Multi-level marketing seems to be all the rage these days. Stay at home parents are making a living off posting on social media about products they are now using. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then head over to your Facebook or Instagram feed and let me know how many posts you are seeing with things like: before and after photos using Rodan + Fields skin care, or the many uses of Young Living Essential Oils or Beach Body 30 day challenges or the Plexus “pink drink” slimming supplements or 31 Gifts or Juice Plus whole food vitamins or (fill in the blank here). If you still have no idea what I’m talking about then your friends just haven’t started selling something yet.

All joking aside, in the last month I have had 5 friends contact me with “opportunities” to learn about their new product that they “love” and are making money from using and sharing with others. I am quite intrigued actually and to be honest I have considered (and still am considering) taking one of these opportunities on and making it a business. But let’s back up… what the hell is a MLM company? A MLM or multi-level marketing company is a business that uses person to person direct sales to move their product instead of going the traditional route and having retail locations. Think Avon or Mary Kay.

Basically, you become an independent contractor and buy in to the business to sell their products and more importantly, recruit other people looking to start their own business to join your team and sell under you. Now, some of you may be screaming… “yahhhh, its a pyramid scheme… remember those” Here’s a quick reminder: you get approached to join a company with promises to make a fortune and all you have to do is pay a bunch of money to join; then you find out the only way you make money is to get other people to pay a bunch of money and join the company too. Pretty sketchy and not to mention illegal.

So back to multi-level marketing… MLM or direct sales is different and I think the model is kind of cool… people are empowered to be a product of the product by using it and then sharing it with their social network. You get paid when other people buy the product from you and you also get paid when you recruit other people to sell the product. I am totally simplifying it but you get the idea. So right now you’re like, Ok, Jess where are the positives here because this sounds like an annoying thing that people do and guilt you into buying stuff from them while spamming up your social media feeds. Well yes, in some ways (if done poorly) that’s kind of what can happen. On the other hand, the five friends that approached me recently are some of the smartest, practical and coolest people I know! And none of them were annoying or pushy, they were genuinely excited about the product and wanted to let me know about the opportunity. And I bought some stuff! I’m pumped about getting rid of my wrinkles by using the skin care products Kate suggested… I’m excited to get Aaron on some better probiotics for his gut health from Lauren, I love love love using essential oils that Ashley shares and I’m always open to try new things from people I trust and love.

So, after doing some research and talking to lots of people I have my own opinion about MLM companies and for the most part my feeling is a good one. I think this style of business is the way many people will make a living in the future. The thing that MOST people want out of a career includes: flexibility, balance between work life and home life, the ability to have time off to travel, to be in charge of your own time and to have the ability to make as much money as you deserve…. are all the things that are quite possible when you take on a direct sales gig. I’m not saying its easy because its probably hard as hell to make a living.

But you do have the opportunity to create this situation for yourself if you do it the right way. By the way, I think the wrong way is annoying or quilting your family and friends into supporting something that a.) you yourself do not believe in or b.) something your family and friends are not really interested in or something they don’t really need. If you do it the right way and share your new thing with your network in a way that is not pushy and truly genuine (and you don’t keep pestering people who have not expressed interest or who have already told you NO) then these MLM companies could be a fantastic way to earn a living while being present in your home with your kiddos and/or create residual income for your retirement.

But then there are the negatives… and after writing the positives I’m almost like, hey wait a minute, why don’t you just do one of these MLMs and be done with it? Well I’m always questioning things and I love playing devil’s advocate. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Young Living Essential Oils from my sister-in-law Ashley

Rodan + Fields skin care from my highschool bff Kate

Plexus nutritional products from my mama friend Lauren

Chloe + Isabel jewlrey from my Denver pal Beth

Juice Plus whole food vitamins from my mama friend Jenna

BeachBody weight loss programs and Herbalife supplements from my high school friend Clare

Hope this helps if you are like me and not wanting to miss an opportunity… but at the same time skeptical! Let me know what you think in the comments : )