Arbonne International Yes, it DOES matter who your upline is!!! Mine SUCKED! Irvine California

I have been using Arbonne since 1992 and have been a consultant with Arbonne since 1995.

First and foremost, I would truly like to say to the Reno Mom how sorry I am for the treatment you received from your direct upline. I have the most amazing upline who has been with Arbonne since 1986, and her direct upline is Arbonne (the company) itself.

From 1995 until just about a year ago, I was a wholesale buyer and had no interest whatsoever in building a business with Arbonne. Up to the point that I decided to build my business, my direct upline was so incredibily patient and kind and never pushed me to be a business builder, but always let me know that if I ever decided to take that step, she would be there for me. She has kept her word in every essence of the meaning and is available to me at a moments notice. You can only imagine how successful she is having been a consultant herself since 1986, and yet she always finds the time to personally train me and my downline as well. This is what Arbonne's all about... being there for each other. My prayer for you is that someday you will find just this and be successful in whatever you set out to do.

Arbonne International, the company, has actually chastised their consultants who build their business with the technique known as 'front-loading." This is where people who want to start an Arbonne business are instructed by their upline to buy thousands of dollars of merchandise to either sell, give away, or use as a sample kit for potential wholesale buyers/consultants to use for a trial period. Doing this only pads the account of the person who sponsored you and the people above them--leaving a person with merchandise they do not need. There are unscrupulous Arbonne consultants [not the actual employees and management of Arbonne itself in my opinion] whom Arbonne is fully aware are giving the company a black eye. Arbonne is revoking consultant ID's or formally reprimanding these people. In fact, I attended a national seminar where the Vice president herself reprimanded these upper echelon consultants who are building their business this way. There are still some remaining "bad egg" Arbonne consultants who will NOT assist someone with building a business unless they do this front loading. These people are giving Arbonne a bad name and I am not building my business this way.

Here is what I am doing to build my business. First, here's my business motto I use with all my satisfied clients, "Buy only what you need and love what you buy." I don't try to sell people something they do not want, need, or cannot afford. I became an Arbonne consultant because my skin was a nightmare. The products give amazing results and I started getting so many compliments that I decided to pursue it as a business--but not the way many Arbonne RVP and NVP's want you to. I do not do home parties or classes unless invited to do so. I am not obnoxious and ask my family and friends to have an Arbonne house party for me either.

Instead, I am informative with people who ask questions about Arbonne and let them know I am not here to sell them anything. I ask them about "their" needs and tell them what I feel would be the best product for them. I am very generous with my time, samples, brochures, and catalogs [tax write-offs] which people appreciate. I will travel to them or meet them somewhere to sit down and discuss "their" needs. Everyone so far likes my no-pressure approach. I have built a downline of wholesale buyers who love the products that are right for them. I show them how to save 80% on their own products by giving their own family members' a 35% discount for a win-win situation. They all know I am their consultant and that they will get an honest answer from me, and that I will never have them buy the wrong product for their needs.

I have acquired tester kits of the men's line, acne, anti-aging, sun care, baby care, and most of the cosmetics by buying them for 80% discount. I receive this huge discount because my happy retail customers and family members [those who choose not to have a wholesale account] place regular orders with me for their one or two items. The retail buiness I established gives me about $400/month profit, plus a commission check from Arbonne. I am growing my business the right way because so far the people in my downline and my retail buyers are very satisfied with their products and my service.

The products are truly wonderful and I have received numerous testimonials from my own customers and downline. My husband loves the men's products so much he wants to help me in my business. My upline is available with answers if I have questions. The Arbonne website is first-rate and so helpful with business advice, product information, business tools, and coaching that I rarely call on my Area Manager, RVP, or NVP. One should be able to build an Arbonne business alone because its about the products, the proven results, and ethical, honest marketing techniques.

My advice is to use the products yourself, be educated about the products, be generous with samples, information, and good honest service. You can't lose! Start out small with your own testimonial about the products, some samples [the RE9 Enzyme Peel works great and is cheap], and business cards. Be genuinely interested in another person's needs and you will be successful. Don't be obnoxious, be friendly. Do this with enough people and you will have a downline of wholesale buyers, some business builders, retail buyers who buy directly from you, and a successful, honest home-based business.