posted his intro but keeps reading posts and wanting to respond!
I couldn't disagree more.  And I have noticed that you are a big name on this site, so I am choosing my words wisely.
When I started Tastefully Simple seven years ago, I had four part time jobs.  The only one I made decent money at was waiting tables so I kept that one for quite awhile, actually.  At that time, I had a p/t job at the Mall, for example.  I was making MAYBE $10/hour.  SO, if I worked an evening shift after class, I got there at 5 and left at 9:30 - 4.5 hours at $10 would be $45 and I didn't get to write off the gas!  So, you do one TS party (I can't speak generally b/c I don't know every single commission scale) and even if it's below the company average of $450 you are still making more than a p/t job AND you get to write off the gas.
I think that most of the people on my Team would agree that they are making money.  Otherwise, why would they stay with the company?

[MK HUBBY 2]

The only ones making any money are the company. Very few manage to eek out anything close to what an interesting REAL part-time job would provide. The things are good for hobbies and a little change but not much more.

Hi - me again - the new guy who hasn't posted his intro but keeps reading posts and wanting to respond!
I couldn't disagree more.  And I have noticed that you are a big name on this site, so I am choosing my words wisely.
When I started Tastefully Simple seven years ago, I had four part time jobs.  The only one I made decent money at was waiting tables so I kept that one for quite awhile, actually.  At that time, I had a p/t job at the Mall, for example.  I was making MAYBE $10/hour.  SO, if I worked an evening shift after class, I got there at 5 and left at 9:30 - 4.5 hours at $10 would be $45 and I didn't get to write off the gas!  So, you do one TS party (I can't speak generally b/c I don't know every single commission scale) and even if it's below the company average of $450 you are still making more than a p/t job AND you get to write off the gas.
I think that most of the people on my Team would agree that they are making money.  Otherwise, why would they stay with the company?

While it looks good on paper, no one can or will have the same experiences.  MLM's do not guarantee a consistant pay schedule.  While I like to think my wife's MK business is doing well, we can not assume she will come home every weekend with the same amount of sales from every party booked.  There are always cancellations, reschedules, and simply no orders from that party.  She has had dry spells for 2-3 weeks and nails the 4th with over a $1000 party.  She has also had a month of steady 200 week orders.  It is very hilly.  If one is already stuggling to pay bills and stay on there feet, MLM's are not the way to go.  Having a steady income to work a budget around is and should be first priority before investing time and even money into something that is not steady or a sure thing.  But everyones situation is different!  As with any business, MLM or starting your own business from the ground up, will require a lot of time and  even money. 

Oh and lastly,     I am a noob here as well!

[gourmetgus]

I agree totally with what you're saying, and have had my share of $200 parties instead of a $600 party.  But, even with that smaller party, I made $60 that day and didn't have a boss breathing down my neck.
I also agree that it depends on the situation.  If someone on my Team needs that part-time job to make his or her ends meet, then I have no place to tell them to quit the job.  But I don't hesitate to encourage them to get a party scheduled to have even more money toward getting out of debt, saving in the bank, etc.
When I started, I saved quite a bit of the cash from my parties so that I had a few months of the salary I made at the mall saved up.  So, in September I started doing parties and only spent about 50% of what I made.  That way, by the time we got to December and I had quit the mall gig, I had a savings account to turn to in case the parties didn't go as well as I needed them to go.

[MK HUBBY 2]

Sounds good.  It really pays to have a plan.  But being single also plays a big role in that success story.  Throw kids into that mix and it gets alot more difficult and complicated.  Kids get sick, grow fast and need clothing, eat like horses and while you can plan a budget and hope to spend 50% less than what you are currently spending, that is never the case.  One bout(sp?) of the runs  can ruin a diaper budget real quick, not to mention the cost of a doctors visit and medicine if it is required.  But your plan has worked for you, just as our plan has worked for us (we have 2 kids).  It can be done, but I think even I have made it sound like it has been easy.  It hasn't and there really has been alot of disappointment.  But something better always seem to be just around the corner.

[Tam]

While it looks good on paper, no one can or will have the same experiences.  MLM's do not guarantee a consistant pay schedule.  While I like to think my wife's MK business is doing well, we can not assume she will come home every weekend with the same amount of sales from every party booked.  There are always cancellations, reschedules, and simply no orders from that party.  She has had dry spells for 2-3 weeks and nails the 4th with over a $1000 party.  She has also had a month of steady 200 week orders.  It is very hilly.  If one is already stuggling to pay bills and stay on there feet, MLM's are not the way to go.  Having a steady income to work a budget around is and should be first priority before investing time and even money into something that is not steady or a sure thing.  But everyones situation is different!  As with any business, MLM or starting your own business from the ground up, will require a lot of time and  even money. 

Oh and lastly,     I am a noob here as well!

MKH2 - I agree that for a consistent income, a pt job (IMO) is better.  I would think that once you run through your soft market for parties (family & friends) that you would have the same difficulties as MK.  IDK  Gormentgus, you talk about write offs but tax deductions do not feed the kids or put gas in the car!  I don't know your MLM, but I would assume you must purchase samples, supplies, etc.  and if you don't carry inventory, then you have to make an extra trip for delivery, do you count all those deductions against what you make when you are quoting what you "make" or are you quoting actual sales?  (Not trying to be a  but I've been around MK enough to learn to question the numbers!)

[gourmetgus]

MKH2 - I agree that for a consistent income, a pt job (IMO) is better.  I would think that once you run through your soft market for parties (family & friends) that you would have the same difficulties as MK.  IDK  Gormentgus, you talk about write offs but tax deductions do not feed the kids or put gas in the car!  I don't know your MLM, but I would assume you must purchase samples, supplies, etc.  and if you don't carry inventory, then you have to make an extra trip for delivery, do you count all those deductions against what you make when you are quoting what you "make" or are you quoting actual sales?  (Not trying to be a  but I've been around MK enough to learn to question the numbers!)

Hi Tam!  I have never heard the term soft market so I can't speak to that.  I have had several repeat Hosts in my seven years, but plenty of new ones, too.  While we do purchase samples and supplies, these costs ARE built in to the number I quoted.  So, I receive a 36% discount, but when you factor in samples, supplies, and Host credit, that comes down to 25%, so the numbers I quoted are the actual take-home figures.  I don't think it's beating a dead horse at all - I love the clarification process.
Maybe I'm thinking of a p/t job differently, too.  The one I referenced before, in the Mall, was $9/hour.  I have also had a couple of great p/t jobs where I made a lot better money because it was in my field.  SO, do I think one should give up a $20/hour to try an MLM?  No way.  And I also don't think someone should leave a $9/hour p/t job just to try an MLM - at first.  BUT, if someone is working in the $9 - $11 / hour range about 20 hours per week, I have definitely had success showing someone how to successfully leave that job within 6 months after starting their Business.
Regarding the tax break comments - Again, I go to the hourly wage job example.  If I make $50 a shift working retail, I'm only netting $37.50 (about).  So, while I know tax write-offs don't put food on the table, it's important to note that the self-employment job does keep more money in your pocket so you can buy the food right now, when you need it, instead of waiting until your tax return comes in.
Now I'm the one beating the dead horse!  lol

[Tam]

Just checking, our SD ALWAYS told us to quote only the actual amount sold at any skin care class (SCC) and NOT to allow for deductions.  This was usually done in front of guests at MK trainings "ie, recruiting events" and therefore everyone thought we took home  50% of what we sold.  Not true, so not true.

Soft market - (MK terms) family, friends, neighbors - all whom you could sucker convince to "host" a SCC for you.