About's WM2.0 Journal

[About]

Back to the business opportunity.

I'm starting to feel a little sketched out about it. Why? Well, the company is called World Financial Group, or WFG for short and it's part of Aegon which is a fortune 500 company. The business policy is that you are recruited and once you are recruited you recruit others to join. You don't make money until you recruit others and until they also recruit others of their own.

I didn't see it at first, but now it feels like a pyramid scheme. And I'm not sure how I should go about this because while there are successful people in this company, I almost feel guilty for introducing my friends into this practice. It requires minimal training (licensing from the state) which totals about 30 hours of studying.

Not sure what to do. I've already thrown my money into it, but no one has made money off of me so far.

[Tiesto]

Back to the business opportunity.

I'm starting to feel a little sketched out about it. Why? Well, the company is called World Financial Group, or WFG for short and it's part of Aegon which is a fortune 500 company. The business policy is that you are recruited and once you are recruited you recruit others to join. You don't make money until you recruit others and until they also recruit others of their own.

I didn't see it at first, but now it feels like a pyramid scheme. And I'm not sure how I should go about this because while there are successful people in this company, I almost feel guilty for introducing my friends into this practice. It requires minimal training (licensing from the state) which totals about 30 hours of studying.

Not sure what to do. I've already thrown my money into it, but no one has made money off of me so far.

Sounds like a multi-level marketing business.. if it is based on recruitment then it is probably a binary system and it is destined to fail... My opinion is stay away from it, I've had pretty bad experience with that kind of business model, and also a lot of people I know regretted ever joining one of those..

[About]

Thank you tiesto for informing me about it. I'm currently a little deep in the recruitment process. I've recruited 1 friend and have a few meetings for more recruitment in the future set up.

I've already lost my money, but for me there is potential to get it back if I recruit others to join, but then I suppose i'm setting up them for failure as well...

I will take your opinion and agree with it. I SHOULD stay away from it. I'm just already in the system and I'm hoping I can at least make my money back before i decide to duck out.

[Shannon]

If I were you, I would cut my losses and walk away.

[About]

On another note, I had an interview today with a lovely young-looking lady.

WM and AM doing magic. I swear women love me. I've been told that women love me by a jealous coworker of mine, because he never gets any love from the ladies we work with. I mean, I feel like I am becoming that guy that everyone can just love just because of how easy going I am, but of course I have my boundaries which are known. Being walked over is never good.

Onward, I got the job. I'm finally moving towards my massage therapy goals. I really enjoy what programs shannon has given me for "training". I haven't attracted a plethora of women yet, but I'm certainly not stressing over it.

[About]

Shannon, I might just do that. I trust the people in this forum even though I've never met any of you. I will give the lowdown I suppose of my understanding in this company's works.

I am recruited. I have to recruit 3 people. I have to witness 3 people having an account closed with this insurance company within 30 days. If I accomplish this, I will receive a promotion (irrelevant to making money) and if I also obtain a license I will be reimbursed 300 dollars.

The closing the accounts is where I find it odd. My signing up for an account is one of my "3/3/30". That's where i feel the sketchy part comes in. I'm not signing up. So far I've committed 100 dollars to a background check and some 60 dollars for a licensing exam. But if i get others to join and witness closed accounts I will get back 300 dollars.

Here's one thing that is odd to me. My friend is in the company, and so is his brother. My friend told me that many people in the company end up becoming clients to the company, to the person that recruited them. That's what I'm really hating at the moment, so I am certainly not dedicating more of my money to this company, not until I at least make money. And I'm certainly not buying an insurance package until I sell them and can make money!!!

I could probably get the 60 bucks back for the licensing exam if I tried, but as it stands... it's a very strange system. Everyone in google/yelp, with the exception of a few links states how flippin strange it is, almost like a pyramid scheme. As soon as I told my brother about it, I started to realize that it potentially was. Strange because the financial industry is regulated by the government...

[Tiesto]

These types of companies always come up with new scheme, which usually just a variation of the original system. They make the system really odd and tricky, so that people can't quite grasp what is really going on, then the company will rely on the people they have recruited to persuade and manipulate their friends and family to join as well.. Some companies promises big rewards as you go up the rank, some don't use ranks and promises fast money that get paid on daily basis, and so on..

[Shannon]

Almost like a pyramid scheme? I don't see how it's "almost like". IS a pyramid scheme. When a company survives on the employees recruiting those under them, and on them being clients to those above them... it's a pretty blatant indicator. The company cannot survive without recruitment because it is a pyramid scheme.

A lot of these companies using MLM and pyramid crap also use some rather "creative thinking", and some rather interesting "belief adjustment methodologies". The last one I was invited into, I went to their meeting and walked away. It wasn't just a pyramid scheme, it was a damned cult.

Don't let everyone else's acceptance of a set of circumstances sway you into being lazy - think for yourself, and listen to your gut. Do your research. Figure out where the money is flowing to within the organization.

[Benjamin]

I went to a Amway meeting once, of course they changed the name to something else but the material they gave me said amway on it. I was convinced then (I was 18 I think) but luckily someone else convinced me not to.

The guy that I went there with who was trying to recruit me and told me how great it was went broke not soon after.He also went to a mental hospital a few months after that, though i'm not sure it's related. :Z

Luckily I now know pyramid schemes are totally dodgy. Someone tried to recruit me to one a few months ago selling some magical juice or something. :Z

But yeah as Shannon said if it 'seems' like a pyramid scheme then watch out.

-Ben

[About]

It sadly does feel like a pyramid scheme. It operates under the guise of "wouldn't you like to help those around you with financial knowledge?" I spoke to my cousin who went to Bentley which I believe is a well known business school. She said that's really strange that I dont have to take a series 7 exam which is necessary for financial advising.

My gut is questioning it. These work... if i'm willing to place my friends in this situation... but I don't want to. So the obvious thing is that I won't. I've been unsure about this for a while. I guess I will just cut my losses and be done with it. Rather not waste my time.

Anyway, onto tonight, I just came back from a party. Shannon, you were right about the social monster part. I'm already feeling less fearless when it comes to large groups of women. Granted, I wasn't the smoothest talker in any means but I'm not worried about being a smooth talker. I feel as though this will come to me in time. In short, I love what's happening to me.

[About]

I just finished stage 1 of WM2.0

Here's what I gathered from this stage, and keep in mind it's only what I have felt and experienced.

I've become much busier in my life. Recently I've started my second massage job at a small practice nearby my house. Will be paying much better than my current one.

I have been going to the gym fairly regularly and meeting my friends there as well. Some times I do not see them for a while, and then they ask what I have been up to with my life. I tell them, and their response is "wow you sound really busy." I would agree with that, I have been getting very busy.

I do not make time out to "hunt" for women. If woman magnet attracts women to me, then I figure as long as I am out there, women will come to me. Being super busy, eventually one of those things will be events with women at them.

In my last post, I said I was at a party. That was quite a time ago. And a few posts ago, I asked how do I become more social and outgoing. I think I've figured part of it out for myself. Which is simply to look at people, and when they look back at me I say hi. I'll leave it up to them if they want to continue. People generally are pretty clear when they indicate they are not interested in speaking with you. I believe this is the biggest discovery for myself during this stage.

And in terms of personal life currently, I had split up with my EX. I'm still split up with her but we remain friends. We are trying FWB but now I am regretting opening that door again. Time to close it again. I notice when I did that, I am closing myself off to other opportunities to meeting new people by hanging onto sex with her.

[About]

Last night I went out with a friend to meet up with some of his friends. Yup, expanding my social circle. Fun stuff.

When I arrived, there were just 4 of us men and no ladies. At this point they are talking to each other because they are a small group of friends and I am being brought into here, so it is difficult for me to catch a way into their conversations. I manage and eventually it happens. I don't stress about it.

Then afterwards, a young woman and her boyfriend show up, and one more single lady shows up afterwards. We introduce and quickly I end up sitting with the two ladies (not next to both of them unfortunately!). I'm sitting next to the taken one and we make nice small talk. Funny, because at the end of the night my friend that brought me had said to me "it looked like you were hitting on her, just want to let you know that her boyfriend gets very jealous." My reply was of course I'm no home wrecker!

Anyway, I'm amazed at how easy it is to socialize with women. I had a get together with my coworker who is married, but we talked about me and my ex. Basically I've got to shut that door with her and I completely agree; I've made a mistake in having sex with her again and now I have learned from it.

Among the few subjects we talked about, we were talking about other coworkers and what not. Basically we have this one coworker who "puts the moves" on the ladies and we both agree that it's completely wrong for him to do so in our professional environment given our line of work. I also note that I don't know how to hit on women to her. She said that I shouldn't have to "put the moves" on the ladies and I should just be myself. When she said that, it clicked and I suddenly realized that I don't need to be like a PUA running lines to pick up women, I just need to talk to them like human beings with a genuine interest.

I'm not sure if I'm just being introspective or if it's a combination of that plus the WM. But whatever it is I'm beginning to be more comfortable with myself. Now it's time for me to put what I have learned into action (and part of this post was to remind myself of the epiphany I had today).

[Shannon]

When she said that, it clicked and I suddenly realized that I don't need to be like a PUA running lines to pick up women, I just need to talk to them like human beings with a genuine interest.

If more guys understood that, there would be a lot less focus on PUA in the world. Guys approach women as if women are some sort of alien creature or completely different species of animal. They're just people, but they're not male. They appreciate being treated with consideration, and not as a target for sexual usage and conquest. It's really pretty easy to enjoy a woman's company if you just relax and stop trying to get something from her.

[Ryan]

Agreed ^^

I've talked about this for a long ass time on my blog. The reason why guys use pick-up lines is because they are completely 'acting' instead of being. A lot of guys won't put the time and effort into themselves to make real NATURAL change and instead rely on a quick fix.

Pick-up artists are pretty much those who study guys who already have the mindset of Woman Magnet, sex Magnet & Alpha Male, take notes and then go out and do the same exact thing they are doing but simplifying it into a how-to / list of directions that you have to follow.

For instance, if I go out and I make a random crack at a woman then start seducing her, these guys may watch and be like "first he said this...", "then he did this", "he ended up with this and ended up in bed with her". But, realistically, I am just letting all things unfold naturally without even thinking about it.

What they don't realize, however, is that underneath, if you do not have the right intentions, you may never get what it is you really want.

There is nothing to learn about being cocky & funny, seducing, or playing hard to get. You can teach it, but if the person doing so isn't actually genuinely cocky & funny, seductive or high value/hard to get, he will never be portraying himself accurately. Fortunately, with the mindset you will automatically do these things, look back and realize "Hey I did that pick-up technique these guys suggest without even knowing shit about it"

The best thing you can do for yourself right now is STOP READING BOOKS ON HOW TO GET WOMEN, SEDUCE THEM, OR MAKE THEM LIKE YOU.

Instead, I always preferred books on psychology of the way women & others think, body language stuff, living in the moment, books on success.