Granton Marketing, Now Smart Circle, Aka DS-Max, Cydcor, Innovage Illegal solicitation, MLM, Pyramid Scheme, deceptive sales tactics, FIGHT Back! Willowdale Ontario Canada

I worked for this company as well, but unlike some...I saw the light before I wasted to much time there.  I had an interview, then an onsite 'tag-along' the next day.  The following day, I started.  After the first week, I noticed 4 out of the 11 people who worked there when I started were gone.  After the second week, only 4 of the original 11 people still remained.  I soon found out why.

People were working from 10AM until 7:30, then had to go back to the office for another briefing until at least 8PM.  We were working 10 hour days, getting paid for 8, and selling very little.  I THEN found out that when you reach a commision, they take out the money they paid you BEFORE you got a commision..minimum wage at that.  I worked over 70 hours, quit, got paid for 48, then was told I didn't have another check coming.  No one takes an hour for lunch, because the leaders all say, "You can't make money being on break".  This is nothing more than a pyramid scheme.  Every pyramid I have EVER seen collapses after awhile, and this one is SURE to follow suit.  There whole thing here is to get others under you, then become a 'leader', then move up in the pyramid.  The group I worked with sells Direct TV.  I WILL say this....the ones I worked with DO tell the customers the truth about what they are selling, and what they are doing.  there has been no desception from anyone working there, except the owner who misleads everyone when you're hired.  He said ALL training is paid, which it is not, and he never tells anyone they take back the money you worked for when you make a commison.  All in all... I hope this company flops big time.  I DO feel sorry for any new hires there, thinking they are going to ever make the big bucks promised, because like any pyramid.... it will soon collapse.  btw - I know have an excellent job with a REAL company, and making over 50K/yr.  So...there IS hope.  Just stay away from ANY Smart Circle companies, and KEEP LOOKING!  You'll find something... I promise.

the company, i believe to be amazing. im in my early 20's never really lived on my own. once i found this job, months later i moved to a new state where an account manager that i had worked with got promoted into her own office :) it gave me the chance to stand on my own two feet with out getting the help of friends and family members.

anyhow my point is a couple things. 1st would be if you are only making 300 bucks a week, you just suck at sales generally speaking. it's definately not for everybody. the highest paid jobs, are in sales. F.Y.I. while the last persons report i read, said the most he made was 400 bucks, well the past three weeks i made over a 1000. which i am now able to help my family, which i could never do be for, and in all honesty, you really think in any other job, a 21 year old with no college degree could ever make that, ugh no!

which brings me to my 2nd point. every one is worried about 'security' but really how secure is it to have a job, lets say making 10 bucks an hour, but then just to either A) get your hours cut, or B) lose your job. now how secure is that?

also, the whole thing about the positive and 100% great attitude in the impact room. i found that the most amazing part! the fact that negativity is not welcomed in our office, is great. would you rather us be 100% negative and pissed instead? yah, i think not. the last few jobs i kept were very depressing. people were mean, rude and felt superior since they were the 'manager' and after all, we were only their 'employees' where as the owner in our office, i see her as one of us. she's in the field just as much as us and a great influence on not only myself, but our other co workers as well. helps us when we need to, and is there for us even when its not business related, but more on a personal level, like a confidant.

now when it comes to the actual sales part of the job, i apologise for those of you that had a misleading rep. or you possibly seen the job as misleading, maybe you came in the wrong contact with the wrong owner or sales rep. me personally make sure not only i explain everything thoroughly, but i give everything that could possibly due to custome fees just to make sure there are absolutely no surprises. i used to give my cell number to everyone till my owner told me that i was not allowed to give out my personal number, which i know it was probably not safe.

anyhow i will be opening up my office here soon at the end of this month, i worked hard for it, a lot of hours along with a lot of effort. so, as long as you put forth the time, energy an patients, you will too.

They mislead you because you should not have to wait til Day 2 to understand that you are interviewing for a door to door position, you now have wasted the applicants time twice... How come this can't be said briefly when asked to the admin? Even on the Day 1 interview all they will say is large clients and face to face, they won't tell you cold calling door to door when you walk in, why can't you be told this?  They give you the assumption that you will be selling contracts for clients with set appointments, that is called misleading sir

The majority of people aren't talking about their commute to work, it's the commute to the field... I witnessed people in the business drive an hour to work (which is fine), however now you must drive an hour to the field, an hour back to the field, then your hour home... That's 4 hours of driving on your own dime (the first and fourth are acceptable), however how is the middle part acceptable??? An honest employer would ask if you could handle that travel and expense, but that is never spoke about. 

Smart Circle doesn't back you 100%, you have to save your own money in order to open an office, that is not backing... If you start getting low on money at any point will Smart Circle give you a loan to build your business back up?? Answer is a simple No... How is that backing up?? By your lack of knowledge of their business structure it's pretty obvious that you haven't been there 3 years, there's a good chance you're more of a month to 6 week employee... However good luck, I hope you open your eyes soon before it's too late.