Opportunity Cost

Arbonne boasts that their products are vegan, non-GMO, and tout their B Corp certification as an extension of their clean ingredient mission. Consultants rave about Arbonne’s healthy living products - while toxic diet culture reigns supreme. I also sat down with Julie to talk about her climb up the ranks in Arbonne and what happened when her vantage from the top...did not look so pretty.
Sources:
Arbonne
Arbonne Income Disclosure
The Economic Cost of Devaluing “Women’s Work” by IMF
The State of Moms and Dads in America 2022 by National Fatherhood initiatives
Is Arbonne Greenwashing? by Better Goods
B Corp - Arbonne
B Corp Greenwashing by Sustainable Jungle
2017 Class Action v. Arbonne
Facial Moisturizer Recall
Liquid Eyeliner Recall
Day Creme Recall
Detox Body Wash Recall
Peanut Butter Cup Recall
NIH - Patterns and Prevalence of Disordered Eating and Weight Control Behaviors in Women Ages 25–45

Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Thanks for listening. Email us at [email protected] and follow us at @oppcostpod on Instagram & TikTok.
Brought to you by Bloww Studio. Scripted, hosted, and edited by Jill.

Bomb Party's surprise reveal jewelry has taken TikTok by storm. Thousands of people tune in live every day to watch reps unfurl rings, bracelets, and necklaces that Bomb Party claims are worth up to $1,500. Peering through the haze of bath bomb fizz and glitter, things at Bomb Party may not be so sparkly after all.
Sources:
Bomb Party
Dopamine Reward Prediction Error by Wolfram Schultz, MD
Proft margins on jewelry
Why women are leaving their side hustle by Vice

Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Thanks for listening. Email us at [email protected] and follow us at @oppcostpod on Instagram & TikTok.
Brought to you by Bloww Studio. Scripted, hosted, and edited by Jill.

Seekers looking for community outside of traditional religion might find themselves in the New Age movement. These groups are not free from the grip of MLMs and the wild health claims made about their products. Enagic distributors claim to have the secret to long-lasting health in their Kangen water ionizers. I also speak with Anna about her time in Enagic, and the MLM distributor to QAnon pipeline.

Sources:
Enagic
Enagic Income Disclosure
When Multi-Level Marketing Met Gen Z by the Atlantic
Is Alkaline Water a Miracle Cure? Or BS? The Science is In by the Guardian
FTC Cease & Desist to Enagic
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Thanks for listening. Email us at [email protected] and follow us at @oppcostpod on Instagram & TikTok.
Brought to you by Bloww Studio. Scripted, hosted, and edited by Jill.

In the premiere episode, we start at the logical place: the beginning. After Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos founded Amway, the world - and our political sphere - was never the same. The jury is out on whether that’s for the better...or worse. I also speak with Chrystal, a former Independent Business Owner with Amway and member of the motivational organization, Leadership Team Development (LTD).

Sources:
Amway
Amway Income Disclosure
60 Minutes "Soap and Hope" 1999
Amway/Alticor Lobbying and Political Donations
Sean Munger Substack
Final Order in Regard to Alleged Violation of the FTC Act, 1979
LA Times: Amway earnings
Merchants of Deception by Eric Scheibeler

Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Thanks for listening. Email us at [email protected] and follow us at @oppcostpod on Instagram & TikTok.
Brought to you by Bloww Studio. Scripted, hosted, and edited by Jill.

How did multi-level marketing become a $186B industry? What does it mean to lose your identity and find it somewhere else? Are distributors who build teams of hundreds underneath them victims? Or are they villains?
Maybe the answer to these questions is somewhere in the middle. Who we are determines what motivates us, how we make decisions, and who we trust. This includes when someone we know or don’t know tells us we can have everything we’ve ever wanted...by joining their network marketing company.

I invite us to take a look under the hood to find that these companies and their representatives are much more complicated than they appear. Each episode, I try to answer the question, is this the opportunity of a lifetime? Or the illusion of one?

Thanks for listening. Email us at [email protected] and follow us at @oppcostpod on Instagram & TikTok.
Brought to you by Bloww Studio. Scripted, hosted, and edited by Jill.