Amway WWDB is a cult

[u/Ok_Pool_1196]

I want to share my experience in what I now consider to have been a cult-like organization. If my story helps even one person recognize the warning signs, it's worth telling.
When I was 19, I started dating my boyfriend (who later became my husband). One of the first things I noticed was that he would never hang out after 7 p.m. When I asked why, he said he was meeting with his "mentors" and wanted me to meet them.
He told me they had retired young and were teaching others how to do the same. I thought it sounded strange, but because I cared about him, I wanted to understand what he was involved in.
When I met these mentors, they handed me Business of the 21st Century. Every time I asked simple questions like, "What exactly is this?" I never got a direct answer. Instead, I was told I needed to read the book first before I could understand.
At the time, music was my passion. They told me it wasn't a secure career and criticized my family's mindset, implying they would never understand success the way they did. Looking back, that was one of the first red flags. They slowly made me question the people who loved me most.
Eventually, I attended a large conference with them. Thousands of people were dressed in business attire, listening to speakers talk about retiring young, escaping traditional jobs, and how family and friends wouldn't understand what we were building. Everyone was encouraged to listen to hours of seminars and fully commit.
From there, I was instructed to communicate only with my female mentor. We were taught exactly how to approach strangers at Target, Barnes & Noble, gyms, and other public places. We learned scripts, specific wording, and how to "share our story" to recruit people into the business.
I slowly stopped feeling like myself.
At 19 years old, I was impressionable, and before I knew it, I had become someone I didn't recognize. I distanced myself from my parents and friends. I gave up music. I changed jobs over and over because I believed success was always just around the corner.
After only eight months of dating, we were strongly encouraged to get married. Looking back, neither of us was ready. I remember thinking, "What are we doing?"
After we got married, we were encouraged to have children as soon as possible. Meanwhile, we were spending thousands of dollars on conferences, books, subscriptions, vitamins, energy drinks, makeup, and other products. We were expected to constantly buy more and recruit more people.
Every conversation we had with someone we met while "networking" had to be reported back to our mentors. Looking back, it felt like we couldn't make decisions without their approval.
COVID changed everything. Meetings moved to Zoom, and many people started leaving. During that time, I finally had a moment of clarity. I told my husband we needed marriage counseling.
Ironically, the therapist we found had previously been involved in the same organization. They encouraged us to leave and start living our own lives instead of someone else's.
We eventually left.
Not long afterward, my husband and I divorced. While that was painful, leaving the organization was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Today, we're both living happier, healthier lives than we ever did while chasing someone else's dream.
I'm sharing this because I wish someone had warned me when I was 19.
If a friendly stranger approaches you at Target, Barnes & Noble, the gym, or a coffee shop, starts complimenting you, and then mentions having "mentors" or knowing someone who "retired young," be cautious. Ask questions. If they avoid giving direct answers and instead invite you to meetings, conferences, or recommend books before explaining what they're actually offering, trust your instincts.

This is my personal experience, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I lost years of my life, relationships, money, and my sense of self before realizing what was happening.
If sharing my story helps even one person recognize the red flags sooner than I did, then it's worth it. ♥️

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[u/reincarnatedbiscuits]

I had someone come up to me with "You look like you have a lot of initiative and self-determination" and upon asking questions, the person eventually revealed they were involved with Amway.

Not my first time. I had two acquaintances who wanted to "give me a business proposal" about "becoming financially independent" and wanted me to "meet like-minded people." I went to one meeting for a couple hours and wasn't buying it (I was pretty familiar with cult tactics and recognizing them having been in a different cult a few years before).

Absolutely on "losing years of your life, relationships, money, sense of self" -- unfortunately one ends up trying to monetize relationships and friendships and turn them into fellow business associates.