Welcome to this full and frank World Ventures review. I'm guessing you're here because you've come across the World Ventures business opportunity through a family, friend or work colleague trying to sign you up and you want to find out what it's all about.
Here's the real question we'll be looking at in this review:
Is World Ventures is a scam or a legit opportunity you can make money with?
The World Ventures promotional material uses words like “Fun, freedom and fulfilment” and claim to be the “Most trusted name in the direct sales industry.”
They sell their opportunity on the back of people's dreams of leaving the 9 to 5 grind behind to live life to the full while travelling the world. World Ventures say that if you're willing to put the time and effort in then they can give you the structure and compensation plan to enable you to do just that.
Who wouldn't want to get paid for exploring the world?
Who doesn't a way out of the rat race?
The internet has opened up limitless possibilities for all of us who are willing to take hold of them, but can you replace your full-time income and become a successful, independent business owner?
Can you be your own self-made boss?
Take a look at what I found out:
World Ventures Review At A Glance
About: World Ventures is a travel-based multi-level marketing company (MLM) founded by Wayne Nugent and Mike Azcue in 2005.
Price: DreamTrips Membership: Gold – initial $249.97 then $54.99 monthly
Platinum – initial $399.98 then $99.99 monthly
Representative Business System: Inital $99.95 then $19.99 monthly
Pros: I couldn't find any.
Cons: History of tax fraud, complex payment structure and banned in many countries.
Verdict: Not only is World Ventures a pyramid scheme, but they also have the highest rate of failures with 80% of reps losing money.
OVERALL RATING
According to World Venture's 2016 income disclosure (the latest we have access to) 79.95% of first year WV reps didn't make a single commission. For those that do, the average commission earned is a lousy $190.
What's immediately strange about this travel direct sales company is that you have to pay a monthly subscription fee just for the privilege of being a member. This puts you on the back foot before you've even started.
Take a look at the track record of World Ventures and it's owners and you'll find a history of court cases and tax fraud.
For these reasons I don't think this is a legitimate business opportunity. It's clear they're not exactly transparent in the way they do business and that the vast majority of people are losing money with this (except those at the very top of the chain of course.)
World Ventures is a pyramid scheme and are banned in many countries. Fans and representatives of World Venture don't like to hear this but ask them to try and explain the complicated commission structure and suddenly they can't stop drawing pyramids.
Not only are they a pyramid scheme, but they're also one of the worst I've come across so far and if you stick with me here I'll show you why in this review.
If you're looking for an honest and ethical way to make money online without needing to pressure your friends and family into joining a direct sales company then make sure you check out my top recommended make money online program here.
And for those of you still in the WV bubble, you can leave your angry comments below! 😊
- What Is World Ventures Exactly?
- Is Anyone Making Money With World Ventures?
- Is World Ventures A Pyramid Scheme?
- Is World Ventures A Scam?
- World Ventures Has A String Of Lawsuits Behind Them…
- 3 Most Common World Ventures Complaints:
- More World Ventures Reviews:
- Should You Become A World Ventures Rep?
- A Much Better Alternative
- Just For Fun 🙂
What Is World Ventures Exactly?
Founded in 2005 and based in Texas, World Ventures claims to be one of the world's biggest vacation MLMs offering best deals on
They have grown to 110,000+ representatives worldwide and are currently operating in 24 countries.
Here's the promo video from their homepage:
There are two sides to the World Ventures business – the DreamTrips Membership and the World Ventures Representative membership.
The names may change whichever your country you're reading this from but basically, there's the holiday packages side and the recruitment side.
Let's look at the pros and cons of each:
DreamTrips Membership – Is It Worth It?
The DreamTrips membership gives you access to the latest vacation packages. With 60 destinations to choose from, it's targeted at holidaymakers and adrenaline seekers.
“As we traverse the world together, we are transformed by its cultures, colors and landscapes to become a part of something bigger than ourselves.
We are exposed to truths that were unknown to us before we took the plunge into a lifestyle defined by togetherness, exploration and rich experiences.”
World Ventures have tried to position themselves as the ‘Costco' of the vacation industry.
By paying a monthly membership they say you can find cheaper deals for hotels as they book them in bulk and save money in the long run.
You have the choice of Gold or Platinum membership. In the U.S. there's an initial $249.97 start-up fee with a monthly recurring fee of $54.99 thereafter. That's not cheap!
Unlike most free comparison websites, you can only use this membership to help you find deals on hotels and accommodation.
You'd think at this price flights would be included in the package holidays… but no.
The fact you'll have to book your flights separately has caused some complaints from people who weren't clear on this and had to cancel due to unexpected additional costs.
For most of us, flights are the biggest cost factor in booking holidays so I don't really see the point. Perhaps DreamTrips could be more accurately called DreamAccommodation…?
And this isn't my only issue.
You can't even view the prices or get an idea of what kind of deals are available without signing up as a member first.
This is problematic because you have no way of knowing whether the price of the membership is worth it or not.
You're also going to be travelling in groups with other World Ventures members which means you have to choose from pre-selected dates. Whether you see this as a good or bad thing, it's something to keep in mind.
And unlike 99% of companies out there who offer a 14 or 30-day refund policy, with World Ventures you get a very measly 3 days.
Already I'm starting to see why people are struggling to make money with this. Today we live in a highly competitive age where we expect to compare different travel deals (including flights) at the click of a button.
Why would you want to pay an expensive membership fee when you can probably find the same deals or better, for free?
Even if the prices are slightly lower, factor in the monthly fees and it just doesn't make sense.
For these reasons building a business with WorldVentures is going to be a hard sell. You're going to have to really push for those sales.
Let's move on and talk about the World Venture business opportunity.
Making Money As A WV Rep: It's A Hard Slog…
What is the World Ventures business opportunity?
At first it sounds perfect:
“Trapped in a job you hate? Longing to see the world? Join us and become your own boss! Work from anywhere! Earn fabulous rewards like cars and vacations!”
Come on, who wouldn't want that? It pretty much sums up what every one of my readers is looking for in a nutshell!
Similar to other multi-level-marketing companies (MLM) like Herbalife, Amway and Younique, World Ventures give you a way to “make a living, living!” by promoting their DreamTrips membership and recruiting other WV representatives into your downlines.
Credit where it's due, they never claim to be a get rich quick scheme, they don't promise you'll be a millionaire overnight and they're very open about the amount of work you'll need to put in before you'll see any returns.
One thing that immediately stands out to me is the monthly membership fee for the Representative Business System (RBS) – while most MLMs have an initial starter fee, World Ventures is the first company I've seen that makes it's representatives pay out just for the ability to make commissions promoting their memberships.
So how much it is going to cost you?
To get started you'll need to pay $99.95 (plus taxes) and then it's $19.99 per month after that.
Again, this may vary depending on what country you're in but whatever the price, my back is already up. I don't like the concept of paying out before you've even made a sale…
I mean, why should you have to pay a company to work for them?
Is Anyone Making Money With World Ventures?
Less than 5% do.
That's 95 out of 100 people who end up worse off than when they started…
Of course, this could be down to a whole variety of factors but the fact they offer cheap prices for holidays but don't include flights doesn't help.
The truth is you can find the same prices online for free without making the over-priced membership fees which is why you're going to be harassing your family and friends to buy a service they don't want or need.
“At World Ventures we believe what you do is an extension of who you are.”
Which is exactly why I think you should only promote products or services you can be proud of.
Regardless, let's just say you've paid your memberships for the month and you're in the lucky 4.93% of WorldVentures representatives who actually makes a profit, your next task is going to be to try and get your head around the complicated and confusing commission structures.
I've spent an hour watching videos, read a ton of blog posts and still, I don't understand how commissions are worked out!
Honestly, it's so confusing I'm not even going to try and explain. I think you'd probably need to hire a lawyer to decipher it…
Feel free to click here to view the official World Venture Commission Plan (PDF) or watch the video below to find out more:
He's drawing a pyramid!
I suspect (just my opinion) that by creating a commission plan so complex and making representatives jump through a series of hoops to try and meet all of the criteria, the company are saving a boatload of cash for themselves.
If World Ventures are serious about helping people succeed, they should make their commissions as simple as possible.
And it's not just me who thinks this. Here's a quote from an article about World Ventures in the Observer:
“WorldVentures has a virtually inscrutable payout schedule comprising seven ranks and two pyramid-shaped hierarchies.
The first pyramid is called the “lineage.” You sit at the top and everyone you’ve personally recruited is added directly below you, and everyone they’ve recruited is below them, and so on. Lineage is factored into rank, which is factored into compensation.
The second pyramid is the “binary organization.” Here the pyramid spreads out by twos—the top spot sits directly above
You can then earn bonuses based on sales made by the binary organization, which is comprised of the reps you recruit, and the reps they recruit.””
Is World Ventures A Pyramid Scheme?
I think I've already made myself clear on this one but just to reiterate: World Ventures is definitely a pyramid scheme.
I'm not a huge fan of pyramid schemes, not just because there's a better way to make money than harassing your family and friends trying to get a sale.
(Trust me, nobody wants to be ‘that guy' that people go out of their way to avoid!)
But because word of mouth marketing has proven to be more effective than traditional ad campaigns, the idea behind any direct sales company is to reward people for promoting your products to people in their circle of influence.
Reps make the bulk of their money by signing others up as independent business owners under them. Being a pyramid scheme, you're strongly encouraged to build your downlines because the bigger the team of WV reps under you, the greater your potential for making money will be.
As soon as you join you'll be asked to make a list of the names of your family and friends you can target.
The whole structure is about driving new recruits, but since the membership is expensive and offers nothing you can't find on free comparison sites, you're going to have an upward battle in signing your family and friends up.
Even with the best products and services, people at the bottom of an MLM chain will always lose money with only a few people at the top making any serious money which is why World Ventures has already been banned in a few countries and had numerous cases filed against them in court.
Here's a quick video I think you'll find helpful talking about the dangers of entering pyramid schemes like this and why they're not viable in the long-term:
Even if you don't agree that World Ventures is a pyramid scheme, hopefully, you'll admit it's an MLM.
Here's a quote from Wikipedia on MLMs:
“Companies that use MLM models for compensation have been a frequent subject of criticism and lawsuits.
Criticism has focused on their similarity to illegal pyramid schemes, price fixing of products, high initial entry costs (for marketing kit and first products), emphasis on recruitment of others over actual sales, encouraging if not requiring members to purchase and use the company’s products, exploitation of personal relationships as both sales and recruiting targets, complex and sometimes exaggerated compensation schemes, the company making major money off its training events and materials, and cult-like techniques which some groups use to enhance their members’ enthusiasm and devotion.”
But World Ventures is not just a pyramid scheme, it's one of the worst I've come across.
Here's why:
- With the monthly fees, you're always out of pocket before you've even started.
- Thanks to how they've set the payment criteria, you don't start making commissions from your downline until you've recruited at least 30 people.
- World Ventures run a ‘binary downline' structure meaning both sides of your team have to meet sales criteria before you get paid.
- Selling an overpriced membership fee to get access to what you can find online for free is an uphill battle when there's simply no demand for it.
“MLM is a grind. When reps fail to make money, they’re taught to blame themselves. Reps are also heavily encouraged to spend their own money on WorldVentures’ myriad training events, which can range from $29 to hundreds of dollars to attend.
WorldVentures has a tendency to sue its former employees who move to
The Observer
Is World Ventures A Scam?
There are some people, even if only a tiny percentage, who are making money with this so I don't know if I can call it an outright scam, but there are definitely a lot of shady things going on.
After doing a bit of digging, I found out that the World Ventures founders, Wayne Nugent and Mike Azcue, were both convicted of tax fraud in 2004.
You can view the court documents here (PDF).
On the World Ventures website you'll read:
“Our commitment: From the moment you join our global family, you enter a circle of trust and transparency.”
I'm pretty sure tax fraud doesn't come under the “trust ad transparency” category.
I've also seen a lot of under-handed,
Whilst I totally get that the actions of a few reps
Reading texts like these makes me very uncomfortable indeed as it shows just how some reps are taking advantage of people in financially difficult situations by promising them a way out, but instead of helping them put money in their pocket, they take it.
World Ventures Has A String Of Lawsuits Behind Them…
Here's a quick list of court cases I've been able to find so far. If you know of others please share in the comments below and I'll make sure they're added to this list.
- In September 2011 World Ventures was taken to court by the
Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and fined €50,000 because of the lack of transparency in their commission structure. Read the full story here.
- In 2015 the Financial Services Commission of Jamaica issued a caution and threatened action against WV saying they are not regulated to operate in the country. Read the full story here.
- In 2014, the Norwegian Gaming Board ruled that World Ventures are an illegal pyramid scheme and they are not banned from operating in Norway. World Ventures lost their appeal. Read the full story here.
In Norway the big question looked at by the courts was whether or not more than 50% of the money made by World Ventures was made through the recruitment of new members.
On the World Ventures blog, the official WV response is that: “There remains, despite the lengthy court process and hearing, a lack of understanding of certain aspects of our business.“
The owners convicted of tax fraud, over-priced memberships, deemed an illegal pyramid scheme in many countries, is this really the kind of business you want to get involved with?
3 Most Common World Ventures Complaints:
According to the Better Business Bureau, they have heard from many members who report being given exaggerated earnings claims and misleading information prior to signing up and a failure to give refunds for cancelled memberships.
Here's just a quick overview of the most common WV complaints:
1. It's difficult for solo travelers to find good travel deals
2. You can find cheaper deals online for free
3. Instead of making you money, World Ventures takes your money
More World Ventures Reviews:
Watch this CBS news story Featuring WV, it's a real eye-opener:
Then listen to this guy talking about how World Ventures ruined his relationship with his best friend:
Should You Become A World Ventures Rep?
As an entrepreneur, I am all for self-empowerment and making the most of opportunities. I love the idea of people becoming financially independent by starting a home business of their own but with World Ventures you don't actually own your own business and you're not in control.
The guys at the top can change the commission structure at any time and because of their past history, I wouldn't want to be putting the future of my financial security in their hands.
Not only is World Ventures a pyramid scheme, but they also have the highest rate of failures with 80% of reps losing money.
I think this is due to the overly complex compensation plan and the fact that the expensive DreamTrips membership won't give you access to any more than a quick Google search would.
Ultimately it's your decision whether or not you become a World Venture representative but from everything I've seen, you won't make money from this and it's not a legitimate business opportunity.
A Much Better Alternative
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Check out my full Wealthy Affiliate review here.
12 months later I replaced my full-time income and booked a one-way ticket to Thailand. 3 years on and I'm currently making around $6,000 a month and it's growing month on month.
There's a lot of work involved up front but once you set things in motion, it's pretty passive. my online income enables me to work as a full-time volunteer to this day.
After reviewing many so-called get rich quick schemes and make money online programs, Wealthy
The best part?
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Just For Fun 🙂
What Do You Think?
What do you think about the World Ventures business opportunity now you've read this review? If you have any questions or comments at all, be sure to scroll down and leave them below.
I'd especially like to hear from anyone who has had any experience with World Ventures, whether good or bad.
Simon Crowe is on a mission to help as many people as possible kiss their bosses goodbye.
Take the free Wealthy Affiliate test drive to discover how to smash your online income goals and make your dream business a reality.
Hi, my son has join World Ventures and is being sold this dream WV is telling people about. I personally was very sceptical of this venture but he was sold.
Now presently there are information being pass around that person are not getting paid and the company may be in financial difficulty. Top person are saying it is all rumours and the company is doing fine.
It has caused friendship in the groups to deteriorate as some person are revealing to others the information they have received. I’m from Jamaica ? and it is very hard here, but WV seems to have gotten their claws into the youths of our country as these are the person they are now targeting to endorse their scheme.
I really hope that something can be done about this company before more individuals are bamboozled out of their hard earned money.
Thanks for enlightening us on this beast of a company.
I am so sorry to hear about your son, my heart sank more and more as I read through your comment. I am hoping this is just a phase your son is going through and he will soon see that recruiting others into World Ventures is not as easy as he was told when he signed up.
You are right about World Venture’s financial problems. Even despite recent layoffs, the company is still struggling stay afloat.
According to this article, dozens of reps are leaving WV because of unpaid commissions.
I was involved in the Amway MLM for about 12 months a few years back before I started an online business and I gave it my best shot. I had 3 team members in my downline, often ran ‘selling parties’ and even went door to door giving free samples but it never got anywhere near to becoming profitable for me or anyone I recruited. In the end, I had very little to show for the time I put in and I wasted a lot of money.
I believe it will be the same for your son – eventually, he will see it’s not as easy as told and move on, and I sincerely hope that’s sooner rather than later.
The MLM-style model is a tired and worn out 20th-century model which doesn’t work in the internet age. I mean, why be limited to promoting a very specific range of over-priced products to your close family and friends when you can become an affiliate marketer and potentially promote 10,000’s of products on services online to a worldwide audience? It just doesn’t make sense.
Thanks for taking the time to leave this comment, Cinderella. I’m really sorry you’re going through this but I’m very happy to hear this article helped in some way and that I’m not the only one who has serious doubts about how this company operates.
Clever way to get leads, requiring email addresses.
I have to politely disagree. And not with your opinion, because it’s yours to have. But you’ve only provided half truths and points that support your claim.
• There compensation plan found on the companies website (https://www.worldventures.com/en-us/start-a-business) is broken down by level, and explains exactly what needs to happen in order to achieve it. While the YouTube videos can be helpful, they’re provided by independent contractors and not the company themselves. If you feel they’re explanation is confusing, you’d need to take it up with them.
• A membership includes more than just access to curated trips. In fact, the “Gold”which membership offers 13 additional perks other than the pre-planned travel. You can easily find what’s included on the product website before enrolling as a member here: https://www.dreamtrips.com/Marketing/becomemember
• Speaking of enrolling, to become a member you need to know one. That would be an ideal time to ask any questions you may have, including prices of trips, so that you can make an informed decision.
• Being a representative is optional. Meaning, you don’t have to do it, at all. And if you decide it’s not something you’re interested in after enrolling you can simply reach out to customer service and drop it.
• Do you have access to factual studies that offer statistics as to the breakdown of circumstances causing 80% to not earn a profit? No, because it doesn’t exist. Instead, you’re presenting an assumption as founded by offering one-sided examples of unhappy people who, as a whole, make up less than 5 percent of the community you’re quick to grossly overgeneralize in order to support your claim.
• Ignorance of the speed limit won’t get you out of a ticket, because it’s your responsibility to know the law. If someone doesn’t take the time to read the information provided they can’t cry scam just because “no one told them”. Everyone has to agree to terms and conditions, etc. If someone’s willing to provide payment information to something they didn’t bother to read.. well that’s a whole different problem.
There are people who’ve cheated people out of money by claiming to be in the MLM/Direct Sales/Network Marketing industry. They’re awful excuses for human beings who’ve put a target on the backs of anyone in this industry who don’t want to work until the day they die.
Then there are people who write articles full of opinions and half truths. Because, while it may seem like their heroically protecting their readers from the dangers of big bad MLM. What’s really happening, however, is using people’s existing fear as a marketing tactic to to lure people into the safety net of their conveniently linked (multiple times) step by step program to “becoming wealthy”. Which starts out as no obligation/free, but as I can see a testimonial from a platinum member I’m assuming there to be paid levels as well. I wasn’t able to find a breakdown of what a membership includes more a pricing model after clicking around for a few minutes, so lack of transparency will not allow me to confirm, nor deny.
There’s a saying about throwing rocks in glass houses. Perhaps you’re familiar.
Hi Crystal, it’s good to hear from a WV representative.
The compensation plan you link to is the same PDF I linked to in my review. Are you honestly saying in good conscience that you think the World Ventures compensation plan is simple?
I stand by what I said: it’s extremely complex and unnecessarily so. I’m all for incentivising but a compensation plan this complicated has the opposite effect. The point I’m making is this: if World Ventures is really all about empowering people to become financially free then why not ditch the binary leg system and just have one downline? I suspect it’s because WV would end up paying out more commissions to their representatives. What other reason is there?
And out of interest, how do reps like you brush over Michael Azcue’s tax fraud history? I’d love to hear how people inside the ‘bubble’ justify it.
The facts that show almost 80% of people becoming WV reps make nothing in their first 12 months come from World Venture’s very own income disclosures but I could have been clearer on my sources. I have since updated the review to link to these figures.
If you’re talking about my top picks then yes, Wealthy Affiliate is one of them. I have written extensively about Wealthy Affiliate’s free Starter and $49/month Premium membership on this blog. See:
It’s no secret the Free Starter membership is there to give you the opportunity to try out the platform and upgrade if and when you’re ready to. At least that way you know exactly what you’re paying for and if it’s right for you. You don’t think that’s transparent?
Anyways, even though we disagree, I still appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and I sincerely hope you’re one of the 20% of people who do at least make some money with World Ventures.
We all want to have that financial freedom. I am not sure who came up with this term but everyone was quick to buy into that lifestyle in the hopes of quitting their jobs and finally live their lives doing what they want. The truth is that there is no such thing as easy money.
These smart marketers just sell you exactly what you want to hear. Instead of joining the World Ventures, I am sure you can get better deals with your major credit cards like Amex, I love the customer support and redeeming the points for travel is legit.
I have heard of the binary pay, I used to join this MLM called NPUSA they use the same system. Only people that started early with the organization will benefit from it, if you started out late you basically have to work for them. You also have to decide who will be on your right team or left team, it is almost like you are playing a game of chess.
Great job on the review and giving us evidence on World Ventures. Hopefully anyone who wants to join them come to your post and read it first. I do not think that anyone should join a company that has a lot of lawsuits against them. The company can go under any day and you will lose your investment.
Personally, I still think that we can make money online. You might need to get yourself some knowledge on how to do it first and start delivering good contents on your site. Affiliate marketing is probably the cheapest one to start if you want to make money online. It will not be an easy path, but once you overcome it the reward is great and you can finally work when you want to work.
Great insight Nuttanee, thank you for taking the time to share them.
I haven’t heard of NPUSA but I tried Amway for a while a few years ago and had a couple of people under me. The hardest thing was sales – because of how MLMs are structured, their products are always overly priced to make room for distributors commissions. I also hated the fact that the only way I could grow my business was to sell to my family and friends.
I completely agree, become an affiliate marketer and you can reach a global customer base, promote a whole range of products people actually want to buy and you just put in the work once (to create a blog post or YouTube video) and you can generate money from that time and time again, even years down the line. And you’re right – it only takes a minimal investment to get started.
Thanks again for your feedback and I wish you all the best!
Simon
Hi Simon,
Honestly, l never a fan of MLM/Pyramid scheme or direct selling. I agreed that World Ventures is a scam and why would l have paid to join as a member and the membership is not cheap some more you have to pay monthly subscriptions. What the lack of benefits l can get to becomes a member and yet 95% of the member doesn’t make any profit.
Further, there has been a lot of lawsuit against the owner and definitely, I won’t recommend it to anyone.
Thank you very much for this comprehensive review.
Zayn
I think that’s a smart decision Zayn. You’re absolutely right, with a 95% failure rate that’s 19 out of 20 people who lose money with this.
I personally think the MLM/network marketing model is outdated and online is the way to go!
It is kind of great to see review about the world adventures because it is way more informational and gives the clear information about the frauds, taxes, and definitely prevent me from joining the world ventures because it is just a pyramid scheme.
Thank you for sharing this because you literally saved my money.
I’m so happy to hear that. Good decision, you’ve just saved yourself a lot of time and bother.
Thanks for this review of the World Ventures platform. I had been referred to this program as it would save me money from what I was told. Because there are so many offers online these days that are not what they appear to be, I decided to do some research prior to even visiting their website. I am glad I ended up here.
You have laid out clearly all the red flags that this platform contains, and they are many. Misleading advertisements, inability to see what you are paying for prior to sending your money, the 5% only that are making money with their platform and the requirement to pay to be able to promote are all enough indicators to tell me to stay away from this.
Whether you call this an out and out pyramid scheme or the kinder term MLM business model, they simply are not sustainable over the long term. The people at the top will benefit the most, and the churn at the bottom as people come and go and lose their money keeps them going.
Not my kind of a business model at all, as I have been burned to a small degree in the past with such an MLM that was set up in a similar fashion to this one. As you say, there are far better ways to make money and far more reputable companies to deal with.
In regards to learning how to set set up properly with an online business that can operate ethically and provide value to the online community, the platform you mention is an excellent option. Wealthy Affiliate is where I landed almost 4 years ago now, and the training and features and tools have been crucial in me establishing a full-time online business that is earning money month in and month out. It is a great place to start, and it is free to try for a week.
Thanks Dave for a very well thought out response and I’m glad this review helped you see the light.
So many red flags, flashing lights, alarm bells, whatever you want to call them. Can anyone reading this give me just ONE good reason to join this program?
Hi Simon!
Court cases, tax fraud, man, these “too good to be true” schemes are geting old real fast! I can see how an offer like the one World Ventures is putting out on the net can be so alluring for an unsuspecting crowd. They offer the ultimate escape: geting payed for exploring the world! Now doesn’t that sound nice? Too nice, if you ask me!
Why does the MLM business model attract such low integrity companies, I will never know. I am not saying they are all bad. Generalizing isn’t the way to go either. I have been in MLM companies like Xango LLC and, many years ago, in AMWAY and, though not succeeding in neither of these, I nevertheless learned quite a bit about sales, marketing and business management. However…I beleive these are the rare exceptions. Thanks for a great, cautionary article. The premise remains very enticing. Do you think there are legit companies out there, that offer similar travel opportunities, but which hold higher moral and integrity standards? If so, then count me in!
Hi Luis, thanks for sharing your experience. I too was involved with Amway for about 6 months and I had a really good upline, built a team of 3 or 4 under me. I tried selling door to door offering free cleaning samples, helped my team host make-up parties and all of that jazz. But as with most MLMs the products were way overpriced and you couldn’t order online which meant driving round delivering door to door.
Now I think MLMs are starting to embrace the digital age more but my biggest gripe with World Ventures is how the commission is set up. If they really want to help you live the laptop lifestyle and empower you with the products and structure you need to be successful then why make it so difficult to understand? Why not have a single commission rate and stick to that. Nice, simple, easy.
The fact they put some many obstacles in the way of their representatives getting paid sets alarm bells going off – do the leaders really have your best interests at heart?
I feel that you are very brave in covering WorldVentures. Twice I have been dragged into a WorldVentures meeting to get me to sign up. Common sense told me that this was not going to be the business opportunity for me. For one, each time I went to a presentation, the actual concept was kept hidden until the big reveal. I find this shady, why do I not even know what I am attending?
The first time I went by accident when I had to pick up a friend from the meeting. The second time I walked into the wrong conference room and had to sit for a good while before I realized that it was actually a WorldVentures presentation.
Thanks for your post, man. Traveling is awesome if that’s what you want to do.
Cheers
Whenever you’re looking at potential work from home opportunity alway look for how transparent they are with how you’ll make money. If it’s all hype and sales talk and motivational success stories without actual substance as to how the business model works, that’s definitely a red herring.
Thanks Ade. I love living here in Thailand, it feels more like home now than the UK does and it’s only because I started an online business that I can volunteer full-time and do what I love to do.
All the best to you!