MLMs are Killing Authentic Connection

I’m just gonna say it. And I don’t care if it makes me sound like my feelings are hurt, because, well, they are hurt. 

They’ve been hurt by false friends using connection as a dangling carrot to lure me into their MLM. 

To buy their products. Or host their parties. Or join their challenge groups. 

And I’ve caved and participated in it all. And I’ve regretted it every single time. It changed our dynamic. It changed the way I saw you. You were no longer a friend, you were more like a trafficker. And I’d been duped. 

Was losing my friendship worth it to you? Actually, don’t answer that. 

And of course this isn’t aimed at one person in particular, the disease that is direct sales has poisoned the well of so many.

The old high school acquaintance who messaged me about Beachbody shakes days after I shared my first postpartum swimsuit picture. “I thought of you because the group is mostly moms, some brand new mamas like yourself trying to lose baby weight or get back in shape after kiddos!”

The close friend who talked to me less and less about guys and home renovations and more and more about samples and testimonials for ‘her’ makeup line. “Hey Bri!!!  I know it has been way too long since we have seen each other!  I hope everything is going well.  I just wanted to send you a little message, it would be great to see you next Thursday if you can make it. I would love to share BeautyCounter’s mission and products with you, I think it is something that you would be interested in.”

The former colleague who messages me incessantly about hosting book parties, pretending to give a shit about my family before getting to her bottom line. “ Hey Bri! How are you?! How’s your summer going?! Anything fun planned?! I wanted to reach out and let you know that UBAM just released over 100 new titles last week! “

Please, can 2022 just be the year we cut the bullshit? 

I just really think we need to address how manipulative and phony it manufactures the connections that you have in this life. Real connections in this lonely world are special and should not be beaten to death. It’s costing you, and maybe my friendship is worth the loss, but down the road you’re going to realize I’m not the only one whose mind has changed about you. 

And I’m sure that sounds judgmental, but it’s more than that. It’s watching you post about your miracle products and how the company changed your life and now you’re recruiting more boss babes to take control of their finances and freedom…and seeing that the only path to that freedom is to use the networking and people available at your expense. Us. And it…sucks. It sucks that pressuring me to ‘support your small business’ means I have to host yet another online party and send out customized messages to my acquaintances and further expand the cycle. 

Because the truth is, I’m now an accomplice to the manipulation and bullshit. I’m just as guilty. It’s destructive and let’s face it, you’re tapping out of your well of former friends to use at your disposal. So let’s just end it, okay? 

If you need to push products or host more parties, tell it like it is, and not what you’re veiling it to be. Don’t parade this as some kind of opportunity for us to hang out or connect. Because I’m not buying it anymore. 

I’m not buying any of it, anymore.