Unless I ask to hear about it.

Dave:

There is a famous MLMer who visits here and sometimes posts as well. As far as I know, he is VERY respected by ALL visitors to this board. (I know he is VERY respected by the "long timers", at least.)

So being involved in an MLM does not automatically taint any reputation you may or may not have.

However, MLM taints the reputation of most people because of how they conduct themselves.

No one likes bible thumpers.

MLMers become zealots... like bible thumpers... about their particular MLM. Friends, relatives, business owners. A constant onslaught. Won't shut up about it. THAT, is what ruins your reputation and turns people off and causes them to avoid you.

If you want to join an MLM and be respected as well... then STOP forcing the Opportunity or products on people who have not asked. And do NOT try to sell to your friends and relatives.

Treat your upline like a product supplier. Treat your business like a retail store. Sell the product and don't even mention the opportunity. Make it so your customers do not even now the product you supply is an MLM product. Become a success at selling the product. Only then should you consider offering the opportunity. And when you do, you will be able to help those who come under you with proven techniques... techniques you used to grow the product side of your business.

Expecting others to do all the selling while you sit on your butt in front of the TV swilling beer and watching game shows, it not the way to succeed at anything.

Realise this: if you get people in by telling them "all you need is five people to be selling and you'll get rich," then they will also get people in by telling them "all you need is five people to be selling and you'll get rich." And those will in turn tell the people they get in "all you need is five people to be selling and you'll get rich." And so on and so forth. No one ends up selling the product.

In short: Concentrate on selling the product. Market it like you would market a normal product. Don't bother selling to friends, relatives or other "business owners" as the MLM manual might say. And sell your product to those who have shown an interest.

Do this and you will not ruin your reputation.

Push your product/opportunity down the throats of everyone you meet and mention it at every chance you get, and you will turn people off and ruin your reputation.

Michael Ross