The realization that someone is usually not the right person comes of course as the all-telling hindsight. Hindsight after we've spent numerous hours talking with and prospecting someone because we believe that they are the ONE! Hindsight making us question our sanity as to why we thought they were the ONE in the first place because if we really got down to it and were really honest with ourselves, they met none of the qualifications of the ONE. And in the most telling of situations, often times the ONE who we thought was the ONE was a family member!



When my husband and I were just starting out, I have to admit, I thought everyone was the ONE - We had the perfect business that anyone could do! The perfect products that everyone needed! And the easiest business model everyone could do!

But just like those gangsters who have walked before me down the network marketing path, they've all realize that some people just never get the vision and others to this day just think we are MLM Gangsters living off of illegally made money from one of those Pyramid Scams.

My first experience with the MLM Gangster lifestyle came after about two years in the business. With our network marketing success, we bought a home almost twice the size of our previous house, we were driving a vehicle paid for by our company, we had replaced our combined six figure a year incomes and my husband and I were working completely from home.

This gangster lifestyle had been going on for over a year when my Aunt says to me in the car when we are alone:

“Siggy” she says (this is what she calls me and she can get away with it because she is an elementary school teacher!)”Siggy, is what you're doing one of those pyramid scams?” In her cutest, most sincere voice ever.

I am thinking, okay, I have explained this business to her a number of times. What doesn't she get? And is it worth my energy any more to proceed and try to convince her again that what we are doing is legal?

I concede to her and painfully finally say, “Yes. Yes it is one of those pyramid scams.” For no other reason than to see what would happen.

Most surprisingly, she is overly content and happy with this answer as she smiles brightly like an angel who finally understands after all these years what it is that we are doing which only makes me want to repute my answer and try, try again but I give in and keep my mouth shut to keep my own good sense in tact.

Relieved in the answer she gets, we get out of the car and proceed into the pizza restaurant to pay for six large pizzas for the family with the money I got from my pyramid scam business. I momentarily felt like Al Capone. The Boss of Bosses! The Capo di tutti capi! The ONE! If the guy at the cash register only knew!

As my imagination simmered and we are walking out of the restaurant, she puts her hand on my shoulder and says “Don't worry. I won't tell anyone.” Gee thanks I'm thinking in my head now I won't have to “go on the lam”.

There was a time in my network-marketing career where I would have fought her question tooth and nail. Explaining in my most versed and prepared speeches about how network marketing is not a scam and going on in about all the reasons why – with references and footnotes to boot.

But in that afternoon with my Aunt, I was once again struck with the affirmation that some people just won't ever get it and will be happier in believing what they want to believe about the network marketing industry. And, from my aunt's point of view, there may be some real reasons for her need to believe that it is a scam.

Maybe it's because my Uncle is a very successful, educated and talented architect and she is a school teacher and that they have to work non-stop and we don't?. Maybe it's because we make more than they do, despite their credentials and we actually do less? Maybe it just doesn't make sense that it could work?

So, sometimes it's just better to walk on by, let these things pass, keep “the books closed”, and keep it Cosa Nostra or “all in the network marketing family”!

Signe “Siggy Baby-Face” Nichols