Editorial Guideline

Needless to say, we probably don't like the 'whole truth' of the industry. Over the past few decades, MLM has acquired a less-than-stellar reputation.  And, like any industry, there has developed a whole range of companies and participants.

There are some companies and participants that are embarrassments to the rest of the industry. (I believe these should be exposed for what they are.**)

There are many that are mediocre.

And, there are, as in other industries, a few exceptionally good companies. Companies that are principle-based, with integrous models, that deliver extraordinary value to their customers, employees, and independent representatives.

The 'Company Profile' pages on this site have quick reference information on companies in all of these categories and every shade of grey in between.  We cover as many as possible.

We post news about any company if it:

• Appears in the mainstream press.

• If not in the mainstream press, if it appears to be truthful and accurate and is corroborated in some way.

• Will affect networkers in any company, or in general - whether for good or bad.

Generally, we try not to comment on the news. Facts can be interpreted in may different ways. We generally leave that up to you, the reader.

Are you For or Against the MLM Industry?

My (Lou Abbott) largest source of income (and I believe that multiple sources of income are good) is my network marketing income - from a company I have been working with since 2002. We are in the top 1% of income earners with our company so believe me when I say, "when it's done well, network marketing can be extraordinarily smart and freeing way to earn a living."

So let me put it this way, I love network marketing when it is done WELL - by the reps, by the companies. But I have also seen MLM done very poorly.  The bad reputation of the industry has been earned.  Part of our mission is to see that changed.

Why do you Post Negative News Stories about the Industry?

1. MLM has a reputation for being riddled with hype and exaggeration. We can only change that with honesty and full disclosure. If your goal is like one of ours, to upgrade the image of the industry, then practice full disclosure.  In time, the reputation of the industry will change and that change will make it easier for everyone.

2. We all need to know what is going on BEFORE our teams or our prospects. Sometimes bad news strikes even very good companies. Pretending it doesn't exist doesn't do any good - quite the contrary - it makes us look either ignorant or dishonest.  That said, bad news rarely means it's time to "jump ship" either. Usually it is best to stick with a company even if there is some bad news.

3. However, some times, rarely so, but some times . . . we will learn something that renders our initial judgment of a company invalid. At those times, it is foolhardy to leave our heads in the sand. If a company has serious problems, if we find a serious problem with integrity, or if the news is so bad that it will take years to regain momentum, it may be time to move on. "Going down with the ship" is not my idea of good leadership. It is a matter of where we place our highest loyalties. You may enjoy the article I wrote on that subject at my blog: When Is It Loyal to be Disloyal?

Do you Push Your Company as the Best?

Absolutely not. In fact, we strive very hard to make it impossible for anyone to even know what company(ies), we work with from any of the information on this site, or any of our emailed information.

Are you Biased?

I think it is impossible to not be biased. We all have a bias. But I like to think that mine is governed by an abnormally strong love of the 'whole' truth of a matter,  of fairness, and is seasoned by over a decade of experience in, and as a vendor to, the MLM industry.

In short - I try to keep my bias under control! 

My goal is to make this site a resource that you will come to trust, that you will use often, that you will refer to others.

While there are a growing number of sites with 'MLM' themes, a few are clearly 'Anti-MLM' run by zealots with a narrow point of view and a limited perspective.  Unfortunately they have high search engine rankings and your prospect are likely to find them first.

If you like the balance that this site offers, you can help people find this site before the "Anti" sites.

• First, don't 'google' the 'anti- sites' and click on their links. One of the contributing factors to the ranking assigned by Google is the number of times searchers click on their links.

• Second, please do recommend, search for, and link to MLM-theWholeTruth.com. Link popularity is also a contributing factor in the rankings that Google assigns a web site. If you want the industry to be represented in a professional way, devoid of hype and exaggeration, with balanced and unbiased information, please do link to our site from yours.

Many other websites post simply whatever is popular, whatever draws traffic whether the information is of real value to anyone or not. 

And finally, most MLM sites are constructed simply to prospect for one company or team.  That's fine, of course, just not our calling.

I read a great comment from an affiliate marketer recently. He said, "I see and market a lot of products. Some sell really well. Some work really well. And once in a while, one sells really well AND works really well!"

We strive to differentiate MLM-theWholeTruth.com by doing what very few others are willing to do, that is, post the "Whole Truth." In the short run, that is not always profitable. It is far easier to make money online by tickling ears.

In the long run though, we believe telling the whole truth, even when it is not popular, is far better for everyone. We want you to trust us to do that for you. We invite you to come back often. It will be better for you, better for us, better for the industry as a whole.

*Some have made the point the that the MLM "industry" is not really an industry, but more accurately, a distribution method that is used by several industries. I agree. Network Marketing is really an activity, a vocation. That said, from the perspective of those of us who work in it, it seems a readily understandable and useful term to describe what we, who are participating in that vocation, all have in common and what participate in. So we retain that usage of "industry" on this site.

*While I believe that bad companies should be exposed, I do not consider that my primary mission. I report the news when it happens, but please do not call on me to do investigative reporting on any company.  I have written my book to teach anyone who wants to know the principles that make for a 'good' company.  Armed with those, it is pretty easy to come to you own judgement. See: MLM The Whole Truth Special Report